LiCl treatment releases a nickase implicated in genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

When cells competent for genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae which could bind and enable entry of extracellular DNA molecules were treated with LiCl, they released a nickase that introduced nicks into a double-stranded DNA in the presence of EDTA. The nickase was specific for competent cells and coupled with DNA-binding activity. Furthermore, when noncompetent cells were treated with LiCl, they released the putative receptors for the competence activator.     

Preferential synthesis of diacyl and alkenylacyl ethanolamine and choline glycerophospholipids in rabbit platelet membranes

In rabbit platelet membranes, the contents of alkenylacyl phospholipids (plasmalogen) were 56% of phosphatidylethanolamine and 3% of phosphatidylcholine. This uneven distribution of plasmalogens in each phospholipid class could be attributed to the different substrate specificity of ethanolaminephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.1) and cholinephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2). The properties of the enzymes were studied, using endogenous diglycerides and CDP-[3H]ethanolamine or CDP-[14C]choline as substrates. The newly formed phospholipids were mainly diacyl and alkenylacyl and only rarely alkylacyl type. The ratios of the labeled alkenylacyl to diacyl type of phospholipids clearly varied with the concentrations of CDP-ethanolamine or CDP-choline. When 1, 10, and 30 microM CDP-[3H]ethanolamine were used, the labeled phospholipids contained 53, 37, and 27% of the alkenylacyl type, respectively. The apparent Km for CDP-ethanolamine to synthesize alkenylacyl and diacyl types were 2.2 and 8.1 microM. On the other hand, when 1, 10, and 30 microM CDP-[14C]choline were used, the labeled lipids contained 10, 17, and 24% alkenylacyl type, respectively. The apparent Km for CDP-choline to synthesize alkenylacyl and diacyl types were 24 and 4.3 microM. Further, the syntheses of diacyl type of phosphatidylethanolamine and the alkenylacyl type of phosphatidylcholine were markedly inhibited by unlabeled CDP-choline and CDP-ethanolamine, respectively. The two enzymes had opposite substrate specificities, and ethanolaminephosphotransferase showed a high preference to plasmalogen synthesis, especially in the presence of CDP-choline.     

Anomeric specificity of glucose effect on cAMP, fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, and trehalase in yeast

The addition of beta-D-glucose (final concentration, 50 mM) to a cell suspension of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in stationary phase caused a rapid 4-fold increase in the concentration of cAMP, while a 2-fold increase of cAMP was observed by the addition of alpha-D-glucose. beta -D-Glucose was also more effective than alpha-D-glucose in the inactivation of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and the activation of trehalase. These results, taken together with the previous report that alpha-D-glucose is transported more rapidly than beta-D-glucose in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, do not support the view currently proposed by some investigators that cotransport of D-glucose with protons causes the depolarization of the cell membrane, resulting in the activation of adenylate cyclase. The present data, however, provides supporting evidence for the view that cAMP-dependent protein kinase is implicated in the inactivation of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase and the activation of trehalase.     

N-ethylmaleimide inhibits Ca2+ influx induced by collagen or arachidonate on rabbit platelets

N-Ethylmaleimide dose dependently inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen or arachidonate but did not inhibit the aggregation by thrombin or ionophore A23187 within the concentrations tested. [3H]Arachidonate release from membrane phospholipids of the collagen-stimulated platelets was inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide in parallel with the inhibition of aggregation, but not in response to A23187. N-Ethylmaleimide prevented 45Ca2+ influx into platelet cells from outer medium induced by collagen, and also inhibited the increase in the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+, which probably results from Ca2+ influx, as monitored by quin2 fluorescence, under stimulation with arachidonate. The concentration of N-ethylmaleimide giving a complete inhibition of Ca2+ influx was consistent with that required to inhibit collagen- or arachidonate-induced aggregation. Prostaglandin metabolism from arachidonate to thromboxane A2 was not disturbed by N-ethylmaleimide, while phosphatidate formation induced by arachidonate was slightly inhibited by it at concentrations at which aggregation was completely inhibited. These data suggest that N-ethylmaleimide preferentially suppresses increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ which is linked to thromboxane A2-receptor occupation in collagen- or arachidonate-stimulated platelets, probably due to blockage of Ca2+ influx through Ca2+-channel protein, thereby inhibiting aggregation induced by these agonists.     

Gene regulation by tyrosine kinases: src protein activates various promoters, including c-fos.

A promoter of the nuclear proto-oncogene fos was activated by cotransfection with the viral src gene. Ability to transactivate the c-fos promoter was dependent on tyrosine kinase activity, because (i) src mutants which have reduced tyrosine kinase activity due to mutation of Tyr-416 to Phe showed lower promoter activation, (ii) pp60c-src mutants which have increased tyrosine kinase activity due to mutation of Tyr-527 to Phe also augmented c-fos promoter induction, and (iii) mutation in the ATP-binding site of pp60v-src strongly suppressed c-fos promoter activation. Tyrosine kinase activity alone, however, was not sufficient for promoter activation, because of pp60v-src mutant which lacked its myristylation site and consequently membrane association showed no increased c-fos promoter activation. Both the tyrosine kinase- and membrane-association-defective mutants were also unable to induce transformation. Therefore, phosphorylation of membrane-associated substrates appears to be required for both gene expression and cellular transformation by the src protein. Two regions of the c-fos promoter located between positions -362 and -324 and positions -323 and -294 were responsive to src stimulation. We believe that protein tyrosine phosphorylation represents an important step of signal transduction from the membrane to the nucleus.     

cDNA cloning of an mRNA encoding a sulfur-rich 10 kDa prolamin polypeptide in rice seeds

Using a rice maturing seed pUC9 expression library, we isolated a cDNA clone corresponding to 10 kDa sulfurrich prolamin by immunoscreening. A longer cDNA clone was obtained from a gtll library by plaque hybridization using this ³²P-labeled cDNA as a probe. A polypeptide sequence composed of 134 amino acids was deduced from the nucleotide sequence. A 24 amino acid signal peptide was assigned by computer calculation for the membrane spanning region and Edman sequencing of the purified mature polypeptide. Remarkably, 20% of methionine and 10% of cysteine were found in the mature polypeptide as well as high contents of glutamine, and hydrophobic amino acids. Part of the amino acid sequence was homologous with a conserved cysteine-rich region found in other plant prolamins. Two repeats of amino acid sequence were found in the polypeptide.     

NADPH production from NADP+ with a glucose dehydrogenase system involving whole cells and immobilized cells of Gluconobacter suboxydans

Summary A convenient and efficient method of NADPH production from NADP⁺ has been established using a glucose dehydrogenase system involving whole cells and immobilized cells of Gluconobacter suboxydans IFO 3172. Using airdried cells of the bacterium, the optimum conditions for NADPH production were examined, including the cell and glucose concentrations, NADP⁺ concentration, pH, buffer and reaction temperature. Under suitable conditions, the conversion ratio and the amount of NADPH accumulated reached about 100% and 73 mg/ml of the reaction mixture, respectively, after 1-h reaction. Intact cells of the bacterium also showed high NADPH production even in the reaction mixture without a surfactant. The addition of Triton X-100 to the reaction mixture and freeze-thawing treatment of intact cells enhanced the production. The NADPH production method was further improved by using cells of the bacterium immobilized by entrapment in a -carrageenan gel lattice. The immobilized cells had almost the same enzymatic properties as the air-dried cells. The conditions for the continuous production of NADPH with an immobilized cell column were also investigated. NADPH was produced in a good yield (about 95%) with this continuous process.     

Structure of human phenylethanolamine n-methyltransferase gene: existence of two types of mRNA with different transcription initiation sites

The chromosomal gene for human phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT; EC 2.1.1.28) was isolated from a human genomic library using a cloned human PNMT cDNA as a probe, and the nucleotide sequence was determined. PNMT is encoded in a single gene which consists of three exons. We observed newly the presence of minor PNMT mRNA (type B) besides the major mRNA (type A) as reported previously (Kaneda et al., J. Biol. Chem. 263, 7672–7677, 1988) by Northern hybridization. Type B mRNA carries an approximately 700 nucleotide-long untranslated region in the 5′ terminus. This suggests that two types of mRNA are produced from a single gene through the use of two alternative promoters. A TATA-like sequence locates 30 base pair upstream from the cap site of type A mRNA. Upstream of the cap site, there are several sequences resembling Spl binding sites and glucocorticoid responsive elements, with the latter also found in the first intron.     

Distribution of FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity in the brain and neurohypophysis of the lamprey,Lampetra japonica

Summary Distribution of molluscan cardio-excitatory tetrapeptide Phe—Met—Arg—Phe—NH₂ (FMRFamide) was determined by means of immunohistochemistry in the brain and neurohypophysis of the lamprey, Lampetra japonica. Many FMRFamide-like immunoreactive neurons were found in the periventricular nuclear region and in a region near the mammillary recess. Neurons situated in the former region were larger. The immunoreactive cell groups were shown to be located at sites differing from those of the AF-positive cell groups. The fibers of immunoreactive neurons extended in all directions within the brain and towards the spinal cord, some reaching the third ventricle and capillaries. Thus, FMRFamide-like immunoreactive peptides appear to function as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators and possibly also as neurohormones. FMRFamide-like immunoreactive material was rarely observed in the posterior neurohypophysis (neural lobe), but was noted to be present to a limited extent in the caudal part of the anterior neurohypophysis (median eminence). It would thus follow that FMRFamide-like immunoreactive neurons may not necessarily be related to the hypothalamo-neural lobe system, but may possibly be associated with the hypothalamoadenohypophysial system. The pineal body showed no FMRFamide-like immunoreactivity.