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Biomedical subjects

A Crofts

Publications and source records attributed to A Crofts.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Loss of inhibition by formate in newly constructed photosystem II D1 mutants, D1-R257E and D1-R257M, of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Formate is known to cause significant inhibition in the electron and proton transfers in photosystem II (PSII); this inhibition is uniquely reversed by bicarbonate. It has been suggested that bicarbonate functions by providing ligands to the non-heme iron and by facilitating protonation of the secondary plastoquinone QB. Numerous lines of evidence indicate an intimate relationship of bicarbonate and formate binding of PSII. To investigate the potential amino acid binding environment of bicarbonate/formate in the QB niche, arginine 257 of the PSII D1 polypeptide in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was mutated into a glutamate (D1-R257E) and a methionine (DQ-R257M). The two mutants share the following characteristics. (1) Both have a drastically reduced sensitivity to formate. (2) A larger fraction of QA- persists after flash illumination, which indicates an altered equilibrium constant of the reaction QA-QB<-->QA QB-, in the direction of [QA-], or a larger fraction of non-QB centers. However, there appears to be no significant difference in the rate of electron transfer from QA- to QB. (3) The overall rate of oxygen evolution is significantly reduced, most likely due to changes in the equilibrium constant on the electron acceptor side of PSII or due to a larger fraction in non-QB centers. Additional effects on the donor side cannot yet be excluded. (4) The binding affinity for the herbicide DCMU is unaltered. (5) The mutants grow photosynthetically, but at a decreased (approximately 70% of the wild type) level. (6) The Fo level was elevated (approximately 40-50%) which could be due to a decrease in the excitation energy transfer from the antenna to the PSII reaction center, and/or to an increased level of [QA-] in the dark. (7) A decreased (approximately 10%) ratio of F685 (mainly from CP43) and F695 (mainly from CP47) to F715 (mainly from PSI) emission bands at 77 K suggests a change in the antenna complex. Taken together these results lead to the conclusion that D1-R257 with the positively charged side chain is important for the fully normal functioning of PSII and of growth, and is specially critical for the in vivo binding of formate. Several alternatives are discussed to explain the almost normal functioning of the D1-R257E and D1-R257M mutants.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Control of Cl- efflux in chara corallina by cytosolic pH, free ca2+, and phosphorylation indicates a role of plasma membrane anion channels in cytosolic pH regulation

Enhanced Cl- efflux during acidosis in plants is thought to play a role in cytosolic pH (pHc) homeostasis by short-circuiting the current produced by the electrogenic H+ pump, thereby facilitating enhanced H+ efflux from the cytosol. Using an intracellular perfusion technique, which enables experimental control of medium composition at the cytosolic surface of the plasma membrane of charophyte algae (Chara corallina), we show that lowered pHc activates Cl- efflux via two mechanisms. The first is a direct effect of pHc on Cl- efflux; the second mechanism comprises a pHc-induced increase in affinity for cytosolic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c), which also activates Cl- efflux. Cl- efflux was controlled by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation events, which override the responses to both pHc and [Ca2+]c. Whereas phosphorylation (perfusion with the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A in the presence of ATP) resulted in a complete inhibition of Cl- efflux, dephosphorylation (perfusion with alkaline phosphatase) arrested Cl- efflux at 60% of the maximal level in a manner that was both pHc and [Ca2+]c independent. These findings imply that plasma membrane anion channels play a central role in pHc regulation in plants, in addition to their established roles in turgor/volume regulation and signal transduction.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Trials and errors.

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Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMed1997

Rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL) cells overexpressing Rab3a have a reversible block in antigen-stimulated exocytosis.

The rat basophilic leukaemia (RBL) cell line has been widely used as a convenient model system to study regulated secretion in mast cells. Activation of these cells through the high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fcepsilon-RI) results in degranulation and the extracellular release of mediators. There is good evidence of a role for GTPases in mast cell degranulation, and a number of studies with peptides derived from the Rab3a effector domain have suggested that Rab3a may function in this process. However, in neuroendocrine cells, overexpression of Rab3a can act as a negative regulator of stimulated exocytosis [Holz, Brondyk, Senter, Kuizon and Macara (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 10229-10234; Johanes, Lledo, Roa, Vincent, Henry and Darchen (1994) EMBO J. 13, 2029-2037]. In order to study the function of Rab3a in RBL degranulation, we have generated clones of RBL cells stably expressing Rab3a, and show that in these haematopoietic cells Rab3a can also function as a negative regulator of exocytosis. Overexpression of a mutant form of Rab3a (Asn-135 to Ile), which is predicted to be predominantly GTP-bound, also inhibited degranulation. However, overexpression of a mutant form of Rab3a that was truncated at the C-terminus to remove the sites for geranylgeranylation failed to inhibit degranulation. The effect of Rab3a is specific to secretion, and we observe no effect of Rab3a on receptor-mediated endocytosis. The Rab3a-induced block in degranulation can be bypassed by stimulation of streptolysin-O-permeabilized cells with guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate. We conclude from these studies that Rab3a is implicated in an early stage of granule targeting, whereas fusion of granules with the plasma membrane is regulated by a distinct downstream GTP-binding protein or proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Structure and function of the bc-complex of Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

The ubiquinol:cytochrome c2 oxidoreductase (bc-complex) of Rhodobacter sphaeroides has three main subunits, which bear the prosthetic groups, and contribute to three catalytic sites and internal electron transfer pathways which define the modified Q-cycle mechanism. In this paper, we report on progress in modelling the structure of the bc-complex, and experiments using site directed mutagenesis and biophysical assay to probe the structural and function consequences of specific modifications to these subunits.

Benzoquinones↗
PubMed1990

Molecular modelling studies on the binding of phenylurea inhibitors to the D 1 protein of photosystem II.

A hypothetical molecular model of part of the D 1 protein of photosystem II, based on the analogous portion of the L subunit of the Rhodopseudomonas viridis reaction centre, has been used to study the binding of an extended hydrophobic phenylurea inhibitor (N,N-dimethyl-carbamoyl)4-amino-4'-chloro-trans-stilbene) (I) to the QB site. The inhibitor was fitted by eye into a cleft in the site, and a limited part of the inhibitor/D 1 complex was energy minimized. The gross orientation of the inhibitor placed the dimethylurea moiety towards the predicted binding domain of the plastoquinone head group, and the stilbene moiety directed along the quinone isoprenoid side chain binding domain, suggesting a similar pathway of approach of the two molecules from the membrane into the binding site. Binding interactions of the inhibitor included hydrogen bonds to the side chain hydroxyl of ser 264 and the peptide carbonyl group of ala 251, with the side chain hydroxyl of ser 268 as an alternative ligand. Numerous hydrophobic contacts were also possible. Although phenylureas do not bind to reaction centres of Rp. viridis, many of the binding interactions to D 1 could also be detected in Rp. viridis. However, the beta-CH2, and delta-CO2- groups of glu 212 in Rp. viridis are located in the corresponding region of D 1 occupied by the dimethylurea moiety of the inhibitor in our model of its binding to D 1. This may explain why diuron (DCMU) does not bind to Rp. viridis reaction centres.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Blood pressure of low income, Mexican-American children.

Blood pressure (BP) readings were obtained for 1,680 low income Mexican-American (MA) children, ages ten-14 years, to determine distributions among this ethnic group. Analysis of data indicated mean BP increased with age, with boys exhibiting slightly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than girls. Comparison of MA subjects with National Institutes of Health percentile norms revealed significantly lower BP levels (p less than .001) among study subjects at all age groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Anthropometric comparisons among low-income Mexican-American children aged 10 through 14.

Triceps and subscapular skinfold measurements in 795 Mexican-American children, 10 through 14 years of age, were compared with corresponding data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The sign test of significant differences in distributions was used to test for differences between NCHS triceps and subscapular reference standards and those derived from the study sample. Among the boys, analysis of the data revealed statistically significant differences (p less than .01) in both measurements for all age levels. For the girls, significant differences (p less than .01) also existed in triceps measurements among the 10-year-olds and subscapular measurements at all age levels. The results indicated a high degree of body fatness among the population group studied.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1967

Action of Triton X-100 on chloroplast membranes. Mechanisms of structural and functional disruption.

Addition of Triton X-100 to chloroplast suspensions to a final concentration of 100-200 microM causes an approximate tripling of chloroplast volume and complete inhibition of light-induced conformational changes, light-dependent hydrogen ion transport, and photophosphorylation. Electron microscopic studies show that chloroplasts treated in this manner manifest extensive swelling in the form of vesicles within their inner membrane structure. Triton was adsorbed to chloroplast membranes in a manner suggesting a partition between the membrane phase and the suspending medium, rather than a strong, irreversible binding. This adsorption results in the production of pores through which ions may freely pass, and it is suggested that the inhibition of conformational changes, hydrogen ion transport, and photophosphorylation by Triton is due to an inability of treated chloroplast membranes to maintain a light-dependent pH gradient. The observed swelling is due to water influx in response to a fixed, osmotically active species within the chloroplasts, after ionic equilibrium has occurred. This is supported by the fact that chloroplasts will shrink upon Triton addition if a nonpenetrating, osmotically active material such as dextran or polyvinylpyrrolidone is present externally in sufficient concentration (>0.1 mM) to offset the osmotic activity of the internal species.

Adsorption↗