Enhancement of ribonucleic acid synthesis by chromium(III) in mouse liver

The effect of Cr(III) administration on hepatic RNA synthesis in mice was studied. It was found that Cr accumulated in mouse liver. Forty-eight hours after intraperitoneal injection of CrCl3 (0.005-5 mg Cr/kg body weight) approximately 10% of the administered dose per g of tissue remained. The accumulated Cr was still retained 64 days after administration (5 mg Cr/kg) with only a slight decrease. Approximately 20% of the hepatic Cr was detected in the nuclei. By administering CrCl3. RNA synthesis in mouse liver was markedly enhanced without altering the pool size of nucleotides. This enhancement was dose-dependent and statistically significant at doses of 0.05 (p less than 0.05), 0.5 (p less than 0.01), and 5 mg Cr/kg (p less than 0.01), and remained so for at least 16 days after administration of 5 mg Cr/kg. The synthesis of DNA and protein in mouse liver were not significantly changed by CrCl3 administration. On the other hand, Cr(VI) administration did not enhance but rather inhibited RNA synthesis in mouse liver. These results suggest that Cr(III) specifically enhances RNA synthesis in mouse liver.     

Close linkage of MEN2A with RBP3 locus in Japanese kindreds

Summary The gene responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN2A) has recently been assigned to the pericentromeric region of chromsome 10 in European Caucasian kindreds by linkage analysis using a DNA marker, interstitial retinol-binding protein 3 (RBP3). We have found tight linkage between the MEN2A and RBP3 loci in Japanese MEN2A kindreds. The maximum lod score is 5.19 at a recombination fraction of 0.00. This result suggests that mutation of a certain gene close to RBP3 is responsible for MEN2A irrespective of ethnic backgrounds.     

The 25-kilodalton hemolytic protein affinity-purified from parasporal inclusions ofBacillus thuringiensis strain PG-14 (serotype 8a∶8b)

A simple method using an antibody-mediated affinity chromatography was developed for rapid and specific purification of the 25-kilodalton protein from alkali-solubilized and silkworm (Bombyx mori) larval gut juice-digested parasporal inclusions of theBacillus thuringiensis strain PG-14 (serotype 8a8b). Affinity-purified 25-kilodalton protein was highly hemolytic to red blood cells (RBCs) of two avian (chicken and goose) and six mammalian (horse, mouse, cow, rabbit, guinea pig, and sheep) species. The concentration of the 25-kolodalton protein required for 100% hemolysis was in the range of 2–16 g/ml, and an apparent RBC species-dependent variation was observed in hemolytic activity of this protein. Of the RBCs tested, chicken and house RBCs were the most susceptible to hemolysis by this protein; sheep RBCs wre 4–8 times less susceptible than the others.     

Comparison of OspA Serotypes for Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato from Japan,Europe and North America

Sixty-one Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains from various sources (ticks, human, and wild animals) in Japan and two strains from ticks in Far Eastern Russia were classified on the basis of reactivity with 16 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to outer surface protein A (OspA) and by DNA-DNA hybridization assay. Eleven OspA serotypes (J1 to J11) were recognized among the Japanese and the Far East Russian isolates (serotypes J1 to J9 were identified as B. garinii, serotype J10 was identified as B. afzelii, and serotype J11 corresponded to B. japonica), whereas 7 OspA serotypes for North American and European isolates previously reported (Bettina Wilske et al, J. Clin. Microbiol. 31:340-350, 1993) were not observed except for OspA serotype 2 which showed identical reactivity with OspA serotype J10. This finding provides helpful information for understanding the geographical distribution of Lyme disease borrelia and the development of vaccine and diagnostic tests. In conclusion: 1. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto has not been observed in Japan, 2. Japanese B. afzelii isolates are closely related to those from Europe, 3. B. garinii isolates from Japan are highly heterogeneous and apparently different from European B. garinii isolates.     

Diversity and inheritance of inter-simple sequence repeat polymorphisms in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)

We studied inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphism and inheritance in Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] and sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) megagametophytes using primers that anneal to simple repeats of various lengths, sequences, and non-repetitive motifs at the 5 and 3 ends. Products were visualized on agarose gels with ethidium bromide staining. More than 60% of the 96 primers tested gave interpretable banding patterns in both Douglas-fir and sugi, and the useful primers were in complete agreement among species. Dinucleotide repeat primers were the majority of those tested, and gave all of the useful banding patterns. The 24 best primers were used for segregation studies, yielding a total of 77 loci distributed among two Douglas-fir families and one sugi family. Approximately 90% of the 24 primers showed polymorphism within at least one of the three families. The average number of variable loci per primer was 1.6. Primers based on (AG) _n repeats gave the largest number of polymorphic loci; 16 primer-family combinations yielded 24 segregating loci. However, primer based on (GT) _n repeats gave the most loci per primer studied (mean of 2.0). All markers displayed apparent dominance (band presence vs absence), and all but three segregation ratios (4%) fit Mendelian expectations: Because they employ longer primers than do RAPDs, have a high degree of polymorphism, conform well to Mendelian expectations, and do not require use of acrylamide gels for analysis, ISSRs may be useful markers for PCR-based genome maps and population studies of conifers.Paper 3082 of the Forest Research Laboratory, Oregon State University     

Biochemical systematics of Japanese fireflies of the subfamily Luciolinae and their flash communication systems

Japanese fireflies of the subfamily Luciolinae are biochemically analyzed using 13 allozymes, and the phylogenetic relationships obtained from this analysis are compared with their flash communication systems. As a result, the Japanese Luciolinae can be divided into three groups.Hotaria parvula andH. tsushimana together withLuciola yayeyamana andL. kuroiwae from the first group, and they use the same communication system.L. lateralis, Curtos okinawana, andC. costipennis make up the second group, and their communication systems are also the same.L. cruciata makes up the last one, and its communication system is different from the other fireflies of Luciolinae. Therefore, their taxonomical arrangement and communication systems are not congruent. However, the genetic similarity deduced by allozymic analysis of the members of the Japanese Luciolinae is highly consistent with their flash communication systems.     

Automated screening system for purine and pyrimidine metabolism disorders using high-performance liquid chromatography

An automated screening system for purine and pyrimidine metabolism disorders using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with column switching is described. The system consists of a reversed-phase column, a cation-exchange column, a column switch, four sets of ultraviolet absorbance detectors, a microcomputer and other conventional equipment. As this system permits the simultaneous determination of urinary orotic acid, uracil, dihydrouracil, pseudouridine, xanthine, 2,8-dihydroxyadenine and succinyladenosine, it offers a useful method for the detection of orotic aciduria, dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency, diphydropyrimidinuria, xanthinuria, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency and adenylosuccinase deficiency.