Animal community structure as a function of stream size

The species-area relationship of the island biogeography theory was calculated for macroinvertebrates in 22 coastal, adjacent streams. A z-value of 0.19 was obtained. The low z-value was probably a consequence of the short distances between streams as well as high dispersal rates. In addition, a cluster analysis based on the dissimilarity of species assemblages showed that stream size was of prime importance in categorizing the streams. To a smaller extent water quality affected the community structure in the streams.     

Migration of peripheral T and B cells into the thymus of aging (NZB × SJL)F1 female mice

Aging NZB × SJL (NS) female mice provide a unique model of thymopathology characterized by the intrathymic accumulation of large numbers of mature T and B cells. The purpose of the present work was to examine the possibility that this phenomenon results from the invasion of the thymus by cells from the periphery. Lymphoid cells labeled with chromium-51 or indium-111 were injected into syngeneic recipients to study their patterns of in vivo migration. Lymph node (LN) or spleen cells were found to localize significantly (1–2% of injected radioactivity) into the thymus of 12-month-old NS females but not into that of young recipients or of old NS males. However, intrathymic localization of injected LN cells was observed in castrated NS males which exhibit the same thymopathology as NS females. Both radiolabeled T and B cells were found to enter the thymus of aged NS females but the latter cells about three times less efficiently than the former. Moreover, while thymocytes from young NS females were unable to recirculate to LN, those of old NS females showed increased LN-seeking capacity and part (1%) of them did migrate back into the thymus of old but not young NS females. In additional cell transfer experiments, the intrathymic migration of B cells into old NS females was further documented by using the antibody response to sheep erythrocytes as a tracer. Taken together, these observations indicate that the thymus of aging NS female mice is permeable to recirculating lymphocytes, suggesting that at least part of the mature T and B cells detected in this thymus, are migrants from the periphery.     

Evaluation of the intramolecular stacking of the fluorosulfonylbenzoyl derivatives of 1,N6-ethenoadenosine, adenosine, and guanosine

The differences in conformation in solution of fluorosulfonylbenzoyl nucleosides were analyzed by fluorescence and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The quantum yield of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl-1,N6-ethenoadenosine (5'-FSB epsilon A) in aqueous solution is low (? = 0.01) as compared to that of its parent nucleoside, ethenoadenosine (? = 0.54), and increases approximately 5-fold when measured in a series of solvents of decreasing dielectric constant. The quantum yield of 5'-p-sulfonylbenzoyl-1,N6-ethenoadenosine covalently bound to glutamate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase is also 0.01, suggesting that the analogue may exist in the same conformation when enzyme-bound as when free in solution. In D2O, the resonances of the purine ring protons on 5'-FSB epsilon A, 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine (5'-FSBA), and 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl guanosine (5'-FSBG) are shifted upfield by about 0.1-0.3 ppm relative to the corresponding protons of their parent nucleosides. The calculated difference in chemical shift (delta delta) decreases as the dielectric constant of the solvent decreases. The delta delta decreases with increasing temperature. These data indicate that 5'-FSB epsilon A, 5'-FSBA, and 5'-FSBG exist in aqueous solution in a conformation in which the purine ring is intramolecularly stacked with the benzoyl moiety. From the magnitude of change in delta delta for 5'-FSB epsilon A, 5'-FSBA, and 5'-FSBG as a function of solvent, it appears that the three analogues differ in their sensitivity to disruption of stacking. The solution conformation of these three fluorosulfonylbenzoyl nucleoside analogues may be an important determinant of their reaction with various enzymes and may explain differences among the analogues in their reaction with a single enzyme.     

Ontogeny of B lymphocyte function. XV. A role for thymus cells in the maturation of the capacity of a subpopulation of B cells to re-express surface immunoglobulin after treatment with anti-immunoglobulin

The maturation of the C57BL/6 B cell population to be able to re-express surface immunoglobulin (sIg) after its removal by treatment with rabbit antimouse Ig (RAMIg) was studied in a cell transfer system. It was found that thymus cells were required for the maturation of a subset of the B cell population to be able to re-express sIg. The B cell population of irradiated, thymectomized mice reconstituted with spleen cells from donors under 2 wk of age remained deficient in their ability to re-express sIg even after 4 wk residence in the cell transfer recipient. In contrast, if adult thymus cells were transferred together with the immature B cells, the B cell population matured to be able to re-express sIg after treatment with RAMIg. Approximately one-third of the B cell population appears to require thymus cells for this maturation. The maturation of the thymus cell population to be capable of mediating this maturation of the B cell population occurs in two steps: between 2 and 3 and between 3 and 4 wk of age. This timing corresponds to the age at which the B cell population of C57BL/6 mice normally acquires the capacity to re-express sIg, which we have previously shown to also occur in two steps. Thymus cells from 3-wk-old donors can mediate the first step in B cell maturation to be able to re-express sIg, but cannot mediate the second step in this maturation of the B cell population. Thymus cells from 4-wk-old donors can mediate both steps in the maturation of the B cell population. The results suggest that thymus cells are involved in regulating some aspects of B cell differentiation.     

Lateral diffusion of an 80,000-dalton glycoprotein in the plasma membrane of murine fibroblasts: relationships to cell structure and function

The lateral diffusion of an 80,000-dalton major cell surface glycoprotein of murine fibroblasts has been measured. This antigen, identified through the use of monoclonal antibodies, is an integral glycoprotein distributed through the plasma membrane as judged by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy (see preceding paper). Measurements of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching were performed on the antigen-antibody complex within the plasma membrane of C3H/10T1/2 and NIH/3T3 cells after labeling the monoclonal antibody with fluorescein. Measurements were performed as a function of temperature, for interphase, mitotic, and G0 C3H/10T1/2 cells. The mean lateral diffusion coefficients (D) for the antibody-protein complex in interphase cells were in the range of 0.7-3.5 X 10(-10) cm2/s between 9 degrees and 37 degrees C, while that for the lipid analog probe, dihexadecylindocarbocyanine was about two orders of magnitude greater. This comparison indicates that peripheral interactions other than bilayer fluidity limit the lateral mobility of the antigen. The mobile fraction of mitotic, G0, and interphase cells showed a monotonic increase with temperature with most of the antibody-antigen complexes being free to move about 25 degrees C. Semi-quantitative interpretations of both the slow glycoprotein diffusion and the immobile fraction are offered. Comparison of diffusion coefficients for cells in different phases of the cell cycle does not reveal striking differences. Mobile fractions for G0 cells at 25 degrees C or less are substantially lower than in interphase cells. In all cases, there was a remarkably broad range of the fluorescence recovery data between different cells, resulting in up to a 10-fold variation in diffusion coefficients, which is far greater than the precision limits of the experiment. Diffusion values and mobile fractions were generally well within a factor of two when measured at several arbitrary points on a single cell. The origins of this cellular heterogenity remain to be elucidated. Lateral mobility in cell fragments and specific regions of single cells was also examined. The glycoprotein was mobile in ventral surface cell fragments. Its mobility was not altered in regions of cell- cell underlapping. However, the diffusion coefficient was threefold higher near the leading edge of motile cells compared to the trailing region. This difference may reflect weaker coupling of the glycoprotein to the underlying cytoskeleton in the dynamic leading edge region.     

Spore production ofPenicillium roqueforti in fermentors filled with buckwheat seeds: batch and semi-continuous cultivation

Summary The behaviour of a drum fermentor and a column fermentor during the sporulation ofPenicillium roqueforti on buckwheat seeds is presented. The main problem encountered during the course of a cultivation is the free water released (about 0.1 ml/g dry matter) which must be removed from the medium. The rotation of the drum fermentor may disturb the growth and the sporulation. The column fermentor thus represents the best way to perform batch cultivation of the fungus: 10⁹ external spores/g dry matter are obtained.Semi-continous cultivation, with sequential emptying and filling, is performed in 1-liter bottles. This kind of cultivation may give a maximal average productivity close to 9.2·10⁶ external spores/g dry matter per hour. A drum fermentor, rotading only when emptying and filling, could represent an alternative to perform this kind of cultivation.     

Preservation of fine structure in vibratome-cut sections of the central nervous system stained for light microscopy

A technique without negative effects on tissue preservation that allows precise identification and subsequent removal of central nervous system nuclei for ultrastructural analysis is described. The procedure uses 200 microns thick Vibratome-cut sections of glutaraldehyde fixed brains. These sections are stained for 25 seconds with a methylene blue solution and stored for 4 hours in 0.2 M pH 7.4 phosphate buffer in 4% sucrose for optimal visualization at the light microscopic level. The stock solution of 1 g methylene blue and 1 g sodium borate in 100 ml of distilled water, is filtered through a Millipore filter and diluted 5:95 with distilled water immediately prior to use. Regions of specific interest are then processed for electron microscopy.     

Studies on the mechanism of polyethylene glycol-mediated cell fusion using fluorescent membrane and cytoplasmic probes

The mechanism by which polyethylene glycol (PEG) mediates cell fusion has been studied by examining the movements of membrane lipids and proteins, as well as cytoplasmic markers, from erythrocytes to monolayers of cultured cells to which they have been fused. Fluorescence and freeze-fracture electron microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching have yielded the following results: (a) In the presence of both fusogenic and nonfusogenic PEG membranes are brought together at closely apposed contact regions. (b) Fluorescent lipid probes quickly spread from the membranes of erythrocytes to cultured cells in the presence of both fusogenic and nonfusogenic PEG. (c) Proteins of the erythrocyte membranes were never observed to diffuse into the cultured cell membrane. (d) Water-soluble proteins did not diffuse from the erythrocyte interior into the target cell cytoplasm until the PEG was removed. These data suggest that the coordinate action of two distinct components is necessary for fusion as mediated by PEG. Presumably, the polymer itself promotes close apposition of the adjacent cell membranes but the fusion stimulus is provided by the additives contained in commercial PEG.