Neuromuscular development following tetrodotoxin-induced inactivity in mouse embryos

Developmental aspects of the neuromuscular system in mouse embryos chronically paralyzed in utero with tetrodotoxin (TTX) between embryonic days 14 and 18 were studied using biochemical and histological methods. The number of lumbar spinal motoneurons (MNs) was higher in inactive embryos than in controls suggesting a decreased motoneuron cell death. In association with the increase in MN number, choline acetyltransferase activity was significantly increased in both spinal cord and peripheral synaptic sites. Paralyzed muscles exhibited a decreased number of mature myofibers and the nuclei were centrally located. Creatine kinase activity was greatly decreased and total acetylcholine receptor and receptor cluster numbers per myofiber were significantly increased in paralyzed muscles. A similar pattern of changes occurs in the neuromuscular system of the mutant mouse muscular dysgenesis (mdg). However, in contrast to the mdg mutant, tetrodotoxin-treated muscles were similar to controls in their innervation pattern, in the ultrastructural aspects of the excitation–contraction coupling system (i.e., dyads and triads) and in the extent of dihydropyridine binding. Thus, neuromuscular inactivity is not sufficient to impair the pattern of muscle innervation or the appearance of either the triadic junctions or dihydropyridine receptors. These results indicate that alterations of dihydropyridine binding sites and triads in muscular dysgenesis cannot be accounted for by inactivity but rather must reflect a more primary defect involving the structural gene(s) regulating the development of one or more aspects of muscle differentiation.     

Inhibition by trifluoperazine of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis by particulate and soluble mitochondrial F1: Competition with H2PO 4 −

The effect of trifluoperazine (TFP) on the ATPase activity of soluble and paniculate F₁ATPase and on ATP synthesis driven by succinate oxidation in submitochondrial particles from bovine heart was studied at pH 7.4 and 8.8. At the two pH. TFP inhibited ATP hydrolysis. Inorganic phosphate protected against the inhibiting action of TFP. The results on the effect of various concentrations of phosphate in the reversal of the action of TFP on hydrolysis at pH 7.4 and 8.8 showed that H₂PO ₄ ^– is the species that competes with TFP. The effect of TFP on oxidative phosphorylation was studied at concentrations that do not produce uncoupling or affect the aerobic oxidation of succinate (<15M). TFP inhibited oxidative phosphorylation to a higher extent at pH 8.8 than at pH 7.4; this was through a diminution in theV _max, and an increase in theK _m for phosphate. Data on phosphate uptake during oxidative phosphorylation at several pH showed that H₂PO ₄ ^– is the true substrate for oxidative phosphorylation. Thus, in both synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP, TFP and H₂PO ₄ ^– interact with a common site. However, there is a difference in the sensitivity to TFP of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis; this is more noticeable at pH 8.8, i.e. ATPase activity of soluble F₁ remains at about 40% of the activity of the control in a concentration range of TFP of 40–100M, whereas in oxidative phosphorylation 14M TFP produces a 60% inhibition of phosphate uptake.     

The amphotropic murine leukemia virus receptor gene encodes a 71-kilodalton protein that is induced by phosphate depletion.

The amphotropic murine leukemia virus (MuLV) can infect cells from a number of mammals, including humans, via its specific receptor. Basic knowledge of amphotropic MuLV receptor expression is likely to be useful in the development and improvement of gene therapy protocols based on amphotropic-pseudotyped vectors. To investigate the expression of the human receptor for the amphotropic MuLV (GLVR-2, newly termed Pit2), we determined its mRNA levels in several cell lines and found them to vary significantly. Induction of increased levels of mRNA after removal of phosphate from the media was observed in two osteosarcoma cell lines. The increase in GLVR-2 mRNA resulted in a concomitant rise in the levels of a 71-kDa protein specifically recognized by affinity-purified antibodies against GLVR-2. Using these antibodies, we were able to confirm the intracellular topology of the large hydrophilic domain between the proposed sixth and seventh transmembrane domains of the GLVR-2 protein. This assignment is in agreement with the fourth extracellular loop being outside the cell, consistent with the proposal that the fourth extracellular loop of GLVR-2 contains the envelope binding site.     

Lactose-proton symport by purified lac carrier protein

The lac carrier protein of Escherichia coli was purified by an improved procedure and its activity assayed by a rapid filter method. Following reconstitution of the carrier by octyl glucoside dilution, proteoliposomes were concentrated by filtration on a microporous filter. Lactose accumulation by adsorbed or entrapped proteoliposomes is driven by an artificially imposed pH gradient (interior alkaline), by a membrane potential (interior negative), or by a combination of both forces. Activity is almost completely abolished by the protonophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone or by the competitive inhibitor thiodigalactoside. Addition of lactose to proteoliposomes under appropriate conditions results in alkalinization of the external medium. This effect is not observed with liposomes devoid of lac carrier or in the presence of proton conducting agents. The results provide a strong indication that the lac gamma gene product is the only protein in the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli required for lactose-proton symport.     

The genetics of phenotypic plasticity. IV. Chromosomal localization

The contributions of each chromosome to the traits thorax size and plasticity of thorax size as affected by temperature in Drosophila melanogaster were measured. A composite stock was created from lines previously subjected to selection on thorax size or plasticity of thorax size. A chromosome extraction was performed against a uniform background lacking genetic variation, provided by a stock of marked balancer flies. With regard to amount of plasticity, chromosome I and the balancer stock showed no plasticity, the composite stock showed the greatest plasticity, and chromosomes II and III were intermediate. Chromosome I showed significant genetic variation for thorax size at both 19° C and 25° C, but not for plasticity, while chromosome II showed significant genetic variation for plasticity, but not for thorax size. Chromosome III showed significant genetic variation for both thorax size and plasticity. We tested the predictions of three models of the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity: overdominance, pleiotropy, and epistasis. The results support the epistasis model, in agreement with earlier work. The amount of developmental noise was correlated with phenotypic plasticity at 25° C, in agreement with earlier work. A negative correlation was found at 19° C for chromosome II, contrary to earlier work.     

Amino acid substitutions at tryptophan 388 and tryptophan 412 of the HepG2 (Glut1) glucose transporter inhibit transport activity and targeting to the plasma membrane in Xenopus oocytes.

All 6 tryptophan residues in the human HepG2-type glucose transporter (Glut1) were individually altered by site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the role of these residues in transport function. Tryptophan residues in positions 48, 65, 186, 363, 388, and 412 of Glut1 were changed to either a glycine or leucine residue. Mutant mRNAs were synthesized and injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes. Transporter function as assessed by uptake of 2-deoxy-D-[3H]glucose or transport of 3-O-[3H]methylglucose was decreased in the 388 and 412 mutants but was unaltered in all other mutants. The amount of the mutant transporters expressed in total membrane and plasma membrane fractions was measured using Glut1-specific antibodies. Calculation of the intrinsic transport activity of each of the mutants using these data demonstrated that the reduced transport activity of the 412 mutants was caused entirely by a dramatic decrease in the intrinsic activity of the mutant proteins whereas the reduced activity of the 388 mutants was a result of a decreased level of the protein in oocytes, decreased targeting to the plasma membrane, and a modest decrease in the intrinsic activity. Protease/glycosidase mapping of in vitro translation products indicated that the effects of the 388 and 412 point mutations could not be attributed to a disruption in the ability of the mutant proteins to insert properly into the membrane. The ID50 for cytochalasin B inhibition of 2-deoxyglucose uptake was increased from 5 x 10(-7) M for the wild-type Glut1 to 4 x 10(-6) M in the 388 mutants but was unaltered in the 412 mutants. These observations suggest that 1) Trp-412 may comprise part of a hexose binding site or is involved in maintaining a local tertiary structure critical for transport function; 2) Trp-388 is involved in stabilizing the equilibrium binding of cytochalasin B to the transporter. Trp-388 may therefore lie near a substrate binding site and also appears to participate in stabilization of local tertiary structure important for full catalytic activity and efficient targeting to the Xenopus plasma membrane.     

Ada software for cytometry.

Ada is a new general-purpose language that embodies the concepts of software engineering. Although it was initially developed for military purposes, it is suitable for developing software for cytometry and other health-related applications. A pilot study has demonstrated the feasibility of employing Ada for cytometry applications. Three packages were created. The first subtracts a control three-dimensional population from multiple individual experimental populations and presents the results in spread sheet form. A second package has the capability of finding aggregates of cells. The results of this package are visualized employing a commercially available program for three-dimensional presentation of the data that permits rotation in real time. A third package consists primarily of interface drivers for two commercially available personal computer boards, an ADC and a stepper motor controller. The major problems with the coding were due to incomplete implementation of the language. This pilot study, together with others, indicates that it would be both cost effective and beneficial to implement cytometry and other medical devices in Ada.     

Sequence of the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteriophage HB-3 amidase reveals high homology with the major host autolysin.

We have sequenced a DNA fragment containing the pneumococcal bacteriophage HB-3 hbl gene, which codes for the phage lytic amidase. A remarkable nucleotide similarity (87.1%) between the lytA gene, coding for the pneumococcal amidase, the major autolysin of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and the hbl gene was found. This similarity completely disappeared outside the open reading frames coding for both amidases. The hbl gene transformed amidase-deficient strains of S. pneumoniae to the wild-type phenotype, and Southern blotting experiments provided evidence for recombination between donor and recipient genes. A comprehensive evaluation of these and previous results on the peptidoglycan hydrolases of S. pneumoniae and its bacteriophages suggested that recombination mechanisms participate in the evolution of the genes coding for these enzymes.