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R Ivell

Publications and source records attributed to R Ivell.

157 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

The de novo biosynthesis of somatostatin and a related peptide in isolated rat dorsal root ganglia.

Rat dorsal root ganglia incorporated [3H]phenylalanine into tetradecapeptide somatostatin as characterized by immunoprecipitation and high performance liquid chromatography. Incorporation increased linearly with time over an 8 h period and was inhibited by anisomycin (10(5) M) implying that it was by a ribosomal mechanism. At early time points [3H]phenylalanine was incorporated into a second peptide which co-eluted with somatostatin-28.

Animals↗

In vitro messenger ribonucleic acid directed synthesis and processing of an immunologically identified precursor to tetradecapeptide somatostatin from bovine hypothalamus.

mRNA isolated from bovine hypothalami was used to direct the in vitro synthesis of a precursor to the tetradecapeptide somatostatin. When a rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation system supplemented with [35S]cysteine was used, a protein of apparent molecular weight 15 500 was identified as preprosomatostatin by reaction with specific rabbit antibodies. Cotranslational addition of dog pancreas microsomal membranes yielded an unglycosylated pro form of 14 500 daltons, implying the removal of a short signal sequence.

Animals↗

Fingerprint analysis of bovine hypothalamic preprosomatostatin. Identification of somatostatin-28 at the C terminus.

Messenger RNA from bovine hypothalami was used to direct the synthesis in vitro of a precursor to somatostatin (SRIF) of Mr 15,500. Specific antibodies, raised against the chemically synthesized tetradecapeptide SRIF-14, were used for the preliminary characterization. The radioactively labelled preprosomatostatin was then cleaved by trypsin or cyanogen bromide and the products were assayed by two-dimensional fingerprinting techniques. The results conclusively demonstrated the presence of the tetradecapeptide SRIF-14 sequence and its naturally occurring N-terminally extended form, SRIF-28. This 28-amino-acid sequence was shown to occupy the C terminus of the 15,500-dalton precursor and is probably preceded by basic amino acid(s).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of a kirromycin-resistant elongation factor Tu from Escherichia coli.

The Escherichia coli strain D2216 contains a kirromycin-resistant elongation factor Tu [EF-Tu(D2216); Fischer, E., Wolf, H., Hantke K., & Parmeggiani, A. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 4341-4345]. This stain grows much more slowly than wild-type E. coli strains and contains less than half the amount of EF-Tu. On isoelectric focusing, the whole cell lysate of strain D2216 as well as pure, crystalline EF-Tu(D2216) comprises only a single species indistinguishable from wild-type EF-Tu. In poly(uridylic acid)- [poly(U)] directed poly(phenylalanine) synthesis, enzymatic binding of aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid to the ribosome, and susceptibility to trypsin digestion, EF-Tu(D2216) behaves similarly to the EF-Tu from wild-type strains. Kirromycin, which increases the sensitivity to trypsinization of wild-type EF-Tu, has no effect on mutant EF-Tu. In poly(U)-directed poly(phenylalanine) synthesis, partially trypsinized EF-Tu(D2216) displays a 7-fold reduction of its kirromycin resistance as compared to the intact EF-Tu(D2216). This is approximately 300 times less sensitive to the antibiotic than wild-type EF-Tu. The EF-Tu(D2216), purified and crystallized, exhibits a guanosine 5'-triphosphatase activity in the absence of any other physiological effector or kirromycin. This activity is not a contaminant, since it can be selectively stimulated by ribosomes and is inactivated by temperature exactly in the same way as the guanosine 5'-diphosphate binding activity of Ef-Tu(D2216). We conclude that, as consequence of the mutation, the catalytic center of EF-Tu(D2216)-dependent guanosine 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis undergoes spontaneous activation.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Interaction of elongation factor Tu with the ribosome. A study using the antibiotic kirromycin.

Elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) dependent GTP hydrolysis normally requires the presence of ribosomes and aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA). In the presence of the antibiotic kirromycin, the factor alone displays a GTPase activity that is enhanced by ribosomes and/or aa-tRNA [Wolf, H., Chinali, G., & Parmeggiani, A. (1974) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 71, 4910-4914]. Using this system, we have found the following: (1) the 50S ribosomal subunit can substitute the 70S ribosome; (2) the 50S CsCl core a, b, and c particles [Sander, G., Marsh, R. C., Voigt, J., & Parmeggiani, A. (1975) Biochemistry 14, 1805-1814], lacking an increasing number of proteins, can induce ca. 65, 45, and 25%, respectively, of the EF-Tu-kirromycin GTPase activity of control 50S subunits, in the presence of 30S subunits and aa-tRNA; (3) addition of proteins L7/L12 with L10, but not of proteins L7/L12 free from L10, restored the activity of all the 50S CsCl cores in the EF-Tu-kirromycin-dependent GTPase to 70-90% of the control; (4) proteins L7/L12, with or without contaminating L10, did not induce any EF-Tu-dependent GTPase activity, in contrast to a recent report [Donner, D., Villems, R., Liljas, A., & Kurland, C. G. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 3192-3195], whether EF-Ts and/or kirromycin were present or not.

GTP Phosphohydrolase-Linked Elongation Factors↗

Bovine endometrial epithelial cells as a model system to study oxytocin receptor regulation.

Endometrial epithelial cell cultures were established from bovine uterine tissue collected during the oestrous cycle from commercially slaughtered animals. These cells were shown to express moderately high levels of oxytocin receptors (OTR) (up to 30000 per cell) after about one week in culture. These receptors have been characterized at the molecular, pharmacological and functional level and shown to be identical to those expressed in the bovine endometrium in vivo. Preliminary experiments to investigate the regulation of the OTR and its gene using this system, have shown that expression is to a large degree constitutive, the receptors being spontaneously upregulated during culture. Sex steroids at concentrations close to or above the serum limits observed in vivo appeared to have no effect, although the cells were shown to express mRNA for the specific steroid receptors throughout culture. Only the blastocyst product, interferon-tau, showed a significant effect, downregulating both OTR and their gene transcripts in the cultured endometrial epithelial cells. Although more extensive studies are necessary, these results support the view that the OTR gene is controlled in part at least by a combination of constitutive and inhibitory elements.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The glycocalyx of the sperm surface.

The surface of mammalian spermatozoa is covered by a dense coating of carbohydrate-rich molecules forming a 20-60 nm thick glycocalyx. The majority of sugar residues are attached to proteins which are either integrated within the sperm membrane, or are more or less loosely associated with it. It is estimated that there may be several hundred different glycoproteins comprising the glycocalyx, some of which are synthesized within the testis. Others, however, are produced by the epithelia of the efferent ducts, epididymis and possibly other accessory glands, and become associated with the spermatozoa post-testicularly during transit through, and storage in, the male tract. The acquisition of the mature glycocalyx is associated with the attainment of full sperm fertilizing ability. Until its complete molecular structure is elucidated, the complex function of the glycocalyx remains obscure, though it may be related to membrane maturation and immunoprotection in the female tract, as well as to sperm-zona binding and fertilization.

Animals↗

Neuron-specific enolase-like immunoreactivity in human Leydig cells.

Using the peroxidase anti-peroxidase immunocytochemical technique, neuron-specific enolase (NSE)-like immunoreactivity (NSE-LI) was revealed in Leydig cells of adult human testes at the light microscopic level. Differences in the NSE staining intensity were observed between the individual Leydig cells, separate cell groups within a testis and between the testes of individual patients. Together with the already established substance P-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI), the results obtained provided further evidence for the possible neuroectodermal origin of human Leydig cells and their presumable relation to the APUD- or the Diffuse Neuroendocrine System (DNES).

Adult↗

The expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) in bovine adrenocortical cells.

StAR protein may facilitate rapid transfer of cholesterol from the outer to the inner mitochondrial membrane, the site at which cholesterol is converted to pregnenolone by the cholesterol side chain cleavage complex. We have studied the effect of ACTH treatment on StAR mRNA and protein levels in bovine adrenocortical cells in primary culture. Cells were initially cultured for 3 days after isolation, and then treated with ACTH (10(-8) M) for various times up to 24 hours. Northern analysis of total BAC mRNA, using a [alpha32P]-labelled cDNA probe encoding a 5' region of bovine StAR mRNA, revealed two principal hybridising species of 1.6 and 3.0 kb. Western immunoblot analysis revealed a principal band at 30 kDa. Levels of both StAR mRNA and protein showed an increase at 1 hour, reached a maximum at around 6 hours and declined to basal levels at 24 hours. Cortisol secretion (measured by RIA) showed a similar change over the same period. From these results it appears that StAR mRNA and protein levels in BAC are acutely regulated in concert with ACTH-stimulated cortisol secretion.

Adrenal Cortex↗