Beiträge zur Wirkung des Colchicins bei der Samenbehandlung

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 16 Textabbildungen.     

bves: A novel gene expressed during coronary blood vessel development

We have used a subtractive method to clone novel messages enriched in the heart. Here we show that one such message, bves (blood vessel/epicardial substance) is a novel protein that is highly conserved between chicken and mouse. The bves message is detected at high levels in early chick hearts. Using anti-Bves antibodies, we show expression in cells of the proepicardial organ, migrating epicardium, epicardial-derived mesenchyme, and smooth muscle of the developing intracardiac arterial system, including the coronary arteries. Our data suggest that Bves is an early marker of developing vascular smooth muscle cells. In addition, the expression pattern of Bves protein reveals the patterning of intracardiac vascular smooth muscle and possible insights into the cellular regulation of smooth muscle differentiation during vasculogenesis.     

An exploration of the sequence of a 2.9-Mb region of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster: the Adh region.

A contiguous sequence of nearly 3 Mb from the genome of Drosophila melanogaster has been sequenced from a series of overlapping P1 and BAC clones. This region covers 69 chromosome polytene bands on chromosome arm 2L, including the genetically well-characterized "Adh region." A computational analysis of the sequence predicts 218 protein-coding genes, 11 tRNAs, and 17 transposable element sequences. At least 38 of the protein-coding genes are arranged in clusters of from 2 to 6 closely related genes, suggesting extensive tandem duplication. The gene density is one protein-coding gene every 13 kb; the transposable element density is one element every 171 kb. Of 73 genes in this region identified by genetic analysis, 49 have been located on the sequence; P-element insertions have been mapped to 43 genes. Ninety-five (44%) of the known and predicted genes match a Drosophila EST, and 144 (66%) have clear similarities to proteins in other organisms. Genes known to have mutant phenotypes are more likely to be represented in cDNA libraries, and far more likely to have products similar to proteins of other organisms, than are genes with no known mutant phenotype. Over 650 chromosome aberration breakpoints map to this chromosome region, and their nonrandom distribution on the genetic map reflects variation in gene spacing on the DNA. This is the first large-scale analysis of the genome of D. melanogaster at the sequence level. In addition to the direct results obtained, this analysis has allowed us to develop and test methods that will be needed to interpret the complete sequence of the genome of this species.Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it. Milne 1926     

Steroid transformations with Exophiala jeanselmei var. lecanii-corni and Ceratocystis paradoxa

The fungi Exophiala jeanselmei var. lecanii-corni [IMI (International Mycological Institute) 312989, UAMH (University of Alberta Microfungus Collection and Herbarium) 8783] and Ceratocystis paradoxa (IMI 374529, UAMH 8784) have been examined for their potential in steroid biotransformation. The study has determined that E. jeanselmei var. lecanii-corni effected overall anti-Markovnikov hydration on dehydroisoandrosterone, and side-chain degradation on a variety of pregnanes. Both ascomycetes were found to carry out redox reactions of alcohols and ketones as well as 1,4 reduction of alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl systems.     

High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus enhances striatal dopamine release and metabolism in rats

High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus is believed to exert its main effects via the basal ganglia output structures. Previously, we have shown a concomitant increase in striatal dopamine (DA) metabolites in normal and 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. The present study was designed to determine whether this increase in striatal DA metabolites reflects enhanced intraneuronal DA turnover or, alternatively, is due to increased DA release with subsequent rapid and efficient reuptake and/or metabolism. Thus, high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus was performed in normal rats after inhibition of DA reuptake, metabolism or DA depletion. Extracellular levels of striatal DA and its metabolites were assessed using microdialysis. Our data suggest that subthalamic high-frequency stimulation increases striatal DA release and activates independent striatal DA metabolism. Since such changes could be triggered by modification of either the activity or the gene expression of the rate-limiting enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, an activity assay and RT-PCR of striatal and nigral samples were performed. Subthalamic stimulation increased striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity without affecting gene expression. We, therefore, conclude that the application of subthalamic high-frequency stimulation could partially compensate for the DA deficit by inducing increased striatal DA release and metabolism.     

Diffusion MRI of complex neural architecture

While functional brain imaging methods can locate the cortical regions subserving particular cognitive functions, the connectivity between the functional areas of the human brain remains poorly understood. Recently, investigators have proposed a method to image neural connectivity noninvasively using a magnetic resonance imaging method called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI measures the molecular diffusion of water along neural pathways. Accurate reconstruction of neural connectivity patterns from DTI has been hindered, however, by the inability of DTI to resolve more than a single axon direction within each imaging voxel. Here, we present a novel magnetic resonance imaging technique that can resolve multiple axon directions within a single voxel. The technique, called q-ball imaging, can resolve intravoxel white matter fiber crossing as well as white matter insertions into cortex. The ability of q-ball imaging to resolve complex intravoxel fiber architecture eliminates a key obstacle to mapping neural connectivity in the human brain noninvasively.     

Investigation of the importance of the C-2 and C-13 oxygen functions in the transformation of stemodin analogues by Rhizopus oryzae ATCC 11145

Incubation of 2alpha,13(R)-dihydroxystemodane (3) with Rhizopus oryzae ATCC 11145 gave 2alpha,7beta,13(R)-trihydroxystemodane (11) while biotransformation of 13(R)-hydroxystemodan-2-one (5) yielded 6alpha,13(R)-dihydroxystemodan-2-one (12) and 7beta,13(R)-dihydroxystemodan-2-one (13). Bioconversion of 2beta,13(R)-dihydroxystemodane (7) with Rhizopus afforded 2beta,7,13(R)-trihydroxystemodane (14). The results complement data from our previous work and provide more information about the effect of functional groups of stemodane substrates on the site of hydroxylation.     

Microbial transformation of cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one, aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one and methyl ursolate by Mucor plumbeus ATCC 4740

The sesquiterpenes cadina-4,10(15)-dien-3-one (1) and aromadendr-1(10)-en-9-one (squamulosone) (14) along with the triterpenoid methyl ursolate (21) were incubated with the fungus Mucor plumbeus ATCC 4740. Substrates 1, 14 and ursolic acid (20) were isolated from the plant Hyptis verticillata in large quantities. M. plumbeus hydroxylated 1 at C-12 and C-14. When the iron content of the medium was reduced, however, hydroxylation at these positions was also accompanied by epoxidation of the exocyclic double bond. In total nine new oxygenated cadinanes have been obtained. Sesquiterpene 14 was converted to the novel 2alpha,13-dihydroxy derivative along with four other metabolites. Methyl ursolate (21) was transformed to a new compound, methyl 3beta,7beta,21beta-trihydroxyursa-9(11),12-dien-28-oate (22). Two other triterpenoids, 3beta,28-dihydroxyurs-12-ene (uvaol) (23) and 3beta,28-bis(dimethylcarbamoxy)urs-12-ene (24) were not transformed by the micro-organism, however.     

Sequence-dependent dynamics of duplex DNA: the applicability of a dinucleotide model

The short-time (submicrosecond) bending dynamics of duplex DNA were measured to determine the effect of sequence on dynamics. All measurements were obtained from a single site on duplex DNA, using a single, site-specific modified base containing a rigidly tethered, electron paramagnetic resonance active spin probe. The observed dynamics are interpreted in terms of single-step sequence-dependent bending force constants, determined from the mean squared amplitude of bending relative to the end-to-end vector using the modified weakly bending rod model. The bending dynamics at a single site are a function of the sequence of the nucleotides constituting the duplex DNA. We developed and examined several dinucleotide-based models for flexibility. The models indicate that the dominant feature of the dynamics is best explained in terms of purine- and pyrimidine-type steps, although distinction is made among all 10 unique steps: It was found that purine-purine steps (which are the same as pyrimidine-pyrimidine steps) were near average in flexibility, but the pyrimidine-purine steps (5' to 3') were nearly twice as flexible, whereas purine-pyrimidine steps were more than half as flexible as average DNA. Therefore, the range of stepwise flexibility is approximately fourfold and is characterized by both the type of base pair step (pyrimidine/purine combination) and the identity of the bases within the pair (G, A, T, or C). All of the four models considered here underscore the complexity of the dependence of dynamics on DNA sequence with certain sequences not satisfactorily explainable in terms of any dinucleotide model. These findings provide a quantitative basis for interpreting the dynamics and kinetics of DNA-sequence-dependent biological processes, including protein recognition and chromatin packaging.     

The physiology of overwintering in a turtle that occupies multiple habitats,the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina)

Common snapping turtles, Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus), were submerged in anoxic and normoxic water at 3 degrees C. Periodic blood samples were taken, and PO(2), PCO(2), pH, [Na(+)], [K(+)], [Cl(-)], total Ca, total Mg, [lactate], [glucose], hematocrit, and osmolality were measured; weight gain was determined; and plasma [HCO(3)(-)] was calculated. Submergence in normoxic water caused a decrease in PCO(2) from 10.8 to 6.9 mmHg after 125 d, partially compensating a slight increase in lactate and allowing the turtles to maintain a constant pH. Submergence in anoxic water caused a rapid increase in lactate from 1.8 to 168.1 mmol/L after 100 d. Associated with the increased lactate were decreases in pH from 8.057 to 7.132 and in [HCO(3)(-)] from 51.5 to 4.9 mmol/L and increases in total Ca from 2.0 to 36.6 mmol/L, in total Mg from 1.8 to 12.1 mmol/L, and in [K(+)] from 3.08 to 8.45 mmol/L. We suggest that C. serpentina is tolerant of anoxic submergence and therefore is able to exploit habitats unavailable to some other species in northern latitudes.