Growth hormone signal transduction

Growth hormone (GH) promotes animal growth by stimulating bone and cartilage cell proliferation, and influences carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Some of these effects are brought about indirectly via somatomedin induction in hepatocytes, others by acting directly on the target cells. In either case, GH first binds to specific receptors on cells to trigger a sequence of biochemical events culminating in a biological response. Recently much has been learnt about the molecular structure of GH receptor, its binding to ligand, and the ensuing signal transduction events.     

Seasonality in human sleep.

The timing of sleep and sleep EEG parameters in 10 healthy male subjects were investigated in four seasons under controlled conditions. The phase of nocturnal sleep was delayed about one and a half hours in winter as compared to that in summer. The duration of stage 4 sleep decreased and REM sleep increased significantly in winter compared with summer. The seasonality in the timing of sleep can be explained by photoperiodic time cues, but the changes in sleep EEG parameters are difficult to explain in terms of photoperiod.     

Making light work with optical tweezers.

Microscopic objects, including biological material, can be remotely manipulated with tightly focused beams of infrared laser light. The use of optical traps, or 'optical tweezers', holds great promise for noninvasive micromanipulation and mechanical measurement in cell biology. Optical tweezers are the 'tractor beams' of today's technology.     

DNA fingerprinting transforms the art of cell authentication.

The increasing diversity of new cell cultures is seriously stretching the capabilities of traditional methods of identification. DNA fingerprinting is set to play an important role in increasing confidence in the authenticity of cultures in research and industry.     

Periodic paralysis in quarter horses: a sodium channel mutation disseminated by selective breeding.

We recently reported on a linkage study within a Quarter Horse lineage segregating hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), an autosomal dominant condition showing potassium-induced attacks of skeletal muscle paralysis. HYPP co-segregated with the equine adult skeletal muscle sodium channel alpha subunit gene, the same gene that causes human HYPP. We now describe the Phe to Leu mutation in transmembrane domain IVS3 which courses the horse disease. This represents the first application of molecular genetics to an important horse disease, and the data will provide an opportunity for control or eradication of this condition.     

三种饲料添加剂对幼兔增重及饲料转化率的对比试验

对新球虫灵,喹乙醇,免健宝Ⅰ号,Ⅱ号配套复合饲料添加剂进行的幼兔饲养对比试验结果表明:以免健宝Ⅰ、Ⅱ号配套复合饲料添加剂联合效果为最佳,其它依次为单用兔健宝Ⅱ号、兔健宝Ⅰ号、喹乙醇,新球虫灵。而且兔健宝Ⅰ、Ⅱ号配套复合饲料添加剂有易混匀,简化配合饲料工序、节省饲料及增重快等优点。     

Targeted disruption of the mouse transforming growth factor-beta 1 gene results in multifocal inflammatory disease.

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a multifunctional growth factor that has profound regulatory effects on many developmental and physiological processes. Disruption of the TGF-beta 1 gene by homologous recombination in murine embryonic stem cells enables mice to be generated that carry the disrupted allele. Animals homozygous for the mutated TGF-beta 1 allele show no gross developmental abnormalities, but about 20 days after birth they succumb to a wasting syndrome accompanied by a multifocal, mixed inflammatory cell response and tissue necrosis, leading to organ failure and death. TGF-beta 1-deficient mice may be valuable models for human immune and inflammatory disorders, including autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection and graft versus host reactions.     

Biotransformation, by Enterobacter agglomerans, of pyrimidine acyclonucleosides to acyclonucleotides.

The ability of Enterobacter agglomerans to transform naturally occurring nucleosides into nucleotides has been utilized to transform newly synthesized pyrimidine acyclonucleosides into the corresponding acyclonucleotides. Unselected bacteria were used as the source of nucleoside phosphotransferase, the phosphate group donor being 4-nitrophenyl phosphate in the presence of Zn2+ ions. Optimal reaction conditions are outlined.