Stabilization of DNA structure by histones against thermal denaturation

Zusammenfassung Durch grösseren Gehalt an Resthiston wird die Stabilität von Desoxyribonucleinsäure gegenüber der thermischen Denaturierung in 0.0025M NaNO₂ erhöht und die Zunahme des ntomaren Extinktionskoeffizienten (P) während der Denaturierung verringert.

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With the aid of a grant from the Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung and the aid of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America to Prof.F. Verzár.     

The effect of early weaning on spermiogenesis in adult rats

Zusammenfassung Junge, vorzeitig (18 Tage nach der Geburt entwöhnte Ratten) zeigen im Alter von 12 Monaten Schädigungen im spermiogenen Hodenepithel. 12 Tage später entwöhnte Ratten entwickeln sich normal. Die beobachteten Schädigungen treten im Alter von 6 Monaten noch nicht auf.     

The effect of the adrenal cortex and diet composition on the rate of acetoacetate formation by liver slices from infant and adult rats

Zusammenfassung Hoher Acetoacetatanteil in Leber junger Ratten wird durch Kortikosteronverabreichungin vivo am 10. Tag nach Geburt erniedrigt. Bei erwachsenen Ratten kein Hormoneinfluss. Adrenalektomie (14. Tag nach Geburt) führt zu hoher Produktion (19. Tag). Nur bei erwachsenen, nicht hungernden Ratten ist dies weniger ausgeprägt.     

The activities of citrate cleavage enzyme,acetyl-CoA synthetase and lipoprotein lipase in white and brown adipose tissue and the liver of the rat during development

Zusammenfassung Während der Rattenontogenese wurde die Aktivität des Citrat-Cleavage-Enzyms und der Acetyl-CoA-Synthetase in der Leber und im braunen und weissen Fettgewebe bestimmt. In allen Geweben wird die Aktivität vor der Geburt höher als nach der Geburt, wobei die Adultwerte nach dem 30. postnatalen Tag erreicht werden. Die Aktivität der Lipoproteinlipase ist im Säuglingsalter gross und sinkt nach der Entwöhnung ab.     

Driver mutations in histone H3.3 and chromatin remodelling genes in paediatric glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a lethal brain tumour in adults and children. However, DNA copy number and gene expression signatures indicate differences between adult and paediatric cases. To explore the genetic events underlying this distinction, we sequenced the exomes of 48 paediatric GBM samples. Somatic mutations in the H3.3-ATRX-DAXX chromatin remodelling pathway were identified in 44% of tumours (21/48). Recurrent mutations in H3F3A, which encodes the replication-independent histone 3 variant H3.3, were observed in 31% of tumours, and led to amino acid substitutions at two critical positions within the histone tail (K27M, G34R/G34V) involved in key regulatory post-translational modifications. Mutations in ATRX (α-thalassaemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked) and DAXX (death-domain associated protein), encoding two subunits of a chromatin remodelling complex required for H3.3 incorporation at pericentric heterochromatin and telomeres, were identified in 31% of samples overall, and in 100% of tumours harbouring a G34R or G34V H3.3 mutation. Somatic TP53 mutations were identified in 54% of all cases, and in 86% of samples with H3F3A and/or ATRX mutations. Screening of a large cohort of gliomas of various grades and histologies (n = 784) showed H3F3A mutations to be specific to GBM and highly prevalent in children and young adults. Furthermore, the presence of H3F3A/ATRX-DAXX/TP53 mutations was strongly associated with alternative lengthening of telomeres and specific gene expression profiles. This is, to our knowledge, the first report to highlight recurrent mutations in a regulatory histone in humans, and our data suggest that defects of the chromatin architecture underlie paediatric and young adult GBM pathogenesis.     

A novel putative auxin carrier family regulates intracellular auxin homeostasis in plants

The phytohormone auxin acts as a prominent signal, providing, by its local accumulation or depletion in selected cells, a spatial and temporal reference for changes in the developmental program. The distribution of auxin depends on both auxin metabolism (biosynthesis, conjugation and degradation) and cellular auxin transport. We identified in silico a novel putative auxin transport facilitator family, called PIN-LIKES (PILS). Here we illustrate that PILS proteins are required for auxin-dependent regulation of plant growth by determining the cellular sensitivity to auxin. PILS proteins regulate intracellular auxin accumulation at the endoplasmic reticulum and thus auxin availability for nuclear auxin signalling. PILS activity affects the level of endogenous auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), presumably via intracellular accumulation and metabolism. Our findings reveal that the transport machinery to compartmentalize auxin within the cell is of an unexpected molecular complexity and demonstrate this compartmentalization to be functionally important for a number of developmental processes.     

Reactive oxygen species are crucial for hydroxychavicol toxicity toward KB epithelial cells

Betel quid (BQ) chewing shows a strong correlation to the incidence of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), leukoplakia and oral cancer. BQ contains mainly areca nut, lime, Piper betle leaf (PBL) and the inflorescence of P. betle (IPB). Hydroxychavicol (4-allyl-catechol, HC), as a major phenolic compound in PBL and IPB, is shown to induce oxidative stress, glutathione (GSH) depletion and cell cycle deregulation. Using bivariate BrdU/PI flow cytometry, KB cells in DNA synthesis (S phase) are shown to be sensitive to the toxic effect of HC and show cell cycle arrest and apoptosis following exposure to 0.1 and 0.3 mM HC. HC-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest are associated with mitochondrial membrane potential (m) depolarization as revealed by a decrease in rhodamine fluorescence. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (1 mM), superoxide dismutase (100 U/ml) and catalase (1000 U/ml) were effective in prevention of HC-induced GSH depletion (as indicated by chloromethylfluorescein fluorescence), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (by dichlorofluorescein fluorescence), cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. However, dimethylthiourea (2 mM), neocuproine (1 mM), 1,10-phenanthroline (200 M) and desferrioxamine (0.5 mM) showed little effect on HC-induced cell changes. HC elevated the cellular and mitochondrial GSH levels at moderate concentrations (0.05–0.1 mM), whereas at a concentration of 0.3 mM, inhibitory effects were noted. These results indicate that HC consumption may be associated with BQ-chewing-related oral mucosal diseases via GSH depletion, ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction, cell cycle disturbance and the induction of apoptosis. These events are related to the production of superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide.Received 9 July 2003; received after revision 28 September 2003; accepted 24 October 2003