Human papillomavirus type 18 DNA is integrated at a single chromosome site in cervical carcinoma cell line SW756.

SW756, a cervical carcinoma cell line, has multiple copies of human papillomavirus type 18 DNA sequences. The integration site of human papillomavirus type 18 DNA was localized by in situ hybridization to chromosome 12 at band q13. This single integration site corresponds to a heritable fragile site, which may have facilitated the integration of the viral DNA.     

Chromosome distribution of intracisternal A-particle sequences in the Syrian hamster and mouse

Metaphase chromosomes of Syrian hamster and BALB/c mice were hybridized in situ with radiolabeled probes derived from cloned intracisternal A-particle (IAP) genes of the corresponding species. The DNAs of these species are known to contain about 900 and 1,000 copies, respectively, of the retrovirus-like IAP sequence elements per haploid genome. Multiple IAP sequences were found on all chromosomes of both hamster and mouse. In the hamster, more than half of the IAP sequences were located in regions of non-centromeric constitutive heterochromatin, at an average concentration per unit chromosome length 5 times greater than in the euchromatic regions. The other dispersed sequences showed marked local variations in concentration along the chromosome lengths; both discrete foci and large grain clusters were observed as well as regions apparently lacking IAP sequences. Within the resolution of the techniques, IAP sequences appeared to be more evenly distributed over the mouse chromosomes; however, some prominent variations in concentration were seen. The number of potentially active IAP genes in the Syrian hamster, and by extension in the mouse, may be restricted by the preferential location of IAP sequences in genetically inert regions of the genome.     

Comparative effectiveness of lymphotoxin anticarcinogenic and tumor cell growth-inhibitory activities

Prevention of ultraviolet radiation- or chemical carcinogen-induced morphologic transformation and inhibition of tumor-producing transformed cell growth by lymphotoxin and by normal spleen leukocytes were quantitatively compared to define the antineoplastic activity spectra of these natural immune mediators. When Syrian golden hamster embryo cells seeded for colony formation in culture dishes were treated simultaneously with carcinogen and lymphotoxin, the number of morphologically transformed cell colonies was irreversibly reduced by 50% in the presence of 6 units of lymphotoxin/ml. Lymphotoxin inhibition of tumor cell growth, however, was reversible and 50% reduction in tumor cell growth in three transformed lines required 124, 330, and 477 units/ml. Thus, the anticarcinogenic activity of lymphotoxin can be 20-fold or more greater than its tumor growth-inhibitory activity. Similarly spleen leukocytes also were more effective as an anticarcinogen than as an inhibitor of tumor cell growth, consistent with previous observations that naturally occurring spleen leukocyte antineoplastic activity may result from lymphotoxin secretion.     

Ultraviolet mutagenesis of normal and xeroderma pigmentosum variant human fibroblasts

The mutabilities of normal and xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XP4BE) human fibroblasts by ultraviolet light (UV) were compared under conditions of maximum expression of the 6-thioguanine resistance (TGr) phenotype. Selection was with 20 micrograms TG/ml on populations reseeded at various times after irradiation. Approx. 6--12 days (4--8 population doublings), depending on the UV dose, were necessary for complete expression. The induced mutation frequencies were linear functions of the UV dose but the slope of the line for normal cells extrapolated to zero induced mutants at 3 J/m2. The postreplication repair-defective XP4BE cells showed a higher frequency of TGr colonies than normal fibroblasts when compared at equal UV doses or at equitoxic treatments. The induced frequency of TGr colonies was not a linear function of the logarithm of survival for either cell type. Instead, the initial slope decreased to a constant slope for survivals less than about 50%. The UV doses and induced mutation frequencies corresponding to 37% survival of cloning abilities were 6.7 J/m2 and 6.2 X 10(-5), respectively, for normal cells and 3.75 J/m2 and 17.3 X 10(-5) for the XP4BE cells. The lack of an observable increase in the mutant frequency for normal fibroblasts exposed to slightly lethal UV doses suggests that normal postreplication repair of UV-induced lesions is error-free (or nearly so) until a threshold dose is exceeded.     

Control of the carcinogenic potential of 99mTechnetium by the immunologic hormone lymphotoxin

Summary Immunologic prevention of the carcinogenicity of the diagnostic gamma-emitting radionuclide ^99mTechnetium (^99mTc) by lymphotoxin was evaluated using an in vivo-in vitro assay of carcinogenesis. Pregnant Syrian golden hamsters received 125–2,300 Ci ^99mTc/kg body weight by injection, and 7 days later colonies of morphologically transformed cells were quantitated in vitro. The transformation frequency increased directly with the radionuclide concentration, and cells derived from transformed colonies produced tumors in athymic nude mice. The total absorbed ^99mTc dose was 0.20 rad following injection of 250 Ci ^99mTc/kg hamster body weight; this compares with an exposure of 0.13 rad following injection of 143 Ci ^99mTc/kg body weight in humans. Intravenous injection of purified hamster lymphotoxin immediately after ^99mTc caused a dose-dependent reduction in the transformation frequency. Transformation was essentially completely prevented (97%) by injection of 8,000 U of lymphotoxin. Thus, the immune system, through the action of lymphotoxin, has the potential to prevent carcinogenesis induced by gamma-radiation from ^99mTc. This emphasizes the importance of considering the recipient's immune and other homeostatic mechanisms as part of a complete diagnostic or therapeutic gamma-radiation regimen.     

Requirement for Cell Dispersion Prior to Selection of Induced Azaguanine-Resistant Colonies of Chinese Hamster Cells

With V79 Chinese hamster cell cultures treated with a mutagen, the maximum frequency of colonies resistant to 8-azaguanine (AZG) was attained when the cells were dispersed after a suitable expression time before adding the selection medium. V79–4 cells were exposed to 500 µM MMS, 7 µM AFAA, or 10 µM MNNG and allowed to multiply before being reseeded at 4 x 10⁴ cells/60 mm dish and selected with 10 µg/ml AZG. Maximum frequencies of 4 x 10^-5, 4 x 10^-4, and 2.4 x 10^-3 were obtained about 100, 130, and 200 hrs after exposure to MMS, AFAA, and MNNG, respectively. The maximum frequencies following MMS or MNNG treatments were about 10-fold greater than those obtained when induction and selection of AZG-resistant colonies were performed in the same culture dish. The reseeding of treated cells eliminated the possibility of metabolic cooperation within mosaic colonies of wild-type and mutant cells and achieved expression of the induced changes before intercolony crossfeeding reduced the frequency of resistant colonies.—AZG-resistant colonies were selected in medium containing dialyzed fetal bovine serum, and the selection medium was replaced at least twice. Both serum dialysis and selection medium replacement were necessary for consistent achievement of background frequencies of resistant colonies near 10^-6. Reconstruction experiments with AZG-resistant V79 lines showed that the efficiency of recovery of resistant cells in the selection medium was constant over a range of 0–20 colonies observed/dish. A mixed population of V79 and AZG-resistant cells was also correctly analyzed by the procedure used in mutagenesis studies.     

中国西北沙漠夜间活动的东鳖甲属昆虫二新种(鞘翅目:拟步甲科:漠甲亚科)

记述中国西北地区东鳖甲属2新种:巴丹东鳖甲A.badainica Ba,Ren&Liu sp.nov.和古尔班东鳖甲A.gurbantunggutica Ba&Ren sp.nov.,提供了主要鉴别特征和形态图,并简要讨论了其昼夜活动规律.     

Haemosporidian Parasites of Antelopes and Other Vertebrates from Gabon,Central Africa

Re-examination, using molecular tools, of the diversity of haemosporidian parasites (among which the agents of human malaria are the best known) has generally led to rearrangements of traditional classifications. In this study, we explored the diversity of haemosporidian parasites infecting vertebrate species (particularly mammals, birds and reptiles) living in the forests of Gabon (Central Africa), by analyzing a collection of 492 bushmeat samples. We found that samples from five mammalian species (four duiker and one pangolin species), one bird and one turtle species were infected by haemosporidian parasites. In duikers (from which most of the infected specimens were obtained), we demonstrated the existence of at least two distinct parasite lineages related to Polychromophilus species (i.e., bat haemosporidian parasites) and to sauropsid Plasmodium (from birds and lizards). Molecular screening of sylvatic mosquitoes captured during a longitudinal survey revealed the presence of these haemosporidian parasite lineages also in several Anopheles species, suggesting a potential role in their transmission. Our results show that, differently from what was previously thought, several independent clades of haemosporidian parasites (family Plasmodiidae) infect mammals and are transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes.     

Molecular basis of ion permeability in a voltage‐gated sodium channel

Voltage‐gated sodium channels are essential for electrical signalling across cell membranes. They exhibit strong selectivities for sodium ions over other cations, enabling the finely tuned cascade of events associated with action potentials. This paper describes the ion permeability characteristics and the crystal structure of a prokaryotic sodium channel, showing for the first time the detailed locations of sodium ions in the selectivity filter of a sodium channel. Electrostatic calculations based on the structure are consistent with the relative cation permeability ratios (Na⁺ ≈ Li⁺ ≫ K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺) measured for these channels. In an E178D selectivity filter mutant constructed to have altered ion selectivities, the sodium ion binding site nearest the extracellular side is missing. Unlike potassium ions in potassium channels, the sodium ions in these channels appear to be hydrated and are associated with side chains of the selectivity filter residues, rather than polypeptide backbones.