Opiate receptors in mice: genetic differences.

The concentration of opiate receptors in the brains of mice was determined by means of a naloxone-binding assay. The strains of mice used in these experiments were C57BL/6By, BALB/cBy, their reciprocal F₁ hybrids, and 7 recombinant-inbred strains derived by inbreeding from the F₂ generation. These strains could be divided into 3 groups on the basis of the number of opiate receptors: high (CXBH); low (CXBK); and intermediate (all the other strains). The difference in stereospecific binding of naloxone reflects a difference in the total number of receptor sites rather than in the affinity for the drug. The recombinantinbred strains also differ in their analgesic response to morphine, as previously determined by the tail-flick assay. The differences in the number of opiate receptors are not enough to account for the genetic difference in analgesic responsiveness. Both these parameters appear to be under different genetic control, and at least 2 genetic determinants may be involved in regulating the level of opiate receptors.     

Structural organization of cholera toxin gene and its expression in an environmental non-pathogenic strain ofVibrio cholerae

Non-pathogenic, environmental strain ofVibrio cholerae, ELTOR Ogawa EW6 carries a copy of the cholera toxin gene in its chromosome. Restriction enzyme digestion followed by Southern blot analysis revealed that the structure of the cholera toxin gene in this organism is different from that found in the virulent strains. The xbaI site which has been found to be conserved in the cholera toxin of the virulent strains examined so far, is absent here. Results of the RNA dot blot analysis indicated that the cholera toxin gene in EW6 is transcribed much less efficiently compared to the cholera toxin gene present in the virulent strainVibrio cholerae classical Inaba 569B.     

Evidence for negative regulation of T cell growth by low affinity interleukin 2 receptors

Two experimental situations have been studied, and the results provide evidence for a negative regulatory role for the low affinity interleukin 2 receptor (LA-IL 2R). The IL 2-dependent T helper cell line L-14, deprived of IL 2, becomes quiescent and expresses comparable numbers of high affinity IL 2R (HA-IL 2R) and LA-IL 2R. After activation by recombinant IL 2, this cell line preferentially expresses LA-IL 2R. The IL 2 responsiveness of the L-14 cell line was found to vary according to the ratio of LA-IL 2R to HA-IL 2R: the relative predominance of the LA-IL 2R coincides with a hyporeactivity of cells to IL 2. In contrast, a predominance of HA-IL 2R is accompanied by an increase in cellular IL 2 reactivity. Treatment of three IL 2-dependent T cell lines (L-14, HT-2, and C30.1) with limited amounts of recombinant IL 2 and moderate concentrations of anti-IL 2R monoclonal antibodies stimulates T cell growth. This treatment was shown to selectively diminish the expression of membrane LA-IL 2R. The stimulation was attributed to the decrease of expression of LA-IL 2R.     

Unusual sequence element found at the end of an amplicon.

In a polyomavirus-transformed rat cell line, designated LPT, the polyomavirus DNA is integrated into a single chromosomal site. Treatment of LPT cells with carcinogens induces amplification of the integrated virus DNA and flanking cellular sequences. We show that the amplification is arrested within a specific cell DNA segment that maps 1.3 to 1.85 kilobases beyond one virus-cell DNA junction, defined as the left junction. We also present the sequence of an 897-base-pair fragment spanning the arrest site. This fragment contains an unusual sequence element, which consists of two contiguous components, a potential cruciform with stems of 6 base pairs and a d(G-A)27 X d(T-C)27 tract, and maps 1,497 to 1,564 nucleotides beyond the left junction. The possibility that this unusual sequence plays a role in the arrest of the amplification process is discussed.     

Cloning and DNA sequence of plasmid determinant iss, coding for increased serum survival and surface exclusion, which has homology with lambda DNA

Summary Escherichia coli K12 cells carrying a cloned 1.4 kb HindIII fragment from plasmid ColV2-K94, showed increased survival in guinea pig serum. The recombinant plasmid also conferred group II surface exclusion, i.e. the cells were reduced in recipient ability towards the incoming plasmid R538drd in conjugation experiments. Southern blotting suggested homology with bacteriophage lambda DNA and to the insertion element IS2. Determination of the DNA sequence of the fragment demonstrated the presence of a truncated IS2 (165 bp), separated by 250 bp from a 900 bp stretch of homology with lambda DNA, beginning within the Rz gene and continuing in the rightward direction on the lambda map. A 97 amino acid open reading frame (ORF) adjacent to Rz and on the opposite strand, remained intact in iss, with several amino acid changes. The ORF in iss is preceded by sequences resembling prokaryotic ribosome binding sites and promoters.     

Characterization of the soluble murine IL-2R and estimation of its affinity for IL-2

IL-2 induces cells of the cytotoxic T cell line C30.1 to express large numbers of membrane IL-2R (mIL-2R). At the height of activation, these cells also release a soluble form of IL-2R (sIL-2R). Using either crude supernatant or a semi-purified preparation of sIL-2R obtained by affinity chromatography, studies were performed to characterize murine sIL-2R. Its m.w. was determined by both gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. The affinity of sIL-2R for a panel of mAb known to recognize different epitopes of mIL-2R (p55 subunit) was assessed by saturation and competition experiments. The relationship between the various epitopes was studied by cross-inhibition experiments. The data suggest that sIL-2R and mIL-2R (p55 subunit) are structurally similar. The ability of sIL-2R to bind IL-2 was assessed by measuring the dissociation and the inhibition constant of the molecule for IL-2. Both values coincide and indicate that the affinity of sIL-2R for IL-2 is at least 10-fold lower than the that of low affinity mIL-2R. The biologic implications of these findings are discussed.