No evidence for illegitimate young in monogamous and polygynous warblers

In animals with internal fertilization, paternity is uncertain. In birds, the occurrence of copulations outside the pair-bond has been documented in a number of species, but the extent to which these result in illegitimate young is largely unknown, and constitutes a major deficiency in our understanding of avian mating systems. The analysis of tandemly repeated sequences (minisatellites), has enhanced our ability to make individual identifications and paternity determinations. Here we describe the use of a bird minisatellite DNA probe in assigning paternity in natural populations of the monogamous willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus and of the polygynous wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix. In both species this probe detects a multiple locus pattern and a single locus that exhibits a variable number of tandem repeats. Although we observed intrusions by non-resident males into the territories of paired males and extra-pair copulations, no illegitimate offspring were detected among 176 young from 32 families of both species, implying that extra-pair copulations have little or no genetic impact.     

Expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator corrects defective chloride channel regulation in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) was expressed in cultured cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cells and Cl- channel activation assessed in single cells using a fluorescence microscopic assay and the patch-clamp technique. Expression of CFTR, but not of a mutant form of CFTR (delta F508), corrected the Cl- channel defect. Correction of the phenotypic defect demonstrates a causal relationship between mutations in the CFTR gene and defective Cl- transport which is the hallmark of the disease.     

Synthetic analogues of fumagillin that inhibit angiogenesis and suppress tumour growth.

Neovascularization is critical for the growth of tumours and is a dominant feature in a variety of angiogenic diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, haemangiomas, arthritis and psoriasis. Recognition of the potential therapeutic benefit of controlling unabated capillary growth has led to a search for safe and effective angiogenesis inhibitors. We report here the synthesis of a family of novel inhibitors that are analogues of fumagillin, a naturally secreted antibiotic of Aspergillus fumigatus fresenius. We first isolated this fungus from a contaminated culture of capillary endothelial cells. Purified fumagillin inhibited endothelial cell proliferation in vitro and tumour-induced angiogenesis in vivo; it also inhibited tumour growth in mice, but prolonged administration was limited because it caused severe weight loss. Synthesis of fumagillin analogues yielded potent angiogenesis inhibitors ('angioinhibins') which suppress the growth of a wide variety of tumours with relatively few side-effects.     

Expression and characterization of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a common lethal genetic disease that manifests itself in airway and other epithelial cells as defective chloride ion absorption and secretion, resulting at least in part from a defect in a cyclic AMP-regulated, outwardly-rectifying Cl- channel in the apical surface. The gene responsible for CF has been identified and predicted to encode a membrane protein termed the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Identification of a cryptic bacterial promoter within the CFTR coding sequence led us to construct a complementary DNA in a low-copy-number plasmid, thereby avoiding the deleterious effects of CFTR expression on Escherischia coli. We have used this cDNA to express CFTR in vitro and in vivo. Here we demonstrate that CFTR is a membrane-associated glycoprotein that can be phosporylated in vitro by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies directed against distinct domains of the protein immunoprecipitated recombinant CFTR as well as the endogenous CFTR in nonrecombinant T84 cells. Partial proteolysis fingerprinting showed that the recombinant and non-recombinant proteins are indistinguishable. These data, which establish several characteristics of the protein responsible for CF, will now enable CFTR function to be studied and will provide a basis for diagnosis and therapy.     

Different voltage-dependent thresholds for inducing long-term depression and long-term potentiation in slices of rat visual cortex

In the hippocampus and neocortex, high-frequency (tetanic) stimulation of an afferent pathway leads to long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission. In the hippocampus it has recently been shown that long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory transmission can also be induced by certain combinations of synaptic activation. In most hippocampal and all neocortical pathways studied so far, the induction of LTP requires the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-gated conductances. Here we report that LTD can occur in neurons of slices of the rat visual cortex and that the same tetanic stimulation can induce either LTP or LTD depending on the level of depolarization of the postsynaptic neuron. By applying intracellular current injections or pharmacological disinhibition to modify the depolarizing response of the postsynaptic neuron to tetanic stimulation, we show that the mechanisms of induction of LTD and LTP are both postsynaptic. LTD is obtained if postsynaptic depolarization exceeds a critical level but remains below a threshold related to NMDA receptor-gated conductances, whereas LTP is induced if this second threshold is reached.     

(Mg-ATP)-dependent self-assembly of molecular chaperone GroEL

The important Escherichia coli heat-shock protein GroEL of relative molecular mass 57,259 is a typical molecular chaperone. It possesses ATPase activity and interacts in ATP-driven reactions with non-folded proteins to stimulate their correct folding and/or assembly by preventing the formation of improper protein structures or aggregates. As GroEL is isolated and functions as a 20-25S tetradecameric particle (GroELp), the question arises--what is the mechanism of its own assembly? Here we show the (Mg-ATP)-dependent self-stimulation ('self-chaperoning') in vitro of GroELp reassembly from its monomeric state.     

Cloning of a cDNA encoding a non-isopeptide-selective subtype of the endothelin receptor

Endothelin-1 was initially identified as a 21-residue potent vasoconstrictor peptide produced by vascular endothelial cells, but was subsequently found to have many effects on both vascular and non-vascular tissues. The discovery of three isopeptides of the endothelin family, ET-1, ET-2 and ET-3, each possessing a diverse set of pharmacological activities of different potency, suggested the existence of several different endothelin receptor subtypes. Endothelins may elicit biological responses by various signal-transduction mechanisms, including the G protein-coupled activation of phospholipase C and the activation of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels. Thus, different subtypes of the endothelin receptor may use different signal-transduction mechanisms. Here we report the cloning of a complementary DNA encoding one subtype belonging to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. COS-7 cells transfected with the cDNA express specific and high-affinity binding sites for endothelins, responding to binding by the production of inositol phosphates and a transient increase in the concentration of intracellular free Ca2+. The three endothelin isopeptides are roughly equipotent in displacing 125I-labelled ET-1 binding and causing Ca2+ mobilization. A messenger RNA corresponding to the cDNA is detected in many rat tissues including the brain, kidney and lung but not in vascular smooth muscle cells. These results indicate that this cDNA encodes a 'nonselective' subtype of the receptor which is different from the vascular smooth muscle receptor.