Linkage analysis for 18 enzyme loci in Pinus rigida Mill.

Summary Estimates of recombination frequency among enzyme loci of pitch pine revealed two new linkages, Mdh3:Pgm2 (=0.01) and Pep1:Mdh4 (=0.38), and confirmed two previously established linkages. Tighter linkage (=0.30) was ruled out for nearly all gene pairs examined. In general, the Bayesian approach used in this study to test for linkage performed better than alternative methods.This work was supported by the School of Natural Resources, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, and by McIntyre-Stennis, project no. 142-C385     

Hormone-induced changes in the in vitro DNA-binding activity of the chicken progesterone receptor

Previous analyses have indicated that steroid hormone receptors undergo an allosteric change in structure upon binding by the steroid ligand. This structural change was envisioned as an intramolecular unmasking of the protein's DNA-binding domain, thus allowing the receptor to function in gene regulation. We report an analysis of the effect of hormone on the DNA-binding activity of the chicken progesterone receptor. Using an isocratic elution of DNA affinity columns we show that unliganded receptor (aporeceptor) can bind a 23-basepair progesterone response element with high affinity and a high degree of sequence preference. Hormone causes a 1.5-fold increase in affinity for the PRE sequence and a 2-fold decrease in affinity for non-specific DNA. Kinetic analysis of the off-rate of receptor-DNA complexes is consistent with this minor effect of hormone. In addition, gel retardation analysis of receptor-progesterone response element complexes further substantiates that hormone is not required for sequence-specific DNA binding. These results indicate that hormone is not necessary for the progesterone receptor to fold into a conformation that recognizes specific gene regulatory sequences.     

The sigma compounds 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine and N-allylnormetazocine inhibit agonist-stimulated inositol phospholipid metabolism in bovine adrenal medullary cells

Muscarine stimulated a concentration-dependent accumulation of [³H]inositol phosphates in bovine adrenal medullary cells preloaded with [³H]inositol. This muscarinic activation of inositol phospholipid metabolism was fully inhibited by the -ligand 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) with an IC₅₀ of approximately 45 M. Higher concentrations (100 M) of (+) N-allylnormetazocine (SKF-10047) also partially inhibited this response. A concentration of DTG sufficient to fully inhibit the muscarinic response also produced a significant partial inhibition of [³H]inositol phosphate accumulation in response to histamine but not to angiotensin II. These data demonstrate that -compounds inhibit agonist-stimulated inositol phospholipid metabolism in bovine adrenal medullary cells, with a degree of selectivity towards the muscarinic response.     

Human pathogenic viruses at sewage sludge disposal sites in the Middle Atlantic region.

Human enteric viruses were detected in samples of water, crabs, and bottom sediments obtained from two sewage sludge disposal sites in the Atlantic Ocean. Viruses were isolated from sediments 17 months after the cessation of sludge dumping. These findings indicate that, under natural conditions, viruses can survive for a long period of time in the marine environment and that they may present potential public health problems to humans using these resources for food and recreation. The isolation of viruses in the absence of fecal indicator bacteria reinforces previous observations on the inadequacy of these bacteria for predicting the virological quality of water and shellfish.