scholarly journals Polyamines and nucleic acid metabolism in chick embryo. Incorporation of labelled precursors into nucleic acids of subcellular fractions and polyribosomal patterns

1968 ◽  
Vol 107 (5) ◽  
pp. 609-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Moruzzi ◽  
B Barbiroli ◽  
C. M. Caldarera

1. An increase in polyamine concentration, caused by inhibiting the amine oxidase activities with iproniazid, increased the incorporation of [3H]orotic acid into chick-embryo RNA and DNA. On the other hand, a decrease in polyamine concentration, obtained by causing an increase in amine oxidase activities, decreased [3H]orotic acid incorporation into nucleic acids. This was particularly evident for nuclear DNA and ribosomal RNA. 2. Polyribosomal patterns obtained by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation showed highest radioactivity in the regions of 259s and 280s aggregates in those embryos in which the polyamine contents were enhanced, whereas a decrease in the radioactivity was observed when the polyamine concentrations were decreased. 3. The activity of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, assayed in the same experimental conditions, also varied in the same fashion with changes in polyamine concentration.

1984 ◽  
Vol 219 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Mezzetti ◽  
M Moruzzi ◽  
B Barbiroli

The post-ribosomal fraction of chick duodenal mucosa contains Met-tRNAMetf-binding protein(s) that behaves like the eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF-2) in protein synthesis. The binding activity of cytosol protein can be measured by retention of the radioactive complex formed on a nitrocellulose membrane. Complex-formation requires Met-tRNAMetf and GTP or guanosine [beta, gamma-methylene] triphosphate, and is inhibited by aurintricarboxylic acid. The ternary initiation complex thus formed can bind to ribosomal particles from chick intestine. By sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation, [35S]Met-tRNAMetf was found to bind exclusively to 40S and not to 60S ribosomal subunit particles. In the duodenal mucosa of rachitic chicks the ability of the cytosol proteins to promote the binding of Met-tRNAMetf to ribosomal particles via ternary-complex formation is detectably increased by 3 h after injection of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, the active form of vitamin D. Cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol under the same experimental conditions failed to stimulate Met-tRNAMetf-binding activity.


1975 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Q Mehdi ◽  
S S Nussey

Highly purified bovine TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) was labelled with 125I by using very low concentrations of chloramine-T. Human thyroid membranes prepared by discontinuous sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation were homogeneous on examination by electron microscopy. Incubation of radioiodinated TSH with the membranes showed that radioactivity could be bound to the membranes. Under the experimental conditions described here, binding was dependent on time and temperature and was a saturable phenomenon. Preincubation of the membranes with unlabelled hormone inhibited the subsequent binding of 125I-labelled TSH. Similarly, inhibition by the long-acting thyroid stimulator also showed a saturation behaviour. A rapid and sensitive method for the detection of the long-acting thyroid stimulator is described.


1970 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 503-514 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Hidvégi ◽  
Elisabeth Bölöni ◽  
J. Holland ◽  
F. Antoni ◽  
V. Várterész

1. Liver RNA synthesis was studied within 24h after whole-body X-irradiation of guinea pigs that had been starved for 22–24h. 2. Microsomal RNA was labelled in vivo for 3h with [14C]orotic acid and the isolated labelled RNA was fractionated by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. Incorporation was 50–100% higher between 3 and 12h after 2000rd X-irradiation and at 22h was not elevated any further. Whole nuclear RNA was labelled with [14C]orotic acid for 15min. At 5h after irradiation the incorporation showed a 50–100% increase. Incorporation increased in all types of RNA studied. 3. The RNA phosphorus/DNA phosphorus ratio of whole liver gradually increased after X-irradiation. Maximal increase was found between 24 and 36h, which corresponds to a value about 40% above that of the starved control. The RNA phosphorus content of isolated ribonucleoproteins obtained from various cell fractions of the liver was similarly increased after X-irradiation. 4. Liver microsomes were obtained from X-irradiated and control animals. Microsomes were incubated in vitro with [14C]phenylalanine in the presence and absence of polyuridylic acid. After the incubation the microsomes were fractionated by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. The polyuridylic acid enhancement was twice as great in the microsomes of the control preparation as in the irradiated one. The experiment demonstrated a higher saturation of microsomes by endogenous messenger after X-irradiation. 5. RNA polymerase activity of the purified nuclear preparation was assayed. The activity of the Mg2+-dependent RNA polymerase activity was 50 and 200% respectively above the control values at 6 and 9h after X-irradiation. 6. Animals were treated with actinomycin D shortly before X-irradiation. This treatment abolished the radiation-induced enrichment of polyribosomes and the increase of protein-synthesizing activity. The effect of X-irradiation on the transcription of the genetic code of the liver is discussed.


1968 ◽  
Vol 106 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Dyer ◽  
Rachel M. Leech

1. A method for the extraction of plant nucleic acids and their separation on methylated-serum-albumin–kieselguhr columns is described. It is demonstrated that the characteristics of the elution profiles of material from the same source are consistently reproducible. 2. Major dissimilarities were found in the elution profiles of nucleic acids from root and from leaves of Vicia faba L. These dissimilarities were confirmed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. 3. Four distinct types of low-molecular-weight RNA were demonstrated to be present in leaves, clearly distinguished by their behaviour when chromatographed on methylated-serum-albumin–kieselguhr columns. (a) Both cytoplasmic and chloroplast ribosomes contained a low-molecular-weight RNA, and these components were distinct from each other. (b) The chloroplast possessed a unique ‘soluble’ RNA (i.e. RNA that is not precipitated by centrifugal forces that sediment ribosomes) which was not present in the rest of the cell. (c) A soluble component, probably transfer RNA, was found in both the chloroplasts and in the cytoplasm. 4. The components distinguishable by methylated-serum-albumin–kieselguhr column chromatography could not be distinguished by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation.


1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (04) ◽  
pp. 848-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjorie B Zucker ◽  
David Varon ◽  
Nicholas C Masiello ◽  
Simon Karpatkin

SummaryPlatelets deprived of calcium and incubated at 37° C for 10 min lose their ability to bind fibrinogen or aggregate with ADP when adequate concentrations of calcium are restored. Since the calcium complex of glycoproteins (GP) IIb and IIIa is the presumed receptor for fibrinogen, it seemed appropriate to examine the behavior of these glycoproteins in incubated non-aggregable platelets. No differences were noted in the electrophoretic pattern of nonaggregable EDTA-treated and aggregable control CaEDTA-treated platelets when SDS gels of Triton X- 114 fractions were stained with silver. GP IIb and IIIa were extracted from either nonaggregable EDTA-treated platelets or aggregable control platelets with calcium-Tris-Triton buffer and subjected to sucrose density gradient centrifugation or crossed immunoelectrophoresis. With both types of platelets, these glycoproteins formed a complex in the presence of calcium. If the glycoproteins were extracted with EDTA-Tris-Triton buffer, or if Triton-solubilized platelet membranes were incubated with EGTA at 37° C for 30 min, GP IIb and IIIa were unable to form a complex in the presence of calcium. We conclude that inability of extracted GP IIb and IIIa to combine in the presence of calcium is not responsible for the irreversible loss of aggregability that occurs when whole platelets are incubated with EDTA at 37° C.


1974 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. V. Nayudu ◽  
Fraser B. Hercus

Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and Bio-Gel P-300 molecular-sieve chromatography of mouse duodenal alkaline phosphatase demonstrates its molecular heterogeneity, which, in a kinetic sense, is manifest also in the differential relative velocities of the heterogeneous forms of the enzyme with two substrates, phenylphosphate and β-glycerophosphate. Different treatments that eliminate most of the electrophoretic and chromatographic variability of the enzyme also decrease the velocities with both substrates so that the molar ratio of hydrolysis of one substrate relative to the other is also altered to a low but stable value. Concomitant with these changes, lipids and peptides are dissociated from the enzyme. The lipids are tentatively identified as a sterol and phospholipids. The peptides have an average composition of four to six amino acids and appear to be strongly electropositive. The conditions of dissociation suggest that their binding to the enzyme is non-covalent and predominantly based on hydrophobic and ionic bonding. The concept of lipid and peptide association would suggest prima facie differential molecular weights as a factor in the observed electrophoretic and chromatographic heterogeneity. However, the molecular forms of the enzyme with differences in elution volume equivalent to more than one-half the void volume of the Bio-Gel P-300 column, or even enzyme fractions dissociated from the lipids and peptides compared with undissociated portions, do not show any differences in sedimentation on sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. This may be because the alterations in molecular weight owing to binding of small molecules are too small to be detected by this method. Alternatively, since lipids are involved, the binding may alter the partial specific volume in such a way that the buoyant density is not significantly altered.


1983 ◽  
Vol 210 (1) ◽  
pp. 259-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Hubbard ◽  
M Kalimi

Citrate greatly stabilized rat hepatic unbound glucocorticoid receptors in cell-free conditions at 4 degrees C with optimal effectiveness at 5-15 mM. Control receptors were inactivated at 4 degrees C with a half-life of less than 12 h. However, in the presence of 10 mM-citrate, unbound receptors were almost completely stabilized for 48 h at 4 degrees C. Citrate at a concentration of 1-2 mM yielded half-maximal stabilization. The stabilizing effect of citrate was rather specific, as succinate, alpha-oxoglutarate, oxaloacetate, malate and pyruvate had no apparent stabilizing action. Citrate stabilized receptors over a wide range of H+ concentrations, with complete protection between pH 6.5 and 8.5. In addition, citrate appeared to have a significant effect on glucocorticoid-receptor complex activation into a nuclear binding form. Thus 5-10 mM-citrate enhanced nuclear binding, with optimal activation achieved at 10 mM concentration. As analysed by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation and DEAE-cellulose chromatography, no apparent change was observed in the physical characteristics of the glucocorticoid receptor in the presence of citrate.


1973 ◽  
Vol 135 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Giorgini ◽  
F. L. De Lucca

Instability of 28S rRNA of Crotalus durissus terrificus liver was observed during hotphenol extraction: purified 28S rRNA is converted into an 18S RNA component by heat treatment. It was also found that ‘6S’ and ‘8S’ low-molecular-weight RNA species were released during the thermal conversion. This conversion and the release of the low-molecular-weight species were also induced by 8m-urea and 80% (v/v) dimethyl sulphoxide at 0°C. Evidence is presented that this phenomenon is an irreversible process and results from the rupture of hydrogen bonds. The 18S RNA product was shown to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. The base composition of the 18S RNA products obtained by heat, urea or dimethyl sulphoxide treatments was similar. The C+G content of the 18S RNA product was different from that of the native 18S rRNA, but similar to that of 28S rRNA.


1975 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
pp. 1416-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Fujita ◽  
S D Litwin ◽  
N Hartman

A method is described which employs differential centrifugation and sucrose density gradient centrifugation to isolate a membrane fraction from human lymphocytes. Membrane preparations from long-term human cultured B- and T-lymphoid lines, peripheral blood lymphocytes, tonsillar lymphocytes, and thymocytes were analyzed on 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate-7.5% polyacrylamide gels stained for protein and carbohydrate. The most important finding was a major glycoprotein of approximately 30,000 daltons associated with the membrane preparations from B lymphocytes. T-lymphocyte preparations did not contain readily detectable amounts of this membrane-associated component. The T-cell lymphoid line MOLT-4 was unique in that it had a narrow protein band at approximately 30,000 daltons which did not contain carbohydrate.


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