Gap junctions in the cardiac muscle cells of the lamprey

Electron microscopy of both thin sections and freeze-fracture replicas has demonstrated the occurrence of gap junctions (nexuses) in the cardiac muscle cells of the lamprey. These gap junctions are identical in basic structure with those found in the mammalian heart. However, they are much smaller (less than 0.5 micron in diameter), and more irregularly distributed than the typical gap junction in the mammalian heart. These small gap junctions seem to provide a structural basis for the electrical coupling between cardiac muscle cells in the lower vertebrates. In addition, the well developed sarcoplasmic reticulum and subsurface cisternae, which contain an electron dense spheroidal cast, frequently observed in the cardiac muscles of the lamprey.

Fine structure and cytochemistry of specific granules in the lamprey atrium

Fine structural and cytochemical studies were performed to examine the nature of three types of specific granules found in the atrium of lamprey; specific granules of the atrial muscle cell (ASG), interstitial cell granules (ICG) and endocardial endothelial granules (ESG). Ultrastructurally, ASG and ICG appeared quite similar in size, shape and electron opacity, while ESG were much larger and less dense in opacity than the other two. None of the granules showed positive DAB reaction or acid phosphatase reaction. Only ICG revealed positive chromaffin reaction, which agreed with formaldehyde induced green fluorescence along the atrial lumen. Phosphotungstic acid at low pH stained ICG and ASG strongly positive, and ESG weakly positive. Pronase treatment in Epon sections for 24 h digested ASG alone, whereas in glycol-methacrylate embedded sections, ESG were digested first, ASG were digested thoroughly after 30 min, but ICG were not digested completely after 90 min. From these results it can be concluded that the three types of specific granules have different constituents. ESG consist of protein with some polysaccharides; ASG are composed of protein carbohydrate complexes and lack catecholamines; ICG contain catecholamine as well as protein carbohydrate complexes.

Kininase and anti-inflammatory activities of acid carboxypeptidase from Penicillium janthinellum

The acid carboxypeptidase from Penicillium janthinellum catalyzed the rapid release of arginine, and the slow release of phenylalanine, proline, serine and glycine from the carboxy-terminal of bradykinin at pH 4.15 to 4.8. Anti-inflammatory activity of the acid carboxypeptidase seems to suggest that the enzyme hydrolyzed bradykinin in vivo.

Induction of phage production in the lysogenic Escherichia coli by hydroxyurea

1) Hydroxyurea, a reversible DNA synthesis inhibitor, was used to study the mechanism of prophage lambda induction in Escherichia coli K12. Induction of prophage was judged on two criteria: increase of phage-producing cells and loss of colony-forming ability of the cells. 2) Hydroxyurea induced an increase of phage-producing cells only in lysogenic strains known to be inducible with ultraviolet irradiation for prophage development and not in strains such as E. coli K12 (lambdaind-) or E. coli K12 recA (lambda+). 3) When protein synthesis was inhibited, hydroxyurea did not increase phage-producing cells of lysogenic strains; it showed a bacteriocidal effect on lysogenic recA+ strains, but not on nonlysogenic strains. 4) The sensitivity of E. coli K12 recA to hydroxyurea was independent of whether or not the cells were lysogenic. 5) From the results it is suggested that certain steps leading to loss of colony-forming ability (i.e. prophage induction) do not require de novo protein synthesis but require the presence of the host recA+ gene.

Isolation of L-dynurenine 3-hydroxylase from the mitochondrial outer membrane of rat liver

Outer membrane preparations of rat liver mitochondria were isolated, after the mitochondria had been prepared by mild digitonin treatment under isotonic conditions. L-Kynurenine 3-hydroxylase [EC 1.14.13.9] was solubilized on a large scale from outer membrane by mixing with 1% digitonin or 1% Triton X-100, followed by fractionation into a minor fraction I and a major fraction II by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The distribution of total L-Dynurenine 3-hydroxylase was roughly 20 and 80% in fraction I and II, respectively. Fraction I consisted of crude enzyme loosely bound to anion exchanger. In the present investigation, fraction I was not used because of its low activity and rapid inactivation. In contrast, fraction II consisted of crude enzyme with high activity, excluded from DEAE-cellulose column chromatography in the presence of 1 M KC1. In addition, fraction II was purified by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography with linear gradient elution, adding 1 M KC1 and 1% Triton X-100 to 0.05 M Tris-acetate buffer, pH 8.1. After isoelectric focusing, the purified enzyme preparation was proved to be homogeneous, since the L-kynurenine 3-hydroxylase fraction gave a single band on disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of this enzyme was estimated to be approximately 200,000 or more by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and from the elution pattern on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. A 16-Fold increase of the enzyme activity was obtained compared with that of the mitochondrial outer membrane. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be pH 5.4 by Ampholine isoelectric focusing.