Human Z α1-antitrypsin accumulates intracellularly and stimulates lysosomal activity when synthesised in the Xenopus oocyte

AbstractMicroinjection of human liver mRNA from a patient homozygous for α1-antitrypsin deficiency (PiZZ) into Xenopus oocytes led to a 2–10-fold increase in lysosomal activity. Stimulation of lysosomal activity was not observed when mRNA from a normal human liver (α1-antitrypsin PiMM), or water was injected into the oocyte. This lysosomal activity was oocyte derived and was not due to translation products of the human liver mRNA. Thus a protein that accumulates intracellularly in the secretory pathway is capable of stimulating lysosomal activity

Submarine limestones in the nearshore environment off Kuwait, northern Arabian Gulf*

Even with careful petrographic and mineralogic characterization of marine limestones, intertidally and subtidally lithified rocks are often difficult to differentiate, thus hindering an accurate delineation of the diagenetic environment. Limestones from water depths of 6 to 8 m off Kuwait vary in petrographic character from oosparite and biosparite (in which the cement is entirely aragonite) to oomicrite and biomicrite (in which at least some of the cement is microcrystalline magnesian calcite). Carbon‐14 dates suggest that the oosparite may have lithified at depths shallower than at present (possibly intertidally) during a lower stand of sea‐level. In contrast the biosparite, oomicrite and biomicrite appear to be contemporaneous and to have lithified subtidally. Copyright © 1987, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserve