Tyrosine hydroxylase in the cerebral ganglia of the American cockroach (Periplaneta americana L.): an immunohistochemical study

We have investigated the distribution of tyrosine-hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity in the cerebral ganglia of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. Groups of tyrosine-hydroxylase-immunoreactive cell bodies occur in various parts of the three regions of the cerebral ganglia. In the protocerebrum, single large neurons or small groups of neurons are located in the lateral neuropil, adjacent to the calyces, and in the dorsal portion of the pars intercerebralis. Small scattered cell bodies are found in the outer layers of the optic lobe, and clusters of larger cell bodies can be found in the deutocerebrum, medial and lateral to the antennal glomeruli. Thick bundles of tyrosine-hydroxylase-positive nerve fibers traverse the neuropil in the proto- and deutocerebrum and innervate the glomerular and the nonglomerular neuropil with fine varicose terminals. Dense terminal patterns are present in the medulla and lobula of the optic lobe, the pars intercerebralis, the medial tritocerebrum, and the area surrounding the antennal glomeruli, the central body and the mushroom bodies. The pattern of tyrosine-hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity is similar to that previously described for catecholaminergic neurons, but it is distinctly different from the distribution of histaminergic and serotonergic neurons.     

Muralytic Activities of Ruminococcus albus 8

Ruminococcus albus 8 was cultured with isolated alfalfa cell walls as the carbon source. The culture broth was assayed for muralytic enzyme activities. The effect, with respect to the production of such muralytic enzymes, of growing the microorganism on different carbon sources was also investigated. Also, the rates of solubilization and utilization by R. albus of individual alfalfa cell wall sugars during a 96-h growth period were examined.     

Transient electric birefringence of the bacteriophages T3 and T7

Electric birefringence measurements of suspensions of T3 and T7 bacteriophages in 10^?2 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.9, show that there is a difference in their rotational diffusion coefficient. The values corrected to 25°C and water viscosity are D_25,w = 4630 ± 130 sec^?1 and D_25,w = 5290 ± 260 sec^?1 for T3 and T7, respectively. The value obtained from shell model calculations (according to Filson and Bloomfield) is D_25,w = 4500 ± 600 sec^?1. The apparent permanent dipole moments are 4.5 × 10^?26 C·m and 1.7 × 10^?26 C·m for T3 and T7, respectively. For both phage particles the intrinsic optical anisotropy is +7.2 × 10^?3. It is shown that this anisotropy is mainly due to the DNA molecule inside the head of the phage. Its positive value means that there exists an excess orientation of the DNA helix perpendicular to the symmetry axis of the particle. For T7 an unexpectedly large increase of Δn_s and K_sp occurs at a glycerol concentration of about 30% (v/v). This increase is interpreted as being caused by a change of the shape of the particle and/or a change in the secondary structure of the DNA inside the head of the bacteriophage.     

Identification, characterization, and nucleotide sequence of the F17-G gene, which determines receptor binding of Escherichia coli F17 fimbriae.

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains express fimbriae which mediate binding to intestinal mucosal cells. The F17 fimbriae mediate binding to N-acetylglucosamine-containing receptors present on calf intestinal mucosal cells. These fimbriae consist of F17-A subunit peptides. Analysis of the F17 gene cluster indicated that at least the F17-A, F17-C, F17-D, and F17-G genes are indispensable to obtain adhesive F17 fimbriae (unpublished data). Genetic evidence is presented that the F17-G protein, a minor fimbrial component, is required for the binding of the F17 fimbriae to the intestinal villi. The F17-G gene was cloned and sequenced. An open reading frame of 1,032 bp encoding a polypeptide of 344 amino acids, starting with a signal sequence of 22 residues, was localized. The F17-G mutant strain produced F17 fimbriae which were morphologically identical to the fimbriae purified from strains which contained the intact F17 gene cluster. However, this F17-G mutant could no longer adhere to calf villi. The F17-G locus was shown to act in trans: transformation of the F17-G mutant strain, still expressing the genes F17-A, F17-C, and F17-D, with a vector expressing the F17-G gene restored the binding activity of this mutant strain.     

The role of the basement membrane in differential expression of keratin proteins in epithelial cells

Extracellular matrix is considered to play an important role in determining the phenotype of cells with which it interacts. Here we have investigated the possibility that extracellular matrix is involved in specifying the pattern of keratin expression in epithelial cells. For these studies, we have developed an explant system in which epithelial cells from one type of stratified epithelial tissue, namely conjunctiva, are maintained on an extracellular matrix substrate derived from a different tissue, namely cornea. These ocular tissues are ideal for such analyses since they express distinct sets of keratins. For example, bovine conjunctival epithelium processed for immunofluorescence is not recognized by antibody preparations against keratin K3 or K12. In contrast, K3 and K12 antibodies generate intense staining in bovine corneal epithelium. At the immunochemical level, conjunctival cells in situ appear to possess no K12 and only trace amounts of K3, whereas corneal epithelial cells in situ possess both K3 and K12. When conjunctival cells are maintained on a corneal substrate with an intact basement membrane for 10 days in vitro they begin to express keratin K12 as determined by immunofluorescence. On the other hand, conjunctival cells that are maintained on a corneal substrate lacking a basement membrane fail to show staining with K12 antibodies. Conjunctival cells begin to show intense staining using K3 antibodies within about 10 days of being placed in culture regardless of their substrate. These results indicate that basement membrane can play a positive role in determining cell-specific expression of certain keratins such as K12. However, other keratins such as K3 may be "unmasked" and/or their expression may be upregulated simply by placing conjunctival epithelial cells in culture. We speculate that in conjunctiva K3 expression is influenced by certain negative exogenous factors. We discuss the possible means of regulation of keratin expression in our model system.     

Urinary zinc and its relationships with microalbuminuria in type I diabetics

We investigated whether zincuria is associated with microalbuminuria in type I (insulin-dependent) diabetics (IDDM). In 169 IDDM, 215 overnight urine samples were collected for simultaneous assay of zinc and albumin. In 76 samples with excessive microalbuminuria (>15 mg/L), zincuria was higher than in the 139 other samples (0.83±0.06 vs 0.58±0.03 mg/Lp<0.001), though zincuria and microalbuminuria were not significantly correlated. An exercise provocation test was performed in 78 IDDM. Although microalbuminuria increased, zincuria did not change during the test. Another group of 83 IDDM underwent urinary zinc determination over a period of 1 h of recumbency. The 48 patients who had a zincuria higher than the mean+2 SD of control values had higher microalbuminuria at rest (48±16 μg/min vs 12±2p<0.01) and after exercise (111±33 vs 42±14p<0.02) than the remaining 35 subjects. Both subgroups did not differ for zinc intake and zincemia. Thus, incipient nephropathy as detected by the measurement of microalbuminuria is associated with a highly significant increase in zinc excretion, which is not proportional to albumin leakage, nor is it amplified during exercise. Hyperzincuria is not explained by an increase in zinc intake and does not result in hypozincemia.     

Analysis of nuclear sugar-binding components in undifferentiated and in vitro differentiated human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL60)

The nuclear sugar-binding components (i.e., lectinlike molecules) were analyzed using isolated and membrane-depleted nuclei after incubation in the presence of fluorescein-labeled neoglycoproteins. This analysis was performed before and during the in vitro differentiation of HL60 cells into monocytes by PMA treatment and into granulocytes by DMSO treatment. The nucleoli of undifferentiated and differentiated HL60 cells were not labeled, unlike the nucleoli of other mammalian cells studied so far. This peculiarity allowed us to quantitatively analyze by flow cytometry the changes in the lectin activity associated with the extranucleolar territories enriched in ribonucleoprotein complexes. The neoglycoprotein binding was found to be significantly lower in differentiated than in undifferentiated cells. The decrease in neoglycoprotein binding was observed within the first 24 h of DMSO or PMA treatment, just before the arrest of DNA synthesis. Taking into account that the granulocytic differentiation required 72 h of chemical treatment, the extra-nucleolar lectins might be involved in modulation of the DNA synthesis rather than in phenotypic differentiation. These data are discussed in an attempt to reconcile the association of lectins with RNP complexes and their possible involvement in modulation of HL60 cell proliferation.     

Zooplankton impacts on chlorophyll and transparency in Onondaga Lake,New York,USA

The transparency of polluted, hypereutrophic Onondaga Lake, New York, USA has improved substantially in the late 1980's as a result of reductions in phytoplankton biomass, in the absence of significant reductions in external phosphorus loading. Much of this improvement has been due to the occurrence of clearing events, e.g. sudden and dramatic increases in transparency. Field measurements, laboratory experiments, and modelling analyses were utilized to identify processes regulating phytoplankton standing crop during the spring to fall interval of 1987. Changes in the zooplankton community documented over the past decade support the conclusion that increased zooplankton grazing has contributed to improvements in transparency. Herbivores now represent a greater fraction of the zooplankton population and more efficient cladocerans are present in greater numbers. Biomanipulation practices, e.g. reestablishment of piscivorous species, designed to reduce the abundance of planktivorous fish species in Onondaga Lake, may serve to reduce pressure on the grazing community and thus result in further improvements in transparency.