Actin-based organelle movement

Evidence for actin-dependent organelle movement was first obtained from studies of cytoplasmic streaming in plants. These studies, together with cell-free organelle motility studies and biophysical analyses of muscle myosin, support a model whereby organelle-associated motor molecules utilize the energy of adenosine triphosphate binding and hydrolysis to drive movement along F-actin tracks Recent studies indicate that this mechanism for organelle movement may be responsible for organelle and vesicle movement during secretion, endocytosis and mitochondrial inheritance in a variety of eukaryotes.     

Minoxidil-induced cardiac hypertrophy in guinea pigs

To investigate whether during cardiac hypertrophy changes occur in contractile protein composition and in mechanical and energetic properties of the myocardium, contractile protein composition, isometric force and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) consumption were studied in control and hypertrophied guinea-pig hearts. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced by adding minoxidil (120 or 200 mg/l) to the drinking water. Protein analysis was performed by one-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The myosin heavy-chain (MHC) composition was determined in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ATP consumption and force development were simultaneously measured during isometric contraction in chemically skinned trabeculae. Histochemical analysis of cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes and interstitial space was performed on the left ventricular tissue of 200 mg/l minoxidil-treated and control guinea pigs. Minoxidil treatment (120 and 200 mg/l) significantly increased left ventricular dry weight normalized for body weight by 19 ± 4 and 24 ± 4%, respectively. No significant differences were found in the cellular cross-sectional area, while interstitial space was slightly decreased in minoxidil-treated hearts. In left ventricular trabeculae of 200 mg/l minoxidil-treated guinea pigs, ATPase activity was slightly less than in those of control guinea pigs, whereas force did not differ significantly. Calcium sensitivity of force and ATPase activity were not affected by minoxidil treatment. Gel electrophoresis revealed no difference in contractile protein composition, but a tendency towards a lower amount of α-MHC in the minoxidil-treated hearts was found in ELISA. Received 1 February 1999; accepted 15 March 1999     

Effect of internal deletion of Myosin Ⅱ on growth and development of Dictyostelium discoideum

Four deletion mutant Dictyostelium myosin Ⅱ heavy chain genes, MyΔ824-941 (Δ1/ 3S2), MyΔ934-1454 (ΔS2), MyΔ934-1194 (ΔS2-1) and MyΔ1157-1454 (ΔS2-2), were transformed by standard electroporation into mhcA- cells (T-null), a mutant Dictyostelium cell devoid of endogenous myosin Ⅱ heavy chain gene. The growth, development and formation of fruiting bodies of cells expressing those mutant myosin Ⅱ s under suspension culture were investigated by comparison with the wild type cell. The results indicate that internal deletion of myosin Ⅱ affects the growth and development of Dictyostelium. Furthermore, the longer the length of deletion , the more serious the defect in phenotype.     

SHR肾脏组织肌球蛋白轻链磷酸酶水平的研究

通过比较12周龄的自发性高血压大鼠（spontaneously hypertensive rat,SHR）及其对照组Wistar Kyoto（WKY）肾脏组织的MLCP的130、38、21kD三个亚单位含量差异,探讨肾脏组织MLCP与SHR高血压病理机制之间的关系。在4℃的环境下,取SHR与WKY大鼠各10只断头处死,迅速取其肾脏,称重速冻后将血管磨成匀浆,置于缓冲液中并通过离心提取蛋白质,校正两组总蛋白的浓度后,分别应用SDS-PAGE、Western印迹杂交和化学发光的方法测定SHR与WKY肾脏组织MLCP的130、38、21kD三个亚单位的含量,对显影结果进一步进行吸光度扫描分析。进行两组间,t检验。发现SHR和WKY大鼠肾脏组织MLCP的130、38和21kD三个亚单位的含量有着明显的差异,SHR的MLCP38和21kD亚单位的含量明显低于WKY大鼠（p〈0·01）,SHR的MLCP130kD亚单位含量则高于WKY大鼠（p〈0·05）。提示肾脏组织MLCP结构或功能的异常可能与SHR高血压的病理机制有关。     

冲击波对肺血管内皮细胞通透性影响的机制

采用不同压力梯度爆炸冲击波对培养单层肺微血管内皮细胞滤膜作用的模型，观察了不同压力梯度爆炸冲击波对培养的肺微血管内皮细胞单层通透性的影响，并从一般病理学与细胞骨架结构角度探讨了冲击波作用下内皮通透性变化的可能机制。结果表明，电导法测定时，100kPa左右的爆炸冲击波压力作用即可见到单层内皮通透性的显著增加；350kPa以下的爆炸冲击波损伤主要以内皮细胞间隙的增加为主要类型，而600kPa以上的爆炸冲击波损伤，则主要以内此细胞的脱落性损伤为主。爆炸冲击波作用下内皮通透性变化的发生机制与细胞骨架肌球蛋白结构的变化有关。     

TheDictyostelium cytoskeleton

New avenues of cytoskeleton research inDictyostelium discoideum have opened up with the cloning of the - and -tubulin genes and the characterization of kinesins and cytoplasmic dynein. Much research, however, continues to focus on the actin cytoskeleton and its dynamics during chemotaxis, morphogenesis, and other motile processes. New actin-associated proteins are being identified and characterized by biochemical means and through isolation of mutants lacking individual components. This work is shedding light on the roles of specific actin assemblies in various biological processes.     

5DFRXXL region of long myosin light chain kinase causes F-actin bundle formation

Long myosin light chain kinase （L-MLCK） contains five DFRXXL motifs with ability to bind F-actin. Binding stoichiometry data indicated that each DFRXXL motif might bind each G-actin, but its biological significance remained unknown. We hypothesized that L-MLCK might act as an F-actin bundle peptides by its multiple binding sites of 5DFRXXL motifs to actin. In order to characterize F-actin-bundle formation properties of 5DFRXXL region of long myosin light chain kinase, we expressed and purified 5DFRXXL peptides tagged with HA in vitro. The properties of 5DFRXXL peptides binding to myofilaments or F-actin were analyzed by binding stoichiometries assays. The results indicated that 5DFRXXL peptides bound to myofilaments or F-actin with high affinity. KD values of 5DFRXXL binding to myofilaments and F-actin were 0.45 and 0.41 μmol/L, respectively. Cross-linking assay demonstrated that 5DFRXXL peptides could bundle F-actin efficiently. Typical F-actin bundles were observed morphologically through determination of confocal and electron microscopy after adding 5DFRXXL peptides. After transfection of pEGFP-5DFRXXL plasmid into eukaryocyte, spike structure was observed around cell membrane edge. We guess that such structure formation may be attributable to F-actin over-bundle formation caused by 5DFRXXL peptides. Therefore, we suppose that L-MLCK may be a new bundling protein and somehow play a certain role in organization of cell skeleton besides mediating cell contraction by it kinase activity.     

Seasonal variation in the phenotype of adult ferret (Mustela putorius furo) cremaster muscle

Using immunocytochemistry, electrophoresis and immunoblotting, we studied the expression of fast and slow myosin heavy chain isoforms in adult ferret muscles during quiescent and breeding periods. Adult cremaster muscle expressed slow and fast myosin heavy chain in relatively similar amounts during the quiescent period. During the breeding period, the expression of slow myosin heavy chain I, significantly decreased, and fast myosin heavy chain II, was predominant. No alteration of the MHC pattern in EDL and soleus muscles was detected between the quiescent and breeding periods. The possible involvement of androgens and mechanical factors in the regulation of myosin heavy chain expression in adult cremaster muscle is discussed.     

螺旋多肽链中的孤子与生物现象

提出一个描述螺旋多肽链的氢键链间耦合模型。得到了扭结团,包络孤子团和呼吸子团。其中对称和非对称扭结团分别对应于螺旋多肽链的压缩（或扩张）和扭曲变形区。