Characterization of malate dehydrogenase from deep-sea psychrophilic Vibrio sp. strain no. 5710 and cloning of its gene.

A metabolic key enzyme malate dehydrogenase (MDH) was purified from a deep-sea psychrophilic bacterium, Vibrio sp. strain no. 5710.

Inhibitory properties of a novel human Kunitz-type protease inhibitor homologous to tissue factor pathway inhibitor.

In a previous report, we described the molecular cloning, expression, and partial characterization of a second human tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), which we designated as TFPI-2 [Sprecher, C. A., et al.

Expression of cyclin D1, CDK4 and p27KIP1 is associated with the p16MTS1 gene status in human esophageal carcinoma cell lines.

p16MTS1/INK4A negatively regulates cell cycle progression by inhibiting the cyclin D/CDK4 complex that phosphorylates pRb. Frequent homozygous deletions of the p16 gene were recently found in various tumor cell lines. We examined the relationship between the genetic status of p16 and the expression of the cell cycle regulating molecules in human esophageal carcinoma cell lines.

Induction of cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase system in rat liver microsomes by xiao-chaihu-tang.

The administration of Xiao-Chaihu-Tang (TJ-9) for 2 weeks induced a 25% increase in the content of cytochrome P-450 in female rat liver microsomes, while the content in male rats remained unchanged. The enzymatic activities toward various xenobiotics were stimulated in female rats, the levels being in the range of 125-250% of those in the control rats. Among these xenobiotics, the metabolic rates for substrates of cytochrome P-450 2E1 were significantly enhanced in female rats.

The inhibition of human factor VIIa-tissue factor by antithrombin III-heparin is enhanced by factor X on a human bladder carcinoma cell line.

Previous studies have shown that antithrombin III-heparin effectively inhibited the factor VIIa-tissue factor complex. Herein, we show that the neutralization of factor VIIa in complex with the cell surface tissue factor by antithrombin III-heparin was markedly enhanced by plasma levels of factor X. Active site-mutated factor X (S376A factor X) and factor Xa previously inactivated with dansyl-Glu-Gly-Arg-chloromethyl ketone were as effective as plasma-derived factor X in this reaction, indicating that the active site serine residue of factor Xa was not involved in this mechanism.

Full-length human tissue factor pathway inhibitor inhibits human activated protein C in the presence of heparin.

Previous studies have demonstrated that tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) purified from a hepatoma cell line failed to inhibit human activated protein C (APC) or human thrombin. In the present study, we have examined the ability of full-length TFPI and a truncated form of TFPI lacking the third Kunitz-type domain and C-terminal tail (TFPI1-161) to inhibit the amidolytic activity of human APC in the presence and absence of heparin. TFPI readily inhibited APC amidolytic activity only in the presence of heparin, whereas TFPI1-161 failed to inhibit APC amidolytic activity in the presence or absence of heparin.

Gene of heat shock protein of sulfur-dependent archaeal hyperthermophile Desulfurococcus.

To elucidate thermoresistance, a gene of a hyperthermophilic heat shock protein (HHSP) was isolated from the hyperthermophile Desulfurococcus strain SY which grows at 95 degrees C. The molecular weight of HHSP deduced from the open reading frame was 59,137 (545 amino acid residues). Sequence alignments of peptides reveal similarities (evolutionary distances) to the alpha (0.

Characterization of a mutation responsible for an alkali-sensitive mutant, 18224, of alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. strain C-125.

An alkali-sensitive mutant, 18224, of the alkaliphilic Bacillus sp. strain C-125 was characterized. The nucleotide sequence of the PvuI-NlaIV DNA fragment that recovers the alkaliphily of 18224 has been cloned from the mutant and sequenced.

Molecular cloning of Sia alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc alpha 2,8-sialyltransferase from mouse brain.

A cDNA encoding a new alpha 2,8-sialyltransferase (ST8Sia III), which exhibits activity toward the Sia alpha 2,3Gal beta 1, 4GlcNAc sequences of N-linked oligosaccharides, was cloned from mouse brain by means of the polymerase chain reaction-based approach. The predicted amino acid sequence of ST8Sia III showed 27.6 and 34.

Donor substrate specificities of Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase and Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase: comparison of N-acetyl and N-glycolylneuraminic acids.

Using cloned sialyltransferases, Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3Gal I) and Gal beta 1,4GlcNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6Gal I) from both chicken and mouse, CMP-NeuAc and CMP-NeuGc were compared as donor substrates with pyridylamino-oligo-saccharides as acceptors. ST6Gal I showed 4-7-times higher activity toward CMP-NeuGc than CMP-NeuAc, while for ST3Gal I there was no significant difference between them, irrespective of the origin of the enzymes. Also, the difference in donor substrate (i.

Molecular cloning and expression of chick Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase.

A cDNA clone encoding chick Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3Gal I) was isolated from a chick embryo brain cDNA library. The cDNA sequence included an open reading frame coding for 342 amino acids, and the deduced amino acid sequence showed 64% identity with that of the mouse enzyme. Northern blot analysis of chick embryos revealed that the ST3Gal I gene was expressed in early embryonic stages.

Hepsin, a putative membrane-associated serine protease, activates human factor VII and initiates a pathway of blood coagulation on the cell surface leading to thrombin formation.

Previous studies have shown that hepsin is a putative membrane-associated serine protease that is required for cell growth (Torres-Rosado, A., O'Shea, K. S.

A candidate gene for RNA export carrier protein has two RBDs (RNA binding domain and Ran binding domain).

The human Ras-related nuclear protein Ran/TC4 is the member of a well conserved family of GTPases that can regulate cell-cycle progression, nuclear structure, protein import, and RNA export through nuclear pore complex (NPC). Translocation of RNA through the NPC also needs a RNA-binding protein as a possible mediator of export. By a low-stringency hybridization with a PCR fragment encoding RNA-binding domain as a probe, we obtained a partial human cDNA from skeletal muscle cDNA library.

Characterization of a gene responsible for the Na+/H+ antiporter system of alkalophilic Bacillus species strain C-125.

An alkali-sensitive mutant, 38154, of the alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain C-125 could not grow at an alkaline pH. The nucleotide sequence of a 3.

Characterization of a Protease from a Psychrotroph, Pseudomonas fluorescens 114.

A psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from river sediment was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens 114. It grew at 0 degrees C and optimally at 20 degrees C. The bacterium produced a protease with a molecular weight of 47,000, which was stable in the pH range of 5 to 9 and worked optimally between pH 6.

A model study of time- and voltage-dependent effects of class I antiarrhythmic drugs in guinea-pig papillary muscles as related to external potassium concentration.

1. A piecewise exponential three-state model previously introduced by the authors in 5.4 mmol/l was intended to apply to states with different [K+]o and with a different drug.

Cloning and expression of Gal beta 1,3GalNAc-specific GalNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase.

A cDNA clone encoding a new type of GalNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6GalNAc II) with a structure similar to that of a previously cloned GalNAc alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase (ST6GalNAc I; Kurosawa, N., Hamamoto, T., Lee, Y.

Kinetic properties and acceptor substrate preferences of two kinds of Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase from mouse brain.

The cDNAs encoding two kinds of Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialytransferases (ST3GalA.1 and ST3GalA.2) have been cloned from mouse brain, both of which could synthesize the NeuAc alpha 2,3Gal beta 1,-3GalNAc sequence of gangliosides as well as O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins [Lee et al.

Cloning and expression of cDNA for a new type of Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase.

Based on the sequences of the highly conserved segments in the previously cloned sialyltransferases, a cDNA encoding a new type of Gal beta 1,3GalNAc alpha 2,3-sialyltransferase (ST3GalA.2) has been isolated from both mouse and rat brain cDNA libraries. The cDNA sequences included an open reading frame coding for 350 amino acids, and the primary structure of this enzyme suggested a putative domain structure consisting of four regions, like that in other glycosyltransferases.

[Clinicopathological features and diagnostic points of uncommon pancreatic tumors].

Clinicopathological features of uncommon pancreatic tumors including solid cystic tumor (SCT), acinar cell carcinoma and pancreatoblastoma are described, based upon a literature survey and own experiences. They are often discovered by US and CT as asymptomatic pseudocystic tumor. SCTs almost always occur in young female and Pancreatoblastoma, in children less than five years old.

[Mechanism of poor responsiveness to therapy of bacterial infection in patients with connective tissue diseases].

Infectious complications are important factors for poor prognosis of connective tissue diseases (CTD). 33% of the fatal cases with CTD were caused by infectious complications in our study. It was characteristic of infectious complications with CTD, that pneumonia was recognized in all CTD, especially, commoner in PSS, PM and OL, and frequently caused a fatal outcome.