scholarly journals Specificity and Regulation of Interaction between the PII and AmtB1 Proteins in Rhodospirillum rubrum

2007 ◽  
Vol 189 (19) ◽  
pp. 6861-6869 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Wolfe ◽  
Yaoping Zhang ◽  
Gary P. Roberts

ABSTRACT The nitrogen regulatory protein PII and the ammonia gas channel AmtB are both found in most prokaryotes. Interaction between these two proteins has been observed in several organisms and may regulate the activities of both proteins. The regulation of their interaction is only partially understood, and we show that in Rhodospirillum rubrum one PII homolog, GlnJ, has higher affinity for an AmtB1-containing membrane than the other two PII homologs, GlnB and GlnK. This interaction strongly favors the nonuridylylated form of GlnJ and is disrupted by high levels of 2-ketoglutarate (2-KG) in the absence of ATP or low levels of 2-KG in the presence of ATP. ADP inhibits the destabilization of the GlnJ-AmtB1 complex in the presence of ATP and 2-KG, supporting a role for PII as an energy sensor measuring the ratio of ATP to ADP. In the presence of saturating levels of ATP, the estimated Kd of 2-KG for GlnJ bound to AmtB1 is 340 μM, which is higher than that required for uridylylation of GlnJ in vitro, about 5 μM. This supports a model where multiple 2-KG and ATP molecules must bind a PII trimer to stimulate release of PII from AmtB1, in contrast to the lower 2-KG requirement for productive uridylylation of PII by GlnD.

1980 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-242
Author(s):  
E.J. Sanders

Endoblast and hypoblast tissue, dissected from early chick embryos, was explanted and cultured on glass or plastic substrata. These tissues grew rapidly to form epithelial sheets. Under the same conditions, mesoderm, dissected without the aid of dissociating agents, grew poorly. After 24 h in culture, the mesoderm explants consisted of a sparse outgrowth of fibroblast-like cells. When pieces of mesoderm were seeded onto the dorsal surface of the epithelia, however, the cells penetrated the sheet and rapidly spread on the substratum within 4 h. If the epithelial sheet was detached from the substratum and the mesoderm then seeded onto areas of substratum previously occupied by epithelium, similar rapid spreading occurred. This effect could be produced in the absence of serum. The method used to remove the epithelium (EDTA, detergent or manual dissection) did not influence the result. When the substratum-attached material (SAM) was examined by scanning electron microscopy, 2 types of material were seen. One type appeared to be the remains of detached filopodia and cytoplasmic lamellae, while the other appeared to be of extracellular origin. Both these types reacted positively by immunofluorescence using anti-fibronectin serum. SAM derived from mesoderm reacted negatively. When mesoderm was cultured in the presence of plasma fibronectin on unmodified plastic or glass, spreading was complete in 4–5 h and thus was similar to mesoderm seeded onto SAM. The morphology of mesoderm explants on SAM or in the presence of plasma fibronectin was more epithelial than on untreated substratum in normal medium. Hypoblast and endoblast cultured in the presence of anti-fibronectin serum failed to spread normally, apparently being unable to attach to the substratum. Mesoderm did not spread rapidly on SAM in the presence of this antiserum. Cycloheximide reversibly inhibited the spreading of hypoblast and endoblast, and this effect could be eliminated, at least for hypoblast, by the addition of plasma fibronectin. Covering attachment sites on the substratum with bovine serum albumin, thereby preventing the attachment of SAM or fibronectin, also inhibited spreading. It is proposed that mesoderm cells have low levels of surface fibronectin in comparison with endoblast and hypoblast, and that this results in a comparatively low adhesiveness, which is important for its morphogenetic activity within the embryo.


2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuki Kamai ◽  
Tamako Harasaki ◽  
Takashi Fukuoka ◽  
Satoshi Ohya ◽  
Katsuhisa Uchida ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The activity of CS-758 (R-120758), a new triazole antifungal agent, was evaluated and compared with those of fluconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B in vitro and with those of fluconazole and itraconazole in vivo. CS-758 exhibited potent in vitro activity against clinically important fungi. The activity of CS-758 against Candida spp. was superior to that of fluconazole and comparable or superior to those of itraconazole and amphotericin B. CS-758 retained potent activity against Candida albicans strains with low levels of susceptibility to fluconazole (fluconazole MIC, 4 to 32 μg/ml). Against Aspergillus spp. and Cryptococcus neoformans, the activity of CS-758 was at least fourfold superior to those of the other drugs tested. CS-758 also exhibited potent in vivo activity against murine systemic infections caused by C. albicans, C. neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Aspergillus flavus. The 50% effective doses against these infections were 0.41 to 5.0 mg/kg of body weight. These results suggest that CS-758 may be useful in the treatment of candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and aspergillosis.


1960 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 981-987 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Tsen ◽  
H. B. Collier

Erythrocytes from rats on tocopherol-deficient diets are susceptible to hemolysis by dialuric acid or by shaking in an atmosphere of oxygen, whereas the erythrocytes from rats on tocopherol-supplemented diets are relatively insusceptible. The erythrocytes from the tocopherol-deficient and tocopherol-supplemented rats initially showed identical levels of free glutathione as determined by the alloxan "305" method; treatment with dialuric acid or exposure to oxygen reduced the glutathione levels in both groups of cells, yet in no case did the extent of hemolysis parallel the decrease in glutathione.Treatment of rat erythrocytes with selenite or iodoacetate or N-ethylmaleimide decreased the glutathione content of the cells to very low levels, yet there was little hemolysis. Silver nitrate, mercuric chloride, or p-chloromercuribenzoate, on the other hand, could cause complete hemolysis with little or no decrease in the levels of erythrocyte free glutathione. There were no significant differences between the erythrocytes from tocopherol-deficient and tocopherol-supplemented animals in these experiments.It is concluded that the susceptibility to hemolysis, under our experimental conditions, is not related to the level of erythrocyte glutathione. The heavy-metal sulphydryl reagents probably cause hemolysis by a direct action upon the erythrocyte membrane.


1960 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 981-987 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Tsen ◽  
H. B. Collier

Erythrocytes from rats on tocopherol-deficient diets are susceptible to hemolysis by dialuric acid or by shaking in an atmosphere of oxygen, whereas the erythrocytes from rats on tocopherol-supplemented diets are relatively insusceptible. The erythrocytes from the tocopherol-deficient and tocopherol-supplemented rats initially showed identical levels of free glutathione as determined by the alloxan "305" method; treatment with dialuric acid or exposure to oxygen reduced the glutathione levels in both groups of cells, yet in no case did the extent of hemolysis parallel the decrease in glutathione.Treatment of rat erythrocytes with selenite or iodoacetate or N-ethylmaleimide decreased the glutathione content of the cells to very low levels, yet there was little hemolysis. Silver nitrate, mercuric chloride, or p-chloromercuribenzoate, on the other hand, could cause complete hemolysis with little or no decrease in the levels of erythrocyte free glutathione. There were no significant differences between the erythrocytes from tocopherol-deficient and tocopherol-supplemented animals in these experiments.It is concluded that the susceptibility to hemolysis, under our experimental conditions, is not related to the level of erythrocyte glutathione. The heavy-metal sulphydryl reagents probably cause hemolysis by a direct action upon the erythrocyte membrane.


1973 ◽  
Vol 29 (02) ◽  
pp. 490-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroh Yamazaki ◽  
Itsuro Kobayashi ◽  
Tadahiro Sano ◽  
Takio Shimamoto

SummaryThe authors previously reported a transient decrease in adhesive platelet count and an enhancement of blood coagulability after administration of a small amount of adrenaline (0.1-1 µg per Kg, i. v.) in man and rabbit. In such circumstances, the sensitivity of platelets to aggregation induced by ADP was studied by an optical density method. Five minutes after i. v. injection of 1 µg per Kg of adrenaline in 10 rabbits, intensity of platelet aggregation increased to 115.1 ± 4.9% (mean ± S. E.) by 10∼5 molar, 121.8 ± 7.8% by 3 × 10-6 molar and 129.4 ± 12.8% of the value before the injection by 10”6 molar ADP. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.01-0.05). The above change was not observed in each group of rabbits injected with saline, 1 µg per Kg of 1-noradrenaline or 0.1 and 10 µg per Kg of adrenaline. Also, it was prevented by oral administration of 10 mg per Kg of phenoxybenzamine or propranolol or aspirin or pyridinolcarbamate 3 hours before the challenge. On the other hand, the enhancement of ADP-induced platelet aggregation was not observed in vitro, when 10-5 or 3 × 10-6 molar and 129.4 ± 12.8% of the value before 10∼6 molar ADP was added to citrated platelet rich plasma (CPRP) of rabbit after incubation at 37°C for 30 second with 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 or 100 µg per ml of adrenaline or noradrenaline. These results suggest an important interaction between endothelial surface and platelets in connection with the enhancement of ADP-induced platelet aggregation by adrenaline in vivo.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (02) ◽  
pp. 376-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Lages ◽  
Harvey J Weiss

SummaryThe possible involvement of secreted platelet substances in agonist- induced [Ca2+]i increases was investigated by comparing these increases in aspirin-treated, fura-2-loaded normal platelets and platelets from patients with storage pool deficiencies (SPD). In the presence and absence of extracellular calcium, the [Ca2+]i response induced by 10 µM ADP, but not those induced by 0.1 unit/ml thrombin, 3.3 µM U46619, or 20 µM serotonin, was significantly greater in SPD platelets than in normal platelets, and was increased to the greatest extent in SPD patients with Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS), in whom the dense granule deficiencies are the most severe. Pre-incubation of SPD-HPS and normal platelets with 0.005-5 µM ADP produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the [Ca2+]i response induced by 10 µ M ADP, but did not alter the [Ca2+]i increases induced by thrombin or U46619. Within a limited range of ADP concentrations, the dose-inhibition curve of the [Ca2+]i response to 10 µM ADP was significantly shifted to the right in SPD-HPS platelets, indicating that pre-incubation with greater amounts of ADP were required to achieve the same extent of inhibition as in normal platelets. These results are consistent with a hypothesis that the smaller ADP-induced [Ca2+]i increases seen in normal platelets may result from prior interactions of dense granule ADP, released via leakage or low levels of activation, with membrane ADP receptors, causing receptor desensitization. Addition of apyrase to platelet-rich plasma prior to fura-2 loading increased the ADP-induced [Ca2+]i response in both normal and SPD-HPS platelets, suggesting that some release of ADP derived from both dense granule and non-granular sources occurs during in vitro fura-2 loading and platelet washing procedures. However, this [Ca2+]i response was also greater in SPD-HPS platelets when blood was collected with minimal manipulation directly into anticoagulant containing apyrase, raising the possibility that release of dense granule ADP resulting in receptor desensitization may also occur in vivo. Thus, in addition to enhancing platelet activation, dense granule ADP could also act to limit the ADP-mediated reactivity of platelets exposed in vivo to low levels of stimulation.


1965 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 301-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jürg Müller

ABSTRACT An extract of human urine, which was previously shown to stimulate aldosterone production by rat adrenal sections, was further purified. Evidence was obtained that its aldosterone-stimulating effect was due to the presence of ammonium ions. Addition of ammonium chloride and of urine extract to the incubation medium caused identical increases in aldosterone production in vitro. In addition to ammonium ions, rubidium and caesium ions also stimulated aldosterone production up to 250% that of control values without a significant effect on corticosterone production. Similar dose-response curves were obtained when increasing concentrations of potassium, ammonium, rubidium and caesium ions were tested. Aldosterone production was maximal at concentrations of 7 mval/1 and was significantly lower at higher concentrations. When ammonium chloride and ACTH were simultaneously added to the incubation medium, the production of aldosterone and of corticosterone was lower than with ACTH alone. On the other hand, the stimulating activity on aldosterone and corticosterone production by »TPN« (NADP) and glucose-6-phosphate was enhanced by the simultaneous addition of ammonium chloride.


1974 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustav Wägar

ABSTRACT Whether the short-term regulation of thyroidal protein synthesis by TSH occurs at the transcriptional or the translational level was tested by measuring the effect of actinomycin D (act D) on the TSH-induced stimulation of L-14C-leucine incorporation into the thyroidal proteins of rats. TSH was injected 6 h before the rats were killed. The thyroid glands were then removed and incubated in vitro in the presence of L-14C-leucine for 2 h. The pronounced stimulation of leucine incorporation in the TSH-treated animals was depressed as compared with controls but still significant even when the animals had been pre-treated with 100 μg act D 24 and 7 h before sacrifice. On the other hand, act D strongly decreased incorporation of 3H-uridine into RNA. Short-term regulation of thyroidal protein synthesis by TSH appears to be partly but not wholly dependent on neosynthesis of RNA. Hence regulation may partly occur at the translation level of protein synthesis.


Author(s):  
Milen Dimov

The present study traces the dynamics of personal characteristics in youth and the manifested neurotic symptoms in the training process. These facts are the reason for the low levels of school results in the context of the existing theoretical statements of the problem and the empirical research conducted among the trained teenagers. We suggest that the indicators of neurotic symptomatology in youth – aggression, anxiety, and neuroticism, are the most demonstrated, compared to the other studied indicators of neurotic symptomatology. Studies have proved that there is a difference in the act of neurotic symptoms when tested in different situations, both in terms of expression and content. At the beginning of the school year, neurotic symptoms, more demonstrated in some aspects of aggressiveness, while at the end of school year, psychotism is more demonstrated. The presented summarized results indicate that at the beginning of the school year, neurotic symptoms are strongly associated with aggression. There is a tendency towards a lower level of social responsiveness, both in the self-assessment of real behavior and in the ideal “I”-image of students in the last year of their studies. The neurotic symptomatology, more demonstrated due to specific conditions in the life of young people and in relation to the characteristics of age.


Author(s):  
Ф.М. Шакова ◽  
Т.И. Калинина ◽  
М.В. Гуляев ◽  
Г.А. Романова

Цель исследования - изучение влияния комбинированной терапии (мутантные молекулы эритропоэтина (EPO) и дипептидный миметик фактора роста нервов ГК-2H) на воспроизведение условного рефлекса пассивного избегания (УРПИ) и объем поражения коры мозга у крыс с двусторонним ишемическим повреждением префронтальной коры. Методика. Мутантные молекулы EPO (MЕРО-TR и MЕPО-Fc) с значительно редуцированной эритропоэтической и выраженной цитопротекторной активностью созданы методом генной инженерии. Используемый миметик фактора роста нервов человека, эндогенного регуляторного белка, в экспериментах in vitro проявлял отчетливые нейропротективные свойства. Двустороннюю фокальную ишемию префронтальной коры головного мозга крыс создавали методом фотохимического тромбоза. Выработку и оценку УРПИ проводили по стандартной методике. Объем повреждения мозга оценивался при помощи МРТ. MEPO-TR и MEPO-Fc (50 мкг/кг) вводили интраназально однократно через 1 ч после фототромбоза, ГК-2Н (1 мг/кг) - внутрибрюшинно через 4 ч после фототромбоза и далее в течение 4 послеоперационных суток. Результаты. Выявлено статистически значимое сохранение выработанного до ишемии УРПИ, а также значимое снижение объема повреждения коры при комплексной терапии. Полученные данные свидетельствуют об антиамнестическом и нейропротекторном эффектах примененной комбинированной терапии, которые наиболее отчетливо выражены в дозах: МEPO-Fc (50 мкг/кг) и ГК-2Н (1 мг/кг). Заключение. Подтвержден нейропротекторный эффект и усиление антиамнестического эффекта при сочетанном применении мутантных производных эритропоэтина - MEPO-TR и MEPO-Fc и дипептидного миметика фактора роста нервов человека ГК-2H. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of combination therapy, including mutant erythropoietin molecules (EPO) and a dipeptide mimetic of the nerve growth factor, GK-2H, on the conditioned passive avoidance (PA) reflex and the volume of injury induced by bilateral ischemia of the prefrontal cortex in rats. Using the method of genetic engineering the mutant molecules of EPO, MERO-TR and MEPO-Fc, with strongly reduced erythropoietic and pronounced cytoprotective activity were created. The used human nerve growth factor mimetic, an endogenous regulatory protein based on the b-bend of loop 4, which is a dimeric substituted dipeptide of bis- (N-monosuccinyl-glycyl-lysine) hexamethylenediamine, GK-2 human (GK-2H), has proven neuroprotective in in vitro experiments. Methods. Bilateral focal ischemic infarction was modeled in the rat prefrontal cortex by photochemically induced thrombosis. The PA test was performed according to a standard method. Volume of brain injury was estimated using MRI. MEPO-TR, and MEPO-Fc (50 mg/kg, intranasally) were administered once, one hour after the injury. GK-2Н (1 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected four hours after the injury and then for next four days. Results. The study showed that the complex therapy provided statistically significant retention of the PA reflex developed prior to ischemia and a significant decrease in the volume of injury. The anti-amnestic and neuroprotective effects of combination therapy were most pronounced at doses of MEPO-Fc 50 mg/kg and GK-2H 1 mg/kg. Conclusion. This study has confirmed the neuroprotective effect and enhancement of the anti-amnestic effect exerted by the combination of mutant erythropoietin derivatives, MEPO-TR and MEPO-Fc, and the dipeptide mimetic of human growth factor GK-2H.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document