scholarly journals Replication of kinetoplast DNA of Crithidia acanthocephali. I. Density shift experiments using deuterium oxide.

1976 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 406-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
J E Manning ◽  
D R Wolstenholme

The protozoan Crithidia acanthocephali contains, within a modified region of a mitochondrion, a mass of DNA known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA). This DNA consists mainly of an association of approximately 27,000 covalently closed 0.8-mum circular molecules which are apparently held together in a definite ordered manner by topological interlocking. After culturing of C. acanthocephali cells for 25 generations in medium containing 75% deuterium oxide, both nuclear DNA (rhonative, nondeuterated=1.717 g/cm3) and kDNA (rhonative, nondeuterated=1.702 g/cm3) increased in buoyant density by 0.012 g/cm3. The replication of the two DNAs was studied by cesium chloride buoyant density analysis of DNAs from exponentially growing cells taken at 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 cell doublings after transfer of cells from D2O-containing medium into medium containing only normal water. The results obtained from analysis of both native and denatured nuclear DNAs indicate that this DNA replicates semiconservatively. From an analysis of intact associations of kDNA, it appears that this DNA doubles once per generation and that the newly synthesized DNA does not segregate from parental DNA. Fractions of covalently closed single circular molecules and of open circular and unit length linear molecules were obtained from associations of kDNA by sonication, sucrose sedimentation, and cesium chloride-ethidium bromide equilibrium gradient centrifugation. Buoyant density profiles obtained from these fractions indicate that: (a) doubling of the kDNA results from the replication of each circular molecule rather than from repeated replication of a small fraction of the circular molecules; (b) replication of kDNA is semiconservative rather than conservative, but there is recombination between the circles at an undefined time during the cell cycle.

1975 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 378-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
D L Fouts ◽  
J E Manning ◽  
D R Wolstenholme

The protozoa Crithidia and Trypanosoma contain within a mitochondrion a mass of DNA known as kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) which consists mainly of an association of thousands of small circular molecules of similar size held together by topological interlocking. Using kDNA from Crithidia acanthocephali, Crithidia luciliae, and Trypanosoma lewisi, physicochemical studies have been carried out with intact associations and with fractions of covalently closed single circular molecules, and of open single circular and unit length linear molecules obtained from kDNA associations by sonication, sucrose sedimentation, and cesium chloride-ethidium bromide equilibrium centrifugation. Buoyant density analyses failed to provide evidence for base composition heterogeneity among kDNA molecules within a species. The complementary nucleotide strands of kDNA molecules of all three species had distinct buoyant densities in both alkaline and neutral cesium chloride. For C. acanthocephali kDNA, these buoyant density differences were shown to be a reflection of differences in base composition between the complementary nucleotide strands. The molar ratios of adenine: thymine:guanine:cytosine, obtained from deoxyribonucleotide analyses were 16.8:41.0:28.1:14.1 for the heavy strand and 41.6:16.6:12.8:29.0 for the light strand. Covalently closed single circular molecules of C. acanthocephali (as well as intact kDNA associations of C. acanthocephali and T. lewisi) formed a single band in alkaline cesium chloride gradients, indicating their component nucleotide strands to be alkaline insensitive. Data from buoyant density, base composition, and thermal melting analyses suggested that minor bases are either rare or absent in Crithidia kDNA. The kinetics of renaturation of 32P labeled C. acanthocephali kDNA measured using hydroxyapatite chromatography were consistent with at least 70% of the circular molecules of this DNA having the same nucleotide sequence. Evidence for sequence homologies among the kDNAs of all three species was obtained from buoyant density analyses of DNA in annealed mixtures containing one component kDNA strand from each of two species.


1972 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 346-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hartmut C. Renger ◽  
David R. Wolstenholme

Cesium chloride centrifugation of each of the DNAs extracted from eight strains of Crithidia revealed a main band at ρ = 1.717 g/cm3 and a satellite band varying from ρ = 1.701 to 1.705 g/cm3 for the different strains By electron microscopy each DNA was shown to include circular molecules, 0.69–0.80 µ in mean contour length, and large, topologically two-dimensional masses of DNA in which the molecules appeared in the form of rosettes. DNA isolated from kinetoplast fractions of Crithidia acanthocephali was shown to consist of light satellite DNA and to be mainly in the form of large masses, 0.8 µ (mol wt = 1.54 x 106 daltons) circular molecules, and a few long, linear molecules. The results of experiments involving ultracentrifugation, heating, and quenching, sonication, and endodeoxyribonuclease digestion, combined with electron microscopy, are consistent with the following hypothesis. The large DNA masses are associations of 0.8 µ circles which are mainly covalently closed. The circles are held together in groups (the rosettes) of up to 46 by the topological interlocking of each circle with many other circles in the group. A group of circles is attached to an adjacent group by one or more circles, each interlocking with many circles of both groups. Each of the associations comprises, on the average, about 27,000 circles (total mol wt ≃ 41 x 109 daltons). A model is proposed for the in situ arrangement of the associations which takes into consideration their form and structure, and appearance in thin sections


1980 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Robin ◽  
Alice Rodrigue

The DNA of Channel Catfish virus (CCV) was selectively extracted from infected cells with a 5% solution of sodium deoxycholate, deproteinized using sodium sarcosinate and pronase, and purified by phenol extraction followed by equilibrium density gradient centrifugation in a cesium chloride solution. CCV DNA displays a buoyant density of 1.715 g/cm3 in such a solution, as would be expected from a duplex DNA containing 56.1% of guanine plus cytosine. As estimated from both its sedimentation coefficient and length in the electron microscope, CCV DNA is a linear duplex molecule of approximately 85 × 106 daltons.


1983 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1689-1693 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. F. Ridgway ◽  
R. A. Lewin

Submicroscopic goblet-shaped particles (goblets) were released from the cell envelope of the marine gliding bacterium Flexibacter polymorphus when treated with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 followed by sonication. The goblets were purified by cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation and exhibited an equilibrium buoyant density of 1.30 g/mL at 23 °C. They were composed of protein and a small amount of carbohydrate (approximately 3.4% by weight). Aqueous suspensions exhibited an absorption maximum in the ultraviolet at a wavelength of 276 nm and a smaller shoulder at 281 nm. Phospholipids were not detected in purified preparations of goblets, though they are known to be prominent constituents of the intact membranes of this microbe. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of goblets solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate and 2-mercaptoethanol indicated four major polypeptide components ranging in molecular weight from 13 000 to 80 000. This number of different protein subunits corroborates earlier ultrastructural observations indicating a multisubunit composition.


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.


1996 ◽  
Vol 319 (3) ◽  
pp. 887-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward T PARKIN ◽  
Anthony J TURNER ◽  
Nigel M HOOPER

The Triton-insoluble complex from porcine lung membranes has been separated into two distinct subfractions visible as discrete light-scattering bands following buoyant density-gradient centrifugation in sucrose. Both of these detergent-insoluble complexes were enriched in the glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored ectoenzymes alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase P and 5´-nucleotidase, and both complexes excluded the polypeptide-anchored ectoenzymes angiotensin-converting enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidase IV and aminopeptidases A and N. The GPI-anchored proteins in both complexes were susceptible to release by phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. Both complexes were also enriched in cholesterol and glycosphingolipids, and in caveolin/VIP21, although only the higher-density fraction was enriched in the plasmalemmal caveolar marker proteins Ca2+-ATPase and the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor. Among the annexin family of proteins, annexins I and IV were absent from the two detergent-insoluble complexes, annexin V was present in both, and annexins II and VI were only enriched in the higher-density fraction. When the metal chelator EGTA was present in the isolation buffers, annexins II and VI dissociated from the higher-density detergent-insoluble complex and only a single light-scattering band was observed on the sucrose gradient, at the same position as for the lower-density complex. In contrast, in the presence of excess calcium only a single detergent-insoluble complex was isolated from the sucrose gradients, at an intermediate density. Thus the detergent-insoluble membrane complex can be subfractionated on the basis of what appears to be calcium-dependent, annexin-mediated, vesicle aggregation into two distinct populations, only one of which is enriched in plasmalemmal caveolar marker proteins.


1970 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hartmut C. Renger ◽  
David R. Wolstenholme

Cesium chloride centrifugation of DNA extracted from cells of blood strain Trypanosoma lewisi revealed a main band, ρ = 1.707, a light satellite, ρ = 1.699, and a heavy satellite, ρ = 1.721. Culture strain T. lewisi DNA comprised only a main band, ρ = 1.711, and a light satellite, ρ = 1.699. DNA isolated from DNase-treated kinetoplast fractions of both the blood and culture strains consisted of only the light satellite DNA. Electron microscope examination of rotary shadowed preparations of lysates revealed that DNA from kinetoplast fractions was mainly in the form of single 0.4 µ circular molecules and large masses of 0.4 µ interlocked circles with which longer, often noncircular molecules were associated. The 0.4 µ circular molecules were mainly in the covalently closed form: they showed a high degree of resistance to thermal denaturation which was lost following sonication; and they banded at a greater density than linear DNA in cesium chloride-ethidium bromide gradients. Interpretation of the large masses of DNA as comprising interlocked covalently closed 0.4 µ circles was supported by the findings that they banded with single circular molecules in cesium chloride-ethidium bromide gradients, and following breakage of some circles by mild sonication, they disappeared and were replaced by molecules made up of low numbers of apparently interlocked 0.4 µ circles. When culture strain cells were grown in the presence of either ethidium bromide or acriflavin, there was a loss of stainable kinetoplast DNA in cytological preparations. There was a parallel loss of light satellite and of circular molecules from DNA extracted from these cells.


1969 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 484-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles E. Holt ◽  
Elizabeth G. Gurney

DNA metabolism in the slime mold Physarum polycephalum was studied by centrifugation in CsCl of lysates of cultures labeled with radioactive thymidine at various times in the cell cycle. During the G2 (premitotic) phase of the cell cycle, two components of the DNA are labeled. One component is lighter (buoyant density 1.686 g/cc) than the mean of the principal DNA (1.700 g/cc), and one is heavier (approximately 1.706 g/cc). The labeled light DNA was identified chemically by its denaturability, its susceptibility to DNase, and the recovery of its radioactivity in thymine. Cell fractionation studies showed that the heavy and the principal DNA components are located in the nucleus and that the light DNA is in the cytoplasm. The light DNA comprises approximately 10% of the DNA. About ⅓–½ of the light DNA is synthesized during the S period, and the remainder is synthesized throughout G2 (there is no G1 in Physarum). The light DNA is metabolically stable. A low, variable level of incorporation of radioactive thymidine into the principal, nuclear DNA component was observed during G2.


1977 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-310
Author(s):  
D.W. Galbraith ◽  
D.H. Northcote

A procedure for the isolation of plasma membranes from protoplasts of suspension-cultured soybean is described. Protoplasts were prepared by enzymic digestion of the cell wall and the plasma membrane was labelled with radioactive diazotized sulphanilic acid. The membrane systems from broken protoplasts were separated by continuous isopycnic sucrose gradient centrifugation. Radioactivity was localized in a band possessing a buoyant density of 1–14 g ml-1. The activities of NADPH- and NADH-cytochrome c reductase, fumarase, Mg2+-ATPase, IDPase and acid phosphodiesterase in the various regions of the density gradient were determined. A plasma membrane fraction was selected which was relatively uncontaminated with membranes derived from endoplasmic reticulum, tonoplasts and mitochondria. The results indicated that Mg2+-ATPase and possibly acid phosphodiesterase were associated with the plasma membrane.


Development ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-74
Author(s):  
Nagaswamisri Vasan

Limb-bud proteoglycans are heterogeneous molecules which vary in their chemical and physical properties with development. This report describes proteoglycan intermediates (PG-I) that predominate in stage-34 limbs, and compares them with proteoglycan aggregates (PG-A) in stage-38 limbs. We analysed proteoglycans and their components extracted with guanidinium chloride by subjecting them to density gradient centrifugation, molecular sieve chromatography, electrophoretic separation, and selective enzymatic degradation. PG-I and PG-A have similar chondroitin sulphate composition, amino sugars, chondroitin sulphate side-chain length, glycoprotein link factors, and hyaluronic acid binding capacity, and both cross react with antisera prepared against cartilage-specific chick sternal proteoglycans. However, PG-I has lower molecular weight, lower buoyant density, and fewer chondroitin sulphate side chains on the protein core. The PG-I in the developing limb can be considered a mixture of smaller aggregates and cartilage-specific large monomers in which the former predominate.


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