Identification of the coding region for the putidaredoxin reductase gene from the plasmid of Pseudomonas putida

The first 12 NH₂-terminal amino acids of the Pseudomonas putida putidaredoxin reductase were shown to be Met-Asn-Ala-Asn-Asp-Asn-Val-Val-Ile-Val-Gly-Thr. Comparison of these data with the DNA sequence of the BamHI-HindIII 197-base fragment derived from the PstI 2.2-kb fragment obtained from the P. putida plasmid showed that the putidaredoxin reductase gene was downstream from the cytochrome P-450 gene and the intergenic region had the 24-nucleotide sequence TAAACACATGGGAGTGCGTGCTAA. The Shine-Dalgarno sequence GGAG was detected in this region. The initiating triplet for the reductase gene was GTG, which normally codes for valine, but in the initiating codon position codes for methionine. From the amino acid sequence and X-ray data comparisons with other flavoproteins, what appears to be the AMP binding region of the FAD can be recognized in the NH₂-terminal portion of the reductase involving residues 5–35.     

Glucagon-related peptides in the rat hypothalamus

Summary Immunohistochemically, nerve fibers and terminals reacting with anti-N-terminal-specific but not with anti-C-terminal-specific glucagon antiserum were observed in the following rat hypothalamic regions: paraventricular nucleus, supraoptic nucleus, anterior hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and median eminence. Few fibers and terminals were demonstrated in the lateral hypothalamic area and dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus. Radioimmunoassay data indicated that the concentration of gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity was higher in the ventromedial nucleus than in the lateral hypothalamic area. In food-deprived conditions, this concentration increased in both these parts. This was also verified in immunostained preparations in which a marked enhancement of gut glucagon-like immunoreactivity-containing fibers and terminals was observed in many hypothalamic regions. Several immunoreactive cell bodies were found in the ventromedial and arcuate nuclei of starved rats. Both biochemical and morphological data suggest that glucagon-related peptides may act as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators in the hypothalamus and may be involved in the central regulatory mechanism related to feeding behavior and energy metabolism.     

Retinoic acid-induced differentiation of human neuroblastoma: a cell variant system showing two distinct responses

Retinoic acid (RA) has been shown to induce the differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells in vitro. In this study, we describe two variants of the SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cell line that have dramatically different responses to RA. RA induces neuronal-like differentiation characterized by extensive neurite outgrowth, thick neurite bundles, and large cellular aggregates of SK-N-SH-N (SH-N) cells. In contrast, RA treatment of SK-N-SH-F (SH-F) cultures transforms the small neuroblast cells into large flattened, fibroblastic or epithelial-like cells. Karyotype analysis verified that the SH-N and SH-F cultures were derived from a common precursor cell. Confirmation of their markedly different responses to RA was obtained by metabolic labelling of glycoproteins and SDS-PAGE analysis. While both sublines showed very similar Coomassie-labelled protein bands and glycoprotein profiles in control cultures, dramatic differences between the lines were revealed following RA treatment. In contrast to their similar protein profiles, untreated SH-N and SH-F cells had quite different patterns of ganglioside biosynthesis in that GM3 was detected in SH-F cells but not in SH-N, while GM1 was only detected in SH-N. Cellular RA binding protein (CRABP) was detected in both SH-F and SH-N cells and their RA-transformed derivatives. These results demonstrate heterogeneity in the response to RA of neuroblastoma cells derived from a common origin that cannot be accounted for by differences in CRABP content. The SH-N and SH-F neuroblastoma sublines should provide a useful system for further studies of the molecular processes through which RA exerts its differentiation-inducing activity on this type of tumor.     

Prophage Origin of a Virulent Phage Appearing on Fermentations of Lactobacillus casei S-1

For protection from the abnormal fermentation of Lactobacillus casei S-1 caused by contamination of a virulent phage, FSV, the origin of this phage was studied. Morphologies, viral structural proteins, and DNA structures of three independent isolates of FSV were compared with those of FSW, which is lysogenized in strain S-1. The results showed (i) that the morphology of FSV phages is indistinguishable from that of FSW and (ii) that all viral structural components found in FSW are present in the particles of FSV's. In addition, restriction endonuclease analyses of viral DNA showed that the HindIII-digested fragments of FSW DNA, the sum of which covered at least 94.7% of this phage genome, were conserved in the FSV DNA digests. Results of Southern filter hybridization of the S-1 and prophage-cured cell (C239) DNAs with FSV DNA as a probe revealed that C239 had lost most of the FSV DNA sequence, whereas S-1 had about one copy of the FSV DNA sequence. These results indicate that virulent phage FSV is derived from the lysogenized phage FSW. Therefore, the appearance of FSV can be eliminated by using the prophage-cured derivative of S-1.     

Mode of antitumor action of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor on the sarcoma Meth A transplanted in the mouse

The mode of antitumor action of rHu-TNF was elucidated in BALB/c mice bearing Meth A fibrosarcoma 7 days after transplantation with respect to time course, dose-response relationships and selectivity of the effects. The maximal cytotoxic effect on tumor cells revealed by inhibition of DNA synthesis and maximal lesional effect on tumor vasculature revealed by change in blood pool-size in the tissue were detected at 30 min and I h after administration of rHu-TNF, respectively. The dose-response relationship between cytotoxic and tumoricidal effects of rHu-TNF was irrespective of administration route. ED₅₀s of these antitumor effects afteri.v. administration of rHu-TNF were about 50 times as high as ED₅₀s afteri.t. administration. ED₅₀ ofi.t. given rHu-TNF for vascular effect was about 20 times as high as that for cytotoxicity while ED₅₀ ofi.v. rHu-TNF for vascular effect was only 2–3 times as high as that for cytotoxicity. The whole body autoradiographies with [¹²⁵I] HSA giveni.v. to see the blood influx into tumor tissue and [¹⁴C]thymidine given i.v. to see DNA synthesis in the whole body after administration of rHu-TNF revealed that the distribution of radioactivity was markedly changed in the tumor alone without any detectable change in other whole body tissues.In conclusion, thein vivo antitumor effect of rHu-TNF giveni.t. ori.v., appears to be exerted through the direct action on Meth A sarcoma rather than indirectly on tumor vasculature. Under present conditions, the effect of rHu-TNF in the whole body tissues seems rather selective on cells and vasculature of the tumor.     

Altered ganglioside expression in ras-oncogene-transformed cells

Alteration of ganglioside composition in mouse BALB/3T3 cells transformed either by DNA transfection with viral K-, H-, or cellular H-ras oncogene, or by infection with the K-ras oncogene-carrying murine sarcoma virus (Ki-KSV) was studied using a highly sensitive thin-layer chromatography/enzyme immunostaining method. Marked common decreases in the content of GD3 ganglioside and the increase of its metabolic precursor GM3 were bound in BALB/3T3 cell lines transformed by either K- or H-ras oncogenes. Moreover, a common decrease or loss in the contents of "A" series ganglio-tetraose gangliosides such as GM1a and GD1a was also found in all transformed cell lines, indicating that the alteration of cellular glycosphingolipids by ras oncogenes apparently does not depend on the type of ras-concogenes (K- and H-ras).     

Filial cannibalism by mouthbrooding males of the cardinal fish,Apogon doederleini, in relation to their physical condition

Synopsis Paternal brood cannibalism was observed in a population ofApogon doederleini in Shikoku Island, Japan. Of 361 egg masses mouthbrooded by males, 47 disappeared within a day of spawning. A stomach check with a syringe ascertained that they had been consumed by the males. The frequency of this cannibalism increased as the breeding season advanced. As males completed 4–7 breeding cycles in a breeding season and spent 80% of the time mouthbrooding without taking ordinary food, their physical condition deteriorated greatly late in the breeding season. We concluded that parental physical condition is an important factor in the occurrence of brood cannibalism.     

Interspecific brood-mixing in Tanganyikan cichlids

Synopsis We collected schools of young, guarded by parents, of six common cichlid species to investigate the frequency and origin of interspecific brood-mixing. The main host species were a piscivore Lepidiolamprologus elongatus and a scale-eater Perissodus microlepis; more than half of their schools included heterospecific young, accounting for 20–40% of the total young. Most of the foreign young belonged to four biparental mouth-brooders whose parents have a habit of carrying their young in their mouths. Many of these young were smaller than the largest young brooded by their own parents. We concluded that adoption of young before independence results from farming-out, a behavior by which parents actively transfer their young to foster parents.