Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J F Harper

Publications and source records attributed to J F Harper.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Calmodulin regulation of phospholipid and fatty acid methylation by rat liver microsomes.

The addition of micromolar Ca2+ in the presence of ATP (10 microM) to rat liver microsomes stimulates phospholipid methylation and the formation of fatty acid methyl esters. Our data indicate that calmodulin mediates the effect of Ca2+ on both phospholipid and fatty acid methylation. This evidence includes: 1) chlorpromazine, an inhibitor of Ca2+ effects mediated through calmodulin, prevented the activation by Ca2+ plus ATP of the methylation reactions; 2) isolation of the microsomes in the presence of ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (5 mM), to remove endogenous calmodulin also prevented Ca2+ plus ATP stimulation of both phospholipid and fatty acid methylation; 3) the addition of exogenous calmodulin to microsomes isolated in the presence of 5 mM ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid restored Ca3+ plus ATP stimulation of both classes of lipids: and 4) pre-incubation of liver microsomes with an antiserum against calmodulin prevented the activation of lipid methylation by Ca2+ plus ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Localization of calmodulin in rat tissues.

The localization of calmodulin, a calcium-dependent modulator of many enzymes, was studied in rat liver, skeletal muscle, and adrenal slices. Calmodulin is found in liver cytoplasm, nucleus, and plasma membrane. Much of the cytoplasmic calmodulin is associated with glycogen particles presumably bound to enzymes involved in glycogen metabolism. Skeletal muscle calmodulin is found on the I-band, also associated with glycogen particles. Intermyofibrillar staining that is not glycogen associated is also observed. Calmodulin is localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of adrenal cortex cells. Injection of corticotropin leads to a greatly increased localization of calmodulin in nuclei of the adrenal cortex. These observations suggest that one role of calmodulin may be the regulation of hormone effects on nuclear processes.

Animals↗

Properties of polyadenylate-associated ribonucleic acid from Saccharomyces cerevisiae ascospores.

Bulk ribonucleic acid (RNA) was isolated from mechanically disrupted ascospores of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. After two passes over an oligo (dT10) cellulose column, the portion which bound, called poly(A)(+), was characterized. It is heterodisperse in size with a mean molecular weight of approximately 4 X 10(5), but contains some species as large as 7 X 10(5). The base composition is similar to vegetative poly(A)(+) RNA. The polyadenylate segment is also heterogenous in size, ranging from 90 to 20 bases in length, with a peak at approximately 60 nucleotides in length. Pulse-labeling of asci with [3H-methyl]methionine yields two "caps," 7-methyl guanosine-5'-triphosphoryl-5'-adenosine (or guanosine) identical to that found in vegetative poly(A)(+) RNA. The poly(A)(+) RNA in spores is found in polyribosomes which are, on the average, smaller than vegetative ones. Long-term labeling studies indicate that the fraction of poly(A)(+) RNA in spores is similar to that in vegetative cells.

Base Sequence↗

Alcohol potentiation of isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in rat parotid.

The ability of beta-adrenergic agonists to elevate rat parotid cyclic AMP concentrations is potentiated greatly by certain organic solvents. Propanol was found to be more effective than other tested solvents. Propanol stimulated adenylate cyclase and inhibited low Km cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activities however the magnitude of effect upon these enzyme activities probably does not account for the potentiation of cyclic AMP accumulation observed in intact cells.

1-Propanol↗

The Eysenck Personality Inventory lie scale--some further Australian data.

The lie scale of the EPI has been the subject of sparse and equivocal results. No age-related effects of the L scale have been reported. The scale is widely used in Australia as a screening instrument for entry into nursing schools. This study found significant differences in L scale performance between young and mature female nurses. This difference was demonstrated both in the higher frequency with which the mature group scored above the cut-off point for acceptance, and in the higher L scoring of this group even within the category of acceptable returns.

Adolescent↗

Peculiarities in the endocrine response to insulin stress in early infantile autism.

Autistic children subjected to the stress of insulin-induced hypoglycemia showed slower recovery of blood glucose, and faster and intractable cortisol response in the 3 hours following the stress. These data suggest that autistic children over-react to this stressor and support clinical evidence of stress intolerance. It is suggested that this peculiarity may be implicated in an explanation of the abnormal behavior seen in this disorder.

Adolescent↗

Effects of glucagon and other peptides on fixation of CO2 by rat liver mitochondria.

Glucagon and glucagon fragments from the carboxyl terminal end of the protein act at 0.01 to 0.1 mM concentrations on isolated rat liver mitochondria to sustain the rate of fixation of CO2 in the presence of pyruvate. The rate of decarboxylation of pyruvate is also increased by these substances. Similar effects are found with bacitracin, vanocomycin and cephalothin but not with any other of the proteins, peptides and antibiotics tested. The action of glucagon requires the presence of added magnesum ion. The addition of glucagon results in a better maintenance of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and it leads to a greater degree of swelling of the mitochondria during the incubation. The effect of glucagon is partially mimicked by atractyloside, but it appears that glucagon is not exerting its effect by an atractyloside-like action. Added ATP obliterates the effect of added glucagon by sustaining fixation of CO2 However in incubations made in the presence of lower than usual levels of inorganic phosphate (2 mM vs. 8 mM) an effect of glucagon can be seen in the presence of ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Femtomole sensitive radioimmunoassay for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP after 2'0 acetylation by acetic anhydride in aqueous solution.

The sensitivity of radioimmunoassays for cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP has been markedly improved to readily detect femtomole (10-15) amounts in tissue extracts by acetylating the cyclic nucleotides at the 2'0 position with acetic anhydride. Acetylation of cyclic nucleotides by acetic anhydride in aqueous solution proceeds more rapidly than the hydrolysis of acetic anhydride to acetic acid thus yielding 100% acetylated cyclic nucleotide. 2'0 substituted cyclic nucleotides have greater affinity for the antibody than the parent cyclic nucleotides because the antibody has been made to a protein conjugate coupled at the 2'0 position. This simple acetylation technique makes it possible to measure cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP in minute quantities of tissue without purification or concentration of the sample.

Acetates↗