Protein damage by photoproducts of merocyanine 540.

Exposure of certain photoactive dyes to light prior to their use in biological systems (preactivation) has been shown to result in formation of long-lived cytotoxic photoproducts. The cytotoxic species responsible for the biological activity of preactivated merocyanine 540 (pMC540) appears to be a hydroperoxide generated by oxidation of ground-state dye by singlet molecular oxygen, formed via energy transfer from triplet excited-state dye to oxygen. A positive correlation (r = .93) exists between the levels of hydroperoxides and percent of tumor cells killed upon exposure to pMC540. Exposure of bovine serum albumin (BSA) (0.5 mg/mL) to pMC540 (0.2 mg/mL-1 mg/mL) results in loss of tryptophan fluorescence and 345 nm emission, suggesting a probable role of either hydroxyl (.OH) or .OH + superoxide (O2-). Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicates fragmentation of treated BSA. Aggregation of pMC540-treated BSA is not detected. Bityrosine production is not observed. A dose-dependent decrease in BSA solubility is observed in treated samples, suggesting an increase in hydrophobicity. Amino acid analysis of BSA treated with pMC540 shows loss of some amino acids residues. The data presented here suggest that photoproducts of MC540 derived via the process of preactivation may mediate their effect (at least in part) by reactive oxygen species.     

Molecular cloning of tomato pectin methylesterase gene and its expression in rutgers, ripening inhibitor, nonripening, and never ripe tomato fruits

We have purified pectin methylesterase (PME; EC 3.1.11) from mature green (MG) tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv Rutgers) pericarp to an apparent homogeneity, raised antibodies to the purified protein, and isolated a PME cDNA clone from a λgtll expression library constructed from MG pericarp poly(A)⁺ RNA. Based on DNA sequencing, the PME cDNA clone isolated in the present study is different from that cloned earlier from cv Ailsa Craig (J Ray et al. [1989] Eur J Biochem 174:119-124). PME antibodies and the cDNA clone are used to determine changes in PME gene expression in developing fruits from normally ripening cv Rutgers and ripening-impaired mutants ripening inhibitor (rin), nonripening (nor), and never ripe (Nr). In Rutgers, PME mRNA is first detected in 15-day-old fruit, reaches a steady-state maximum between 30-day-old fruit and MG stage, and declines thereafter. PME activity is first detectable at day 10 and gradually increases until the turning stage. The increase in PME activity parallels an increase in PME protein; however, the levels of PME protein continue to increase beyond the turning stage while PME activity begins to decline. Patterns of PME gene expression in nor and Nr fruits are similar to the normally ripening cv Rutgers. However, the rin mutation has a considerable effect on PME gene expression in tomato fruits. PME RNA is not detectable in rin fruits older than 45 days and PME activity and protein begin showing a decline at the same time. Even though PME activity levels comparable to 25-day-old fruit were found in root tissue of normal plants, PME protein and mRNA are not detected in vegetative tissues using PME antibodies and cDNA as probes. Our data suggest that PME expression in tomato pericarp is highly regulated during fruit development and that mRNA synthesis and stability, protein stability, and delayed protein synthesis influence the level of PME activity in developing fruits.     

mtDNA diversity in rhesus monkeys reveals overestimates of divergence time and paraphyly with neighboring species

Reconstructions of the human-African great ape phylogeny by using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been subject to considerable debate. One confounding factor may be the lack of data on intraspecific variation. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of intraspecific mtDNA diversity on the phylogenetic reconstruction of another Plio- Pleistocene radiation of higher primates, the fascicularis group of macaque (Macaca) monkey species. Fifteen endonucleases were used to identify 10 haplotypes of 40-47 restriction sites in M. mulatta, which were compared with similar data for the other members of this species group. Interpopulational, intraspecific mtDNA diversity was large (0.5%- 4.5%), and estimates of divergence time and branching order incorporating this variation were substantially different from those based on single representatives of each species. We conclude that intraspecific mtDNA diversity is substantial in at least some primate species. Consequently, without prior information on the extent of genetic diversity within a particular species, intraspecific variation must be assessed and accounted for when reconstructing primate phylogenies. Further, we question the reliability of hominoid mtDNA phylogenies, based as they are on one or a few representatives of each species, in an already depauperate superfamily of primates.      

An Antisense Pectin Methylesterase Gene Alters Pectin Chemistry and Soluble Solids in Tomato Fruit

Pectin methylesterase (PME, EC 3.1.11) demethoxylates pectins and is believed to be involved in degradation of pectic cell wall components by polygalacturonase in ripening tomato fruit. We have introduced antisense and sense chimeric PME genes into tomato to elucidate the role of PME in fruit development and ripening. Fruits from transgenic plants expressing high levels of antisense PME RNA showed <10% of wild-type PME enzyme activity and undetectable levels of PME protein and mRNA. Lower PME enzyme activity in fruits from transgenic plants was associated with an increased molecular weight and methylesterification of pectins and decreased levels of total and chelator soluble polyuronides in cell walls. The fruits of transgenic plants also contained higher levels of soluble solids than wild-type fruits. This trait was maintained in subsequent generations and segregated in normal Mendelian fashion with the antisense PME gene. These results indicate that reduction in PME enzyme activity in ripening tomato fruits had a marked influence on fruit pectin metabolism and increased the soluble solids content of fruits, but did not interfere with the ripening process.     

Evaluation of creatinine phosphokinase in screening patients for malignant hyperpyrexia.

Evidence is presented that serum creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) activity is of no direct value in screening patients for susceptibility to malignant hyperpyrexia and does not correlate with halothane-induced muscle contracture or the presence of myopathy. Widely differing CPK values were found at different times in the same people. In most "malignant hyperpyrexia" families the susceptible patients had either normal or inconsistently raised CPK values.     

Variation in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers and 5.8S rDNA among five species of Acropora (Cnidaria; Scleractinia): patterns of variation consistent with reticulate evolution

The ITS sequences of Acropora spp. are the shortest so far identified in any metazoan and are among the shortest seen in eukaryotes; ITS1 was 70-80 bases, and ITS2 was 100-112 bases. The ITS sequences were also highly variable, but base composition and secondary structure prediction indicate that divergent sequence variants are unlikely to be pseudogenes. The pattern of variation was unusual in several other respects: (1) two distinct ITS2 types were detected in both A. hyacinthus and A. cytherea, species known to hybridize in vitro with high success rates, and a putative intermediate ITS2 form was also detected in A. cytherea; (2) A. valida was found to contain highly (29%) diverged ITS1 variants; and (3) A. longicyathus contained two distinct 5.8S rDNA types. These data are consistent with a reticulate evolutionary history for the genus Acropora.