Cardiolipin (CL) is a mitochondrial-specific phospholipid. CL content and acyl chain composition are crucial for energy production. Given that estradiol induces CL synthesis in neurons, we aimed to assess CL metabolism in the cerebral cortex (CC) of male and female mice during early postnatal life, when sex steroids induce sex-dimorphic maturation of the brain. Despite the fact that total amoun...

Cardiolipin is an ever-present component of the energy-conserving inner membranes of bacteria and mitochondria. Its modulation of the structure and dynamism of the bilayer impacts on the activity of their resident proteins, as a number of studies have shown. Here we analyze the consequences cardiolipin has on the conformation, activity, and localization of the protein translocation machinery. C...

A practical and easily reproducible method for preparing lecithin of a high degree of purity is urgently needed in connection with the use of lecithin in cardiolipin antigens (1, 2). Methods devised for this purpose have been published (3, 4), but the procedures, based on the classic studies of Levene and his coworkers (5, 6), were somewhat tedious and the lecithins so prepared have not always ...

Spectrin, previously identified as one of the major proteins of the mammalian erythrocyte skeleton, was discovered in most animal cells. Brain spectrin, also known as fodrin, is one of the best studied nonerythroid proteins of the spectrin family. Erytrocyte spectrin can interact with the lipid domains in natural membranes and in model systems. We have found, that brain spectrin interacts with ...

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) has been utilized to explore the effect of cationic protein lysozyme (Lz) on the morphology of solid-supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) comprised of zwitterionic lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) and its mixture with anionic lipid cardiolipin (CL). Kinetic TIRFM imaging of different systems revealed subtle interplay between lipid lateral segre...

Results At diagnosis the mean (SD) ages were 12.25(0.27) and 33.93(1.32) yrs, whereas the mean follow-up 6.63 (0.59) and 11.6 (0.7) yrs, for jSLE and aSLE respectively. General features, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy and haematology abnormalities were more frequent in jSLE patients (p1=0.001, p2=0.025 and p3<0.0001, respectively), whereas photosensitivity was commoner in those with aSLE (...

A phage-associated lysin was found in culture lysates resulting from the propagation of virulent bacteriophage A25 on the group A streptococcal strain designated K56. In contrast to the previously described group C streptococcal phage-associated lysins, A25 phage-associated lysin was more active on chloroform-treated cells, was not phage bound, and was active on some group G and H strains, as w...

The pathway for the biosynthesis of new cardiolipin was investigated in the isolated perfused intact rat heart. Isolated rat hearts were perfused in the Langendorff mode for up to 60 min with Krebs-Henseleit buffer containing 0.1 microM [U-14C]glycerol. Analysis of radioactivity incorporated into phospholipids in the organic phase revealed an increase in radioactivity incorporated into phosphat...

The serological diagnosis of syphilis relies upon the widespread use of non-specific screenig tests, such as the cardiolipin Wassermann reaction (CWR) and the Venereal Diseases Research Laboratory (VDRL) slide test, in combination with the Reiter protein complement-fixation (RPCF) test (British Cooperative Clinical Group, 1972). Where necessary, the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorbed (FTA...

Almost complete phospholipid depletion has been achieved for Complex I and III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain using a technique that involves elution on Sephadex LH-20 in the presence of Triton X-100. Enzymic activity may be regenerated by replenishment with phospholipid. However, restoration of enzymic activity in phospholipid-depleted Complex I and III has been shown to require the pr...