Systematic screening and expression analysis of the head organizer genes in Xenopus embryos.

We describe here a systematic screen of an anterior endomesoderm (AEM) cDNA library to isolate novel genes which are expressed in the head organizer region. After removing clones which hybridized to labeled cDNA probes synthesized with total RNA from a trunk region of tailbud embryos, the 5' ends of 1039 randomly picked cDNA clones were sequenced to make expressed sequence tags (ESTs), which formed 754 tentative unique clusters. Those clusters were compared against public databases and classified according to similarities found to other genes and gene products. Of them, 151 clusters were identified as known Xenopus genes, including eight organizer-specific ones (5.3%). Gene expression pattern screening was performed for 198 unique clones, which were selected because they either have no known function or are predicted to be developmental regulators in other species. The screen revealed nine possible organizer-specific clones (4.5%), four of which appeared to be expressed in the head organizer region. Detailed expression analysis from gastrula to neurula stages showed that these four genes named crescent, P7E4 (homologous to human hypothetical genes), P8F7 (an unclassified gene), and P17F11 (homologous to human and Arabidopsis hypothetical genes) demarcate spatiotemporally distinct subregions of the AEM corresponding to the head organizer region. These results indicate that our screening strategy is effective in isolating novel region-specific genes.     

Characterization of thrombin- and plasmin-resistant mutants of recombinant human single chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator

Recombinant human single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (suc-PA) (SM0: wild type) and its variants resistant to plasmin and/or thrombin (SM1: Lys135 to Gln; SM3: Phe157 to Asp; and SM4: Lys135 to Gln and Phe157 to Asp) have been constructed by site-directed mutagenesis with the aim of producing more efficient thrombolytic agents [Miyake, T. et al. (1988) J. Biochem. 104, 643-647]. In the present study, we characterized the recombinant variant scu-PAs expressed in Escherichia coli. They appeared to have structural integrity because their heat-stabilities, immunological reactivities, and circular dichroism spectra were essentially identical to those of each other and of native scu-PA (nscu-PA). In the presence of thrombin, SM3 and SM4 showed efficient clot lysis by all of the assays used, compared with SM0, SM1, and nscu-PA. While in the absence of thrombin, when measured by a fibrin plate method in a purified system, SM3 and SM4 had lower specific activities than SM0, SM1, and nscu-PA, because of their catalytic constants for conversion to the two-chain form (tcu-PA) by plasmin are lower. However, SM4 lysed clots as efficiently as SM0 in plasma by retaining the single-chain form, whereas SM0 was partly converted to the two-chain form.     

Phosphorylation by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase of a human platelet Mr 22,000 GTP-binding protein (smg p21) having the same putative effector domain as the ras gene products

We have purified to near homogeneity a Mr 22,000 GTP-binding protein from human platelet membranes and identified it as the smg-21 gene product (smg p21), having the same putative effector domain as the ras gene products, which we have purified to near homogeneity from bovine brain membranes and characterized. This purified human platelet smg p21 was phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. About one mol of phosphate was maximally incorporated into one mol of the protein. Only serine residue was phosphorylated. Both the guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)-triphosphate (GTP gamma S)-bound and GDP-bound forms were phosphorylated with the same reaction velocity. The phosphorylation of smg p21 affected neither its GTP gamma S-binding nor GTPase activity. Human platelet smg p21 was not phosphorylated by protein kinase C. A Mr 24,000 GTP-binding protein partially purified from human platelet membranes was not phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase or protein kinase C.     

GTP-binding proteins in a cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica

GTP-binding proteins were detected in a crude extract containing membrane components of Anabaena cylindrica. The crude extract was treated with 1% Lubrol PX and was fractionated by gel filtration. The binding of [35S]GTP gamma S to GTP-binding proteins was prevented in the presence of 0.1 mM GTP and in the presence of 0.1 mM ATP. Six fractions of these GTP-binding proteins, tentatively designated GA1 to GA6, were ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin. GA3, GA4 and GA5 had Km values of 10, 60 and 7 nM, respectively. The molecular weights of some of these GTP-binding proteins were reduced after being labelled with [35S]GTP gamma S.     

Application of improved coupling assay method for peroxidase of diseased thyroids: report of three cases

Recently we have developed an assay method for peroxidase-catalyzed coupling of iodotyronine residues of thyroglobulin, which is applicable to human diseased thyroid tissues. In the present study, the assay method as well as usual peroxidase assay methods were applied to thyroids of three patients (No. 1: familial goiter with impaired thyroglobulin synthesis, No. 2: mild chronic thyroiditis, No. 3: dyshormonogenetic goiter) who showed organification of iodine with high TSH levels and low thyroid hormone levels in sera. In general, these patients showed relatively high activities measured by guaiacol oxidation assay, iodide oxidation and coupling assay compared with those of control thyroids. Iodothyronine content in thyroglobulin was very low except thyroxine in No. 2. These results indicate that factors other than peroxidase may be responsible for the cause of the hypothyroid state. The coupling assay method used here is therefore useful for the detection of the 'coupling defect' in patients in a hypothyroid state.