The nuclear envelope is a selective barrier against the movement of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Nuclear proteins larger than relative molecular mass 20,000-40,000 are probably actively transported across the envelope through the nuclear pore complex and are directed by specific nuclear location sequences (NLS) in the proteins. NLS mediate the nuclear import of isolated nuclear proteins after microinjection into whole cells and the nuclear accumulation of chimaeric proteins or of non-nuclear proteins conjugated to synthetic peptides. The best-characterized NLS is the simian virus 40 large T-antigen sequence. We have identified two proteins of rat liver by chemical cross-linking that interact with a synthetic peptide containing this sequence: this interaction is specific for a functional NLS, is saturable, and high affinity. The binding proteins are present in a post-mitochondrial supernatant, in nuclei and in a nuclear envelope fraction, which is consistent with a role in the transport of nuclear proteins from the cytoplasm to the nucleus.

Intravenous administration of N-(beta-alanyl-L-leucyl-L-alanyl-L-leucyl)doxorubicin (4) induces an acute toxic reaction, killing animals in a few minutes. This results from its positive charge at physiological pH combined with its propensity to form large aggregates in aqueous solutions. Negatively charged N-capped versions of 4 such as the succinyl derivative 5 can be administered by the iv route at more than 10 times the LD(50) of doxorubicin without inducing the acute toxic reaction, and they are active in vivo.

The androgen receptor has been purified from steer seminal vesicle cytosol by a combination of differential DNA-Sepharose 4B chromatography and testosterone 17 beta-hemisuccinyl-3,3'-diaminodipropylamine-Sepharose 4B affinity chromatography. The procedure produced about 3 micrograms of receptor protein from 35 g of steer seminal vesicle, with a yield of 48%. The receptor protein, as a complex with unlabeled testosterone, was purified approximately 540000-fold. A single band, migrating at 60000 daltons, was observed following electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDoDSO4). This was confirmed by affinity labeling of the partially purified receptor with both 17-hydroxy-17 alpha-[3H]methyl-4,9,11-estratrien-3-one and 17 beta-hydroxy-[1,2,4,5,6,7,16,17-3H8)-5 alpha-androstan-3-one 17-(2-bromoacetate), which showed a peak of radioactivity migrating at 60000 daltons by NaDoDSO4 gel electrophoresis. The receptor had an estimated Stokes radius of 35 A and a sedimentation coefficient of 3.8 S in the presence of 0.3 M NaCl. The calculated molecular weight and frictional ratio for the androgen binding activity were 57000 and 1.42, respectively. Chromatofocusing of the purified receptor protein revealed an isoelectric point of 6.6. [3H]Methyltrienolone, bound to the purified receptor, was displaced with methyl-trienolone greater than testosterone greater than 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone much greater than 3 beta-hydroxy-delta 5-androsten-17-one much greater than 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol. The physicochemical properties of the purified receptor were similar to those of the receptor in crude cytosol. These results demonstrate that the androgen receptor from steer seminal vesicle was substantially purified without significant modification of its physicochemical or steroid binding properties.

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