Acid phosphatase localization in the digestive glands of Dionaea muscipula Ellis flytraps

The intracellular localization of acid phosphatases in stimulated digestive glands of Dionaea flytraps has been studied to provide evidence for the route taken by this enzyme during secretion. Previous studies have either included or excluded a role for the dictyosomes in this pathway. Both p-nitrophenyl phosphate and beta-glycerophosphate were used as substrates, and both gave similar localization patterns. Unstimulated glands contained little phosphatase activity in the endomembrane system, whereas 24 and 48 hr after stimulation, heavy deposits of lead were located in the endoplasmic reticulum cisternae, including the nuclear envelope, the dictyosome cisternae, and secretory vesicles. Since dictyosome activation, as judged by the presence of secretory vesicles in the cytoplasm, also coincides with gland stimulation, we conclude that secretion of the hydrolase enzymes occurs via this route and not, as suggested elsewhere, via direct endoplasmic reticulum to plasma membrane connections.     

The impact of zooplankton size structure on phosphorus cycling in field enclosures

Plastic bag field enclosures (1570 1) were used to investigate the relationship between zooplankton size distributions and the turnover rate of pelagic phosphorus. Water within the enclosures was filtered to simulate either low (200 µm mesh net) or high (80 µm) planktivory. The bags were then spiked with radiolabelled phosphorus and sampled 7 times during the following 24 h period. Zooplankton communities dominated by smaller size classes cycled more phosphorus than those composed of larger species. These experiments reveal that higher trophic level interactions, such as size selective predation, may have a significant impact upon nutrient regeneration rates and, hence, primary production.     

Cleavage of Rabbit Myelin Basic Protein by Plasmin: Isolation and Identification of the Major Products

Rabbit myelin basic protein (BP) was subjected to partial cleavage with plasmin, and 15 cleavage products were isolated by a combination of gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. Their identification was achieved by amino acid analysis and tryptic peptide mapping, supplemented in some instances by carboxy-terminal analyses with carboxypeptidases A, B, and Y and amino-terminal analyses with dipeptidyl aminopeptidase I. The results showed that major plasmic cleavage sites included the Lys89-Asn90, Lys133-Ser134, and Lys153-Leu154 bonds. Cleavages also occurred at the Arg31-His32, Lys53-Arg54, and Arg25-His26 bonds, but these appeared to be less extensive. A large number of additional peptides were produced in relatively low yield. The smaller of these were isolated from heterogeneous fractions by high-voltage electrophoresis-TLC. Amino acid analysis of these peptides showed that minor cleavage sites included the Arg9-His10, Lys13-Tyr14, Lys103-Gly104, Lys137-Gly138, Lys140-Gly141, and Arg160-Ser161 bonds. In spite of a lower selectivity toward peptide bonds in BP as compared with pepsin, cathepsin D, and thrombin, plasmin has the advantage over the former proteinases in that it does not cleave at or near the Phe44-Phe45 bond. Instead it cleaves at the Arg31-His32 and Lys53-Arg54 bonds, thus preserving the entire hydrophobic sequence Ile-Leu-Asp-Ser-Ile-Gly-Arg-Phe-Phe as well as short sequences to either side.     

In vitro translation of human pheochromocytoma messenger RNAs: characterization of tyrosine-hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase

mRNAs extracted from human pheochromocytoma were translated in vitro in a lysate of a rabbit reticulocytes. Two enzymes of the biosynthetic pathway of the catecholamines, tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), were characterized as translation products after immunoprecipitation by specific antisera and electrophoretic analysis. The precursor of TH is a polypeptide having a molecular mass of 62,000 identical to that found for the mature protein. The molecular mass of the precursor of DBH 73,000 while that of the mature form is 79,000. TH and DBH have been translated from mRNAs having sedimentation coefficients of 22S and 25S, respectively.     

Correlation between limitation of growth ofPachysolen tannophilus on D-xylose with the formation of ethanol and other products

The formation of ethanol, xylitol, ribitol, arabitol and acetic acid from D-xylose byPachysolen tannophilus correlated with the limitation of growth. The correlation was consistent with these products being secondary metabolites.Issued as NRCC Publication Number 24259.     

Inhibition of soybean lipoxygenase by SKF 525-A and metyrapone

To determine whether agents which inhibit cytochrome P-450 enzymes also inhibit lipoxygenase, the effects of metyrapone and SKF 525-A were assessed on soybean lipoxygenase using a spectrophotometric technique which allows for measurement of both the rate and magnitude of product formation. Both SKF 525-A and metyrapone inhibited the rate of product formation and the final amount of product formed in 5 min incubations SKF 525-A was 5 to 6 times more potent than metyrapone, with the IC₅₀ for SKF 525-A 40 uM and for metyrapone between 150 and 200 uM as determined by the total product formation in 5 minutes. Analysis of the reduced product by HPLC confirmed that the substances monitored were those generated by the 15-lipoxygenase enzyme.     

Effects of phosphorus and nitrogen enrichment on the phytoplankton in a tropical reservoir (Lobo Reservoir,Brazil)

The effects of enrichment with phosphate (0–500 µg. 1^–1) and forms of nitrogen (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia an and urea) (0–3500 µgg. ^–1) on the phytoplankton growth of Lobo Reservoir (Brazil) were studied in July, 1979. Suspended matter, chlorophyll a, cell concentrations and the carotenoid:cchlorophyll ratio were estimated following 14 days of in situ incubation. Phosphate alone caused no significant effects, but enrichment with nitrogen caused a substantial increase on the growth of phytoplankton. Comparison between the different forms of nitrogen showed insignificant effects after their additions with 350 µg. ^–1 and in combination with phosphate. However, when nitrogen was added in large quantities (3 500 µg. ^–1), significant differences between the nitrogeneous forms were found, with urea causing the strongest effect. In July, nitrogen is mhe main limiting nutrient to phytoplankton growth of Lobo Reservoir.Supported by CNPq and FAPESP.     

Ecological patterns of relative clutch mass in snakes

Summary Data on the relative clutch mass of snakes are summarized for over 100 populations. RCM was significantly lower in live bearing versus egg laying forms. We suggest that the longer reproductive season of viviparous snakes results in higher overall mortality compared to oviparous species; by reducing RCM, viviparous snakes may reduce this risk of mortality. Unlike lizards, no differences in RCM were found between categories of either escape behavior or foraging mode, possibly because detailed information on these behaviors are lacking for most snakes. In four populations examined, RCM did not vary among years. When compared to lizards, snakes demonstrate significantly higher RCM, perhaps owing to a more energetically efficient means of locomotion. Our data support the contention that RCM should be considered a separate and distinctive life-history characteristic of reptiles.     

Nucleotide sequence of the split tRNAUAALeu gene from Vicia faba chloroplasts: evidence for structural homologies of the chloroplast tRNALeu intron with the intron from the autosplicable Tetrahymena ribosomal RNA precursor

Summary The gene encoding the tRNA _UAA ^Leu from broad bean chloroplasts has been located on a 5.1 kbp long BamHI fragment by analysis of the DNA sequence of an XbaI subfragment. This gene is 536 bp long and is split in the anticodon region. The 451 bp long intron shows high sequence homology over about 100 bp from each end with the corresponding regions of the maize chloroplast tRNA _UAA ^Leu intron. These conserved sequences are probably involved in the splicing reaction, for they can be folded into a secondary structure which is very similar to the postulated structure of the intron from the autosplicable ribosomal RNA precursor of Tetrahymena. Very little sequence conservation is found in the 5-and 3-flanking regions of the broad bean and maize chloroplast tRNA _UAA ^Leu genes.