[Presence of conjugated noradrenaline in the walls of the nest of Vespula germanica Linné].

Conjugated noradrenaline (NA) has been identified as a constituant of the walls of a Vespid wasp: Vespula germanica Linne. Concentrations range between 1,8 mug/g (external wall) and 18 mug/g (internal structure). Probably NA originates from the saliva of the Hymenoptera.

The use of preparative continuous flow electrophoresis to study low molecular weight proteins in urine.

The authors propose a convenient method for the separation of low molecular weight proteins, present in tubular urines. In particular, the method is used for the purification of beta2 microglobulin, after one recycling, and also for the isolation of the various post-gamma globulins which can later be separated on DEAE Sephadex.

Readenylation of polyadenylate-free globin messenger RNA restores its stability in vivo.

Using an ATP:RNA adenyltransferase from Escherichia coli, a polyadenylic sequence was resynthesized onto rabbit globin mRNA from which the poly (A) segment had been previously removed. Conditions for obtaining a homogenous reconstituted globin mRNA preparation containing 30 adenylic residues per message molecule were determined. The reconstituted globin mRNA was microinjected into Xenopus laevis oocytes.

Absence of polyadenylate segment in globin messenger RNA accelerates its degradation in Xenopus oocytes.

Rabbit globin poly(A)-free and native mRNA preparations were microinjected into Xenopus oocytes. The amount of globin message remaining after incubation of injected oocytes was determined by molecular hybridization with a radioactive complementary DNA probe, synthesized by copying globin mRNA with purified RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) from avian myeloblastosis virus. The results show that 56 hr after injection about 85% of the poly(A)-free mRNA molecules are degraded, while native poly(A)-containing mRNA chains are almost completely preserved during the same period of time.

Low molecular weight proteinuria.

Low molecular weight (LMW) proteinurias vary widely in their microprotein composition. In general, there is little correlation between a given microprotein composition and a defined clinical disease (with the exception of the predominant beta-2-microglobulin in Wilson's disease). Free immunoglobulin light chains are a practically invariable component of, and may be the only detectable LMW protein in, 'tubular' proteinuria.

Role of the polyadenylate segment in the translation of globin messenger RNA in Xenopus oocytes.

The translations of native messenger RNA for rabbit globin and that of poly(A)-free globin messenger RNA have been compared after injection into Xenopus oocytes. The initial rate of translation of poly(A)-free mRNA is close to that found with intact mRNA. However, at longer incubation periods, the rate of globin synthesis with poly(A)-free mRNA is considerably lower than with native mRNA.