Expression of the Na,K-ATPase alpha and beta subunit genes is influenced by a complex series of regulatory pathways. For example, unequal amounts of subunit mRNAs are detected in several tissues, both at rest and upon mRNA induction, even though equal quantities of subunit proteins exist. We therefore studied mRNA stability and translational efficiency of wild type, deletion mutant, and chimeri...

Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activities were measured in 45 subjects, 15 each of beta 0-thalassaemia/haemoglobin (Hb) E disease, Hb H disease, and normal. The erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activities were significantly higher in the patients with beta 0-thalassaemia/Hb E and Hb H diseases than in the normal subjects. The increase of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activities is most lik...

A suite of commercially available volatile compounds was tested in an olfactometer bioassay for responses by the crucifer flea beetle (Phyllotreta cruciferae). Flea beetles were inhibited by exposure to hexane, pentane, and ethanol. Allyl-isothiocyanate, a crucifer-specific volatile, was moderately attractive to spring and early fall flea beetles, but inhibitory to late fall flea beetles. Sprin...

The formation of acrylamide (AA) from L-asparagine was studied in Maillard model systems under pyrolysis conditions. While the early Maillard intermediate N-glucosylasparagine generated approximately 2.4 mmol/mol AA, the Amadori compound was a less efficient precursor (0.1 mmol/mol). Reaction with alpha-dicarbonyls resulted in relatively low AA amounts (0.2-0.5 mmol/mol), suggesting that the St...

Deficiency of pyruvate dehydrogenase [pyruvate:lipoamide 2-oxidoreductase (decarboxylating and acceptor-acetylating), EC 1.2.4.1], the first component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, is associated with lactic acidosis and central nervous system dysfunction. Using both specific antibodies to pyruvate dehydrogenase and cDNAs coding for its two alpha and beta subunits, we characterized pyru...

BALB/3T3 fibroblasts (3T3) were observed to secrete latent, pepsin-activatable forms of cathepsin B and cathepsin L as well as an active form of beta-glucuronidase when cultured in the absence of serum. The secretion of these proteins was stimulated by the cation ionophore monensin: cathepsin B, 4.3-fold; cathepsin L, 7.2-fold; and beta-glucuronidase, 3.1-fold. These increases were accompanied ...

Axis tissues, root and shoot, of germinating pea seedlings actively synthesize sterol from [2-14C]mevalonate during the first 3 days of germination. In addition to the intermediates of sterol synthesis, cycloartenol and 24-methylenecycloartanol, these tissues also form the triterpene beta-amyrin. The cyclase catalysing the formation of cycloartenol from oxidosqualene is about four times as acti...

Twenty-five strains of Fusarium sambucinum grown on wheat kernels were examined for trichothecene production and the synthesis of volatile sesquiterpenes. The volatiles were purged with air and collected on Tenax traps. Adsorbed compounds were eluted from the traps and injected into a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer. Ten strains isolated from potato tubers produced high amoun...

Recent studies have provided evidence that macrophages from Th1-prone mouse strains respond with an M1 profile, and macrophages from Th2-prone mouse strains respond with an M2 profile, characterized by the dominant production of NO or TGF-beta 1, respectively. We have shown that peritoneal macrophages from IL-12p40 gene knockout mice have a bias toward the M2 profile, spontaneously secreting la...

Insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells is dependent on maturation and acidification of the secretory granule, processes necessary for prohormone convertase cleavage of proinsulin. Previous studies in isolated beta cells revealed that acidification may be dependent on the granule membrane chloride channel ClC-3, in a step permissive for a regulated secretory response. In this study, immuno...