Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B E Gilbert

Publications and source records attributed to B E Gilbert.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Thermostability of mammalian brain ribosomes and the effects of nucleoside triphosphates on their heat-sensitivity.

Mammalian brain ribosomes were found to be heat-labile. On preincubation of the ribosomes at 37 degrees C, their ability to participate in polypeptide-synthesis reactions was substantially diminished. Despite the sensitivity of ribosomal protein synthesis to heat-inactivation, preincubation resulted in no significant alterations in ribosomal sedimentation profiles or changes in the integrity of the ribosomal RNA. The thermolability of brain ribosomes was shown to be associated with their inability to bind both template RNA and aminoacyl-tRNA. Similar experiments with brain ribosomal subunits demonstrated that the small (40S) subunit was more sensitive to heat-inactivation than the large (60S) subunit. The presence of ATP (1mm) protected ribosomes from thermal inactivation, although this protection was shown to be temporary. The protection appeared to be specific to nucleoside triphosphates, since GTP and UTP also stabilized ribosomes to thermal denaturation whereas nucleoside diphosphates (ADP) and nucleoside monophosphates (AMP and cyclic AMP) did not alter ribosomal sensitivity to heat. Although 1mm concentrations of nucleoside triphosphates protected ribosomes from heat-inactivation, the presence of higher concentrations resulted in complete inactivation of ribosomal activity.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Protein turnover during maturation of mouse brain tissue.

The measurement of protein turnover involves the product of the rates of protein synthesis and degradation. It is the dynamic balance between these two components that determines the measured net rate of protein synthesis. The data reported here show that brain cells from newborn animals incorporate arginine-(14)C into acid-insoluble protein at a rate 10-fold greater than the rate for brain cells obtained from 15-day old animals. This difference in incorporation occurred even though the rate of arginine accumulation and the resulting pool size of radioactive precursor were similar for both ages. The measurement of protein turnover in brain cell suspensions prepared from 1-day old animals was shown to be complex and to exhibit a cyclic phenomenon in regard to arginine-(14)C incorporation into and release from protein. The variation in half-life calculations (0.5-3.5 hr) due to this cyclic phenomenon is discussed. Although puromycin was added in an attempt to amplify the rate of degradation by preventing the synthesis of new protein, it was found that degradation was inhibited as well, suggesting a relationship between protein synthesis and degradation.

Age Factors↗

Uptake of Cystine by the Yeast Phase of Histoplasma capsulatum.

This report deals with factors affecting the uptake of cystine by the yeast phase of Histoplasma capsulatum. The kinetics of uptake showed a saturation at 70 muM and an average K(m) value of 3 x 10(-5)m. The optimal pH and temperature for transport of cystine were 6.5 and 37 C, respectively. The energy of activation was 14.1 kcal/mole, and the temperature coefficient value was 2.1. A requirement for energy supplied by metabolic activity was demonstrated by the inhibition of incorporation of the amino acid by cells preincubated with either 2,4-dinitrophenol or sodium azide. Although uptake was not inhibited by any single amino acid, a combination of amino acids did cause a decrease in uptake. Thus, the data show that the uptake of cystine by yeast cells of H. capsulatum has the characteristics of a system of transport that requires the expenditure of energy by the cells.

Journal Article↗

Incorporation of Cystine by Yeast Cells of Histoplasma capsulatum.

This report deals with the incorporation of cystine into macromolecules by yeast cells of Histoplasma capsulatum. The results show that at saturating concentrations of cystine in a rich medium, total uptake of the cystine occurs in 10 hr, whereas the amount of label in the cold trichloroacetic acid-soluble material reaches a maximum at 3 to 4 hr and remains at this value. The amount of label in the cold acid-insoluble material accumulates linearly for 4 to 5 hr and reaches a plateau at 7 to 9 hr. A chemical fractionation of labeled cells shows that 25% of the cystine taken up remains as low-molecular-weight components, of which cystine comprises 60 to 75%. Approximately 30% of the total label incorporated is ethanol-soluble, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of this material shows a rather uniform incorporation of the amino acid into many proteins. The combined hot KOH fractions account for 40% of the total label incorporated. The amount of hot KOH-insoluble material almost doubles in a 10-hr pulse, whereas there is an increase in hot KOH-soluble material. Hence, the greatest amount of label from cells pulsed with (14)C-cystine is recovered from cell wall material.

Journal Article↗

ALUMINUM TOXICITY.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Journal Article↗

Evaluation of the toxicity and antiviral activity of carbocyclic 3-deazaadenosine against respiratory syncytial and parainfluenza type 3 viruses in tissue culture and in cotton rats.

The toxicity and antiviral efficacy of carbocyclic 3-deazaadenosine (Cc3Ado) against respiratory syncytial (RSV) and parainfluenza type 3 (PIV3) virus infections were tested in tissue culture and in cotton rats. The mean median efficacious dose (ED50) of Cc3Ado in HEp2 cells against RSV and PIV3 was 9 and 14 micrograms/ml, respectively. These values were 85- and 55-fold less than the median inhibitory (toxic) dose (ID50) of Cc3Ado in this cell line (750 micrograms/ml), and similar to values obtained for ribavirin. Cc3Ado exhibited no significant antiviral activity against influenza A, influenza B, adeno type 5 or adeno type 7 viruses (all ED50 were greater than 1000 micrograms/ml). In cotton rats, animals given greater than or equal to 1 mg/kg/day Cc3Ado intraperitoneally on days 1, 2 and 3 after experimental challenge with virus, consistently had significant reductions in pulmonary RSV and PIV3 titers compared to pulmonary virus titers in comparably treated control animals. The minimum efficacious dose of ribavirin given under the same conditions was 30 mg/kg/day. Cc3Ado was also efficacious in cotton rats when given orally by gavage, or when different administration schedules were used. The median efficacious dose of Cc3Ado when given orally was 10 mg/kg/day. No significant toxic effects were noted in cotton rats, even in animals given 20 mg/kg daily for eight consecutive days.

Animals↗