Effective complementarily-addressed photomodification of nucleic acids by oligonucleotide derivatives, containing aromatic azido groups]

Highly effective site-specific photomodification of a DNA-target was carried out with oligonucleotide reagents carrying aromatic azido groups. Oligonucleotide derivatives with a photoactive function R on the 5'-terminal phosphate and at C-5 atom of deoxyuridine were synthesized: R1NH(CH2)3NHpd(TCCACTT) and d(ULNHRCCACTT), where R1 is p-azidotetrafluorobenzoyl, R2 is 2-nitro, 5-azidobenzoyl, R3 is p-azidobenzoyl; LNH = -CH2NH-, -CH2OCH2CH2NH- or -CH2NHCOCH2CH2NH-. The prepared compounds form stable complementary complexes and effect site-specific photomodification of the target DNA. The modification of pentadecanucleotide d(TAAGTGGAGTTTGGC) with the reagents was investigated. Maximum extent of modification strongly depended on the reagent's type, the photoreagent with R1 being the most effective. Whatever the binding site was, this agent provided a 65-70% modification in all cases except LNH = -CH2NH-, when the yield was twice lower. For the reagents bearing R1 the modification sites were identified. Selective modification at the G9 residue was detected in the case of LNH = -CH2OCH2CH2NH- and when a photoactive group was linked to the terminal phosphate.     

Investigation of the functional properties of domains of alpha-actinin

The role of domains in rabbit skeletal muscle alpha-actinin was investigated. The binding center of alpha-actinin containing F-actin is localized in the N-terminal domain, while the C-terminal domain provides for dimerization of the protein molecule. A model of structural organization of the alpha-actinin was proposed, according to which the subunits within the molecule are oriented so that the N-terminal domains localized on the opposite sides of the protein molecule form the binding centers of alpha-actinin with F-actin.     

Site-specific photomodification of nucleic acids with arylazide and perfluoroarylazide oligonucleotide derivatives. II. Specificity in relation to nucleosides]

Oligonucleotide reagents bearing aromatic azido groups of different structures were shown to be suitable for nucleoside specific photomodification of nucleic acids. Modification of the pentadecanucleotide targets d(TAAGTGGAGTTTGGC), d(TAAGTGGAAAAAAAA), d(TAAGTGGACCCCCCC) and d(TAAGTGGATTTTTTT) was investigated with reagents d(UCH2OCH2CH2NHCORCCACTT) carrying a photoactive group R(R1-n-azidotetrafluorophenyl-reagent (I), R2-2-nitro-5-azidophenyl-reagent (II) and R3-n-azidophenyl-reagent (III)) at C-5-modified deoxyuridine. Photomodification did not exceed 5% for the targets in case of reagent (III); the modification extent was 25-50% depending on the target sequence for reagent (II); reagent (I) with perfluoro azido group was the most effective, that provided 60-70% of modification. Reagents (I) and (II) were found to be sensitive to the nucleoside sequence of the target: the most vulnerable sites for reagent (I) and (II) were guanine and cytosine residues, respectively. These bases were modified predominantly when being adjacent to the addressed site of the target.     

Domain organization of alpha-actinin from the rabbit skeletal muscle

Limited trypsinolysis of native alpha-actinin by trypsin was carried out. This procedure resulted in the formation of two large fragments with Mr of 30 and 70 kD which cover almost the whole subunit of alpha-actinin. Using the sedimentation equilibrium method, it was demonstrated that the bisubunit structure of alpha-actinin is provided for by C-terminal fragments of the subunits. Data from circular dichroism analysis suggest that the fragments formed are independent structural units, i.e., domains.     

Ultrastructural study of the effect of TNT on callus cells and cells of intact plants of Yucca gloriosa L.

Intracellular distribution of assimilated 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in callus cells, flower buds, and leaves of intact Yucca gloriosa L. plants with the use of electron microscopy radioautography was carried out. The radiotracer was detected in vacuoles, plastids, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and cytoplasm. It was found that TNT incorporation in the vacuoles of dedifferentiated callus cells was higher compared to cells from intact plant. Therefore, the ultrastructural continuity of differentiated cells is less damaged.     

Study of nuclear poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and DNA-topoisomerase II of brain cells during postnatal development of rats

The nuclear poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase activity of neuronal and glial cells during postnatal development of rats was studied. It was shown that the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase activity of nuclei and nuclear matrix of neuronal cells during postnatal development of rats is increased, whereas the polymerase activity of glial cell nuclei and nuclear matrix in newborn and adult rats is higher than in 14-day-old animals. The DNA-topoisomerase II activity of neuronal nuclear matrix during the postnatal development of rats does not change, whereas the topoisomerase activity of glial nuclear matrix decreases but is always higher than the DNA-topoisomerase II activity of neuronal cell matrix during the postnatal development of rats. It is suggested that ADP-ribosylation in the nuclear matrix of neuronal cells causes the inhibition of the DNA-topoisomerase II activity of nuclear matrix.     

Fragments of limited trypsinolysis of native alpha-actinin

Incubation of native alpha-actinin with trypsin leads to the formation of intermediate fragments that are quite resistant to further enzyme action (M 98, 85, 80, 70, 64, 55, 38, 30, 15 kDa). Analysis of these fragments made it possible to elucidate the course of trypsinolysis and to localize the fragments in the polypeptide chain of alpha-actinin subunit.