Acute effects of aflatoxin B1 on tRNA methylase function.

Transfer RNA methylase activity and capacity were measured in relation to the acute effects of aflatoxin B₁ on rat liver. Dose-independent methylase activity was elevated approx. 40% within 3 days after dosing, and gradually declined towards control values over a 3-week period. Transfer RNA methylase capacity, in contrast, exhibited a linear dose-response relationship with values elevated as much as 100% over control levels.     

Orthologous gene-expression profiling in multi-species models: search for candidate genes

Microarray-driven gene-expression profiles are generally produced and analyzed for a single specific experimental model. We have assessed an analytical approach that simultaneously evaluates multi-species experimental models within a particular biological condition using orthologous genes as linkers for the various Affymetrix microarray platforms on multi-species models of ventilator-associated lung injury. The results suggest that this approach may be a useful tool in the evaluation of biological processes of interest and selection of process-related candidate genes.     

Physiological Heterothallism and Sexuality in Euascomycetes: A Partial History

Copyright 1998 Academic Press.     

Maintenance of perpetual synchrony in HeLa suspension cultures: Question of unbalanced growth

Unbalanced growth has been studied in HeLa cell cultures maintained in perpetual division synchrony by periodic inhibition of DNA synthesis. Observation of eight independent cellular parameters indicates that once synchrony has been established the degree of unbalanced growth in later cycles is not as great as is observed with the conventional “double-block” technique. This significant diminution of unbalanced growth appears to be related to the significantly shorter periods of inhibition of DNA synthesis used in the resynchronization process.     

Behavior of subcellular marker enzymes during the Hela cell cycle

Six enzymes associated with the activities of the nucleus (thymidine kinase), mitochondria (succinate dehydrogenase), lysosomes (acid phosphatase), peroxisomes (catalase), (cytosol lactate dehydrogenase), and the intermembranal mitochondrial space (alkaline DNase) were assayed at 2 hr intervals over the division cycle of repetitively resynchronized HeLa cells. The results indicated a high degree of reproductibility for cells synchronized by the method of perpetual resynchronization and may be of direct use to those interested in subcellular organellogenesis.     

Resistance of heparinase-derived heparin fragments to biotransformation

The biotransformation of heparinase-derived heparin fragments was examined via a combined approach using 35S-labeled heparin fragments as well as unlabeled chemically defined heparin fragments. Rats dosed with either [35S]di-, tetra-, hexa-, or octasaccharide fragments (2 mg/kg body weight, intravenously) excreted 63-69% of the injected radioactivity into the urine within 24 h with two-thirds being excreted during the first 6 h. Gel permeation chromatography of the urinary material shows that the tetra- and octasaccharides have undergone minor (approximately 5%) depolymerization whereas no change was observed for the di- and hexasaccharides. No N-desulfation was demonstrated for any of the substances. The hexa- and octasaccharide metabolites present in the urine 24 h after dosing exhibited the same antifactor Xa activity as that of the injected material. A chemically defined trisulfated disaccharide and a hexasulfated tetrasaccharide were prepared and dosed in a similar manner. Only one metabolite was recovered from animals dosed with disaccharide. This compound was characterized by anion exchange chromatography, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and mass spectrometry and shown to be identical to the injected disaccharide. Five metabolites were isolated from the urine of rats dosed with the hexasulfated tetrasaccharide. The major metabolite, consisting of at least 65% of the total, was characterized as described for the disaccharide and shown to be identical to the injected compound. The remaining material appeared to be disaccharides and, possibly, a tetrasaccharide conjugate. Taken together, our results show that the heparinase-derived heparin fragments are very resistant to biotransformation compared with heparin and endogenous heparin fragments. These fragments may therefore be useful in defining structure activity relationships in vivo.     

Effect of Aflatoxin B(1) on Cell Cultures.

Gabliks, J. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge), W. Schaeffer, L. Friedman, and G. Wogan. Effect of aflatoxin B(1) on cell cultures. J. Bacteriol. 90:720-723. 1965.-Aflatoxin B(1), a metabolite of the mold Aspergillus flavus, is toxic to cell cultures. The toxic effect is evidenced by an inhibition of growth followed by progressive granulation, rounding, and finally sloughing of the cells from the glass. In studies with embryonated eggs, duck embryos were found to be four to five times more susceptible than chick embryos. In studies on Chang liver cultures, there were decreases in cell number, protein, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) per culture with increasing aflatoxin B(1) concentrations. Since the cell number decreased and the protein, RNA, and DNA content per cell increased with increasing concentrations of aflatoxin, enlarged cells were suggested. These data are consistent with in vivo data of other workers who have found hypertrophic cells with enlarged nuclei in histological studies on the tissues of rats and ducklings fed toxic peanut meal.