A mutation causing pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 identifies a conserved glycine that is involved in the gating of the epithelial sodium channel.

Pseudohypoaldosteronism type 1 (PHA-1) is an inherited disease characterized by severe neonatal salt-wasting and caused by mutations in subunits of the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). A missense mutation (G37S) of the human ENaC beta subunit that causes loss of ENaC function and PHA-1 replaces a glycine that is conserved in the N-terminus of all members of the ENaC gene family. We now report an investigation of the mechanism of channel inactivation by this mutation. Homologous mutations, introduced into alpha, beta or gamma subunits, all significantly reduce macroscopic sodium channel currents recorded in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Quantitative determination of the number of channel molecules present at the cell surface showed no significant differences in surface expression of mutant compared with wild-type channels. Single channel conductances and ion selectivities of the mutant channels were identical to that of wild-type. These results suggest that the decrease in macroscopic Na currents is due to a decrease in channel open probability (P(o)), suggesting that mutations of a conserved glycine in the N-terminus of ENaC subunits change ENaC channel gating, which would explain the disease pathophysiology. Single channel recordings of channels containing the mutant alpha subunit (alphaG95S) directly demonstrate a striking reduction in P(o). We propose that this mutation favors a gating mode characterized by short-open and long-closed times. We suggest that determination of the gating mode of ENaC is a key regulator of channel activity.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Agrobacterium</Emphasis>-mediated transformation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hyacinthus orientalis</Emphasis> with thaumatin II gene to control fungal diseases

Transgenic plants of hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis L.) cvs. Edisson and Chine Pink have been obtained by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Leaf explants of the both hyacinth cultivars regenerated shoots on MS medium containing 2.2 μM BAP and 0.3 μM NAA at a frequency of 95%. A. tumefaciens strain CBE21 carrying binary vector pBIThau35 was used for transformation. Plasmid pBIThau35 has been produced by cloning preprothaumatin II cDNA into pBI121 instead of uidA gene. Inoculated leaf explants formed calli and shoots at high frequency on selective medium with 100 mg l⁻¹ kanamycin. Four hyacinth transgenic lines of cv. Chine Pink and one line of cv. Edisson have been selected on medium containing 200 mg l⁻¹ kanamycin. The insertion of thaumatin II gene into hyacinth genome has been confirmed by PCR-analysis. All transgenic plants expressed substantial amounts of thaumatin II (between 0.06 and 0.28% of the total soluble protein). Hyacinth transgenic lines were assayed for resistance to the pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum and Botrytis cinerea. There were no significant differences between nontransformed control and transgenic leaves of both cultivars. At the same time the bulbs of the transgenic line Н7401 cv. Chine Pink showed the higher level of resistance to B. cinerea, the bulbs of the transgenic line Н7404 were more resistant to F. culmorum. In both cases the signs of the fungal disease were developed more slowly. The resistance of the bulbs cv. Edisson line to these fungi was not changed. All transgenic hyacinth plant were successfully transferred to soil for further evaluation.     

Hypotension caused by intravenous infusion of rifampicin and its relation to the administration schedule

It was shown in studies on animals that bolus administration of rifampicin induced hypotension whose severity depended on the rate of the antibiotic administration. When the antibiotic was administered in the 5-, 10- or 15-minute regimen in a dose of 10 mg/kg the maximum decrease in blood pressure was 44, 34 or 21% of the initial level and the maximum antibiotic concentration attained in the blood was 34.4, 27.2 or 22.6 micrograms/ml, respectively. With the infusion for 30 minutes, the maximum antibiotic concentration in the blood was 17.6 micrograms/ml and the blood pressure did not undergo any significant changes. When the rate of the antibiotic infusion was high there was pharmacokinetic heterogeneity of the blood serum and biophase which could lead to unpredictable results. After repeated administrations of rifampicin to the same animals pronounced tachyphylaxis to the antibiotic was noted, which manifested itself in decreasing of hypotension, though the serum antibiotic level was 1.5 to 2 times higher that the initial one. It was concluded that administration of rifampicin in the therapeutic dose equal to 10 mg/kg for 30 minutes was the most sparing regimen for the antibiotic bolus intravenous infusion. Gradual increase in the antibiotic dose and administration rate in patients is possible under careful control of blood pressure and pharmacokinetic studies.     

Relationship between nephrotixic effect of gentamicin and streptomycin and their blood levels in laboratory animals]

A principle of studying the nephrotoxic properties of drugs under conditions of maintaining their constant levels in the blood and dynamic registration of the nitrogen levels in the urea followed by histological examination of the kidney is proposed. Correlation between the levels of gentamicin and streptomycin in the cat blood during 4-hour infusion and the level of the nephrotoxic effect was found, gentamicin being much more toxic than streptomycin.     

Erythromycin pharmacokinetics in children after rectal and oral administration

Pharmacokinetics of erythromycin base was studied clinically in children not older than 14 years treated with new children dosage forms of the antibiotic i. e. 0.1 and 0.25 g enteric coated tablets and 0.06 and 0.125 g suppositories. It was noted that the new dosage forms were characterized by higher availability which was 2.5-3 times higher than that after using the erythromycin base tablets without the coating. Systematic increasing of erythromycin availability after the use of the rectal suppositories was observed with increasing of the children age. Absolute absorption in newborns, sucklings and children over 1 year amounted to 28, 36 and 54 per cent respectively.     

Crystal structure of glucoamylase from Aspergillus awamori var. X100 to 2.2-A resolution.

The crystal structure of a catalytically active fragment of glucoamylase-I from Aspergillus awamori var. X100 has been determined to a resolution of 2.2 A. Twelve of its 13 alpha-helices are arranged into an "alpha/alpha-barrel." An inner core of six mutually parallel alpha-helices are connected to each other through a peripheral set of six alpha-helices. The peripheral helices are parallel to each other, but approximately antiparallel to the inner core of alpha-helices. The putative active site lies in the packing void of the inner set of helices. The last 30 residues of the enzyme comprise a separate domain containing 10 sites of O-glycosylation. Each instance of O-glycosylation involves a serine or threonine side chain linked to the alpha-anomer of a single mannosyl residue. The O-glycosylated domain is in an extended conformation, wrapping around the "waist" of the alpha/alpha-barrel. Two additional sites of N-glycosylation contribute well ordered glycosyl chains that lie in proximity to the belt of O-glycosylation. The model developed for glucoamylase is a rare and valuable structural example of a glycoprotein and an exo-acting amylolytic enzyme.     

A model for cleavage ofO-glycosidic bonds in glycoproteins

The present work investigated the possibility of cleavage of -linkages between mannose or galactose and serine/threonine residues by -mannosidase and -galactosidase. The study was carried out initially with model synthetic compounds imitating theO-glycosidic bond in glycoproteins, and further with glucoamylase. It was shown that -mannosidase and -galactosidase can hydrolyse these linkages after proteolytic digestion of glucosamylase.