Protein kinase activity in mouse mammary carcinoma.

C3H mouse mammary carcinoma contains cyclic AMP-independent (C) and dependent (RC) protein kinases and a specific cyclic AMP-binding protein (R). The specific activities of C, RC and R are markedly lower in carcinoma than the normal mammary cells. Protein kinase preparation from neoplastic cells showed markedly higher ration of $\text{C}\text{RC}$ and lower responsiveness to cyclic AMP for the activation of the enzyme than the normal cells.     

The formation of cyclic inositol 1,2-monophosphate, inositol 1-phosphate, and glucose 6-phosphate by brain preparations stimulated with deoxycholate and calcium: a gas chromatographic study

A gas chromatographic method has been developed for the separation and isolation of water-soluble phosphates as trimethylsilyl ethers. With this method cyclic inositol 1,2-monophosphate and inositol 1-phosphate, derived from endogenous phosphatidylinositol, have been shown to increase when a particulate portion of brain homogenate is stimulated with deoxycholate and Ca⁺⁺, confirming earlier observations of Lapetina and Michell (1). Concomitant with the appearance of inositol phosphates is the stimulated formation of glucose 6-phosphate in the whole homogenate. Although ATP can replace deoxycholate and Ca⁺⁺ in a dialyzed homogenate, glucose 6-phosphate apparently does not arise by any known metabolic pathway but from another unidentified source.     

Characterization of anti-sticking factor-II from goat epididymal plasma

A previous study has characterized the major 47 kDa anti-sticking factor (ASF-I) from goat cauda-epididymal plasma (Roy, N., and Majumder, G.C., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 991:114-122, 1989). This study reports the purification and characterization of ASF-II, another anti-sticking factor from the goat epididymal plasma. ASF-II was purified to apparent homogeneity by using concanavalin A-agarose affinity chromatography, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, alumina gel adsorption, and isoelectric focussing techniques. It showed a single protein band by both non-denaturing and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. ASF-II showed a molecular weight of 36,000 and a sedimentation constant of 2.4S. ASF-II is largely stable to heat treatment and it is a specific glycoprotein having high affinity and specificity for its anti-sticking action. At saturating concentration (1 nM) it inhibited adhesion of nearly 50% of spermatozoa to the glass surface of the haemocytometer counting chamber. Both the protein and sugar parts of the factor are essential for the anti-sticking activity since it lost its activity completely when treated with trypsin, L-fucosidase, or mannosidase. ASF-II does not coat the glass surface and it binds to spermatozoa. Data are consistent with the view that ASF-II has not been derived from the larger ASF-I molecule due to its enzymic modifications. Both ASF-I and -II had no effect on sperm forward motility as evidenced by spectrophotometric motility assays, indicating thereby the suitability of the factors to improve the existing sperm motility assays by eliminating the possibility of cell-sticking artifacts.     

Identification of receptors responsible for binding of the mannose specific lectin to the gut epithelial membrane of the target insects

The sap-sucking homopteran insects, commonly known as aphids and leafhoppers are responsible for a huge amount of lost productivity of mustard, chickpea, cabbage, rice and many other important crops. Due to their unique feeding habits and ability to build up a huge population in a very short time, they are very difficult to control. The objective of the ongoing program is to develop insect-resistant crop species through genetic engineering techniques to combat the yield losses, which necessitates the identification of appropriate control elements. In this direction, mannose-binding 25 kDa lectins have been purified from leaves of garlic, Diffenbachia sequina and tubers of Colocasia esculanta. The purified lectins have been analyzed in SDS-PAGE. The effectiveness of these lectins against chickpea aphids, mustard aphids and green leaf hoppers of rice have been tested. The LC₅₀ value of each lectin against different insects had been monitored [1,2]. Through immunolocalization analysis, the binding of the lectin had been demonstrated at the epithelial membrane of the midgut of the lectin-treated insects [1]. Receptor proteins of brush border membrane vesicle (BBMV) of the target insects, responsible for binding of the lectin to the midgut of the epithelial layer have been purified and analyzed through ligand assay. Biochemical studies have been undertaken to investigate the lectin-receptor interaction at molecular level. Published in 2004..     

Enzymic characteristics of the isoenzymes of rat epididymal neutral alpha-mannosidases and their changes during development in vivo.

Three isoenzymic species of neutral alpha-mannosidase (I, II and III) were partially purified from rat epididymis and characterized. Calcium phosphate gel preferentially adsorbed acidic alpha-mannosidase activity, thereby removing the acidic enzyme from the neutral mannosidases. The neutral enzymes, which are of cytosolic origin, require Co2+ for activity, and Mn2+ can substitute partially for Co2+. Mg2+ or Ca2+ had little effect on the activity of the isoenzymes, whereas Zn2+ (100 microM) was a potent inhibitor of the mannosidases. The Km values of mannosidases I, II and III for Co2+ were 10, 10 and 2.7 mM respectively. There was marked alteration of the specific activity of the neutral alpha-mannosidases during epididymal development in vivo. The specific activities of mannosidases I and II were relatively high in the young (24 days) rats, and during the subsequent development the specific activities decreased markedly (approx. 2-3-fold). On the contrary, mannosidase III, which showed relatively low specific activity during 24-45 days of age, increased markedly (approx. 2-fold) as the animals reached adulthood.