From oocyte maturation to the in vitro cell cycle: the history of discoveries of Maturation-Promoting Factor (MPF) and Cytostatic Factor (CSF)

This article briefly reviews the classical cell cycle studies using oocytes and zygotes of mainly amphibians in the past century. The discussions are focused on the investigations into the cytoplasmic factors that regulate meiosis during oocyte maturation and the initiation of mitosis during fertilisation, which were carried out in the author's lab between 1967 and 1987. This chronicle traces the development of the problems and the direction in which their solutions were attempted in the course of these investigations. The author tries to answer the following questions: why he decided to study oocyte maturation, how he discovered progesterone as a maturation-inducing hormone, how he discovered and characterised the cytoplasmic regulators of the cell cycle, Maturation-Promoting Factor (MPF) and Cyto-Static Factor (CSF), and how he invented the method of observing cell cycle processes in a cytoplasmic extract in vitro.     

New PCR-RFLP analysis for the mouse Tnfsf6gld gene caused by a point mutation in the Tnfsf6 [tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily, member 6] locus.

A new polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was developed for genetic typing of the mouse Tnfsf6gld mutation. An artificial restriction site was introduced to the mouse Tnfsf6gld mutation by PCR amplification using a modified primer. The three genotypes of the Tnfsf6 locus (Tnfsf6gld/Tnfsf6gld, Tnfsf6gld/+, and +Tnfsf6-gld/+Tnfsf6-gld) could be distinguished clearly and easily. This PCR-RFLP analysis was found to be useful for the identification of the mouse Tnfsf6gld mutation.     

Metabolic switching patterns provide definitive evidence of substrate-specificity and delineate subtle differences in positioning at the aromatase active site [Poster 06]

We found that extensive metabolic switching can be triggered in aromatization. Up to 20–35% of (19-³H₃)-labeled substrate is diverted to non-estrogenic product, namely 1β- and 2β-hydroxy androgens, negating usefulness for [³H]water assays. The strikingly substrate-specific metabolite patterns observed reflect positioning at the active site, and the large kinetic isotope effects involved. This switching is unusual in that it involves: 1) tritium labeling, 2) a multistep enzymic process, and 3) the potential unraveling of an enzymic mechanism.     

Kyotorphin (tyrosine-arginine) synthetase in rat brain synaptosomes

Kyotorphin (Tyr-Arg) is a unique neuropeptide which produces analgesia by releasing Met-enkephalin from slices of the brain and spinal cord. Recent studies revealed that kyotorphin possesses the properties of neurotransmitter/neuroregulator. In the present study, we identified a kyotorphin synthetase in the soluble fraction of rat brain synaptosomes (synaptosol) and characterized it. The enzyme partially purified with Sephacryl S-300 showed an absolute requirement for ATP, MgCl2, tyrosine, and arginine. The optimal pH was 7.5-9.0 and the pI was determined to be 6.1-6.2 by isoelectric focusing. The Km was 25.6 microM for tyrosine, 926 microM for arginine, 294 microM for ATP, and 442 microM for MgCl2. The Vmax was 34.0 pmol/mg of protein/h. The apparent molecular size of this "kyotorphin synthetase" further purified by the DE52 column was 240,000-245,000 daltons, estimated using TSKgel G4000SW column chromatography. The enzyme reaction is represented by the following equation: Tyr + Arg + ATP + MgCl2 + kyotorphin synthetase----Tyr-Arg (kyotorphin) + AMP + PPi + MgCl2 + kyotorphin synthetase. The regional distribution and subcellular localization of the synthetase showed a close correlation to that of kyotorphin levels in the rat brain. The amounts of kyotorphin formed from amino acids by the synthetase in the dialyzed synaptosol was 3.0-4.0 times higher than that from precursor proteins by processing enzymes within the 30 min incubation.     

The role of phospholipase in beta-agonist-induced down regulation in guinea pig lungs

It has been observed that repeated and prolonged beta-agonist treatment causes the impairment of beta-adrenergic function, so-called "desensitization" or "down regulation". To clarify the mechanism of down regulation, the following experiment was performed using guinea pig lungs. Animals were divided into four groups: In the metaproterenol groups, guinea pigs were treated with metaproterenol (10 mg/kg/day) by intraperitoneal injection once a day for 1 day or for 7 successive days In the control groups, guinea pigs were treated with saline by the same procedure as in the metaproterenol groups. In the group treated with metaproterenol for 7 days, there was a 45% reduction in the number of beta-adrenoceptors and a 62% reduction in adenylate cyclase activity, compared with those of the control group. However, there were no significant changes in the dissociation constant (Kd) of the receptors. On the other hand, no reduction in the number of beta-adrenoceptors and adenylate cyclase activity was observed in the group treated with metaproterenol once a day for 1 day, compared with those of the control group. Phospholipase (PLase) activity in the lung microsomes of guinea pigs injected with metaproterenol for 1 day and for 7 days was elevated by 14.4 and 33.1%, respectively, compared with that of the control groups. Phospholipid contents of lung membranes prepared from the animals treated with metaproterenol for 7 days were significantly decreased compared with those of the control group, though in the group treated with metaproterenol once a day for 1 day, phospholipid contents did not differ from those of the control. Lung membranes treated with PLase A2 revealed decreases both in the number of beta-adrenoceptors and adenylate cyclase activity, dose dependently. These results and the fact that membrane phospholipids are involved in the beta-adrenoceptor system suggest that down regulation observed during beta-agonist administration is, at least in part, attributed to degradation of phospholipids of lung membranes by the persistent activation of PLase in the tissue.     

A novel proenkephalin processing carboxypeptidase and its activation by cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase

Carboxypeptidase B-like enzymes cleaving Met-enkephalin-Arg from synaptosomes of the rat striatum purified using a DEAE-cellulose column and Met-Arg-CH-Sepharose 4B affinity column proved to be different from enkephalin-convertase, lysosomal carboxypeptidase B-like enzyme, pancreas carboxypeptidase B and carboxypeptidase Y, in effects of inhibitors and activators, pH optimum (7.5-8.5) and molecular size (50,000). This enzyme, named "Processin CP-E" was activated by cAMP dependent protein kinase, and the Vmax was increased from 4.3 to 13.3 microM/min/mg protein, while the Km (28.2 microM) was unchanged.     

Regional assignment of five genes on human chromosome 19

A human-mouse hybrid segregant HM76Dd40-6 with new characteristics was derived from the hybrid cell line HM76Dd containing human chromosome 19 as the only human chromosome. Three virus sensitivities located on human chromosome 19 (PVS, E11S and RDRC) were lost in HM76Dd40-6, while six other genes (C3, LDLR, EF2, GPI, PEPD and MANB) were retained. Cytogenetic analysis and in situ hybridization using human or mouse repeated sequences as probes showed that the region q13.1-qter of human chromosome 19 had been replaced by a fragment of mouse chromosome. Our results permit further regional assignment for the following five genes on human chromosome 19: GPI in the region cen-q12, MANB in p13.2-q12, E11S and RDRC in q13.1-qter, and EF2 in pter-q12.     

Dissociation kinetics of 19 base paired oligonucleotide-DNA duplexes containing different single mismatched base pairs.

The dissociation kinetics of 19 base paired oligonucleotide-DNA duplex containing a various single mismatched base pair are studied on dried agarose gels. The kinetics of the dissociation are first order under our experimental conditions. The incorporation of a single mismatched base pair destabilizes the DNA duplexes to some extent, the amount depending on the nature of the mismatched base pair. G-T and G-A mismatches slightly destabilize a duplex, while A-A, T-T, C-T and C-A mismatches significantly destabilize it. The activation energy for the overall dissociation processes for these oligonucleotide-DNA duplexes containing 19 base pairs is 52 +/- 2 Kcal mol-1 as determined from the slope of Arrhenius plot.     

Cauliflower mosaic virus gene VI causes growth suppression, development of necrotic spots and expression of defence-related genes in transgenic tobacco plants

Summary In order to study possible functions of the inclusion body matrix protein (IBMP) encoded by gene VI of cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV), the XbaI fragment containing the gene VI of a Japanese strain of CaMV (CaMV S-Japan) was transferred to tobacco plants by Ti mediated transformation. Eight out of 18 kanamycin resistant plants (40%) expressed detectable levels of IBMP. Those transgenic plants expressing IBMP produced leaves with light green color, and their growth was suppressed as compared with control plants. Symptom-like necrotic spots also appeared on the leaves and stems of the mature transgenic plants. Furthermore, in these transgenic plants, pathogenesis-related proteins 1a, 1b and 1c were highly expressed and the activity of 1,3--glucanase was increased up to eightfold. From these results, we concluded that expression of the IBMP is associated with symptom development.