Multiple forms of endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase in the extracellular cellulase of Penicillium pinophilum

The influence of the composition of the growth medium on the production of endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase (CM-cellulase) activity by P. pinophilum was studied in shake flask cultures using Avicel PH101 as the carbon source. It was observed that the culture conditions had a profound effect on the level of endoglucanase (CM-cellulase) produced by P. pinophilum. However, isoelectric focusing of the endoglucanase activity obtained from shake flask and fermenter cultures using the same growth medium revealed that the enzyme system found in both cultures was identical qualitatively, and contained seven or eight different endoglucanase components. All the endoglucanase components appeared simultaneously in the early stages of culture and prolonged incubation resulted only in an increase in the concentration of these enzymes. Protease levels were found to be low in both types of culture but were particularly so in the growth medium which contained corn steep liquor. The proteases were unable to release low molecular weight peptides when P. pinophilum cellulase protein was used as a substrate. The results were interpreted to indicate that the multiplicity of endoglucanase components found in cultures of P. pinophilum is most likely the result of expression of a number of specific genes rather than by post-secretional modification of one or more endoglucanase(s) synthesized by the fungus.     

Starch Biosynthesis in Developing Wheat Grain : Evidence against the Direct Involvement of Triose Phosphates in the Metabolic Pathway

We have used ¹³C-labeled sugars and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry to study the metabolic pathway of starch biosynthesis in developing wheat grain (Triticum aestivum cv Mardler). Our aim was to examine the extent of redistribution of ¹³C between carbons atoms 1 and 6 of [1-¹³C] or [6-¹³C]glucose (or fructose) incorporated into starch, and hence provide evidence for or against the involvement of triose phosphates in the metabolic pathway. Starch synthesis in the endosperm tissue was studied in two experimental systems. First, the ¹³C sugars were supplied to isolated endosperm tissue incubated in vitro, and second the ¹³C sugars were supplied in vivo to the intact plant. The ¹³C starch produced by the endosperm tissue of the grain was isolated and enzymically degraded to glucose using amyloglucosidase, and the distribution of ¹³C in all glucosyl carbons was quantified by ¹³C-NMR spectrometry. In all of the experiments, irrespective of the incubation time or incubation conditions, there was a similar pattern of partial (between 15 and 20%) redistribution of label between carbons 1 and 6 of glucose recovered from starch. There was no detectable increase over background ¹³C incidence in carbons 2 to 5. Within each experiment, the same pattern of partial redistribution of label was found in the glucosyl and fructosyl moieties of sucrose extracted from the tissue. Since it is unlikely that sucrose is present in the amyloplast, we suggest that the observed redistribution of label occurred in the cytosolic compartment of the endosperm cells and that both sucrose and starch are synthesized from a common pool of intermediates, such as hexose phosphate. We suggest that redistribution of label occurs via a cytosolic pathway cycle involving conversion of hexose phosphate to triose phosphate, interconversion of triose phosphate by triose phosphate isomerase, and resynthesis of hexose phosphate in the cytosol. A further round of triose phosphate interconversion in the amyloplast could not be detected. These data seriously weaken the argument for the selective uptake of triose phosphates by the amyloplast as part of the pathway of starch biosynthesis from sucrose in plant storage tissues. Instead, we suggest that a hexose phosphate such as glucose 1-phosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, or fructose 6-phosphate is the most likely candidate for entry into the amyloplast. A pathway of starch biosynthesis is presented, which is consistent with our data and with the current information on the intracellular distribution of enzymes in plant storage tissues.     

Proline excretion by Escherichia coli K12

Proline excretion from proline overproducing strains of E. coli K12 has been studied as a model chemical production system. We have isolated proline overproducing mutants of E. coli and have shown that uncontrolled synthesis is not sufficient to cause excretion of this amino acid. An episomal mutation causing proline over production has been introduced into a series of otherwise isogenic strains that bear well defined, chromosomal lesions affecting the active uptake and catabolism of L-proline. A syntropism test reveals that L-proline is excreted by overproducing strains only if transport and/or catabolism are impaired. Dansyl derivatization and chromatographic analysis of culture supernatants shows that proline is the only amino acid excreted. Batch cultures of an excreting strain in an amino acid production medium yield culture supernatants containing 1 g proline/L, whereas no proline is detectable in supernatants derived from cultures of an overproducing strain with normal transport and catabolic activities. These data reveal that genetic lesions eliminating active uptake can be used to specifically enhance metabolite excretion.     

急性低氧对大鼠脑组织钙调素含量及其依赖性蛋白激酶Ⅱ活性的影响

本实验观察了活性钙调素（ＣａＭ）含量和ＣａＭ依赖性蛋白激酶Ⅱ（ＣａＭｋｉｎａｓｅⅡ）活性在急性低氧（模拟海拔７０００ｍ,５ｈ）和常氧对照大鼠脑子组织中的变化。用流式产胞仪（ＦＡＣＳ）所测两组动物脑皮层细胞的ＣａＭ,平均荧光强度分别为４０．０±４．９和４６．１±５．８,急性低氧组明显低于常氧对照组（Ｐ＜０．０５）;用同位素液闪计数法所测两组动物皮层脑匀浆提取液中ＣａＭｋｉｎａｓｅⅡ活性,分别为１８４．３±８．１和１９８．８±９．４ｐｍｏｌＰｉ·ｍｉｎ－１·ｍｇ－１ｐｒｏ,急性低氧组明显低于常氧对照组（Ｐ＜０．０１）。结果提示ＣａＭ和ＣａＭｋｉｎａｓｅⅡ对低氧较为敏感,急性低氧时中枢神经细胞结构或功能的紊乱可能与活性ＣａＭ的含量减少和ＣａＭｋｉｎａｓｅⅡ活性能下降有关。     

牛免疫缺陷病毒长末端重复序列(BIV一LTR)在大肠杆菌中的启动子功能

牛免疫缺陷病毒（ＢＩＶ）的长末端重复序列（ＬＴＲ）含有病毒的启动子,调控病毒在真核细胞中的表达。我们将ＢＩＶＬＴＲ与萤火虫荧光素酶基因连接构建成重组质粒ｐＢＩＶ一Ｌｕｃ,该质粒能在Ｅｃｏｌｉ中有效地表达出荧光素酶的活性,从而证明ＢＩＶＬＴＲ在大肠杆菌中也具有启动子功能。Ｍｕｎｇｂｅａｎ核酸酶作图分析发现,ＢＩＶＬＴＲ在Ｅｃｏｌｉ中的转录起始位点位于Ｕ_３区,而不是在真核细胞中的Ｕ＿３一Ｒ交界处。同时我们也证实了ＢＩＶＬＴＲ在Ｅ,ｃｏｌｉ中仍可被ＢＩＶｔａｔ蛋白特异性地反式激活,为研究ｔａｔ蛋白的作用机制提供了一条新的途径。     

Insulin-like growth factor receptor 1b is required for zebrafish primordial germ cell migration and survival

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling is a critical regulator of somatic growth during fetal and adult development, primarily through its stimulatory effects on cell proliferation and survival. IGF signaling is also required for development of the reproductive system, although its precise role in this regard remains unclear. We have hypothesized that IGF signaling is required for embryonic germline development, which requires the specification and proliferation of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in an extragonadal location, followed by directed migration to the genital ridges. We tested this hypothesis using loss-of-function studies in the zebrafish embryo, which possesses two functional copies of the Type-1 IGF receptor gene (igf1ra, igf1rb). Knockdown of IGF1Rb by morpholino oligonucleotides (MO) results in mismigration and elimination of primordial germ cells (PGCs), resulting in fewer PGCs colonizing the genital ridges. In contrast, knockdown of IGF1Ra has no effect on PGC migration or number despite inducing widespread somatic cell apoptosis. Ablation of both receptors, using combined MO injections or overexpression of a dominant-negative IGF1R, yields embryos with a PGC-deficient phenotype similar to IGF1Rb knockdown. TUNEL analyses revealed that mismigrated PGCs in IGF1Rb-deficient embryos are eliminated by apoptosis; overexpression of an antiapoptotic gene (Bcl2l) rescues ectopic PGCs from apoptosis but fails to rescue migration defects. Lastly, we show that suppression of IGF signaling leads to quantitative changes in the expression of genes encoding CXCL-family chemokine ligands and receptors involved in PGC migration. Collectively, these data suggest a novel role for IGF signaling in early germline development, potentially via cross-talk with chemokine signaling pathways.     

Alterations in immunological and neurological gene expression patterns in Alzheimer's disease tissues

Microarray technology was utilized to isolate disease-specific changes in gene expression by sampling across inferior parietal lobes of patients suffering from late onset AD or non-AD-associated dementia and non-demented controls. Primary focus was placed on understanding how inflammation plays a role in AD pathogenesis. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the most differentially expressed genes related to nervous system development and function and neurological disease followed by genes involved in inflammation and immunological signaling. Pathway analysis also implicated a role for chemokines and their receptors, specifically CXCR4 and CCR3, in AD. Immunohistological analysis revealed that these chemokine receptors are upregulated in AD patients. Western analysis demonstrated an increased activation of PKC, a downstream mediator of chemokine receptor signaling, in the majority of AD patients. A very specific cohort of genes related to amyloid beta accumulation and clearance were found to be significantly altered in AD. The most significantly downregulated gene in this data set was the endothelin converting enzyme 2 (ECE2), implicated in amyloid beta clearance. These data were subsequently confirmed by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. Together, these findings open up new avenues of investigation and possible therapeutic strategies targeting inflammation and amyloid clearance in AD patients.     

Insulin-like growth factor type-I receptor internalization and recycling mediate the sustained phosphorylation of Akt

Previously we demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor-I mediates the sustained phosphorylation of Akt, which is essential for long term survival and protection of glial progenitors from glutamate toxicity. These prosurvival effects correlated with prolonged activation and stability of the insulin-like growth factor type-I receptor. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms whereby insulin-like growth factor-I signaling, through the insulin-like growth factor type-I receptor, mediates the sustained phosphorylation of Akt. We showed that insulin-like growth factor-I stimulation induced loss of receptors from the cell surface but that surface receptors recovered over time. Blocking receptor internalization inhibited Akt phosphorylation, whereas inhibition of receptor trafficking blocked receptor recovery at the cell surface and the sustained phosphorylation of Akt. Moreover the insulin-like growth factor type-I receptor localized with the transferrin receptor and Rab11-positive endosomes in a ligand-dependent manner, further supporting the conclusion that this receptor follows a recycling pathway. Our results provide evidence that ligand stimulation leads to internalization of the insulin-like growth factor type-I receptor, which mediates Akt phosphorylation, and that receptor recycling sustains Akt phosphorylation in glial progenitors. Mathematical modeling of receptor trafficking further supports these results and predicts an additional kinetic state of the receptor consistent with sustained Akt phosphorylation.     

The uniquely human capacity to throw evolved from a non-throwing primate: an evolutionary dissociation between action and perception

Humans are uniquely endowed with the ability to engage in accurate, high-momentum throwing. Underlying this ability is a unique morphological adaptation that enables the characteristic rotation of the arm and pelvis. What is unknown is whether the psychological mechanisms that accompany the act of throwing are also uniquely human. Here we explore this problem by asking whether free-ranging rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), which lack both the morphological and neural structures to throw, nonetheless recognize the functional properties of throwing. Rhesus not only understand that human throwing represents a threat, but that some aspects of a throwing event are more relevant than others; specifically, rhesus are sensitive to the kinematics, direction and speed of the rotating arm, the direction of the thrower's eye gaze and the object thrown. These results suggest that the capacity to throw did not coevolve with psychological mechanisms that accompany throwing; rather, this capacity may have built upon pre-existing perceptual processes. These results are consistent with a growing body of work showing that non-human animals often exhibit perceptual competencies that do not show up in their motor responses, suggesting evolutionary dissociations between the systems of perception that provide understanding of the world and those that mediate action on the world.     

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry assay for quantification of Gluten Exorphin B5 in cerebrospinal fluid

A sensitive, precise and accurate method for the quantification of the alimentary opioid peptide Gluten Exorphin B5 (GE-B5, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Trp-Leu) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was developed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Aliquots (10 microL) of sheep CSF were injected into a LC-MS instrument equipped with a reversed-phase C12 column at a flow rate of 250 microL/min. The mobile phase consisted of Eluent A water with 0.01% acetic acid as an ion-pairing reagent, and Eluent B acetonitrile. The LC-MS system was programmed to divert column flow to waste for 3.5 min after injection, after which time flow was directed into the mass spectrometer that operated in positive ion mode. DADLE (Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe-D-Leu) was used as Internal Standard. No significant interfering peaks were detected at the retention times of GE-B5 in CSF blanks. The calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.39-78.00 ng/mL. The lower limit of detection and the lower limit of quantitation values for GE-B5 in CSF were established at 0.30 and 0.78 ng/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day precision values were <12% relative standard deviation. The intra-day and inter-day accuracy were 99.46-100.86% and 98.95-100.02%, respectively. Recovery of GE-B5 in CSF samples was greater than 80%. Stability studies indicate that GE-B5 in CSF undergoes significant degradation (>55% after 600 min), which is reduced by the addition of protease inhibitors. This is the first reported method for the quantification of GE-B5 in CSF.