Novel approach to the study of the antigenicities and receptor functions of carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins

This report describes the construction of neoglycolipids as a novel approach to determining the antigenicities and receptor functions of minute amounts of oligosaccharides derived from glycoproteins. Reduced oligosaccharides are converted into oligosaccharide alditols by controlled selective periodate oxidation and conjugated to phosphatidyl ethanolamine dipalmitoyl by reductive amination. The resulting neoglycolipids can be rendered multivalent by binding to polyvinylchloride or silica plates or they can be incorporated into liposomes and their antigenicities and receptor activities determined in low concentrations by direct binding or inhibition of binding assays. This approach, which has been successfully used with two monoclonal antibodies and a plant lectin, should be widely applicable to the direct analysis of O- and N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins and proteoglycans both as antigens and recognition structures of diverse receptor systems.     

Proteoglycans from bovine nasal and articular cartilages. Fractionation of the link proteins by wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography

Two forms of link protein, 46 and 51 kDa, are present in proteoglycan aggregates from both bovine nasal and bovine articular cartilages. Studies reported here show that the link proteins bind to concanavalin A, Lens culinaris agglutinin, Ricinus communis agglutinin, soybean agglutinin, and wheat germ agglutinin lectins. When the link proteins are eluted from these lectins with appropriate competing sugars, the 46- and the 51-kDa link proteins elute together and no separation is achieved. However, when the link proteins bound to wheat germ agglutinin are eluted with a 0 to 4 M guanidine hydrochloride linear gradient, a good separation of the 46- and 51-kDa link proteins is achieved. Wheat germ agglutinin affinity chromatography has been used on a preparative scale to isolate the 51-kDa link protein from mature bovine articular cartilage to homogeneity, in amounts sufficient to examine its effect on proteoglycan aggregate size and stability in sedimentation velocity studies. Proteoglycan aggregates were reassembled from proteoglycan monomers and hyaluronate in the absence of link protein, in the presence of both 46- and 51-kDa link proteins, and in the presence of the individual 51-kDa link protein. The sizes of the aggregates were compared in terms of sedimentation coefficients (s(0)20). The stability of the aggregates was compared in terms of the per cent aggregate present at pH 7 and 5. At pH 7, the sedimentation coefficients (s(0)20) of link-free aggregates, aggregates formed with both link proteins, and aggregates formed with 51-kDa link protein were 72, 93, and 112 S, respectively. Thus, the 51-kDa link protein has a pronounced effect on aggregate size. The link-free aggregate was grossly unstable, and only 36% aggregate was present at pH 5. The aggregate formed with both link proteins was effectively stabilized against dissociation and 79% aggregate was present at pH 5. The aggregate formed with 51-kDa link protein was not effectively stabilized against dissociation, and only 60% aggregate was present at pH 5. Thus, despite its pronounced effect on aggregate size, the 51-kDa link protein does not effectively stabilize the proteoglycan aggregate against dissociation. These results suggest that the 51-kDa link protein may selectively increase aggregate size, while the 46-kDa link protein may be required to effectively stabilize the proteoglycan aggregate against dissociation.     

Stimulation of proliferation ofTetrahymena pyriformis by trace rare earths

Using two Chinese strains ofTetrahymena pyriformis, S1 and BJ4, as the biological models, the effects of lighter rare earths (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, and europium), representatives of heavier rare earths (yttrium and thulium), and mixed rare earths were studied. The stimulation of population growth ofTetrahymena in peptone-glucose media containing trace amounts of these elements have been observed. The mechanisms for the beneficial effects of rare earth elements in low concentrations remains to be discovered.     

Metabolic relationship between arachidonate activation and its transfer to lysophospholipids by brain microsomes

Evidence is presented to indicate a metabolic relationship between arachidonic acid activation and its transfer to lysophospholipds by brain microsomes. Thus, in the presence of 1-acylglycerophosphocholines or 1-acyl-glycerophosphoinositols, the activation of labeled arachidonate to its acyl-CoA was enhanced, and the acyl-CoA formed was, in turn, transferred to the lysophospholipids to form the respective diacyl-glycerophospholipids. The coupling effect seems to pertain mainly to the lysophospholipids which are good substrates of the acyltransferase. Other lyso-compounds were either not effective or inhibitory to the arachidonate activation process. The activation-transfer activity mediated by the fatty acid ligase and acyltransferase could be dissociated by Triton X-100, which apparently stimulated the acyl-CoA ligase activity but inhibited the acyltransferase. These results suggest that fatty acid ligase and acyltransferase are located in close proximity within the membrane domain. The existence of a close metabolic relationship between these two enzymic reactions is important for maintaining a dynamic equilibrium between the free fatty acids and the membrane phospholipids. The mechanism is also useful in regulating the cellular acyl-CoA and lysophospholipid metabolism, because both compounds have membrane perturbing properties when present in excessive quantity.     

Age-related and diurnal changes in Met5-Enk-Arg6-Phe7 and Met5-enkephalin contents of pituitary and rat brain structures

The beta-endorphin, met5-enkephalin-arg6-phe7 (MEAP) and met5-enkephalin (ME) changes related to age and diurnal rhythms were studied in various regions of rat brain and in the pituitary by specific radioimmunoassays. The contents of MEAP, met5-enkephalin and beta-endorphin were higher in the pituitary of old rats (18 months old) than that of young rats (23 days old) while the content of these opioid peptides was higher in the hypothalamus of young rats than in that of old rats. Beta-endorphin was also higher in the striatum of 23 days old rats, but no age-associated changes were observed in the hippocampus, brain stem or cortex. In the diurnal rhythm study, it was found that in the hypothalamus and striatum of the adult rat (2-3 months old), both MEAP and ME contents were higher at mid-dark than at mid-light and that in the intermediate posterior lobe of the pituitary, the ME content was also higher at mid-dark.     

Temperature-sensitive high affinity [3H]serotonin binding: Characterization and effects of antidepressant treatment

Characterization of temperature-sensitive [³H]serotonin (5-HT) binding sites (1 and 4 nM Kd sites) revealed complex inhibition by neuroleptics and serotonin antagonists. There was no simple correlation with affinities for S₁ and S₂ receptors. $\text{In vivo}$ pretreatment (48 h before) with mianserin did not alter Bmax or Kd for the 1 nM Kd [³H]5-HT site, although [³H]ketanserin (S₂) densities were decreased by 50%. This suggested that possible S₂ components of [³H]5-HT binding must be negligeable, even though ketanserin competed with high affinity (IC₅₀ = 3 nM) for a portion of the 1 nM Kd [³H]5-HT site. Low concentrations of mianserin inhibited the 1 nM Kd [³H]5-HT site in a non-competitive manner, as shown by a decrease in Bmax with no change in Kd after $\text{in vitro}$ incubation. The complex inhibition data may therefore represent indirect interactions through another site.     

应用酶联免疫吸附试验检测马铃薯卷叶病毒

以辣根过氧化物酶标记马铃薯卷叶病毒抗体,采用双抗体夹心ELISA方法鉴定了马铃薯和洋酸浆的茎、叶、根及马铃薯块茎中的马铃薯卷叶病毒(Potato Leafroll Virus,PLRV),结果表明,对提纯的PLRV可测出的最低浓度为25ng/ml,当包被抗体浓度为40μg/ml、酶标记抗体稀释度为1/120时,可测出马铃薯茎、叶和根汁液中的PLRV,感染PLRV的洋酸浆茎、叶和根汁液的消光值,均比无病对照者高二倍以上,虽然感染PLRV的马铃薯休眠块茎维管束组织汁液的消光值高于无病毒对照,且脐部维管束组织消光值高于顶端,但测定打破休眠的感病块茎顶端维管束组织的阳性结果更为可靠和明显。     

鄱阳湖水生植被

本文列出了鄱阳湖98种水生维管束植物的名录,叙述了水生植被的分布。鄱阳湖水生植被面积为2262平方公里,占全湖总面积的80．8％。湖中植被呈不规则环带状分布,并可划分为湿生、挺水、浮叶和沉水4个植物带,9个主要植物群丛。并研究了鄱阳湖水生植被的演变及发展趋势和湖水位的季节性变化对植被的影响。