Epstein-Barr virus types 1 and 2 differ in their EBNA-3A, EBNA-3B, and EBNA-3C genes.

The two Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) types, EBV-1 and EBV-2, are known to differ in their EBNA-2 genes, which are 64 and 53% identical in their nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences, respectively. Restriction endonuclease maps and serologic analyses detect few other differences between EBV-1 and EBV-2 except in the EBNA-3 gene family. We determined the DNA sequence of the AG876 EBV-2 EBNA-3 coding region and have compared it with known B95-8 EBV-1 EBNA-3 sequences to delineate the extent of divergence between EBV-1 and EBV-2 isolates in their EBNA-3 genes. The B95-8 and AG876 EBV isolates had nucleotide and amino acid identity levels of 90 and 84%, 88 and 80%, and 81 and 72% for the EBNA-3A, -3B, and -3C genes, respectively. In contrast, nucleotide sequence identity in the noncoding DNA adjacent to the B95-8 and AG876 EBNA-3 open reading frames was 96%. We used the polymerase chain reaction to demonstrate that five additional EBV-1 isolates and six additional EBV-2 isolates have the type-specific differences in their EBNA-3 genes predicted from the B95-8 or AG876 sequences. Thus, EBV-1 and EBV-2 are two distinct wild-type EBV strains that have significantly diverged at four genetic loci and have maintained type-characteristic differences at each locus. The delineation of these sequence differences between EBV-1 and EBV-2 is essential to ongoing molecular dissection of the biologic properties of EBV and of the human immune response to EBV infection. The application of these data to the delineation of epitopes recognized in the EBV-immune T-cell response is also discussed.     

The Agrobacterium tumefaciens virC1 gene product binds to overdrive, a T-DNA transfer enhancer.

In Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a cis-active 24-base-pair sequence adjacent to the right border of the T-DNA, called overdrive, stimulates tumor formation by increasing the level of T-DNA processing. Recent results from our laboratory have suggested that the virC operon which enhances T-DNA processing probably does so because the VirC1 protein interacts with overdrive (N. Toro, A. Datta, M. Yanofsky, and E. W. Nester, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:8558-8562, 1988). We report here the purification of the VirC1 protein from cells of Escherichia coli harboring a plasmid containing the coding sequences of the virC locus of the octopine Ti plasmid. By gel mobility shift and DNase I footprinting assays, we showed that this purified virC1 gene product binds to overdrive but not to the right border of T-DNA.     

Computer simulation of blood flow in the human arm

This paper considers a finite element method to characterize blood flow in the human arm arteries. A set of different pressure waveforms, which represent normal and diseased heart pulses, is used for the proximal boundary conditions, and a modified Windkessel model is used for the distal arterial boundary conditions. A comparison of the distal pressure and flow waveforms, for each different proximal pressure, is made to determine whether such waveforms are significantly altered from normal waveforms. The results show that the distal pressure and/or flow waveforms in certain cases are sufficiently different to be possibly used as a diagnostic indicator of an abnormal heart condition. Also considered is the effect of stenosis, change of compliance, and dilatation of the distal beds on the pressure and flow waveforms. A stenosis which has an area reduction of greater than approximately 75% is found to significantly alter both the distal pressure and flow waveforms. Changes in arterial compliance, however, do not strongly influence the waveforms. Dilatation of distal vascular beds is simulated by reducing the lumped resistance of these beds, and this reduction increases mean flow and decreases mean distal pressure, but has little effect on the basic shape of either the pressure or flow waveform.     

Molecular cloning of rat cytolysin

Rat cytolysin is one of the cytolytic factors present in the cytoplasmic granules of rat NK-like cytolytic cells and purified cytolysin exhibits an apparent Mr or 70 kDa. Cytolysis produced by cytolysin occurs in the presence of Ca2+ and is accompanied by the formation of membrane lesions of 160 A diameter. We have isolated a cDNA encoding rat cytolysin from the cDNA library of a rat large granular lymphocyte (LGL) cell line, by hybridization of the rat library with a cDNA probe for mouse perforin. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the isolated cDNA insert indicates that the mature cytolysin protein consist of 534 amino acids with a leader peptide of 20 amino acids. The protein contains two functionally important domains: the first domain is believed to contain the transmembrane channel and the second domain consists of an epidermal growth factor-type "class B" cysteine-rich region. A comparison with mouse perforin indicates that the two genes are very similar (89.9% nucleotide and 84.9% amino acid identity). Northern blot hybridization analysis indicates that cytolysin mRNA is expressed in rat lymphocytes (lymphokine-activated killer cells and LGL cells) and LGL cell lines.     

Hibernating patterns of free-ranging Columbian ground squirrels

Summary The patterns of torpor and euthermy during hibernation was documented for 28 free-ranging Columbian ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus) fitted with temperature-sensitive radio transmitter collars. Adult males began hibernation earlier, were euthermic for a greater proportion of the hibernating season and emerged earlier than other age and sex classes. The patterns of hibernation of adult females did not differ significantly from those of juveniles. Emergence from the hibernaculum was preceded by a long (3–12 d) euthermic interval in adult males but not in adult females or juveniles. Changes in soil temperature did not appear to initiate emergence. The greater time spent euthermic by adult males is interpreted as a significantly greater energy cost of hibernation for adult males than for other age and sex classes. The benefits offsetting these costs may be increased reproductive potential in spring and avoidance of predation in late summer.     

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.