Hyram Kitchen

HEMOGLOBIN POLYMORPHISM: ITS RELATION TO SICKLING OF ERYTHROCYTES IN WHITE-TAILED DEER.

Hemoglobins with different electrophoretic mobilities are associated with bizarre shapes seen during ordinary light microscopy of erythrocytes from the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus; nonsickling is contingent upon a specific hemoglobin. Sickling in vitro, which isproduced to a maximum degree in the presence of oxygen and elevated pH, is not associated with hematological abnormalities or disease despite marked differences in physical characteristics of sickled and nonsickled cells.

Hemoglobin types of adult, fetal, and newborn subhuman primates: Macaca speciosa

Abstract Two hemoglobin types have been identified by starch gel electrophoresis in stumptail macaques of both sexes and various ages. Although two hemoglobins were found in all animals, the proportion of these hemoglobins is not the same in different individuals. A comparison of the appearance and disappearance of the hemoglobins seen in the fetuses, newborns, and adults was made to the well-established ontogeny of the human hemoglobins. Structural differences that cause the electrophoretically distinguishable fetal and adult hemoglobins are described.

Hemoglobins of adult Macacaspeciosa: an amino acid interchange (α 15(gly→asp))

Abstract The amino acid composition of the third tryptic peptides from αf and αs of Macaca speciosa has been determined. The glycine residue of αs has been replaced by aspartic acid in αf. The remaining residues of the two peptides are identical in αs and αf. The substitution observed explains the difference in the electrophoretic mobility of the two hemoglobins.

Studies on the mechanism of sickling of deer erythrocytes.

Abstract Observations on sickled deer erythrocytes made with the electron microscope confirm conclusions obtained by other means that these cells are very similar, if not identical, to human sickled erythrocytes. Although the experiments reported here may not be conclusive, observations made on sections of erythrocytes during the process of sickling suggest that sickling results from the formation of hemoglobin tactoids under the appropriate conditions. Except for well-documented differences in the factors that induce sickling in deer as contrasted to human erythrocytes, there are many similarities in the sickling phenomenon in these two species. It is likely that the deer might serve as a suitable experimental animal in which to study certain aspects of the human syndrome.

Fractionation of coral snake venom: Preliminary studies on the separation and characterization of the protein fractions

Abstract Lyophilized coral snake ( Micrurus f.fulvius ) venom was fractionated into six homogeneous and one heterogeneous fractions (labelled F-FVII in order of their elution) using CM-cellulose columns eluted with phosphate buffers (pH 6·0–9·0). Identification of each fraction on starch gel electrophoresis revealed that fractions I through VI migrated as homogeneous proteins. FVII was composed of four separate migrating units. All of the migrating units present in the crude venom were accounted for in the seven fractions. FIII, VI and VII each accounting for approximately 25 per cent of the recovery weight, were equally toxic, and were as toxic as the crude venom. All three possessed a strong anticoagulant activity. FIV and V present in moderate amounts, were toxic at concentrations 10 times that of the crude venom and possessed a weak anticoagulant activity. FII was toxic at concentrations 20 times that of the crude venom while FI was not toxic. All seven fractions exhibited a strong phospholipase A activity and hemolyzed red cells. None of the fractions nor the crude venom hemolyzed red cells without ovolecithin. None of the fractions or crude venom were proteolytic.

A comparative structural study on the hemoglobins in Macaca speciosa

Abstract The two hemoglobins present in adult Macaca speciosa were examined in a series of structural studies. A glycyl-aspartyl exchange in the α-TP-III peptide was found to explain the charge difference between the two hemoglobins. A comparative structural study of the hemoglobins present in the two Macaca speciosa hemoglobin phenotypes was made by use of two-dimensional chromatography of tryptic peptides and chymotryptic peptides of the core, as well as by composition determination of α-TP-III and α-TP-IV peptides. Isoelectric focusing was also used. No differences were detected between homologous hemoglobins or globins from the two phenotypes. The amino acid composition of the tryptic peptide, α-TP-IV, was shown to differ from the same peptide in human Hb-A by an alanyl-glycyl exchange. Isoelectric focusing of the hemoglobins revealed additional components which could be explained by storage effects.

The sickling phenomenon of deer erythrocytes.

The sickling phenomenon exhibited in erythrocytes of most members of the Cervidae might easily have been dismissed as an interesting biological curiosity were it not for the discovery of very similar erythrocyte forms associated with sickle cell anemia, a severe and sometimes fatal blood dyscrasia in man (1, 2), (see Figure 1). Although the sickling of deer erythrocytes was reported seventy years earlier, not until 1910 did Herrick describe this syndrome in man (3).

Red cell life span of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus☆

Abstract 1. 1. The red cell survival of white-tailed deer as measured with DFP 32 is similar to that seen in the sheep and human, with destruction by senescence after a period of approximately 125 days. 2. 2. Under the environmental conditions of our experiment, there did not appear to be any deleterious effect on red cell survival due to variation in hemoglobin type or the ability of cells to sickle. 3. 3. Red cell survival in a guanaco was estimated to be 227 days, in an elk 149 days, in an aoudad 99 days, and in two sika deer, 149 and 159 days respectively.