Differential Thermolability of Exonuclease and Endonuclease Activities of the recBC Nuclease Isolated from Thermosensitive recB and recC Mutants

The recBC nuclease (also called exonuclease V) has been partially purified from Escherichia coli K-12 strains carrying the thermosensitive recB270, recC271, and recB270 recC271 mutations. Of the multiple activities associated with the enzyme, only the adenosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent exonucleolytic hydrolysis of duplex deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is abnormally thermolabile. The exo- and endonucleolytic degradation of single-stranded DNA is no more thermosensitive than that catalyzed by the wild-type enzyme. These results suggest that the defects in genetic recombination, DNA repair, and the maintenance of cell viability observed in recBC mutants in vivo result primarily from the specific loss of adenosine 5'-triphosphate-dependent exonuclease active on duplex DNA.     

Reproductive life history of ocelotsLeopardus pardalis in southern Texas

The ocelotLeopardus pardalis Linnaeus, 1758 is an endangered felid in the United States currently restricted to southern Texas. The objectives of our study were to obtain data on ocelot parturition dates, fecundity, sex ratios, den characteristics, and first year survival, all of which are critical in development of population viability models. Sixteen parturition events were recorded ranging from mid-April to late December for 12 wild ocelots. Cumulatively, litters consisted of 1 or 2 kittens (ˉ = 1.2 ± 0.44 SD). Cumulative sex ratio was 1∶2.5 (male:female); however, there was no significant difference between the observed sex ratio and a 1∶1 sex ratio. Ten den sites were in close proximity (≤ 10 m) to dense thornshrub. Adult female ocelots used 2 to 4 den sites for each litter with distance between consecutively occupied dens ranging from 110 to 280 m (ˉ = 158 m ± 93 SD). An estimated annual survival for ocelots 0 to 1 year of age was 0.68. Evidence suggests that ocelots in the wild may breed more frequently than had been previously hypothesized.     

Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation for Women in an HIV-1 Prevention Clinical Trial Experiencing Primary HIV-1 Infection during Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

During an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial in East Africa, we observed 16 cases of primary HIV-1 infection in women coincident with pregnancy or breastfeeding. Nine of eleven pregnant women initiated rapid combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), despite having CD4 counts exceeding national criteria for ART initiation; breastfeeding women initiated ART or replacement feeding. Rapid ART initiation during primary HIV-1 infection during pregnancy and breastfeeding is feasible in this setting.