Adrenaline Increases Cyclic 3′5′-AMP Formation in Hamster Epidermis

CATECHOLAMINES probably influence cell proliferation by delaying cells in the premitotic phase^1,2. Bullough and Laurence found that crude skin extracts contained a tissue-specific protein (chalone) which inhibited epidermal cell proliferation and that the action of this extract was augmented by adrenaline³. They later found that adrenaline alone (0.00025 µg/ml.) reduced epidermal mitotic activity in mouse ears by about 50% in vitro⁴.     

Some virus and virus-like diseases of tobacco,tomato, papaya,and rubber tree in vietnam and cambodia

In Vietnam a green strain of tobacco mosaic virus was isolated having TIP 89°C (10 min) and causing systemic necrosis in tobacoo ‘Xanthi-nc’ and sometimes also inDatura stramonium. In symptomless tomato plants an elongated virus belonging apparently to the Carlavirus group (NL 630 nm) was found. In papaya trees showing severe symptoms of mosaic and/or ringspot elongated virus particles (NL 730 nm) were observed; this virus being apparently a member of the Potyvirus group, resembled as far as its symptoms in papaya are concerned, the papaya ringspot or the distortion ringspot. In Cambodia some young rubber trees showed malformed leaves (esp. edges and veins) with yellow discolorations along the veins. Such leaves contained elongated virus-like particles (rigid or slightly flexible) of various length (60 to 880 nm), so that their normal length (NL) could not be established precisely. Particles 120 to 150 nm long occurred very frequently.     

Density guided importance sampling: application to a reduced model of protein folding

MOTIVATION: Monte Carlo methods are the most effective means of exploring the energy landscapes of protein folding. The rugged topography of folding energy landscapes causes sampling inefficiencies however, particularly at low, physiological temperatures. RESULTS: A hybrid Monte Carlo method, termed density guided importance sampling (DGIS), is presented that overcomes these sampling inefficiencies. The method is shown to be highly accurate and efficient in determining Boltzmann weighted structural metrics of a discrete off-lattice protein model. In comparison to the Metropolis Monte Carlo method, and the hybrid Monte Carlo methods, jump-walking, smart-walking and replica-exchange, the DGIS method is shown to be more efficient, requiring no parameter optimization. The method guides the simulation towards under-sampled regions of the energy spectrum and recognizes when equilibrium has been reached, avoiding arbitrary and excessively long simulation times. AVAILABILITY: Fortran code available from authors upon request. CONTACT: m.j.parker@leeds.ac.uk.     

Fumonisin- and AAL-Toxin-Induced Disruption of Sphingolipid Metabolism with Accumulation of Free Sphingoid Bases

Fumonisins (FB) and AAL-toxin are sphingoid-like compounds produced by several species of fungi associated with plant diseases. In animal cells, both fumonisins produced by Fusarium moniliforme and AAL-toxin produced by Alternaria alternata f. sp. lycopersici inhibit ceramide synthesis, an early biochemical event in the animal diseases associated with consumption of F. moniliforme-contaminated corn. In duckweed (Lemna pausicostata Heglem. 6746), tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill), and tobacco callus (Nicotiana tabacum cv Wisconsin), pure FB1 or AAL-toxin caused a marked elevation of phytosphingosine and sphinganine, sphingoid bases normally present in low concentrations. The relative increases were quite different in the three plant systems. Nonetheless, disruption of sphingolipid metabolism was clearly a common feature in plants exposed to FB1 or AAL-toxin. Resistant varieties of tomato (Asc/Asc) were much less sensitive to toxin-induced increases in free sphinganine. Because free sphingoid bases are precursors to plant "ceramides," their accumulation suggests that the primary biochemical lesion is inhibition of de novo ceramide synthesis and reacylation of free sphingoid bases. Thus, in plants the disease symptoms associated with A. alternata and F. moniliforme infection may be due to disruption of sphingolipid metabolism.     

Evidence that regenerative ability is an intrinsic property of limb cells in Xenopus

Xenopus laevis exhibits an ontogenetic decline in the ability to regenerate its limbs: Young tadpoles can completely regenerate an amputated limb, whereas post metamorphic froglets regenerate at most a cartilagenous "spike." We have tested the regenerative competence of normally regenerating limb buds of stage 52-53 Xenopus tadpoles grafted onto limb stumps of postmetamorphic froglets. The limb buds become vascularized and innervated by the host and, when amputated, regenerate limbs with normal or slightly less than normal numbers of tadpole hindlimb digits. Reciprocal grafts of froglet forelimb blastemas onto tadpole hindlimb stumps resulted in either autonomous development of tadpole hindlimb structures and/or formation of a cartilaginous spike typical of froglet forelimb regeneration. Our results suggest that the Xenopus froglet host environment is completely permissive for regeneration and that the ability to regenerate a complete limb pattern is an intrinsic property of young tadpole limb cells, a property that is lost during ontogenesis.     

Cytology, embryology, and evolution of the developmental arrest syndrome in newts of the genus Triturus (Caudata: Salamandridae)

We have examined embryonic development in three species (T. carnifex, T. cristatus, and T. marmoratus) of European newts of the genus Triturus (subgenus Neotriton) in which developmental arrest occurs in embryos that are homomorphic for a chromosomal heteromorphism involving chromosome 1 (Horner and Macgregor: J. Herpetol., 19:261-270, 1985). Embryonic arrest occurred during tailbud stages in all three species, but at a slightly earlier stage in T. marmoratus. Two phenotypes were identified among the arrested embryos. One of these is indistinguishable in embryonic morphology from normal embryos at all stages up to the time of arrest, but the other is characterized by a protruding yolk plug, which persists from the late gastrula/early neurula stage to the tailbud arrest stage and apparently interferes with normal morphogenesis. Evidence is presented that the two arrested phenotypes, which occur in approximately equal numbers, represent embryos that carry the two alternative homomorphic chromosome pairs of chromosome 1 heteromorphism. We conclude that developmental arrest reflects a balanced lethal heterozygosity probably resulting from an unequal exchange of genic material between the homologues of chromosome 1 which occurred in a common ancestor of the Neotriton species.     

Trafficking and localization studies of recombinant alpha1, 3- fucosyltransferase VI stably expressed in CHO cells

Peripheral alpha1,3-fucosylation of glycans occurs by the action of either one of five different alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases (Fuc-Ts) cloned to date. Fuc-TVI is one of the alpha1,3-fucosyltransferases which is capable to synthesize selectin ligands. The major alpha1, 3- fucosyltransferase activity in human plasma is encoded by the gene for fucosyltransferase VI, which presumably originates from liver cells. While the sequence, chromosomal localization, and kinetic properties of Fuc-TVI are known, immunocytochemical localization and trafficking studies have been impossible because of the lack of specific antibodies. Here we report on the development and characterization of a peptide-specific polyclonal antiserum monospecific to Fuc-TVI and an antiserum to purified soluble recombinant Fuc-TVI crossreactive with Fuc-TIII and Fuc-TV. Both antisera were applied for immunodetection in stably transfected CHO cells expressing the full-length form of this enzyme (CHO clone 61/11). Fuc-TVI was found to be a resident protein of the Golgi apparatus. In addition, more than 30% of cell-associated and released enzyme activity was found in the medium. Maturation and release of Fuc-TVI was analyzed in metabolically labeled CHO 61/11 cells followed by immunoprecipitation. Fuc-TVI occurred in two forms of 47 kDa and 43 kDa bands, while the secreted form was detected as a 43 kDa. These two different intracellular forms arose by posttranslational modification, as shown by pulse-chase experiments. Fuc-TVI was released to the supernatant by proteolytic cleavage as a partially endo-H resistant glycoform.      

Differentiation-related differences in the plasma membrane phospholipid asymmetry of myogenic and fibrogenic cells

We have determined the asymmetric distribution of two aminophospholipids phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine in the plasma membrane of chick embryo fibroblast and myoblasts. Right-side-out membrane preparations were incubated with two different amidating reagents, trinitrobenzenesulfonate and isethionylacetimidate, under nonpenetrating conditions. Inside-out membranes were incubated with trinitrobenzenesulfonate. In fibroblasts, the similar plateau values suggested that 35% of the phosphatidylethanolamine and 20% of the phosphatidylserine is externally disposed. These values agree with previous measurements on fibroblast plasma membranes. In myoblasts, however, labelling plateaux were achieved which suggested that 65% of the phosphatidylethanolamine and 45% of the phosphatidylserine is externally disposed. This represents a 2-3-fold increase in potentially fusogenic lipids on the external leaflet of the plasma membrane. This unique distribution of aminophospholipids in myoblasts extends through the stage of development during which myoblasts become competent to fuse and form myotubes in culture. Two inferences may be drawn from these results. First, the external concentration of aminophospholipids in myoblasts is enriched significantly over that of fibroblasts or erythrocytes. This orientation may contribute to its fusion competence. Second, although large amounts of externally disposed aminophospholipid may be necessary for myoblast fusion, they do not confer fusion competence.     

Radiosensitivity and time of origin of Mauthner neuron in the zebra fish

Regeneration was induced in the mature skeletal muscles of adult dystrophic mice ($\text{C57B1}\text{6J}$ dy/dy) by the im injection of hypertonic saline. Regenerating myogenic cells were isolated from the saline-treated muscles by cold trypsinization with the aid of Yaffe's selective plating procedure [Yaffe, D. (1968). Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA61, 477–483]. The myogenic cells thus isolated readily developed into muscle fibers possessing cross striations when cultured in vitro.