Impaired long-chain fatty acid utilization by cardiac myocytes isolated from mice lacking the heart-type fatty acid binding protein gene

Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), abundantly expressed in cardiac myocytes, has been postulated to facilitate the cardiac uptake of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and to promote their intracellular trafficking to sites of metabolic conversion. Mice with a disrupted H-FABP gene were recently shown to have elevated plasma LCFA levels, decreased cardiac deposition of a LCFA analogue, and increased cardiac deoxyglucose uptake, which qualitatively establishes a requirement for H-FABP in cardiac LCFA utilization. To study the underlying defect, we developed a method to isolate intact, electrically stimulatable cardiac myocytes from adult mice and then studied substrate utilization under defined conditions in quiescent and in contracting cells from wild-type and H-FABP(-/-) mice. Our results demonstrate that in resting and in contracting myocytes from H-FABP(-/-) mice, both uptake and oxidation of palmitate are markedly reduced (between -45% and -65%), whereas cellular octanoate uptake, and the capacities of heart homogenates for palmitate oxidation and for octanoate oxidation, and the cardiac levels of mRNAs encoding sarcolemmal FA transporters remain unaltered. In contrast, in resting H-FABP(-/-) cardiac myocytes, glucose oxidation is increased (+80%) to a level that would require electrical stimulation in wild-type cells. These findings provide a physiological demonstration of a crucial role of H-FABP in uptake and oxidation of LCFAs in cardiac muscle cells and indicate that in H-FABP(-/-) mice the diminished contribution of LCFAs to cardiac energy production is, at least in part, compensated for by an increase in glucose oxidatio

Moegliche Wirkungen auf die Umwelt bei gentechnischen Arbeiten mit Phytopathogenen

Different German and foreign lists of organisms developed for safety assessment of genetic engineering were investigated. The objective of the study was to investigate whether the existing lists of organisms are suitable for safety assessment of genetic engineering using phytopathogenic bacteria, fungi or viruses with respect to possible environmental affects. In addition to the analysis of the existing organism lists the different diseases of crops and wild plants relevant for Central Europe were compiled. These compilations were compared with the different organism lists for safety assessment of genetic engineering. Specific traits of phytopathogenic microorganisms were evaluated with respect to their potential risks. Presumptive applications of genetic engineering with phytopathogenic microorganisms were discussed. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(96-065) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEUmweltbundesamt, Berlin (Germany); Bundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Abschaetzung der Einwirkungen gentechnisch veraenderter Kulturpflanzen auf den Boden, vor allem auf die organische Bodensubstanz als Traeger der Lebensraumfunktion: Darstellung des Kenntnisstandes und Abschaetzung von Wirkungsszenarien

This study is intended to help in the assessment of possible impacts of transgenic crops and it's litter on soil. Special attention is drawn to the organic matter in soil. Especially chemical and biological aspects are briefly reviewed. Possible ways of influence of transgenic crops on the organic matter of soil as key issue for the function of soil as habitat for living organisms are discussed. It is attempted to define standards for the assessment of this kind of influences. Possible effects and interactions are assessed using different scenarios of impacts on soil. Areas of deficit in current knowledge and fields for future research are shown. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: RN 8908(99-030) / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekUmweltbundesamt, Berlin (Germany); Bundesministerium fuer Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Transport of radiocaesium by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to Medicago truncatula under in vitro conditions

The capacity of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi to take up and translocate radiocaesium (Cs) to their host has been shown using the root-organ culture (ROC) system. However, the absence of photosynthetic tissues, lack of a normal root hormonal balance and incomplete source-sink relationships may bias the bidirectional transfer of elements at the symbiotic interface and complicate transport studies. Accordingly, we developed a novel culture system [i.e. the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal-Plant (AM-P) in vitro culture system], where AM fungi and an autotrophic host plant develop under strict in vitro conditions. With this system, we unambiguously demonstrated the capacity of AM fungi to transport Cs. The extraradical fungal hyphae took up 21.0% of the initial supply of 134Cs. Translocation to the plant represented 83.6% of the 134Cs taken up. Distribution of 134Cs in the host plant was 89.8% in the mycorrhizal roots and 10.2% in the shoot. These results confirm that AM fungi can take up, translocate and accumulate Cs. They further demonstrate unambiguously and for the first time that Cs can be transferred from AM fungi to host tissues. These results suggest a potential involvement of AM fungi in Cs biogeochemical cycle and in plant Cs accumulation

Hubschrauber als Erprobungstraeger fuer Avionik-Systeme (HETAS) Abschlussbericht

TIB: RN 2982 (1985,18)+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman