Additional data on complex inclusions evoked by wisteria vein mosaic virus in pea leaf cells

Large complex inclusions evoked by wisteria vein mosaic virus contain cylindrical inclusions, mostly pinwheels (and bundles) and rarely also scrolls and laminar inclusions. Bundles are often abutted to cell walls at plasmodesmata and show association with endoplasmic reticulum and cisternae. Virus aggregates are attached to cylindrical inclusions, various membranes and/or plasmalemma. Cytoplasm contains more or less disintegrated chloroplasts and mitochondria, abnormal membranes, many ribosomes, bounded vesicles with fibrillar contents, numerous and large microbodies, and membranous whorls. These phenomena are not specific.     

Interaction between macrophages and Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula: Role of IgG peptides and aggregates on the modulation of β-glucuronidase release and the cytotoxicity against schistosomula

Discharge of lysosomal enzymes, measured by release of β-glucuronidase and cytotoxicity against Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula, was studied when rat macrophages were incubated in the presence of either IgG peptides, resulting from the cleavage of nonimmune IgG by parasitic proteases, or nonimmune aggregated IgG. With peptides, the macrophage activity showed a dramatic decrease while they were stimulated by IgG aggregates. In contrast, the synthesis of lymphocyte activating factor by macrophages was unaffected. The hydrolysis of IgG is carried out by two distinct enzymatic molecules released into the medium by the larvae. The mechanism by which nonimmune IgG peptides or aggregates inhibit or stimulate macrophage activity, regulated by both parameters indicated above, is discussed and is suggested as a general regulation mechanism for the macrophage activity required for parasite survival in the host.     

Models of interaction between nucleic acids and proteins. Hydrogen bonding of arginine with nucleic acid bases, phosphate groups and carboxylic acids.

Complex formation between the side chain of arginine and nucleic acid bases has been investigated by proton magnetic resonance in dimethylsulfoxide. Simultaneous formation of two hydrogen bonds leads to a selectivity of arginine interaction towards cytosine and guanine. A comparison is made of the interaction of arginine side chain with nucleic acid bases, phosphate and carboxylate anions. It is shown that interaction between carboxylate and arginine is stronger than between phosphate and arginine. These results are discussed with respect to the selective recognition of nucleic acid bases by arginine side chains and by the arginyl-glutamyl ion pair which could form in proteins interacting with nucleic acids.     

Comparison of glyoxalase I purified from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with the enzyme from mammalian sources

Glyoxalase I from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) purified by affinity chromatography on S-hexylglutathione-Sepharose 6B was characterized and compared with the enzyme from rat liver, pig erythrocytes and human erythrocytes. The molecular weight of glyoxalase I from yeast was, like the enzyme from Rhodospirillum rubrum and Escherichia coli, significantly less (approx. 32000) than that of the enzyme from mammals (approx. 46000). The yeast enzyme is a monomer, whereas the mammalian enzymes are composed of two very similar or identical subunits. The enzymes contain 1Zn atom per subunit. The isoelectric points (at 4 degrees C) for the yeast and mammalian enzymes are at pH7.0 and 4.8 respectively; tryptic-peptide ;maps' display corresponding dissimilarities in structure. These and some additional data indicate that the microbial and the mammalian enzymes may have separate evolutionary origins. The similarities demonstrated in mechanistic and kinetic properties, on the other hand, indicate convergent evolution. The k(cat.) and K(m) values for the yeast enzyme were both higher than those for the enzyme from the mammalian sources with the hemimercaptal adduct of methylglyoxal or phenylglyoxal as the varied substrate and free glutathione at a constant and physiological concentration (2mm). Glyoxalase I from all sources investigated had a k(cat.)/K(m) value near 10(7)s(-1).m(-1), which is close to the theoretical diffusion-controlled rate of enzyme-substrate association. The initial-velocity data show non-Michaelian rate saturation and apparent non-linear inhibition by free glutathione for both yeast and mammalian enzyme. This rate behaviour may have physiological importance, since it counteracts the effects of fluctuations in total glutathione concentrations on the glyoxalase I-dependent metabolism of 2-oxoaldehydes.     

Biopterin

An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 2-amino-6-(5'-triphosphoribosyl)amino-5- or 6-formamido-6-hydroxypyrimidine, but not of guanosine triphosphate, to quinonoid 6-(D-erythro-1'-2'-3'-trihydroxypropyl)dihydropterin triphosphate and formic acid has been purified to homogeneity from some mammalian brain and liver. The enzyme of a single strand is a basic protein of 9177 daltons consisting of 68 amino acid residues--except the enzyme from rat brain, which has one additional aspartic acid as residue 7. The enzyme possesses three free SH groups and, in its most active form, 1 mol of phosphate per mole of enzyme. Peptides isolated after hydrolysis with trypsin, chymotrypsin, or weak acid were separated by thin-layer chromatography and sequenced manually by Edman degradation. The complete sequence of the molecule was established as follows: (formula: see text)     

Constancy and variability in the content of DNA in cerebellar Purkinje cell nuclei

Summary A cytophotometric study of DNA content in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum of rats, cats, chicken and humans (Feulgen staining) revealed that in a certain number of cells the amount of DNA ranged between the diploid and tetraploid level (H2C cells). The incidence of H2C Purkinje cells varied among the species studied. In rats, which were studied most thoroughly, these cells amounted on average to 3%. In some rats, as well as in some cats and chickens H2C Purkinje cells were entirely absent. In the group of animals possesing H2C Purkinje cells, great interindividual differences were observed. In rats for instance, the incidence of these cells varied from 1 to 23 per cent. Topographic analyses carried out in rat and human cerebellum revealed that H2C Purkinje cells occurred more frequently in the hemispheres than in the vermis. No significant differences were found in the number of H2C Purkinje cells in healthy and Kilham-DNA-virus infected rats.Densitometric analysis of the distribution of nuclear chromatin showed that H2C Purkinje cells were richer in condensed chromatin, especially in the region of the nucleolus, which apparently contains the hyperploid surplus of DNA. It is proposed that the phenomenon of DNA hyperdiploidy arises as a result of either incomplete S-phase in some immature Purkinje cell precursors or the amplification of some DNA sequences particularly those localized in the nucleolar region.     

The increase in activity of acid hydrolases in muscles of rats after subcutaneous administration of dimethyl-para-phenylene diamine. A combined histochemical and biochemical investigation

Summary The increase in activity of acid hydrolases in skeletal muscles of rats after subcutaneous administration of dimethyl-para-phenylene diamine (DPPD) was studied with a combined histochemical and biochemical investigation. In part I the histochemical findings were presented. In this communication the biochemical findings are reported and compared with the histochemical findings.In homogenates of m. biceps femoris, m. gastrocnemius and m. rectus femoris of DPPD-treated rats, the activity of the lysosomal acid hydrolases, cathepsin D, acid maltase, acid phosphatase, and -glucuronidase was increased. This increase in activity was maximal after 7 to 9 days of DPPD treatment and ran parallel to the severity of the pathological changes. Statistical calculations clearly reveal that the increased activity of one acid hydrolase was significantly paralleled by an increased activity of a second acid hydrolase. Moreover these calculations reveal that the biochemical activity findings correlated with the histochemical activity findings. However it was remarkable that in the histochemical study, the estimated increase in acid phosphatase activity was much more than the increase in acid phosphatase activity found biochemically, whilst on the other hand the histochemically estimated increase in -glucuronidase activity corresponded with the biochemical observations. The results of gel filtration techniques have shown that this discrepancy of acid phosphatase activity was caused by different substrate specificity of the different isoenzymes of acid phosphatase and that as a result of the DPPD treatment the isoenzyme pattern had been altered. The elution patterns showed three distinct isoenzymes of acid phosphatase of normal and of DPPD treated rats. These isoenzymes, termed I, II and III, have molecular weights of: 200,000 or more, 83,500–104,500 and 14,500–18,100. Isoenzymes I and II split the substrates 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and naphthol AS-BI phosphate and the activity is strongly increased in the muscles of the DPPD treated rats. Isoenzyme III does not split naphthol AS-BI phosphate and the activity is not increased in the muscles of the DPPD treated rats. Considering the fact that it has been shown that the activity of isoenzyme III is high compared with that of the isoenzymes I and II, it is important to realise that by using naphthol AS-BI phosphate not all acid phosphatase can be demonstrated in sections of skeletal muscle.This study was partly supported by a grant from the Prinses Beatrix Fonds, 's Gravenhage, The Netherlands, and was mainly extracted from the Ph. D. thesis of D.E. Israël (1977).     

Synthesis and some reactions of 3,5-di-O-methyl-d-glucose and -fructose

Hydrolysis of 1,2-O-isopropylidene-3,5-di-O-methyl-α-d-glucofuranose by strong acid yielded 3,5-di-O-methyl-d-glucofuranose (6) and its 1,6-anhydride (10). The mechanism of the reaction giving 10 is discussed. On treatment with a catalytic amount of sodium methoxide, 1,2,6-tri-O-acetyl-3,5-di-O-methyl-d-glucofuranose (8) gives the 6-O-acetyl derivative, whereas complete deacetylation, and subsequent isomerization to the d-fructose derivative 16, takes place in the presence of 0.1m sodium methoxide. The structure of 16 was proved both chemically and spectroscopically. Reduction of 6 or 8 with a borohydride afforded 3,5-di-O-methyl-d-glucitol.²     

Effect of various inhibitors on the multiplication of BLE bacteriophage inBacillus licheniformis

A total of 40 substances were tested for their inhibitory effect on the multiplication of a bacteriophage in a growing culture ofBacillus licheniformis and their influence on bacitracin production. Acriflavine was the only substance which, at a concentration of 3 μg ml^-1, completely suppressed phage multiplication while having no effect on the growth ofBacillus licheniformis and on the production of the antibiotic.