The chimpanzee M blood-group antigen is a variant of the human M-N glycoproteins

Chimpanzee erythrocytes express strong M but weak, occasional N blood-group activity, as detected by anti-M and anti-N reagents. We have found that the M activity is carried by a major membrane glycoprotein that is similar but not identical to the human MM glycoprotein (glycophorin A). We have isolated and characterized this glycoprotein from erythrocyte membranes of four individual chimpanzees. The purified glycoproteins strongly inhibited agglutination of M cells by rabbit anti-human M sera and only weakly inhibited the agglutination of N cells by rabbit anti-human N sera. They also displayed medium-to-strong inhibitory activity against chimpanzee iso- and crossimmune antisera tested with chimpanzee erythrocytes of various V-A-B-D and W^c specificities, which are known as chimpanzee extensions of the human type M-N system and the Miltenberger counterpart, respectively. Each glycoprotein was cleaved with CNBr into three fragments, whose size, solubility, and composition were analogous to those obtained by similar treatment of the human M-N antigens. The amino-terminal fragment was found to be a glycooctapeptide whose amino acid composition and partial sequence indicated that it is an intermediate form of the human M and N glycooctapeptides. Its carbohydrate content comprised two threonine-linked saccharide units that, although similar in composition to the human threonine-linked units, were fewer in number than the three units found in the corresponding human glycooctapeptides. Structural similarities to the human antigens strongly suggest that the amino terminus bears the major antigenic determinants of the molecule, and the occurrence in this region of numerous, albeit rare, variants among humans and in chimpanzees indicates that the corresponding coding sequence of the structural gene is particularly susceptible to mutational events. We conclude that the chimpanzee M gene product is a variant of the human type and that the chimpanzee gene is an allele of the human polymorphic M-N locus.This research was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants GM 16389 and HL 19011 and March of Dimes Grant 1-661.     

Evaluation of selected parameters in calcium and phosphate metabolism in acute liver failure following poisoning with Amanita phalloides

Serum calcium, phosphate and 25-OHD8 levels as well as calcium and phosphate urine excretion were determined in 21 children between 5 and 7 days after poisoning with Amanita phalloides. Hypophosphatemia was seen in children with the symptoms of moderate intoxication whereas hypocalcemia in severely poisoned patients. Phosphates deficit should be corrected early in all patients poisoned with Amanita phalloides.     

Differences in haemolymph proteins in relation to diapause and wing dimorphism inPyrrhocoris apterus (L.) (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

Three different cultures of dimorphic bug,Pyrrhocoris apterus, were analyzed concerning diapause and its relation to wing morph pattern. The proportion of macropterous bugs was considerably higher (36%) in the Mediterranean culture from Israel than that (1.3%) in the temperate culture from the Czech Republic. The macropterous morph- and brachypterous morphrelated types of reproduction arrest, differing by the length of pre-oviposition period, were distinguished in cultures analyzed. The reproduction arrest with an average pre-oviposition period of 38.2 days in Mediterranean macropters and 18.5 days in macropters from selected macropterous strain, was found to be typical for macropterous morph. Two different photoperiodic conditions induced macropterous morph-related reproduction arrest, the long-day (18 h light-6 h dark) photoperiod in macropterous strain macropters and the short-day (12 h light-12 h dark) photoperiod in Mediterranean macropters. The brachypterous morph-related reproduction arrest, characterized by pre-oviposition period longer than 90 days, occurred predominantly in diapausing brachypterous bugs. While the hibernal diapause of brachypterous bugs was characterized by a very high level of the 78- and 82-kDa proteins in haemolymph, their content in haemolymph of macropters during macropterous morph-related reproduction arrest was almost as low as in the reproductive adults. The variation of reproduction arrest in relation to wing dimorphism represents an important feature in the life strategy ofP. apterus.     

Relationship between chimpanzee Rh-like genes and the R-C-E-F blood group system

The antigenic closeness between the chimpanzee alloantigen R^c of the R-C-E-F system, and the human alloantigen Rh_o(D) suggests a phylogeconnection between their genes. To confirm at the molecular level the common origin of these genes, genomic DNA from 16 unrelated chimpanzees of various R-C-E-F phenotypes were digested by three restriction enzymes and analyzed by Southern blot using a human Rh cDNA probe and three exon-specific probes. Restrictions profiles displayed reach polymorphism. Correlations between some bands and certain R-C-E-F phenotypes demonstrate that the human Rh cDNA probe defines in chimpanzee genomic DNA some genes of the R-C-E-F system.     

Selection for an unstable micropterism in Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

Twenty-eight generations of mass selection for an unstable micropterism (short wings) in the red firebug, Pyrrhocoris apterus (L.), resulted in an unstable micropterous ( ump ) strain with a high frequency of micropterous individuals. The strain, segregating individuals with enormously reduced wings, is polymorphic for mosaic pigmentation in the epidermis. Micropterous individuals, both symmetric and asymmetric, appear predominantly among pigmentation mosaic ( ump _mo) forms. Individuals with a normal, nonmosaic epidermis ( ump _wt) are rarely micropterous. The reproductive capacity of micropterous ump _mo females is strongly reduced. It is suggested that pigmentation mosaicism and unstable micropterism may have a common or linked genetic basis. A new mode of wing length regulation is suggested, engaged in conspicuous destabilization of ump wings and consisting presumably of transpositions of mobile genetic elements.     

Blood groups of macaques:a comparative study.

Distribution of the human-type and of the simian-type blood groups in rhesus, crab-eating, bonnet, pig-tailed and stump-tailed macaques revealed significant similarities and differences among these species. Human-type A--B-O blood groups cut across taxonomic lines and seem less value for taxonomic purposes than the simian-type blood groups detected by cross-reacting isoimmune rhesus monkey sera.     

Chimpanzee R-C-E-F blood group system: a counterpart of the human Rh-Hr blood groups

A chimpanzee blood group system is defined by a set of isoimmune antisera, anti-Rc, anti-Cc, anti-Ec, anti-Fc, anti-Cc and anti-Cc1, that distinguish 19 blood types. Population analysis of 285 unrelated animals and the study of 21 chimpanzee families support the postulated model of inheritance by 9 allelic genes. There is a close relationship between the R-C-E-F blood group system and human Rh-Hr blood groups as indicated by overall structural resemblance of both systems and by serological similarity of their principal antigens, Rc and Rho. There are indications that R-like structures are also present on the red cells of other anthropoid apes, and possibly on those of the Old World monkeys.     

Blood groups of bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata), with a brief introduction to seroprimatology

The human-type A-B-O blood groups of 52 bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) were determined. Application of method of population genetics indicated the gene frequences to be O = 0.173, A = 0.480 and B = 0.347. Cross testing of sera and red cells of the bonnet macaques revealed two blood-type-specific isoagglutinins, one of them strong enough for use as a blood typing reagent. No blood group polymorphism was revealed by testing bonnet macaque red cells with isoantisera produced in rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) and in crab-eating macaques (M. fascicularis). The rhesus and crab-eating macaque isoantisera reacted either with all or with none of the bonnet macaque red cells tested.