Phylogeography of the leaf beetle Chrysolina virgata in wetlands of Japan inferred from the distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes

The genetic differentiation among populations of the leaf beetle Chrysolina virgata living in wetlands of Japan was studied based on the sequence data of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene region (750 bp). Two distinct lineages of mitochondrial haplotypes were found: one (clade A) consisted of 26 haplotypes distributed over the distribution range of C. virgata between north‐east Honshu and Kyushu, whereas the other (clade B) was monotypic and confined to a small region in north‐east Honshu where it coexisted with clade A. Nested clade analysis for these haplotypes suggested that range expansion and following differentiation due to isolation by distance might have resulted in the present distribution pattern of the haplotypes in clade A. We discuss the evolutionary process leading to the occurrence of two distinct haplotype clades in Japan in terms of repeated colonization from the continent and range expansion and contraction during climatic changes.     

Decrease of palmitoyl-CoA elongation in platelets and leukocytes in the patient of hereditary methemoglobinemia associated with mental retardation

Effect of the deficiency of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase on fatty acid elongation was studied in the platelets and leukocytes taken from a patient of hereditary methemoglobinemia associated with mental retardation. The activity of fatty acid elongation was determined by measuring the incorporation of [2-14C]malonyl-CoA into palmitoyl-CoA. The de novo biosynthesis of fatty acids was blocked by the addition of phosphotransacetylase, and the elongation system could be assayed in the homogenates separated from de novo biosynthesis. As compared to normal subjects approximately 40% decrease of fatty acid elongation was observed both in the platelets and leukocytes from the patient.     

Effect of oleic acid on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in rat brain slices

We tested the effect of oleic acid on oxidative phosphorylation and free fatty acid composition in rat brain slices simultaneously to investigate the relationship between the change in respiratory control ratio and the uptake of oleic acid in the brain mitochondria. The uncoupling of mitochondria was observed when the ratio of oleic acid to stearic acid in the free fatty acid fraction was nearly doubled, but was not recovered even by the addition of fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin. The data suggest that the intactness of oxidative phosphorylation of brain mitochondria is maintained by the precise control of the free fatty acid composition in the mitochondrial membranes.     

Effect of oleic acid on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase activity

Both Km and Vmax values of cytochrome c oxidase for cytochrome c were elevated in oleic acid-incorporated mitochondria, whereas the amount of oleic acid incorporated into submitochondrial particles was smaller than that into mitochondria and the fatty acid had little effect on the enzyme activity. The degree of change in the bulk membrane fluidity was, however, almost the same in mitochondria and submitochondrial particles. Solubilized cytochrome c oxidase was insensitive to the effect of oleic acid. Oleic acid may act as a modifier of the interaction between cytochrome c oxidase and membrane lipids.     

Inhibitory effect of very-long-chain monounsaturated fatty-acyl-CoAs on the elongation of long-chain fatty acid in swine cerebral microsomes

Characteristics of condensation and overall elongation of very-long-chain fatty-acyl-CoAs in swine cerebral microsomes were studied using radio high-performance liquid chromatography (RHPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The monounsaturated fatty-acyl-CoA depressed both the condensation and overall elongation activities of endogenous substrates and also of exogenous saturated fatty-acyl-CoA. The extent of the decrease of the elongation activity was dependent on the concentration and the chain length of the exogenous fatty-acyl-CoAs. The dependence of the condensation activity of monounsaturated fatty-acyl-CoA on the concentration of malonyl-CoA suggested that the non-Michaelis-Menten type kinetics was dominant for oleoyl-CoA, however, a normal kinetic pattern was obtained for endogenous palmitoyl-CoA and arachidonoyl-CoA with Km = 37 microM to malonyl-CoA. The condensation activity for icosanoyl-CoA (20:0-CoA) was inhibited by icosenoyl-CoA (20:1-CoA) in a non-competitive manner, which suggested that the condensation enzyme, or at least the active center of the enzyme for icosenoyl-CoA, was different from that for icosanoyl-CoA.     

Purification and characterization of a senile amyloid-related antigenic substance (apoSASSAM) from mouse serum. apoSASSAM is an apoA-II apolipoprotein of mouse high density lipoproteins

Two putative serum precursors which cross-react with antiserum against murine senile amyloid protein (ASSAM) were isolated from the high density lipoprotein (HDL) of normal mouse serum. Apolipoproteins designated "apoSASSAM-1" and "apoSASSAM-2" have the same molecular weight as tissue amyloid fibril protein. ApoSASSAM-1 and apoSASSAM-2 migrate to an intermediate position between apoA-I and apoC on alkaline-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and are present mainly in HDL apoproteins and to a slight extent in very low density lipoprotein apoproteins when compared to apoC. ApoSASSAM-1 and apoSASSAM-2 are polymorphic; there are two apparent isoproteins of apoSASSAM-1 with isoelectric points of 4.72 and 4.79 and two major isoproteins of apo-SASSAM-2. Subunit bands of ASSAM separated by alkaline-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and that migrated to the same positions as apoSASSAM-1 and apoSASSAM-2 were labeled by anti-apoSASSAM-1 antiserum. The amino acid compositions of apoSASSAM-1 and apoSASSAM-2 were much the same and closely resembled those of ASSAM and mouse apoA-II. Sequence analysis of apoSASSAM and ASSAM revealed a blocked amino terminus. ApoSASSAM is considered to be a mouse apoA-II and probably transforms to amyloid fibril "ASSAM" in tissues through a process yet to be clarified.     

Structure and antitumor activity of an alkali-soluble polysaccharide from Cordyceps ophioglossoides

A water-insoluble extracellular glucan (CO-1) was isolated from the precipitate formed on incubation of the culture filtrate of Cordyceps ophioglossoides at 37 degrees for 19 h. CO-1 was homogeneous as judged by h.p.l.c., electrophoresis, and ultracentrifugation, and the average molecular weight was determined by h.p.l.c. to be 632,000. The 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. and the i.r. spectra indicated that the glucosidic linkages in CO-1 were beta. From the results of methylation analysis, Smith degradation, n.m.r. studies, and enzymic hydrolysis, it was concluded that CO-1 is composed of a backbone of (1----3)-linked beta-D-glucopyranosyl residues with a beta-D-glucopyranosyl group attached to O-6 of every second D-glucopyranosyl residue of the backbone. CO-1 strongly inhibited the growth of Sarcoma 180 solid-type tumor. CO-1 polyalcohol, which was prepared by Smith degradation of CO-1, exhibited more-potent antitumor activity than CO-1. The absorption maximum of Congo Red shifted significantly in the presence of CO-1.