Trypsinogen-kinase fromAspergillus fumigatus

Summary The activation of bovine trypsinogen by an extracellular acid proteinase fromA. fumigatus is described. The enzyme activates trypsinogen optimally at pH 3.5 and 32°C. The effect of substrate and enzyme concentrations on the activation has been studied and the K_m-value has been determined.Acknowledgments. We are grateful to Dr. N. Ramanathan for the permission to publish this paper and to CSIR, New Delhi, for the financial assistance to M.P.     

Biosynthesis of aflatoxins by cell-free preparations fromAspergillus flavus

Résumé Incorporation d'acétate-1-¹⁴C, de leucine-U-¹⁴C et de mévalonate-2-¹⁴C sous forme d'aflatoxine dans les extraits libres des cellulesd'Aspergillus flavus. Dans le cas du mévalonate, l'incorporation de l'ordre de 0,4 pour 100 et les activités spécifiques sont 13 000 à 40 000 cpm/mg d'aflatoxine. La capacité d'incorporation des substrats en aflatoxine s'observe, en particulier, dans les mitochondries.     

Clusterin facilitates in vivo clearance of extracellular misfolded proteins

The extracellular deposition of misfolded proteins is a characteristic of many debilitating age-related disorders. However, little is known about the specific mechanisms that act to suppress this process in vivo. Clusterin (CLU) is an extracellular chaperone that forms stable and soluble complexes with misfolded client proteins. Here we explore the fate of complexes formed between CLU and misfolded proteins both in vitro and in a living organism. We show that proteins injected into rats are cleared more rapidly from circulation when complexed with CLU as a result of their more efficient localization to the liver and that this clearance is delayed by pre-injection with the scavenger receptor inhibitor fucoidan. The CLU–client complexes were found to bind preferentially, in a fucoidan-inhibitable manner, to human peripheral blood monocytes and isolated rat hepatocytes and in the latter cell type were internalized and targeted to lysosomes for degradation. The data suggest, therefore, that CLU plays a key role in an extracellular proteostasis system that recognizes, keeps soluble, and then rapidly mediates the disposal of misfolded proteins.     

Tenascins,a growing family of extracellular matrix proteins

The tenascins are a family of large multimeric extracellular matrix proteins consisting of repeated structural modules including heptad repeats, epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeats, fibronectin type III repeats, and a globular domain shared with the fibrinogens. The tenascins are believed to be involved in the morphogenesis of many organs and tissues. To date three members of the tenascin family have been described, tenascin-C, tenascin-R, and tenascin-X. Tenascin-R seems to be specific for the central and peripheral nervous system, tenascin-X is most prominent in skeletal and heart muscle, while tenascin-C is present in a large number of developing tissues including the nervous system, but is absent in skeletal and heart muscles. Tenascin-C was the original tenascin discovered, partly because of its overexpression in tumors. Inferring from cell biological studies, it has been proposed that tenascin-C is an adhesion-modulating protein.     

Some comparative studies of two alkaline phosphatases fromAspergillus niger

Summary Alkaline phosphatases (ALP I and ALP II), isolated and purified fromAspergillus niger exhibited broad specificity towards a wide variety of substrates, and consistently ALP II was more active than ALP I. It is possible that the difference in levels of activity of the 2 enzymes may be of physiological importance in the mycelia ofA. niger.     

Neoechinulin D,a new isoprenylated dehydrotryptophyl metabolite fromAspergillus amstelodami

Summary Isolation and structural determination of a novel isoprenylated dehydrotryptophyl metabolite fromAspergillus amstelodami, neoechinulin D, is reported.     

Periostin and its interacting proteins in the construction of extracellular architectures

Periostin is a matricellular protein that is composed of a multi-domain structure with an amino-terminal EMI domain, a tandem repeat of four FAS 1 domains, and a carboxyl-terminal domain. These distinct domains have been demonstrated to bind to many proteins including extracellular matrix proteins (Collagen type I and V, fibronectin, tenascin, and laminin), matricellular proteins (CCN3 and βig-h3), and enzymes that catalyze covalent crosslinking between extracellular matrix proteins (lysyl oxidase and BMP-1). Adjacent binding sites on periostin have been suggested to put the interacting proteins in close proximity, promoting intermolecular interactions between each protein, and leading to their assembly into extracellular architectures. These extracellular architectures determine the mechanochemical properties of connective tissues, in which periostin plays an important role in physiological homeostasis and disease progression. In this review, we introduce the proteins that interact with periostin, and discuss how the multi-domain structure of periostin functions as a scaffold for the assembly of interacting proteins, and how it underlies construction of highly sophisticated extracellular architectures.     

Distribution of proteins in the extracellular space of muscles and the possible role of mucopolysaccharides

Zusammenfassung Muskeln wurden in Ringerlösung mit 20% Hämoglobin oder Myoglobin equilibriert. In gefärbten Schnitten erscheint der extrazelluläre Raum im Elektronenmikroskop dunkel, aber lange Filamente, Mukofilamente genannt, bleiben ungefärbt. Diese haben einen Durchmesser von 500 oder 300 å, je nachdem ob das erste oder zweite der Proteine verwendet wurde. Diese Struktur unterscheidet sich deutlich von Kollagenfibrillen durch ihre diffuse Oberfläche, ihre Dicke, ihre Färbung und andere Eigenschaften und besteht wahrscheinlich aus Mukopolysacchariden.     

Induced morphogenetic variations inAspergillus oryzae by 8-azaguanine

Résumé Proliférations de l'appareil sporifère d'Aspergillus oryzae traité à l'azaguanine.

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The authors are deeply indebted to Dr.O. Isler of F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel (Switzerland) for his generous gift of 8-azaguanine and 6-azauracil. They are also grateful to the University Grants Commission, at New Delhi, which financed this research programme by grant-in-aid No. F-8/5-63 (G), to R.K.K.     

The role of pH in nitrogen utilization byPiricularia oryzae

Zusammenfassung Eine Reinkultur des ReisparasitenPiricularia oryzae, der Stickstoff aus Nitraten benutzen, nicht aber aus stark ionisiertem anorganischem Ammoniak ausnützen kann, entwickelte sich besonders günstig, wenn die Wasserstoffkonzentration während des Pilzwachstums genau kontrolliert wurde.     

On the functions of intracellular symbiotes ofSitophilus oryzae linn

Résumé Sitophilus oryzae peut se developper après une diète artificielle présentée sous forme de palettes. L'insecte peut se développer avec plus ou moins de succès en l'absence de facteurs essentiels tirés du complexe de la vitamine B y-compris l'acide nicotinique. Il est apparu que les symbiotes de l'insecte peuvent synthétiser au moins 3 vitamines et peuvent fixer l'azoté de l'air in vitro. Les essais de rendre les insectes aposymbiotiques n'ont pas eu de succès jusqu'à présent.     

The extracellular protease fromPseudomonas fluorescens

Summary An extracellular protease has been purified from cultures ofPseudomonas fluorescens. It is a metalloenzyme with a molecular weight of 37,000±3,700, able to digest casein, hemoglobin and gelatine.This work was supported by grants from the Consejo Nacional de Investig ciones Científicas y Técnicas de la República Argentina, and the Consejo de Investigaciones de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario. JJC is a member of the Carrera del Investigador Científico, and SMJ the recipient, of a schollarship, of the former institution.     

Neutrophil extracellular traps in cancer progression

Neutrophils are being increasingly recognized as an important element in tumor progression. They have been shown to exert important effects at nearly every stage of tumor progression with a number of studies demonstrating that their presence is critical to tumor development. Novel aspects of neutrophil biology have recently been elucidated and its contribution to tumorigenesis is only beginning to be appreciated. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are neutrophil-derived structures composed of DNA decorated with antimicrobial peptides. They have been shown to trap and kill microorganisms, playing a critical role in host defense. However, their contribution to tumor development and metastasis has recently been demonstrated in a number of studies highlighting NETs as a potentially important therapeutic target. Here, studies implicating NETs as facilitators of tumor progression and metastasis are reviewed. In addition, potential mechanisms by which NETs may exert these effects are explored. Finally, the ability to target NETs therapeutically in human neoplastic disease is highlighted.     

The extracellular matrix during heart development

The embryonic extracellular matrix, which is comprised of glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, collagens, and proteoglycans, is believed to play multiple roles during heart morphogenesis. Some of these ECM components appear throughout development, however, certain molecules exhibit an interesting transient spatial and temporal distribution. Due to significant new data that have been gathered predominantly in the past 10 years, a comprehensive review of the literature is needed. The intent of this review is to highlight work that addresses mechanisms by which extracellular matrix influences vertebrate heart development.     

The determination of extracellular space using hemoglobin

Summary The ECS of guinea-pig atria and frog sartorii can be determined using hemoglobin. For guinea-pig atria an ECS of (32.2±2.6)% wet wt for frog sartorii an ECS of (12.4±1.0)% wet wt can be measured.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB 114 Bionach.