Purification and partial characterization of a bovine epidermal growth factor-like polypeptide

A heterologous radioreceptor assay was developed to follow the purification of an EGF-like polypeptide from bovine kidney. Purification of the growth factor was facilitated by the use of a novel affinity column using fixed A431 cells attached to sephadex beads. The mol. wt. of the purified EGF-LP was estimated to be 5480 from the amino acid composition. The purified EGF-like polypeptide stimulated the proliferation of bovine mammary epithelial cells and appeared to be equipotent to mouse EGF. Available evidence suggests that the purified molecule is distinct from bovine TGF-alpha.     

HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY IN NORTH AMERICAN ARID REGIONS: AN APPROACH USING MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA PHYLOGENY IN GRASSHOPPER MICE (GENUS ONYCHOMYS)

Restriction-endonuclease-site variation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used to investigate patterns of geographic and phylogenetic divergence within the rodent genus Onychomys. Onychomys has occupied arid habitats in the western North American deserts, shrub-steppes, and grasslands since the late Tertiary. A phylogenetic analysis of the total mtDNA restriction-site variation throughout the range of Onychomys suggests that the distribution of this genus has been affected by the same Quaternary pluvial-interpluvial climatic fluctuations that have resulted in the periodic fragmentation of arid habitats in western North America. Onychomys mtDNA haplotypes define at least five discrete geographical subsets, suggesting that there are five areas of endemism for biota restricted to arid and semiarid habitats in North America. The mtDNA-haplotype phylogeny can be used to infer an hypothesis of historical relationships among the five areas of endemism as follows: ([{(Wyoming Basin + Interior Plains + Colorado Plateaus) + (Columbia Basin + Great Basin)} + Gulf Coastal Plain] + Chihuahuan) + Western Deserts. The results of this study point to the potential use of mtDNA-haplotype phylogenies to reconstruct historical biogeographic events in Quaternary time. The utility of mtDNA variation depends in part on the ecology and distribution of the species being examined. Therefore, our hypothesized area cladogram can be tested by investigating regional relationships in other western North American taxa with distributions similar to Onychomys.     

Restriction fragment length polymorphism at the HLA-C locus

We have used the HLA-C-specific DNA probe pC250 to investigate restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at the HLA-C locus. Genomic Southern blot hybridization included DNA prepared from a panel of homozygous typing cells representing serological specificities Cw1 to Cw8 and also from samples representing Cw blanks. Although many restriction nucleases failed to reveal any polymorphism, RFLPs were evident with Taq I, Pvu II, Bst XI, Nde 1, and Nci I in addition to the previously reported Eco RI. In the case of Bst XI, a unique RFLP defined a subset of serologically defined Cw blanks. Comparison of RFLP sizes with restriction fragment lengths obtained from the known HLA-Cw3 gene sequence permitted the localization of intragenic C locus RFLLs and the identification of a variable Taq I site in the second intron, a variable Nci I site near the end of the fourth exon, and a variable Pvu lI site in the fifth intron.     

A revision of the family Zoogonidae Odhner, 1902 (Platyhelminthes: Digenea): Subfamily Lepidophyllinae and comments on some aspects of biology

Summary A detailed revision of the zoogonid subfamily Lepidophyllinae is presented, using morphological characters discussed in an earlier paper. Twelve genera and 50 species are treated in detail with keys and cladograms to genera and species. The genera and species covered are: Lepidophyllum steenstrupi, L. appyi, L. armatum, L. brachycladium, L. cameroni, L. pleuronectini, L. pyriforme, L. schantaricum, Urinatrema hispidum, U. hirudinacea, Panopula cavernossa, P. bridgeri, P. spinosa, Limnoderetrema minutum (Manter, 1954) [formerly Deretrema] n.g. (in freshwater fishes; genital pore at oral sucker or pharynx level), n. comb., Brachyenteron peristedioni, B. acropomatis, B. campbelli, B. doederleiniae, B. magnibursatum, B. parexocoeti, B. pycnorganum, Steganodermatoides kergeleni, S. agassizi, S. allocytti, S. maceri, Neosteganoderma glandulosum, N. infundibulum, Proctophantastes abyssorum, P. gillissi, Deretrema (Deretrema) fusillus, D. (D.) cholaeum, D. (D.) pacificum, D. (Spinoderetrema) plotosi, D. (S.) acutum, D. (S.) fellis, D. (S.) ovale, D.(S.) sebastodis, D. (Luxitrema) philippinensis, D. plagiorchis, Pseudochetosoma salmonicola, Overstreetia sodwanaensis, Steganoderma (Steganoderma) formosum, S. (S.) atherinae, S. (Lecithostaphylus) retroflexum, S. (L.) depauperati (Yamaguti, 1970) n. comb., S. (L.) hemirhamphi, S. (L.) nitens, S. (L.) parexocoeti, S. macrophallos, S. oviformis. Most zoogonids were found to exhibit some level of predilection for a particular piscine host group, but little general information on the zoogeography of the group was discovered. Ultrastructural evidence is presented suggesting that the membranous egg-capsule of the zoogonines shows vestiges of the three layers of a normal tanned egg-shell.     

Adriamycin resistance in HL60 cells in the absence of detectable P-glycoprotein

Previous studies have shown that the development of multi-drug resistance in cell lines treated with chemotherapeutic agents is closely associated with the overexpression of a 170-180 kilodalton surface membrane glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein). In the present study a monoclonal antibody against the P-glycoprotein was used to determine if this protein is overexpressed in multi-drug resistant HL60 cells. Using either indirect immunofluorescent staining or immunoblot analysis P-glycoprotein could not be detected in HL60 cells isolated for resistance to adriamycin. In contrast HL60 cells isolated for resistance to vincristine contain the P-glycoprotein and the amount of this material increases with increasing levels of resistance. These studies thus demonstrate adriamycin resistance in P-glycoprotein negative HL60 cells. Furthermore adriamycin and vincristine are found to have distinct effects in inducing overexpression of P-glycoprotein in the HL60 cell line. This information could be useful in the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of certain forms of cancer.     

Identification of indole compounds secreted byFrankia HFPArI3 in defined culture medium

Indole compounds secreted byFrankia sp. HFPArI3 in defined culture medium were identified with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). WhenFrankia was grown in the presence of¹³C(ring-labelled)-L-tryptophan,¹³C-labelled indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-ethanol (IEtOH), indole-3-lactic acid (ILA), and indole-3-methanol (IMeOH) were identified.High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and GC-MS with selected ion monitoring were used to quantify levels of IAA and IEtOH inFrankia culture medium. IEtOH was present in greater abundance than IAA in every experiment. When no exogenous trp was supplied, no or only low levels of indole compounds were detected.Seedling roots ofAlnus rubra incubated in axenic conditions in the presence of indole-3-ethanol formed more lateral roots than untreated plants, indicating that IEtOH is utilized by the host plant, with physiological effects that modify patterns of root primordium initiation.     

The Opecoelidae (Digenea) of sparid fishes of the western Mediterranean. III. Macvicaria Gibson & Bray, 1982

Macvicaria obovata (Molin) n. comb. is redescribed from Sparus aurata off the Mediterranean coast of France and a neotype is designated. Specimens from Oblada melanura off Israel may belong to the same species. It is mainly characterized by the uterine extension between the ovary and the anterior testis and the lack of a vitelline confluence in the forebody. M. maillardi n. sp. is also described from Sparus aurata off the southern coast of France. Its uterus does not pass between ovary and testes and the vitelline fields are confluent in the forebody. M. crassigula (Linton) n. comb. is redescribed from Diplodus annularis, D. sargus, D. vulgaris, Pagellus erythrinus and Sparus pagrus off Corsica, Calamus bajonado off Bermuda, Spicara smaris, D. annularis off Yugoslavia, D. sargus off Israel, and D. cervinus, Sparodon durbanensis and Cheilodactylus fasciatus in the SW Indian Ocean. It is similar to M. maillardi, but differs in being smaller, having a greater sucker ratio and a larger pharynx. It may well be a species-complex. M. dubia (Stossich) n. comb. is redescribed from Oblada melanura off Corsica and Yugoslavia. It is similar to M. maillardi and M. crassigula, but has a more anteriorly situated genital pore.     

The Lepocreadiidae (Digenea) of fishes from the north-east Atlantic: review of the genus Neolepidapedon Manter, 1954, with a description of N. smithi n. sp.

A new species, Neolepidapedon smithi, is described from the fish Mora moro in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean and is distinguished from other members of the genus. It differs from its congeners in the extension of the vitellarium into the forebody and/or the body shape. The genus Neolepidapedon is reviewed and a key to species given. The genus has previously contained up to 20 species, but is here restricted to eight species, which possess a very thick male duct wall within the cirrus-sac, a narrow internal seminal vesicle, an excretory vesicle restricted to the hindbody and no eye-spots. The remaining nominal species with a relatively thin-walled internal male duct, a globular internal seminal vesicle, an excretory system which reaches into the forebody and eye-spots are considered to belong to a separate group which is related to Opechona. Some of these species were included by Yamaguti (1971) in his new subgenus Neolepidapedon (Neolepidapedoides), which is raised to full generic status. Eight new combinations are made: Neolepidapedoides belizensis (Fischthal, 1977), N. dollfusi (Durio & Manter, 1968), N. equilatum (Siddiqi & Cable, 1960), N. hypoplectri (Nahhas & Cable, 1964), N. israelense (Fischthal, 1980), N. macrum (Overstreet, 1969), N. medialunae (Montgomery, 1957) and N. mycteropercae (Siddiqi & Cable, 1960).     

Alpha-chloralose as a capture and restraint agent of birds: therapeutic index determination in the chicken

The median effective dose for capture (ED50) and the median lethal dose (LD50) of alpha-chloralose given orally to domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus) were determined by probit analysis to be 45 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, respectively. The therapeutic index (TI = LD50/ED50) was 6.7. This indicates that alpha-chloralose is only a marginally safe capture agent in domestic species and particularly in field applications involving other wild avian species in which the amount of the drug ingested by an individual bird is not controlled.