Immobilization of glucoamylase and glucose oxidase in activated carbon: effects of particle size and immobilization conditions on enzyme activity and effectiveness

Glucoamylase and glucose oxidase have been immobilized on carbodiimide-treated activated carbon particles of various sizes. Loading data indicate nonuniform distribution of immobilized enzyme within the porous support particles. Catalysts with different enzyme loading and overall activities have been prepared by varying enzyme concentration in the immobilizing solution. Analysis of these results by a new method based entirely upon experimentally observable catalyst properties indicates that intrinsic catalytic activity is reduced by immobilization of both enzymes. Immobilized glucoamylase intrinsic activity decreases with increasing enzyme loading, and similar behavior is suggested by immobilized glucose oxidase data analysis. The overall activity data interpretation method should prove useful in other immobilized enzyme characterization research, especially in situations where the intraparticle distribution of immobilized enzyme is nonuniform and unknown.     

Enhancement by Putrescine of Gibberellin-Induced Elongation in Hypocotyls of Lettuce Seedlings

Effects of diamines, polyamines, and other basic amino acidson the growth of lettuce hypocotyls were investigated. Putrescine,cadaverine and agmatine enhanced the hypocotyl growth in thepresence of gibberellin, while spermidine and spermine werenon-effective. Arginine and ornithine, which may be precursorsof putrescine, had similar effect. While the growth inhibitiondue to arcaine (1,4-diguanidinobutane), which is a agmatineiminohydrolase inhibitor, was recovered by agmatine, cadaverine,putrescine, and spermidine, putrescine most effectively recoveredits growth-enhancing effect. (Received August 25, 1982; Accepted December 27, 1982)     

Effects of Cytokinin and Several Inorganic Cations on the Polyamine Content of Lettuce Cotyledons

Kinetin (4.7 x 10^–5 M) and 6-benzyladenine (2.22 x 10^–5M) were found to increase ca. 2-fold the putrescine contentin cotyledons of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) seedlings grownfor 3 days under fluorescent light. On the other hand, severalinorganic ions (K⁺, Na⁺, Ga⁺⁺, Mg⁺⁺) at a concentration of 3x 10^–2 M reduced the putrescine content. The combinationof kinetin with one of several inorganic ions at the same levelmarkedly increased the spermine content, but the putrescinecontent decreased; calcium and magnesium ions were less effective.The physiological significance of these findings is discussed. (Received July 4, 1982; Accepted November 6, 1982)     

Twin seals in Scotland

Published accounts of twinning in seals are reviewed briefly and details are given of new records of twins in the Common and Grey seals in Scotland.     

Factors Affecting the Pathways of Glucose Catabolism and the Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle in Pseudomonas natriegens

Less than 50% of theoretical oxygen uptake was observed when glucose was dissimilated by resting cells of Pseudomonas natriegens. Low oxygen uptakes were also observed when a variety of other substrates were dissimilated. When uniformly labeled glucose-(14)C was used as substrate, 56% of the label was shown to accumulate in these resting cells. This material consisted, in part, of a polysaccharide which, although it did not give typical glycogen reactions, yielded glucose after its hydrolysis. Resting cells previously cultivated on media containing glucose completely catabolized glucose and formed a large amount of pyruvate within 30 min. Resting cells cultivated in the absence of glucose catabolized glucose more slowly and produced little pyruvate. Pyruvate disappeared after further incubation. In this latter case, experimental results suggested (i) that pyruvate was converted to other acidic products (e.g., acetate and lactate) and (ii) that pyruvate was further catabolized via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Growth on glucose repressed the level of key enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and of lactic dehydrogenase. Growth on glycerol stimulated the level of these enzymes. A low level of isocitratase, but not malate synthetase, was noted in extracts of glucose-grown cells. Isocitric dehydrogenase was shown to require nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) as cofactor. Previous experiments have shown that reduced NADP (NADPH(2)) cannot be readily oxidized and that pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase could not be detected in extracts. It was concluded that acetate, lactate, and pyruvate accumulate under growing conditions when P. natriegens is cultivated on glucose (i) because of a rapid initial catabolism of glucose via an aerobic glycolytic pathway and (ii) because of a sluggishly functioning tricarboxylic acid cycle due to the accumulation of NADPH(2) and to repressed levels of key enzymes.     

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Xiphinema,Longidorus, and Californidorus Stylet Morphology

Stylet ultrastructure of five Xiphinema, four Longidorus, and three Californidorus species was compared by scanning electron microscopy. Morphological differences were seen in the odontophores and odontostyle bases between the genera and some of the species. All Xiphinema studied had well-developed odontophore flanges; the Longidorus species lacked flanges, except for weakly developed ones in L. diadecturus; and none of the Californidorus had flanges. Three sinuses were present in the odontophores of all species. The sinuses varied in length depending upon species. In Xiphinema and Californidorus the odontostyle bases had distinct overlapping collars, but in Longidorus the collars were absent except for L. diadecturus. The odontostyle-odontophore junction from a lateral view appeared as a slanted transverse line in all the species, but in a dorsal view of Xiphinema and Californidorus it was V-shaped. Dorsal longitudinal seams of the odontostyle and odontophore were observed in all the species. The dorsally located odontostyle aperture was ca. 1 μm from the anterior end in all species, except in one Longidorus sp. it was ca. 4 μm from the end.