RNA ligase reaction products in plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage

Searching for a physiological role of T4 RNA ligase [polyribonucleotide synthetase (ATP); poly(ribonucleotide):poly(ribonucleotide) ligase (AMP-forming), EC 6.5.1.3] activity, we developed an acellular system of plasmolyzed Escherichia coli cells infected by T4 bacteriophage. Upon incubation of this system with [gamma-32P]ATP, 32P was transferred into a large number of polyribonucleotides, mostly up to 300-400 residues long. The bulk of 32P in the product polyribonucleotides was found in 5'-terminal phosphate groups, suggesting that they originated by a phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by the endogenous polynucleotide kinase (EC 2.7.1.78). Indeed, these products were not seen in an acellular system from uninfected cells, and their amount and complexity increased with the progress of infection. Analysis of the 32P-labeled polyribonucleotide products by gel electrophoresis, either before or after digestion with alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), revealed that a small fraction of the 32P resided in phosphodiester bonds of several tRNA-sized chains. This specific 32P transfer from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was apparently catalyzed by successive polynucleotide kinase and RNA ligase reactions. The possible relationship of the 32P transfer to RNA ligase was investigated next by using a system from cells infected with T4 am M69 (an amber mutant deficient in RNA ligase). Transfer of 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP into phosphodiester bonds was not detected in the am M69 system. However, addition of purified RNA ligase to the am M69 system restored the specific 32P transfer. A system from cells infected with T4 psu-b delta 33 (a deletion mutant lacking the entire tRNA region) sustained the specific 32P transfer into tRNA-sized products, indicating that they were not derived from transcripts of T4 tRNA genes. These data may reflect a role of RNA ligase in posttranscriptional conversion of presumably host polyribonucleotides into novel tRNA species during T4 infection.

Inhibition of the 3 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase of Pseudomonas testosteroni by steroids

55 Steroids of the estratriene and androstane type with substituents in pos. 16 alpha, 17 alpha or 17 beta were tested for inhibition of the 3beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase of Pseudomonas testosteroni. Estratrien-3-ols were strong and competitive inhibitors (Ki less than 1 micron). Substituents in pos. 16 alpha of estradiol influenced the inhibitory activity distinctly. Substituents in 17 alpha- or 17 beta-position were of slight influence. 3-Methoxy estratrienes gave no inhibition of the enzymic 3 beta-OH-dehydrogenation. The 4-unsaturated 3-oxo-steroids tested were moderate inhibitors (Ki 2.4-70 micron). The activity was slightly influenced by 17 alpha-substituents. It was increased by 10 beta-substituents in the order H less than CH3 less than N3. The inhibition test can be used to select and eliminate very strong synthetic inhibitors, which are known to disturb the metabolism of steroid hormones.

Okazaki pieces grow opposite to the replication fork direction during simian virus 40 DNA replication

Simian virus 40 replicating DNA was pulse labeled with alpha-32P-dATP using an acellular DNA replication system. Nascent DNA chains of less than 200 nucleotides (Okazaki pieces) were then isolated from the denatured replicating DNA by electrosieving through a polyacrylamide gel column. The purified Okazaki pieces were hybridized to separated strands of Bg1(1)+Hpa1 simian virus 40 DNA restriction fragments immobilized on nitrocellulose filters. Only strands with polarity of the DNA replication fork direction hybridized with Okazaki pieces. Hence, Okazaki pieces in simian virus 40 are synthesized against the DNA replication fork direction.

[Serum digoxin concentration: dependence on body weight and age]

In patients of a cardiological practice, 121 digoxin serum concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Some drugs were suspected of interfering with the RIA or with the pharmacokinetics of digoxin. Patients having such additional drugs or patients with elevated serum creatinine were not included. The daily maintenance dose of digoxin was roughly adjusted to body weight. Patients with 0.5 mg digoxin daily showed unexpectedly low serum digoxin levels not fully explained by the relatively high body weight. This dose group was not included in the following correlations. At a maintenance dose of 0.25 and 0.375 mg digoxin and in the age groups 40-69 years (n = 66) there was an approximately inverse proportionality between serum digoxin concentration (per 0.25 mg digoxin daily) and body weight. When all age classes from 20 to 89 years were included (n = 96), a week positive correlation between serum digoxin concentration (per 0.25 mg digoxin daily and per 69.28 kg body weight) and age was found. A similar positive correlation resulted between serum digoxin concentration (per 0.25 mg digoxin daily) and the reciprocal of the nomographically determined creatinine clearance, always within the normal serum creatinine range. Based on these correlations, two simplified formulas are presented to predict the serum concentration and therapeutic maintenance dose of digoxin. The formulas are valid for the normal serum creatinine range and for digoxin tablets of optimal bioavailability.

Heat Generation in Pneumatic Tires

A review of the entire literature on heat generation in tires shows that, while a considerable number of articles have reported the effect of running conditions, only the few cited here have provided clarification of the causes of heat generation. The overview presented here also has limitations in some respects, especially in that all the reported regression equations (except those for radial passenger car tires) have a large residual term. This is due to the scattering of the test results and the fact that only the viscoelastic properties of the tread and carcass stocks were varied, but not the tire cord and the other vulcanizates used. Tire cord properties have fixed properties, as far as the tire specialist is concerned and cannot be changed. A further regret is that almost all the investigations were carried out on laboratory test wheels, so that no experimental findings obtained from tires run on the road are included. This is so because road experiment conditions are difficult to make reproducible. On the whole, one can expect that the reported results would be qualitatively valid for tires run on the road, but the differences among different tire designs would probably not be as great, while surface friction effects would be more significant. Moreover, though the tire test parameters were different in the different laboratories, they remained constant in each test. No attempt was made to establish dependence on the load (except by Wesche), the internal pressure, the speed, the radius of the test wheel, etc., because each individual tire specialist is confronted, within his own development team, by certain standardized test conditions. The tires have to reach a sufficiently long running time under these conditions. Hence, they may not exceed certain limiting temperatures. Modifications of such requirements were not included in the scope of the present series of experiments. Almost all the authors took test samples for the measurement of viscoelastic properties from the tires, since correlations with laboratory-prepared test pieces were usually poorer. Nevertheless, in the course of compound development the tire chemist is forced to rely on laboratory test specimens and must establish relations to their properties. Consequently, the causes for the differences have to be elucidated for each individual case. In spite of these limitations, the state of the art, as presented here, permits reliable estimates to be made of the changes in tire running temperature that are caused by given changes in the recipes of the tire component stocks.

[Drug therapy of tachycardial arrhythmias]

In recent years the antiarrhythmic armamentarium has been widened by several new drugs. The effects and side effects of amiodarone, verapamil, prenylamine and prajmalium bitartrate are described. With the introduction of the newer drugs, new recommendations have to some extent emerged with regard to treatment of tachyarrhythmias. For a national understanding of antiarrhythmic agents, regard must be had to their effects on both normal and damaged cells.

Covalent joining of phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acid half-molecules by T4 RNA ligase

RNA ligase from T4-phage-infected Escherichia coli cells catalyzes the covalent joining of two polynucleotides that are partially hydrogen-bonded to each other. Two polynucleotide fragments derived from yeast tRNA(Phe) and consisting of residues 1-36 and 38-74 are covalently joined by the enzyme. The product of the reaction lacks residue Y(37) and has an anticodon loop with six nucleotide residues, whereas all tRNA species whose sequences have so far been determined have seven nucleotides in this loop. Evidence is also presented for the formation of a polynucleotide-adenylylate intermediate in the joining reaction, in which a pyrophosphate bond links the 5'-phosphoryl terminus of the polynucleotide and the phosphoryl group of AMP.