Clorgyline-induced reduction in body temperature and its relationship to vigilance states in Syrian hamsters

The antidepressant drug clorgyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) that selectively inhibits MAO type A was administered chronically to Syrian hamsters. Twenty-four-hour EEG sleep and/or telemetered peritoneal temperature were monitored during selected sampling periods over four weeks. Chronic clorgyline treatment decreased rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep time and body temperature during the first week. Incomplete tolerance to these effects developed during the second and third weeks. REM sleep and body temperature were correlated during chronic clorgyline treatment. Non-REM (NREM) sleep was elevated throughout chronic treatment. These results suggest that clorgyline's effects on REM and NREM sleep might be related to clorgyline's effects on thermoregulation and to the development of tolerance. However, causal relationships between clorgyline's effects on thermoregulation and the levels of REM and NREM sleep remain to be determined.

The G protein beta 2 complementary DNA encodes the beta 35 subunit

Antisera were generated against synthetic peptides that correspond to amino acid sequences deduced from a cDNA (designated beta 2) that encodes a second form of the beta subunit of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins). The specificity of interactions of these antisera with purified G protein beta subunits indicates that the beta 2 cDNA encodes the beta 35 form of this polypeptide. This hypothesis is confirmed by the use of these antisera to detect expression of the beta 2 cDNA in COS-m6 cells.

A second form of the beta subunit of signal-transducing G proteins

A complementary DNA (cDNA) has been isolated that encodes a second form of the beta subunit of signal-transducing guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins). The cDNA corresponds to a 1.8-kilobase mRNA, and nucleotide sequence analysis indicates that the encoded polypeptide consists of 340-amino acid residues with a Mr of 37,335. Although the deduced polypeptide is the same size as that reported previously for the beta subunit, 10% of the amino acid residues are different. Furthermore, the 5' and 3' non-translated regions of this cDNA show no significant homology with those reported previously for cDNAs that encode the beta subunit. These data refute prior conclusions that there is only one form of the G protein beta subunit.

Sequence of mRNA coding for bindin, a species-specific sea urchin sperm protein required for fertilization

Bindin, a major protein of the sea urchin acrosome granule, mediates the species-specific adhesion and binding of sperm to egg required to effect fertilization. We report the isolation and sequence of bindin cDNA clones prepared from Strongylocentrotus purpuratus testis RNA. The bindin gene appears to be productively expressed only in males and only in testes. The protein is produced from a 51-kDa precursor, which is subsequently processed to yield the mature 24-kDa bindin protein.