Nuclear-magnetic-resonance imaging of leaves ofMesembryanthemum crystallinum L. plants grown at high salinity

Differences in water binding were measured in the leaf cells ofMesembryanthemum crystallinum L. plants grown under high-salinity conditions by using nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) imaging. The 7-Tesla proton NMR imaging system yielded a spatial resolution of 20·20·100 m³. Images recorded with different spin-echo times (4.4 ms to 18 ms) showed that the water concentrations in the bladder cells (located on the upper and lower leaf surface), in the mesophyll cells and in the water-conducting vessels were nearly identical. All of the water in the bladder cells and in the water-conducting vessels was found to be mobile, whilst part of the water in the mesophyll cells was bound. Patches of mesophyll cells could be identified which bound water more strongly than the surrounding mesophyll cells. Optical investigations of leaf cross-sections revealed two types of mesophyll cells of different sizes and chloroplast contents. It is therefore likely that in the small-sized mesophyll cells water is strongly bound. A long-term asymmetric water exchange between the mesophyll cells and the bladder cells during Crassulacean acid metabolism has been described in the literature. The high density of these mesophyll cells in the lower epidermis is a possible cause of this asymmetry.Abbreviations CAM Crassulacean acid metabolism - NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - T_E spin-echo time     

Role of phospholipase A2 in the stimulation of sponge cell proliferation by homologous lectin

Using the Geodia cydonium system, we showed that after incubation of competent sponge cells in the presence of lectin, phospholipase A2 was released from the cells. The substrates for this enzyme, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, were identified in the extracellular material of sponge tissue. In addition, the phospholipase A2 inhibitor calelectrin was identified by immunobiochemical techniques; this molecule was associated with the aggregation factor. Reconstitution experiments strongly suggested that phospholipase A2 catalyzed the release of arachidonic acid, which is then taken up by the cells. Intracellularly, arachidonic acid was metabolized primarily to prostaglandin E2. Inhibition studies revealed that prostaglandin E2 is involved in the ultimate increase of DNA synthesis. These findings suggest that the phospholipase A2-arachidonic acid system is involved in the matrix-initiated signal transduction pathway in sponges.     

Regulated expression of nuclear protein(s) in myogenic cells that binds to a conserved 3'' untranslated region in pro alpha 1 (I) collagen cDNA.

We describe the identification and DNA-binding properties of nuclear proteins from rat L6 myoblasts which recognize an interspecies conserved 3' untranslated segment of pro alpha 1 (I) collagen cDNA. Levels of the two pro alpha 1 (I) collagen RNAs, present in L6 myoblasts, decreased drastically between 54 and 75 h after induction of myotube formation in serum-free medium. Both mRNAs contained a conserved sequence segment of 135 nucleotides (termed tame sequence) in the 3' untranslated region that had 96% homology to the human and murine pro alpha 1 (I) collagen genes. The cDNA of this tame sequence was specifically recognized by nuclear protein(s) from L6 myoblasts, as judged by gel retardation assays and DNase I footprints. The tame-binding protein(s) was able to recognize its target sequence on double-stranded DNA but bound also to the appropriate single-stranded oligonucleotide. Protein that bound to the tame sequence was undetectable in nuclear extracts of L6 myotubes that did not accumulate the two collagen mRNAs. Therefore, the activity of this nuclear protein seems to be linked to accumulation of the sequences that it recognizes in vitro. The collagen RNAs and the nuclear tame-binding proteins reappeared after a change of medium, which further suggests that the RNAs and the protein(s) are coordinately regulated.     

Copy number and distribution of P and I mobile elements in Drosophila melanogaster populations

The distribution of the number of copies of P and I transposable elements per genome was investigated by in situ hybridization for a large set of Drosophila melanogaster strains. These included the P, Q and M types of the P-M system of hybrid dysgenesis. P element copy number varied widely (range 5–59). P and Q strains had around 40 copies whereas M strains generally had lower numbers (between 5 and 35) with one extreme value (52). The copy number of I elements appeared to be precisely regulated, as no strains were found outside the 15±5 range. The number of copies of the two families were independent. An excess of P copies on the X chromosome compared with the autosomes was found for the P and Q strains, but not for M strains. Among X-inserted P sites, a very high frequency of occupation was found at the tip of the X chromosome (cytological site 1A), especially for P and Q strains. The possible regulatory role in the P-M system of X-inserted P sites is discussed.     

In vivo 31P NMR spectroscopy of energy rich phosphates in the brain of the hyperammonemic rat

Hyperammonemia is a major contributing factor to the neurological abnormalities observed in hepatic encephalopathy and in congenital defects of ammonia detoxication. In rats variable changes in labile energy rich phosphates in the brain have been observed in hyperammonemia using biochemical methods. Using 31P-NMR spectroscopy however no significant changes of the relative concentrations of the energy rich phosphates alpha, beta and gamma-ATP, phosphocreatine, inorganic phosphate and the pH were found in the fronto parietal cortex of the urease treated hyperammonemic rat. Alterations in the metabolites of these compounds do not appear to be a major pathomechanism of ammonia toxicity in this brain area.     

Photochemical labeling of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A with 8-azidoadenosine 3',5'-bisphosphate

A simple method has been developed for the preparation of 5'-32P-labeled 8-azidoadenosine 3',5'-bisphosphate (p8N3Ap) for use in photoaffinity labeling studies. Irradiation of a complex between p8N3Ap and bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A) with light of 300-350 nm led to the covalent attachment of the nucleotide to the enzyme. RNase A could also be labeled in the dark with prephotolyzed p8N3Ap. In either case, the nucleotide reacted with the same tryptic peptide, encompassing amino acids 67-85 of the protein. The site of labeling was determined to be either Thr-78 or Thr-82, both of which are close to or at the pyrimidine binding site of the enzyme. This result is consistent with recent nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray studies which indicate that 8-substituted adenine nucleotides interact with the pyrimidine binding site of RNase A.     

EPR signals from modified charge accumulation states of the oxygen evolving enzyme in Ca2+-deficient photosystem II

Photosystem II enriched membranes were depleted of Ca2+ and the 17- and 23-kDa polypeptides by treatment with NaCl and EGTA. The 17- and 23-kDa polypeptides were then reconstituted. This preparation was incapable of O2 evolution until Ca2+ was added. An EPR study revealed the presence of two new EPR signals. One of these is a modified S2 multiline signal with an isotropic g value of 1.96 with at least 26 hyperfine peaks (average spacing 55 G) distributed over approximately 1600 G. The other is a near-Gaussian signal with an isotropic g value of 2.004, which is attributed to a formal S3 state. Experiments involving the interconversion of these signals and the effect of Ca2+ and Sr2+ rebinding provide evidence for these assignments. From these results the following conclusions are drawn: (1) These results are consistent with our earlier demonstration that charge accumulation is blocked after formation of S3 when Ca2+ is deficient. (2) Binding of the 17- and 23-kDa polypeptides to photosystem II in the absence of Ca2+ results in the perturbation of the Mn cluster. This is taken as a further indication that the Ca2+-binding site is close to or even an integral part of the Mn cluster. (3) The S3 signal may arise from an organic free radical interacting magnetically with the Mn cluster. However, other possible origins for this signal, including the Mn cluster itself, must also be considered.     

GPIIb and GPIIIa amino acid sequences deduced from human megakaryocyte cDNAs

Platelet GPIIbIIIa is only synthesized in megakaryocyte or in cell lines with megakaryocytic features. The sequence for GPIIb and GPIIIa have recently been derived from cDNAs obtained from HEL cells. The sequence of these proteins produced by the megakaryocyte, has however, not been determined yet. This study describes full length cDNAs for GPIIb and GPIIIa isolated from megakaryocyte cDNA libraries. The cDNA sequences indicate the presence of nucleotide differences, between the sequence of the GPIIIa cDNAs from HEL cells, endothelial cells and megakaryocytes. One difference was also observed between HEL and megakaryocyte GPIIb at position 633 where a cystein in the megakaryocyte GPIIb, is replaced by a serine in the HEL sequence. The mRNA species for GPIIb (3.4kb) and GPIIIa (6.1 kb) were of the same size in HEL cells and human megakaryocytes.     

Optimized deglycosylation of glycoproteins by peptide-N4-(N-acetyl-β-glucosaminyl)-asparagine amidase fromFlavobacterium meningosepticum

Peptide-N⁴-(N-acetyl--glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F (PNGase F) fromFlavobacterium meningosepticum is a highly useful enzyme for the structural analysis of N(asparagine)-linked carbohydrate chains derived from glycoproteins. The enzyme was enriched using a published procedure [Tarentino AL, Gomez CM, Plummer TH, Jr (1984) Biochemistry 1985:4665–71; Tarentino AL, Plummer TH, Jr (1987) Methods Enzymol 138:770–78] and further purified by hydrophobic interaction HPLC on a weak hydrophobic TSK-Ether column from which it was eluted by a decreasing gradient of 1.7 M ammonium sulphate in 100 mM sodium phosphate, pH 7.0, containing 5 mM EDTA.To determine the optimal conditions for a complete deglycosylation of glycoproteins by PNGase F, experiments were performed with human ₁-acid glycoprotein, because the five complex type carbohydrate chains are quite resistant to enzymic hydrolysis. The influence of different detergents on the enzyme reaction was studied. Complete deglycosylation of human ₁-acid glycoprotein was achieved by the use of 60 mU/ml PNGase F in 0.25 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 8.6, containing 0.2% (w/v) SDS, 20 mM mercaptoethanol and 0.5% Mega-10.