Biomedical subjects

P H Rodriguez

Publications and source records attributed to P H Rodriguez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Reduction in susceptibility to Brugia malayi of F2 progeny of Aedes togoi treated with ethyl methanesulfonate.

The susceptibility to Brugia malayi infection was tested in F2 female progeny derived from male and female Aedes togoi treated with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Three-day-old males and females were treated with 0.025, 0.050, and 0.075, 0.10, 0.15, or 0.20% EMS by allowing them to feed for 5 days on sugar cubes containing EMS and then mated at random. Percentage of susceptibility and mean number of infective larvae (L3) in F2 females were analyzed over a 2-wk period. Reductions in susceptibility were significant in the F2 populations arising from the 3 highest EMS concentrations. F2 infections were reduced by 80%, indicating that EMS-induced mutations affect loci associated with filarial nematode susceptibility.

Aedes↗

PubMed1998

Variation in acid hydrolase enzyme titers in different developmental stages of Aedes togoi.

Genetic mechanisms of filarial nematode susceptibility were studied in Aedes togoi. Acid hydrolases may play an important role in this process, including humoral or cell-mediated defenses. Levels of acid phosphatase, alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucuronidase, and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase were determined for 1st- and 4th-instar larvae, male and female pupae, and 1- and 7-day-old adults using fluorometric and colorimetric assays. Acid phosphatase activity was highest in 1-day-old adults, moderate in larvae and pupae, and lowest in 7-day-old adults. Female 7-day-old adults had significantly higher levels than males of the same age. Moderate levels of alpha-glucosidase were found in larvae, with progressive increases in activity from pupae to 7-day-old adults. Levels in male pupae and 1-day-old males were higher than in females, but activity was twice as high in 7-day-old females. Activity of beta-glucuronidase was greater in adults, with females showing a 2-fold higher level than males at 7 days. In contrast, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity was highest in 1st- and 4th-instar larvae and 1-day-old males and females. Activity also was significantly higher in male pupae, slightly greater in 1-day-old males, but twice as high in 7-day-old females when compared to males of the same age. Results showed significant changes and variation in acid hydrolase enzyme titers in the different life stages of Ae. togoi. These and other specific acid hydrolases could prove effective in monitoring biochemical and genetic changes in mosquito populations.

Aedes↗

PubMed1996

Protons induce calsequestrin conformational changes.

Calsequestrin, a high-capacity, intermediate-affinity, calcium-binding protein present in the lumen of sarcoplasmic reticulum, undergoes extensive calcium-induced conformational changes at neutral pH that cause distinct intrinsic fluorescence changes. The results reported in this work indicate that pH has a marked effect on these calcium-induced intrinsic fluorescence changes, as well as on calorimetric changes produced by the addition of Ca(2+) to calsequestrin. The addition of Ca(2+) at neutral pH produced a marked and cooperative increase in calsequestrin intrinsic fluorescence. In contrast, at pH 6.0 calsequestrin's intrinsic fluorescence was not affected by the addition of Ca(2+), and the same intrinsic fluorescence as that measured in millimolar calcium at neutral pH was obtained. The magnitude and the cooperativity of the calcium-induced intrinsic fluorescence changes decreased as either [H+] or [K+] increased. The evolution of heat production, determined by microcalorimetry, observed upon increasing the molar ratio of Ca(2+) to calsequestrin in 0.15 M KCl, decreased markedly as the pH decreased from pH 8.0 to pH 6.0, indicating that pH modifies the total heat content changes produced by Ca(2+). We propose that protons bind to calsequestrin and induce protein conformational changes that are responsible for the observed proton-induced intrinsic fluorescence and calorimetric changes.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Comparison of the substrate specificities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from bovine heart and Ascaris suum muscle.

The catalytic subunits of cAMP-dependent protein kinases (protein kinase A) from bovine heart and Ascaris suum muscle exhibit only 48% sequence identity and show quantitative differences in substrate specificity. These differences were not obvious at the level of short synthetic substrate peptides but were distinct for some protein substrates. Phosphofructokinase from Ascaris, a physiological substrate, was a better substrate for the protein kinase from the nematode in comparison to the mammalian protein kinase due to a 10-fold lower Michaelis constant. Selective phosphorylation by the two kinases was also observed with some in vitro substrates. In addition, quantitative differences in the interactions between R- and C-subunits from Ascaris and bovine heart were observed. However, several synthetic peptides whose sequence reflected the phosphorylation site of Ascaris suum phosphofructokinase (AKGRSDS*IV), or variations of it, were phosphorylated with the same efficiency by both protein kinases. Based on the data the following are concluded: (1) In agreement with the conservation of structure in the catalytic cleft, the recognition of substrates by protein kinases from phylogenetically distant organisms exhibits similarity. (2) Non-conserved parts of the surface of the protein kinase molecule may contribute to binding of protein substrates and thus to selective recognition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase from Ascaris suum. The cloning and structure of a novel subtype of protein kinase A.

A complete cDNA clone encoding the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase of Ascaris suum was constructed from two overlapping partial clones. The encoded sequence of 337 amino acids is 48% identical with the sequence of mouse C alpha subunit. Approximately the same low similarity was found with the sequence of the C subunit from another nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. The N-terminal 14 amino acids and the myristoylation site of the mammalian protein are not contained in the enzyme from Ascaris. Two cysteines (Cys33 and Cys319) replace a basic residue in the N-terminal region and an acidic amino acid near the C-terminus which are conserved in all known C subunits from other sources. The substitutions provide the possibility of disulfide bridge formation between the N-terminal and C-terminal parts of the protein. There is strong evidence that a single gene encodes cAMP-dependent protein kinase in Ascaris. Modelling of the sequence into the coordinates of the X-ray structure of the mammalian enzyme suggest a high degree of conservation in the three-dimensional structure. However, structural variations occur at the surface of the protein near the catalytic cleft and are likely to account for the variations in substrate specificity previously observed between the purified protein kinase from Ascaris [Thalhofer, H. P., Daum, G., Harris, B. G. & Hofer, H. W. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 952-957] and the mammalian enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Reduction in the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti to Brugia malayi infection after treatment with ethyl methanesulfonate.

The susceptibility to Brugia malayi infections of F2 and F4 progenies of Aedes aegypti (Black Eye strain) treated with ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) was tested. Both 3-day-old males and females were treated with 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.10% EMS. Control and treated females were then mated with normal or treated males to recover F1 progeny. F2 offspring were derived from sibling intercrosses, and 3 lines were established by further intercross matings to generate the F4. Susceptibility in the 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.10% EMS F2s was reduced by 13, 12, 4 and 25%, respectively. The 0.025% and 0.050% EMS F2 females showed a 29 to 39% decrease in mean L3 numbers. At 0.075 and 0.10% EMS, mean L3 numbers decreased by 0.8 and 71%, respectively. The F4 populations gave overall infections of 65, 56 and 22% for the control, 0.25 and 0.10% EMS lines, respectively. Mean L3s were reduced by 24 and 77%, respectively, in the 0.025 and 0.10% F4 EMS-selected populations.

Aedes↗

PubMed1989

Reduced productivity in adult yellowfever mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) populations.

Male and female Aedes aegypti (L.) mosquitoes of the laboratory strain ROCK were irradiated with 130 mw of argon 514.5 nm laser microbeams for 0.04, 0.25, 0.4, and 0.5 s, respectively. Egg production, percentage hatch, and productivity (average number of adults surviving after 3 wk) were used to assess mutagenic effects. Mortality was high for males in all laser radiation groups and increased with time of exposure. Except for the group treated for 0.25 s, significant reductions in total F1 progeny also were demonstrated for all other experimentals when male parents were exposed to laser radiation. Females showed a high mortality when subjected to 0.4- and 0.5-s laser radiation. No F1 progeny were produced when parental females were exposed for 0.25, 0.4, and 0.5 s. Numbers of F1 progeny from females exposed to 0.04 s of laser radiation were significantly reduced. A comparison of weekly mean number of progeny showed that the important differences in productivity occurred during the first and second week, respectively, when either male or female adult parents were subjected to laser radiation.

Aedes↗

PubMed1989