Search

Lewis-acid catalyzed reactions of unsaturated epoxides 1 and 2 afford the unprecedented products 3 and 5, respectively. Mechanistic pathways for these reactions are presented (Schemes 2 and 4) along with a more fundamental analysis.

The cdc25A protein phosphatase inhibitor dysidiolide (1) has been synthesized enantioselectively, starting from the enantiomerically pure ketal enone 2 and using a cationic rearrangement as the key step to produce the fully substituted bicyclic core of the natural product. Once the central portion of 1 was established, elaboration of the side chains was accomplished expediently via steps that included (1) vinyl cuprate displacement of an iodide to complete the C-1 side chain, (2) a highly diastereoselective oxazaborolidine-catalyzed (CBS) reduction to form carbinol 11, and (3) photochemical oxidation of 11 to generate the γ-hydroxybutenolide functionality of 1. Additionally, this synthesis proves the absolute stereochemistry of dysidiolide (1).

A method is described for the rapid and stereoselective assembly of E-trisubstituted olefins by a convergent process from three components

A series of 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexafluorobicyclo[4.2.0]octa-2,4-dienes was subjected to direct irradiation with ultraviolet light and to triplet sensitization. While all of the dienes cyclized smoothly upon direct irradiation to tricyclo[4.2.0.0 2,5 ]oct-3-enes, their behavior when triplet sensitized was strongly dependent upon the substituents in the 7- and 8-positions. Responses included no reaction, cyclization to tricyclooctene, and fragmentation to hexafluorobenzene plus olefin. Fragmentation occurred only when geminal chlorines were present at the 7-position. This observation is consistent with the view that the four-membered ring opens homolytically at the C 6 C 7 bond, and only if sufficient stabilization is available for a radical center at the 7-position.

A method is described for the rapid and stereoselective assembly of E-trisubstituted olefins by a convergent process from three components

Lewis-acid catalyzed reactions of unsaturated epoxides 1 and 2 afford the unprecedented products 3 and 5, respectively. Mechanistic pathways for these reactions are presented (Schemes 2 and 4) along with a more fundamental analysis.

Cancer cell lines have been, and will continue to be, important tools in oncology research, but there are major limitations in the fidelity of existing cell lines as a model of human cancers. Therefore, the aim of our study was to generate and characterize patient-specific cell lines from solid tumors that more faithfully recapitulate the primary tumor genetic and morphologic characteristics. We performed cell line derivation on a primary human breast adenocarcinoma (ER+/PR+/HER2-), a lung adenocarcinoma, a high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, and an endometrioid ovarian carcinoma procured from a commercial tissue bank. Portions were snap-frozen for molecular analysis, and the remainder was minced and processed for cell culture. Cells were cultured and the resulting monolayer was stained by immunocytochemistry with a pan-keratin antibody for the presence of epithelial cells. Any contaminating fibroblasts were removed. We extracted DNA from the resulting breast and lung cancer cell lines at low, medium, and high passage numbers (approximately 20, 40, and 150 population doublings), as well as the corresponding primary tumor specimen, and a 250K SNP array was performed. These data were combined with that of nine breast cancer and 13 lung cancer cell lines from the GEO database, and subjected to genotyping analysis using the BLRMM algorithm in the Affymetrix Genotyping Console. The percent identity between the primary tumor tissue and the cell line was calculated from the number of identical SNP calls divided by the total number of SNP calls. Probesets resulting in “no call” genotyping results due to poor quality reads for either sample were not included in the analysis. For comparison, unrelated cancer cell line data of the same tumor type was included in the analysis. The cell lines reported here have grown for a minimum of 25 population doublings without evidence of cell culture crisis. The lung cancer, serous ovarian, and endometrioid ovarian cancer cell lines were positive for pan-keratin staining by immunocytochemistry. Both ovarian cancer subtypes exhibited tumorsphere formation under non-adherent culture conditions, whereas the lung cancer cell line formed loose aggregates. The percent identity between the primary carcinoma and cell line at 20, 40, and 150 population doublings was determined using a SNP call quality threshold of 0.1, resulting in an average 100K and 56K highest quality reads for breast and lung. The percent identity for the breast cancer cell line resulted in 98.7%, 97.4%, and 98.3% (mean +/- SD = 98.2% +/- 0.7%). The percent identity for the lung adenocarcinoma cell line at 20, 40, and 150 population doublings was 89.5%, 84.4%, and 87.2% (mean +/- SD = 87.0% +/- 2.5%). In comparison, the average % identity between unrelated existing breast cancer cell lines was 61.0% (+/- 3.1%) and between unrelated lung cancer cell lines was 58.7% (+/- 3.7%). These patient-specific breast and lung cancer cell lines exhibit genetically stable, extended growth from a primary tissue specimen for a minimum of 150 population doublings. We continue to measure extended growth in the ovarian cancer cell lines as well as a colon adenocarcinoma. Novel cell lines may be derived using this technology to represent specific patient groups and to serve the needs of researchers in precision medicine performing drug screening, target discovery, and the development of companion diagnostics. Citation Format: Naghmeh Salimi, Jeffrey D. Kent, Alex Chao, Bryan E. Roberts, Agoston Agoston, Elin S. Agoston. Patient-specific cancer cell line derivation methodology results in genetic stability across 150 population doublings. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Integrating Clinical Genomics and Cancer Therapy; Jun 13-16, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2016;22(1_Suppl):Abstract nr 33.

We investigated the ability of a novel polyphosphazene polyelectrolyte, poly[di(sodium carboxylatoethylphenoxy)phosphazene] (PCEP) to enhance antigen-specific immune responses. BALB/c mice were immunized once subcutaneously with either bovine serum albumin (BSA) or influenza virus X:31 antigen alone, or in combination with PCEP, or either of the adjuvants poly[di(sodium carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene] (PCPP) and alum. Both PCEP and PCPP significantly enhanced serum antigen-specific total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a antibody titers, and these responses were highest in PCEP-immunized mice. Alum induced only a modest enhancement of antibody responses. Reducing the dose of X:31 antigen by 25-fold had no effect on antibody responses in mice immunized with PCPP and PCEP, but resulted in reduced titers in those immunized with alum. Analysis of X:31 antigen-specific cytokines revealed that alum and PCPP were associated with a predominantly IL-4 response. In contrast, PCEP was associated with production of both IFNγ and IL-4. We conclude that PCEP is a potent enhancer of antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 immune responses and is a promising adjuvant for vaccine applications.

Polyphosphazene polyelectrolytes are potent immunostimulants. Their in vivo performance has been demonstrated for various antigens in a number of animal models. To improve understanding of the mechanism of action, we performed a comparative study in a model system: bovine serum albumin, BSA−poly[di(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene], PCPP, in vitro and in vivo. Multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) and size-exclusion HPLC methods were used to investigate polyphosphazene−protein formulations in an attempt to establish correlations between their physicochemical behavior and immunostimulating activity. These studies revealed the formation of water-soluble noncovalent protein−polymer complexes in the system. It was shown that both the amount of bound protein and the complex conformation could play an important role in the in vivo performance of the polyphosphazene polyelectrolytes.

The advent of modern molecular biology has provided us with a means of producing antigens with unprecedented ease and precision. It is ironic that these new methodologies generate purified antigens that do not generally induce a strong immune response in the absence of an effective adjuvant. The development of improved vaccine adjuvants for use in humans has therefore become a priority area of research. Nevertheless, research on adjuvants has lagged seriously behind the work done on antigens. For decades the only adjuvant widely used in humans has been alum. Saponin and its purified component Quil A, complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) and other adjuvants used in research and veterinary applications have toxicities that limit their potential use in human vaccines. New chemically defined preparations such as QS-21, muramyl dipeptide, and monophosphoryl lipid A are being studied.

Published attempts to extract lipofuscin from crustaceans and fish to assess age for fisheries research purposes have used essentially the same extraction methodology applied to insects, but have neither shown a conclusive age-dependence of spectrally similar fluorescence nor proved its association with lipofuscin. The reported lipofuscin solvent extraction method for fleshflies, Sarcophaga bullata, was manipulated by varying wash volume. This revealed that almost all age-dependent blue fluorescent material persisting in lipid fractions was actually pteridine-like. This finding was consistent with some previous independent results for Musca domestica. Examination of reported lipofuscin extraction protocols for other insects suggested that this problem was probably widespread. The pteridines are known to occur in unusually high amounts in insects, accumulating with age specifically in some members of this group by storage excretion, probably as a terrestrial water conservation strategy. In addition, there is growing evidence in the gerontological literature for other groups that solvent extracted blue fluorescence is not a true measure of lipofuscin content in tissues. These findings provide considerable insight into anomalies in putative lipofuscin fluorescence data between the insects and various aquatic species and suggest that there may be little basis for expectations of age-dependent fluorescence from aquatic species when the same gross extraction and crude purification methods are used.

A three-component coupling process is described for the rapid, stereoselective synthesis of a wide variety of E-trisubstituted olefins.

The messenger RNAs present in HeLa cells late in adenovirus 2 infection have been characterized utilizing three complementary methods of analysis. In each case the mRNAs were defined functionally, by identification of the polypeptides they encode when translated in a reticulocyte cell-free system. The RNAs were examined by (1) electrophoretic fractionation in agarose gels containing methyl-mercury hydroxide to estimate the sizes of the functional RNAs; (2) selection by annealing to viral DNA fragments immobilized on nitrocellulose to define the genomic origin of their constituent sequences; (3) hybrid-arrested translation using viral DNA fragments to locate their protein coding sequence. The results allow the positioning of both the coding and non-coding regions of all the late mRNAs with respect to the DNA. They demonstrate that the mature mRNAs originating in the major late transcription unit fall into five families. Within each family the mRNAs overlap in a staggered fashion, sharing the same 3′ terminus but differing at their 5′ termini. The data also reveal the existence of two new late proteins of 52,000 and 55,000 Mr encoded between map co-ordinates 30 to 34 and permit the positioning of the late RNAs, according to the polypeptides they encode, as follows: 52, 55K · IIIa: III · pVII · V: pVI · II: 100 K/33 K · pVIII: IV. (The colons signify the ends of families; centre dots the junctions within families; the slash an overlap of coding sequences; and the comma, coding sequences which have not been separated in this analysis. A 55 K protein has Mr = 55,000.) Those mRNAs which are either the only transcripts from a specific region (such as those for polypeptides IX, IVa2 and IV) or are the 3′-terminal transcripts within a family (such as those coding for polypeptides IIIa, V, II and pVIII) migrate as discrete species upon electrophoresis in agarose gels containing methyl-mercury hydroxide. However, the 5′-proximal RNAs within a family (such as those encoding polypeptides 52, 55 K, III, pVII, pVI, 100 K and 33 K) exhibit a broad distribution of molecular weights.

In a cell-free system derived from wheat germ, the ribonucleic acid of the tobacco mosaic virus mutant Ni 568 directs the synthesis of polypeptides with molecular weights from 10,000 to 140,000, but there is little synthesis of a product equal in size to the coat protein. However, further incubation of the cell-free products with or without extracts from tobacco leaves resulted in the appearance of 35S methionine labeled polypeptides comigrating with tobacco mosaic virus coat protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels. Tobacco mosaic virus particles assembled in the presence of these treated cell-free products were shown to be radioactive and co-banded with authentic tobacco mosaic virus during equilibrium centrifugation in cesium chloride. Upon dissociation the assembled particles were found to contain several labeled polypeptides, the most prominent of which comigrated with tobacco mosaic virus coat protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels. Furthermore tryptic digests of these polypeptides contained a 35S-methionine labeled peptide with a mobility during high voltage paper ionophoresis at pH 6.5 precisely coincident with that of the only methionine-containing peptide in the coat protein.

copia-specific RNA was isolated from Drosophila melanogaster tissue culture cells by hybridization of cytoplasmic polyadenylylated RNA to copia DNA immobilized on cellulose. The purified RNA was translated in reticulocyte lysates. One major polypeptide of approximately 51,000 daltons was synthesized in addition to several others between 18,000 and 38,000 daltons. The 51,000-dalton polypeptide and several of the others are encoded by mRNAs of about 2000 nucleotides. The approximate locations on the copia element of the coding sequences for the 51,000-dalton polypeptide and several other proteins were determined by hybrid-arrested translation with copia restriction fragments. The relative abundance of copia-specific RNA was determined at various stages of the Drosophila life cycle. The level of copia-specific RNA is modulated during development of the organism, with the highest level occurring during the larval stages.

Extracts of wheat germ are capable of synthesizing the major capsid protein of simian virus 40. Poly(A)-containing RNA from BS-C-1 cells infected with simian virus 40 directed the synthesis of a novel polypeptide that migrates in polyacrylamide gels together with the major capsid polypeptide of simian virus 40, VP-1. The patterns of the major tryptic peptides of purified VP-1 and the novel polypeptide synthesized in vitro were identical after two-dimensional paper electrophoresis. The novel polypeptide was not synthesized in response to poly(A)-rich RNA from uninfected cells or from virus-infected cells treated with cytosine arabinoside. Messenger RNA from infected cells purified by selective hybridization to DNA of simian virus 40 directs the synthesis of a major polypeptide of electrophoretic mobility similar to that of VP-1 of simian virus 40. This approach should prove useful in identifying additional products specified by DNA tumor viruses.

Adenovirus early region 1A (E1A), which gives rise to three overlapping transcripts, was inserted into a murine leukemia virus-derived vector, and recombinant viruses were used to prepare permanent cell lines of NIH 3T3 cells containing DNA copies of the individual 13S, 12S, and 9S mRNAs. Integrated proviral copies of the recombinant genomes were rescued as bacterial plasmids from each of the cell lines, and the DNA sequence of E1A was demonstrated to be a precise copy of the individual transcripts. The DNA copies were shown to be expressed as part of the full-length retroviral transcript by S1 nuclease analysis, and the synthesis of their encoded polypeptides was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. Those cell lines expressing the polypeptide encoded by the 13S transcript were shown to contain that function required for regulating the accumulation of mRNAs from adenovirus early genes by their ability to complement the adenovirus type 5 E1A deletion mutant dl312. Cell lines expressing polypeptides encoded by the 13S, 12S, and 9S transcripts showed characteristic alterations in morphology. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of total cellular protein derived from the three cell lines demonstrated that each E1A gene product elicits specific alterations in the patterns of proteins expressed. Studies of the expression of two specific genes, those encoding fibronectin and collagen type 1, indicated that the observed alteration in levels of the two proteins results from a reduction in RNA levels induced by E1A functions.

A linked cell-free system has been developed which is capable of transcribing and translating mamalian viral DNA, and its characteristics and requirements are outlined. In this system, simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA Form I (supercoiled) directed the synthesis of discrete polypeptides up to 85,000 daltons in size. One of these products was indistingusihable from authentic major virus capsid protein VPI, as judged by mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels, antibody predipitation, and peptide analyses. The cell-free products larger than VPI comprised a number of polypeptides ranging in molecular weight from 50,000 to 85,000. These polypeptides demonstrated no immunological relationship whatsoever to the structural protein VPI. However, two of these products, along with one of approximately 25,000 dlatons, were precipitated with antiserum to SV40 tumor antigen. Linear SV40 DNA generated by the cleavage of Form I DNA with the restriction endonuclease EcoR1 was an efficient template in this system and also directed the synthesis of a polypeptide migrating with VPI on polyacrylamide gels. The potential of this system for defining a functional map of a DNA genome is discussed.

A method is described for mapping regions of eukaryotic viral DNA coding for specific proteins, utilizing a linked transcription-translation cell-free system primed with DNA fragments generated by restriction endonucleases. Three simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA fragments derived from that region of the DNA expressed late in lytic infection were purified. They were: Hpa I-A (0.76-0.175 map units), Bgl I-EcoRI-B (0.672-0), and Hpa II-EcoRI-B (0.735-0). (Fragments are named from the cleaving restriction endonuclease and electrophoretic mobility. End positions on the conventional map are in clockwise order.) These fragments efficiently stimulated the incorporation of [3H]UTP and [35S]methionine into trichloroacetic-acid-insoluble material in the linkec system. The location of the region of DNA coding for the viral structural proteins VPI, VP2 and VP3 was determined from the spectrum of polypeptide synthesis directed by the individual intact fragments and their specific endonucleolytic digests. The polypeptides synthesized in the cell-free system were characterized on urea-sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gradient gels and by two-dimensional tryptic peptide analysis. ..

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specified polypeptides induced upon viral replication in the P3HR-1 cell line have been examined by immunoprecipitation with a high-titer human anti-EBV serum. Twenty-five predominant polypeptides were identified in cell extracts, whereas 18 polypeptides were precipitated from cell-free translation reactions directed by total mRNA. Hybrid selection of mRNA to the BamHI DNA clones of the EBV genome and immunoprecipitation of the corresponding cell-free translation products revealed 98 EBV-specified polypeptides and their coding location along the viral genome. In addition, the viral polypeptides that bind reversibly to DNA-cellulose have been characterized and the deduced map locations of this functional group of EBV-specified polypeptides is presented.

Extracts prepared from commercially available wheat germ efficiently translate messenger RNAs from either viral or eukaryotic origin. The addition of tobacco mosaic virus RNA stimulated amino-acid incorporation more than 100-times and rabbit globin 9S RNA between 20- and 30-times. The in vitro product directed by globin 9S RNA comigrated precisely with authentic rabbit globin on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Furthermore, during high voltage ionophoresis two [ 35 S]methionine-labeled tryptic peptides synthesized in vitro comigrated in two dimensions with αT5 and βT5 tryptic peptides from authentic [ 35 S]methionine-labeled rabbit globin.

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) RNA stimulates amino acid incorporation into protein in cell-free extracts from wheat germ, rye embryo and Escherichia coli . The properties of the wheat germ system are examined and the nature of the viral RNA-induced products studied with the aid of a virus mutant carrying a threonine → methionine replacement in its coat protein. A peptide containing this methionine residue is present in tryptic digests of mutant RNA-directed cell-free products, and is absent from digests of wild type RNA-directed products. The undigested cell-free product contains a very large number of polypeptides with molecular weights from 10,000 to 140,000, but little or no synthesis of correct sized coat protein is observed.

Eight cases of lymphoid malignancy preceded by Bell's palsy are reported. There was a disproportionate number of ALL cases, two of which were of T-cell type. The possible pathogenic association of these conditions is discussed.

Simian adenovirus 7 (SA7) is a highly oncogenic virus, capable of causing tumors in hamsters upon the direct injection of viral DNA. We determined the transcriptional organization of the transforming region and compared it with that of the human adenoviruses. This analysis demonstrated that there are two independently promoted transcription units similar to the E1a and E1b regions of the human adenoviruses. The nucleotide sequence of the SA7 E1a region demonstrated considerable homology with the human adenoviruses, both in the sequences that regulate E1a expression and in the encoded polypeptides. The amino acid homology was reflected in the ability of SA7 to complement the growth of human adenoviruses mutant in the E1a region. Furthermore, we found two regions of amino acid homology unique to SA7 and the highly oncogenic human adenovirus 12.

Herein we outline three methods that, when coupled with cell-free protein synthesis, permit the identification of recombinant DNA molecules encoding specific polypeptides. RNAs enriched by fractionation on methylmercury hydroxide agarose gels are used to prepare sequence-specific probes. Recombinant DNA clones thus identified are further characterized as to their encoded polypeptides by either hybrid selection or hybrid arrest of translation.

We present a simple method for directly correlating structural gene sequences in DNA with their corresponding mRNAs. This is based upon the fact that mRNA hybridized with its complementary DNA will not direct the cell-free synthesis of a complete polypeptide. Full translational activity of the mRNA is recovered upon the heat melting of the hybrid. Utilizing the rabbit beta globin clone PbetaG1, we demonstrate the application of hybrid-arrested translation for the identification of structural gene sequences within recombinant DNA molecules. In addition, the method is used to locate and order precisely several adenovirus 2 polypeptides within the viral genome.

We describe a simple procedure for isolating specific mRNAs and for mapping them to the regions of the DNA from which they originate. The method involves hybridization of total cytoplasmic RNA to restriction fragments of DNA that have been fractionated in agarose gels and immobilized on nitrocellulose filters. The hybridization-selected RNAs are eluted and translated in a cell-free system in order to identify their encoded polypeptides. Optimal hybridization and filter washing conditions are given for selection of mRNAs from adenovirus 2-infected cells and transformed cells.

Host-range mutants of adenovirus 5 that contain a defect in region E1A (0-4.5 units) fail to replicate in HeLa cells and to transform rodent cells. In HeLa cells, these mutants synthesize only the two RNAs from E1A that share the same 5' and 3' termini but differ in length by the amount of internal sequence removed by splicing. RNA from wild-type virus, selected by hybridization to DNA from region E1A, translates into polypeptides of Mr 51,000 and 48,000 that are highly acidic in isoelectric focusing gels. These acidic Mr 51,000 and Mr 48,000 polypeptides are encoded by the longer and shorter E1A RNAs, respectively. Two of the host-range mutants, H5hr1 and H5hr2, fail to synthesize the Mr 51,000 polypeptide but do produce the Mr 48,000 polypeptide and a novel polypeptide thought to be a truncated portion of the Mr 51,000 polypeptide. H5hr1 and H5hr2 are hypothesized to have termination codons in sequences found only in RNA encoding the Mr 51,000 polypeptide. This prediction is verified for H5hr1 by DNA sequence analysis. The other three host-range mutants (H5hr3-5) synthesize both acidic polypeptides and are predicted to be missense. These results strongly imply that the Mr 51,000 polypeptide, alone or in combination with the Mr 48,000 polypeptide, is needed to regulate expression of adjacent viral genes during the early phase of adenovirus infection.

We develop a murine retrovirus shuttle vector system for the efficient introduction of selectable and nonselectable DNA sequences into mammalian cells and recovery of the inserted sequences as molecular clones. Three protocols allow rapid recovery of vector DNA sequences from mammalian cells. Two of the methods rely on SV40 T-antigen-mediated replication of the vector sequences and yield thousands of bacterial transformants per 5 × 10 6 mammalian cells. The majority of plasmids recovered by all three protocols exhibited the proper structure and were as active as the parental vector in the generation of transmissible retrovirus genomes upon transfection of mammalian cells. One of the rescue methods, which relies on "onion skin" replication and excision of an integrated provirus from the host chromosome, enables facile recovery of the chromosomal site of proviral integration. The system was also used to generate, and then efficiently recover, a cDNA version of a genomic insert from the adenovirus E1A region.

Rabbit beta globin DNA sequence, excised from plasmid pbetaG1, directs in vitro synthesis of beta-globin in a transcription-translation cell-free system, even after specific elimination of the entire 3'-noncoding region. A DNA restriction fragment carrying this 3' noncoding region and hybridized to globin mRNA cannot arrest the cell-free translation of beta-globin mRNA.

Cytoplasmic polyadenylylated messenger RNA from differentiated muscle cultures, when incubated in a wheat germ cell-free system, directed the synthesis of a polypeptide indistinguishable from authentic chicken skeletal muscle actin, as judged by mobility on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, tryptic peptide analyses, and biological activity. The synthesis of actin in the cell-free system was used to assay levels of translatable actin mRNA in cultures of fibroblasts, pre- and post-fusion myoblasts, and myoblasts grown under conditions that prevent fusion. In all cases the amount of actin polypeptide synthesized in the cell-free system was proportional to the rate of actin synthesis in the cultures from which the RNA was extracted. It is suggested that actin synthesis is regulated by the actin mRNA content of the cell and that an increase in the cytoplasmic level of translatable actin messenger RNA is mediated by cell fusion rather than by the terminal round of DNA synthesis.

Poor germination and eventual loss of viability of rye grains on storage reflects a decreasing ability of embryos to synthesize protein in vivo. Cell-free protein-synthesizing systems from low viability embryo stocks exhibit lesions in the soluble components of the post-ribosomal supernatant fractions. tRNA and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are not impaired. The activity of enzymes concerned with transfer of phenylalanyl-tRNA from the aminoacyl to the peptidyl site on the ribosome is slightly decreased. The transfer enzymes (transferase I) involved in the binding of phenylalanyl-tRNA to the aminoacyl site show a loss of activity that closely reflects the loss of viability and the decline of protein synthesis of the embryo in vivo. The inactivation of labile transferase I components may be a major factor leading to senescence and loss of viability in rye grains.

When rye embryos imbibe water they rapidly return to a condition of biochemical and structural complexity. Three stages of imbibition can be recognised: Phase I a short period (10 min) of physical wetting; Phase II a longer period (1 h) when little further imbibition occurs, followed by Phase III a continuous phase of active water uptake. The latter coincides with an increase in respiration rate and an increase both in the number of mitochondria and of cristae within them. Changes in fine structure become evident in all organelles in Phase III, after 2 h of imbibition. In the unimbibed embryo endoplasmic reticulum is present only as short crescents associated with electron lucent bodies, but in Phase III the endoplasmic reticulum proliferates to form many surrounding cirlets. After 6 h these circlets become fewer and instead the endoplasmic reticulum is seen in close association with the nuclear membrane. Concurrently incorporation of radioactive uridine and thymidine is first detectible. This suggests that the large increase in protein synthesis occurs on new ribosomes present on the reticulum associated with the nuclear membrane. For the first 6 h protein synthesis must occur either on polysomes within the dense packing of ribosomes or on these circlets of endoplasmic reticulum associated with electron lucent bodies.

Fine structural investigations of non-viable rye grains indicate recognisible abnormalities in the plasmalemma and mitochondrial membranes of the unimbibed embryo. Once such grains are wetted there is rapid and progressive disorganisation of the tissue. Biochemical studies show a reduced uptake of water, lack of respiratory activity and a failure in nucleic acid and protein synthesis. Whereas total DNA, RNA and protein levels are unchanged on loss of viability, the integrity of DNA and RNA is impaired and ribosomal RNA and soluble protein levels are reduced.

A study was made of the integrity of some components of the protein-synthesizing system from viable and non-viable embryos of rye grains. In comparison with viable-embryo components both post-ribosomal supernatant and ribosomal fractions from non-viable embryos are impaired, for neither will fully support polyphenylalanine synthesis in poly(U)-directed cell-free systems. The lesion in the supernatant lies in components other than the tRNA or the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, for these are as functional as those present in the fully active cell-free systems from viable embryos. The ribosomes of embryos of lowered viability show considerable fragmentation and degradation of both 18S and 25S rRNA. This breakdown does not, however, account for the complete lack of polypeptide synthesis in the poly(U)-directed non-viable-embryo system, for if provided with viable-embryo supernatant, non-viable-embryo ribosomes will sustain 60% of the viable-embryo ribosome activity. A lesion in non-viable-embryo supernatant has been located in the binding of the aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosome. The impaired components in both supernatant and ribosomes in systems in vitro may reflect the site of faults in protein synthesis in vivo in the early hours of germination. The development of these lesions during grain storage could contribute to senescence and loss of viability in the embryos of rye.