Embryogenesis and plant regeneration from anther culture of bamboo (Sinocalamus latiflora (Munro) McClure)

Embryogenic callus was initiated from bamboo (Sinocalumus satiflora (Munro) McClure) anthers cultured on N₆ medium supplemented with 1 mg/l 2,4-D, 1 mg/l BA, 2 g/l charcoal, 0.8% agar (Sigma) and 9% sucrose. Anthers with microspores at miduninucleate to early-binucleate stages showed better rate of response for callus induction. Prolonged culture of these embryogenic calli on the original medium or subculture to an auxin-free medium resulted in embryoid formation and their subsequent germination to form rooted plantlets. Chromosome counts from root-tip cells of anther-derived plant indicated that they were haploid (N=36).Abbreviations N₆ Chu et al. (1975) - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid - BA 6-benzylaminopurine     

Localization of phosphophoryn in rat incisor dentin using immunocytochemical techniques

We studied the distribution of the phosphophoryn present in rat incisors by immunolocalization and histochemical techniques. The polyclonal antibody used reacts with both phosphorylated and de-phosphorylated phosphophoryn. Technical problems encountered in immunostaining and in preparing sections from mineralized dentin were resolved by use of peroxidase-conjugated protein A as the "second antibody" in indirect immunostaining reactions and by surface etching of partially demineralized sections. Staining with anti-rat incisor alpha-phosphophoryn antibody showed light staining over the odontoblasts and proximal odontoblastic processes, no stain over the predentin, dense staining over the intertubular dentin, and no stain over the mantle dentin. In the intertubular dentin the stain intensity was directly related to the distribution of mineral. These findings were directly corroborated by staining with Stains All. The mineralization of dentin and the distribution of phosphophoryn within the dentin may be much less uniform than previously supposed.     

Silencing the type II sodium channel gene: a model for neural-specific gene regulation.

Neural-specific expression of a sodium channel mini-gene has been shown to be mediated by a 28 bp silencer element, RE1, located in the 5' flanking region of the gene. This element is active exclusively in cell lines that do not express the endogenous brain type II sodium channel gene, including fibroblast, skeletal muscle, and certain neuronal cell lines. All of these non-type II expressing cells contain RE1-binding complexes. On the basis of mutational analysis and in vivo "repressor trap" experiments, we propose that cell-specific RE1-binding proteins are responsible, at least in part, for restricting expression of the type II sodium channel gene to specific neurons in the vertebrate nervous system.     

A probe of the active site acidity of carboxypeptidase A

The substrate analogue 2-(1-carboxy-2-phenylethyl)-4-phenylazophenol is a potent competitive inhibitor of carboxypeptidase A. Upon ligation to the active site, the azophenol moiety undergoes a shift of pKa from a value of 8.76 to a value of 4.9; this provides an index of the Lewis acidity of the active site zinc ion. Examination of the pH dependence of Ki for the inhibitor shows maximum effectiveness in neutral solution (limiting Ki = 7.6 X 10(-7) M), with an increase in Ki in acid (pK1 = 6.16) and in alkaline solution (pK2 = 9.71, pK3 = 8.76). It is concluded that a proton-accepting enzymic functional group with the lower pKa (6.2) controls inhibitor binding, that ionization of this group is also manifested in the hydrolysis of peptide substrates (kcat/Km), and that the identity of this group is the water molecule that binds to the active site metal ion in the uncomplexed enzyme (H2OZn2+L3). Reverse protonation state inhibition is demonstrated, and conventional concepts regarding the mechanism of peptide hydrolysis by the enzyme are brought into question.     

Preparation, detection, and characterization of an antibody to rat alpha-phosphophoryn

The phosphophoryn components of rat incisor dentin were extracted under stringent conditions to prevent proteolytic degradation during processing. Successive steps of CaCl2 precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration over Biosil TSK G4000SW high-performance liquid chromatography columns in 4.0 M guanidine hydrochloride yielded a mixture of phosphoryns that contained only trace amounts of other proteins, as shown by a very sensitive double stain procedure on acrylamide gels after electrophoresis. The highest weight phosphophoryn had a molecular weight of 90 000, on gradient polyacrylamide gels calibrated with globular protein standards. Polyclonal antibodies were produced in rabbits following a complex scheme. The specific antibodies were collected by passage over a Sepharose column conjugated to the purified phosphophoryn. The isolated antibody was used to prepare a second affinity column. Passage of the initial phosphophoryn fraction over the column led to the retention of a single component, identified as the Mr 90 000 alpha-phosphophoryn. Thus, a monospecific polyclonal antibody has been prepared. These data show that the other phosphoryns of the rat incisor must be distinct species or slightly degraded products of the alpha-phosphophoryn lacking the antigenic epitope of the antibody prepared.     

Anther culture of papaya (Carica papaya L.)

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) anther containing microspores in tetrad to early-binucleate stages were successfully cultured on 1/2 strength MS salts and vitamins with full strength Na-Fe-EDTA supplemented with 2 mg/l NAA, 1 mg/l BA and 6% sucrose for callus initiation and formation. Highest frequencies of callus induction were obtained when anthers at the uninucleate stage were cultured in the dark. Haploid plantlets and pollen-derived embryoids were obtained from anthers cultured at the uninucleate stage on solidified MS medium containing 3% sucrose without any growth regulators under a low light intensity (1,500 lux). Large quantities of embryoids were obtained when the original embryoids were transferred to MS medium with 3% sucrose and no growth regulators. Cytology of root tips of embryoid-derived plants confirmed the haploid chromosome number of 9 indicating that the embryoids originated from pollen.Abbreviations MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) - MAA naphthaleneacetic acid - BA 6-benzyladenine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Localization of sequences regulating ancestral and acquired sites of esterase6 activity in Drosophila melanogaster

We have broadly defined the DNA regions regulating esterase6 activity in several life stages and tissue types of D. melanogaster using P- element-mediated transformation of constructs that contain the esterase6 coding region and deletions or substitutions in 5' or 3' flanking DNA. Hemolymph is a conserved ancestral site of EST6 activity in Drosophila and the primary sequences regulating its activity lie between -171 and -25 bp relative to the translation initiation site: deletion of these sequences decrease activity approximately 20-fold. Hemolymph activity is also modulated by four other DNA regions, three of which lie 5' and one of which lies 3' of the coding region. Of these, two have positive and two have negative effects, each of approximately twofold. Esterase6 activity is present also in two male reproductive tract tissues; the ejaculatory bulb, which is another ancestral activity site, and the ejaculatory duct, which is a recently acquired site within the melanogaster species subgroup. Activities in these tissues are at least in part independently regulated: activity in the ejaculatory bulb is conferred by sequences between -273 and -172 bp (threefold decrease when deleted), while activity in the ejaculatory duct is conferred by more distal sequences between -844 and -614 bp (fourfold decrease when deleted). The reproductive tract activity is further modulated by two additional DNA regions, one in 5' DNA (-613 to -284 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) and the other in 3' DNA (+1860 to +2731 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) that probably overlaps the adjacent esteraseP gene. Collating these data with previous studies suggests that expression of EST6 in the ancestral sites is mainly regulated by conserved proximal sequences while more variable distal sequences regulate expression in the acquired ejaculatory duct site.      

Phylogenetic diversification of immunoglobulin genes and the antibody repertoire

Immunoglobulins are encoded by a large multigene system that undergoes somatic rearrangement and additional genetic change during the development of immunoglobulin-producing cells. Inducible antibody and antibody-like responses are found in all vertebrates. However, immunoglobulin possessing disulfide-bonded heavy and light chains and domain-type organization has been described only in representatives of the jawed vertebrates. High degrees of nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence identity are evident when the segmental elements that constitute the immunoglobulin gene loci in phylogenetically divergent vertebrates are compared. However, the organization of gene loci and the manner in which the independent elements recombine (and diversify) vary markedly among different taxa. One striking pattern of gene organization is the "cluster type" that appears to be restricted to the chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes) and limits segmental rearrangement to closely linked elements. This type of gene organization is associated with both heavy- and light-chain gene loci. In some cases, the clusters are "joined" or "partially joined" in the germ line, in effect predetermining or partially predetermining, respectively, the encoded specificities (the assumption being that these are expressed) of the individual loci. By relating the sequences of transcribed gene products to their respective germ-line genes, it is evident that, in some cases, joined-type genes are expressed. This raises a question about the existence and/or nature of allelic exclusion in these species. The extensive variation in gene organization found throughout the vertebrate species may relate directly to the role of intersegmental (V<==>D<==>J) distances in the commitment of the individual antibody-producing cell to a particular genetic specificity. Thus, the evolution of this locus, perhaps more so than that of others, may reflect the interrelationships between genetic organization and function.      

OLIGOSACCHARIDE STORAGE IN BRAINS FROM PATIENTS WITH FUCOSIDOSIS,GM1-GANGLIOSIDOSIS AND GM2-GANGLIOSIDOSIS (SANDHOFF'S DISEASE)1

Abstract— Analysis of whole autopsy brain from a patient with fucosidosis (α-fucosidase deficiency) revealed minor storage of H-antigen glycolipid [Fuc (α, 1→2) Gal-GlcNAc-Gal-Glc-Ceramide] and a slightly abnormal ganglioside composition in the form of a two-fold elevation of G_M1 and the presence of a fucose-containing glycolipid (a minor component) which co-migrated with G_D1a. The major storage materials in fucosidosis brain were an oligosaccharide (Fuc-Gal-GlcNAc-Man[Fuc-Gal-GlcNAc-Man]-ManGlcNAc) and a disaccharide [Fuc(α, 1→6)-GlcNAc] in the approximate ratio of 5:1. Lesser amounts of a related oligosaccharide (Gal-GlcNAc-Man[Gal-GlcNAc-Man]-Man-GlcNAc) were isolated from the brain of patients with G_M1-gangliosidosis (Types I and II) where the major storage material is known to be G_M1-ganglioside (Gal (β, 1→3)GalNAc(β, 1→4) [NeuNAcf(α, 2→3) Gal(β, 1→4)Glc-Ceramide). Similarly, a related oligosaccharide (GlcNAc-Man [GlcNAc-Man]-Man-GlcNAc) was isolated from the brain of a patient with a total deficiency of N-acetyl-β-d -hexosaminidase (Sandhoff variant of G_M2-gangliosidosis) where the major storage products are known to be G_M2-ganglioside (GalNAc (β 1→4) [NeuNAc (α, 2→3)Gal(β, 1→4)Glc-Ceramine) and its asialo derivative. These studies indicate that glycoproteins containing at least 2 mol of l -fucose per oligosaccharide unit are normally catabolized in human brain. Further, it appears that such glycoproteins are initially catabolized by an endo-N-acetylglucosaminidase to release an oligosaccharide which is then degraded by the sequential action of exo-glycosidases.     

Julius Wagner-Jauregg and the Legacy of Malarial Therapy for the Treatment of General Paresis of the Insane

Julius Wagner-Jauregg, a preeminent Austrian psychiatrist was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1927 for the development of malaria therapy for the treatment of neurosyphilis, or general paresis of the insane. Despite being only one of three psychiatrists to win a Nobel Prize, he has faded from public consciousness and his name recognition pales in comparison to his contemporary and fellow Austrian, Sigmund Freud. This paper explores his contributions to the field of biological psychiatry and also touches upon reasons, such as the growing bioethics movement, his controversial affiliation with the Nazi Party, and the evolution of neurosyphilis, that explain why Wagner-Jauregg is not more widely celebrated for his contributions to the field of psychiatry, even though his malarial treatment could be considered the earliest triumph of biological psychiatry over psychoanalysis.