Actions of thrombin and thrombin receptor peptide analogues in gastric and aortic smooth muscle: development of bioassays for structure-activity studies.

We have examined the biological activities of thrombin and the thrombin-receptor-related polypeptides, S42FLLRNPNDKYEPF55(TRP42-55), S42FLLRNPND50(TRP42-50), and A42FLLRNPND50(A42-TRP42-50) as well as an arginine-containing basic peptide beginning with the SF motif (SFRGHITR), in rat aortic (RA) rings and in a gastric guinea pig longitudinal (LM) smooth muscle preparation. In the RA preparation, thrombin, as well as the three receptor-related peptides caused a relaxation in tissue that was precontracted with noradrenaline; the basic peptide, SFRGHITR, was inactive either as an agonist or as an antagonist to TRP42-55. In the LM bioassay, which unlike the RA preparation did not persistently desensitize in response to thrombin, all three receptor-related peptides, like thrombin, caused a prompt phasic reproducible contraction. The basic peptide, SFRGHITR, was inactive. In the LM assay, TRP42-55, TRP42-50 and A42-TRP42-55 all caused comparable contractile responses. We conclude that the gastric LM smooth muscle possesses a thrombin receptor and provides a convenient and reliable assay for the activities of thrombin receptor-related peptides. Our data also demonstrated that neither the C-terminal hirudin-related pentapeptide nor the N-terminal serine hydroxyl group are required for the biological activity of the thrombin receptor-derived peptide previously described (TRP42-55). Based on our findings we suggest that only a small portion of the N-terminal sequence of TRP42-55 may be required for thrombin-like biological activity.     

The repair of large DNA adducts in mammalian cells.

This paper describes experiments involving the measurement of DNA damage and repair after treatment with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO) or aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) epoxide in a number of mammalian cell cultures primarily associated with defects in the excision repair of UV-induced DNA damage. The results with transformed derivatives of XP cells belonging to different complementation groups showed that the extent of repair of 4NQO adducts at the N2 or C8 of guanosine did not correlate to the extent of repair reported by others after UV-irradiation. An examination of 4NQO repair in rodent UV-sensitive cell lines from different ERCC groups indicated that again there was little correlation between the extent of 4NQO and UV repair. However, regardless of complementation group those mutants that were defective in the repair of pyrimidine dimers and 6,4-photoproducts did exhibit a reduced ability to repair the 4NQO N2 guanosine adduct, whereas those mutants defective in pyrimidine dimer repair alone were able to repair this lesion as normal. In all of these cell lines there was a normal capacity to repair the 4NQO C8 guanosine adduct. Less extensive experiments involving AFB1 epoxide showed an XPC-transformed cell line was able to repair 40% of lesions after 6 h, whereas only 20% of repair is seen after UV. The rodent mutant V-C4 which belongs to the same ionising radiation group as irs2, was partially defective in repairing AFB1-induced damage. These experiments highlight the fact that although there are many commonalities between the repair of UV damages and lesions classed as large DNA adducts differences clearly exist, the most striking example here being the repair of the C8 guanosine 4NQO adduct which rarely correlates with a defect in UV repair.     

Antifreeze protein produced endogenously in winter rye leaves

After cold acclimation, winter rye (Secale cereale L.) is able to withstand the formation of extracellular ice at freezing temperatures. We now show, for the first time, that cold-acclimated winter rye plants contain endogenously produced antifreeze protein. The protein was extracted from the apoplast of winter rye leaves, where ice forms during freezing. After partial purification, the protein was identified as antifreeze protein because it modified the normal growth pattern of ice crystals and depressed the freezing temperature of water noncolligatively.     

Oleanane glycosides from Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis roots.

From the roots of Glycyrrhiza yunnanensis, collected in Yunnan, China, six new oleanane-type triterpene glycosides named yunganosides A1, B1, C1, D1, E2 and F2 were isolated together with hypaphorine. The structures of these glycosides were established by spectroscopic and chemical means.     

Steroid saponins from Polygonatum kingianum.

Four new steroid saponins, kingianosides A-D, were isolated from the rhizome of Polygonatum kingianum, together with two known steroid saponins. On the basis of chemical and spectral evidence, the structures of kingianosides A-D were established as gentrogenin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranoside, gentrogenin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-fucopyranoside, 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-25(R)-furost-5-en-12-on-3 beta, 22-diol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-galactopyranoside and 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-25(R)-furost-5-en-12-on-3 beta,22-diol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-fucopyranoside, respectively.     

Novel method to extract large amounts of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria.

Antimicrobial peptides, bacteriocins, produced by lactic acid bacteria were adsorbed on the cells of producing strains and other gram-positive bacteria. pH was a crucial factor in determining the degree of adsorption of these peptides onto cell surfaces. In general, between 93 and 100% of the bacteriocin molecules were adsorbed at pHs near 6.0, and the lowest (< or = 5%) adsorption took place at pH 1.5 to 2.0. On the basis of this property, a novel isolation method was developed for bacteriocins from four genera of lactic acid bacteria. By using this method we made preparations of pediocin AcH, nisin, sakacin A, and leuconocin Lcm1 that were potent and concentrated. This method produced a higher yield than isolation procedures, which rely on precipitation of the bacteriocins from the cell-free culture liquor. It is simple and can be used to produce large quantities of bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria to be used as food biopreservatives.     

Relationship between 2'-hydroxyls and magnesium binding in the hammerhead RNA domain: a model for ribozyme catalysis.

The use of deoxyribonucleotide substitution in RNA (mixed RNA/DNA polymers) permits an evaluation of the role of 2'-hydroxyl groups in ribozyme catalysis. Specific deoxyribonucleotide substitution at G9 and A13 of the ribozyme decreases the catalytic activity (kcat) of the ribozyme by factors of 14 and 20, respectively. The reduction of the reaction rate concomitant with the absence of these 2'-OHs or the 2'-OH of the substrate U7 position can be partially compensated by increasing the Mg2+ concentration above 10 mM. The KMg of the all-RNA ribozyme is 5.3 mM, and the lack of either of the three influential 2'-OHs increases this value by a factor of approximately 3. These and other reaction constants for the ribozyme and the deoxy-substituted analogues have been determined by assuming a three-step mechanism. The data presented here provide the basis for the formulation of a molecular model of ribozyme activity.