Deletion of FMR1 in Purkinje cells enhances parallel fiber LTD, enlarges spines, and attenuates cerebellar eyelid conditioning in Fragile X syndrome.

Absence of functional FMRP causes Fragile X syndrome. Abnormalities in synaptic processes in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus contribute to cognitive deficits in Fragile X patients. So far, the potential roles of cerebellar deficits have not been investigated. Here, we demonstrate that both global and Purkinje cell-specific knockouts of Fmr1 show deficits in classical delay eye-blink conditioning in that the percentage of conditioned responses as well as their peak amplitude and peak velocity are reduced. Purkinje cells of these mice show elongated spines and enhanced LTD induction at the parallel fiber synapses that innervate these spines. Moreover, Fragile X patients display the same cerebellar deficits in eye-blink conditioning as the mutant mice. These data indicate that a lack of FMRP leads to cerebellar deficits at both the cellular and behavioral levels and raise the possibility that cerebellar dysfunctions can contribute to motor learning deficits in Fragile X patients.

Visualization of IP(3) dynamics reveals a novel AMPA receptor-triggered IP(3) production pathway mediated by voltage-dependent Ca(2+) influx in Purkinje cells.

IP(3) signaling in Purkinje cells is involved in the regulation of cell functions including LTD. We have used a GFP-tagged pleckstrin homology domain to visualize IP(3) dynamics in Purkinje cells. Surprisingly, IP(3) production was observed in response not only to mGluR activation, but also to AMPA receptor activation in Purkinje cells in culture. AMPA-induced IP(3) production was mediated by depolarization-induced Ca(2+) influx because it was mimicked by depolarization and was blocked by inhibition of the P-type Ca(2+) channel. Furthermore, trains of complex spikes, elicited by climbing fiber stimulation (1 Hz), induced IP(3) production in Purkinje cells in cerebellar slices. These results revealed a novel IP(3) signaling pathway in Purkinje cells that can be elicited by synaptic inputs from climbing fibers.

Cloning and characterization of the antigenic membrane protein (Amp) gene and in situ detection of Amp from malformed flowers infected with Japanese hydrangea phyllody phytoplasma.

A Japanese hydrangea phyllody (JHP) disease found throughout Japan causes economic damage to the horticultural industry. JHP phytoplasma-infected Japanese hydrangea plants show several disease symptoms involved in floral malformations, such as virescence, phyllody and proliferation. Here, we cloned and characterized the antigenic membrane protein (Amp) gene homolog from the JHP phytoplasma (JHP-amp), expressed the JHP-Amp protein in Escherichia coli cells, and then obtained an antibody against JHP-Amp. The antibody against JHP-Amp had no cross-reactions with the antibody against the Amp protein from a closely related onion yellows phytoplasma. This serologic specificity is probably due to the high diversity of the hydrophilic domains in the Amp proteins. The in situ detection of the JHP-Amp protein revealed that the JHP phytoplasma was localized to the phloem tissues in the malformed flower. This study shows that the JHP-Amp protein is indeed a membrane protein, which is expressed at detectable level in the JHP phytoplasma-infected hydrangea.

Critical period for activity-dependent synapse elimination in developing cerebellum.

Synapse elimination is considered to be the final step in neural circuit formation, by causing refinement of redundant connections formed at earlier developmental stages. The developmental loss of climbing fiber innervation from cerebellar Purkinje cells is an example of such synapse elimination. It has been suggested that NMDA receptors are involved in the elimination of climbing fiber synapses. In the present study, we probed the NMDA receptor-dependent period of climbing fiber synapse elimination by using daily intraperitoneal injections of the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801. We found that blockade of NMDA receptors during postnatal day 15 (P15) and P16, but not before or after this period, resulted in a higher incidence of multiple climbing fiber innervation and caused a mild but persistent loss of motor coordination. Neither basic synaptic functions nor cerebellar morphology were affected by this manipulation. Chronic local application of MK-801 to the cerebellum during P15 and P16 also yielded a higher incidence of multiple climbing fiber innervation. During P15-P16, large NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs were detected at the mossy fiber-granule cell synapse, but not at the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell or climbing fiber-Purkinje cell synapse. It is therefore likely that the NMDA receptors located at the mossy fiber-granule cell synapse mediate signals leading to the elimination of surplus climbing fibers. These results suggest that an NMDA receptor-dependent phase of climbing fiber synapse elimination lasts 2 d at most. During this phase, the final refinement of climbing fiber synapses occurs, and disruption of this process leads to permanent impairment of cerebellar function.

PSD-93 knock-out mice reveal that neuronal MAGUKs are not required for development or function of parallel fiber synapses in cerebellum.

Membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) are abundant postsynaptic density (PSD)-95/discs large/zona occludens-1 (PDZ)-containing proteins that can assemble receptors and associated signaling enzymes at sites of cell-cell contact, including synapses. PSD-93, a postsynaptic neuronal MAGUK, has three PDZ domains that can bind to specific ion channels, including NMDA delta2 type glutamate receptors, as well as Shaker and inward rectifier type K(+) channels, and can mediate clustering of these channels in heterologous cells. Genetic analyses of Drosophila show that MAGUKs play critical roles in synaptic development because mutations of discs large disrupt the subsynaptic reticulum and block postsynaptic clustering of Shaker K(+) channels. It is uncertain whether MAGUKs play an essential role in the development of central synapses. There are four neuronal MAGUKs with overlapping expression patterns in the mammalian brain; however, we find PSD-93 is the only MAGUK expressed in cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Therefore, we targeted disruption of PSD-93 in mouse. Despite the absence of MAGUK immunoreactivity in Purkinje neurons from the knock-outs, these mice have no structural or functional abnormality in cerebellum. Both the dendritic architecture and the postsynaptic localization of PSD-93 interacting proteins remain intact at light and electron microscopic levels in the knock-outs. Postsynaptic Purkinje cell responses, monosynaptic climbing fiber innervation, and cerebellar-dependent behaviors are also normal. Our data demonstrate that MAGUK proteins of the PSD-93/95 family are not essential for development of certain central synapses but may instead participate in specialized aspects of synaptic signaling and plasticity.

Cloning and expression analysis of Phytoplasma protein translocation genes.

Genes encoding SecA and SecY proteins, essential components of the Sec protein translocation system, were cloned from onion yellows phytoplasma, an unculturable plant pathogenic bacterium. The secA gene consists of 2,505 nucleotides encoding an 835 amino acid protein (95.7 kDa) and shows the highest similarity with SecA of Bacillus subtilis. Anti-SecA rabbit antibody was prepared from a purified partial SecA protein, with a histidine tag expressed in Escherichia coli. Western blot analysis confirmed that SecA protein (approximately 96 kDa) is produced in phytoplasma-infected plants. Immunohistochemical thin sections observed by optical microscopy showed that SecA is characteristically present in plant phloem tissues infected with phytoplasma. The secY gene consists of 1,239 nucleotides encoding a 413 amino acid protein (45.9 kDa) and shows the highest similarity with SecY of B. subtilis. These results suggest the presence of a functional Sec system in phytoplasmas. Because phytoplasmas are endocellular bacteria lacking cell walls, this system might secrete bacterial proteins directly into the host cytoplasm. This study is what we believe to be the first report of the sequence and expression analysis of phytoplasma genes encoding membrane proteins with a predicted function.

Elevation of plasma somatolactin concentrations during acidosis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Somatolactin (SL) is a putative pituitary hormone of the growth hormone (GH)/prolactin (PRL) family in fish; its physiological function has yet to be determined. Acidosis was induced in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) by exposure to acidic water (pH 4.5) or by exhaustive exercise, and plasma concentrations of SL, PRL and GH as well as other plasma parameters were examined. A decrease in blood pH was observed in fish from 1 day after water acidification until the end of the experiment at day 7. Plasma SL levels in the acid-exposed fish increased, reached a peak on day 1 and then returned to the initial level by day 4. No change was seen in plasma concentrations of PRL throughout the experiment. Plasma levels of GH, in contrast, decreased in the acid-exposed fish on days 2 and 4. Plasma cortisol levels in the acid-exposed fish were higher than the control level on days 4 and 7, although plasma cortisol levels did not increase above the initial level in response to water acidification. There was no significant change in the expression of SL-, PRL- and GH-mRNA in the pituitary gland. Levels of plasma Na+ and lactate were reduced 12 h after water acidification and remained low throughout the experiment. Exhaustive exercise in shallow water at neutral pH (7.5) resulted in a transient but pronounced acidosis, associated with increases in plasma SL, cortisol, Ca2+, phosphate and lactate levels. Plasma SL levels returned to the initial level along with the recovery of blood acid-base status. In contrast, plasma cortisol levels stayed elevated even 24 h after exercise. There was no correlation between plasma PRL and GH levels and blood pH. Elevation of plasma SL levels during acidosis suggests the possible involvement of SL in acid-base regulation in rainbow trout.

Possible involvement of somatolactin in the regulation of plasma bicarbonate for the compensation of acidosis in rainbow trout

Somatolactin is a putative pituitary hormone of the growth hormone/prolactin family in fish. Its function is still unknown. The effects of environmental hypercapnia and hypoxia, acid (HCl) infusion and exhaustive exercise on plasma somatolactin levels were examined in the chronically cannulated rainbow trout to study the possible physiological roles of somatolactin. Respiratory acidosis induced by hypercapnia (2% CO2) did not affect plasma somatolactin level. In contrast, metabolic acidosis induced by acid infusion and exercise increased plasma somatolactin level. Blood pH was depressed to a similar extent by both types of acidosis, whereas plasma [HCO3-] was elevated by respiratory acidosis but reduced by metabolic acidosis. A moderate hypoxia (water PO2 9.3kPa) affected neither acid­base status nor plasma somatolactin level. A more severe hypoxia (water PO2 6.1kPa) resulted in metabolic acidosis accompanied by an apparent rise in plasma somatolactin level, although the difference in somatolactin level from the control value was not statistically significant. Somatolactin immunoneutralization retarded recovery of plasma [HCO3-] following acid infusion. These results indicate that somatolactin is involved in the retention of HCO3- during metabolic acidosis but not in the active accumulation of HCO3- for acid­base compensation of respiratory acidosis in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Isolation and Characterization of Derivative Lines of the Onion Yellows Phytoplasma that Do Not Cause Stunting or Phloem Hyperplasia.

ABSTRACT Two lines of onion yellows phytoplasma producing milder symptoms were isolated from the original line (OY-W). One has an additional characteristic, non-insect-transmissibility (OY-NIM), compared with the other (OY-M). OY-M was established after maintaining OY-W for 11 years on a plant host (Chrysanthemum coronarium) with an insect vector (Macrosteles striifrons), and OY-NIM was isolated after subsequent maintenance of OY-M in plants by periodic grafting. Polymerase chain analysis suggested that OY-NIM cannot traverse the gut or survive in the hemolymph of the leafhopper. OY-W results in witches'-broom formation and stunted growth in the host plant. In contrast, OY-M and OY-NIM do not cause stunting in the host plant, although they result in witches'-broom. Histopathological analysis of these lines revealed that the hyperplastic phloem tissue and severe phloem necrosis seen in OY-W did not exist in OY-M and OY-NIM. This was attributed to a reduction in the population of phytoplasma in tissues in both OY-M- and OY-NIM-infected plants. The results suggest that the cause of stunting and phloem hyperplasia may be genetically different from the cause of witches'-broom. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis showed that OY-M had a smaller genome size ( approximately 870 kbp) than OY-W ( approximately 1,000 kbp). Thus, some of the OY-W genes responsible for pathogenicity may not be present in OY-M.

Pituitary of "cobalt" variant of the rainbow trout separated from the hypothalamus lacks most pars intermedial and neurohypophysial tissue.

Adenohypophysial cell types and neurohypophysial tissues were investigated in the cobalt variant of the rainbow trout, which possesses an irregularly-shaped pituitary. The pituitary remnant was completely detached from the hypothalamus in all but one fish, in which a remnant was associated with the hypothalamus. Prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) cells were predominant cell types in all pituitary remnants, forming PRL and GH areas, respectively. There were fewer somatolactin (SL) and melanophore-stimulating hormone cells than in normal fish. There were few corticotropin cells in cobalt and normal trout. Although aldehyde-fuchsin positive cells were also present, positively-staining fibers were not detected in any of remnants examined. Plasma SL levels were much lower in cobalt than in normal trout. Plasma levels of GH and T3 were significantly lower in cobalt than in normal fish. Plasma levels of PRL, T4 and cortisol, plasma osmolality, ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), glucose, triglyceride, free fatty acids, and amino nitrogen concentrations were similar in the two groups. Cobalt variants thus lack hypophysial pars intermedia and neurohypophysial tissues. Various abnormalities of the cobalt variant, such as the cobalt blue body color and the fat deposition in the abdominal cavity, may be related to the absence of the pars intermedia.

Effects of hypothalamic factors on somatolactin secretion from the organ-cultured pituitary of rainbow trout.

The profile of daily release of somatolactin (SL) and effects of hypothalamic factors on SL secretion from the organ-cultured pituitary of rainbow trout were examined. The daily release of SL was relatively high (340-380 ng/pituitary/day) for the first 2 days and then decreased. After Day 5, the SL release was maintained at a low level (30-50 ng/pituitary/day) until the end of the experiment at Day 7. The secretory patterns of SL differed from those of growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL); GH secretion was consistently high (15-20 microg/pituitary/day), whereas PRL secretion was low (10 ng/pituitary/day) during the experiment. SL release was not stimulated by calcium ionophore on Days 2 and 6, suggesting that SL release was maximal. Dopamine and epinephrine, added separately to the medium, inhibited SL release. In contrast, serotonin, corticotropin-releasing factor, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone stimulated the dopamine-inhibited SL release. Thus, SL secretion is concluded to be under hypothalamic control and regulated by mechanisms different from those affecting PRL and GH secretion.

Effects of feeding, fasting, background adaptation, acute stress, and exhaustive exercise on the plasma somatolactin concentrations in rainbow trout.

Plasma somatolactin (SL) concentrations in rainbow trout were examined under various physiological and environmental conditions. Background adaptation and feeding did not affect plasma SL levels. There was no consistent change in plasma SL levels during fasting for 21 days, although increased plasma growth hormone levels and decreased condition factor, hepatosomatic index and abdominal fat, occurred. Plasma SL concentrations increased during acute stress and also during exhaustive exercise resulting from being chased in shallow water. Elevation of plasma SL was associated with those of plasma cortisol, Ca2+, phosphate, and glucose levels. On the other hand, plasma level of prolactin was not affected in the stress and exercise experiments, although plasma GH and Na+ were raised in the fish 5 min after the onset of the stress. Our results suggest the involvement of SL in calcium and phosphate metabolism, acid-base regulation, or energy mobilization in the stressed or exercised trout.

Activation of somatolactin cells in the pituitary of the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss by low environmental calcium.

The effects of changes in environmental calcium on the activity of hypophysial somatolactin (SL) cells were examined in the rainbow trout. In fish 10 and 21 days after transfer from fresh water (FW) to FW containing 10 mM calcium (Ca-rich FW) or to 80% seawater (80% SW) containing 8 mM calcium, sectional nuclear areas of SL cells were reduced. The levels of SL-mRNA, determined by in situ hybridization, were lower 10 days after transfer to Ca-rich FW. When the fish were transferred from Ca-rich FW to FW, nuclear areas of SL cells increased along the significant increases in SL-mRNA and plasma SL levels. The increased activity of SL cells in the fish in low calcium environment suggests a hypercalcemic action as one of the functions of SL. On the other hand, a significant reduction in prolactin cell activity occurred after transfer to 80% SW, but not after transfer to Ca-rich FW. Growth hormone cells were activated 21 days after acclimation to 80% SW, in accord with its described SW-adapting action in salmonids.

Changes in plasma somatolactin levels during spawning migration of chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta).

Plasma somatolactin (SL) concentrations were examined in chum salmon in relation to gonadal maturation; immature salmon in the Bering Sea at various stages of maturation, and mature salmon during upstream migration caught at the ocean, bay and river. Plasma SL concentrations as well as plasma prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) levels in the immature fish caught in the Bering Sea were maintained essentially at similar levels. Plasma SL in mature salmon increased significantly from the fish in the ocean to the fish in the river in both sexes. Although all the fish had fully developed gonads, females completed ovulation while still in the bay, whereas final spermeation in males was achieved after entry into the river. Thus, no clear correlation was seen between plasma SL levels and final gonadal maturation. On the other hand, plasma PRL concentrations in both male and female fish were higher in the fish in the river than those in the ocean and bay, and plasma GH levels were higher in both sexes in the fish in the bay and river than those in the ocean. Plasma levels of triglycerides, glucose, free fatty acids and ionized sodium and calcium were also examined. Significant-negative correlations were seen between plasma SL and plasma ionized calcium in mature male salmon, and between plasma SL and plasma triglycerides in mature female salmon. Although our findings do not rule out the possibility of the involvement of SL in final maturation, the results indicate that SL seems to be involved at least in energy and/or calcium metabolism during the spawning migration.

A plasmid of phytoplasma encodes a unique replication protein having both plasmid- and virus-like domains: clue to viral ancestry or result of virus/plasmid recombination?

The genomes of most prokaryotic and eukaryotic single-stranded (ss) DNA viruses, and some prokaryotic plasmids such as pLS1, commonly replicate via a rolling circle replication (RCR) strategy, and thus the viruses are hypothesized to have evolved from the plasmids, although evidence for this view is sparse. We have sequenced a circular plasmid of 3933 nt, pOYW, obtained from onion yellows phytoplasma (OY-W), a cell-wall-less, unculturable prokaryote that inhabits the cytoplasm of both plant and insect cells. pOYW contains five open reading frames (ORFs) on the same strand and apparently replicates by an RCR mechanism. Its rep gene (ORF5) encodes a unique protein, pOYW-Rep, with an unprecedented structure. The N-terminal region of pOYW-Rep has similarities to the RCR initiator protein (Rep) of pLS1 family plasmids but, unlike the Rep of other plasmids, its C-terminal region was unexpectedly similar to the helicase domain of the replication-associated proteins (Rap) of eukaryotic viruses, especially circoviruses (ssDNA viruses of vertebrates). The pOYW-Rep was specifically detected in OY-W-infected plant phloem cells, suggesting that it is a functional protein. We suggest that an ancestral phytoplasma plasmid pOYW may have acquired a helicase domain from host phytoplasmal DNA, entered the surrounding eukaryotic cytoplasm, and subsequently evolved into an ancestral eukaryotic ssDNA virus. Alternatively, a pOYW ancestor could have obtained the helicase domain by recombination with a virus: this would be the first example of recombination between plasmids and viruses.

Selection of stabilized 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using the host-vector system of an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus.

A leuB strain of Thermus thermophilus TTY1, was transformed with a plasmid vector that directed expression of 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase (IPMDH) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae encoded by the LEU2 gene. The original strain could not grow at 50 degrees C without leucine, probably because of the low stability of S. cerevisiae IPMDH. The mutants that could grow without leucine were selected at 50 degrees, 60 degrees, 62 degrees, 65 degrees, 67 degrees, and 70 degrees C, step by step. All the mutant strains except for one isolated at 50 degrees C accumulated mutations. Mutations were serially accumulated: Glu255Val, Asn43Tyr, Ala62Thr, Asn110Lys, and Alal 12Val, respectively, at each step. The analyses of residual activity after heat treatment and the denaturation profile as monitored by circular dichroism showed that thermal stability was increased with accumulation of the mutations. The kinetic parameters of most mutant enzymes were similar to those of the wild type. However, some mutant enzymes showed a reverse correlation between stability and activity: the enzymes with a large increase in thermal stability showed lower activity. Although the wild-type enzyme is unstable in the absence of glycerol, the stabilizing effect of glycerol was not observed for all the mutant enzymes containing the Glu255Val substitution, which is assumed to be located at the hydrophobic interface between two subunits.