Ecophysiological investigations on lichens of the Negev desert

Summary Previous publications have reported on investigations of CO₂ exchange in the desert lichenRamalina maciformis both in its natural habitat in the Negev and in the laboratory. Utilizing laboratory data, net photosynthesis and dark respiration were expressed as mathematical functions of the most important environmental factors. Based on these relationships, a model is developed that allows one to predict CO₂ exchange of the plant. Input data are light intensity, temperature, and water content of the thallus, together with a measure of the rate of the seasonal change of photosynthetic and respiratory activity. The validity of the model is tested by comparing simulated daily courses of CO₂ uptake and release of the lichen with independent results of CO₂ exchange measurements conducted in the field during and after the condensation of dew. The sensitivity of the model is shown by simulating changes in the input data of temperature and water content of the lichen.This paper is dedicated to Dr. h.c. Oscar Klement on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Some pharmacological properties of neuromuscular transmission in the oviduct of the locust,Locusta migratoria

The effects of various pharmacological agents on neurally evoked contractions of the visceral muscles of the oviduct of Locusta migratoria have been examined. The pentapeptide, proctolin, at low concentrations (10^?11 M?10^?10 M), induced an increase in the amplitude of neurally evoked contractions and basal tonus, and induced the appearance and increased the frequency of myogenic contractions. Glutamate, at 10^?4 M, produced a small transient contraction which in some preparations was accompanied by a reduction in amplitude of neurally evoked contractions. Octopamine, at 10^?6 M, reduced the amplitude of neurally evoked contractions and also resulted in a relaxation of the muscles. The octopaminergic effects were inhibited by the α-aminergic antagonist phentolamine. Neurally evoked contractions were unaffected by dopamine, 5-HT or the acetylcholine receptor antagonists atropine and hexamethonium. Acetylcholine increased the amplitude of neurally evoked contractions, but only at the high concentration of 10^?3 M. The possible role of proctolin and glutamate as excitatory neuro-transmitters and the inhibitory action of octopamine is discussed.     

Crystal structure of a chimeric Fab' fragment of an antibody binding tumour cells.

The crystal structure of a chimeric Fab' fragment of a monoclonal antibody is presented. The Fab' comprises the murine light chain and heavy chain variable domains of the carcinoma-binding antibody B72.3 fused to the constant domain of human kappa, and the first constant domain and hinge domain of human gamma 4, respectively. A model for the Fab' has been determined by molecular replacement and refined to a resolution of 3.1 A with an R-factor of 17.6%. The additional residues that distinguish a Fab' from a Fab fragment are seen to be disordered in the crystals. The H3 hypervariable loop is short and adopts a sharp hairpin turn in a conformation that results from an interaction between the lysine side-chain of H93 and the main-chain carbonyl group of H96. The remaining hypervariable loops display conformations similar to those predicted from the canonical structures approach, although loop H2 is apparently displaced by a salt-bridge formed between H55 Asp and the neighbouring H73 Lys. These and other features of the structure likely to be important in grafting the hypervariable loops to an otherwise human framework are discussed.     

The parasitism of the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (Acariformes: Sarcoptidae)]

The life cycle of the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (L.), an intracutaneous parasite of man and animals, has been studied. The paper concerns morphological adaptations, embryonal and postembryonal development, life cycle pattern, scabious passage as a reproductive formation, invasive stages, feeding, reproduction and topical relationships with the host, distribution and survival in the environment.     

Induction of Nitrate Assimilatory Enzymes in the Tree Betula pendula

The coordinate appearance of the bispecific NAD(P)H-nitrate reductase (NR; EC 1.6.6.2) and nitrite reductase (NiR; EC 1.7.7.1) was investigated in leaves and roots from European white birch seedlings (Betula pendula Roth). Induction by nitrate and light of both enzymes was analyzed by in vitro assays and by measuring NR- and NiR-encoding mRNA pools with homologous cDNAs as probes. When birch seedlings were grown on a medium containing ammonium as the sole nitrogen source, low constitutive expression of NR and NiR was observed in leaves, whereas only NiR was significantly expressed in roots. Upon transfer of the seedlings to a nitrate-containing medium, mRNA pools and activities of NR and NiR dramatically increased in leaves and roots, with a more rapid induction in leaves. Peak accumulations of mRNA pools preceded the maximum activities of NR and NiR, suggesting that the appearance of both activities can be mainly attributed to an increased expression of NR and NiR genes. Expression of NR was strictly light-dependent in leaves and roots and was repressed by ammonium in roots but not in leaves. In contrast with NR, constitutive expression of NiR was not affected by light, and even a slight induction following the addition of nitrate was found in the dark in roots but not in leaves. No effect of ammonium on NiR expression was detectable in both organs. In leaves as well as in roots, NiR was induced more rapidly than NR, which appears to be a safety measure to prevent nitrite accumulation.     

Nanosecond fluorescence of tryptophans in cytochrome P-450scc (CYP11A1): effect of substrate binding.

Fluorescence of eight tryptophan residues in cytochrome P-450scc with bound endogenous cholesterol could be fitted with a two component model: a single exponential and a "top-hat" distribution of lifetimes as the second component. The short-lived component (tau 1 about 700 ps) does not change significantly upon binding of substrate (22R-hydroxycholesterol). The parameters of the long-lived component (central lifetime tau m about 3.4 ns) change upon binding of carbon monoxide and substrate. 22R-hydroxycholesterol binding broadens the distribution of the long-lived component; that is the heterogeneity of the Trp environment is increased when this substrate displaces the endogenous cholesterol.     

A substance released by metamorphosing larvae and young polyps ofHydractinia echinata induces metamorphosis in conspecific larvae

Summary A metamorphosis-inducing factor was isolated from medium conditioned by either metamorphosing larvae or 3-day postmetamorphic primary polyps. The factor has a molecular weight 8 kDa and is heatlabile. It does not induce metamorphosis of isolated posterior fragments and is therefore not identical to the internal signal described by Schwoerer-Böhning et al. (1990). The biological significance of the substance is currently unclear, therefore its inducing activity may be a side effect.