RESUMEN
We have examined the expression of the ovine clusterin gene in the sheep pituitary gland, with the aim of determining its site of synthesis in this tissue. Northern blotting analysis of extracted polyadenylated RNA, using a (32)P-labelled rat clusterin cDNA probe, detected the greatest amounts of clusterin mRNA in the anterior part of dissected pituitary glands. In situ hybridisation studies showed clusterin mRNA in anterior and intermediate pituitary cells, with lower amounts in vascular endothelium and posterior pituicytes. Clusterin protein, detected by immunohistochemistry, was observed in some single secretory cells, within the capillary lumen and in cells around capillaries in the anterior and intermediate lobes, but no immunoreactivity was observed in posterior pituitary tissue. The pattern of clusterin expression in anterior and intermediate pituitary cells suggests possible roles for the protein in secretory cell turnover and/or hormone secretion or lipid uptake. Clusterin does not appear to be involved in ovine posterior pituitary hormone neurosecretion.
Asunto(s)
Glicoproteínas/genética , Chaperonas Moleculares , Hipófisis/metabolismo , ARN Mensajero/genética , Animales , Northern Blotting , Clusterina , Femenino , Inmunohistoquímica , Hibridación in Situ , Masculino , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Ratas , OvinosRESUMEN
Leaves of 18- to 24-d-old tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants exposed to gaseous methyl jasmonate (MJ) for 24 h at 30[deg]C in continuous light contained high levels of soluble protein that inhibited papain. Chromatographic analysis demonstrated that the active protein had a molecular mass of 80 to 90 kD. Induction of papain inhibitor was directly related to the concentration of air-borne MJ up to a maximum of 0.1 [mu]L MJ per treatment and depended on the duration of exposure up to 18 h. Inhibitor activity in plants treated for less than 18 h increased with time after treatment. Levels remained constant for up to 4 d after treatment, after which time activity decreased. The youngest leaf, leaf 5, consistently lost activity at a faster rate than older, lower leaves. Inhibitor concentration in all leaves was reduced to minimum levels by 11 d after MJ treatment, but did not return to control levels. Treatment with MJ in the dark did induce inhibitor activity, but at a significantly lower rate. Polyclonal antibodies raised to purified potato tuber skin cysteine proteinase inhibitors (CPI) cross-reacted with the tomato inhibitor, suggesting that the tomato papain inhibitor and the potato CPI are closely related. No papain inhibitor activity was observed in extracts from wounded tomato leaves, nor was there any immunoreactivity with antibodies raised to potato tuber skin CPI.
RESUMEN
The fumigant insecticide phosphine (PH3) is known to inhibit cytochrome c oxidase in vitro. Inhibition of the respiratory chain at this site has been shown to stimulate the generation of superoxide radicals (O2-), which dismutate to form hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This study was performed in order to investigate the production of H2O2 by mitochondria isolated from granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius) and mouse liver on exposure to PH3. Other respiratory inhibitors, antimycin, myxothiazol, and rotenone were used with insect mitochondria. Hydrogen peroxide was measured spectrophotometrically using yeast cytochrome c peroxidase as an indicator. Insect and mouse liver mitochondria, utilizing endogenous substrate, both produced H2O2 after inhibition by PH3. Insect organelles released threefold more H2O2 than did mouse organelles, when exposed to PH3. Production of H2O2 by PH3-treated insect mitochondria was increased significantly on addition of the substrate alpha-glycerophosphate. Succinate did not enhance H2O2 production, however, indicating that the H2O2 did not result from the autoxidation of ubiquinone. NAD(+)-linked substrates, malate and pyruvate also had no effect on H2O2 production, suggesting that NADH-dehydrogenase was not the source of H2O2. Data obtained using antimycin and myxothiazol, both of which stimulated the release of H2O2 from insect mitochondria, lead to the conclusion that glycerophosphate dehydrogenase is a source of H2O2. The effect of combining PH3, antimycin, and myxothiazol on cytochrome spectra in insect mitochondria was also recorded. It was observed that PH3 reduces cytochrome c oxidase but none of the other cytochromes in the electron transport chain. There was no movement of electrons to cytochrome b when insect mitochondria are inhibited with PH3. The spectral data show that the inhibitors interact with the respiratory chain in a way that would allow the production of H2O2 from the sites proposed previously.