柱萤叶甲属三新种及一新纪录种

本文报道了鞘翅目(Coleoptera)叶甲科(Chrysomelidae)萤叶甲亚科(Galerucinae)柱萤叶甲属Gallerucida的三新种:基红柱萤叶甲G.basalis sp.nov.褐缘柱萤叶甲G.limbatella sp.nov.、小柱萤叶甲G.parva sp.nov.及一新纪录种:黑缘柱萤叶甲G.limbata(Baly,1878)。     

VCP, the mammalian homolog of cdc48, is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to T cell antigen receptor activation.

Activation of T cells through the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) results in the rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular proteins, one of the earliest being a 100 kDa protein. We have sought to identify this 100 kDa substrate by partially purifying the protein by antiphosphotyrosine (APT) affinity purification, in order to obtain amino acid sequence data and, using this information, to isolate the cDNA clone encoding the molecule. We report here that the amino acid sequence data showed pp100 to be the murine equivalent of porcine valosin containing protein (VCP), a finding confirmed from the cloning and sequencing of the murine pp100 cDNA. Sequence analysis has shown VCP to be a member of a family of ATP binding, homo-oligomeric proteins, and the mammalian homolog of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cdc48p, a protein essential to the completion of mitosis in yeast. We also provide proof that both endogenous and expressed murine VCP are tyrosine phosphorylated in response to T cell activation. Thus we have identified a novel component of the TCR mediated tyrosine kinase activation pathway that may provide a link between TCR ligation and cell cycle control.     

Separation of factors required for cleavage and polyadenylation of yeast pre-mRNA.

Cleavage and polyadenylation of yeast precursor RNA require at least four functionally distinct factors (cleavage factor I [CF I], CF II, polyadenylation factor I [PF I], and poly(A) polymerase [PAP]) obtained from yeast whole cell extract. Cleavage of precursor occurs upon combination of the CF I and CF II fractions. The cleavage reaction proceeds in the absence of PAP or PF I. The cleavage factors exhibit low but detectable activity without exogenous ATP but are stimulated when this cofactor is included in the reaction. Cleavage by CF I and CF II is dependent on the presence of a (UA)6 sequence upstream of the GAL7 poly(A) site. The factors will also efficiently cleave precursor with the CYC1 poly(A) site. This RNA does not contain a UA repeat, and processing at this site is thought to be directed by a UAG...UAUGUA-type motif. Specific polyadenylation of a precleaved GAL7 RNA requires CF I, PF I, and a crude fraction containing PAP activity. The PAP fraction can be replaced by recombinant PAP, indicating that this enzyme is the only factor in this fraction needed for the reconstituted reaction. The poly(A) addition step is also dependent on the UA repeat. Since CF I is the only factor necessary for both cleavage and poly(A) addition, it is likely that this fraction contains a component which recognizes processing signals located upstream of the poly(A) site. The initial separation of processing factors in yeast cells suggests both interesting differences from and similarities to the mammalian system.     

A CD44-like endothelial cell transmembrane glycoprotein (GP116) interacts with extracellular matrix and ankyrin.

We used complementary biochemical and immunological techniques to establish that an endothelial cell transmembrane glycoprotein, GP116, is a CD44-like molecule and binds directly both to extracellular matrix components (e.g., hyaluronic acid) and to ankyrin. The specific characteristics of GP116 are as follows: (i) GP116 can be surface labeled with Na 125I and contains a wheat germ agglutinin-binding site(s), indicating that it has an extracellular domain; (ii) GP116 displays immunological cross-reactivity with a panel of CD44 antibodies, shares some peptide similarity with CD44, and has a similar 52-kDa precursor molecule, indicating that it is a CD44-like molecule; (iii) GP116 displays specific hyaluronic acid-binding properties, indicating that it is a hyaluronic acid receptor; (iv) GP116 can be phosphorylated by endogenous protein kinase C activated by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and by exogenously added protein kinase C; and (v) GP116 and a 20-kDa tryptic polypeptide fragment of GP116 from the intracellular domain are capable of binding the membrane-cytoskeleton linker molecule, ankyrin. Furthermore, phosphorylation of GP116 by protein kinase C significantly enhances GP116 binding to ankyrin. Together, these findings strongly suggest that phosphorylation of the transmembrane glycoprotein GP116 (a CD44-like molecule) by protein kinase C is required for effective GP116-ankyrin interaction during endothelial cell adhesion events.     

Enterochromaffin-like cells in the rat stomach: effect of α-fluoromethylhistidine-evoked histamine depletion

Summary In the rat, gastric histamine is stored predominantly in the enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, which are located basally in the oxyntic mucosa. The functional significance of histamine in the ECL cells is a matter of speculation. In this study the effect of depletion of histamine on the properties and ultrastructure of the ECL cells was examined. Histamine synthesis was inhibited with -fluoromethylhistidine (3 mg·kg^-1·h^-1) given via osmotic minipumps over a period of 24 h. The treatment reduced the histidine decarboxylase activity (approximately 20% remaining) and histamine concentration (less than 20% remaining) in the oxyntic mucosa, as well as the intensity of histamine- and chromogranin A-immunostaining in the ECL cells, compared to control rats. The cytoplasmic (secretory) granules/vesicles were greatly reduced in number and size following -fluoromethylhistidine administration. The histamine immunostaining of the mast cells, which occurs at the mucosal surface and in the submucosa, appeared unaffected. We conclude that ECL cell histamine accounts for at least 80% of the total oxyntic mucosal histamine in the rat and that it represents a more mobile pool than mast cell histamine. The reduction in the number and size of the ECL cell granules/vesicles following histamine depletion is in accord with the idea that they represent the storage site for histamine.     

Changes in lipid content and composition during the development of N-nitrosodiethylamine induced hepatocarcinoma

Alterations in lipid content and composition in the N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatocarcinoma were investigated. Rats were administrated with N-nitrosodiethylamine in the drinking water for 12 weeks followed by normal tap water for another 6 weeks. The cholesterol content in the liver was increased shortly after the administration of N-nitrosodiethylamine and remained elevated after the removal of the nitrosoamine from the water. The phosphatidylethanolamine level was elevated during N-nitrosodiethylamine administration with a concomitant reduction in phosphatidylcholine level. Lysophosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin levels were increased during the last four weeks of the study. The level of phosphatidylinositol was substantially reduced after eight weeks of N-nitrosodiethylamine treatment, and remained low during the post-treatment period. We postulate that changes in lysophosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin may be a compensatory mechanism for maintaining the asymmetrical distribution of choline-containing lipids in the outer leaflet of the membrane. The elevated level of cholesterol may be a useful indicator for the early detection of N-nitrosodiethylamine-induced hepatocarcinoma.     

The role of a minor groove spine of hydration in stabilizing poly(dA).poly(dT) against fluctuational interbase H-bond disruption in the premelting temperature regime.

Experimental estimates of the premelting Adenine-Thymine base pair opening probability for some B-DNA sequences are two orders of magnitude smaller than those of other B-DNA sequences. The AT pairs in the sequence with smaller open probability seem to be those that have a well defined spine of hydration in the minor groove. We show that this spine of hydration can significantly enhance the thermal stability of the base pairs to which they are attached. The effect of this spine of hydration coupled with the possible stabilization effect contributed from neighboring GC pairs can explain the differences in the observed AT pair opening probability for different AT containing B-DNA sequences.     

Comparative analysis of glycoprotein and glycolipid composition of virulent and avirulent strain membranes ofMycoplasma hyopneumoniae

The glycoproteins and glycolipids from membranes of virulent strain Z and avirulent strain M ofMycoplasma hyopneumoniae have been compared. The proteins and the glycoproteins were identified by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and concanavalin A-biotin labeling, respectively. The membrane preparation contained approximately 34 protein bands with molecular weights between 20 KD and 100 KD. The concanavalin A-biotin system reacted with a glycoprotein of a molecular weight of approximately 28,000 from avirulent strain M and did not react with the correspondent band from virulent strain Z. The membrane glycolipids of both strains consisted of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), and the percentages of 160, 180, and 181 fatty acids comprised more than 80% of the total fatty acids of membrane glycolipids. The 180 fatty acid of MGDG in avirulent strain M was twofold higher than that of virulent strain Z.