Rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase. Modification of molecular and regulatory kinetic properties with the affinity label 5'-p-(fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl adenosine.

The affinity label 5'-p-(fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl adenosine modifies rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase to the extent of one group/subunit. Modification appears to occur at a binding site specific for AMP, cyclic AMP, and ADP, i.e. those adenine nucleotides which are activators under conditions where regulatory kinetic behavior is obtained. The consequences of the modification are consistent with the model proposed previously for correlation between the pK of specific ionizable groups, regulatory kinetic behavior, ligand binding, and the reversible cold inactivation of the enzyme (Frieden, C., Gilbert. H. R., and Bock, P. E. (1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 5644-5647). Thus, the modification shifts the apparent pK of the essential ionizable groups from 6.9 to 6.4 at 25 degrees C, with the result that regulatory kinetic behavior at pH 6.9 and 25 degrees C is lost. Furthermore, the apparent affinity of a site (other than the active site) for ATP, as measured by ATP-dependent quenching of intrinsic protein fluorescence at pH 6.9 and 25 degrees C, is decreased by the modification. Regulatory kinetic behavior for both substrates is obtained with the modified enzyme at a lower pH, consistent with the downward shift in the pK of the ionizable groups, but sensitivity to cAMP activation is abolished by the modification. The loss of regulatory kinetic behavior upon modification of sulfhydryl groups does not appear to be the same as that due to modification by the affinity label.     

Multiple molecular forms of phosphorylase phosphatase associated with particulate glycogen and extracted from the cytosol of dog liver.

The glycogen pellet of dog liver extracts contains a phosphorylase phosphatase which has characteristics different from those of the phosphatases extracted from the cytosol. The phosphatase associated with glycogen is characterized by a M, of 51,000, a half maximal inhibition at 0.3 mM ATP (Hill coefficient : 2) and a Ki for Mg2+ of 1 mM. Treatment with urea or mercaptoethanol of the phosphatase associated with glycogen does not influence the activity, the Mr or the half maximal inhibition by ATP, but a decrease of the Hill coefficient for ATP is observed. A similar treatment of the phosphatases extracted from the high speed supernatant results in a decrease of the Mr of the spontaneously active form from 215,000 to 43,000, without an effect on the Ki for ATP (7 micronM), but accompanied by an increase in activity. The ATP-Mg dependent form of the phosphatase from the high speed supernatant (Mr : 138,000 ; Ka for ATP in the presence of 0.1 mM Mg2+ : 0.3 micronM), is denatured by urea or mercaptoethanol. The phosphatase associated with particulate glycogen cannot be found in the supernatant, nor the phosphorylase phosphatases present in the supernatant in the glycogen pellet. When all the glycogen is mobilized (starvation, glucagon) the phosphatase specifically associated with glycogen cannot be found as such in the cytosol. No activation of synthase beta can be detected neither with the phosphatases extracted from the cytosol nor with the enzyme released from the glycogen pellet.     

Prevention of potato top-roll by aphicide and its effect on leaf area and photosynthesis

In a field of potatoes, top-roll, which is induced by the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae feeding on the leaves, was restricted to two rows of plants which accidentally received no phorate aphicide granules at planting. The photo-synthetic rate per unit leaf area and the ground cover of top-rolled leaves were respectively 50% and 20% less than those of normal plants which may account for the smaller yields of affected plants observed in previous experiments.     

Determining serum bicarbonate; a simple syringe titrator and colorimeter

The use of a tuberculin syringe as a burette has made possible an easy bedside technique for the determination of serum bicarbonate. By combining it with the use of a simple colorimeter, a relatively untrained person can do numerous bicarbonate determinations with a high degree of accuracy. The same technique also lends itself to other colorimetric clinical procedures such as determination of gastric acidity.     

Autopsy reports of pulmonary carcinoma; survey in Los Angeles County Hospital for 1951

Of the 1,972 deaths investigated by autopsy at the Los Angeles County Hospital in 1951, 64 were attributed to bronchogenic carcinoma. However, in some of these cases the protocols did not contain sufficient data to substantiate the diagnosis or the tissue specimens were not conclusive evidence. Although the survey left no doubt that the lung was the most common site of primary carcinoma in the series studied, a wider application of the findings is limited by the facts that patients with bronchogenic carcinoma are more likely than others to die in hospitals and that selection of cases for autopsy depends on the interest of the physician and the consent of the patient's survivors.     

Multiple sclerosis; its frequency and distribution,with special reference to San Francisco

Epidemiologic surveys of multiple sclerosis were conducted in 1949 in San Francisco, Winnipeg, Boston, New Orleans, and Denver. Reports of cases for 1939 through 1948 were obtained from record offices, hospitals and clinics, and private physicians. The basis for the observations was the group of "probable" cases among residents. In San Francisco these probable cases in residents numbered 415; however, in only 146 of these was the onset between 1939 and 1948. Of the 143 patients who were white, 51 were male and 92 female. The average annual incidence based on these figures was 2.1 per 100,000-1.5 for males and 2.6 for females.Prevalence, based on probable cases in residents on January 1, 1949, was 29.7 cases per 100,000 population-21.2 for males and 38.1 for females. Mortality was 0.7 per 100,000 population-0.9 for females and 0.6 for males. In comparison of the findings for San Francisco with those of other cities, both the incidence and the severity of the disease appear to decrease from north to south.