Free and polymerized tubulin in cultured bone cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells: the influence of cold and hormones

A low pH method of liposome-membrane fusion (Schneider et al., 1980, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 77:442) was used to enrich the mitochondrial inner membrane lipid bilayer 30-700% with exogenous phospholipid and cholesterol. By varying the phospholipid-to- cholesterol ratio of the liposomes it was possible to incorporate specific amounts of cholesterol (up to 44 mol %) into the inner membrane bilayer in a controlled fashion. The membrane surface area increased proportionally to the increase in total membrane bilayer lipid. Inner membrane enriched with phospholipid only, or with phospholipid plus cholesterol up to 20 mol %, showed randomly distributed intramembrane particles (integral proteins) in the membrane plane, and the average distance between intramembrane particles increased proportionally to the amount of newly incorporated lipid. Membranes containing between 20 and 27 mol % cholesterol exhibited small clusters of intramembrane particles while cholesterol contents above 27 mol % resulted in larger aggregations of intramembrane particles. In phospholipid-enriched membranes with randomly dispersed intramembrane particles, electron transfer activities from NADH- and succinate-dehydrogenase to cytochrome c decreased proportionally to the increase in distance between the particles. In contrast, these electron- transfer activities increased with decreasing distances between intramembrane particles brought about by cholesterol incorporation. These results indicate that (a) catalytically interacting redox components in the mitochondrial inner membrane such as the dehydrogenase complexes, ubiquinone, and heme proteins are independent, laterally diffusible components; (b) the average distance between these redox components is effected by the available surface area of the membrane lipid bilayer; and (c) the distance over which redox components diffuse before collision and electron transfer mediates the rate of such transfer.     

Effects of dnats genes on the replication of plasmids in Bacillus subtilis

An essential region (2.3 kb) for the replication of a low-copy-number plasmid, pBS-2, has been identified and cloned into plasmid pHV60 in Bacillus subtilis. The resultant plasmid, pKW1, and two other plasmids, pC194 (medium copy number) and pTP5 (high copy number), were examined by double radio-labelling and gel electrophoresis to determine which host functions are required for their replication in B. subtilis. Replication of pKW1 requires the functions of most dna genes, in particular dnaB, C, E, F, G and H; pC194 requires only dnaG and H; and pTP5 requires dnaE, F, G and H. Thus dnaG and dnaH are required for the replication of all three plasmids tested, even though each plasmid showed a different spectrum of dependency on other host functions. Because of its greater dependence on host functions and its low copy number, pKW1 should be a useful model with which to investigate the function of host genes in the replication of DNA in B. subtilis. pKW1 should also be a useful shuttle vector for cloning of genes in B. subtilis in cases when high gene dosage might be a problem.     

Energy-dependent formation of free ATP in yeast submitochondrial particles, and its stimulation by oligomycin

Yeast submitochondrial particles, in a P_i- and NADH-dependent reaction, produced low concentrations of free ATP in the absence of added ADP. This formation of free ATP, as measured by the luciferin-luciferase method, was strongly stimulated by oligomycin. For maximal stimulation, oligomycin was to be added not earlier than 5–10 min after the addition of NADH. Upon addition of antimycin or FCCP the system was completely inhibited. The amount of free ATP formed corresponded to one-third of the amount of bound ATP in submitochondrial particles. The stimulatory effect of oligomycin disappeared if the submitochondrial particles were spun down after oligomycin stimulation and then resuspended in the reaction medium, whereas submitochondrial particles with no oligomycin added initially were stimulated by oligomycin after the same procedure. A different picture emerged with addition of ADP. If the submitochondrial particles were preenergized with NADH in the presence of oligomycin before the addition of ADP the formation of free ATP upon subsequent addition of ADP was inhibited by oligomycin. In the presence of oligomycin, but lacking preenergization with NADH, a stimulation of free ATP formation was achieved with added ADP. A possible explanation for the stimulating effect of oligomycin on ATP formation in the absence of added ADP is that it enhances the release of bound ATP in an energy-requiring process. The release of only about one-third of the bound ATP could indicate that one of three nucleotide-binding subunits involved in the mechanism of ATP formation by ATP synthase is in a state suitable for such an energy-dependent release of ATP.     

Determinants of mRNA stability in Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae: differences in poly(A) tail length, ribosome loading, and mRNA size cannot account for the heterogeneity of mRNA decay rates.

As an approach to understanding the structures and mechanisms which determine mRNA decay rates, we have cloned and begun to characterize cDNAs which encode mRNAs representative of the stability extremes in the poly(A)+ RNA population of Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae. The cDNA clones were identified in a screening procedure which was based on the occurrence of poly(A) shortening during mRNA aging. mRNA half-lives were determined by hybridization of poly(A)+ RNA, isolated from cells labeled in a 32PO4 pulse-chase, to dots of excess cloned DNA. Individual mRNAs decayed with unique first-order decay rates ranging from 0.9 to 9.6 h, indicating that the complex decay kinetics of total poly(A)+ RNA in D. discoideum amoebae reflect the sum of the decay rates of individual mRNAs. Using specific probes derived from these cDNA clones, we have compared the sizes, extents of ribosome loading, and poly(A) tail lengths of stable, moderately stable, and unstable mRNAs. We found (i) no correlation between mRNA size and decay rate; (ii) no significant difference in the number of ribosomes per unit length of stable versus unstable mRNAs, and (iii) a general inverse relationship between mRNA decay rates and poly(A) tail lengths. Collectively, these observations indicate that mRNA decay in D. discoideum amoebae cannot be explained in terms of random nucleolytic events. The possibility that specific 3'-structural determinants can confer mRNA instability is suggested by a comparison of the labeling and turnover kinetics of different actin mRNAs. A correlation was observed between the steady-state percentage of a given mRNA found in polysomes and its degree of instability; i.e., unstable mRNAs were more efficiently recruited into polysomes than stable mRNAs. Since stable mRNAs are, on average, "older" than unstable mRNAs, this correlation may reflect a translational role for mRNA modifications that change in a time-dependent manner. Our previous studies have demonstrated both a time-dependent shortening and a possible translational role for the 3' poly(A) tracts of mRNA. We suggest, therefore, that the observed differences in the translational efficiency of stable and unstable mRNAs may, in part, be attributable to differences in steady-state poly(A) tail lengths.     

Dependence of magnetic resonance image (MRI) intensity values on relaxation times, pulse intervals and other signal attenuation factors

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) pixel intensities were investigated using a phantom containing several uniform size chambers filled with solutions of known relaxation times, as well as head scans of patients and volunteers. Intensities were measured with a variety of pulse intervals typically used for imaging with spin echo, (SE) and inversion recovery (IR) sequences at 0.15 Tesla using the back projection (R-THETA) method, and at 0.27 Tesla using the 2-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) technique. The results were compared with the calculated dependence of MRI signal intensity on relaxation times and pulse interval parameters using the well known functions containing exponential forms. The experimental and the calculated pixel intensity time dependence did not always agree. We infer that factors other than the conventional functions for T1 and T2 signal decay are important. These factors may include the attenuation of the radiofrequency (RF) signals through inhomogenious lossy dielectric materials (e.g., tissues and organs), the location (coordinate) of the portion of the sample to be imaged relative to the RF coils, and the timing and amplitude of gradient pulses relative to the RF input and the detected signals. The flow velocity and diffusions are also important determinants of the signal from blood vessels and body fluids. We point out the necessity for further investigation toward more comprehensive understanding of MRI intensities.     

Time course adaptations in rat skeletal muscle isomyosins during compensatory growth and regression

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the time course of change during both compensatory growth (hypertrophy) and subsequent growth regression on myosin isoform expression in rodent fast-twitch plantaris muscle in response to functional overload (induced by removal of synergists). Peak hypertrophy of the plantaris muscle (92%) occurred after 9 wk of overload. After 7 wk of overload regression (induced by a model of hindlimb unweighting), muscle weight returned to within 30% of control values. Myofibril protein content (mg/g muscle) remained relatively constant throughout the overload period but became significantly depressed relative to control values after 7 wk of regression. However, when expressed on a per muscle basis (mg/muscle) no differences existed at this time point (t = 7 wk regression). The distribution of native myosin isoforms in the myofibril protein pool of the overloaded plantaris muscle reflected a progressive increase (23% at t = 9 wk; P less than 0.001) in the relative proportion of slow myosin (Sm). This change was also accompanied by increases in intermediate myosin (Im) as well as the repression of the fast myosin one (Fm1) isoform (P less than 0.001). These shifts in Sm and Fm1 isoform expression were gradually reversed during the regression period, whereas Im remained elevated relative to control values. These adaptive changes in myosin isoform expression during both hypertrophy and regression were further supported by concomitant shifts in both myosin adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity (decreased during overload) and slow myosin light chain (SLC) expression. However, during regression the changes in myosin isoform expression and myosin ATPase were not as synchronous as they were during overload. Estimation of the mixed myosin heavy chain (MHC) half-life (t 1/2), using a linear model that assumes zero-order synthesis and first-order degradation kinetics, revealed t 1/2 values of approximately 19 and 10 days for the overload and regression periods, respectively. Collectively these data suggest that 1) skeletal muscle myosin isoforms and corresponding ATPase activity are in a dynamic state of change, although not completely synchronous, in response to altered muscle stress, and 2) the kinetics of change in the mixed MHC protein pool are slower during compensatory growth compared with regression of growth.     

Subunit composition of rodent isomyosins and their distribution in hindlimb skeletal muscles

Three adult skeletal muscle sarcomeric myosin heavy chain (MHC) genes have been identified in the rat, suggesting that the expressed native myosin isoforms can be differentiated, in part, on the basis of their MHC composition. This study was undertaken to ascertain whether the five major native isomyosins [3 fast (Fm1, Fm2, Fm3), 1 slow (Sm), and 1 intermediate (Im)], typically expressed in the spectrum of adult rat skeletal muscles comprising the hindlimb, could be further differentiated on the basis of their MHC profiles in addition to their light chain composition. Results show that in muscles comprised exclusively of fast-twitch glycolytic (FG) fibers and consisting of Fm1, Fm2, and Fm3, such as the tensor fasciae latae, only one MHC, designated as fast type IIb, could be resolved. In soleus muscle, comprised of both slow-twitch oxidative and fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic fibers and expressing Sm and Im, two MHC bands were resolved and designated as slow/cardiac beta-MHC and fast type IIa MHC. In muscles expressing a mixture of all three fiber types and a full complement of isomyosins, as seen in the plantaris, the MHC could be resolved into three bands. Light chain profiles were characterized for each muscle type, as well as for the purified isomyosins. These data suggest that Im (IIa) consists of a mixture of fast and slow light chains, whereas Fm (IIb) and Sm (beta) isoforms consist solely of fast- and slow-type light chains, respectively. Polypeptide mapping of denatured myosin extracted from muscles expressing contrasting isoform phenotypes suggests differences in the MHC primary structure between slow, intermediate, and fast myosin isotypes. These findings demonstrate that 1) Fm, Im, and Sm isoforms are differentiated on the bases of both their heavy and light chain components and 2) each isomyosin is distributed in a characteristic fashion among rat hindlimb skeletal muscles. Furthermore, these data suggest that the ratio of isomyosins in a given muscle or muscle region is of physiological importance to the function of that muscle during muscular activity.     

Rare internal C4A4 repeats in the micronuclear genome of Oxytricha fallax.

Approximately 20,000 different short, linear, macronuclear DNA molecules are derived from micronuclear sequences of Oxytricha fallax after conjugation. These macronuclear DNAs are terminated at both ends by 20 base pairs of the sequence 5'-dC4A4-3'. Sequences homologous to this repeat (C4A4+) are also abundant in the micronuclear chromosomes, but most reside at their telomeres. Here we show that nontelomeric C4A4 clusters of 20 base pairs or longer exist in only a few hundred copies per micronuclear genome. This demonstrates that nearly none of the 20,000 sequence blocks of micronuclear DNA destined to be macronuclear DNA molecules can be flanked by full-length (20-base pair) C4A4 clusters, and therefore C4A4 repeats must be added to most, if not all, macronuclear telomeres during macronuclear development. Six internal micronuclear C4A4+ loci were cloned, and their structural relationships with macronuclear and micronuclear sequences were examined. The possible origins and functions of these rare, micronuclear internal C4A4 loci are discussed.     

Movements and associations of ribosomal subunits in a secretory cell during growth inhibition by starvation

In Chironomus tentans salivary gland cells, the cytoplasm can be dissected into concentric zones situated at increasing distances from the nuclear envelope. After RNA labeling, the newly made ribosomal subunits are found in the cytoplasm mainly in the neighborhood of the nucleus with a gradient of increasing abundance towards the periphery of the cell. The gradient for the small subunit lasts for a few hours and disappears entirely after treatment with puromycin. The large subunit also forms a gradient but one which is only partially abolished by puromycin. The residual gradient which which is resistant to the addition of the drug is probably due to the binding of some large ribosomal units to the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum (J.-E. Edstrom and u. Lonn. 1976. J. Cell Biol. 70:562-572, and U. Lonn and J.-E. Edstrom. 1976. J. Cell. Biol. 70:573-580). If growth is inhibited by starvation, only the puromycin-sensitive type gradient is observed for the large subunit, suggesting that the attachment of these newly made subunits to the endoplasmic reticulum membranes will not occur. If, on the other hand, the drug-resistant gradient is allowed to form in feeding animals, it is conserved during a subsequent starvation for longer periods than in control feeding animals. This observation provides a further support for an effect of starvation on the normal turnover of the large subunits associated with the endoplasmic reticulum. These results also indicate a considerable structural stability in the cytoplasm of these cells worth little or no gross redistribution of cytoplasmic structures over a period of at least 6 days.