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Biomedical subjects

S Mitra

Publications and source records attributed to S Mitra.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in wild-type and ada mutants of Escherichia coli.

O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase is induced in Escherichia coli during growth in low levels of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. We have developed a sensitive assay for quantitating low levels of this activity with a synthetic DNA substrate containing 3H-labeled O(6)-methylguanine as the only modified base. Although both wild-type and adaptation-deficient (ada) mutants of E. coli contained low but comparable numbers (from 13 to 60) of the enzyme molecules per cell, adaptation treatment caused a significant increase of the enzyme in the wild type but not in the ada mutants, suggesting that the ada mutation is in a regulatory locus and not in the structural gene for the methyltransferase.

Escherichia coli↗
PubMed1981

Correlation between convulsive seizure and geomagnetic activity.

The annual percentage of patients with convulsive seizure in the Neurological Department of the Bangur Institute of Neurology, Calcutta, is found to be significantly correlated with the annual values of sunspot numbers and geomagnetic activity indices for the period 1955--1971. For a particular geomagnetic activity index the correlation coefficient is significant at a 99% confidence level. The study shows that a proper choice of elements in the series is important in studies undertaken to establish the biological effects of solar activity.

Astronomical Phenomena↗
PubMed1981

Characterization of gonadotropin binding sites in the intracellular organelles of bovine corpora lutea and comparison with plasma membrane sites.

The specific binding of 125I-human choriogonadotropin (hCG) to plasma membranes, nuclear membranes, lysosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, heavy golgi, and medium and light golgi of bovine corpora lutea was dependent on the amount of protein, 125I-hCG concentration and incubation time. The bound hormone in all the organelles was able to rebind to fresh corresponding organelles. Scatchard analysis revealed a homogenous population of gonadotropin binding sites in plasma membrane, rough endoplasmic reticulum, heavy golgi, and medium and light golgi, whose binding affinities (Kd = 8.6-11.0 X 10(-11) M) were similar but whose number of available gonadotropin binding sites varied. Scatchard analyses of nuclear membranes and lysosome binding, on the other hand, were heterogenous (Nuclear membranes, 11 and 23 X 10(-11) M lysosomes, 3.4 and 130 X 10(-11) M). The rate constants for association (5.9 to 12.1 X 10(6) M-1 S-1) and dissociation (7.4 to 9.0 X 10(-4) S-1) were similar among different subcellular organelles except for nuclear membranes and lysosomes, where rate constants for association were significantly lower. The ligand binding specificity, lower effectiveness of human luteinizing hormone as compared to hCG in competition, the optimal pH, the lack of ionic requirements for binding, and the molecular size of 125I-hCG-gonadotropin binding site complexes solubilized from various intracellular organelles were similar to those observed for plasma membranes. Numerous differences were also observed between intracellular organelles and plasma membranes as well as among intracellular organelles themselves with respect to binding losses due to exposure to low and high pH values, di- and monovalent cations, increasing preincubation temperatures, and a variety of enzymes and protein reagents. The possible reasons for these similarities as well as differences observed are discussed. The differences are viewed as an additional indication that contamination cannot solely explain the presence of gonadotropin binding sites in various intracellular organelles.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The presence of gonadotropin binding sites in the intracellular organelles of human ovaries.

The nuclei (N), plasma membranes (PM), mitochondria-lysosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and combined (light, medium, and heavy) Golgi (G) fractions were isolated from human ovaries. The purities of these fractions were evaluated by assays of appropriate marker enzymes, which revealed that some fractions were very pure but that others had minor contamination. When tested, all of the fractions exhibited 125I-labeled human chorionic gonadotropin (125I-hCG)-specific binding. This intracellular 125I-hCG binding was not due to PM contamination because: (1) N, which had no detectable 5'-nucleotidase (5'-NE) activity, a marker for PM, exhibited 125I-hCG-specific binding; (2) the G, which had only a fraction of the 5'-NE activity of PM, exhibited as much binding as PM; and (3) the ratios between specific 125I-hCG binding and 5'-NE activity in other fractions were not the same as for PM. They should have been the same if PM contamination was responsible for the 125I-hCG binding observed in other organelles. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that gonadotropin-binding sites are present in various intracellular organelles as well as in PM of human ovaries.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1981

Restriction map of the single-stranded DNA genome of Kilham rat virus strains 171, a nondefective parvovirus.

We constructed a physical map of Kilham rat virus strains 171 DNA by analyzing the sizes and locations of restriction endonuclease-generated fragments of the replicative-form viral DNA synthesized in vitro. BglI, KpnI, BamHI, SmaI, XhoI, and XorII did not appear to have any cleavage sites, whereas 11 other enzymes cleaved the genome at one to eight sites, and AluI generated more than 12 distinct fragments. The 30 restriction sites that were mapped were distributed randomly in the viral genome. A comparison of the restriction fragments of in vivo- and in vitro-replicated replicative-form DNAs showed that these DNAs were identical except in the size or configuration of the terminal fragments.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1981

Lysozyme in Schwartz and Moloney virus-induced lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Studies have been made on lysozyme in serum and tissue homogenates in normal and leukaemic mice. An increase in serum lysozyme level occurred in mice bearing both strains of leukaemia as compared to the normal counterparts. Moreover, the elevated enzyme levels seem to be related to the rise in neutrophils in peripheral blood. In the spleen and kidney of leukaemic mice, the lysozyme level was found to be lower than in the normals, while the enzyme level remained more or less unaltered in the liver. The findings are discussed in relation to other reports in the literature.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Location of the heme groups in cytochrome cd1 oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The disposition of the heme groups in cytochrome cd1 oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is studied by emission spectroscopy. This protein of molecular weight 120 000 is composed of two monomers each with a heme c and a heme d1. It has been shown by electron microscopy to be oblong in shape and by preliminary X-ray crystallography to have a twofold axis of rotation. Three electronic energy donors, a singlet tryptophan, a triplet tryptophan, and an attached 8-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl group, all exhibit normal decay lifetimes. It follows that there are parts of the protein at least 80 A from the nearest heme. The conclusion is that the hemes are all at one end of the molecule.

Electron Transport Complex IV↗
PubMed1980

Duodenal ulcer disease in chidren.

Eleven cases of chronic duodenal ulcer in children were subjected to surgical treatment in a period of 7 years. The diagnosis was based on typical peptic ulcer symptoms, hyperchlorhydria, and barium meal x-ray studies delineating a duodenal bulb deformity with an ulcer crater in 8 patients. Three cases of duodenal ulcer perforation in infants were diagnosed at aparotomy for peritonitis with pneumoperitoneum. All the patients hailed from the rgion of Assam, India, where peptic ulcer is prevalent. A positive family history of peptic ulcer in 5 patients, blood group O in 7 patients, and the regional diet were considered to be predisposing factors. Medical treatment consisting of a bland diet, sedatives, antispasmodics, and a brief hospital stay failed to provide permanent relief of symptoms. Truncal vagotomy with a drainage procedure was done in 8 patients with no deaths. However, simple closure of the perforation in the 3 infants resulted in fatalities due to fulminant septicemia. The patients were followed up for 1-8 years. Six patients had permanent relief of symptoms. Two patients occasionally complained of epigastric fullness and eructation. They showed normal growth, gain in weight and hemoglobin levels, and had no recurrence. We believe that operative treatment is preferable to medical management of chronic duodenal ulcer in children.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1980

Single bacteriocin typing scheme for the vibrio group of organisms.

A total of 743 strains of O-I "agglutinable" and 293 strains of O I "inagglutinable" Vibrio cholerae were subjected to bacteriocin typing based on deferred antagonism of eight indicator bacteria, including two strains of V. cholerae, by the method of Chakrabarty et al. (Infect. Immun. 1:293-299, 1970). A minor modification that was effected in the typing medium was replacement of iodoacetic acid by ammonium chloride (at a final concentration of 0.003%) which appeared to regulate bacteriocin production more accurately and increase the stability of the types. Of the agglutinable strains, 94% were found to be bacteriocinogenic and could be fitted into 11 of the earlier-reported types (Chakrabarty et al., Infect. Immun. 1:293-299, 1970), and 6 newer types were recognized. Likewise, 285 (90.7%) of the inagglutinable strains were found to be bacteriocinogenic and could be accommodated within 10 original and 8 newer types identified for the inagglutinable vibrios. Thirteen types were common to the two groups of vibrios. The single bacteriocin typing scheme appeared to be simple and adequate for both groups of organisms, and the producer as well as the indicator bacteria behaved remarkably stably in this typing scheme over many years.

Bacteriocins↗
PubMed1979

Gonadotropin and prostaglandins binding sites in nuclei of bovine corpora lutea.

Highly purified nuclei isolated from bovine corpora lutea showed marked enrichment of NAD pyrophosphorylase, a marker for this organelle. Rough endoplasmic reticulum and lysosomal markers were undetectable, whereas plasma membrane and Golgi markers were detectable but not enriched in nuclei. These highly puridied nuclei exhibited specific binding with 125I-labeled human choriogonadotropin, [3H]prostaglandin E1 and [3H]prostaglandin F2 alpha. However, these bindings were only 15.4% (human choriogonadotropin), 7.9% (prostaglandin E1) and 8.9% (prostaglandin F2 alpha) of the plasma membrane binding observed under the same conditions. Washing of nuclei and plasma membranes twice with buffer containing 0.1% Triton X-100 resulted in gonadotropin and prostaglandin F2 alpha binding site and 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5) losses from nuclei that were different from those observed for plasma membranes. More importantly, the washed nuclei exhibited 44% (human choriogonadotropin), 21--26% (prostaglandins) of original specific binding despite virtual disappearance of 5'-nucleotidase activity. The nuclear membranes isolated from nuclei, specifically bound 125I-labeled human choriogonadotropin and [3H]prostaglandin F2 alpha to the same extent or significantly more ([3H]prostaglandin E1, P less than 0.05) than nuclei themselves, despite the marked losses of chromatin. In summary, our data suggest that gonadotropin and prostaglandins bind to nuclei and that this binding was intrinsic and was primarily associated with the nuclear membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

In vitro synthesis of a 9 kbp terminally redundant DNA carrying the infectivity of Moloney murine leukemia virus.

Detergent-disrupted virions of Moloney murine leukemia virus synthesize a 9 kbp double-stranded infectious DNA. It contains mainly full-length, single-stranded DNA, and its infectivity and size are insensitive to digestion by the single-strand-specific S1 nuclease. Analysis of fragmentation of the DNA using restriction endonucleases has shown that it is indistinguishable from the linear double-stranded DNA synthesized in infected cells. On the basis of the positions of the cleavage sites for a number of enzymes, the 9 kbp DNA has a 575 base direct terminal repetition. It is longer than the viral RNA at both ends, evidently due to repetitive copying of segments of the RNA. Virions also synthesize an 8.4 kbp double-stranded circular DNA that lacks one copy of the terminal repetition, as well as viral DNA longer than 9 kbp. The enzymatic machinery in the virions of retroviruses therefore appears to be responsible for all the steps involved in making fully double-stranded linear and one form of circular DNA.

Base Sequence↗