The East Chacon Project Project: 11,000 Years of Prehistory Along the Upper Nueces River, Southern Texas

During 1981 and 1982, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, conducted a cultural resources assessment of ca. 30,000 acres leased to the Carter Mining Company in Uvalde and Zavala Counties, Texas. Known as the East Chacon project, the survey was undertaken to identify and assess the cultural resources of the locality prior to potential modification or destruction due to proposed mining operations. Archaeological and historical sites (149) were identified and recorded that represent a span of human activities from approximately 11,000 B.P. to the Historic period. A detailed description of these site locations, interpretations of their cultural environmental contexts, and determinations of potential eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places are presented in this report

Archaeological Investigations of Areas Slated for Expansion at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas

During April 1982, archaeologists from the Center for Archaeological Research I at The University of Texas at San Antonio conducted a cultural resource survey and evaluation of 31.68 acres slated as an expansion area for the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. This was accomplished through two research methods: (1) a literature and archival search supplemented by interviews of knowledgeable persons; followed by (2) a planned subsurface archaeological testing program. One badly disturbed prehistoric site (41 BX 346) of unknown function and unknown chronological association was discovered as a result of these activities. Because the site is so severely mixed and displaced, it is not considered a significant cultural resource, and no further work is recommended. The legal basis for this cultural resource survey and evaluation is described in the federal legislation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, the Archeological and Historical Preservation Act of 1974 and Executive Order 11593

Differential, Phosphorylation Dependent Trafficking of AQP2 in LLC-PK1 Cells

The kidney maintains water homeostasis by modulating aquaporin 2 (AQP2) on the plasma membrane of collecting duct principal cells in response to vasopressin (VP). VP mediated phosphorylation of AQP2 at serine 256 is critical for this effect. However, the role of phosphorylation of other serine residues in the AQP2 C-terminus is less well understood. Here, we examined the effect of phosphorylation of S256, S261 and S269 on AQP2 trafficking and association with recycling pathway markers. We used LLC-PK1 cells expressing AQP2(S-D) or (S-A) phospho mutants and a 20°C cold block, which allows endocytosis to continue, but prevents protein exit from the trans Golgi network (TGN), inducing formation of a perinuclear AQP2 patch. AQP2-S256D persists on the plasma membrane during cold block, while wild type AQP2, AQP2-S256A, S261A, S269A and S269D are internalized and accumulate in the patch. Development of this patch, a measure of AQP2 internalization, was most rapid with AQP2-S256A, and slowest with S261A and S269D. AQP2-S269D exhibited a biphasic internalization profile with a significant amount not internalized until 150 minutes of cold block. After rewarming to 37°C, wt AQP2, AQP2-S261A and AQP2-S269D rapidly redistributed throughout the cytoplasm within 20 minutes, whereas AQP2-S256A dissipated more slowly. Colocalization of AQP2 mutants with several key vesicular markers including clathrin, HSP70/HSC70, EEA, GM130 and Rab11 revealed no major differences. Overall, our data provide evidence supporting the role of S256 and S269 in the maintenance of AQP2 at the cell surface and reveal the dynamics of internalization and recycling of differentially phosphorylated AQP2 in cell culture

Proteomic analysis of V-ATPase-rich cells harvested from the kidney and epididymis by fluorescence-activated cell sorting

Proton-transporting cells are located in several tissues where they acidify the extracellular environment. These cells express the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) B1 subunit (ATP6V1B1) in their plasma membrane. We provide here a comprehensive catalog of the proteins that are expressed in these cells, after their isolation by enzymatic digestion and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) from transgenic B1-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) mice. In these mice, type A and B intercalated cells and connecting segment cells of the kidney, and narrow and clear cells of the epididymis, which all express ATP6V1B1, also express EGFP, while all other cell types are negative. The proteome of renal and epididymal EGFP-positive (EGFP+) cells was identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and compared with their respective EGFP-negative (EGFP−) cell populations. A total of 2,297 and 1,564 proteins were detected in EGFP+ cells from the kidney and epididymis, respectively. Out of these proteins, 202 and 178 were enriched by a factor greater than 1.5 in EGFP+ cells compared with EGFP− cells, in the kidney and epididymis respectively, and included subunits of the V-ATPase (B1, a4, and A). In addition, several proteins involved in intracellular trafficking, signaling, and cytoskeletal dynamics were identified. A novel common protein that was enriched in renal and epididymal EGFP+ cells is the progesterone receptor, which might be a potential candidate for the regulation of V-ATPase-dependent proton transport. These proteomic databases provide a framework for comprehensive future analysis of the common and distinct functions of V-ATPase-B1-expressing cells in the kidney and epididymis

Angiotensin II and hypertonicity modulate proximal tubular aquaporin 1 expression

Aquaporin 1 (AQP1) is the major water channel in the renal proximal tubule (PT) and thin descending limb of Henle, but its regulation remains elusive. Here, we investigated the effect of ANG II, a key mediator of body water homeostasis, on AQP1 expression in immortalized rat proximal tubule cells (IRPTC) and rat kidney. Real-time PCR on IRPTC exposed to ANG II for 12 h revealed a biphasic effect AQP1 mRNA increased dose dependently in response to 10−12 to 10−8 M ANG II but decreased by 50% with 10−7 M ANG II. The twofold increase of AQP1 mRNA in the presence of 10−8 M ANG II was abolished by the AT1 receptor blocker losartan. Hypertonicity due to either NaCl or mannitol also upregulated AQP1 mRNA by three- and twofold, respectively. Immunocytochemistry and Western blotting revealed a two- to threefold increase in AQP1 protein expression in IRPTC exposed concomitantly to ANG II (10−8M) and hypertonic medium (either NaCl or mannitol), indicating that these stimuli were not additive. Three-dimensional reconstruction of confocal images suggested that AQP1 expression was increased by ANG II in both the apical and basolateral poles of IRPTC. In vivo studies showed that short-term ANG II infusion had a diuretic effect, while this effect was attenuated after several days of ANG II infusion. After 10 days, we observed a twofold increase in AQP1 expression in the PT and thin descending limb of Henle of ANG II-infused rats that was abolished when rats were treated with the selective AT1-receptor antagonist olmesartan. Thus ANG II increases AQP1 expression in vitro and in vivo via direct interaction with the AT1 receptor, providing an important regulatory mechanism to link PT water reabsorption to body fluid homeostasis via the renin-angiotensin system