Atrial natriuretic factor messenger ribonucleic acid and peptide in the human heart during ontogenic development

We have investigated the level of expression of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) gene in the human heart during ontogenic development by determining the concentrations of ANF messenger ribonucleic acid (ANF mRNA), of immunoreactive ANF (IR ANF) and of receptor reactive ANF (RR ANF), in myocardial samples of the various heart chambers. We found the level was high and almost identical in the left and right ventricles in utero. It gradually decreased during ontogenic development to reach the low adult levels, with a more rapid decrease in the right than in the left ventricle after birth. In the atria, ANF gene expression was high as early as the 13th week of gestation, was higher in the right than in the left atrium, and appeared little affected by ontogenic development.     

Rhodobacter capsulatus strain BK5 possesses a membrane bound respiratory nitrate reductase rather than the periplasmic enzyme found in other strains

Rhodobacter capsulatus strain BK5 possesses a membrane bound respiratory nitrate reductase rather than the periplasmic enzyme found in other strains. The enzyme in strain BK5 is shown to be both functionally and structurally related to the nitrate reductase of Paracoccus denitrificans and Escherichia coli.Abbreviation TMAO trimethylamine-N-oxide     

Localization of the Miller-Dieker critical region is proximal to locus D17S34 (p144D6) in 17p13.3

A child with normal growth and development and the abnormal karyotype 46,XY,17ps, was analyzed using molecular probes localized to 17p13. The results indicated the presence of two copies of the probes YNZ22.1 (D17S5) and YNH37.3 (D17S28), previously shown to be deleted in all Miller-Dieker (MDS) patients studied. However, the patient was hemizygous for probe p144D6 (D17S34), which is absent in approximately 75% of the MDS patients. As the patient is active at 9 months of age, with no clinical signs of MDS, the results confirm that the absence of locus D17S34 does not lead to the phenotypic expression of MDS. Furthermore, this deletion should assist in defining the distal limits of this contiguous gene syndrome.     

Vasopressin-enhanced urea transport by rat inner medullary collecting duct cells in culture

Abstract. The distal inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) is critical in the urinary concentrating process, in part because it is the site of vasopressin (AVP)-regulated permeability to urea. The purpose of these experiments was to develop a cell culture model of the IMCD on permeable structure and to characterize the responsiveness to AVP. Rat IMCD cells were grown to confluence on collagen-coated Millipore filters glued onto plastic rings. To assess the time required to achieve confluence, the transepithelial resistance was measured periodically and was found to be stable after 2 weeks, at a maximal value of 595 ± 22 ω cm². In separate monolayers the effect of AVP on inulin and urea permeability was determined. While inulin permeability was unchanged after AVP, urea permeability increased from 6.0 ± 0–4 to peak values of 16.0 ± 3–8(10nM),23.1 ± 3–9(1 μM)and28 1 ± 4–9(10μM) X 10^-6cms^-1 ( n = 24). In 10 other monolayers, after the addition of 1 mM 8-Br-cAMP, urea permeability increased from 5.1 ±0–3 to 8.1 ± 1–6 times 10^-6 cm s^-1 and, after 8-Br-cAMP +3-isobutyl-l-methylxanthine, to 12.2 ± 0–7 times 10^-6 cms^-1. We conclude that rat IMCD cells grown in culture exhibit the characteristics of a 'tight' epithelium. Inulin and urea permeability are not different in the absence of AVP, consistent with high resistance junctional complexes. Furthermore, IMCD cells retain the capacity for AVP-regulated urea permeability, a characteristic feature of this nephron segment in vivo.     

Cell-specific processing of pro-cholecystokinin and pro-gastrin

The present review argues that the gastrin-cholecystokinin family is a suitable model for the study of cell-specific processing of pro-hormones. First, the homologous active site of the hormones is a precisely defined tetrapeptide amide, which is well preserved during evolution. Second, the genes of both hormones are translated in a variety of cells (neurons, endocrine cells, paracrine cells, lymphocytes, etc,), but to a varying degree during ontogenesis and pathogenesis of various diseases. Third, each pro-hormone contains multiple processing sites (mono- and dibasic cleavage sites, amidation sites and consensus sequences for seryl phosphorylation and tyrosyl sulfation) leaving ample room for variations in the post-translational processing. The review discusses examples of cell-specific processing that appears to be functionally expedient.     

Kinetic analysis of an E.coli phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase mutant.

A mutation in the pheS gene, encoding phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, in E. coli NP37 confers temperature-sensitivity on the organism. A five-fold increase in tRNA(phe) levels complements the mutation. Analysis of the kinetic properties of the mutant enzyme indicates that the KM is 20-fold higher than the wild-type and the dissociation constant of the tRNA(phe)-synthetase complex for the mutant is at least 10-fold higher. These results indicate that the mutation in E. coli NP37 directly affects the tRNA(phe) binding site on the cognate synthetase.