Structural analysis and immunohistochemical localization of two acidic glycosphingolipids from the porcine, parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum

The acidic glycolipid fraction (AF) of the porcine, parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum , consisted of two subfractions. The major component AF II reacted with orcinol-sulfuric acid and molybdate, while the minor component AF I gave a positive reaction with azure-A, a cationic dye specific for sulfatides. Sugar constituent analysis, methanolysis, methylation analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time- of-flight mass spectrometry, liquid secondary-ion mass spectrometry, and gas-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry specified AF II to be an unusual phosphoinositolglycosphingolipid (Galalpha1-Ins-P-1ceramide) and the minor component AF I to be a 3-sulfogalactosylcerebroside (HSO3- 3Galss1-1ceramide). The ceramide moiety of both components consisted of lignoceric (C24:0) and cerebronic (C24h:0) acids and mainly C17 iso- branched sphingosine. Immunohistochemical localization studies of the glycolipid-bound antigenic determinants with a polyclonal antiserum against AF II and an anti-sulfatide monoclonal antibody against AF I revealed the presence of the AF II-epitope in the intestine, whereas the AF I-epitope was found in the hypodermis, contractile zone of somatic muscle cells and the external musculature of the uterus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the presence of a sulfatide in an invertebrate.      

Persistence length of titin from rabbit skeletal muscles measured with scattering and microrheology techniques

The persistence length of titin from rabbit skeletal muscles was measured using a combination of static and dynamic light scattering, and neutron small angle scattering. Values of persistence length in the range 9-16 nm were found for titin-II, which corresponds to mainly physiologically inelastic A-band part of the protein, and for a proteolytic fragment with 100-nm contour length from the physiologically elastic I-band part. The ratio of the hydrodynamic radius to the static radius of gyration indicates that the proteins obey Gaussian statistics typical of a flexible polymer in a -solvent. Furthermore, measurements of the flexibility as a function of temperature demonstrate that titin-II and the I-band titin fragment experience a similar denaturation process; unfolding begins at 318 K and proceeds in two stages: an initial gradual 50% change in persistence length is followed by a sharp unwinding transition at 338 K. Complementary microrheology (video particle tracking) measurements indicate that the viscoelasticity in dilute solution behaves according to the Flory/Fox model, providing a value of the radius of gyration for titin-II (63 +/- 1 nm) in agreement with static light scattering and small angle neutron scattering results.     

Cyclobutanes from Combretum albopunctatum

A dichloromethane extract of the aerial parts of Combretum albopunctatum Suesseng afforded five phenolic compounds-three known flavonoids and two novel cyclobutane chalcone dimers. The chemical structures were determined by standard spectroscopic techniques and the structure and relative stereochemistry of one chalcone dimer, rel-(1 alpha,2 beta)-di-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-hydroxy)-benzoyl-rel-(3 alpha,4 beta)-diphenylcyclobutane, were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Synthesis and antiviral effect against herpes simplex type 1 of 12-substituted benzo[c]phenanthridinium salts

The synthesis of benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloid derivatives is described. In vitro antiviral activity against herpes simplex type 1 (HSV1) has been investigated. Contrary to the natural product fagaronine, which did not have any activity in the HSV1 antiviral tests, four 12-alkoxy derivatives showed good activity demonstrating the importance of the 12-substitution in the structure-activity relationships.     

The phase transformations in starch during gelatinisation: a liquid crystalline approach

The analogy between starch and a chiral side-chain polymeric liquid crystal is examined in relation to the processes involved during gelatinisation. There are three important parameters for characterisation of the molecular phase behaviour of the amylopectin: the lamellar order parameter (psi), the orientational order parameter of the amylopectin double helices (phi), and the helicity of the sample (h, the helix/coil ratio, a measure of the helix-coil transition of the double helices). The coupling between the double helices and the backbone through the flexible spacers is affected dramatically by the water content and it is this factor which dictates the particular phase adopted by the amylopectin inside the starch granule as a function of temperature. SAXS, WAXS and 13C CP/MAS NMR are used to examine these phenomena in excess water. Furthermore, previous experimental evidence pertaining to the limiting water case is reviewed with respect to this new theoretical framework.     

ACUTE EFFECTS OF MOVEMENT VELOCITY ON BLOOD LACTATE AND GROWTH HORMONE RESPONSES AFTER ECCENTRIC BENCH PRESS EXERCISE IN RESISTANCE-TRAINED MEN

This study aimed to compare the effects of different velocities of eccentric muscle actions on acute blood lactate and serum growth hormone (GH) concentrations following free weight bench press exercises performed by resistance-trained men. Sixteen healthy men were divided into two groups: slow eccentric velocity (SEV; n = 8) and fast eccentric velocity (FEV; n = 8). Both groups performed four sets of eight eccentric repetitions at an intensity of 70% of their one repetition maximum eccentric (1RMecc) test, with 2-minute rest intervals between sets. The eccentric velocity was controlled to 3 seconds per range of motion for SEV and 0.5 seconds for the FEV group. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the kinetics of blood lactate removal (at 3, 6, 9, 15, and 20 min) and higher mean values for peak blood lactate (P = 0.001) for the SEV group (9.1 ± 0.5 mM) compared to the FEV group (6.1 ± 0.4 mM). Additionally, serum GH concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.001) at 15 minutes after bench press exercise in the SEV group (1.7 ± 0.6 ng · mL⁻¹) relative to the FEV group (0.1 ± 0.0 ng · mL⁻¹). In conclusion, the velocity of eccentric muscle action influences acute responses following bench press exercises performed by resistance-trained men using a slow velocity resulting in a greater metabolic stress and hormone response.     

DNA sequence recognition by an imidazole-containing isopropyl-substituted thiazole polyamide (thiazotropsin B)

We have used DNA footprinting and fluorescence melting experiments to study the sequence specific binding of an imidazole-containing isopropyl-substituted thiazole polyamide (thiazotropsin B) to DNA. While the parent compound (thiazotropsin A) binds to the hexanucleotide sequence ACTAGT, changing one of the N-methylpyrrole groups to N-methylimidazole changes the preferred binding sequence to (A/T)CGCG(T/A). Experiments with DNA fragments that contain variants of this sequence suggest that the ligand can also bind, with lower affinity, to sequences which differ from this by 1bp in any position.     

Molecular cloning and characterization of an alpha1,3 fucosyltransferase, CEFT-1, from Caenorhabditis elegans

We report on the identification, molecular cloning, and characterization of an alpha1,3 fucosyltransferase (alpha1,3FT) expressed by the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans . Although C. elegans glycoconjugates do not express the Lewis x antigen Galbeta1-- >4[Fucalpha1-->3]GlcNAcbeta-->R, detergent extracts of adult C.elegans contain an alpha1,3FT that can fucosylate both nonsialylated and sialylated acceptor glycans to generate the Lexand sialyl Lexantigens, as well as the lacdiNAc-containing acceptor GalNAcbeta1-->4GlcNAcbeta1-- >R to generate GalNAcbeta1-->4 [Fucalpha1-->3]GlcNAcbeta1-->R. A search of the C.elegans genome database revealed the existence of a gene with 20-23% overall identity to all five cloned human alpha1,3FTs. The putative cDNA for the C.elegans alpha1,3FT (CEFT-1) was amplified by PCR from a cDNA lambdaZAP library, cloned, and sequenced. COS7 cells transiently transfected with cDNA encoding CEFT-1 express the Lex, but not sLexantigen. The CEFT-1 in the transfected cell extracts can synthesize Lex, but not sialyl Lex, using exogenous acceptors. A second fucosyltransferase activity was detected in extracts of C. elegans that transfers Fuc in alpha1,2 linkage to Gal specifically on type-1 chains. The discovery of alpha-fucosyltransferases in C. elegans opens the possibility of using this well-characterized nematode as a model system for studying the role of fucosylated glycans in the development and survival of C.elegans and possibly other helminths.