Combined mutagenicity of methyl methanesulfonate and ethyl methanesulfonate in Chinese hamster V79 cells.

The combined effects of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) on the induction of 6-thioguanine (6TG)-resistant mutants and chromosome aberrations were examined in Chinese hamster V79 cells. Cells were simultaneously treated with EMS at a concentration of D20 and MMS at various concentrations for 3, 6 or 9 h. In other experiments cells were simultaneously treated with MMS at a concentration of D20 and EMS at various concentrations for 3, 6 or 9 h. The mathematical analysis of the combined effects of both chemicals for cell killing (cytotoxicity) and 6TG-resistant mutations indicates that synergistic interactions were observed for both cell killing and mutations induced by MMS and EMS. The frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by simultaneous treatment with MMS at a concentration of D20 and EMS at various concentrations for 3 h was additive. However, the frequency of chromosome aberrations induced by EMS at a concentration of D20 and MMS at various concentrations for 3 h was not significantly different from those induced by MMS alone.     

The Level of Stromal ATP Regulates Translation of the D1 Protein in Isolated Chloroplasts

The synthesis of the D1 subunit of the reaction center of photosystemII is light-dependent in isolated chloroplasts. The mechanismof the regulation by light was analyzed using spinach chloroplasts.The light-regulated synthesis of the D1 protein was preventedby the addition of atrazine and the dependence on the concentrationof atrazine of the inhibition was practically identical withthat of the inhibition of photosynthetic electron transportin photosystem II, as measured by the photoreduction of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol. Inhibitors of photosynthetic phosphorylation, suchas phloridzin, nigericin and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone,also inhibited the light-dependent synthesis of the D1 protein.Determination of the levels of ATP in chloroplasts and the ratesof synthesis of D1 protein under the various degrees of inhibitioncaused by these reagents suggested that the level of ATP inthe soluble, stromal fraction can control the synthesis of theD1 protein. The level of stromal ATP in chloroplasts was furthermanipulated, either by modulating the intensity of actinic lightor by the addition of metabolites, such as glycerate, whichwas used to decrease the level of ATP in the light, and dihydroxyacetonephosphate/oxaloacetate, which was used to raise the level ofATP in the dark. The results definitely support the hypothesisthat the light-induced level of ATP is an essential determinantin the regulation of the synthesis of the D1 protein in isolatedchloroplasts. (Received July 25, 1991; Accepted October 22, 1991)     

Preparation of a fluorescent derivative of benzoylecgonine, and preliminary studies of its application to the analysis of urine

A sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method using 3-bromomethyl-6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-quinoxalinone (Br-DMEQ) as a fluorescent labeling reagent is described for the determination of benzoylecgonine (BE) and ecgonine (EC). The Br-DMEQ derivatives of BE and EC were separated on a C₁₈ column and detected at 455 nm with excitation at 370 nm. The detection limits of the proposed method were 18.7 fmol for BE and 12.5 pmol for EC at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Relative standard deviations of five replicate measurements were 1.94% (10 pmol) and 2.98% (50 pmol) for BE and 6.3% (250 pmol) and 5.62% (1.25 pmol) for EC. This method was applied to the determination of BE in human urine. BE was extracted from urine by solvent extraction with chloroform—isopropyl alcohol (9:1, v/v) solution. Levels of 2.5 · 10⁻⁸ M BE in urine (25 pmol/ml) could be determined.     

Actin cytoskeleton of resting bovine platelets

Actin filaments in resting discoid bovine platelets were examined by fluorescence and electron microscopy. Rhodamine-phalloidin staining patterns showed a characteristic wheel-like structure which consisted of a central small circle connected by several radial spokes to a large peripheral circle. This wheel-like structure was composed of actin filaments forming a characteristic arrowhead structure with heavy meromyosin from muscle. Actin filaments were densely arrayed in parallel with a marginal microtubule band and radiated out from the center to the periphery. Platelets treated with colchicine lost their marginal microtubule band but retained their wheel-like structure and normal discoid form. Cytochalasin B disrupted the wheel-like structure but not the marginal microtubule band or the normal discoid form. After simultaneous treatment with both cytochalasin B and colchicine, platelets lost their discoid shape. These results suggest that actin filaments and microtubules both play important roles in the maintenance of the discoid shape of resting bovine platelets.     

A small GTP-binding protein (G protein) recognized by smg p25A GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) in human platelet membranes and GDI for this small G protein in human platelet cytosol

We have recently purified from bovine brain cytosol a novel type of regulatory protein for smg p25A, named smg p25A GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI), that regulates the GDP/GTP exchange reaction of smg p25A by inhibiting the dissociation of GDP from and thereby the subsequent binding of GTP to it. This smg p25A GDI is inactive for other ras p21/ras p21-like small GTP-binding proteins (G proteins) including c-Ha-ras p21, smg p21, rhoA p21 and rhoB p20. In human platelet membranes, smg p25A was not detected but a G protein with an apparent Mr value of 24,000 (24KG) was recognized by smg p25A GDI and the dissociation of GDP from and the binding of GTP to 24KG were inhibited by smg p25A GDI. The doses of smg p25A GDI necessary for these activities for both 24KG and smg p25A were the same. This 24KG was not recognized by an anti-smg p25A monoclonal antibody. The GDI activity for human platelet 24KG and smg p25A was detected in human platelet cytosol. This human platelet GDI was recognized by an anti-smg p25A GDI polyclonal antibody. These results indicate that there is a 24KG-24KG GDI system similar to a smg p25A-smg p25A GDI system in human platelets.     

AMONG- AND WITHIN-FLOWER COMPARISONS OF POLLEN TUBE GROWTH FOLLOWING SELF- AND CROSS-POLLINATIONS IN DIANTHUS CHINENSIS (CARYOPHYLLACEAE)

We compared the rate of pollen tube growth following self- and cross-pollinations both among and within flowers of two clones of Dianthus chinensis L. For among-flower comparisons, both styles of a flower were pollinated with either self- or cross-pollen. Within-flower comparisons were made between the two styles of the same flower, one of which was self-pollinated and the other cross-pollinated. Comparisons between flowers indicated that self-pollen grew slower than cross-pollen in both clones. However, differences in the growth rate of pollen tubes from self- and cross-pollinations were greater when comparisons were made between the two styles of the same flower than when pollinations were made in different flowers. These results suggest the existence of interstyle interactions in pollen tube growth.     

Tuberculous thyroiditis and miliary tuberculosis manifested postpartum in a patient with thyroid carcinoma

Right nodular goiter with diffuse miliary shadow on chest roentgenogram was found in a postpartum febrile woman. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed tuberculous granuloma and acid-fast bacilli were found by aspiration cytology of the thyroid. Although chemotherapy was effective, the thyroid nodule remained palpable and the serum thyroglobulin level remained high. Subtotal thyroidectomy revealed papillary carcinoma associated with tuberculosis and lymph nodes metastasis. This seems to be the first case report of a patient with tuberculous thyroiditis, coexisting with thyroid carcinoma, diagnosed by aspiration cytology and treated prior to surgery.     

A polarized light and electron microscopic study of the birefringent fibrils inPhysarum plasmodia

Summary The birefringent fibrils in thin-spread plasmodium ofPhysarum polycephalum have been investigated with both polarizing and electron microscopes. The birefringent fibrils were classified into three groups by polarized light microscopy. The first type of fibril is observed in the advancing frontal region as a mutual orthogonal array. The birefringence changes rhythmically in accordance with the shuttle streaming. The second type of birefringent fibril is located in the strand region and runs parallel or somewhat oblique to the strand axis. The third type is observed in the strand region always perpendicular to the streaming axis. Electron microscopy confirmed that all these fibrils are composed of microfilaments, which range in densities in the cross view of the fibril from 1.2 to 1.7 × 10³/m² (1.5 × 10³/(xm² on the average).     

Eu-actinin, a new structural protein of the Z-line of striated muscles

A new protein component of the Z-line of striated muscles was isolated from chicken breast muscle. This protein has been designated as eu-actinin because of its close similarity in polypeptide molecular weight to actin. Eu-actinin was extracted from myosin-removed myofibrils at low ionic strength at pH 6.5 and purified by column chromatography on Sepharose 4B and DEAE-cellulose. Although the polypeptide molecular weight of eu-actinin measured by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is similar to that of actin, other physico-chemical properties of eu-actinin definitely differ from those of actin. The isoelectric point of eu-actinin was more acidic than that of actin. The amino acid composition of eu-actinin was found to be different from that of actin or those of other muscle structural proteins. The results of analytical gel filtration on Sepharose 4B indicated that eu-actinin forms dimers through non-covalent bonding under aqueous conditions. Eu-actinin has a low axial asymmetry under low-salt conditions, as judged from its intrinsic viscosity ([eta] = 6.4 ml/g for the dimer state) and exhibits a tendency to undergo self-association with increasing ionic strength. Interactions of eu-actinin with other muscle proteins were examined by the affinity column technique. It was shown that eu-actinin binds to actin and alpha-actinin. Eu-actinin exhibited strong seeding ability for the polymerization of actin. Antibody to eu-actinin was raised in a goat and purified by affinity chromatography. The specific antibody against eu-actinin did not form precipitine lines with actin or alpha-actinin. Immunofluorescence studies revealed that eu-actinin is localized at the Z-line of myofibrils. The FITC-conjugated antibody to eu-actinin also stained the Z-lines of rabbit skeletal muscle and chicken cardiac muscle. Therefore, it was concluded that eu-actinin is a new, ubiquitous constituent of Z-lines of striated muscles.