A striking parallel between cardiolipin fatty acid composition and phylogenetic belonging in marine bivalves: a possible adaptative evolution?

Thirty-five species of marine mollusk bivalves were analyzed for their fatty acid (FA) composition of cardiolipin (Ptd(2)Gro). All species showed a Ptd(2)Gro with strong selectivity for only a few polyunsaturated fatty acids, but three characteristic FA profiles emerged, with clear parallels to bivalve phylogeny. A first group of 12 species belonging to the Eupteriomorphia subgroup (Filibranchia) was characterized by a Ptd(2)Gro almost exclusively composed of 22:6n-3, whereas in the four Filibranchia Pteriomorph species analyzed, this FA was combined with substantial proportions of 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3. Finally, a third group of 20 species, all belonging to the Heterodonta subclass, possessed Ptd(2)Gro containing predominantly both 22:6n-3 and 20:5n-3. Polyunsaturated FA moieties and arrangements in the Ptd(2)Gro of some marine species investigated in other classes of the mollusk phylum (Gastropoda, Polyplacophora) were found to be different. The present results suggest that the specific Ptd(2)Gro FA compositions in bivalves are likely to be controlled and conserved in species of the same phylogenetic group. Functional significances of the evolution of this mitochondrial lipid structure in bivalves are discussed.

Lipid class composition of the protozoan Perkinsus marinus, an oyster parasite, and its metabolism of a fluorescent phosphatidylcholine analog.

Perkinsus marinus is one of two important protozoan parasites of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. The other is Haplosporidium nelsoni. Lipids extracted from 7-d-old in vitro cultured P. marinus meronts, incubated with fluorescent-labeled phosphatidylcholine (FL PC) and nonincubated P. marinus meronts, were analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system equipped with a diol phase column, in combination with thin-layer chromatography coupled with a flame-ionization detector (TLC/FID), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Various polar and neutral lipid classes were separated by HPLC using a two-gradient solvent system. Five polar lipid classes--phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), cardiolipin (CL), sphingomyelin (SM), and phosphatidylserine (PS)--were identified from P. marinus extracts. Four neutral lipid classes--triacylglycerol (TAG), steryl ester (SE), cholesterol (CHO), and fatty alcohol--were distinguished. TLC/FID analysis of meront lipids showed that the weight percentages of PC, PE, CL, SM, PS/PI, TAG, SE, and CHO were 21, 10.7, 4, 2.3, 4.3, 48.7, 7.8, and 1.2%, respectively. HPLC and HPTLC analyses revealed the presence of two SM and PS isomers in P. marinus extracts. Perkinsus marinus effectively incorporated FL PC acquired from the medium and metabolized it to various components (i.e., free fatty acid, monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, TAG, PE, and CL). Uptake and interconversion of FL PC in P. marinus meronts increased with time. After 48 h the total uptake of fluorescence (FL) was 28.9% of the FL PC added to the medium, and 43% of the incorporated FL resided in TAG.

Dietary lipid quality and mitochondrial membrane composition in trout: responses of membrane enzymes and oxidative capacities.

To examine whether membrane fatty acid (FA) composition has a greater impact upon specific components of oxidative phosphorylation or on overall properties of muscle mitochondria, rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were fed two diets differing only in FA composition. Diet 1 was enriched in 18:1n-9 and 18:2n-6 while Diet 2 was enriched in 22:6n-3. The FA composition of mitochondrial phospholipids was strongly affected by diet. 22:6n-3 levels were twice as high (49%) in mitochondrial phospholipids of fish fed Diet 2 than in those fed Diet 1. 18:2n-6 content of the phospholipids also followed the diets, whereas 18:1n-9 changed little. All n-6 FA, most notably 22:5n-6, were significantly higher in fish fed Diet 1. Nonetheless, total saturated FA, total monounsaturated FA and total polyunsaturated FA in mitochondrial phospholipids varied little. Despite a marked impact of diet on specific FA levels in mitochondrial phospholipids, only non-phosphorylating (state 4) rates were higher in fish fed Diet 2. Phosphorylating rates (state 3), oxygen consumption due to flux through the electron transport chain complexes as well as the corresponding spectrophotometric activities did not differ with diet. Body mass affected state 4 rates and cytochrome c oxidase and F 0 F 1 ATPase activities while complex I showed a diet-specific effect of body mass. Only the minor FA that were affected by body mass were correlated with functional properties. The regulated incorporation of dietary FA into phospholipids seems to allow fish to maintain critical membrane functions even when the lipid quality of their diets varies considerably, as is likely in their natural environment.

A case of Ax phenotype transmitted by an A2B parent.

The authors report a family in which the father is Ax, the mother B, the paternal grandmother Ax; 3 children out of 6 are A2B and the other three Ax. One of A2B children is married to an O subject, and she had a son of phenotype Ax. It was observed that Ax gene in position trans of a B gene behaves phenotypically as an A2.

[Irregular antibody screening by Groupamatic at the Paris (C.N.T.S.) and Toulouse (C.R.T.S.) blood transfusion centers]. / La recherche d'anticorps irréguliers sur Groupamatic. A la lumière de l'expérience des Centres de Transfusion Sanguine de Paris (C.N.T.S.) et de Toulouse (C.R.T.S.).

We report here the experience of 3 years of irregular antibody automated screening with Groupamatic, that is to say of 661,511 samples tested in Paris and 269, 162 samples tested in Toulouse. The positive reactions in Paris were 16,296 (2.46%) out of which 2,021 irregular antibodies were identified (0.30%). The positive reactions in Toulouse were 8,266 (3.07%) out of which 2,138 irregular antibodies were identified (0,79%). The difference between the number of screened positive reactions and the identified one is due to false positive reactions (half of the cases) and to autoantibodies whose number is roughly the same than the number of identified alloantibodies. During the years 1970, 1971 and 1972, the irregular antibodies were systematically screened in Toulouse on all blood donors with a manual technique on opaline plate using enzyme treated red cell tests (papain). 7,147 positive reactions were detected, out of 240,080 tests (2.98%). 1,954 (0,81%) were alloantibodies and 1,529 (0.64%) autoantibodies; 3.455 were false positive reactions and 209 were non identified antibodies. These figures are superimposed with those obtained with Groupamatic during the following years, thus pointing out the interest of this equipment.

[IgG type autoimmune hemolytic anemia in a 7-week-old infant]. / Anemie hemolytique auto-immune de nature IgG chez un nourrisson de 7 semaines

A 7 week old infant was admitted for auto-immune hemolytic anemia, of progressive onset. Auto-antibodies were of IgG nature and of anti-e and anti-nl specificity. Treatment associated transfusions of leukocyte-free blood and corticosteroids reaching 4,5 mg/kg/day. Hemolysis stopped after 15 days and corticosteroid therapy was stopped without incident over 30 days. One month later, the clinical status was excellent, blood count was normal and immuno-hematological tests were negative. This case is a new one of the few auto-immune hemolytic anemias in children under 3 months of age. All showed an adequate immune development allowing the typical clinical and biological picture of an auto-immune disease, in spite of the classical idea of immunological immaturity, at this age.

Separation of major polar lipids in Pecten maximus by high-performance liquid chromatography and subsequent determination of their fatty acids using gas chromatography.

An easy method for the separation of major polar lipid classes by HPLC is described. Maximum resolution was achieved by an automated combination of a silica gel column and a diol column. Polar lipid analysis of the larvae and gonads of Pecten maximus showed the presence of a particular glycolipid especially rich in 22:6(n - 3) and the predominance of 20:4(n - 6) in the phosphatidylinositol. The phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine (diacyl form + alkenylacyl) were the major fractions. The plasmalogen form (25% in larvae, 34% in gonads) was essentially composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids of 20 and 22 carbons in the sn-2 position.

Characterization of an IgG2, G2m(23) anti-Rh-D antibody.

IgG2, G2m(23) anti-Rh-D antibodies were detected in the serum of a donor. It has been characterized by Gm typing and the use of polyclonal and mouse monoclonal anti-IgG subclasses (which had proved to be satisfactory for agglutination of sensitized red blood cells). This anti-D constitutes a good reagent for G2m(23) typing.

Incorporation of microalgae sterols by scallop Pecten maximus (L.) larvae.

Changes in sterol composition of Pecten maximus larvae during the larval development stage with standard algal mixtures and unialgal diets were analysed. The sterol composition of four microalgae currently used in mollusc hatchery were also examined. Under standard algal conditions, the larvae quickly use the steryl ester from larvae reserves during the endotrophic and the mixotrophe phases. The preferential incorporation of Pavlova lutheri and T-Isochrysis sterols, rather than Skeletonema costatum sterols, during the larval development stage would indicate that S. costatum cells were poorly ingested and digested by larvae. Among the ingested sterols, cholesterol and stigmasterol were preferentially incorporated by the larvae. Conversely, the larvae appeared able to limit the incorporation of methylpavlovol, ethylpavlovol, and 4alpha-methylporiferasterol. In the unialgal experiment, the best growths were obtained with the diet richest in cholesterol (Chaetoceros calcitrans) and the best compromise of good growth and settlement rate was observed with the diet richest in C24 ethyl sterol. The selective incorporation of the cholesterol was confirmed by the larval rearing with C. calcitrans. The strong sterol dietary imprint in larvae corroborated the absence of an important capacity in P. maximus larvae to convert or biosynthesise sterol.