The chromosomal location of a third set of malate dehydrogenase loci, Mdh-3, in wheat, barley and related species

A third set of malate dehydrogenase loci have been identified and located on the short arms of homoeologous group 5 chromosomes in wheat. Allelic differences have been found at each of the three Mdh-3 loci. However, Mdh-D3 appears to be least variable, with a second allele found only in Sears' 'Synthetic' among a survey of 42 varieties. Homoeoloci were identified on chromosome 7 (5H) of Hordeum vulgare, the short arm of 5E in Agropyron elongatum and 5U in Aegilops umbellulata.

Ibf-1 (Iodine binding factor), a highly variable marker system in the Triticeae

Isoelectric focusing of extracts from the endosperm of mature grains of hexaploid wheat and related species was used to study the genetic control of 'Iodine binding factor' (IBF). Ten IBF bands were present in "Chinese Spring" ("CS") and analysis of the nullisomictetrasomic and ditelosomic lines of "CS" showed nine of them to be controlled by genes on the long arms of the homoeologous group 5 chromosomes. Five alleles were detected at Ibf-A1 locus, four at Ibf-B1 and four at Ibf-D1 among a sample of 46 wheat genotypes. Homoeoloci were found on chromosome 5R of Secale cereale, 5E of Agropyron elongatum, 5U of Aegilops umbellulata, 5Ag(i) of Agropyron intermedium, 5S(1) and 4S(1) of Aegilops sharonensis and 4H of Hordeum vulgare.

Treatment of severe aplastic anemia: comparison of bone marrow transplantation to immunotherapy

Between February 1985 and May 1988, sixteen patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) post multitransfusion were treated with either allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) (9) or immunosuppression (7). The latter group was further divided into two subgroups: horse anti-human thymocyte-lymphocyte globulin (ATG-ALG) (2) and high dose methylprednisolone (HDMP) (5). There were 8 males and 8 females, age ranged from 10 to 35 years for the BMT group and 19 to 56 for the immunosuppression group. As of analysis, 9 patients in the BMT group had been followed from 1 to 31 months after transplant (median,24). Graft rejection was noted in 2, both had positive mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) index. Seven had full recovery of hematopoiesis. Of these 7 survivals, none developed acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), whereas 2 had chronic GVHD which resolved completely after a 9-month treatment with azathioprine and prednisolone. Kaplan-Meier survival probability at 31 month was 75%. In the immunosuppressive therapy group 2, who received ATG-ALG both failed the treatment, died 7 and 29 months later, respectively. There were 3 responders in the HDMP subgroup, 1 complete, 2 partial. The 1-year survival probability for this group was 42.9% compared with 75% in the BMT group (p greater than 0.10). However, the hematologic reconstitution and Karnofsky performance were complete in all 7 transplant survivals vs one of 3 in the immunosuppression group (p less than 0.01). This experience supports that for patients with SAA under the age of 40, BMT is the treatment of choice if an HLA-identical MLC-nonreactive marrow donor is available, if not, immunosuppression is an alternative approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Glutamate-like immunoreactivity revealed in rat olfactory bulb, hippocampus and cerebellum by monoclonal antibody and sensitive staining method

Although there is good evidence favoring L-glutamate as a major excitatory amino acid transmitter, relatively little is known about the distribution of nerve terminals using this substance. A method visualizing glutamate-like immunoreactivity at the light microscopic level by means of a monoclonal antibody, mAb 2D7, is described. --The antigen used for immunization was a glutaraldehyde-linked glutamate-BSA conjugate, and hybridomas were differentially screened by ELISA for production of antibodies recognizing glutamate- but not aspartate-BSA. The crossreactivity of 'anti-glutamate' mAb 2D7 as estimated in absorption tests was low even with conjugates closely related to glutamate-BSA.--Semithin sections from rapidly perfusion-fixed, plastic-embedded rat brain tissues were etched and stained by a combination of the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method and silver enhancement of the diaminobenzidine reaction product. Only this amongst several other immunohistochemical methods tried produced labeling patterns which showed terminal-like elements in brain regions such as olfactory bulb, hippocampus and cerebellum, and which were mostly consistent with already available information on systems using glutamate as neurotransmitter. Particularly striking was the staining of elements reminiscent of mossy fiber terminals in hippocampus and cerebellum as well as of cerebellar parallel fiber terminals.

Multiple molecular forms of β-amylase in seeds and vegetative tissues of barley

The molecular forms of β-amylase present in developing, mature, germinating and malted grains of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and in vegetative tissues, have been studied using Western-blot analyses and isoelectric focusing of isoenzymes. Five isoforms with different relative molecular masses (Mrs) could be recognised. The major isoform present in the mature grain, called isoform B, had an Mr of about 60 000. This was converted on malting or germination to two lower-Mr forms called C and D. Previous work (R. Lundgard and B. Svensson, 1986, Carlsberg Res. Commun. 51, 487-491) has shown that these result from partial proteolysis of isoform B. Isoenzyme analyses showed complex patterns of bands, with pIs between about 5.0 and 6.0. Two allelic types were present in the eight lines. A number of new bands with a range of pIs appeared during germination and malting.An isoform with the same Mr as D and a minor low-Mr isoform (E) were present in young developing whole caryopses (8-12 d after anthesis), but not in older developing endosperms (14-21 d after anthesis). Isoenzyme analyses also showed different patterns of bands in these two tissues, while hybrid-dot analyses indicated the presence of separate populations of mRNAs. It is suggested that the early endosperm isoforms (D and E) are "green" β-amylases present in the pericarp and-or testa of the young caryopses.Roots but not shoots or leaves also contained an isoform with the same Mr as D, although the pattern of isoenzymes differed from that present in the seed tissues.The fifth isoform, A, was a diffuse high-Mr form present in small amounts in all seed and vegetative tissues, and may correspond to a constitutively expressed form.These multiple molecular forms of β-amylase are discussed in relation to the recent report that β-amylase is encoded by two structural loci, with a total copy number of two to three per haploid genome (Kreis et al, 1988, Genet. Res. Camb. 51, 13-16).

Studies in monkeys of attenuated hepatitis A variants

Three HAV variants, H2M20(35 degrees C), H2M20(35 degrees C) and H2M20K5(32 degrees C), were developed by passage in different tissue culture cells and at different temperatures. Virulence for monkeys was assessed by inoculating each of the variants into four monkeys. Weekly bleeding through 16 weeks post-inoculation was assayed for anti-HAV titers and SGPT as well as LDH5 activities. And in some monkeys liver biopsies were also studied. Seroconversion was induced in all of the inoculated monkeys. The anti-HAV titers tested at 16 weeks post-inoculation were: 40-640 with H2M20(35 degrees C), 40-160 with H2M20(32 degrees C) and 20-40 with H2M20K5(32 degrees C). These variants showed different levels of virulence/attenuation for monkeys. Variant H2M20(35 degrees C) showed no evidence of attenuation, variant H2M20(32 degrees C) retained slight virulence and variant H2M20K5(32 degrees C) showed no evidence of virulence for monkeys. Criteria are proposed for assay of HAV virulence tested in monkeys.

[Establishment of epithelial cell line TBC-27 from a human bladder transitional cell carcinoma and its biological characteristics]

The cell line TBC-27, from a human bladder transitional cell carcinoma Grade II, was established and maintained for 8 months through 27 passages. TBC-27 cells have the epithelioid cell morphology during culture. The population doubling time of the 14th generation cells was 27 hours by growth curve. The chromosome karyotype of the 12th generation cells consisted mainly of hypodiploid (mode 40-45). Ultrastructurally, there was a great deal of freeribosome and vesicle in the cytoplasm and a great number of atypical microvilli on the surface of the 21st generation cells. The heterotransplantation test revealed that the xenografted tumor in the immunosuppressed suckling rats was similar to the initial bladder carcinoma in histology.

Characterization and structure of genes for proteases A and B from Streptomyces griseus

Protease A and protease B are extracellular proteins which are secreted by Streptomyces griseus. The genes encoding protease A (sprA) and protease B (sprB) were isolated from an S. griseus genomic library by using a synthetic oligonucleotide probe. Fragments containing sprA and sprB were characterized by hybridization and demonstration of proteolytic activity in Streptomyces lividans. Each DNA sequence contains a large open reading frame with the coding region of the mature protease situated at its carboxy terminus. The amino terminus of each reading frame appears to encode a 38-amino-acid signal peptide followed by a 76- or 78-amino-acid polypeptide, a propeptide, which is joined to the mature protease. Strong homology between the coding regions of the protease genes suggests that sprA and sprB originated by gene duplication.

[Cultivation of urologic and male genital tumor cells]

Thirty specimens from 30 patients with urologic and male genital system tumors were cultured. Eighteen (60%) showed initial cell growth. Four (13%) were successful in primary culture. In a renal cell carcinoma and a bladder transitional cell carcinoma, the subcultures were successful after the primary culture. In eight months, having transferred the former for twelve generations and the latter for twenty-seven generations, these two cell lines are established. The morphological characters of the cultured cells, eradication of fibroblasts, conditions of culture and prevention of contamination are discussed.

The route of incorporation of nitrogen atom into rifamycin during its biosynthesis

In this paper, it was first shown that under various conditions of nitrogen supply the rifamycin yield was positively correlated with the mycelial specific activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), then the enhancing effect of glutamine, the product of GS, on rifamycin biosynthesis was demonstrated with resting cell system. The stimulatory effect of glutamine was more pronounced than that of glutamate, and not reduced by a GS specific inhibitor, DON. However, the increase in yield brought about by glutamate, and by asparagine was strongly inhibited by this inhibitor. Glutamine-CO15NH2 amd glutamate-alpha-15NH2 were synthesized and compared for the incorporation of 15N into rifamycin. It was found that the amide nitrogen was incorporated to a much greater extent than the alpha-amino nitrogen, showing that glutamine was a direct precursor of the nitrogen atom in rifamycin. In addition, synthesis of A-32 (C7N), an intermediate secreted by an inactive mutant rif 1, was also greatly stimulated by glutamine, and the synthetic C7N was found to be able to stimulate the biosynthesis of rifamycin. Based upon the above results, the route of incorporation of nitrogen atom into rifamycin is summarized as follows: (Formula: see text).

Light dependence of the decay of the proton gradient in broken chloroplasts

The initial rates and steady-state values of proton uptake by broken chloroplasts have been measured as functions of light intensity at various concentrations of chlorophyll, pyocyanine, supporting electrolyte, buffer, as well as pH and temperature. Kinetics analysis of the data shows that the rate of decay of proton gradient due to backward leakage depends on light intensity. Under steady illumination, the decay constant kL is equal to kD + mR0, where R0 is the initial rate of proton uptake which is a function of light intensity, kD is the decay constant in the dark and m is a parameter which is independent of light intensity. Treatment of chloroplasts with lysolecithin, neutral detergent, 2,4-dinitrophenol, or valinomycin in the presence of K+ increases kD without affecting m. Treatment with N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or adenylyl imidodiphosphate under appropriate conditions decreases m without affectsity and hence m = 0. These results suggest that the light-dependent part (mR0) of kL is due to leakage of protons through the coupling factor (CF1-CF0) complex which can open or close depending on light intensity and that the light independent part (kD) of the decay constant kL is due to proton leakage elsewhere.