Isolation and Characterization of Two Plasmids in Bacillus subtilis var. amylosacchariticus

Five bufadienolides (1-5) isolated from the leaves of Kalanchoe pinnata and K. daigremontiana×tubiflora (Crassulaceae) were examined for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation in Raji cells induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. All bufadienolides showed inhibitory activity, and bryophyllin A (1) exhibited the most marked inhibition (IC₅₀=0.4 μM) among the tested compounds. Bryophyllin C (2), a reduction analogue of 1, and bersaldegenin-3-acetate (3) lacking the orthoacetate moiety were less active. These results strongly suggest that bufadienolides are potential cancer chemopreventive agents.     

The antibacterial activity of plaunotol against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis.

Plaunotol was tested for possible antibacterial activity against twenty strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and fourteen strains of methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) which had been isolated from the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis under growth-promoting conditions. Plaunotol was effective against all strains tested. The dose of plaunotol for 50% inhibition of growth (ID50) ranged from 2.5 to 16 micrograms/ml for strains of MRSA and from 2.5 to 7.0 micrograms/ml for those of MSSA. These results suggest that plaunotol may be useful in the prevention of infection by MRSA and in skin care for patients with atopic dermatitis.     

Analysis of helicase gene mutations in Japanese Werner’s syndrome patients

The profile of helicase gene mutations was studied in 89 Japanese Werner’s syndrome (WRN) patients by examining the previously described mutations 1– 4 as well as a new mutation found during this study, designated mutation 5. Of 178 chromosomes (89 patients), 89 chromosomes (50%) had mutation 4, 11 (6.2%) chromosomes had mutation 1, and two chromosomes (1.1%) contained mutation 5. Mutations 2 and 3 were not observed in this patient population. The remaining 76 (42.7%) chromosomes had none of these mutations. A significant fraction of all patients (22 total patients, 24.7%) appear to be compound heterozygotes, including those carrying mutations of both types 1 and 4. The genotype analysis of the markers surrounding the WRN helicase gene strongly suggests that most of the chromosomes carrying either mutation 1 or 4 were derived from two single founders. Received: 25 July 1996 / Revised: 20 September 1996     

The potential to induce glial differentiation is conserved between Drosophila and mammalian glial cells missing genes

Drosophila glial cells missing (gcm) is a key gene that determines the fate of stem cells within the nervous system. Two mouse gcm homologs have been identified, but their function in the nervous system remains to be elucidated. To investigate their function, we constructed retroviral vectors harboring Drosophila gcm and two mouse Gcm genes. Expression of these genes appeared to influence fibroblast features. In particular, mouse Gcm1 induced the expression of astrocyte-specific Ca(2+)-binding protein, S100beta, in those cells. Introduction of the mouse Gcm1 gene in cultured cells from embryonic brains resulted in the induction of an astrocyte lineage. This effect was also observed by in utero injection of retrovirus harboring mouse Gcm1 into the embryonic brain. However, cultures from mouse Gcm1-deficient mouse brains did not exhibit significant reductions in the number of astrocytes. Furthermore, in situ hybridization analysis of mouse Gcm1 mRNA revealed distinct patterns of expression in comparison with other well-known glial markers. The mammalian homolog of Drosophila gcm, mouse Gcm1, exhibits the potential to induce gliogenesis, but may function in the generation of a minor subpopulation of glial cells.     

N-glycan structures of a recombinant mouse soluble Fcγ receptor II

N-glycans of a recombinant mouse soluble Fc receptor II (sFcRII) expressed in baby hamster kidney cells were released from glycopeptides by digestion with glycoamidase A (from sweet almond), and the reducing ends of the oligosaccharides were reductively aminated with 2-aminopyridine. The derivatized N-glycans were separated and structurally identified by a three-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mapping technique on three kinds of HPLC columns [Takahashi, et al. (1995) Anal. Biochem. 226: 139–46]. Eighteen different major N-glycan structures were identified, of which six were neutral (45%), five mono-sialyl (49%), one di-sialyl (4.6%), five tri-sialyl (1.1%), and one tetra-sialyl (0.3%). All N-glycan structures determined were complex type with fucosylation at the N-acetylglucosamine residue of the reducing end, and N-acetylneuraminic acid, when present, was -(2,3)-linked. The existence of a unique structure containing both N-acetylgalactosamine and -(2,3)-N-acetylneuraminic acid residues at the reducing ends, as below, was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.     

Nucleic Acid Metabolism Involved in Auxin-induced Elongation of Yeast Cells

The following results were obtained using a variant yeast strain, N55, which can respond to the cell-elongating action of auxin. Base analogs of nucleic acids (2-thiouracil, 8-azaguanine, and 5-fluorouracil) inhibited the auxin-induced elongation of yeast cells only when they were added to the preculture prior to auxin treatment. The inhibitory effect of 2-thiouracil and 5-fluorouracil was reversed by uracil and that of 8-azaguanine by guanine. Actino-mycin D inhibited the auxin-induced elongation when given to the culture containing auxin, but not when given to the preculture. The similarity in these respects between yeast and tissues of higher plants is discussed.     

1H and 13C NMR assignments for the glycans in glycoproteins by using 2H/13C-labeled glucose as a metabolic precursor

In order to understand the role of the glycans in glycoproteins in solution, structural information obtained by NMR spectroscopy is obviously required. However, the assignment of the NMR signals from the glycans in larger glycoproteins is still difficult, mainly due to the lack of appropriate methods for the assignment of the resonances originating from the glycans. By using [U-¹³C₆,²H₇]glucose as a metabolic precursor, we have successfully prepared a glycoprotein whose glycan is uniformly labeled with ¹³C and partially with D at the sugar residues. The D to H exchange ratios at the C1-C6 positions of the sugar residues have been proven to provide useful information for the spectral assignments of the glycan in the glycoprotein. This is the first report on the residue-specific assignment of the anomeric resonances originating from a glycan attached to a glycoprotein by using the metabolic incorporation of hydrogen from the medium into a glycan labeled with [U-¹³C₆,²H₇]glucose.     

Fatty acid incorporation by Rhodnius prolixus midgut

[(14)C]Oleic acid injected into the hemocoel of Rhodnius prolixus females was shown to rapidly associate with lipophorin particles. Half of the lipophorin-associated [(14)C]oleic acid was transferred in about 5 min to different organs, but the midgut was the main organ to take it up on day 10 after a blood meal. The rate of [(14)C]oleic acid incorporation by the midgut was high up to 15 min after injection and then declined. The [(14)C]oleic acid incorporated by the midgut was found in phospholipids (58.6%) and neutral lipids (37.4%). The midgut capacity to incorporate [(14)C]oleic acid varied on different days after a meal: it increased up to day 10 and then decreased. The fate of the [(14)C]lipids synthesized by the midgut was followed and it was observed that 10 days after feeding diacylglycerol was the main lipid released to hemolymph and that most of phospholipids and triacylglycerols remained associated with the midgut. The metabolism of free fatty acids in Rhodnius prolixus females is discussed in the context of major biological events that follow a blood meal such as digestion and oogenesis.