Laboratory culture and taxonomy of two species ofPedobesia (Bryopsidales,Chlorophyceae) in Japan

The morphology ofPedobesia lamourouxii andDerbesia ryukyuensis, both collected in Shimoda and the adjacent areas in central Japan, was studied from field specimens and laboratory cultures. Specimens which had the same morphology as EuropeanP. lamourouxii produced stephanokont zoospores which developed into either prostrate filaments or expanded discoidal thalli similar to those described by Feldmann and Codomier (1974) and Feldmannet al. (1975). Erect filament identical with the thallus found in nature developed directly from prostrate filaments. The specimens which had morphology similar to that ofDerbesia ryukyuensis described by Yamada and Tanaka (1938) also produced stephanokont zoospores which developed similarly to those ofP. lamourouxii. This species is, therefore, a member ofPedobesia, and it is made a new combinationP. ryukyuensis (Yamada et Tanaka) Kobara et Chihara, comb. nov.     

Single Quantum Dot Tracking Reveals that an Individual Multivalent HIV-1 Tat Protein Transduction Domain Can Activate Machinery for Lateral Transport and Endocytosis

The mechanisms underlying the cellular entry of the HIV-1 Tat protein transduction domain (TatP) and the molecular information necessary to improve the transduction efficiency of TatP remain unclear due to the technical limitations for direct visualization of TatP''s behavior in cells. Using confocal microscopy, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, and four-dimensional microscopy, we developed a single-molecule tracking assay for TatP labeled with quantum dots (QDs) to examine the kinetics of TatP initially and immediately before, at the beginning of, and immediately after entry into living cells. We report that even when the number of multivalent TatP (mTatP)-QDs bound to a cell was low, each single mTatP-QD first locally induced the cell''s lateral transport machinery to move the mTatP-QD toward the center of the cell body upon cross-linking of heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The centripetal and lateral movements were linked to the integrity and flow of actomyosin and microtubules. Individual mTatP underwent lipid raft-mediated temporal confinement, followed by complete immobilization, which ultimately led to endocytotic internalization. However, bivalent TatP did not sufficiently promote either cell surface movement or internalization. Together, these findings provide clues regarding the mechanisms of TatP cell entry and indicate that increasing the valence of TatP on nanoparticles allows them to behave as cargo delivery nanomachines.     

Hybridization-dependent fluorescence of oligodeoxynucleotides incorporating new pyrene-modified adenosine residues

We report the synthesis and properties of oligonucleotides incorporating N(6)-[N-(pyren-1-ylmethyl)carbamoyl]-deoxyadenosine (dA(pymcm)). We designed the ODN which incorporated two consecutive dA(pymcm) residues. It was revealed that on hybridization with the target DNA and RNA oligomers, the fluorescence spectra of ODNs having two consecutive dA(pymcm) molecules near the 5'-terminal position can change from the pyrene monomer emission to the excimer, depending on the chain length of the target DNA and RNA. These results indicated that dA(pymcm)-modified ODNs can be used as interesting hybridization sensors that are sensitive to the size of the target strand.     

Effect of charge density of cationic polyelectrolytes on complex formation with DNA

The interaction between DNA and ionen polymers, -[N⁺(CH₃)₂(CH₂)_mN⁺(CH₃)₂(CH₂)_n], with m-n of 3–3, 6–6, and 6–10 were examined in order to know how the binding behavior of cationic polymers with DNA depends on the charge density of polycation. The ionen polymer has no bulky side chain and the binding forces with DNA would be attributed mainly to electrostatic interaction. When 3–3 ionen polymers were added to DNA solution, precipitable complexes with the ratio of cationic residue to DNA phosphate (+/?) of 1/1 and the free DNA molecules were segregated, while 6–6 and 6–10 ionen polymers formed soluble complexes with DNA molecules up to (+/?) = 0.5. This suggests that 3–3 ionen polymers bind cooperatively with DNA while 6–6 and 6–10 ionen polymers bind noncooperatively. The cooperative binding of 3–3 ionen polymer and the noncooperative binding of 6–6 ionen polymer were also supported by the thermal melting and recooling profiles from the midpoint between first and second meltings. It was concluded that the charge density of DNA phosphate is a critical value determining whether the ionen polymers bind to DNA by a cooperative or by a noncooperative binding, since the distance between successive cationic charges of 3–3 ionen polymer is shorter than that between successive phosphate charges on DNA double helix and those of 6–6 and 6–10 ionen polymers are longer.     

Formation of Recombinants Between Nontransmissible Drug-Resistance Determinants and Transfer Factors

Noninfectious drug-resistance determinants acquired conjugal transmissibility by the formation of recombinants with transfer factors, suggesting the origin of R factors.     

Legionella hijacks the host Golgi-to-ER retrograde pathway for the association of Legionella-containing vacuole with the ER

Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) is a gram-negative bacterium that replicates in a compartment that resembles the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER). To create its replicative niche, L. pneumophila manipulates host membrane traffic and fusion machineries. Bacterial proteins called Legionella effectors are translocated into the host cytosol and play a crucial role in these processes. In an early stage of infection, Legionella subverts ER-derived vesicles (ERDVs) by manipulating GTPase Rab1 to facilitate remodeling of the Legionella-containing vacuole (LCV). Subsequently, the LCV associates with the ER in a mechanism that remains elusive. In this study, we show that L. pneumophila recruits GTPases Rab33B and Rab6A, which regulate vesicle trafficking from the Golgi to the ER, to the LCV to promote the association of LCV with the ER. We found that recruitment of Rab6A to the LCV depends on Rab33B. Legionella effector SidE family proteins, which phosphoribosyl-ubiquitinate Rab33B, were found to be necessary for the recruitment of Rab33B to the LCV. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that L. pneumophila facilitates the interaction of Rab6 with ER-resident SNAREs comprising syntaxin 18, p31, and BNIP1, but not tethering factors including NAG, RINT-1, and ZW10, which are normally required for syntaxin 18-mediated fusion of Golgi-derived vesicles with the ER. Our results identified a Rab33B-Rab6A cascade on the LCV and the interaction of Rab6 with ER-resident SNARE proteins for the association of LCV with the ER and disclosed the unidentified physiological role of SidE family proteins.     

Structural evidence for guanidine-protein side chain interactions: crystal structure of CutA from Pyrococcus horikoshii in 3 M guanidine hydrochloride

This study was carried out to investigate the structural perturbation of the protein's local structure by the denaturants under non-denaturing conditions. Crystal structure of CutA from an archaeon Pyrococcus horikosii (PhoCutA), a heavy-metal binding protein, was determined at 1.6-angstroms resolution in the presence of 3 M guanidine HCl (GdnHCl). Native PhoCutA has a large number of short intramolecular hydrogen bonds and salt bridges on the protein surface, of which greater than 90% of hydrogen bonds and all salt bridges were retained in 3 M GdnHCl. Hydrogen bonds that disappeared in the GdnHCl crystal structure were mainly located on the protein surface, especially around the structurally perturbed loop, suggesting interactions between peptide groups and GdnHCl. Only a few GdnH+ ions were observed in the crystal structure, although none at the surface, of the protein. Two GdnH+ ions were observed in the center of the trimeric structure, replacing water molecules, and were hydrogen bonded with Asp84 and Asp86 of each chain. The exterior loop from Tyr39 to Lys44, including Trp40-Trp41, was perturbed structurally. Decreases in temperature factors were observed in beta strand 5 and the N terminus of helix 3. These results suggest the specific bindings of GdnH+ with some acidic residues and the non-specific bindings around Trp residues and peptide groups on the protein surface and that binding of GdnHCl to the native protein is limited, resulting in local structural perturbation.     

Endogenous synthesis of prostacyclin was positively regulated during the maturation phase of cultured adipocytes

Prostacyclin alternatively called prostaglandin (PG) I₂ is an unstable metabolite synthesized by the arachidonate cyclooxygenase pathway. Earlier studies have suggested that prostacyclin analogues can act as a potent effector of adipose differentiation. However, biosynthesis of PGI₂ has not been determined comprehensively at different life stages of adipocytes. PGI₂ is rapidly hydrolyzed to the stable product, 6-keto-PGF_1α, in biological fluids. Therefore, the generation of PGI₂ can be quantified as the amount of 6-keto-PGF_1α. In this study, we attempted to develop a solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a mouse antiserum specific for 6-keto-PGF_1α. According to the typical calibration curve of our ELISA, 6-keto-PGF_1α can be quantified from 0.8 pg to 7.7 ng in an assay. The evaluation of our ELISA revealed the higher specificity of our antiserum without the cross-reaction with other related prostanoids while it exhibited only the cross-reaction of 1.5 % with PGF_2α. The resulting ELISA was applied to the quantification of 6-keto-PGF_1α generated endogenously by cultured 3T3-L1 cells at different stages. The cultured cells showed the highest capability to generate 6-keto-PGF_1α during the maturation phase of 4–6 days, which was consistent with the coordinated changes in the gene expression of PGI synthase and the IP receptor for PGI₂. Following these events, the accumulation of fats was continuously promoted up to 14 days. Thus, our immunological assay specific for 6-keto-PGF_1α is useful for monitoring the endogenous levels of the unstable parent PGI₂ at different life stages of adipogenesis and for further studies on the potential association with the up-regulation of adipogenesis in cultured adipocytes.     

Characteristics of light-induced 515-nm absorbance change in spinach chloroplasts at lower temperatures II. Relationship between 515-nm absorbance change and rapid H+ uptake in chloroplasts after a short flash illumination

The absorbance change at 515 nm induced by a short (7.6 µsec)light flash in spinach chloroplasts was studied at sub-roomtemperatures in relation to rapid H⁺ uptake into chloroplasts. Lowering of temperature caused a marked decrease in the rateof recovery of 515-nm absorbance change after a flash illumination.Initial rate of rapid H⁺ uptake, measured with absorbance changeof bromcresol purple (BCP), was also reduced at lower temperatures,in a parallel fashion. Half-recovery time of the absorbancechange at 515 nm and rise-time of the pH-indicating absorbanceincrease of BCP coincided well at each temperature studied.Values of the calculated activation energy for these two processeswere almost the same. The parallelism between the 515-nm absorbance change and therapid H⁺ uptake after a single flash illumination was also observedwhen the electric field decay and/or H⁺ translocation were acceleratedby ionophorous antibiotics, carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazoneor phenazine methosulfate. From these results, it is suggestedthat the rapid H⁺ uptake into chloroplast is chemically coupledto electron transfer and at the same time diffusion- (or transport-)controlled. Membrane potential, reflected in the 515-nm absorbancechange is dissipated with the rapid H⁺ influx. A model for theelectron-transfer-coupled H⁺ translocation involving a plastosemiquinoneloop is presented. Dissipation of the illumination-formed inside-positivemembrane potential by the influx of H⁺ is explained by the model. (Received September 17, 1976; )