Bactericidal effects of macrophages of mice treated with interferon]

The preparations of interferon or virus-inhibiting factor produced in L cell (L-IF) and mouse brain (MB-IF) enhanced the killing of Staphylococcus aureus (S.a.) by the mouse peritoneal macrophage. The L-IF, heat-inactivated at 80 degrees or 60 degrees for 30 min., and mock L-IF could not enhance the killing of S.a. The heterologous human and rabbit interferon preparations didn't enhance the bactericidal activity of macrophage. The L-IF didn't have any effect on the release of lysozyme from the macrophages.     

Histidine-containing cyclic dipeptides as catalysts in the hydrolysis of carbonic acid p-nitrophenyl esters

A histidine-containing cyclic dipeptide, cyclo(D -Leu-L -His), was almost 20 times as efficient a catalyst as imidazole in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl laurate. The effect of dioxane on the hydrolysis showed that hydrophobic interaction between the cyclic dipeptide and the ester is very important. This reaction obeyed the Michaelis-Menten kinetics, and the Michaelis constant K_m was as low as 9.98 × 10^?5M. Since the linear dipeptide having D -Leu-L -His sequence was nearly inactive in the hydrolysis, the functional groups of cyclo(D -Leu-L -His) in a specific arrangement held by the rigid backbone must have cooperated in the fast hydrolysis. Very weak catalysis by the diasteremeric cyclic dipeptide, cyclo(L -Leu-L -His), in the hydrolysis supported the above view.     

A novel dihydrodiol dehydrogenase in bovine liver cytosol: purification and characterization of multiple forms of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase.

Three enzymes (DD1, DD2, and DD3) having dihydrodiol dehydrogenase activity were purified to homogeneity from bovine cytosol. DD1 and DD2 were identified as 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and high-Km aldehyde reductase, respectively, as judged from their molecular weights, substrate specificities and inhibitor sensitivities. DD3 was a unique enzyme which could specifically catalyze the dehydrogenation of trans-benzenedihydrodiol and trans-naphthalenedihydrodiol without any activity toward the other tested alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and quinones. The Km value of DD3 (0.18 mM) for benzenedihydrodiol was lower than those of other dihydrodiol dehydrogenases so far reported. DD3 immunologically crossreacted with DD1, but showed no crossreactivity with DD2. Additionally, DD3 was inhibited in a competitive manner, with a low Ki value of 1 microM, by androsterone, which was a good substrate for DD1. It was assumed that DD3 is a novel enzyme which is specific to dihydrodiols, exhibiting similarity to DD1 in immunological and structural properties.     

Patterns of nucleotide substitutions inferred from the phylogenies of the class I major histocompatibility complex genes

Summary Patterns of nucleotide substitutions in human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes were estimated by using phylogenetic trees of DNA sequences. The pattern is defined as a set of 12 parameters, each of which represents the relative frequency of substitutions from a particular nucleotide to another. The pattern at the antigen recognition sites (ARS) in functional MHC genes was remarkably different from that at the remaining coding region (non-ARS). In particular, the proportion of transitions among all the nucleotide substitutions (P _s) was extremely low at the third codon positions of ARS. In the HLA-A genes, P _s at the third codon positions was only 6% in ARS, whereas it was 69% in non-ARS. In HLA-B, the corresponding values were 30% in ARS and 80% in non-ARS, respectively. On the other hand, P _s in a class I pseudogene (HLA-H) was 57%, which was in good agreement with P _s in other pseudogenes. Because pseudogenes are selectively neutral, the pattern in pseudogenes is regarded as the pattern of spontaneous substitution mutations. In general, the pattern in functional genes that are subject to selective forces deviates from the pattern in pseudogenes. At the third codon positions in coding regions, transitions scarcely cause amino acid replacements, whereas about half of transversions do cause replacements. Accordingly, P _s at the third codon positions decreases if amino acid replacements are accelerated by natural selection but increases if amino acids are conserved by functional constraint. Our observations imply that the ARS region is subject to natural selection favoring amino acid replacements, whereas the non-ARS region is subject to functional constraint. Offprint requests to: T. Gojobori     

R1-20, a novel monoclonal antibody reacting with a molecule distinct from integrin family, induces homotypic cell aggregation.

R1-20, a novel mAb reacting with a cell surface Ag on normal human lymphocytes and leukemic cell lines, was shown to induce homotypic cell aggregation in leukemic cell lines. This phenomenon was specific to mAb R1-20 because antibodies recognizing CD2, CD7, CD28, and HLA-ABC failed to exhibit homotypic cell aggregation. Induction of aggregation by mAb R1-20 occurred at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C and required cytoskeletal integrity. Sodium azide, a metabolic inhibitor, had no effect on the aggregation. Distinct from lymphocyte function-associated Ag-1/intercellular adhesion molecule-1 interaction in which divalent cations are essential elements, R1-20-mediated aggregation was not abolished with EDTA treatment. The R1-20 Ag was determined as a molecule of M(r) 100 to 110 kDa in immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting methods, under both reducing and nonreducing conditions. The molecular composition is quite different from that of any known integrin molecule. The R1-20 Ag was expressed on resting and activated T Lymphocytes as well as on normal B lymphocytes. Monocytes and granulocytes had no detectable R1-20 Ag. Among the leukemia-derived cell lines we used, mAb R1-20 reacted with 18 of 32 T cell lines, 2 of 20 B cell lines, 2 of 3 non-T-non-B cell lines, 2 of 7 myelomonocytic cell lines, and 2 of 3 nonlymphoid-nonmyeloid cell lines. All EBV-transformed B cell lines examined (10 cell lines) were R1-20+. The spectrum of reactivity among the cell lines tested was different from that of known antiadhesion antibodies tested. All these findings indicate that the Ag recognized by mAb R1-20 may represent a new type of cell adhesion molecule.     

Roles of Inorganic Nitrogen in Gametophytic Growth and in Initiation and Development of Sporophytic Shoots of Equisetum arvense

The formation of sporophytic shoots, which is induced by treatmentwith benzylaminopurine of gametophyte tissue of Equisetum arvense,can be divided into initiation and developmental phases. Thenitrogen in MS medium was suitable for two phases as well as gametophytic growth, buta reduction in the concentration of available nitrogen was neededfor the development of shoots. ions alone were effective for gametophytic growth and the initiationof sporophytic shoots, but both and ions was required for the developmental phase. (Received February 18, 1992; Accepted April 14, 1992)     

Parturition in a free-ranging Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata)

Parturition behavior of a multiparous female and her interactions with group members throughout the birth process were recorded for a free-ranging Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata). The female showed evidence of 18 contractions during the 35 min prior to delivery, with a mean duration and a mean intercontraction interval of 30 sec and 96 sec, respectively. These values were similar to those in individually caged Japanese monkeys. Some adult females remained in proximity to the female who was giving birth during the prepartum phase, and her 2-year-old daughter watched the delivery of the infant. Even during the prepartum phase the female moved in order to keep up with the group which traveled from the feeding site to a sleeping site in the forest.