Biochemical applications of a synchronously pumped krypton ion dye laser fluorescence system.

A synchronously pumped krypton ion dye laser fluorescence system is shown to provide tunable, polarized, subnanosecond pulses at high repetition rates, modest peak powers, and low energy. Such a source is uniquely suited to fluorescence investigations of biochemical mechanisms. Applications of this fluorescence excitation source to analysis, life-time determination, and depolarization effects are discussed.     

Improved micro-method for the high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of caffeine and paraxanthine in biological fluids

A high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure is reported for reproducibly and sensitively quantitating caffeine and its N-demethylated metabolite paraxanthine in micro-samples. A 5-μm reversed-phase radial compression column and 214-nm fixed wavelength ultraviolet detector were used to attain a sensitivity sufficient to quantitate these compounds at concentratios as low as 80 ng/ml using only 25 μl of sample. The assay is applicable to microliter samples of whole blood, serum, plasma, saliva, amniotic, cerebro-spinal and gastric fluids such as might be obtained in studies involving small animals or neonates. The utility of the assay is illustrated with caffeine and paraxanthine levels measured in several maternal and fetal fluids following constant-rate intravenous infusion of caffeine into a rabbit throughout pregnancy.     

Factors governing the production of juvenile Atlantic salmon in Scottish streams

Data are presented to show how the number and growth of juvenile salmon in streams in the Scottish Highlands are influenced by various physical (temperature, water chemistry, depth and velocity, type of substratum) and biotic (food resources, competition, recruitment) factors.     

Cultured astrocytes from a syncytium after maturation

The formation of functional gap junctions between astrocytes was investigated during differentiation of these cells in culture. Precursor cells of GFA (glial fibrillary acidic) protein-positive astrocytes were cultured in a chemically defined medium as a homogeneous population. These cells were rarely coupled to one neighbour, as revealed by electrical and dye coupling and never formed a large syncytium, as investigated by injection and spread of Lucifer Yellow. Differentiation with respect to GFA protein accumulation can be induced in these cells by culturing in horse serum-containing medium. The formation of functional junctions developed within 2 weeks in about 20% of the cells. Coupled cells formed a large syncytium. When the astrocytes were co-cultured with primary cerebellar cells (consisting predominantly of small neurons) after the switch to serum-containing medium the percentage of coupled astrocytes increased to about 65%. Again the coupled cells formed a large syncytium. Since no physical contact was possible between the astrocyte cultures and the primary cerebellar cells the stimulation of coupling had to be signalized by soluble factor(s).     

The discrimination between Rb+ and K+ by Escherichia coli is changed after bacteriophage T7 infection

Rb+ and K+ have similar chemical properties. They share the uptake systems in Escherichia coli and can replace each other inside the cell. These common features led to experiments in which the radioactive isotope 86Rb was used to trace intracellular K+ fluxes. However, the E. coli pumps discriminate between these two ions and one should thus be cautious using 86Rb+ as a tracer for K+. We now report that T7 infection alters the degree of discrimination in such a way that changes of intracellular Rb+ do not reflect changes of K+. It has been observed that shortly after infection the 86Rb+ level was strongly reduced (Ponta, H., Altendorf, K.-H. and Schweiger, M. (1976) Mol. Gen. Genet. 149, 145-150). In contrast, determination of the K+ content showed no change directly after infection (Kuhn, A., Jütte, H. and Kellenberger, E. (1983) J. Virol. 47, 540-552). The efflux of 86Rb was only evident when Rb+ was used in trace amounts. In media conditions under which intracellular K+ was mainly replaced by Rb+, 86Rb+ efflux was not observed.     

Tissue producing the serum factor stimulating the release of cathepsin D from lysosomes in vitro

Pancreatectomy as well as thyroparathyroidectomy resulted in the quick disappearance of a serum factor (stimulating cathepsin D release from lysosomes in vitro) from the rat or mouse blood. Extirpation of other organs such as duodenum, stomach, spleen, kidney, submaxillary gland, testis, adrenal gland or hypophysis, showed no effect on the serum factor level. Glucagon (but not insulin or thyroxine) given to the pancreatectomized animals restored the serum factor level in a dose-dependent manner. The serum factor-like activity was detected only in the parathyroids (but not thyroid), and the release of activity from parathyroid-slices was stimulated by glucagon, suggesting that the parathyroid may produce and/or secrete the serum factor under the influence of glucagon.     

Dynamics of lipid-protein interactions. Interaction of apolipoprotein A-II from human plasma high density lipoproteins with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine

ApoA-II and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) spontaneously associate to give three different complexes whose structures are determined by the initial reactant concentration and by the reaction temperature with respect to Tc (23.9 degrees C), the gel to liquid crystalline transition temperature of DMPC. At an initial lipid to protein ratio of 45/1, a single complex (2.29 x 10(5) daltons) is quantitatively formed at all temperatures between Tc - 4 degrees C and Tc + 6 degrees C. When the 45/1 complex is mixed with DMPC liposomes there is lipid exchange but no net transfer of lipid, so that the structure of the complex remains unaltered. At an initial molar ratio of 100 to 300:1, the reaction scheme is more complex. At 24 degrees C a 240/1 complex (1.5 x 10(6) daltons) is formed from a precursor 75/1 complex (3.43 x 10(5) daltons) if excess (approximately 300 mol/mol) lipid is present. The 75/1 complex exhibits lipid exchange in the presence of added DMPC liposomes at 24 degrees C, and both the 75/1 and the 240/1 complex can be converted to smaller protein-rich complexes in the presence of added apoA-II. These results suggest that the initial lipid/protein ratio and the physical state of a lipid or lipid . protein complex determines the composition and structure of the resulting complex and support the view that lipid-protein interactions are stronger than protein-protein or lipid-lipid interactions.