Localization of the human NCAM gene to band q23 of chromosome 11: the third gene coding for a cell interaction molecule mapped to the distal portion of the long arm of chromosome 11

cDNA clones containing sequences coding for the murine neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) were used in Southern hybridizations on human genomic DNA and demonstrated approximately 90% homology between human and murine NCAM genes. In situ hybridization with one of these clones was performed on human metaphase chromosomes and allowed the localization of the human NCAM gene to band q23 of chromosome 11. The genes for two other cell surface molecules believed to be involved in cell-cell interactions, Thy-1 and the delta chain of the T3-T cell receptor complex, have recently been localized to the same region of chromosome 11 in man. Moreover, this region of the human chromosome 11 appears to be syntenic to a region of murine chromosome 9 that also contains the staggerer locus: staggerer mice show abnormal neurological features which may be related to abnormalities in the conversion of the embryonic to the adult forms of the N-CAM molecule.     

UV-induced interstrand cross-linking of d(GT)n.d(CA)n is facilitated by a structural transition

Photochemical alterations following ultraviolet irradiation of the alternating copolymer d(GT)n.d(CA)n were studied. We found that in solution conditions which produced circular dichroism spectra compatible with B-form or A-form DNA, no interstrand cross-linking or photoproduct formation could be demonstrated. Zimmer et al. (Zimmer, C., Tymen, S., Marck, C., and Guschlbaumer, W. (1982) Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 1081-1091) and Vorlickova et al. (Vorlickova, M., Kypr, J., Sotkrova, S., Sponar, J. (1982) Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 1071-1080) have reported a number of solution conditions which produce a structural transition of this polymer characterized by a negative deviation of the circular dichroism spectrum in the region of 280 nm. The nature of this transition has not yet been elucidated. Following ultraviolet irradiation of d(GT)n.d(CA)n under two conditions which produce this transition (manganese solution or ethanol plus trace salts solution) we found ultraviolet dose-dependent interstrand cross-linking as well as dose-dependent formation of thymine-containing photoproduct. Interstrand cross-linking is demonstrated by two criteria: increase in polymer size as detected by alkaline agarose gel electrophoresis, and generation of intermediate density material in alkaline cesium sulfate isopycnic gradients. The thymine-containing photo-product was demonstrated by thin layer chromatography of acid hydrolysates of the polymer. The photo-product is at least partially photoreversible. These findings suggest that the geometry of the alternative conformation is such that pyrimidines from different strands are closely approximated, allowing for photodimerization.     

Cell immobilization in kappa-carrageenan for ethanol production

A combination of extended Monod kinetics and the diffusional equation was used for evaluating the effectiveness factor of entrapped immobilized cells. Based on the kinetics of Zymomonas mobilis reported in the literature, the numerical results have revealed that the problem of mass transfer diffusional restrictions can be neglected by using small beads (1 mm in diameter) with a corresponding cell loading up to 276 g/L gel. On the basis of the numerical results obtained, the application of immobilized cells for continuous ethanol production was investigated. The kappa-carrageenan method was utilized to entrap Z. mobilis CP4, a potential ethanol producer. A two stage fermentation process has also been developed for ethanol production by the Z. mobilis carrageenan-bound cells. About 90 g/L ethanol was produced by immobilized cells at a total residence time of 1.56 h. The ethanol yield was estimated to be 93% of theoretical. The results obtained in this study also indicated that the control of optimum pH in an immobilized cell column is necessary to enhance the rate of ethanol production.     

Kinetics of ethanol inhibition in alcohol fermentation

The inhibitory effect of ethanol on yeast growth and fermentation has been studied for the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae ATCC No. 4126 under anaerobic batch conditions. The results obtained reveal that there is no striking difference between the response of growth and ethanol fermentation. Two kinetic models are also proposed to describe the kinetic pattern of ethanol inhibition on the specific rates of growth and ethanol fermentation: \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$\begin{array}{*{20}c} {\frac{{\mu _i }}{{\mu _0 }} = 1{\rm } - {\rm }\left( {\frac{P}{{P_m }}} \right);\alpha } \hfill & {\left( {{\rm for}\ {\rm growth}} \right)} \hfill \\ {\frac{{\nu _i }}{{\nu _0 }} = 1{\rm } - {\rm }\left( {\frac{P}{{P'_m }}} \right);\beta } \hfill & {\left( {{\rm for}\ {\rm ethanol}\ {\rm production}} \right)} \hfill \\ \end{array}$$\end{document} The maximum allowable ethanol concentration above which cells do not grow was predicted to be 112 g/L. The ethanol-producing capability of the cells was completely inhibited at 115 g/L ethanol. The proposed models appear to accurately represent the experimental data obtained in this study and the literature data.     

Structures of manganese(II) complexes with ATP, ADP, and phosphocreatine in the reactive central complexes with creatine kinase: electron paramagnetic resonance studies with oxygen-17-labeled ligands

Coordination of Mn(II) to the phosphate groups of the substrates and products in the central complexes of the creatine kinase reaction mixture has been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with regiospecifically 17O-labeled substrates. The EPR pattern for the equilibrium mixture is a superposition of spectra for the two central complexes, and this pattern differs from those observed for the ternary enzyme-Mn(II)-nucleotide complexes and from that for the dead-end complex enzyme-Mn(II)ADP-creatine. In order to identify those signals that are associated with each of the central complexes of the equilibrium mixture, spectra were obtained for a complex of enzyme, Mn(II)ATP, and a nonreactive analogue of creatine, 1-(carboxymethyl)-2-iminoimidazolidin-4-one, which is a newly synthesized competitive inhibitor. This inhibitor permits an unobstructed view of the EPR spectrum for Mn(II)ATP in the closed conformation of the active site. The EPR spectrum for this nonreactive complex with Mn(II)ATP matches one subset of signals in the spectrum for the equilibrium mixture, i.e., those due to the enzyme-Mn(II)-ATP-creatine complex. Chemical quenching of the samples followed by chromatographic assays for both ATP and ADP indicates that the enzyme-Mn(II)ADP-phosphocreatine and the enzyme-Mn(II)ATP-creatine complexes are present in a ratio of approximately 0.7 to 1. A similar value for the equilibrium constant for enzyme-bound substrates is obtained directly from the EPR spectrum for the equilibrium mixture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Oligonucleotides covalently linked to intercalating agents. Influence of positively charged substituents on binding to complementary sequences

A pentamethylene chain was used to covalently link the 3'-phosphate of oligothymidylates to the 9-amino group of an acridine derivative. Positively charged substituents were further attached to the 3'-phosphate group to form 3'-phosphotriesters. These molecules form specific complexes with poly(rA) which involve the formation of a number of A X T base pairs equal to that of thymines in the oligonucleotide. Absorption changes induced in the acridine absorption bands are similar to those expected upon intercalation of the acridine dye between A X T base pairs. The acridine covalently linked to the 3'-phosphate strongly stabilizes the complexes formed with poly(rA) as compared with the corresponding unsubstituted oligodeoxynucleotide. The presence of a positively charged substituent on the 3'-phosphate together with the acridine dye further enhances the interaction. The effect of salt concentration on complex stability depends on the number of negatively charged phosphate groups of the oligodeoxynucleotide and on the nature of the substituents borne by the 3'-phosphate group. When the oligothymidylate is substituted by an acridine dye, the stability of the poly(rA) complexes increases when salt concentration increases. If an additional positively charged substituent is present on the 3'-phosphate group, stability decreases when salt concentration increases for the shortest oligonucleotide (trimer) and increases with longer oligonucleotides. Thermodynamic parameters have been calculated from the concentration dependence of melting temperatures.     

Evidence for titratable gating charges controlling the voltage dependence of the outer mitochondrial membrane channel,VDAC

Summary A voltage-dependent anion-selective channel, VDAC, is found in outer mitochondrial membranes. VDAC's conductance is known to decrease as the transmembrane voltage is increased in either the positive or negative direction. Charged groups on the channel may be responsible for this voltage dependence by allowing the channel to respond to an applied electric field. If so, then neutralization of these charges would eliminate the voltage dependence. Channels in planar lipid bilayers which behaved normally at pH 6 lost much of their voltage dependence at high pH. Raising the pH reduced the steepness of the voltage dependence and raised the voltage needed to close half the channels. In contrast, the energy difference between the open and closed state in the absence of a field was changed very little by the elevated pH. The groups being titrated had an apparent pK of 10.6. From the pK and chemical modification, lysine epsilon amino groups are the most likely candidates responsible for VDAC's ability to respond to an applied electric field.     

Dolichodorus miradvulvus n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchida) with a Key to Species

Dolichodorus miradvulvus n. sp. from Anubias nana Engler in Florida is described and illustrated. The female is characterized by deep grooves in the cuticle on the ventral surface just anterior and posterior to the vulva, and by transversely elongate pouches anterior and posterior to the vulva. Both sexes have a constricted area of the stylet shaft just anterior to the knobs, and on the male the intersection of the lateral field and bursa appear sclerotized.     

A stochastic model of mutant growth due to mutation in tumors,based on stem cell considerations

A stochastic model of the evolution of mutant subpopulations from stem cells in a human tumor system is derived. From the model, the growth of mutants (both stem cell mutants and overall mutants) due to mutation of tumor stem cells during growth is explored in detail. This allows one to relate the mutant stem cell and overall tumor mutant cell population sizes. The relation of these average sizes is derived for large tumor size and confirms the result of the model due to MacKillop et al. [4], which is based on three tumor cell subpopulations: stem, transitional, and end cells. Furthermore, the results of the stem cell statistics obtained are the same as those obtained from the filtered Poisson process approach [2].     

3α, 11α-Dihydroxy-23-oxo-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid from Acanthopanax trifoliatus

The new triterpene 3α,11α-dihydroxy-23-oxo-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid was isolated from Acanthopanax trifoliatus. Its structure has been determined on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical transformations.