Molecular cloning of pea mRNAs encoding a shoot-specific polypeptide and light-induced polypeptides

Summary The molecular cloning of cDNA corresponds to pea seedling mRNA sequences encoding a shoot-specific polypeptide, the small subunit of the ribulose 1,5 biphosphate carboxylase and a component of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complex is described. cDNA prepared from polysomal poly(A)RNA of light-grown shoots was enriched for shoot-specific and light-induced sequences by heterologous liquid hybridization with mercurated polysomal poly(A)RNA of dark-grown roots, followed by sulfhydryl chromatography. Cloned shoot-specific sequences were identified by 2D electrophoretic analysis of hybrid release translation products. The cloned shoot-specific sequence corresponded to a mRNA of 850 nt present both in light-and dark-grown shoots, and produced anin vitro translation product of M_r27 500 and isoelectric point of 4.7.     

Growth modulation by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in human colonic carcinoma cells: constitutive expression of the human EGF gene

The functional role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells was investigated by transfection with plasmid pUCDS3, which contained synthetic human EGF encoding sequences, into two human colonic carcinoma cell types with dissimilar phenotypic properties: the moderately differentiated and growth factor-responsive Moser and the highly metastatic KM12SM cells. The Moser cells exhibited a proliferative response to treatment with exogenous EGF, while the KM12SM cells did not. The constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in these colonic carcinoma cell types resulted in elevated expression of EGF mRNA, with concurrent production and secretion of a large amount of EGF, and downmodulation of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) secretion. Growth stimulation and down-modulation of both high and low affinity EGF receptors were observed in the EGF-transfected Moser clones. Results of experiments using anti-EGF and anti-EGF-receptor antibody to block the proliferation of EGF-transfected Moser clones suggested that autocrine stimulatory mechanisms involving both EGF and TGF-alpha were operative in these cells. By comparison, a growth-inhibitory effect, with no apparent EGF receptor modulation, was observed in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones. Both the parental and EGF-transfected KM12SM clones possessed fewer EGF receptors than the Moser cells, and anti-EGF or anti-EGF-receptor antibody did not affect the cells' growth properties. These results suggested that the mechanisms of growth inhibition in the EGF-transfected KM12SM clones were non-autocrine or intracellular in nature. Thus, constitutive expression of the human EGF gene in two phenotypically different, epithelium-derived human colonic carcinoma cells resulted in divergent altered growth characteristics.     

Cytotoxic effect of adriamycin and agarose-coupled adriamycin on glomerular epithelial cells: Role of free radicals

Summary It has been suggested that the generation of toxic radicals plays an important role in toxicity by Adriamycin (ADR) on cancer cell lines and in vivo. We have examined the role of free radicals in determining toxicity and resistance to ADR of rat glomerular epithelial cells in culture; this method provides a good model for analyzing the mechanisms responsible for ADR experimental nephrosis in rats. Three points were established: a) the intra- or extracellular site of ADR toxicity; b) the role of the superoxide anion and of the hydroxyl radical in determining intra- and-extracellular cytotoxicity; and c) the implication of oxido-reduction cycling as a potential route for ADR semiquinone transformation. Free ADR was found to induce the same inhibition of [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA as ADR bound to an agarose macroporous bed which prevents the intracellular incorporation of the drug. Specific scavenging of free radical activity by the enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase, the hydroxyl radical inhibitors dimethyl sulfoxide and dimethylthiourea (DMTU) and by chelation of intracellular free iron with deferoxamine produced only a partial restoration of [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, which was maximal for DMTU (30% of normal incorporation). DMTU treatment was unsuccessful in preventing the extracellular cytostatic effect of ADR. Finally, glomerular epithelial cell killing (⁵¹Cr-release method) by 5-iminodaunorubicin, an ADR analogue with a modified quinone function that prohibits oxido-reduction cycling, was higher than unmodified ADR. These results indicate that ADR may exert its cytotoxic effects on glomerular epithelial cells by interaction at the cell surface, whereas the intracellular compartment, principally DNA, does not seem to be the target of ADR effects. They also suggest that the free radicals are in part responsible for ADR intracellular cytotoxicity, but other mechanisms should also be hypothesized. Finally, the participation of the ADR semiquinone radical in oxido-reduction cycling seems not important for the induction of the cellular damage.     

A Cyanobacterial Gene Encoding Peptidyl-Prolyl cis-trans Isomerase

The rotA gene encoding peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase has been identified, sequenced, and shown to be transcribed in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC7942. Inactivation of the gene by replacement of a region containing the open reading frame with a gene conferring kanamycin resistance resulted in merodiploids containing both the wild type and the modified genomic region. We were not able to isolate a kanamycin-resistant mutant in which all the genomic wild-type copies were substituted, which suggests that such replacement could have been lethal.     

A soluble mitochondrial protein increases the voltage dependence of the mitochondrial channel,VDAC

A soluble protein isolated from mitochondria has been found to modulate the voltage-dependent properties of the mitochondrial outer membrane channel, VDAC. This protein, called the VDAC modulator, was first found inNeurospora crassa and then discovered in species from other eukaryotic kingdoms. The modulator-containing fraction (at a crude protein concentration of 20 µg/ml) increases the voltage dependence of VDAC channels over 2–3-fold. At higher protein concentrations (50–100 µg/ml), some channels seem to remain in a closed state or be blocked while others display the higher voltage dependence and are able to close at low membrane potentials. By increasing the steepness of the voltage-dependent properties of VDAC channels, this modulator may serve as an amplifierin vivo to increase the sensitivity of the channels in response to changes in the cell's microenvironment, and consequently, regulate the metabolic flux across the outer mitochondrial membrane by controlling the gating of VDAC channels.     

Haploid plants regenerated via anther culture in wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum C. Kock)

Summary Androgenic plants have been obtained via anther culture in four natural populations of Hordeum spontaneum. Microscopic observations revealed that androgenesis started with the formation of two vegetative-type nuclei derived from the mitotic division of the uninucleate microspores. In this species androgenesis was affected by the type and concentration of the sugars added to the culture medium: the highest response (17% of callusing anthers) was observed on media containing 80 g l^–1 maltose. The highest production of androgenic plants (per 100 anthers, 5.9 green and 4.3 albino plants) was obtained from callus grown on these same media. About half of the green plants regenerated were haploid, while the others were diploid and set seed.Abbreviations IAA indolacetic acid - BAP 6-benzylaminopurine     

To lek or not to lek: mating strategies of male fallow deer

We studied the mating system of fallow deer (Dama dama) for6 years in central Italy. Males in this population could defendterritories that were either single, clumped in leks, or satelliteto leks. The most highly successful males in our study werein leks. When we considered all males, there were no significantdifferences in average copulatory success according to territorytype because many lek males did not achieve any copulations,which were seen in only a few lek territories. The variancein copulatory success, however, was much greater for leks thanelsewhere. Single territories were occupied for shorter timesduring the rut than lek territories. Fighting among males wasmore frequent in the lek, even when we excluded highly successfullek males from the analysis. Chases of nonterritorial malesand harem size were correlated with the number of copulationsachieved by individual males, but did not vary according toterritory type. Copulatory success of some individuals increasedwith age, but there were no age differences among males holdingdifferent types of territories. Satellite males switched tolek territoriality in the course of one rut, but switches fromsingle territory to lek territory were rare. We suggest thatmales in single territories are inferior competitors that selecta low-risk, lowbenefit strategy, whereas those in lek territorieswhere no copulations were seen may be attempting to establishthemselves on the lek to increase their copulatory success infuture years.     

Serotonin and γ-Aminobutyric Acid Turnover After Injection into the Median Raphe of Substance P and D-Ala-Met-Enkephalin Amide

The raphe nuclei [which contain serotonin (5-HT) cell bodies] are also known to contain axons that store substance P, met-enkephalin, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). We have previously shown that GABA has a tonic inhibitory action on 5-HT turnover. To examine other possible interactions of these neuronal systems, we assessed the effect on 5-HT turnover of injecting substance P and 2-D-ala-met-enkephalin into the median raphe nucleus, and the effects of substance P on GABA turnover. Serotonin turnover was increased by 30% in the hippocampus after the injection of substance P (4 micrograms) into the median raphe, indicating an excitatory effect of substance P on the raphe-hippocampal system. Local injection of the metabolically stable metenkephalin analog 2-D-ala-met-enkephalin amide (10 micrograms) increased the hippocampal steady state content of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) by 60%. The data suggest an excitatory effect of met-enkephalin within the raphe nucleus. We attempted to estimate GABA turnover from the rate of disappearance of GABA after inhibition of glutamic acid decarboxylase by isoniazid and by the rate of accumulation of GABA after inhibition of GABA transaminase by gabaculine. Isoniazid, which is a competitive inhibitor, had too short and incomplete an action to be of use when injected intranuclearly. Gabaculine, which is an irreversible inhibitor, induced a rapid-onset increase in GABA content. This accumulation was linear up to 90 min. The injection fo gabaculine (80 ng) into the raphe increased GABA content by five times the control values, but hippocampal 5-HT and 5-HIAA contents were not significantly changed. Substance P injection increased the GABA turnover by 30%. Gabaculine seems a promising tool for detecting changes in GABA turnover.