On the nature of the photosynthetic energy storage monitored by photoacoustic spectroscopy

The photosynthetic energy storage yield of uncoupled thylakoid membranes was monitored by photoacoustic spectroscopy at various measuring beam intensities. The energy storage rate as evaluated by the half-saturation measuring beam intensity (i₅₀) was inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1 dimethylurea, by heat inactivation or by artificial electron acceptors specific for photosystem I or photosystem II; and was activated by electron donors to photosystem I. The reactions involving both photosystems were all characterized by a similar maximal energy storage yield of 16±2 percent. The data could be interpreted if we assumed that the energy storage elicited by the photosystems at 35 Hz is detected at the level of the plastoquinone pool.Abbreviations PS photosystem - Tes N-Tris [hydroxymethl] methyl-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid - DCMU 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - DCIP 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol - FeCN potassium ferricyanide - DCBQ 2,5-dichlorobenzoquinone - TMPD N,N,N-tetramethyl-p-phenilenediamine     

The effect of in vitro pretreatments on subsequent shoot organogenesis from excised Rubus and Malus leaves

Shoot regeneration from Rubus leaves was obtained on a medium containing MS salts, vitamins and sugars, Staba vitamins, casein hydrolysate (100 mg l^–1) and 10 M thidiazuron. Shoot regeneration from Malus leaves was obtained on N⁶ rice anther medium with 5 M thidiazuron. In vitro pretreatment of source shoots with either colchicine or thidiazuron enhanced the organogenic potential of detached leaves of two Rubus hybrids. The response to colchicine was quadratic and occurred at non-mutagenic concentrations (75–250 M). The response to thidiazuron was exponential between 0 and 5 M. When applied as a pretreatment, the effectiveness of several different cytokinins (benzyladenine, thidiazuron, zeatin) at enhancing Malus and Rubus organogenesis was related to the shoot proliferation activity of the cytokinin and to treatment-induced variation in leaf and petiole size.Abbreviations BA benzyladenine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IBA indolebutyric acid - MS Murashige & Skoog basal medium devoid of plant growth regulators - OI organogenesis-initiating subculture - PTI colchicine pretreatment subculture - PTII cytokinin pretreatment subculture - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - TDZ thidiazuron - zeatin trans-zeatin     

Are natural lipids UV-screening agents?

Summary Isolated lipids from Deinococcus radiodurans were reconstituted at final concentrations of 1 mg/ml into dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline (DOPC) vesicles and assayed for the ability to protect cells of Escherichia coli against killing by UV light (254 nm). Values of D₃₇ (UV dose required to reduce the number of surviving cells to 37% of the original number) were calculated from killing curves. E. coli was afforded the greatest protection with an individual lipid, identified as vitamin MK8 (D₃₇=310 J//m², compared to D₃₇=67 J/m² for E. coli irradiated in the presence of DOPC alone). Liposome-mediated protection was dependent on UV₂₅₄ absorbance and not on turbidity-related light-scattering. BOth vitamin MK8 from D. radiodurans and vitamin K₁, which is available commercially, showed a similar degree of UV₂₅₄-protection for E. coli. The UV-protective properties of vitamin K₁ were also investigated on mammalian cells in comparison with other natural lipids and known sunscreens. Survival curves were obtained for mouse fibroblast (L) cells irradiated at UV₂₅₄ in the absence or presence of DOPC liposomes into which were incorporated various natural lipids or standard sunscreen ingredients, all at final concentrations of 1 mg/ml. Experimentally determined values of D₃₇ were as follows: Vitamin K₁, 73 J/m²; \-carotene, 44 J/m₂; -tocopherol, 20 J/m₂; sulisobenzone, 156 J/m²; p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), 113 J/m²; benzophenone, 80 J/m²; oxybenzone, 61 J/m² and DOPC alone. 23 J/m². Vitamin K₁, the most protective lipid tested, was also compared with PABA and oxybenzone (all at concentrations of 20 mg/ml; applied topicall) for its ability to protec Skh-hairless mice from UV₂₅₄-induced erythema, yielding a UV₂₅₄ protection factor of 3.5. In addition, vitamin K₁ (at 100 mg/ml) was able to provide hairless mice with a small degree of UVB protection, as indicated by an experimentally determined Solar Protection Factor of 1.5–2.0. Although it is concluded that vitamin K is not likely to account for the extraordinarily high degree of UV-resistance of D. radiodurans, vitamin K does show characteristics worthy of its consideration as a UV-screening agent. Offprint requests to: R. Anderson     

Stereoselective enzymatic hydrolysis of 2-cyclohexyl-and 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate in biphasic systems

Summary A key intermediate (S(–) 2-cyclohexyl-1,3-propanediol monoacetate) was made with high optical purity for the total synthesis of a new angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, Fosinopril. The stereoselective hydrolysis of 2-cyclohexyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate (I) and 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediol diacetate (II) was carried out with lipases. Among various lipases evaluated, only porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) and Chromobacterium viscosum lipase demonstrated efficient conversion and gave the desired enantiomer of monoacetate. In aqueous solution, the desired S(–) monoacetate exhibited an optical purity of 65%–80% (30%–60% enantiomeric excess [e.e.]). However, when the same reactions were conducted in a biphasic system, the product S(–) monoacetate exhibited an optical purity of 99%–100% (98%–100% e.e.). The high purity product was achieved with 65 mol% yield at 1% substrate concentration. Among various solvents evaluated in biphasic systems, efficient hydrolysis was achieved in toluene, cyclohexane, and trichloro-trifluoroethane. The crude PPL was partially purified and two lipase fractions (A and B) were identified. Lipases A and B had a molecular mass of 38 000 and 40 000 daltons, respectively, and both were found to catalyze the hydrolysis of I and II to the appropriate monoacetate in a biphasic system. Offprint requests to: R. N. Patel     

Benzoxazinone kanamycin A conjugate. A new fluorescent probe suitable to detect mycoplasmas in cell culture

The synthesis of a new benzoxazinone derivative suitable to detect early infection of cultured cells with mycoplasmas is described. p-[beta-(7-dimethylamino 1,4-benzoxazin 2-one 3yl)-vinyl]- phenylpropenoic acid was coupled to kanamycin A, an aminoglycoside leading to a cationic fluorescent probe which fluoresces at 600 nm upon excitation at 490 nm. This fluorescent probe is shown to heavily label the glycocallix of all the mycoplasma strains tested which are found to be associated with contaminated cultured cells and to allow an easy and rapid detection of contamination by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry.     

Ultrastructural localization of fibronectin mRNA in chick embryo by in situ hybridization using 35S or biotin labeled cDNA probes

We have studied the expression of the fibronectin gene in 7 day-old chick embryo (stage 32) by in situ hybridization at the light and electron microscope levels, using a 397 base-pairs chicken cDNA, labeled by radioisotope or biotin-11dUTP. Cryostat sections of whole chick embryos displayed a selective label on the upper layer of the dermis, fibrous sclera and mesenchymal cells but not on cartilagenous sclera cells. These results show that the expression of the fibronectin gene varies in relation to the morphogenetic events. Hybridization at the ultrastructural level on thin sections of sclera embedded in Lowicryl K4M showed a selective labelling on various cell compartments. Biotin-11dUTP and radiolabeled probes were compared. The labeling was found precisely on the membrane of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and on the nuclear envelope. A few silver grains were located on the nucleus and in the perinucleolar region. This study shows that the postembedding in situ hybridization is a powerful procedure to study the expression of the extracellular protein genes and gives further information on the localization of mRNA.     

Purification and characterization of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor protein from rat vas deferens

Among rat peripheral tissues examined, Ins(1,4,5)P(3) receptor binding is highest in the vas deferens, with levels about 25% of those of the cerebellum. We have purified the InsP(3) receptor binding protein from rat vas deferens membranes 600-fold. The purified protein displays a single 260 kDa band on SDS/PAGE, and the native protein has an apparent molecular mass of 1000 kDa, the same as in cerebellum. The inositol phosphate specificity, pH-dependence and influence of various reagents are the same for purified vas deferens and cerebellar receptors. Whereas particulate InsP(3) binding in cerebellum is potently inhibited by Ca(2+), particulate and purified vas deferens receptor binding of InsP(3) is not influenced by Ca(2+). Vas deferens appears to lack calmedin activity, but the InsP(3) receptor is sensitive to Ca(2+) inhibition conferred by brain calmedin. The vas deferens may prove to be a valuable tissue for characterizing functional aspects of InsP(3) receptors.     

Differential priming for endotoxin-induced circulating cytokine production by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin 1 beta

In unprimed mice, a single injection of a non-lethal dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) produced a rise in tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin 6 (IL 6) activities. Peak serum concentrations were attained, respectively, 1.5 hr and 2.5 hr after the challenge. Pretreatment with recombinant human TNF-alpha (rHuTNF) had a priming effect for enhanced production of both serum cytokines without any change in kinetics. The enhancement was more pronounced in the TNF (15-fold) than in the IL 6 (4-fold) response. Recombinant murine TNF caused a comparable increase in LPS-induced cytokine release. In contrast, comparable pretreatment with another macrophage-derived cytokine, recombinant human interleukin 1 beta (HuIL1-beta), revealed a negative effect on LPS-induced TNF release whereas IL 6 in the blood reached levels similar to those found after priming with rTNF. Moreover, when administered in combination with rHuTNF, rHuIL1-beta inhibited the priming effect on TNF autocrine production.     

A Metachromatic Dye-Atpase Method for The Simultaneous Identification of Skeletal Muscle Fiber Types I, IIA, IIB and IIC

The histochemical demonstration of quantitative differences in myofibrillar ATPase activity at the selective pH optima of the various types of human skeletal muscle fibers is the most widely used technique for their differentiation. The basis of the reaction is the deposition of insoluble salts of inorganic phosphate cleaved from ATP by myofibrillar ATPase(s) followed by substitution of the phosphates with less soluble chromogenic salts. Doriguzzi and associates reported using metachromatic dyes to demonstrate quantitative differences in phosphate deposition among different fiber types. Following routine ATPase histochemistry and staining with either azure A or toluidine blue, fibers with low ATPase activity (and low phosphate content) were stained metachromatically while fibers with high ATPase activity (and high phosphate content) were orthochromatic with the intensity of color proportional to the content of insoluble phosphate. The metachromasia was readily lost after immoderate washing in aqueous solutions or routine dehydration in ethanol, with consequent diminished fiber type distinction. A critical modification of this technique is reported in which incubation of frozen sections of human skeletal muscle in ATP-containing medium is carried out at room temperature (22-24 C), rather than the usual 37 C., followed by a revised washing and dehydration protocol. With these modifications, the four human skeletal muscle fiber types (types I, HA, IIB, and IIC) can be identified rapidly and reliably in single sections, obviating the need for examination of serial sections. The tinctorial differentiation allows fiber type identification even in black and white photographs.