Human and mouse LSP1 genes code for highly conserved phosphoproteins

With use of the mouse LSP1 cDNA we isolated a human homologue of the mouse LSP1 gene from a human CTL cDNA library. The predicted protein sequence of human LSP1 is compared with the predicted mouse LSP1 protein sequence and regions of homology are identified in order to predict structural features of the LSP1 protein that might be important for its function. Both the human and mouse LSP1 proteins consist of two domains, an N-terminal acidic domain and a C-terminal basic domain. The C-terminal domains of the mouse and human LSP1 proteins are highly conserved and include several conserved, putative serine/threonine phosphorylation sites. Immunoprecipitation of LSP1 protein from 32P-orthophosphate-loaded cells show that both the mouse and human LSP1 proteins are phosphoproteins. The sequences of the putative Ca2(+)-binding sites present in the N-terminal domain of the mouse LSP1 protein are not conserved in the human LSP1 protein; however, a different Ca2(+)-binding site may exist in the human protein, indicating a functional conservation rather than a strict sequence conservation of the two proteins. The expression of the human LSP1 gene follows the same pattern as the expression of the mouse LSP1 gene. Southern analysis of human genomic DNA shows multiple LSP1-related fragments of varying intensity in contrast to the simple pattern found after similar analysis of mouse genomic DNA. By using different parts of the human LSP1 cDNA as a probe, we show that most of these multiple bands contain sequences homologous to the conserved C-terminal region of the LSP1 cDNA. This suggests that there are several LSP1-related genes present in the human genome.     

Direct evidence for an intracellular role for IFN-gamma. Microinjection of human IFN-gamma induces Ia expression on murine macrophages

An intracellular action for IFN-gamma was detected by using microinjection technology. Human IFN-gamma (huIFN-gamma) does not ordinarily act on murine cells because it fails to bind to murine cell surface receptors. However, when huIFN-gamma was microinjected into murine macrophages, a time and dose-dependent induction of Ia was detected by autoradiography on the surface of injected and neighboring cells. These results imply a direct role for internalized IFN-gamma and show that huIFN-gamma, although it fails to be recognized by murine cell surface receptors, can act internally on murine cells. The effect on Ia gene expression induced by microinjected huIFN-gamma was in part indirect: granulocyte/macrophage-CSF (GM-CSF) was released by IFN-gamma-injected macrophages, and this secondary mediator appeared to induce Ia on neighboring cells, inasmuch as anti-GM-CSF blocked Ia induction. Anti-GM-CSF also partially blocked Ia induction by extracellular murine IFN-gamma on murine macrophages. Thus, at least some of the Ia induction attributed to IFN-gamma was mediated by GM-CSF.     

Studies of cloned simian immunodeficiency virus-specific T lymphocytes. gag-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes exhibit a restricted epitope specificity.

CD8+ CTL inhibit the replication of HIV and simian immunodeficiency virus of macaques (SIVmac) in PBL and, therefore, are likely to play an important role in containing the spread of the AIDS virus in infected individuals. We have generated a series of gag-specific lytic T lymphocyte clones from PBL: of an SIVmac-infected rhesus monkey. These T cell clones are CD3+CD8+ and are MHC class I-restricted in their target specificity. They are, therefore, CTL. Interestingly, all gag-specific CTL clones, as well as the gag-specific lytic activity of PBL of this monkey, demonstrated specificity for a single 25 amino acid fragment of the SIVmac gag protein. Moreover, they were restricted in their lytic function by a single MHC class I allele. These findings illustrate a powerful method for cloning AIDS virus-specific T lymphocytes and demonstrate a remarkably restricted epitope specificity of this AIDS virus-specific CTL response.     

Reductive biotransformations of organic compounds by cells or enzymes of yeast.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyses the asymmetric reductive biotransformation of a variety of compounds containing a carbonyl group or carbon-carbon double bond. Oxidoreductases participating in these reactions which have commercial potential in biotransformation processes are likely to have relatively broad substrate specificity. Important carbonyl reductases falling into this category include YADH- and yeast NADP-dependent beta-ketoester reductases. The enoyl reductase component of the FAS complex may have a role in asymmetric yeast reduction of carbon-carbon double bonds of unnatural substrates. Other nicotinamide-requiring oxidoreductases of yeast are also surveyed to rationalize observed biotransformations of whole yeast cells in terms of specific enzymes. Genetic and protein engineering may enable enzymes to be tailored to accept new substrates. A greater understanding of the enzymes and reactions involved will facilitate further optimization and exploitation of these catalytic systems in industrial processes.     

3H]L-657,743 (MK-912): a new, high affinity, selective radioligand for brain alpha 2-adrenoceptors

L-657,743 (MK-912), a highly potent and selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist was tritiated to a high specific activity and its binding characteristics to brain tissue were determined. The specific binding of [3H]L-657,743 to rat cerebrocortex was saturable, reversible, and dependent on tissue concentration. In saturation studies, [3H]L-657,743 binding was resolved into two high affinity components exhibiting Kd values of 86 pM and 830 pM with densities of 82 fmol/mg protein and 660 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Based on the binding potencies of a variety of compounds with differing receptor selectivities, the sites labeled by [3H]L-657,743 were characteristic of alpha 2-adrenoceptors. In contrast to alpha 2-antagonists, alpha 2-agonists displayed shallow competition curves. In the presence of 100 microM GTP, Gpp(NH)p or 150 mM NaCl, the competition curve for epinephrine was shifted to the right, whereas that for yohimbine was unaffected. In studies utilizing human cerebrocortical tissue, [3H]L-657,743 also bound with high affinity to sites characteristic of alpha 2-adrenoceptors.     

Chromogenic redox assay for beta-lactamases yielding water-insoluble products. II. Heterogeneous sandwich assay for hCG.

A very sensitive and rapid heterogeneous sandwich enzyme immunoassay for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is described. The assay is based on the application of the novel chromogenic redox substrate system for beta-lactamase which is used as label. The chromogen system consists of a thioacetylcephalosporin beta-lactamase substrate, which upon turnover by the enzyme label releases the thiolate with the concomitant reduction of the tetrazolium salt to a colored formazan. The concentration of the formazan is directly related to the amount of the hormone in the sample and is read spectrophotometrically. The enzyme-antibody conjugates, produced through use of heterobifunctional maleimide crosslinker, maintain 90% of the enzyme activity after 30 days at 25 degrees C. Concentrations of the hormone as low as 5 mIU/ml, equivalent to 25 fmol/ml, are detectable in 3 h.     

Control of the Amiloride-Sensitive Na+ Current in Salivary Duct Cells by Extracellular Sodium

We have previously reported that intralobular salivary duct cells contain an amiloride-sensitive Na⁺ conductance (probably located in the apical membranes). Since the amiloride-sensitive Na⁺ conductances in other tight epithelia have been reported to be controlled by extracellular (luminal) Na⁺, we decided to use whole-cell patch clamp techniques to investigate whether the Na⁺ conductance in salivary duct cells is also regulated by extracellular Na⁺. Using Na⁺-free pipette solutions, we observed that the whole-cell Na⁺ conductance increased when the extracellular Na⁺ was increased, whereas the whole-cell Na⁺ permeability, as defined in the Goldman equation, decreased. The dependency of the whole-cell Na⁺ conductance on extracellular Na⁺ could be described by the Michaelis-Menten equation with a K _m of 47.3 mmol/1 and a maximum conductance (G _max) of 2.18 nS. To investigate whether this saturation of the Na⁺ conductance with increasing extracellular Na⁺ was due to a reduction in channel activity or to saturation of the single-channel current, we used fluctuation analysis of the noise generated during the onset of blockade of the Na⁺ current with 200 μmol/l 6-chloro-3,5-diaminopyrazine-2-carboxamide. Using this technique, we estimated the single channel conductance to be 4 pS when the channel was bathed symmetrically in 150 mmol/l Na⁺ solutions. We found that Na⁺ channel activity, defined as the open probability multiplied by the number of available channels, did not alter with increasing extracellular Na⁺. On the other hand, the single-channel current saturated with increasing extracellular Na⁺ and, consequently, whole-cell Na⁺ permeability declined. In other words, the decline in Na⁺ permeability in salivary duct cells with increasing extracellular Na⁺ concentration is due simply to saturation of the single-channel Na⁺ conductance rather than to inactivation of channel activity. Received: 27 July 1995/Revised: 7 December 1995     

Floristic diversity and co-occurrences in a subtropical broad-leaved forest and two contrasting regrowth stands in central-west Yunnan Province,China

Many of the natural forested ecosystems that still remain in mainland China are being cleared with potentially detrimental effects on woody plant species diversity on both local and regional scales. The most extensive stand of subtropical broad-leaved forest remaining in China is located in Yunnan Province. In an effort to document the influence of human-induced disturbance on Yunnan's woody flora, floristic inventories were conducted in a stand of primary forest and in regrowth stands located in its interior and along its outer margin in the Xujiaba Nature Sanctuary in the Ailao Mountain Range. Of particular interest was the location of the disturbance relative to the primary forest source area. A total of 134 woody plant species representing 74 genera and 43 families were recorded. The floristics of the two regrowth stands were significantly different from each other, with < 10% of their respective floras comprised of co-occurring species. The interior regrowth stand had a higher number of co-occurring species with the primary forest; however, > 40% were still non-co-occurring.The principal families represented in the primary forest and the interior regrowth stand were Aquifoliaceae, Berberidaceae, Fagaceae, Lauraceae, Rosaceae, Smilacaceae, Symplocaceae, Theaceae, and Vacciniaceae. The three dominant species with relative importance values ranging from > 5% to 18% in both the primary forest and the interior regrowth stand were Castanopsis wattii, Lithocarpus jingdongensis, and Symplocos sumuntia. The edge regrowth stands had the lowest species diversity and were dominated by the native pine Pinus yunnanensis, with a relative importance of 24%. The principal families represented in the edge regrowth stand were Betulaceae, Ericaceae, Fagaceae, Myricaceae, Pinaceae, and Theaceae. Only the Fagaceae and Theaceae were well-represented in all three stands. The results of the study document the low species diversity in post-cutting regrowth on the margins of the primary forest as compared with post-cutting regrowth in the forest interior.