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Biomedical subjects

T Brennan

Publications and source records attributed to T Brennan.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

GABA and benzodiazepine binding sites in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

The binding of GABA to its central receptor sites and of benzodiazepines to central and peripheral types of binding sites was compared in age-matched spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and normotensive (WKY) rat. The KD and Bmax values of GABA agonist binding were not significantly different between SHR and WKY rat in the forebrain, cerebellum or pons-medulla. The binding of [3H]flunitrazepam to central types of binding sites was also not different in 12 week-old SHR and WKY rat. However, the binding of [3H]flunitrazepam and [3H]RO5-4864 was significantly lower in the SHR kidney, as compared to WKY rat kidney. This decrease was due to a lower Bmax in SHR kidney. In contrast, the binding of these radioligands in the hearts of the two strains was not different. These results indicate that the SHR has lower peripheral benzodiazepine binding sites in the kidney as compared to age-matched normotensive WKY rat kidney.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

In Vivo Measurement of Indole-3-acetic Acid Decarboxylation in Aging Coleus Petiole Sections.

The concentration of indoleacetic acid (IAA) in plant tissues is regulated, in part, by its rate of decarboxylation. However, the commonly used in vitro assays for IAA oxidase may not accurately reflect total in vivo decarboxylation rates. A method for measuring in vivo decarboxylation was utilized in which (14)CO(2) is collected following uptake of [1-(14)C]IAA by excised tissue sections. After a 30-minute equilibration period, the evolution of (14)CO(2) was found to follow an approximately linear course with respect to both time and tissue weight.Decarboxylation rates were measured by this method in petiole sections of the Princeton clone of Coleus blumei Benth. Both the (14)CO(2) evolved per milligram tissue and the percent of [1-(14)C]IAA uptake decarboxylated were highest in sections from the youngest petioles tested, and declined in the older tissue. Thin layer chromatography of acetonitrile extracts from the [1-(14)C]IAA-treated petioles showed a decreasing amount of free IAA and an increase at the retardation factor of indoleacetylaspartate in the older sections. The decreased decarboxylation rates in the older petioles may be attributable to a generally lower metabolic rate and increased protection of the IAA by conjugation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1981

Right aortic arch with isolation of the left innominate artery.

Isolation of the left innominate artery and right aortic arch, a rare variant of right aortic arch anomalies, was diagnosed in a four-year-old boy with other congenital cardiac anomalies. Isolation of vessels from the aortic arch is predicted from the primitive double aortic arch model of Edwards. In this patient there was no evidence of a vascular ring or of a significant subclavian steal syndrome.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMed1980

Thioredoxin-like Activity of Thylakoid Membranes: THIOREDOXIN CATALYZING THE REDUCTIVE INACTIVATION OF GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE OCCURS IN BOTH SOLUBLE AND MEMBRANE-BOUND FORM.

The inactivation of pea leaf chloroplast glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase by dithiothreitol can be catalyzed by thioredoxin-like molecules that are present in chloroplasts. This thioredoxin activity occurs predominantly as a soluble species, but washed thylakoid membranes also exhibit some thioredoxin-like activity. The membrane-associated thioredoxin can be extracted by treatment with the detergent Triton X-100. The solubilized thioredoxin appears to have a molecular size similar to that of the soluble thioredoxin which catalyzes the same reaction. The thylakoid-bound activity constitutes only about 5% of the total chloroplast thioredoxin activity. The thioredoxin occurring in the membrane fraction cannot, however, be ascribed to the trapping of stroma since less than 0.1% of three stromal marker enzymes are found in the same thylakoid extract.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1980

Inhibition by Catalase of Dark-mediated Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activation in Pea Chloroplasts.

Dark activation of light-inactivated glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was inhibited by catalase in a broken pea chloroplast system. Partially purified glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from pea leaf chloroplasts can be inactivated in vitro by dithiothreitol and thioredoxin and reactivated by H(2)O(2). The in vitro activation by H(2)O(2) was not enhanced by horseradish peroxidase, and dark activation in the broken chloroplast system was only slightly inhibited by NaCN. These results indicate that the dark activation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase may involve oxidation by H(2)O(2) of SH groups on the enzyme which were reduced in the light by the light effect mediator system.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1979

Inability to demonstrate hydroxylation of tyrosine by murine melanoma "tyrosinase" (L-DOPA oxidase), using the tritiated water assay technique.

Validity of the tritiated water assay technique for tyrosine hydroxylase activity as a qualitative method was demonstrated with mushroom tyrosinase. Using this method, isolated murine melanoma "tyrosinase" (L-dopa oxidase) showed no tyrosine hydroxylase activity. This finding supports previous studies in our laboratory which used a variety of histochemical and biochemical methods. The nonenzymatic production of tritiated water caused by tritium exchange with hydrogen peroxide complicates the use of the tritiated water assay technique with crude systems, since hydrogen peroxide is generated by a variety of oxidase reactions. For this reason, previous studies using the tritiated water assay technique with crude systems are ambiguous.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Involvement of hydrogen peroxide in the regulation of senescence in pear.

Endogenous peroxide levels in pear fruit (Pyrus communis) were measured using a titanium assay method, and were found to increase during senescence in both Bartlett and Bosc varieties. Application of glycolic acid or xanthine, serving as substrates for the formation of H(2)O(2), increased the peroxide content of the tissue and accelerated the onset of ripening, as measured by increased softening and ethylene evolution. Application of ethylene also induced increased peroxide levels. Ripening processes were similarly promoted when peroxides were conserved by inhibiting the activity of catalase with hydroxylamine or potassium cyanide. By comparison, the inhibition of glycolate oxidase with alphahydroxy-2-pyridinemethanesulfonic acid decreased the peroxide content of the tissue and delayed the onset of ripening. These results indicate that the onset of ripening correlates with the peroxide content of fruit tissues as occurring under normal conditions or as influenced by the treatments. Hydrogen peroxide may be involved in oxidative processes required in the initiation and the promotion of ripening.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1976

Structlre of transfer RNA molecules containing the long variable loop.

A structure is proposed for the type II tRNA molecules containing the long variable loop and the tertiary base interactions here are compared with type I tRNAs having the short variable loop. The type II tRNAs are similar to the type I tRNAs in their tertiary base pairing interactions but differ from them generally by not having the tertiary base triples. The long variable loop, which is comprised of a helical stem and a loop at the end of it, emerges from the deep groove side of the dihydrouridine helix, and is tilted roughly 30 degrees to the plane formed by the amino acid-pseudo-uridine and anticodon-dihydrouridine helices found in yeast tRNAPhe. The fact that many of the type I tRNAs also lack the full compliment of base triples suggests that the tertiary base pairs may alone suffice to sustain the tRNA fold required for its biological function. The base triples and the variable loop appear to have little functional significance. The base type at position 9 is correlated with the number of base triples and G-C base pairs in the dihydrouridine stem.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1976

Atomic coordinates and molecular conformation of yeast phenylalanyl tRNA. An independent investigation.

The atomic coordinates of yeast tRNA(Phe) in the monoclinic crystal form have been determined by an independent analysis from a model built into a 3 A MIR map. The overall molecular structure is found to be in agreement with those reported for the same crystal form by Ladner et al. (1975) and for the orthorhombic form by Quigley et al. (1975) and Kim et al. (1975). However, significant differences between any two of the four models are found in certain local regions of the molecule. The structure is analyzed in terms of the nucleotide stereochemistry and internucleotide phosphodiesters. A striking observation is that the majority of the nucleotide moieties occur in the conformation preferred by the constituent mononucleotides themselves. The internucleotide P-O bonds afford the primary source of flexibility for the folding of the polynucleotide backbone while the sugar pucker and C(4')-C(5') torsions provide the secondary source of flexibility.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1976

Stem sensitivity and ethylene involvement in phototropism of mung bean.

A system is described for the examination of phototropism in the epicotyl of a dicot seedling, mung bean (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.), under conditions approximating nature, including the use of intact, nonetiolated plants exposed to elevated, continuous, white, unilateral light. It is found that in this system perception of the phototropic stimulus by the leaves alone cannot account for the curvature, and that exposure of the stem is also necessary. The phototropic response was found to be strongly altered in nonintact plants. Hypobaric treatment indicates that ethylene may participate in phototropism, possibly by acting as an inhibitor of auxin transport.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1971

Crystal structure of a naturally occurring dinucleoside monophosphate: uridylyl (3',5') adenosine hemihydrate.

The crystal structure of uridylyl (3',5') adenosine hemihydrate has been analyzed by x-ray diffraction. The two independent molecules found in the asymmetric unit exhibit conformations that differ significantly from those found in double-helical RNA. The conformational information obtained from this analysis provides considerable insight into the possible conformations of nonhelical "loop" regions of transfer RNA, as well as single-stranded regions of nucleic acids in general.

Base Sequence↗