Germinal proto-mitochondria from rat liver.

A number of properties of the smallest (less than 0.2 μm) germinal proto-mitochondria (PRMC) from rat liver have been studied. These PRMC were obtained by filtering the light fraction of hepatic mitochondria (MC) through calibrated millipore membranes.

Disruption of flavin homeostasis in isolated rat liver mitochondria.

It has been shown that spontaneous release of non-covalent flavins (from flavoenzymes) begins after isolation of mitochondria from rat liver, which is hydrolyzed to riboflavin. This process is stopped by 1 mM EDTA in the incubation medium. In the presence of NADH, deflavinization of flavoproteins leads to formation of superoxide by at least of three processes.

Fluorescent determination of micro-quantities of RNA using Hoechst 33258 and binase.

Detection of small amounts of RNA in various biological samples is an important applied task. Using fluorescence spectroscopy, the hydrolysis by binase of rRNA and tRNA, stained with Hoechst 33258, in aqueous solutions was investigated. The binding constant of Hoechst with rRNA is 10 M.

Determination of Micro-Quantities of DNA Using DNAse and Fluorescence of Hoechst 33258 and Light-Scattering.

The DNA hydrolysis by deoxyribonuclease (DNAse I) in aqueous solution was studied, using fluorescence spectroscopy and high-sensitive light-scattering detection. Specific hydrolysis of high-polymer DNA or fragmented DNA by the enzyme led to a strong decrease in the fluorescence of the Hoechst dye. The hydrolysis of mitochondrial DNA was accompanied by a decrease in the fluorescence of the dye only in 1.

[Lipofuscin and mitolipofuscin in organs of young and adult rats.].

A comparison of the lipofuscin (aging pigment) content in four organs (liver, kidney, heart, brain) of young and adult rats, as well as in a suspension of hepatic mitochondria, was made. It was demonstrated that mitochondrial lipofuscin - mitolipofuscin, fluorescing in the blue region, makes the main contribution to hepatic lipofuscin. It is assumed that mitolipofuscin in other organs also makes a significant contribution.