Further evidence for entry of infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus into bovine kidney cells

The penetration of bovine kidney cells by infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, a member of the herpesvirus group, was investigated using the direct immunoferritin labeling technique. Electron microscopic examination of infected cells after 10 min at 37°C revealed fusion between viral envelope and cell membrane; the former reacted with the ferritin particles conjugated with antiviral antibody. However, shortly after penetration of the nucleocapsid, viral-specific antigenic sites on the plasma membrane were not detected by the immunoferritin technique. Antigenically reactive structures in a disorganized array were frequently detected extracellularly, situated above the penetration sites as indicated by the internalized nucleocapsids.     

DNA translocation by the restriction enzyme from E. coli K

The restriction endonuclease Eco K binds to a host specificity site and then proceeds to cleave the DNA at sites that may to several thousand bases away. It does this by translocating the DNA past the enzyme in an ATP-dependent reaction that results in the formation of highly twisted loop intermediates. DNA cleavage can occur on either side of the host specificity site.     

Characterization of the spontaneous murine B cell leukemia (BCL1). III. Evidence for monoclonality by using an anti-idiotype antibody.

We have raised an anti-idiotypic antibody against the cell surface IgM of the murine BCL1 tumor cells. This antiserum reacts exclusively with the IgM expressed on the tumor cells and detects a unique population of cells in the spleen and blood of the tumor-bearing mice. When these cells are stimulated in vitro with LPS, they secrete an IgM bearing the same idiotype as the cell surface Ig. These results are discussed in terms of a model for the immunotherapy of a chronic lymphocytic leukemia-like syndrome in mice.     

Metabolism of prostaglandins in spontaneously hypertensive rats: NAD"-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase activity is decreased in kidney and increased in lung.

Renal, pulmonary and gastric NAD⁺-dependent 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase activities were determined in both spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats at 6 and 12 weeks of age. Renal enzyme activity in hypertensive rats was only 30–40% of that present in normotensive controls at both ages. In contract, pulmonary enzyme activity in hypertensive animals was twice as active as that in normal controls. There was no significant difference in gastric enzyme activity. NAD⁺-dependent 9-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase activity, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of vasoinactive PGF metabolites to PGE metabolites, also failed to show any difference in two types of rat kidneys. The results indicate that, in hypertension, prostaglandin inactivation is impaired in kidney but is facilitated in lung.     

Preparation of new ω-aldehydroalkyl 1-thio-d-glycopyranosides,and their coupling to bovine serum albumin by reductive alkylation

Synthesis of two ω-aldehydoalkyl 1-thioglycosides of d-glucopyranose and of d-galactopyranose is described. 3-Oxopropyl and 2-oxoethyl 1-thioglycosides were prepared by treating a tetra-O-acetyl-1-thioaldose with either acrolein or 2-bromoacetaldehyde, followed by O-deacetylation under mild conditions. These ω-aldehydoalkyl 1-thioglycosides were successfully attached to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by reductive alkylation as described previously. With the 3-oxopropyl 1-thioglycosides, much higher levels of sugar attachment (e.g., ～80 mol of sugar per mol of BSA) were attained than hitherto possible with any sugar derivative tested.     

应用气-质联用仪测定三种螺旋藻中的甾醇成分

应用GLC/MS联用仪对室内培养的钝顶螺旋藻(Spirulina platensis (Nordstedt) Geitler)、极大螺旋藻(S.maxima (Stechell & Gardiner) Geitler)和盐泽螺旋藻(S.subsalsa Oerst)的甾醇成分进行了测定。从钝顶螺旋藻和盐泽螺旋藻中共分出11个相同的甾醇组分:胆甾醇、胆甾烷醇、芸苔甾醇、麦角甾醇、海绵甾醇、菜子甾醇、豆甾醇、24-乙基-Δ~(5,7,22)-胆甾醇、β-谷甾醇、异岩藻甾醇和4α,23,24-三甲基Δ~(5,22)-胆甾醇;从极大螺旋藻中只分离出8个甾醇组分。其中胆甾醇含量最高。4α,23,24-三甲基-Δ~(5,22)-胆甾醇为蓝藻中首次报导。     

根霉葡萄糖淀粉酶的复性复活动力学研究

本文利用荧光、紫外差光谱研究了根霉葡萄糖淀粉酶在盐酸胍变性后的复性、复活动力学。结果表明,该酶在小于4mol/L盐酸胍中变性是可逆的,其复性过程遵循一级反应方程。酶复活过程是由两个一级反应组成的复合反应,构象变化速度与复活过程中较快的反应速度相差无几,这可能是在Trp及Tyr微区的构象变化基本完成之后,酶活力恢复还没有完成造成的。     

Mutational analysis of the transin (rat stromelysin) autoinhibitor region demonstrates a role for residues surrounding the "cysteine switch"

The family of mammalian extracellular matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are secreted by cells in an inactive (latent) proenzyme form. A highly conserved amino acid sequence, PRCGVPDV, is found near the COOH-terminal end of the pro-domain of these MMPs and believed to act as an "autoinhibitor." Recent studies (Springman, E. B., Angleton, E. L., Birkedal-Hansen, H., and Wart, H. E. V. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 87, 364-368) indicate the Cys of this sequence ligands to the active-site zinc keeping the proenzyme in an inactive state, and mutational analysis (Sanchez-Lopez, R., Nicholson, R., Gesnel, M. C., Matrisian, L. M., and Breathnach, R. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 11892-11899) suggests that the conserved residues surrounding this Cys are required for latency. We have constructed 16 new site-directed mutations of the PRCGVPDV autoinhibitor region of the MMP transin (rat stromelysin) and tested whether these mutant enzymes are produced in a latent or activated form. We find that the conserved Arg as well as the Cys are essential for maintaining latency. The Cys cannot be replaced by other zinc-liganding amino acids, and the Arg cannot be replaced by Lys. Residues immediately surrounding the Cys are sensitive to even conservative amino acid substitutions. We show that a synthetic peptide PRCGVPDV is capable of acting as a weak inhibitor of transin and that replacement of the Cys with a Ser abolishes inhibition by the peptide. A review of the current knowledge of MMP substrate specificity in combination with these new results suggests that the PRCGVPDV sequence does not inhibit activity by mimicking the known substrates of the protease.     

Transport of organic cations by a renal epithelial cell line (OK)

The goal of this study was to determine the mechanisms involved in the transport of the organic cation, tetraethylammonium (TEA), across the apical membrane of OK cells. [14C]TEA accumulated in OK cell monolayers reaching equilibrium in 2 h. The uptake of [14C]TEA at equilibrium was dependent upon temperature and was inhibited by sodium azide and by various organic cations, including N1-methylnicotinamide (NMN), mepiperphenidol, and cimetidine but not by the organic anion, p-aminohippuric acid. The initial uptake of [14C]TEA was characterized by a saturable process. The mean +/- S.D. Km was 27.8 +/- 2.6 microM and the Vmax was 414 +/- 26.5 pmol/mg protein/min. Both an accelerated efflux and influx of [14C]TEA in the presence of a trans-gradient of unlabeled TEA and NMN was observed, whereas a deaccelerated influx and efflux was observed in the presence of a trans-gradient of mepiperphenidol. The mechanism of interaction between NMN and TEA was examined. NMN significantly increased the apparent Km (mean +/- S.D.) of TEA to 82.8 +/- 16.4 microM (p less than 0.001), whereas the Vmax (mean +/- S.D.) was only slightly affected (478 +/- 72 pmol/mg protein/min) suggesting a competitive inhibition. The stimulatory effect of trans-gradients of NMN on TEA transport was due to an increase in the Vmax of TEA suggesting that NMN trans-stimulates TEA transport by increasing the turnover rate of the exchanger. In the presence of an inwardly directed proton gradient, the efflux at 30 s of [14C]TEA from the OK cell monolayers was significantly accelerated (p less than 0.05). Studies with the pH-sensitive fluorescent probe, 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, suggested that TEA could drive the countertransport of protons. In apical membrane vesicles prepared from OK cells, the uptake of [3H]NMN exhibited an apparent "overshoot phenomenon" in the presence of an initial outwardly directed proton gradient. Protons competitively inhibited TEA uptake suggesting that the proton/organic cation and the organic cation/organic cation self exchange mechanism are the same mechanism. This is the first report describing both TEA self-exchange and proton/TEA exchange in the apical membrane of a continuous cell line. OK cells are an excellent model for the study of organic cation transport across the apical membrane.