Genetic control of liver esterase forms in chickens

Six regions of esterase activity designated I to VI were resolved from liver extracts of chickens by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. These esterases were further characterized on the basis of their substrate affinities and differential responses to various inhibitors.
Genetic variation was found in esterases of region VI which appeared to be ali-esterase. Four phenotypes, A, B, AB and O, were observed. These phenotypes were shown to be controlled by one autosomal locus, designated Es-3 , with alleles Es-3 ^A, Es-3 ^B and Es-3 ^O. This locus is not closely linked to the blood group loci A and B , serum alkaline phosphatase ( Ap ), liver acid phosphatase ( Acp-2 ) and serum esterase ( Es-1 ) loci.     

Genetic control of urea resistant esterase of liver extracts in chicken

Starch gel electrophoresis according to Okada & Sasaki (1970) revealed six regions of esterase activity designated I to VI. Further genetic variation was found in esterase region III in this study. Two phenotypes, A and O, were observed by means of urea denaturation of chicken liver extracts. These were genetically controlled by an autosomal locus, designated as Es-9 , with a completely dominant ( Es-9 ^A) and a completely recessive ( Es-9 °) alleles.
Es-9 ^A was the most frequent allele in White Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire and Australorp strains and rare in White Leghorn strains.     

Genetic variants of phosvitin in egg yolk of the Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica

Summary. Phosvitin polymorphism in egg yolk of the Japanese quail was found by horizontal polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis. Six phenotypes of yolk phosvitin designated A, B, C, AB, AC, and BC were observed in a population of 281 birds. Analysis of family data revealed that the phenotypic variation of quail yolk phosvitins was controlled by an autosomal Pv locus with three codominant alleles, Pv^a, Pv^b and Pv^c. The gene frequencies of Pv^a, Pv^b and Pv^c were 0.064, 0.824 and 0.112, respectively.     

Plasma esterase polymorphism in the Bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, in Britain

Three hundred and eighty-three Clethrionomys glareolus from 20 localities in England, Wales and Scotland were typed for plasma esterase and a genetic polymorphism was discovered. The esterase was named Es-1. Breeding tests suggested that three alleles were segregating: Es-1^o when homozygous results in complete absence of enzyme activity. The active alleles Es-1^f and Es-1^s code for enzyme variants which migrate more rapidly and less rapidly, respectively, under starch gel electrophoresis. Of these active alleles, Es-1^f is morc common in the north of Britain and Es-1⁸ in the south. A 23-month field study on two areas at Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire, suggested that animals possessing Es-1^s survived less well at high population densities, perhaps through their being more likely to emigrate.     

Genetical control of phosphoglucose isomerase isozymes in the Japanese quail erythrocytes

Three phenotypes of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) from the Japanese quail erythrocytes were observed by horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Population and family data from one laboratory population of quail was consistent with the theory that PGI polymorphism was controlled by two codominant, autosomal alleles designated PGI^F and PGI^S with gene frequency values 0.25 and 0.75, respectively. The study supported the earlier view that the Japanese quail is highly polymorphic with regard to biochemical variation.     

A third allele at the phosphoglucose isomerase locus of the Japanese quail

Phosphoglucose isomerase electrophoretic patterns of the Japanese quail were found to be controlled by three alleles at an autosomal locus. In the laboratory quail population, the frequency of the alleles PGI^F, PGI^S1 and PGI^S2 was 0.175, 0.465 and 0.360, respectively.     

Trends in heterozygosity in the process of producing inbred strains of Japanese quail

Trends in heterozygosity in the process of producing inbred strains of Japanese quail were examined through the characterization of protein polymorphisms based on gene frequencies of 7 polymorphic loci. The average heterozygosity ( H _o) at generation 1 was 0.472 and it decreased with increasing inbreeding coefficient (F) to 0.214 at generation 5 when F was 0.594. In all generations, the observed heterozygosities of the surviving families tended to be higher than those of the families that did not survive. The frequency of heterozygotes of the Es-4 locus in surviving families was higher than that of the extinct families in each generation and the difference became conspisuous in generation 4. These results suggests that a heterozygote advantage of Es-4 locus is revealed by inbreeding.     

Bovine plasma alkaline phosphatase activity in relation to age, J substance and β-lactoglobulin phenotypes

In Jersey cattle the plasma alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity was found to be markedly age-dependent. Among animals grouped with regard to age a marked decrease in the average plasma AP activity was shown to take place until an age of 2¹/₂ to 3 years. For the J substance and β-lactoglobulin phenotypes a dependency of age was not observed in the material studied.
Excluding animals less than 3 years old and thus eliminating variation in AP activity due to age, a significant association (P<0.01) between AP activity and J phenotypes was observed among 91 animals. The J^cs phenotype was associated with low AP activity and the j^a phenotype with high AP activity. On the average the J substance phenotypes, J^cs, J^s and j^a, exhibit an increasing plasma AP activity of 3.6, 4.2 and 6.8 King Armstrong Units, respectively, and a corresponding decrease in J substance.
In a similar comparison of the β-lactoglobulin phenotypes and plasma AP activity involving 82 lactating cows, an excess of the β-lactoglobulin BB phenotypes with high AP activity just at P = 0.05 was observed.     

Genetic control and population survey of transferrin in the Japanese quail

Transferrin types in the Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica are controlled by a single autosomal locus Tf with at least two codominant alleles Tf^B and Tf^c. The frequencies of Tf^B and Tf^c in a commercial population of the domestic quail were 1.00 and 0.00, respectively.
Previous studies demonstrated that in the domestic populations of the Japanese quail three electrophoretic patterns AB, B and BC existed in egg white conalbumin and that the electrophoretic variation of conalbumin occurred in parallel with that of serum transferrin. Furthermore, from the preliminary mating experiments the transferrin-conalbumin variation was proposed to be under the control of at least two codominant alleles 77^s and Tf^c at an autosomal locus (Kimura et al., 1977, 1978).
The present study was designed (1) to report a large amount of family data from three generations in order to support the previously published hypothesis on genetic control of electrophoretic patterns of transferrin, and (2) to survey the gene constitution of transferrin in a commercial population of the domestic quail.
Sera were added with iron, heated for 5 min at 65°C (Stratil, 1967), then were investigated by means of horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. Hydrolysed starch from Connaught Medical Laboratories, Toronto, was used. A discontinuous citrate/Tris/LiOH/borate buffer system (pH 8.0) of Ferguson & Wallace (1961) was employed. The gels were stained with Amido Black 10B.     

Studies on strong and weak killer phenotypes of wine yeasts: production, activity of toxin in must, and its effect in mixed culture fermentation

R.A. MUSMANNO, T. DI MAGGIO and G. CORATZA.1999.Two different killer phenotypes were detected among K⁺ (killer) yeasts isolated from spontaneous wine fermentations using a plate bioassay. The two phenotypes differed in their degree of killer activity, and were designated as SK⁺(strong killer) and WK⁺(weak killer). Strains showing either phenotype were assayed for expression of killer activity under different growth conditions. Growth in must negatively affected expression of the killer activity of both phenotypes. The supernatant fluids from must cultures showed a lower killing effect than those from yeast phosphate dextrose broth (YPDB) cultures. The ability of the two K⁺ phenotypes to prevail on K-sensitive yeasts was studied in mixed-culture fermentation experiments. Under these conditions, only strains showing SK⁺ phenotype were able to prevail on the K-sensitive yeasts. These results suggest that the K⁺ phenotype could play a relevant role in spontaneous fermentations provided that the strain exhibits an SK⁺ phenotype, and that the latter phenotype should be preferred when selected K + strains are to be used as fermentation starters.     

The genetics of an electrophoretic variant of an erythrocytic protein in the house mouse (Mus musculus)

An electrophoretic mobility variant of a protein band anodal to haemoglobin in alkaline starch gels was found in wild house mouse populations in South Australia. Most wild mice and all inbred lines examined are homozygous for the Erp-1 ^a allele at the locus controlling this variation. The rare allele Erp-1 ^b, which has a frequency of about 1% in South Australia, produces a protein band of slower mobility in alkaline gels. Homozygotes show one protein band whilst the heterozygote has three bands. The Erp-1 protein does not appear to be haemoglobin or carbonic anhydrase. The Erp-1 locus is closely linked to Es-1 on chromosome 8 with a recombination fraction of 6.04 ± 1.32%.     

Esterase-30 (ES-30) of the house mouse: Biochemical characterization and genetics of a new carboxylesterase isozyme linked to cluster-2 loci on chromosome 8

A new carboxylesterase isozyme (EC 3.1.1.1), designated ES-30, is described in mouse liver. Two phenotypes were distinguished, ES-30A, a possible null type, was found in SPE/Pas and in other lines derived fromMus spretus, and ES-30B was found in BALB/cJ and other laboratory inbred strains. ES-30B is characterized by a distinct electrophoretic band when stained using 5-bromoindoxyl acetate as the substrate. After isolation and purification from other esterases by ion-exchange chromatography and molecular sieving, the molecular mass was estimated by two independent methods to be 62 and 64 kDa, respectively. The activity of ES-30B is higher in adult males than in females and can be stimulatedin vivo by testosterone. The distribution of phenotypes on the progeny of a backcross series suggests a separate locus,Es-30, with the allele a for absence andb for presence of the isozyme. LocusEs-30 is shown to be closely linked toEs-2 and toEs-7 of cluster-2 on chromosome 8. The gene orderEs-9—Got-2—(Es-2, Es-7, Es-30) is suggested. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. This is communication No. 72 of a research program devoted to the cellular distribution, genetics, and regulation of nonspecific esterases.     

Linkage between the loci for serum albumin and vitamin D binding protein (GC) in the Japanese quail

Vitamin D binding protein ( GC ) and serum protease inhibitor ( PI ) have been added to genetic markers in the Japanese quail. Both loci were controlled by autosomal codominant alleles named GC^A, GC^B and PI^A, PI^B, PI^C, respectively. Close linkage between the loci for serum albumin ( ALB ) and GC protein is reported. Two recombinants were observed in 145 informative offspring of 14 families. The recombination frequency between the loci was estimated as 0.014±0.006. Thus, GC was assigned to linkage group II in the Japanese quail. No signs of linkage were observed among the loci for the ALB-GC complex, PI. serum prealbumin 2 ( PA2 ), phosphoglucose isomerase ( PG1 ), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase ( PGD ) and esterase-D ( ESD ).     

Biooxidation of a gold-bearing pyrite-arsenopyrite concentrate

Abstract: Two years of BIOX pilot plant data have been examined for steady state conditions and then correlated using logistic kinetics. It was found that the logistic equation not only predicted the performance of individual stages but also the degree of biooxidation across the entire cascade of bioreactors. It was found that the rate constant was 1.3 day^-1 in the first three stages and 0.3 day^-1 in the fourth stage. The maximum removal constant was 0.90 in stage 1 and 0.99 in the remaining stages. Plant retention time ranged from 4 to 12 days with corresponding sulphide oxidation varying from 82 to 98% respectively, and primary stage removal rates varying from 8.9 to 4.4 kg m^-3 day^-l, respectively. In addition, batch biooxidation data were obtained. The biooxidation rate was found to be about half that for the continuous bioreactors. This is in agreement with the findings of several other workers. The specific rates of bioxidation of pyrite and arsenopyrite were very similar for the bulk concentrate at about 0.15 day^-1. However, it was significant that the biooxidation of arsenopyrite in the mixed mineral preceded that of pyrite, suggesting a sequential mechanism. Gold liberation was found to be linearly related to arsenopyrite biooxidation but oxidation of pyrite appears to be preferential in the gold-rich regions.     

An additional locus controlling liver esterases of chickens

Starch gel electrophoresis of liver extracts of chickens revealed six regions, designated I to VI, of esterase activity. Three phenotypes, A, B and AB, were found in esterases in region I. These phenotypes were shown to be controlled by a pair of codominant autosomal alleles, Es -5^A and Es -5^B.     

Natural selection in House mice (Mus musculus) from South Georgia (South Atlantic Ocean)

Mice living in tussock grass on a remote headland of the South Atlantic island of South Georgia (54°S) where the mean temperature is less than 2°C and the monthly average below 0°C for four months each year have been studied. They are big animals (although not as large as those on some North Atlantic islands) and have much brown fat, showing their response to their cold environment. Only two out of 27 gene loci scored electrophoretically were segregating (3·4% heterozygosity); these ( Es-6, Got-2 ) are four cross-over units apart on chromosome 8, and were in strong linkage disequilibrium. There were marked changes in allele frequencies with age which go in opposite directions in males and females, showing the action of stabilizing selection: Es-6 ^a increased from 16% in males of less than three months, to 35% in older animals; it declined in females from 36 to 19%.     

In Vivo Methylation of an Arginine in Chicken Myelin Basic Protein

Abstract: The amino acid sequence around the sole methylarginine residue in chicken myelin basic protein was determined and was found to be similar to that previously reported for mammalian myelin basic protein. The ratio N ^G, N '^G-dimethylarginine: N ^G-monomethylarginine:arginine was approximately 1.3:0.9:1.0. No N ^G, N ^G-dimethylarginine was detected in the protein. The in vivo incorporation of methyl groups from [methyl-³H]methionine into methylarginines in myelin was found to occur readily in 2-day-old chickens. Radioactively labelled N ^G, N '^G-dimeth-ylarginine and N ^G-monomethylarginine in myelin were derived solely from myelin basic protein. Radioactivity was also incorporated into N ^G, N ^G-dimeth-ylarginine, although this was not derived from myelin basic protein. As N ^G-monomethylarginine was easily separated from the dimethylarginines, and as it was derived from myelin basic protein, it may be a good marker for myelin basic protein turnover in vivo. A time course study of the incorporation showed that radioactivity was incorporated into N ^G-monomethylarginine up to 6 h after injection, and decayed slowly, with an apparent half-life of about 40 days.     

Segregational and structural instability of recombinant plasmid carrying genes for naphthalene degrading pathway

The stability of recombinant plasmid carrying genes for naphthalene mineralization was determined. A strain of Pseudomonas putida capable of mineralizing naphthalene (Nap⁺) via salicylate (Sal⁺) was isolated, and all regulatory and structural genes for the whole pathway were found to be encoded on a 25 kb Eco RI fragment of an approximately 83 kb plasmid present in this strain. The 25 kb Eco RI fragment was cloned into a tetracycline-resistant (Tc^R) cloning vector pLAFR3 and the recombinant plasmid, pRKJ3 (Nap⁺, Sal⁺, Tc^R), thus obtained was transferred into the plasmid-free strain Pseudomonas putida KT2442 in order to test the stability of the plasmid. Plasmid pRKJ3 was found to be segregationally and/or structurally unstable, depending on the growth conditions. Two types of novel derivative strains having the phenotypes Nap⁻, Sal⁺, Tc^R and Nap⁻, Sal⁻, Tc^R with specific deletions of approximately 2 kb and 18 kb, respectively, were obtained.     

Esterase-23 (ES-23): Characterization of a new carboxylesterase isozyme (EC 3.1.1.1) of the house mouse,genetically linked to ES-2 on chromosome 8

Genetic variation of a carboxylesterase isozyme (EC 3.1.1.1) of the house mouse, designated ES-23, is described. ES-23 was found in kidney, liver, and intestine. The isozyme was resistant to inhibition by 10(-3) mol/liter eserine and was stained using alpha-naphthyl butyrate or 5-bromoindoxyl acetate as substrate. Five different phenotypes, ES-23A to ES-23E, could be distinguished by disc electrophoresis and by isoelectric focusing. ES-23 is controlled by a structural locus situated within the esterase gene cluster 2 on chromosome 8. An analysis of allele distribution among different strains suggested a separate structural locus for the isozyme, Es-23e, which is closely linked to the loci Es-2, Es-5, Es-7, and Es-11. Of the five phenotypes, only ES-23B was expressed in lung. This variation is apparently controlled by a cis-acting regulatory element, presumably a temporal locus, Es-23t, closely linked to the presumed structural locus Es-23e.     

Uptake and distribution of calcium, magnesium and potassium in cucumber of different age

Uptake and distribution of Ca⁺, Mg²⁺ and K²⁺ were investigated in plants of cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L. var. Cila) which had been cultivated for 12, 19, 32, or 53 days in complete nutrient solution with 1.0 m M Ca²⁺, 2.0 m M Mg²⁺ and 2.0 m M K⁺. The ⁺ concentration was about the same in roots and shoots, while the Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations were low in roots compared to shoots. The K⁺ concentration decreased with increasing leaf age, while the Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ concentrations increased, except in older plants with flowers and fruits, where an increased concentration was found in the youngest leaves. This is discussed in connection with increased indoleacetic acid (IAA) synthesis in the shoot. Excision of leaves at different levels from 21-day-old plants, followed by uptake for 24 h from the nutrient solution on days 22 and 23, resulted in no immediate reduction in Ca²⁺ (⁴⁵Ca) uptake. Transport of Ca²⁺ increased to leaves above and below the excision point and total Ca²⁺ uptake remained at the same level as for the intact plant. It is suggested that regulation of Ca²⁺ uptake is primarily achieved in the root while the distribution in the shoot is regulated by the accessability of negative binding sites.