Effects of partial hepatectomy on various blood and hepatic parameters in the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdnerii, Rich.)

After 36% of hepatic mass removal , rainbow trout recovered its initial liver weight in 20-30 days, i.e., with a regeneration rate clearly lower than in mammals. During early regeneration process hematocrit index and hemoglobin content were slightly decreased, but both parameters rapidly reached their normal values. The evolution of both glycaemia and hepatic glycogen content supported the idea of the existence of a late regeneration wave, which, in this case, could begin at about the 20th post-operative day.     

Study of the hydrolysis and ionization constants of Schiff base from pyridoxal 5''-phosphate and n-hexylamine in partially aqueous solvents. An application to phosphorylase b.

Formation and hydrolysis rate constants as well as equilibrium constants of the Schiff base derived from pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and n-hexylamine were determined between pH 3.5 and 7.5 in ethanol/water mixtures (3:17, v/v, and 49:1, v/v). The results indicate that solvent polarity scarcely alters the values of these constants but that they are dependent on the pH. Spectrophotometric titration of this Schiff base was also carried out. We found that a pKa value of 6.1, attributed in high-polarity media to protonation of the pyridine nitrogen atom, is independent of solvent polarity, whereas the pKa of the monoprotonated form of the imine falls from 12.5 in ethanol/water (3:17) to 11.3 in ethanol/water (49:1). Fitting of the experimental results for the hydrolysis to a theoretical model indicates the existence of a group with a pKa value of 6.1 that is crucial in the variation of kinetic constant of hydrolysis with pH. Studies of the reactivity of the coenzyme (pyridoxal 5'-phosphate) of glycogen phosphorylase b with hydroxylamine show that this reaction only occurs when the pH value of solution is below 6.5 and the hydrolysis of imine bond has started. We propose that the decrease in activity of phosphorylase b when the pH value is less than 6.2 must be caused by the cleavage of enzyme-coenzyme binding and that this may be related with protonation of the pyridine nitrogen atom of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.     

Nucleotide sequence and expression of the pneumococcal autolysin gene from its own promoter in Escherichia coli

Autolysins are enzymes that have several important biological functions and also seem to be responsible for the irreversible effects induced by the beta-lactam antibiotics. The pneumococcal autolysin gene (lyt) has been subcloned from the plasmid pGL30 [García et al., Mol. Gen. Genet. 201 (1985) 225-230] and we have found that the E form of the autolysin is synthesized in Escherichia coli using its own promoter. The high amount of autolysin obtained in the heterologous system when the lyt gene is present in different orientations in the recombinant plasmids studied supports the idea that the autolysin promoter could be a strong one. The nucleotide sequence of the HindIII fragment of pGL80 (1213 bp) containing the autolysin structural gene has been determined. A unique open reading frame (ORF) has been found, a consensus ribosome-binding site and -10 and -35 promoter-like sequences as well as A + T-rich regions farther upstream were also identified. The lyt ORF encodes a protein of 318 amino acid residues having a calculated Mr of 36,532, which agrees with previous size estimates based on electrophoretic migration [H?ltje and Tomasz, J. Biol. Chem. 251 (1976) 4199-4207; Briese and Hakenbeck, Eur. J. Biochem. 146 (1985) 417-427]. Our results also demonstrate that the lyt-4 marker represents the first example of a mutation in a structural gene of a bacterial autolysin. The polarity profile of the pneumococcal autolysin supports previous suggestions about the localization of this enzyme in the normal cell.     

The effect of neutral and charged micelles on the acid-base dissociation of the local anesthetic tetracaine

The influence of surfactant micelles on the acid-base dissociation of the charged tertiary amino group of the local anesthetic, tetracaine, has been investigated. From measurements of tetracaine fluorescence as a function of bulk pH, apparent $\text{p}\text{K}$ values of 6.88, 7.58 and 9.92 were found in the presence of cationic, neutral and anionic micelles, respectively, in 10 mM NaCl. These values are considerably displaced with respect to the $\text{p}\text{K}$ in aqueous solution which is 8.26. Such large shifts can be attributed to the effect of the surface polarity and electrical potential on the dissociation behavior of the anesthetic bound to micelles. It can be expected that the acid-base dissociation of a local anesthetic adsorbed to nerve fibers will also be affected by the properties of the membrane surface. Thus, it is suggested that the influence of the interfacial region on the $\text{p}\text{K}$ of surface-bound molecules should not be disregarded when estimating the proportion of charged and uncharged forms of local anesthetics interacting with axonal membranes.     

Long-acting contraceptive agents: norethisterone esters of monoalkenyl and monoalkynyl acids

The synthesis of nine new esters of norethisterone (17 alpha-ethynyl-17 beta-hydroxyestr-4-en-3-one) is described, with the esterifying acids bearing an acetylenic or olefinic function in a chain of eight or nine carbon atoms, for evaluation as long-acting contraceptive agents.     

Transport properties of rigid, symmetrical oligomeric structures composed of prolate, ellipsoidal subunits

We have calculated translational and rotational diffusion coefficients and intrinsic viscosities of oligomeric structures composed of n identical subunits having a prolate ellipsoidal shape with axial ratio p. Results are presented for p = 1-6 for a variety of structures with n = 1-6. We compare our results with those obtained by a different modeling procedure, proposed by other workers, in which the monomeric subunit is represented as a string of touching, colinear spheres. If n and an estimate of p are known, the structure of the oligomer can be. in most cases, unambiguously determined by comparison of the experimental oligomer-to-monomer ratios of a given property with the numerical results of this work. As examples of the applicability of our results, we examine the relationship between structure and properties for neurophysin. bovine serum albumin, hemoglobin and phycocyanin.     

The distribution of Minuartia verna and Thlaspi alpestre in the British Isles in relation to 13 soil metals

The plant-communities from habitats of the metallophyte species Minuartia verna and Thlaspi alpestre (T. caerulescens) at sites disturbed and undisturbed by mining are described. Four communities were delineated by cluster and principal component analysis. Group 1 comprised species-poor communities on disturbed non-calcareous soils; group 2, relatively species-rich communities on disturbed calcareous soils; group 3, species-rich communities in the main on undisturbed calcareous soils. Group 4 consisted of species-rich communities with an alpine element, in damp habitats on base-rich soils derived from igneous rocks. Total and exchangeable elements As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined for the soils of these sites. Levels of soil Ca, Cd, Pb and Zn accounted for most of the variation along the first axis of the PCA and soil nutrient levels were probably the main predictor along the second.Abbreviations PCA Principal Component Analysis     

Dissection of functional domains in phage fd adsorption protein. Discrimination between attachment and penetration sites

We constructed a set of deletion mutants in the attachment protein of phage fd. These mutants lack sequences coding for sections in the amino-terminal half. All the mutants that comprise a leader sequence are incorporated into phage particles. Our data strongly suggest a bipartite organization of the amino-terminal domain with (1) a region for receptor recognition and (2) a region that is necessary for penetration of the DNA into the host cell. These regions were mapped. Some evidence suggesting different roles for gene 3 protein in penetration of the outer and inner membrane are discussed. We demonstrate that the phenotypes caused by gene 3 protein in host cells can be subdivided into two groups with different sequence requirements: (1) phenotypes related to outer membrane disturbance; and (2) phenotypes related to the tolQRA transport system.     

Subcellular localization of the major pneumococcal autolysin: a peculiar mechanism of secretion in Escherichia coli

The major pneumococcal autolysin (N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase) has been localized in the cellular envelope of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Escherichia coli by using immunocytochemical labeling on ultrathin sections and whole-mounted cells. Cell fractionation experiments in E. coli confirmed the peripheral localization of the pneumococcal amidase and suggested that this enzyme is weakly bound to the outer face of the cytoplasmic membrane. This interaction does not depend on the presence of choline but represents an intrinsic property of the amidase. The autolysin, that is synthesized without any N-terminal signal sequence (García, P., García, J. L., García, E., and López, R. (1986) Gene (Amst.) 43, 265-272) was not processed during translocation. A new regulatory mechanism that might be specific for bacterial autolysins is discussed.