Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

S Clark

Publications and source records attributed to S Clark.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

The effects of digestive enzymes on characteristics of placental insulin receptor. Comparison of particulate and soluble receptor preparations.

The role of the surrounding membrane structure on the binding characteristics of the insulin receptor was studied by using several digestive enzymes. The effects observed with particulate membrane preparations are compared with those from soluble receptor preparations. beta-Galactosidase and neuraminidase had no effect on insulin binding to either particulate or soluble receptors from human placentae. Exposure to 2 units of phospholipase C/ml increased insulin binding to particulate membranes, but was without effect on the soluble receptor preparation. The increase in binding to particulate membranes was shown to be due to an increase in apparent receptor number. After 5 min exposure to 500 microgram of trypsin/ml there was an increase in insulin binding to the particulate membrane fraction, owing to an increase in receptor affinity. After 15 min exposure to this amount of trypsin, binding decreased, owing to a progressive decrease in receptor availability. In contrast, this concentration of trypsin had no effect on the solubilized receptor preparation. Because of the differential effects of phospholipase C and trypsin on the particulate compared with the solubilized receptor preparations, it is concluded that the effects of these enzymes were due to an effect on the surrounding membrane structure. Changes in receptor configuration due to alterations within the adjoining membrane provide a potential mechanism for mediating short-term alterations in receptor function.

Cell Membrane↗

Transcriptional specificity of a multisubunit RNA polymerase induced by Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage PBS2.

Bacillus subtilis phage PBS2 induced the synthesis of two temporally defined categories of phage-specified transcripts. The transcription of phage "early" genes was induced almost immediately after infection; this RNA synthesis did not require phage protein synthesis. Phage "late" gene transcription, on the other hand, was induced at an intermediate time in the lytic cycle; this RNA synthesis required the production of phage proteins. Both classes of transcription were resistant to the drug rifampin and, therefore, apparently did not require the rifampin-sensitive component of the host RNA polymerase. A rifampin-resistant, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase was purified from bacteria infected with PBS2. The highly purified phage polymerase consisted of five distinct subunits that remained associated during zone centrifugation, isoelectric focusing, and disc gel electrophoresis. The synthesis of each of the five polypeptides was induced at an intermediate time in the phage lytic cycle. As judged by hybridization competition, hybridization to DNA restriction fragments, and RNA-RNA annealing, the phage-induced RNA polymerase preferentially and asymmetrically transcribed PBS2 late genes in vitro. These findings suggest that the PBS2 RNA polymerase controls the expression of phage genes late in the lytic cycle.

Bacillus subtilis↗

The effect of solubilization on the properties of the insulin receptor of human placental membranes.

The insulin receptor for human placental membranes has been solubilized in Triton X-100 and its properties have been examined in detail. Binding of [125 I]iodoinsulin to the soluble receptor is markedly inhibited by increas-ng concentrations of Triton X-100, due to a fall in receptor affinity. In 0.02--0.10% Triton X-100, the soluble receptor exhibits all the essential characteristics of the intact or particulate receptor. These include strict specificity for insulin and its analogues, increase in steady state binding with decrease in temperature, a pH optimum at 7.8--8.0, and negatively cooperative site-site interactions. The initial association rate of [125 I]iodoinsulin and the soluble receptor is a direct function of temperature, but the level of steady-state binding is lower at higher temperatures due to a marked increase in dissociation rate. Scatchard binding plots are curvilinear and show a large increase in affinity at 4 C with no change in total binding capacity (R0); increased binding to the particulate placental membrane at 4 C is due chiefly to an increase in R3. Negative cooperatively in the soluble receptor has been confirmed by kinetic experiments; thus, the dissociation of [125I]iodoinsulin from the receptor in the presence of "infinite" dilution is accelerated in the presence of 10(-8) M unlabeled insulin. The apparent molecular weight of the placental receptor, determined by gel filtration on 6% agarose, is approximately 300,000. These studies show that the basic properties of the insulin receptor do not depend on it being an integral conponent of the cell membrane.

Female↗

Ependymomas of childhood. II. Electron-microscopic study.

Electron-microscopic study of various histological types of ependymoma has shown three basic types of cells. One type of cells has features typical of normal ependymal cells, the second type consists of cells resembling normal or reactive astrocytes, and the third type of cells is undifferentiated. The three types of cells are present in various proportions in every tumor. Generally speaking, the astrocyte-like cells are more frequently encountered than the ependymol cells. The undifferentiated cells are seen, in small numbers, in all forms of ependymoma but they are the dominant cell type in the ependymoblastomas.

Astrocytoma↗

Purification and some properties of a medium-chain acyl-thioester hydrolase from lactating-rabbit mammary gland which terminates chain elongation in fatty acid synthesis.

1. An acyl-thioester hydrolase was isolated from the cytosol of lactating-rabbit mammary gland. The purified enzyme terminates fatty acid synthesis at medium-chain (C8:0-C12:0) acids when it is incubated with fatty acid synthetase and rate-limiting concentrations of malonyl-CoA. These acids are characteristic products of the lactating gland. 2. The mol.wt. of the enzyme is 29000+/-500 (mean+/-S.D. of three independent preparations), as estimated by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. 3. The enzyme also hydrolyses acyl-CoA esters of chain lengths C10:0-C16:0 when these are used as model substrates. The greatest activity was towards dodecanoyl-CoA, and the three preparations had specific activities of 305, 1130 and 2010 nmol of dodecanoyl-CoA hydrolysed/min per mg of protein when 56muM substrate was used. 4. The way in which this enzyme controls the synthesis of medium-chain fatty acids by fatty acid synthetase is briefly discussed.

Albumins↗

A neuromuscular basis for development of indirect inguinal hernia.

Specialized portions of the transversus abdominus muscles act on the internal inguinal rings and produce a closure mechanism during voluntary abdominal muscular activity. Abdominal muscular contractions may have a protective influence against development of indirect inguinal hernia. It follows, therefore, that injury or inactivation of this mechanism may be an etiologic factor in the development of indirect inguinal hernia. One cause of injury to this mechanism is by denervation and regional muscle paralysis occurring during a surgical procedure. Surgical denervation appears to have caused an indirect inguinal hernia in one of the authors.

Adult↗