Identification of phytochrome B amino acid residues mutated in three new phyB mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

The growth and development of plants is regulated by light viathe action of photoreceptors which are responsive to the red/far-red,blue and UV regions of the spectrum. Phytochrome B (the apoproteinof which is encoded by the PHYB gene) is one of the red/far-redabsorbing photoreceptors active in this process. In this paper,the isolation and characterization of three new EMS-inducedmutations of Arabidopsis which confer phytochrome B deficiencyare described. Complementation analysis showed that these mutations(phyB-101, phyB-102 and phyB-104) were allelic with PHYB. DNAsequence analysis showed that all three mutants contain nucleotidesubstitutions in the PHYB-101 gene sequence. phyB-101 carriesa nucleotide substitution within the second exon of the PHYBgene. This G-to-A substitution is a missense mutation that convertsa glutamate residue at position 812 of the phytochrome B apoproteinto a lysine residue. phyB-102, another missense mutant, carriesa C-to-T substitution which converts a serine residue at position349 of the phytochrome B apoprotein to a phenylalanine residue.phyB-104 carries a premature stop codon as a result of a G-to-Amutation 1190 bp down-stream of the ATG start codon of the PHYBsequence. The missense mutations in phyB-101 and phyB-102 causesignificant alterations in the predicted second ary structureof their respective mutant polypeptides, and identify aminoacid residues playing crucial roles in phytochrome B function,assembly or stability. Key words: Arabidopsis thaliana, phytochromet, phyB mutants, missense mutations     

Responses of nitrate assimilation and N translocation in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) to reduced ambient air humidity

The impact of low humidity in ambient air on water relations,nitrate uptake, and translocation of recently absorbed nitrogen,was investigated in 5-week-old tomato (Lycopersicon esculentumMill cv. Ailsa Craig) plants grown hydroponically in a completenutrient solution. Plants were subjected to dry air (relativehumidity 2–4% for 6 h. The transpiration rate increasedseveral-fold and the shoot water content decreased by almost20%, whereas root water content was unaffected. No effect onin vitro nitrate reductase (NR) activity was detected when usingan EDTA-contraining assay buffer. Replacement of EDTA with Mg²⁺revealed a significant decline in shoot NR activity, which suggestsphosphorylation of the enzyme during the stress treatment. Plantswere grown in a split-root system, in which one root half wasfed ¹⁵N-nitrate during the treatment, in order to determinenitrate uptake and translocation of recently absorbed nitrogenin the plants. Uptake of nitrate was substantially inhibited,but the proportion of absorbed ¹⁵N that was translocated tothe shoots was only slightly affected. In untreated plants,71% of the ¹⁵N recovered in roots had been retranslocated fromthe shoots, whereas in plants subjected to stress the deliveryof ¹⁵N from shoots to roots appeared to be completely inhibited.The data show that lowered humidity in air has significant effectson both uptake of nitrate as well as translocation of nitrogenwithin the plants. Some of these effects appear to be commonwith those observed in plants subjected to reduced water potentialsin the root environment and point to the possibility of theshoot water relations being highly influential on nitrogen uptakeand translocation. Key words: Air humidity, nitrate assimilation, nitrate reductase activity, nitrogen translocation, tomato, water stress     

Evidence for Involvement of a Zymogen Granule Na+/H+ Exchanger in Enzyme Secretion from Rat Pancreatic Acinar Cells

We have characterized a Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger in the membrane of isolated zymogen granules (ZG) from rat exocrine pancreas and investigated its role in secretagogue-induced enzyme secretion. ZG Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger activity was estimated by measuring Na⁺ or Li⁺ influx and consequent osmotic swelling and lysis of ZG incubated in Na- or Li-acetate. Alternatively, intragranule pH was investigated by measuring absorbance changes in ZG which had been preloaded with the weak base acridine orange. Na⁺- or Li⁺-dependent ZG lysis was enhanced by increasing inward to outward directed H⁺ gradients. Na⁺-dependent ZG lysis was not prevented by an inside-positive K⁺ diffusion potential generated by valinomycin which argues against parallel operation of separate electrogenic Na⁺ and H⁺ permeabilities and for coupled Na⁺/H⁺ exchange through an electroneutral carrier. Na⁺- and Li⁺-dependent ZG lysis was inhibited by EIPA (EC₅₀∼25 μm) and benzamil (EC₅₀∼100 μm), but only weakly by amiloride. Similarly, absorbance changes due to release of acridine orange from acidic granules into the medium were obtained with Na⁺ and Li⁺ salts only, and were inhibited by EIPA, suggesting the presence of a Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger in the membrane. Na⁺ dependent lysis of ZG was inhibited by 0.5 mm MgATP and MgATP-γ-S by about 60% and 35%, respectively. Inhibition by MgATP was prevented by incubation of ZG with alkaline phosphatase (100 U/ml), or by the calmodulin antagonists calmidazolium (0.75 μm), trifluoperazine (100 μm) and W-7 (500 μm), suggesting that the ZG Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger is regulated by a ZG membrane-bound calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. Na⁺ dependence of secretagogue (CCK-OP)-stimulated amylase secretion was investigated in digitonin permeabilized rat pancreatic acini and was higher in acini incubated in Na⁺ containing buffer (30 mm NaCl/105 mm KCl buffer; 6.4 ± 0.4% of total amylase above basal) compared to buffer without Na⁺ (0 mm NaCl/135 mm KCl buffer; 4.7 ± 0.4% of total amylase above basal, P < 0.03). EIPA (50 μm) reduced CCK-OP-induced amylase secretion in Na⁺ containing buffer from 7.5 ± 0.6% to 4.1 ± 0.8% (P < 0.02). In the absence of Na⁺ in the buffer, CCK-OP-stimulated amylase release was not inhibited by 50 μm EIPA. The data suggest that an amiloride insensitive, EIPA inhibitable Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger is present in ZG membranes, which is stimulated by calmodulin antagonists and could be involved in secretagogue-induced enzyme secretion from rat pancreatic acini. Received: 7 December 1995/Revised: 2 April 1996     

Connexin43 Is Another Gap Junction Protein in the Peripheral Nervous System

Abstract: That many cells express more than one connexin (Cx) led us to examine whether Cxs other than Cx32 are expressed in the PNS. In addition to Cx32 mRNA, Cx43 and Cx26 mRNAs were detected in rat sciatic nerve by northern blot analysis. Cx43 mRNA, but not Cx26 mRNA, was expressed in both the primary Schwann cell culture and immortalized Schwann cell line (T93). The steady-state levels of the Cx43 mRNA in the primary Schwann cell culture increased 2.0-fold with 100 µ M forskolin, whereas that of P₀ increased 7.0-fold. Immunoreactivity to Cx43 was detected on western blots of cultured Schwann cells, T93 cells, and sciatic nerves but not on blots of PNS myelin. Immunohistochemical study using human peripheral nerves revealed that anti-Cx43 antibody stained cytoplasm around nucleus of Schwann cells but not myelin, confirming western blot results. Although P₀ expression was markedly decreased by crush injury of the sciatic nerves, Cx43 expression showed no apparent change. Developmental profiles showed that Cx43 expression in the sciatic nerve increased rapidly after birth, peaked at about postnatal day 6, and then decreased gradually to a low level. In adult rats, the Cx43 mRNA value was much lower than that of Cx32. These findings suggest that Cx43 is localized in Schwann cell bodies and that, compared with P₀, its expression is less influenced by axonal contact and cyclic AMP levels. The high expression on postnatal day 6 indicates that Cx43 may be related to PNS myelination. Cx43 is another gap junction, but its function appears to differ from that of Cx32, as judged by the differences in their localization and developmental profiles.     

Linkage disequilibrium and extended haplotypes in the HLA-A to D6S105 region: implications for mapping the hemochromatosis gene (HFE)

The hemochromatosis gene (HFE) maps to 6p21.3, in close linkage with the HLA Class I genes. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) studies were designed to narrow down the most likely candidate region for HFE, as an alternative to traditional linkage analysis. However, both the HLA-A and D6S105 subregions, which are situated 2–3 cM and approximately 3 Mb apart, have been suggested to contain HFE. The present report extends our previous study based upon the analysis of a large number of HFE and normal chromosomes from 66families of Breton ancestry. In addition to the previously used RFLP markers spanning the 400-kb surrounding HLA-A, we examined three microsatellites: D6S510, HLA-F, and D6S105. Our combined data not only confirm a peak of LD at D6S105, but also reveal a complex pattern of LD over the i82 to D6S105 interval. Within our ethnically well-defined population of Brittany, the association of HFE with D6S105 is as great as that with HLA-A, while the internal markers display a lower LD. Fine haplotype analysis enabled us to identify two categories of haplotypes segregating with HFE. In contrast to the vast majority of normal haplotypes, 50% of HFE haplotypes are completely conserved over the HLA-A to D6S105 interval. These haplotypes could have been conserved through recombination suppression, selective forces and/or other evolutionary factors. This particular haplotypic configuration might account for the apparent inconsistencies between genetic linkage and LD data, and additionally greatly complicates positional cloning of HFE through disequilibrium mapping.The authors contributed equally to this work     

Discrimination of respiratory dysfunction in yeast mutants by confocal microscopy, image, and flow cytometry

Living yeast cells can be selectively stained with the lipophilic cationic cyanine dye DiOC6(3) in a mitochondrial membrane potential-dependent manner. Our study extends the use of flow cytometric analysis and sorting to DiOC6(3)-stained yeast cells. Experimental conditions were developed that prevented the toxic side effect of the probe and gave a quantitative correlation between fluorescence and mitochondrial membrane potential, without any staining of other membranes. The localization of the fluorochrome was checked by confocal microscopy and image cytometry. The mitochondrial membrane alterations were also tested through cardiolipin staining with nonyl acridine orange. Differences in light scattering and in fluorescence were detected in mutants (rho-, rho degrees, mit-, or pet-) and wild-type (rho+mit+) populations of yeast. The dye uptake of respiratory-deficient yeast strains was significantly reduced as compared to that of the wild-type. Application of an uncoupler (mCICCP), which collapsed the mitochondrial membrane potential (alphapsi(m)), led to a drastic reduction of the dye uptake. It was observed that a decrease in deltapsi(m), was usually correlated with a decrease in cardiolipin stainability by nonyl acridine orange (NAO). Quantitative flow cytometry is a fast and reproducible technique for rapid screening of yeast strains that might be suspected of respiratory dysfunction and/or mitochondrial structural changes. We give evidence that it is an adequate method to characterize and isolate respiratory mutants through sorting procedure, with selective enrichment of the population studied in respiring or non-respiring yeast cells. Confocal microscopy and image cytometry corroborate the flow cytometry results.     

Cardiac phosphocreatine deficiency induced by GPA during postnatal development in rat

The effect of chronic administration of -guanidinopropionic acid (GPA) on the protein profiling, energy metabolism and right ventricular (RV) function was studied in the rat heart during the weaning and adolescence period. GPA was given in tap water (1–1.5%) using pair drink controls. The feeding of animals with GPA solution for a six week period resulted in elevation of heart to body weight ratio due to body growth retardation. GPA accumulated in the myocardium up to 67.37 ± 5.3 moles.g dry weight and the tissue content of total creatine, phosphocreatine and ATP was significantly decreased to 15%, 9% and 65% of control values respectively. Total activity of creatine kinase (CK) was not changed, but the proportion of mitochondrial (Mi) CK isoenzyme was decreased; the percentage of MB isoenzyme of CK was significantly higher. GPA treatment resulted in an elevation of the content of cardiac collagenous proteins and decrease of non-collagenous proteins in the heart; in parallel, a decrease of the collagen I to collagen III ratio was detected. The function of the RV was assessed using an isolated perfused heart with RV performing pressure-volume work. As compared to pair-drink controls, RV function was significantly impaired the GPA group: at any given right atrial filling pressure, the RV systolic pressure and the rate of pressure development were decreased by almost a factor of two. Elevation of the RV diastolic pressure with increasing pulmonary artery diastolic pressure was also significantly steeper in the GPA group which also showed decrease of cardiac output, especially at high outflow resistance. It may be assumed that chronic administration of GPA deeply influenced metabolic parameters, protein profiles and contractile function of the developing heart. On the other hand, concentrations of glucose, total lipids and triglycerides in blood plasma were not affected. All these data confirm the concept that the CK system is of central importance both for heart function and for the regulation of normal growth of cardiac myocytes.     

A newHLA-DRB1 * 13 allele (DRB1 * 1318) with a shortDRB1*08 sequence

The nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper have been submitted to the EMBL/GenBank nucleotide sequence database and have been assigned the accession number Z48631. The name listed for this sequence was officially assigned by the WHO Nomenclature Committee in November 1994. This follows the agreed policy that, subject to the conditions stated in the most recent Nomenclature Report (Bodmer et al. 1994), names will be assigned to new sequences as they are identified. Lists of such new names will be published in the following WHO Nomenclature Report     

Evidence that cytokinin controls bud size and branch form in Norway spruce

Shoot elongation in many coniferous species is predetermined during bud formation the year before the shoot extends. This implies that formation of the primordial shoot within the bud is the primary event in annual shoot growth. Hormonal factors regulating bud formation are consequently of utmost importance. We followed the levels of the endogenous cytokinins zeatin riboside (ZR) and isopentenyladenosine (iPA) in terminal buds, whorl buds and lower lateral buds of the uppermost current-year whorl shoots of 15- to 20-year-old trees of Norway spruce [ Picea abies (L.) Karst.] from June to September. Cytokinins were isolated with affinity chromatography columns, purified by high performance liquid chromatography, and quantified by ELISA. The level of ZR was low in June but increased gradually in all buds until September. Throughout the measurement period, the ZR level was highest in terminal buds and lowest in the scattered lateral, buds, with the whorl buds intermediate. The level of iPA peaked in July and decreased later without any consistent differences among the three classes of buds. The development of different kinds of buds was followed by scanning electron microscopy. We found that bud growth was greatest during August and September. The final size of primordial shoots within the buds varied considerably and the weight of the terminal bud was three times that of the whorl buds and more than five times that of the other lateral buds.
We conclude that the increase in ZR level during the period of active bud development is indicative of the importance of cytokinin for this process. Furthermore, the positive correlation between the level of ZR and bud growth during the period of predetermination of next year's branch growth suggests that this hormone indirectly controls the form of single branches in the spruce tree.