Molecular Evolutionary Analysis of the Thiamine-Diphosphate-Dependent Enzyme,Transketolase

Members of the transketolase group of thiamine-diphosphate-dependent enzymes from 17 different organisms including mammals, yeast, bacteria, and plants have been used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Alignment of the amino acid and DNA sequences for 21 transketolase enzymes and one putative transketolase reveals a number of highly conserved regions and invariant residues that are of predicted importance for enzyme activity, based on the crystal structure of yeast transketolase. One particular sequence of 36 residues has some similarities to the nucleotide-binding motif and we designate it as the transketolase motif. We report further evidence that the recP protein from Streptococcus pneumoniae might be a transketolase and we list a number of invariant residues which might be involved in substrate binding. Phylogenies derived from the nucleotide and the amino acid sequences by various methods show a conventional clustering for mammalian, plant, and gram-negative bacterial transketolases. The branching order of the gram-positive bacteria could not be inferred reliably. The formaldehyde transketolase (sometimes known as dihydroxyacetone synthase) of the yeast Hansenula polymorpha appears to be orthologous to the mammalian enzymes but paralogous to the other yeast transketolases. The occurrence of more than one transketolase gene in some organisms is consistent with several gene duplications. The high degree of similarity in functionally important residues and the fact that the same kinetic mechanism is applicable to all characterized transketolase enzymes is consistent with the proposition that they are all derived from one common ancestral gene. Transketolase appears to be an ancient enzyme that has evolved slowly and might serve as a model for a molecular clock, at least within the mammalian clade. Received: 13 September 1995 / Accepted: 14 November 1996     

Effects of endurance training on the cardiovascular system and water compartments in elderly subjects

Pickering, Gisèle P., Nicole Fellmann, BéatriceMorio, Patrick Ritz, Aimé Amonchot, Michel Vermorel, and JeanCoudert. Effects of endurance training on the cardiovascularsystem and water compartments in elderly subjects. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(4): 1300-1306, 1997.Theeffects of endurance training on the water compartments and thecardiovascular system were determined in 10 elderly subjects [age62 ± 2 yr, pretraining maximal oxygen consumption(O_{2 max})/kg = 25 ± 2 ml · min¹ · kg¹body wt]. They trained on a cycloergometer 3 times/wk for 16 wk(50-80%O_{2 max},then 80-85%O_{2 max}). They werechecked at 8 wk, 16 wk, and 4 mo after detraining. Training improvedO_{2 max} (+16%) andinduced plasma volume expansion (+11%). No change in total body water,extracellular fluid, interstitial and intracellular fluid volumes,fat-free mass, and body weight was detected in this small sample withtraining. Body fat mass decreased (2.1 ± 2.2 kg).Echocardiography at rest showed increased fractional shortening andejection fraction and decreased left ventricular end-systolic dimension(P < 0.05). Blood volume expansioncorrelates with cardiac contractility and has an impact on cardiacfunction. These improvements are precarious, however, and arecompletely lost after 4 mo of detraining, when elderly subjects losethe constraints and the social stimulation of the imposed protocol.

     

Sexual tetramorphism in Thymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae): morph ratios in open-pollinated progeny

Natural populations of Thymelaea hirsuta have previously been shown to comprise four distinct sexual morphs: males, females, protogynous individuals, i.e., first female then male, and protandrous individuals, i.e., first male then female. The objective of the present study has been to confirm the genetic basis of this sexual tetramorphism by quantifying morph ratios in the open-pollinated progeny of the four sexual phenotypes growing in a natural population. All four phenotypes were recovered in the progeny of each morph. All observed plants displayed a single sexual phenotype, thus confirming the genetic basis of the tetramorphism. The progeny sex ratios indicate that the genetic determination of sex in this species may be influenced by cytoplasmic factors, while the observed levels of functional female fertility suggest a near-dioecious system. The evolutionary significance of this tetramorphism as a transitional stage in the evolution of dioecy is discussed.     

Identification of new mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene of patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons. Although most cases of ALS are sporadic, approximately 10% are inherited as an autosomal dominant trait. Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD 1) are responsible for a fraction of familial ALS (FALS). Screening our FALS kindreds by SSCP, we have identified mutations in 15 families, of which 9 have not been previously reported. Two of the new mutations alter amino acids that have never been implicated in FALS. One of them affects a highly conserved amino acid involved in dimer contact, and the other one affects the active-site loop of the enzyme. These two mutations reduce significantly SOD 1 enzyme activity in lymphoblasts. Our results suggest that SOD 1 mutations are responsible for > or = 13% of FALS cases.     

Excess of deletions of maternal origin in the DiGeorge/Velo-cardio-facial syndromes. A study of 22 new patients and review of the literature

We have determined the parental origin of the deleted chromosome 22 in 29 cases of DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) using a CA-repeat mapping within the commonly deleted region, and in one other case by using a chromosome 22 short arm heteromorphism. The CA-repeat was informative in 21 out of 29 families studied and the deleted chromosome was of maternal origin in 16 cases (72%). When these data are pooled with recent results from the literature, 24 de novo DGS, velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) and isolated conotruncal cardiac disease deletions are found to be of maternal origin and 8 of paternal origin, yielding a ² of 8 with a probability level lower than 0.01. These data, and review of the literature on familial DGS/VCFS and isolated conotruncal cardiopathies suggest that there is a strong tendency for the 22q11.2 deletions to be of maternal origin.     

Studies on Possible Mechanisms of Early Functional Compensatory Adaptation in the Remaining Kidney

Two to 4 hours after unilateral renal exclusion in rats, urine flow rate from the remaining kidney had increased to twice the control level, whereas the filtration rate remained unchanged. After contralateral nephrectomy, NGFR was similar to that of controls, but fractional water reabsorption along proximal tubules decreased. Protein concentration in efferent arteriolar plasma, and hydrostatic pressure gradient between proximal tubules and peritubular capillaries were similar in experimental and control kidneys. Unilateral renal exclusion was followed by a rapid increase of blood pressure. Prevention of this rise depressed but did not abolish functional compensatory adaptation. The occurrence of compensatory adaptation was not affected by decreased renal perfusion pressure.     

Characterization of exoglucanase and synergistic hydrolysis of cellulose in Clostridium stercorarium

Abstract A cellobiohydrolase component was isolated from an anaerobic thermophilic cellulolytic bacterium, Clostridium stercorarium . When acting alone, the enzyme showed minimal activity towards ordered substrates such as cellulose and filter paper but it has been shown to attack phosphoric-acid swollen cellulose giving cellobiose as principal product. When recombined with endoglucanase it did allow an extensive hydrolysis demonstrating a marked synergism in the action of those two components; the addition of β-glucosidase resulted in a further increase in activity.