Inactivation of cloned Na channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes

This study investigates the inactivation properties of Na channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes from two rat IIA Na channel cDNA clones differing by a single amino acid residue. Although the two cDNAs encode Na channels with substantially different activation properties (Auld, V. J., A. L. Goldin, D. S. Krafte, J. Marshall, J. M. Dunn, W. A. Catterall, H. A. Lester, N. Davidson, and R. J. Dunn. 1988. Neuron. 1:449-461), their inactivation properties resemble each other strongly but differ markedly from channels induced by poly(A+) rat brain RNA. Rat IIA currents inactivate more slowly, recover from inactivation more slowly, and display a steady-state voltage dependence that is shifted to more positive potentials. The macroscopic inactivation process for poly(A+) Na channels is defined by a single exponential time course; that for rat IIA channels displays two exponential components. At the single-channel level these differences in inactivation occur because rat IIA channels reopen several times during a depolarizing pulse; poly(A+) channels do not. Repetitive stimulation (greater than 1 Hz) produces a marked decrement in the rat IIA peak current and changes the waveform of the currents. When low molecular weight RNA is coinjected with rat IIA RNA, these inactivation properties are restored to those that characterize poly(A+) channels. Slow inactivation is similar for rat IIA and poly(A+) channels, however. The data suggest that activation and inactivation involve at least partially distinct regions of the channel protein

Construction of a "mutagenesis cartridge" for poliovirus genome-linked viral protein: Isolation and characterization of viable and nonviable mutants

By following a strategy of genetic analysis of poliovirus, we have constructed a synthetic "mutagenesis cartridge" spanning the genome-linked viral protein coding region and flanking cleavage sites in an infectious cDNA clone of the type 1 (Mahoney) genome. The insertion of new restriction sites within the infectious clone has allowed us to replace the wild-type sequences with short complementary pairs of synthetic oligonucleotides containing various mutations. A set of mutations have been made that create methionine codons within the genome-linked viral protein region. The resulting viruses have growth characteristics similar to wild type. Experiments that led to an alteration of the tyrosine residue responsible for the linkage to RNA have resulted in nonviable virus. In one mutant, proteolytic processing assayed in vitro appeared unimpaired by the mutation. We suggest that the position of the tyrosine residue is important for genome-linked viral protein function(s)

Vibronic interactions in the visible and near-infrared spectra of C60− anions

Electron-phonon coupling is an important factor in understanding many properties of the C60 fullerides. However, there has been little success in quantifying the strength of the vibronic coupling in C60 ions, with considerable disagreement between experimental and theoretical results. We will show that neglect of quadratic coupling in previous models for C60- ions results in a significant overestimate of the linear coupling constants. Including quadratic coupling allows a coherent interpretation to be made of earlier experimental and theoretical results which at first sight are incompatible

Sonic levitation apparatus

A sonic levitation apparatus is disclosed which includes a sonic transducer which generates acoustical energy responsive to the level of an electrical amplifier. A duct communicates with an acoustical chamber to deliver an oscillatory motion of air to a plenum section which contains a collimated hole structure having a plurality of parallel orifices. The collimated hole structure converts the motion of the air to a pulsed. Unidirectional stream providing enough force to levitate a material specimen. Particular application to the production of microballoons in low gravity environment is discussed