Specific binding of covalently cross-linked mouse nerve growth factor to responsive peripheral neurons.

The binding characteristics of [¹²⁵I]nerve growth factor, covalently cross-linked with dimethyl suberimidate, to chick embryonic dorsal root ganglia are indistinguishable from the iodinated native hormone. Both show non-saturability, non-linear Scatchard plots and acceleration of dissociation of hormone-receptor complexes by native hormone which is reflected in the binding constants calculated. These results demonstrate that dimerization of the native hormone at the receptor is not responsible for the negatively cooperative behavior observed for native nerve growth factor. Further, experiments with amino-silylated glass tubes also eliminate interaction between hormone and reaction vessel as an explanation of the non-saturable and multiple affinity properties of the observed binding.     

Characterization of Postreplication Repair in Mutagen-Sensitive Strains of DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Mutants of Drosophila melanogaster, with suspected repair deficiencies, were analyzed for their capacity to repair damage induced by X-rays and UV radiation. Analysis was performed on cell cultures derived from embryos of homozygous mutant stocks. Postreplication repair following UV radiation has been analyzed in mutant stocks derived from a total of ten complementation groups. Cultures were irradiated, pulse-labeled, and incubated in the dark prior to analysis by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation. Kinetics of the molecular weight increase in newly synthesized DNA were assayed after cells had been incubated in the presence or absence of caffeine. Two separate pathways of postreplication repair have been tentatively identified by mutants derived from four complementation groups. The proposed caffeine sensitive pathway (CAS) is defined by mutants which also disrupt meiosis. The second pathway (CIS) is caffeine insensitive and is not yet associated with meiotic functions. All mutants deficient in postreplication repair are also sensitive to nitrogen mustard. The mutants investigated display a normal capacity to repair single-strand breaks induced in DNA by X-rays, although two may possess a reduced capacity to repair damage caused by localized incorporation of high specific activity thymidine-³H. The data have been employed to construct a model for repair of UV-induced damage in Drosophila DNA. Implications of the model for DNA repair in mammals are discussed.     

The role of causal knowledge in the evolution of traditional technology

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