Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Cooke.
The binding characteristics of platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptors, lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptors and platelet imipramine receptors were studied in five women during their menstrual cycle. A significant cyclic variation in the number of beta 2-adrenoceptor sites on intact lymphocytes was found during the menstrual cycle, while binding to alpha 2-adrenoceptors and imipramine receptors remained unchanged.
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1. The effects of phosphate and protons on the mechanics and energetics of muscle contraction have been investigated using glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle. 2. Fibres were fully activated by addition of Ca2+ (pCa 4-5) at 10 degrees C. The velocities of contraction were measured in isotonic load clamps, and the velocities of unloaded fibres were measured by applying a series of step changes in fibre length. Fibre ATPase activity was monitored using an enzyme system to couple ADP production to reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and measuring the depletion of NADH by optical density. 3. At pH 7.0 and 3 mM-phosphate, isometric tension (P0) was 13.2 +/- 0.9 N/cm (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 10 observations), the maximum contraction velocity (Vmax) was 1.63 +/- 0.05 lengths/s (n = 5) and the ATPase activity was 1.27 +/- 0.12 s-1 myosin head-1 (n = 35). Increasing phosphate from 3 to 20 mM at pH 7.0 does not affect Vmax, causes a small decrease in the ATPase activity (15-20%) and decreases P0 by approximately 20%. Changing pH from 7 to 6 at 3 mM-phosphate decreases P0 by 45% and both Vmax and ATPase activity by 25-30%. The effects of changing both pH and phosphate were approximately additive for all parameters measured. The inhibition of these parameters by low pH and high concentration of phosphate was reversible. 4. The force-velocity relation was fitted by the Hill equation using a non-linear least-squares method. The value of the parameter which describes the curvature, a/P0, was 0.20. The curvature of the force-velocity relation was not changed by addition of phosphate or by changes in pH. 5. These data provide information on both the kinetics of the actomyosin interaction and on the process of muscle fatigue. The data are consistent with models of cross-bridge kinetics in which phosphate is released within the powerstroke in a step involving a rapid equilibrium between states. The inhibition by protons is more complex, and may involve less specific effects on protein structure. 6. During moderate fatigue of living skeletal muscle, MgATP concentration is known to remain approximately constant at 4 mM, phosphate to increase from 3 to 20 mM, and protons from 0.1 to 1 microM. The data suggest that much of the inhibition of P0 observed during moderate fatigue can be explained by the increased levels of phosphate and protons, and that much of the inhibition of fibre Vmax and ATPase activity can be explained by the increase in protons.
Two cases of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma are presented to draw attention to this relatively benign variant of glioma. The circumscribed tumors, each with a cystic component, were located superficially, one in the mesial right temporal lobe and one in the right temporoparietal region. The patients were aged 12 and 14 years, and it is now almost 7 years since the onset of symptoms in the 12-year-old boy. The optimal plan of management is discussed.
We have investigated the effect of magnesium pyrophosphate (MgPPi) on the orientation and stiffness of myosin heads in glycerinated muscle fibers. MgPPi is known to bind to the nucleotide site of myosin and to weaken the bond between myosin and actin. The spectra of paramagnetic probes attached to the reactive sulfhydryl on the myosin head were used to monitor the orientation of the head. Addition of 3 mM MgPPi to rigor fibers resulted in a shift of approximately 50% of the myosin heads from a state in which the probes are highly oriented to a state in which the probes are disordered. Experiments in which MgPPi dissociated labeled subfragment-1 from unlabeled fibers support the conclusion that the disordered probes are on myosin heads that are not attached to actin. Addition of MgPPi causes only a small decrease in fiber stiffness, measured by step changes in fiber length. We conclude that up to 50% of the myosin heads can be dissociated from actin with little change in muscle stiffness. Thus stiffness is not a linear measure of the fraction of myosin heads attached to actin. We present a model in which one head of the pair of a myosin molecule binds more weakly to actin and can be dissociated preferentially by the binding of MgPPi.
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Rabbit skeletal muscle G-actin was labeled with a spin probe, 3-(5-fluoro-2,4-dinitroanilino)proxyl. Tryptic digestion of the labeled actin followed by ultrafiltration and ion-exchange column chromatography indicated that the label was attached to residue Lys-61. This residue is found within a 9-kDa N-terminal segment that is easily degraded by proteolytic enzymes. The rate of reduction of the nitroxide bond by ascorbate was measured to determine the accessibility of the probe to small molecules in the solvent. These experiments showed that label bound to G-actin was relatively inaccessible to ascorbate, suggesting that it is buried within the protein structure. Polymerization further decreased the accessibility of the probe. Replacing bound Ca2+ with Mn2+ decreased the observed intensity of the electron paramagnetic resonance signal, indicating the spin label is about 2 nm distant from the metal binding site on the actin molecule. Labels attached to G-actin displayed an absorption spectrum characteristic of rotational motion with a correlation time (tau c) of 7 X 10(-9) s, which is faster than that for the whole molecule. Labels attached to F-actin had a value of tau c, measured using saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance, of 2 X 10(-5) s, which shows that the probe has a greater degree of mobility than the filament. The binding of heavy meromyosin or troponin-tropomyosin to labeled actin resulted in a further increase in the rotational correlation times, with the greatest decrease in mobility (tau c = 1 X 10(-4) s) observed when both were bound. Together the above results suggest that the 9-kDa segment of actin is mobile relative to the rest of the molecule and that this mobility can be influenced by the binding of heavymeromyosin or troponin-tropomyosin.
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of paramagnetic derivatives of ATP has been used to probe the angular distribution of myosin in glycerinated muscle fibers. Three nucleotide spin labels have been prepared with the nitroxide free radical moiety attached, via an ester linkage to either: the 2' or 3' positions of the ribose unit of ATP (SL-ATP), the 2' position of 3' deoxy ATP (2'SL-dATP), or the 3' position of 2' deoxy ATP (3'SL-dATP). In muscle fibers, these nucleotides are quickly hydrolyzed to their diphosphate forms. All three diphosphate analogues bind to the nucleotide site of myosin with similar affinities: rabbit psoas fibers, 7 X 10(3)/M; insect flight muscle, 5 X 10(3)/M; and rabbit soleus muscle, 2 X 10(4)/M. Analysis of the spectra showed that the principal z-axis of the nitroxide attached to bound nucleotides was oriented with respect to the filament axis. The principal axes of 3'SL-dADP and 2'SL-dADP appeared to be preferentially aligned at mean angles of 67 degrees +/- 4 degrees and 55 degrees +/- 5 degrees, respectively. The distribution of probes about these angles can be described by Gaussians with widths of 16 degrees +/- 4 degrees and 13 degrees +/- 5 degrees, respectively. The spectrum of bound SL-ADP was a linear combination of the spectra of the two deoxy analogues. These orientations were the same in the three muscle types examined, indicating a high degree of homology in the nucleotide binding site. Applying static strains as high as 0.2 N/mm2 to muscle fibers caused no change in the orientation of myosin-bound, spin-labeled nucleotides. When muscle fibers were stretched to decrease actin and myosin filament overlap, bound SL-ADP produced EPR spectra indicative of probes with a highly disordered angular distribution. Sodium vanadate and SL-ATP caused fiber stiffness to decrease, and the EPR spectrum of the bound analogue indicated an increase in the fraction of disoriented probes with a concomitant decrease in the fraction of oriented probes. These findings indicate that when myosin is bound to actin its nucleotide site is highly oriented relative to the fiber axis, and when this interaction is removed the orientation of the nucleotide site becomes highly disordered.
The effects of marijuana smoke on maternal respiratory rate and gas exchange were examined in nine chronically instrumented, late gestation ewes carrying singletons. The magnitude of exposure was randomly varied producing peak plasma levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) ranging from 0 to 161 ng/ml. delta-9-THC levels, respiratory rate and arterial blood gas tensions were monitored before and for two hours after inhalational exposure. When compared to placebo, marijuana smoke produced a dose dependent and sustained decrease in maternal respiratory rate and arterial oxygen tension without evidence of either systemic acidosis or carbon dioxide retention. A logarithmic relationship was observed between the blood level of delta-9-THC and the change in respiratory rate. The change plateaued at 30% of control at levels above 80 ng/ml. However, the relationship between the blood level of delta-9-THC and the change in arterial oxygen tension had a linear fit with a maximum decrease of 45% at a blood level of 160 ng/ml. No change was detected in minute ventilation. Fetal oxygen tension fell significantly and remained depressed after maternal values had returned to control levels. We conclude that, in this species, inhalational exposure to marijuana smoke induces a prolonged maternal ventilation/perfusion imbalance and limits fetal oxygen availability by one or more mechanisms.
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The three sites of selective dinucleotide-primed "in vitro" transcription initiation on a cloned cauliflower mosaic virus DNA fragment have been localised by S1 nuclease mapping. Two of these sites lie within a region which has been shown to be essential for transcription complex formation on the viral sequences, one corresponding to a nuclease S1 hypersensitive site and the other to an imperfect repeat 100bp downstream. These sequences show striking homology with known transcription control sequences. These observations and the effect of the sequences on "in vitro" transcription raise the possibility that they may be involved in control of transcription of the viral genome.
We have previously shown that plant RNA polymerase II preferentially forms ternary transcription complexes on a cloned fragment of the cauliflower mosaic virus genome in the presence of a particular dinucleotide/purine NTP combination (ApG + ATP). This preferential interaction is observed when the viral sequences are present on a discrete circular molecule. Deletion of a 205-bases-pair region abolishes this selectivity. The deleted region contains a considerable number of symmetrical or repeating elements. The use of nuclease S1 as a probe shows that this region contains a homopurine-homopyrimidine sequence which is extremely sensitive to this enzyme, indicating its capacity to adopt a non-B DNA conformation. A possible alternative structure of these sequences, which may explain the preferential interaction with the RNA polymerase, is presented.
A model is presented to describe the inhibition of muscle fiber contraction by ligands that compete with MgATP. Two ligands, adenosine 5' (beta, gamma-imido) triphosphate (AMPPNP) and pyrophosphate (PPi), decrease the force developed in isometric contractions and act as weak competitive inhibitors of the maximum velocity of contraction (Pate & Cooke, 1985). These observations provide information on the energetics of actomyosin ligand states at the end of the power-stroke where MgATP dissociates the myosin cross-bridge from actin, and they are analysed in terms of a seven state model of cross-bridge kinetics. The model can reconcile the observations that these ligands bind tightly to fibers, Kd = 10(-4) M, while they are only weak inhibitors of fiber velocity, Ki = 2 X 10(-3) M. It provides a reasonable fit to the data and leads to several conclusions concerning the properties of the cross-bridge states. The states with bound ligand are shifted axially so that they occur earlier in the power-stroke than the nucleotide-free rigor state. This shift also explains the axial lengthening seen upon addition of ligands to rigor fibers. We can conclude that these ligands cause small perturbations in the cross-bridge configuration rather than large shifts. A second conclusion is that cross-bridges do not detach from actin during their power-strokes. Instead they traverse the entire length of the power stroke and are detached only at the end, leading to the suggestion that the cycling of bridges in isometric fibers is due to fluctuations in the relative positions of thick and thin filaments. With some further assumptions, the model also explains many of the rate constants and equilibrium constants of the actin-myosin-ligand interaction that have been measured in solution.
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Knowledge of the mechanism of contraction has been obtained from studies of the interaction of actin and myosin in solution, from an elucidation of the structure of muscle fibers, and from measurements of the mechanics and energetics of fiber contraction. Many of the states and the transition rates between them have been established for the hydrolysis of ATP by actin and myosin subfragments in solution. A major goal is to now understand how the kinetics of this interaction are altered when it occurs in the organized array of the myofibril. Early work on the structure of muscle suggested that changes in the orientation of myosin cross-bridges were responsible for the generation of force. More recently, fluorescent and paramagnetic probes attached to the cross-bridges have suggested that at least some domains of the cross-bridges do not change orientation during force generation. A number of properties of active cross-bridges have been defined by measurements of steady state contractions of fibers and by the transients which follow step changes in fiber length or tension. Taken together these studies have provided firm evidence that force is generated by a cyclic interaction in which a myosin cross-bridge attaches to actin, exerts force through a "powerstroke" of 12 nm, and is then released by the binding of ATP. The mechanism of this interaction at the molecular level remains unknown.
The customs and lifestyles of people are responsible for many of the diseases from which they suffer. Changes in the ways in which they live cause changes in their diseases.
We have studied the effect of myosin P-light chain phosphorylation on the isometric tension generated by skinned fibers from rabbit psoas muscle at 0.6 and 10 microM Ca2+. At the lower Ca2+ concentration, which produced 10-20% of the maximal isometric tension obtained at 10 microM Ca2+, addition of purified myosin light chain resulted in a 50% increase in isometric tension which correlated with an increase in P-light chain phosphorylation from 0.10 to 0.80 mol of phosphate/mol of P-light chain. Addition of a phosphoprotein phosphatase reversed the isometric tension response and dephosphorylated P-light chain. At the higher Ca2+ concentration, P-light chain phosphorylation was found to have little effect on isometric tension. Fibers prepared and stored at -20 degrees C in a buffer containing MgATP, KF, and potassium phosphate incorporated 0.80 mol of phosphate/mol of P-light chain. Addition of phosphoprotein phosphatase to these fibers incubated at 0.6 microM Ca2+ caused a reduction in isometric tension and dephosphorylation of the P-light chain. There was no difference before and after phosphorylation of P-light chain in the normalized force-velocity relationship for fibers at the lower Ca2+ concentration, and the extrapolated maximum shortening velocity was 2.2 fiber lengths/s. Our results suggest that in vertebrate skeletal muscle, P-light chain phosphorylation increases the force level at submaximal Ca2+ concentrations, probably by affecting the interaction between the myosin cross-bridge and the thin filament.
The products of MgATP hydrolysis bind to the nucleotide site of myosin and thus may be expected to inhibit the contraction of muscle fibers. We measured the effects of phosphate and MgADP on the isometric tensions and isotonic contraction velocities of glycerinated rabbit psoas muscle at 10 degrees C. Addition of phosphate decreased isometric force but did not affect the maximum velocity of shortening. To characterize the effects of ADP on fiber contractions, force-velocity curves were measured for fibers bathed in media containing various concentrations of MgATP (1.5-4 mM) and various concentrations of MgADP (1-4 mM). As the [MgADP]/[MgATP] ratio in the fiber increases, the maximum velocity achieved by the fiber decreases while the isometric tension increases. The inhibition of fiber velocities and the potentiation of fiber tension by MgADP is not altered by the presence of 12 mM phosphate. The concentration of both MgADP and MgATP within the fiber was calculated from the diffusion coefficient for nucleotides within the fiber, and the rate of MgADP production within the fiber. Using the calculated values for the nucleotide concentration inside the fiber, observed values of the maximum contraction velocity could be described, within experimental accuracy, by a model in which MgADP competed with MgATP and inhibited fiber velocity with an effective Ki of 0.2-0.3 mM. The average MgADP level generated by the fiber ATPase activity within the fiber was approximately 0.9 mM. In fatigued fibers MgADP and phosphate levels are known to be elevated, and tension and the maximum velocity of contraction are depressed. The results obtained here suggest that levels of MgADP in fatigued fibers play no role in these decreases in function, but the elevation of both phosphate and H+ is sufficient to account for much of the decrease in tension.