Contrasting relatedness patterns in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) with different alliance strategies

Male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) in Shark Bay have one of the most complex male societies outside humans. Two broad mating strategies have been identified in males. In the first strategy, there are two types of alliances: stable 'first-order' pairs and trios that herd individual females in reproductive condition, and 'second-order' teams of two first-order alliances (five or six individuals) that join forces against rivals in contests for females. In the alternative strategy, a 'super-alliance' of ca. 14 individuals, males form pairs or trios to herd females, but in contrast to the stable alliances, these pairs and trios are highly labile. Here, we show that males in stable first-order alliances and the derived second-order alliances are often strongly related, so that they may gain inclusive fitness benefits from alliance membership. By contrast, members of the super-alliance are no more closely related than expected by chance. Further, the strength of the association of alliance partners within the super-alliance, as measured by an index of joint participation in consorting a female, was not correlated with their genetic relatedness. Thus, within one population and one sex, it appears that there may be simultaneous operation of more than one mode of group formation.     

Assessment of binding indices and physiological responsiveness of the 5-HT2 receptor on human platelets

This is the first report of parallel studies of binding indices and physiological responsiveness of the "Serotonin-two" (5-HT2) receptor on the human platelet membrane. Binding indices were measured by a microassay employing [125I]ILSD as radioligand and ketanserin to define specific binding. A single receptor population was found, characterized by a KD of 1.69 +/- 0.45 nM and Bmax of 14.5 +/- 6.0 pmol/g protein in healthy subjects. Functional responsiveness of the platelet 5-HT2 receptor complex was assessed by measurement of the extent to which serotonin (10uM) augmented platelet aggregation induced by threshold concentrations of adenosine diphosphate (ADP). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the number of platelet 5-HT2 receptor sites (Bmax) and the magnitude of the serotonin-amplified aggregation response (r = .70, n = 38, p less than 0.001). Assessment of binding indices and physiological responsiveness of the platelet 5-HT2 receptor complex should facilitate study of age, hormonal, disease, and drug effects on 5-HT2 receptor function in human subjects.     

Docosatetraenoic acid in endothelial cells: formation, retroconversion to arachidonic acid, and effect on prostacyclin production

Cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells convert arachidonic acid to docosatetraenoic acid and also take up docosatetraenoic acid from the extracellular fluid. After a 24-h incubation with biosynthetically prepared [3H]docosatetraenoic acid, about 20% of the cellular fatty acid radioactivity was converted to arachidonic acid. Furthermore, in pulse-chase experiments, the decrease in phospholipid docosatetraenoic acid content was accompanied by an increase in arachidonic acid, providing additional evidence for retroconversion. These findings suggest that one possible function of docosatetraenoic acid in endothelial cells is to serve as a source of arachidonic acid. The endothelial cells can release docosatetraenoic acid when they are stimulated with ionophore A23187, but they do not form appreciable amounts of eicosanoids from docosatetraenoic acid. Enrichment of the endothelial cells with docosatetraenoic acid reduced their capacity to produce prostacyclin (PGI2) in response to ionophore A23187. This may be related to the fact that docosatetraenoic acid enrichment caused a 40% reduction in the arachidonic acid content of the inositol phosphoglycerides. In addition, less prostacyclin was formed when the enriched cells were incubated with arachidonic acid, suggesting that docosatetraenoic acid also may act as an inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis in endothelial cells.     

Lysine acetylome profiling uncovers novel histone deacetylase substrate proteins in Arabidopsis

Histone deacetylases have central functions in regulating stress defenses and development in plants. However, the knowledge about the deacetylase functions is largely limited to histones, although these enzymes were found in diverse subcellular compartments. In this study, we determined the proteome‐wide signatures of the RPD3/HDA1 class of histone deacetylases in Arabidopsis. Relative quantification of the changes in the lysine acetylation levels was determined on a proteome‐wide scale after treatment of Arabidopsis leaves with deacetylase inhibitors apicidin and trichostatin A. We identified 91 new acetylated candidate proteins other than histones, which are potential substrates of the RPD3/HDA1‐like histone deacetylases in Arabidopsis, of which at least 30 of these proteins function in nucleic acid binding. Furthermore, our analysis revealed that histone deacetylase 14 (HDA14) is the first organellar‐localized RPD3/HDA1 class protein found to reside in the chloroplasts and that the majority of its protein targets have functions in photosynthesis. Finally, the analysis of HDA14 loss‐of‐function mutants revealed that the activation state of RuBisCO is controlled by lysine acetylation of RuBisCO activase under low‐light conditions.     

Purification and characterization of perlucin and perlustrin, two new proteins from the shell of the mollusc Haliotis laevigata

Two new proteins, named perlucin and perlustrin, with M(r) 17,000 and 13,000, respectively, were isolated from the shell of the mollusc Halotis laevigata (abalone) by ion-exchange chromatography and reversed-phase HPLC after demineralization of the shell in 10% acetic acid. The sequence of the first 32 amino acids of perlucin indicated that this protein belonged to a heterogeneous group of proteins consisting of a single C-type lectin domain. Perlucin increased the precipitation of CaCO(3) from a saturated solution, indicating that it may promote the nucleation and/or the growth of CaCO(3) crystals. With pancreatic stone protein (lithostathine) and the eggshell protein ovocleidin 17, this is the third C-type lectin domain protein isolated from CaCO(3) biominerals. This indicates that this type of protein performs an important but at present unrecognized function in biomineralization. Perlustrin was a minor component of the protein mixture and the sequence of the first 33 amino acids indicated a certain similarity to part of the much larger nacre protein lustrin A.     

In-gel digestion for mass spectrometric characterization of proteins and proteomes

In-gel digestion of proteins isolated by gel electrophoresis is a cornerstone of mass spectrometry (MS)-driven proteomics. The 10-year-old recipe by Shevchenko et al. has been optimized to increase the speed and sensitivity of analysis. The protocol is for the in-gel digestion of both silver and Coomassie-stained protein spots or bands and can be followed by MALDI-MS or LC-MS/MS analysis to identify proteins at sensitivities better than a few femtomoles of protein starting material.     

Cyclin D1 and cyclin D3 show divergent responses to distinct mitogenic stimulation

D‐type cyclins predominantly regulate progression through the cell cycle by their interactions with cyclin‐dependent kinases (cdks). Here, we show that stimulating mitogenesis of Swiss 3T3 cells with phorbol esters or forskolin can induce divergent responses in the expression levels, localization and activation state of cyclin D1 and cyclin D3. Phorbol ester‐mediated protein kinase C stimulation induces S phase entry which is dependent on MAPK activation and increases the levels and activation of cyclin D1, whereas forskolin‐mediated cAMP‐dependent protein kinase A stimulation induces mitogenesis that is independent of MAPK, but dependent upon mTor and specifically increases the level and activation of cyclin D3. These findings uncover additional levels of complexity in the regulation of the cell cycle at the level of the D‐type cyclins and thus may have important therapeutic implications in cancers where specific D‐cyclins are overexpressed. J. Cell. Physiol. 225: 638–645, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The relation of life to electricity

Conclusions and summary The experiments described in this paper tend to show that the relation between stainability and electromotive forces: + basophilic substance / acidophilic substance — holds not only for fats but likewise for esters, alcohols, hydrocarbons, etc., in short for a large number of substances which bear just a remote relationship to tissue constitutents. Exceptions to this rule are very rare and are hardly found prevailing in tissue.In these experiments esters, alcohol, and other substances were rendered basophilic by the addition of a water insoluble acid or else acidophilic by the addition of a water insoluble base; measurements of the electromotive force were made. The system measured was the following: The measurements were performed by combining each ester, alcohol, or other fluid with phenol using the apparatus described in part I of this report. The difference between two such measurements may be considered to be the electromotive force of such a cell. This was demonstrated previously be means of measurements with triacetin. The reason for this is that the electromotive forces of such battery systems, as those described, are located almost entirely at the phase boundary between the aqueous solution and the water immiscible fluid.To Dr. G. W.Crile the writers wish to express their appreciation for his kind interest in the progress of this work.