Ultracentrifugal analysis of the junction complexes of the red cell membrane cytoskeletal network: application to hereditary spherocytosis and metabolically depleted cells

A method has been developed for the assessment of the number of spectrin dimer units associated with each actin protofilament junction, in the membrane cytoskeletal network (i.e. the degree of branching) of the red cell. Ghosts are first exposed to elevated temperature at low ionic strength to dissociate some 65% of the spectrin tetramers (that link the network junctions) into dimers, without causing their release from the actin filaments. Non-ionic detergent is then added to solubilize the membrane itself with its intrinsic proteins, so as to liberate the cytoskeletal material, and the mixture is immediately examined in the analytical ultracentrifuge. The predominant components observed are isolated junctions (20 S), free spectrin dimers and the residual undissociated cytoskeletal material, with very minor components, probably corresponding to multiple junctions, linked by spectrin tetramers. The junction boundary is homogeneous within the accuracy of measurement and is taken to correspond to a complex containing six spectrin dimers, known to predominate in situ. About 17% of the total network is liberated in this form and 12% as free spectrin dimers. In hereditary spherocytosis both the size of the junction complex (as reflected by its sedimentation coefficient) and the proportion of the complex and of free spectrin liberated are indistinguishable from normal values. We conclude that the reported deficit of spectrin in hereditary spherocytosis is not reflected by a lower degree of branching of the network, and, if the membrane area is not correspondingly reduced, this must mean that the junctions are more widely spaced and the spectrin tetramers therefore more extended. In metabolically depleted cells, in which the cytoskeletal proteins are known to be extensively dephosphorylated, there is no change in the sedimentation pattern and thus no detectable loss of spectrin from the junctions or weakening in the cohesion of the cytoskeletal network.     

Do woodpecker finches acquire tool-use by social learning?

Tool-use is widespread among animals, but except in primates the development of this behaviour is poorly known. Here, we report on the first experimental study to our knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the acquisition of tool-use in a bird species. The woodpecker finch Cactospiza pallida, endemic to the Galápagos Islands, is a famous textbook example of tool-use in animals. This species uses modified twigs or cactus spines to pry arthropods out of tree holes. Using nestlings and adult birds from the field, we tested experimentally whether woodpecker finches learn tool-use socially. We show that social learning is not essential for the development of tool-use: all juveniles developed tool-use regardless of whether or not they had a tool-using model. However, we found that not all adult woodpecker finches used tools in our experiments. These non-tool-using individuals also did not learn this task by observing tool-using conspecifics. Our results suggest that tool-use behaviour depends on a very specific learning disposition that involves trial-and-error learning during a sensitive phase early in ontogeny.     

Proliferation of AXC/SSh rat prostate cancer cells in vitro is androgen modulated

We used heterogeneous parental cultures of AXC/SSh rat prostate cancer cells to isolate clonally derived prostate cancer cell lines. Light and electron microscopic analyses established that parental and clonally isolated cells possess features characteristic of secretory epithelium. Biochemical analyses showed that these cells contained androgen receptors and acid phosphatase and 5 alpha-reductase activity; phenotypic markers characteristic of differentiated prostate epithelium. Content of these prostate epithelial cell markers was variable and cell line specific. We used selected cell lines to examine androgen modulation of AXC/SSh rat prostate cancer cell proliferation in vitro. We found that proliferation of C-family or D-family cells, those respectively maintained on medium without additions or medium containing 10(-7) M 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, was not affected by changes in medium testosterone concentration through the range 10(-6)-10(-9) M. In contrast, testosterone modified proliferation of T-family cells, those maintained on medium containing 10(-7) M testosterone, and effects were antagonized by the anti-androgen RU 23908. Preliminary studies established that AXC/SSh rat prostate cancer cells elaborate polypeptide components which stimulate in vitro cell proliferation. Both the ability to elaborate these components and their effects on in vitro cell proliferation appeared to be cell line specific.     

DNA G-quartets in a 1.86 A resolution structure of an Oxytricha nova telomeric protein-DNA complex.

The Oxytricha nova telomere end binding protein (OnTEBP) recognizes, binds and protects the single-stranded 3'-terminal DNA extension found at the ends of macronuclear chromosomes. The structure of this complex shows that the single strand GGGGTTTTGGGG DNA binds in a deep cleft between the two protein subunits of OnTEBP, adopting a non-helical and irregular conformation. In extending the resolution limit of this structure to 1.86 A, we were surprised to find a G-quartet linked dimer of the GGGGTTTTGGGG DNA also packing within the crystal lattice and interacting with the telomere end binding protein. The G-quartet DNA exhibits the same structure and topology as previously observed in solution by NMR with diagonally crossing d(TTTT) loops at either end of the four-stranded helix. Additionally, the crystal structure reveals clearly visible Na(+), and specific patterns of bound water molecules in the four non-equivalent grooves. Although the G-quartet:protein contact surfaces are modest and might simply represent crystal packing interactions, it is interesting to speculate that the two types of telomeric DNA-protein interactions observed here might both be important in telomere biology.     

The Effect of Leaf Age on Gas Exchange and Malate Accumulation in C3-CAM Plant Marrubium Frivaldszkyanum (Lamiaceae)

For the first time the expression of C₃ and CAM in the leaves of different age of Marrubium frivaldszkyanum Boiss, is reported. With increasing leaf age a typical C₃ photosynthesis pattern and high transpiration rate were found. In older leaves a shift to CAM occurred and the 24-h transpiration water loss decreased. A correlation was established between leaf area and accumulation of malate. Water loss at early stages of leaf expansion may be connected with the shift to CAM and the water economy of the whole plant.     

Delayed nucleoid segregation in Escherichia coli

To study the role of cell division in the process of nucleoid segregation, we measured the DNA content of individual nucleoids in isogenic Escherichia coli cell division mutants by image cytometry. In pbpB(Ts) and ftsZ strains growing as filaments at 42 degrees C, nucleoids contained, on average, more than two chromosome equivalents compared with 1.6 in wild-type cells. Because similar results were obtained with a pbpB recA strain, the increased DNA content cannot be ascribed to the occurrence of chromosome dimers. From the determination of the amount of DNA per cell and per individual nucleoid after rifampicin inhibition, we estimated the C and D periods (duration of a round of replication and time between termination and cell division respectively), as well as the D' period (time between termination and nucleoid separation). Compared with the parent strain and in contrast to ftsQ, ftsA and ftsZ mutants, pbpB(Ts) cells growing at the permissive temperature (28 degrees C) showed a long D' period (42 min versus 18 min in the parent) indicative of an extended segregation time. The results indicate that a defective cell division protein such as PbpB not only affects the division process but also plays a role in the last stage of DNA segregation. We propose that PbpB is involved in the assembly of the divisome and that this structure enhances nucleoid segregation.     

New class I and II HLA alleles strongly associated with opposite patterns of progression to AIDS.

The genetics of resistance to infection by HIV-1 cohort consists of 200 slow and 75 rapid progressors to AIDS corresponding to the extremes of HIV disease outcome of 20,000 Caucasians of European descent. A comprehensive analysis of HLA class I and class II genes in this highly informative cohort has identified HLA alleles associated with fast or slow progression, including several not described previously. A quantitative analysis shows an overall HLA influence independent of and equal in magnitude (for the protective effect) to the effect of the CCR5-Delta32 mutation. Among HLA class I genes, A29 (p = 0.001) and B22 (p < 0.0001) are significantly associated with rapid progression, whereas B14 (p = 0.001) and C8 (p = 0.004) are significantly associated with nonprogression. The class I alleles B27, B57, C14 (protective), and C16, as well as B35 (susceptible), are also influential, but their effects are less robust. Influence of class II alleles was only observed for DR11. These results confirm the influence of the immune system on disease progression and may have implications on peptide-based vaccine development.     

Tomoscintigraphy for detecting gastrointestinal and medullary thyroid cancers: first clinical results using radiolabelled monoclonal antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen.

Transaxial tomoscintigraphy (or single-photon emission computerised tomography) was used to detect secondary deposits of carcinoma in 17 patients who had been injected with iodine-131-labelled monoclonal antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen. Of 17 tumor sites studied by tomoscintigraphy 16 were detected (sensitivity 94%); five sites had a volume smaller than 10 cm3. Tomoscintigraphy also detected three unknown tumour deposits later confirmed by surgery or radiology. In contrast, when 21 tumour sites in the same patients were studied by rectilinear scintigraphy, only nine tumour sites were detected (sensitivity 43%), of which eight had a volume larger than 50 cm3.