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Tail gas treating units (TGTUs) are designed to remove the last vestiges of unconverted hydrogen sulfide ([H.sub.2]S) in the tail gas coming from a sulfur recovery unit (SRU) after the [...]

AimsThe aim of this study was to compare the post-operative radiographic and clinical outcomes between kinematically and mechanically aligned total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). Patients and MethodsA total of 60 TKAs (30 kinematically and 30 mechanically aligned) were performed in 60 patients with varus osteoarthritis of the knee using a navigation system. The angles of orientation of the joint line in relation to the floor, the conventional and true mechanical axis (tMA) (the line from the centre of the hip to the lowest point of the calcaneus) were compared, one year post-operatively, on single-leg and double-leg standing long leg radiographs between the groups. The range of movement and 2011 Knee Society Scores were also compared between the groups at that time.ResultsThe angles of orientation of the joint line in the kinematic group changed from slight varus on double-leg standing to slight valgus with single-leg standing. The mechanical axes in the kinematic group passed through a neutral position of the knee in the true condition when the calcaneus was considered. The post-operative angles of flexion and functional activity scores were significantly better in the kinematic than in the mechanical group (p < 0.003 and 0.03, respectively).ConclusionA kinematically aligned TKA results in a joint line which has a more parallel orientation in relation to the floor during single- and double-leg standing, and more neutral weight-bearing in tMA than a mechanically aligned TKA.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2017;99-B:640–6.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs ) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. We hypothesised that the functions of certain miRNAs and changes to their patterns of expression may be crucial in the pathogenesis of nonunion. Healing fractures and atrophic nonunions produced by periosteal cauterisation were created in the femora of 94 rats, with 1:1 group allocation. At post-fracture days three, seven, ten, 14, 21 and 28, miRNAs were extracted from the newly generated tissue at the fracture site. Microarray and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses of day 14 samples revealed that five miRNAs, miR-31a-3p, miR-31a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-146b-5p and miR-223-3p, were highly upregulated in nonunion. Real-time PCR analysis further revealed that, in nonunion, the expression levels of all five of these miRNAs peaked on day 14 and declined thereafter. Our results suggest that miR-31a-3p, miR-31a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-146b-5p and miR-223-3p may play an important role in the development of nonunion. These findings add to the understanding of the molecular mechanism for nonunion formation and may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for its treatment.Cite this article: Bone Joint J2015; 97-B:1144–51.

This retrospective, observational study was designed to investigate factors affecting successful prosthetic ambulation in elderly amputees aged ≥ 60 years. The study included 64 unilateral transfemoral or hip disarticulation amputees. Patients who were able to walk ≥ 100 m with prosthesis were classified as successful and those who could walk < 100 m as failures. Age, comorbidities, cause of amputation, ability to stand on one leg, patient's motivation for walking and maximum oxygen uptake as a proportion of predicted maximum oxygen uptake (%VO2max) during an exercise load test were examined as indicators of physical fitness. Significant differences were noted between the two groups in the number of comorbidities, ability to stand on one leg, patient's motivation for walking and mean %VO2max. A low number of comorbidities, the ability to stand on one leg, motivation for walking and adequate physical fitness allowing an exercise intensity of ≥ 50% VO2maxwere considered to be predictive factors for successful prosthetic rehabilitation.

We have developed a new tensor for total knee replacements which is designed to assist with soft-tissue balancing throughout the full range of movement with a reduced patellofemoral joint. Using this tensor in 40 patients with osteoarthritis we compared the intra-operative joint gap in cruciate-retaining and posterior-stabilised total knee replacements at 0°, 10°, 45°, 90° and 135° of flexion, with the patella both everted and reduced.While the measurement of the joint gap with a reduced patella in posterior-stabilised knees increased from extension to flexion, it remained constant for cruciate-retaining joints throughout a full range of movement. The joint gaps at deep knee flexion were significantly smaller for both types of prosthetic knee when the patellofemoral joint was reduced (p < 0.05).

We isolated multilineage mesenchymal progenitor cells from haematomas collected from fracture sites. After the haematoma was manually removed from the fracture site it was cut into strips and cultured. Homogenous fibroblastic adherent cells were obtained. Flow cytometry revealed that the adherent cells were consistently positive for mesenchymal stem-cell-related markers CD29, CD44, CD105 and CD166, and were negative for the haemopoietic markers CD14, CD34, CD45 and CD133 similar to bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. In the presence of lineage-specific induction factors the adherent cells could differentiate in vitrointo osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic cells.Our results indicate that haematomas found at a fracture site contain multilineage mesenchymal progenitor cells and play an important role in bone healing. Our findings imply that to enhance healing the haematoma should not be removed from the fracture site during osteosynthesis.

We have investigated whether cells derived from haemarthrosis caused by injury to the anterior cruciate ligament could differentiate into the osteoblast lineage in vitro. Haemarthroses associated with anterior cruciate ligament injuries were aspirated and cultured. After treatment with ß-glycerophosphate, ascorbic acid and dexamethasone or 1,25 (OH)2D3, a significant increase in the activity of alkaline phosphatase was observed. Matrix mineralisation was demonstrated after 28 days and mRNA levels in osteoblast-related genes were enhanced.Our results suggest that the haemarthrosis induced by injury to the anterior cruciate ligament contains osteoprogenitor cells and is a potential alternative source for cell-based treatment in such injury.

The formation of a complex between RecA protein and single‐stranded (ss) DNA was studied systematically by atomic force microscopy (AFM) by varying incubation time and the molecular ratio of RecA protein to single‐stranded DNA binding (SSB) protein. New intermediate structures, such as small circular, tangled, and protruded structures in the absence of SSB and sharply turned structures in the presence of SSB, were clearly identified at the early stage of complex formation. These structures have probably resulted from competitive binding of RecA and SSB to DNA. After long incubation, only fully covered RecA‐ssDNA and totally RecA‐free SSBssDNA complexes were present regardless of RecA concentrations. Together with intermediate structures which consisted of only two parts, that is, ssDNA covered by SSB and by RecA proteins, the observation suggested strong neighbor cooperative binding of RecA to ssDNA assisted by SSB.

We undertook 114 arthroscopic meniscal repairs in 111 patients and subsequently carried out second-look arthroscopy to confirm meniscal healing at a mean of 13 months after repair. Stable healing at the repaired site was seen in 90. Of these, however, 13 had another arthroscopy later for a further tear. The mean period between the repair and the observation of a repeat tear was 48 months. Of the 13 patients, 11 had returned to high activity levels (International Knee Documentation Committee level I or II) after the repair.An attempt should be made to preserve meniscal function by repairing tears, but even after arthroscopic confirmation of stable healing repaired menisci may tear again. The long-term rate of healing may not be as high as is currently reported. Second-look arthroscopy cannot predict late meniscal failure and may not be justified as a method of assessment for meniscal healing. Young patients engaged in arduous sporting activities should be reviewed regularly even after arthroscopic confirmation of healing.

Transient increases, or oscillations, of cytoplasmic free Ca(2+) concentration, [Ca(2+)](i), occur during fertilization of animal egg cells. In sea urchin eggs, the increased Ca(2+) is derived from intracellular stores, but the principal signaling and release system involved has not yet been agreed upon. Possible candidates are the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor/channel (IP(3)R) and the ryanodine receptor/channel (RyR) which is activated by cGMP or cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR). Thus, it seemed that direct measurements of the likely second messenger candidates during sea urchin fertilization would be essential to an understanding of the Ca(2+) signaling pathway. We therefore measured the cGMP, cADPR and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP(3)) contents of sea urchin eggs during the early stages of fertilization and compared these with the [Ca(2+)](i) rise in the presence or absence of an inhibitor against soluble guanylate cyclase. We obtained three major experimental results: (1) cytosolic cGMP levels began to rise first, followed by cADPR and IP(3) levels, all almost doubling before the explosive increase of [Ca(2+)](i); (2) most of the rise in IP(3) occurred after the Ca(2+) peak; IP(3) production could also be induced by the artificial elevation of [Ca(2+)](i), suggesting the large increase in IP(3) is a consequence, rather than a cause, of the Ca(2+) transient; (3) the measured increase in cGMP was produced by the soluble guanylate cyclase of eggs, and inhibition of soluble guanylate cyclase of eggs diminished the production of both cADPR and IP(3) and the [Ca(2+)](i) increase without the delay of Ca(2+) transients. Taken together, these results suggest that the RyR pathway involving cGMP and cADPR is not solely responsible for the initiating event, but contributes to the Ca(2+) transients by stimulating IP(3) production during fertilization of sea urchin eggs.

The vibrational circular dichroism of (S)-(+)-9,10-dihydrodibenzo[c,g]-phenanthrene has been obtained over the frequency region of the C-H stretching mode fundamentals. A major contribution to the vibrational optical activity of the CH2 groups is found to originate in the dynamic polarization of the naphthalene ring systems of the enantiomer by the transition dipole of the localized symmetric or antisymmetric C-H stretching mode of each group. An analogous mechanism accounts for the optical activity observed in the frequency region of the aromatic C-H stretching fundamentals.

Chromatographic behaviour of the rare earth elements on C-18 bonded silica reversed-phase material has been investigated in aqueous lactate media. The lactatocomplexes of the rare earths are distributed and fractionated on the bonded silica column by a mobile phase gradient technique in the presence of hydrophobic ions. The effects of the lactate concentration pH, methanol and hydrophobic ion concentrations in the eluents have been investigated in detail to have the best resulution of the adjacent rare earth elements. Port-column reaction with arsenazo(III) is used to detect the separated rare earth lactatocomplexes. This reversed-phase partition system is suited to separate and detect all rare earth elements within 40 min with good reproducibility.

The ion-exchange behavior of glycolatocomplexes of the rare earths (Sc, Y and lanthanides) with 1-octanesulfonate as the hydrophobic ion has been investigated in aqueous glycolate media. The system is capable of separating adjacent light intra rare earths, La-Ce-Pr-Nd-Y-Sm, and heavy rare earths, Ho-Er-Tm-Yb-Lu-Sc, from each other with good resolution by gradient elution at room temperature. Intermediate rare earths, Dy-Tb-Gd-Eu-Sm, are difficult to separate from each other. The position of Y in the eluate is different from that found with most other eluent systems used for rare earth separations, being between Nd and Sm.

Nalidixic acid, enoxacin, and other antibacterial 4-quinolones inhibit DNA gyrase activity by interrupting DNA breakage and reunion by A subunits of the A2B2 gyrase complex. Despite their clinical importance, the mode of quinolone action and mechanisms of resistance are poorly understood at the molecular level. Using a DNA fragment enrichment procedure, we isolated the gyrA gene from a uropathogenic Escherichia coli strain that encodes a gyrase A protein cross-resistant to a variety of quinolones. When complemented with gyrase B subunit, the purified A protein reconstituted DNA supercoiling activity approximately 100-fold more resistant to inhibition by enoxacin than the susceptible enzyme and failed to mediate quinolone-dependent DNA cleavage. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that the gene differed at 58 nucleotide positions compared with the K-12 gyrA sequence. The 875-amino-acid residue-resistant gyrase A protein differed at three positions from its wild-type E. coli K-12 counterpart: tryptophan, glutamate, and serine replaced serine, aspartate, and alanine residues at positions 83, 678, and 828, respectively. By genetic analysis of chimeric gyrA genes in a gyrA(Ts) background, we showed that the Ser-83----Trp mutation in the gyrase A protein was solely responsible for high-level bacterial resistance to nalidixic acid and fluoroquinolones.

Sea urchin zygotes can be refertilized when they are deprived of the fertilization membrane and the hyaline layer. We have earlier reported that a transient increase of the intracellular Ca²⁺concentration (Ca_i-transient) is induced in zygotes refertilized by sperm or treated with a sperm extract (spex) (M. Osawaet al.,1994,Dev. Biol.166, 268–276). We investigated quantitative characteristics of the Ca_i-transient induced by sperm and spex, using a Ca²⁺indicator, Indo-1. When sperm or spex was applied to zygotes, the peak value of the Ca_i-transient was 1.16 or 0.69 μM, respectively. Although these values were lower than the peak value of 1.95 μMmeasured during normal fertilization, the entire time courses of the three types of Ca_i-transients were similar. The Ca_i-transients during fertilization is known to be caused both by the IP₃-induced Ca²⁺release (IICR) and by a mechanism independent of IICR. The Ca_i-transients during refertilization and fertilization were not inhibited by an IP₃receptor inhibitor, heparin or by a G-protein inhibitor, GDPβS. However, heparin delayed the time courses of both Ca_i-transients. These results suggest that there may be two signal transduction pathways operating during refertilization, one dependent and the other independent of IICR. By contrast, both heparin and GDPβS inhibited the spex-induced Ca_i-transient. The IP₃content in spex-treated zygotes increased, and the spex-induced Ca_i-transient occurred even in the absence of external Ca²⁺. Ca_i-transient was not observed when spex was injected into zygotes. These data suggest that spex induces IICR in zygotes by activating certain cell surface receptors coupled to G-proteins.

Summary: A preconcentration technique involving anion-exchange in thiocyanate media has been developed for the determination of traces of bio-significant and biofunctional elements. The procedure is applied to the analyses of NBS standard reference materials as well as environmental reference materials of NIES (The National Institute of Environmental Studies, Japan Environmental Agency). The results are quoted for vanadium, cobalt, copper, zinc, and cadmium.

Summary The effect of barbiturates on the cerebral haemodynamics and the influence of dopamine on barbiturates were investigated using 20 cats, and clinical indication of barbiturate therapy is discussed. Cerebral blood flow, oxygen extraction fraction, and cerebro-vascular resistance as well as physiological variables were evaluated at various concentrations of barbiturates in the blood.

Partition chromatographic behaviour of the rare earth elements on C18 bonded silica reversed-phase material has been investigated by thin-layer chromatography in methanol — lactate media. The rare earth lactato complexes are distributed and fractionated on bonded silica layers without ion-interaction reagents. The concentration and pH of lactate solution, methanol concentration and temperature have effects on the migration and resolution of the rare earth elements. The partition system is particularly suited to separate adjacent rare earths of middle atomic weight groups, allowing the separation of gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium and thulium to be achieved by development to 18 cm distance.

Summary: Separation and determination of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites have been achieved by dynamic ion-exchange chromatography. The ore samples are decomposed by sulfuric acid and the rare earths are separated in a group as oxalates. The rare earth elements are then separated from each other on a column of bonded phase silica by gradient elution with 0.05 to 0.5 M lactic acid (pH 3.5) in the presence of 0.01 M sodium 1-octanesulfonate. Post-column reaction with Arsenazo III is used for detection and quantification of the individual rare earth elements. Results are quoted for lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites. Detection limit is 1 μg ml−1 with a S/N ratio of 3. The separation is complete within 27 min valley to valley resolution. Precision of better than 1% can usually be obtained.

A method of applying ion-interaction chromatography to the determination of the rare earth elements in silicate rocks on a 100 to 200 mg sample basis has been developed. The rare earths are first separated as a group from matrices by cation-exchange chromatography in hydrochloric acid-thiocyanate media and isolated in a small, defined volume (3.00 ml). Using fractions of this, on-column concentration of the rare earths on a C-18 bonded phase silica coated with 1-octanesulfonate and a subsequent concentration gradient elution with glycolate (0.05 to 0.35 M) at pH 3.5 allows the respective separation of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Y (100 μl aliquot used) and of Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu (2.00 ml aliquot used). Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Dy elute together, and Ho is not sufficiently well resolved from these middle rare earth elements. The eluted rare earth elements are detected and quantified by post-column reaction with Arsenazo III photometrically, using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 650 nm. The method is shown to be capable of determining nine of the rare earth elements in a variety of international reference rock samples with good precision and accuracy.

Das Adsorptionsverhalten von 16 Elementen an dem stark sauren Kationenaustauscher AG 50W, X-8 wurde in Oxalsäure-Salpetersäure-Gemischen untersucht. Die Verteilungskoeffizienten werden angegeben als Funktion der Salpetersäurekonzentration (0,1~3,0 M) in 0,05 M Oxalsäure. Die Adsorbierbarkeit der drei- und viersowie zweiwertigen Metallionen weist deutliche Unterschiede auf. Das Verfahren kann zur Multielementanalyse von Manganknollen auf Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn und Ni angewendet werden. Die Elution der zweiwertigen Metallionen erfolgt mit Gemischen von Mineralsäuren und organischen Lösungsmitteln. Die Vielseitigkeit der Methode wird durch die Analyse eines biologischen Referenzmaterials (Pepperbush, NIES) demonstriert. Die Ergebnisse stimmten mit den zertifizierten Werten gut überein.

Abstract: The adsorption behavior of 47 metal ions on DEAE-cellulose (Cl−) has been surveyed in aqueous thiosulfate solution by thin-layer chromatographic technique. The Rf values are measured as a function of thiosulfate concentration (0.010–2.0M) and are compared with those obtained on a microcrystalline cellulose Avicel SF. Generally, the ion-exchange adsorption of metal ions are weak or moderate over the thiosulfate concentration range tested except for a few metal ions like Mo(VI), Sb(III), Bi(III) etc., which have high preference to DEAE-cellulose. A variety of chromatographic distribution exhibited by metal ions allows to develop a number of separations of analytical and radiochemical interest.

Summary The effect of dopamine during barbiturate therapy was investigated in 29 cats including 5 sham-operated cats. According to Kiersey's classification of electro-encephalographic patterns, physiological variables, cerebral metabolic rates for oxygen and glucose, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and intracranial pressure (ICP), etc. were evaluated in each electro-encephalographic pattern. Oxygen-glucose index was calculated and used as an indicator for aerobic or anaerobic metabolism of glucose.

The energetics of ferrichrome transport by bacterial membranes are explained by a unique structural feature of the metal-laden form of the siderophore which enables complexing of alkaline-earth cations.

Summary Haemorrhage in regions remote from the site of following intracranial operations is rare, but they do occur. We performed supratentorial craniotomy on 639 patients between the time of introduction of computed tomography (CT) for clinical use in 1983 and June 1992; subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in the posterior fossa occurred postoperatively in six of these cases. These included four patients with tumours in the sellar region, one with an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) and one who underwent superficial temporal artery (STA)-middle cerebral artery (MCA) anastomosis. The ages of the six patients ranged from 17–72 years.

Abstract: Detection of micromechanical phenomena in material requires a sufficiently high-accuracy measurement. This paper shows the possibility of applying heterodyne holographic interferometry to such experimental verification. The effects of the ratios of thickness to grain size on the apparent Young's modulus are evaluated based on the deflection patterns of the cantilever beam. The characteristic length ℓ of couple-stress theory is calculated by applying the analytical results of Koiter to our experimental results. This value is about one fifth of the grain size.

Thin-layers of strongly basic or strongly acidic ionexchange resins (Dowex 1 or Dowex 50), mixed with a plain cellulose, Avicel SF, have been used to investigate the chromatographic behaviour of 40 metal ions in acetic acid — hydrochloric acid — complexing agent media. The CIESE (combined ion-exchange-solvent extraction) effect, proposed by Korkisch, is noticed for scandium and thorium in the anion-exchange system involving trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) as the complexing agent, the system providing a basis on the specific separation of both elements. In the cation-exchange system involving TOPO, the metal ions are distributed chromatographically, so that the system allows multicomponent separations to be carried out. The system also reveals the CIESE effect for zirconium and hafnium.

The adsorption behaviour of 48 metal ions on DEAE-cellulose layers has been investigated in aqueous hydrobromic and hydriodic acid media. RF values are given as a function of the hydrobromic and hydriodic acid concentration over the ranges 0.01–6 mol dm−3 and 0.01–3 mol dm−3, respectively, and are compared with those obtained with Avicel SF. RF spectra are comparatively simple in both media, reflecting the strong affinity of the bromide and iodide ions to the DEAE-cellulose phase. Pd, Pt, Re, Au and Hg are distributed chromatographically in either system, while most other metal ions exhibit rather extreme RF values of near unity or zero. Therefore, the selectivity of the systems is particularly high for Pd, Pt, Re, Au and Hg, providing the possibility of their excellent selective separations.

The crystal and molecular structure of the title compound, an analogue of the DNA binding region of bleomycin A2, has been determined by X-ray crystallography. All the three independent molecules in an asymmetric unit are approximately planar with fully extended side chains. A computer graphics model-building study has shown that the phenyl group and the second thiazole ring can be intercalated between the base pairs of the double-stranded deoxydinucleoside phosphate d(CpG), and also that the sulphonium cation can interact with a backbone phosphate group. This model is in accord with NMR spectral data.

The extent of the spread of axonal degeneration was investigated in the visual cortex of the cat after making small lesions restricted to the grey matter. Two series of experiments were undertaken. In the first, normal adult cats were used, and in the second, the cortex of the postlateral gyrus was isolated from its extrinsic afferents by surgical undercutting 3 months before making the lesions. The results were similar in the two series in most respects. 1. Horizontal fibres extended in considerable numbers for some 500 µm from the lesion, mainly in layers I, III/IV and V, a few reaching 2–3 mm. These fibres were better seen in the intact than in the isolated cortex. Their spread was usually asymmetrical, being greater posteromedially than anterolaterally. 2. Oblique axons ran downwards from the middle layers into layers V and VI, or upwards into layers I and II. 3. Axons arising from layers II to VI descended vertically into the white matter. Degeneration patterns after lesions in areas 17 and 18 were compared.

Spherical droplets, derived from Physarum plasmodia by incubation in 10 mM caffeine, seemed to be an excellent system for electrophysiological studies because they were large (less than or equal to 300 micrometer in diameter) and because they tolerated intracellular electrodes filled with 3 M KCl and 10 mM EDTA for a few hours. Intact plasmodia, by contrast, gave valid records for only a few minutes. Under standard conditions ([K+]o = 1 mM, [Na+]o = 5 mM, [Ca++]0 = 0.5 mM, [Mg++]o = 2 mM, and [Cl-]o = 6 mM at pH 7.0), the potential difference across droplet membranes was -80 to -120mV, interior negative. The membrane potential was only slightly sensitive to concentration changes for the above-mentioned ions, and was far negative to the equilibrium diffusion potentials calculated from the known internal contents of K, Na, Ca, Mg, and CL (29.4, 1.6, 3.7, 6.5, and 27.8 mmol/kg, respectively). Variations of external pH did have a strong influence on the membrane potential, yielding a slope of 59 mV/pH between pH 6.5 and 5.5. In this pH range, however, the equilibrium potential for H+ (assuming 6.2 less than or equal to pHi less than or equal to 7.0) was greater than 75 mV positive to the observed membrane potential. Membrane potential was directly responsive to metabolic events, being lowered by potassium cyanide, and by cooling from 25 to 12 degrees C. This ensemble of results strongly indicates that the major component of membrane potential in plasmodial droplets of Physarum is generated by an electrogenic ion pump, probably one extruding H+ ions.

We report on the generation of continuous-wave coherent phonons (ultrasonic waves) in ethanol by the laser-induced transient-grating method with a continuous-wave mode-locked argon-ion laser. We detected the phonons phase sensitively by monitoring the Bragg diffraction of a probe beam. Sharp resonance enhancement of the induced phonons was observed when the repetition rate of the excitation pulses coincided with the phonon frequency (the sound velocity divided by the grating period). The signal intensity was much increased as a result of interference with the co-induced thermal grating.

Abstract: A new procedure for the radiochemical measurements of thorium, uranium and plutonium in atmospheric samples is described. Analysis involves coprecipitation of these actinides with iron hydroxide from a 40-to 50-dm3 sample of rainwater, followed by radiochemical separation and purification procedures by the use of ion exchange chromatography (Dowex AG1×8) and solvent extraction. The new procedure enables one to determine the isotopes of thorium, uranium and plutonium, which are found in rainwater at extremely low concentrations, with a chemical yield ranging from 60 to 80%.

Outer mitochondrial membrane cytochrome b5 (OMb), which is an isoform of cytochrome b5 (cyt b5) in the endoplasmic reticulum, is a typical tail-anchored protein of the outer mitochondrial membrane. We cloned cDNA containing the complete amino acid sequence of OMb and found that the protein has no typical structural feature common to the mitochondrial targeting signal at the amino terminus. To identify the region responsible for the mitochondrial targeting of OMb, various mutated proteins were expressed in cultured mammalian cells, and the subcellular localization of the expressed proteins was analyzed. The deletion of more than 11 amino acid residues from the carboxyl-terminal end of OMb abolished the targeting of the protein to the mitochondria. When the carboxyl-terminal 10 amino acids of OMb were fused to the cyt b5 that was previously deleted in the corresponding 10 residues, the fused protein localized in the mitochondria, thereby indicating that the carboxyl-terminal 10 amino acid residues of OMb have sufficient information to transport OMb to the mitochondria. The replacement of either of the two positively charged residues within the carboxyl-terminal 10 amino acids by alanine resulted in the transport of the mutant proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum. The mutant cyt b5, in which the acidic amino acid in its carboxyl-terminal end was replaced by basic amino acid, could be transported to the mitochondria. It would thus seem that charged amino acids in the carboxyl-terminal portion of these proteins determine their locations in the cell.