Methane emission from a wetland rice field as affected by salinity

The impact of salinity on CH₄ emission was studied by adding salt to a Philippine rice paddy, increasing pore water EC to approx. 4 dS.m^-1 Methane emission from the salt-amended plot and adjacent control plots was monitored with a closed chamber technique. The addition of salt to the rice field caused a reduction by 25% in CH₄ emission. Rates of methane emissions from intact soil cores were measured during aerobic and anaerobic incubations. The anaerobic CH₄ fluxes from the salt-amended soil cores were three to four times lower than from cores of the control plot, whereas the aerobic CH₄ fluxes were about equal. Measurements of the potential CH₄ production with depth showed that the CH₄ production in the salt-amended field was strongly reduced compared to the control field. Calculation of the percentage CH₄ oxidized of the anaerobic flux indicated that CH₄ oxidation in the salt-amended plot was even more inhibited than CH₄ production. The net result was about equal aerobic CH₄ fluxes from both salt-amended plots and non-amended plots. The data illustrate the importance of both CH₄ production and CH₄ oxidation when estimating CH₄ emission and show that the ratio between CH₄ production and CH₄ oxidation may depend on environmental conditions. The reduction in CH₄ emission from rice paddies upon amendment with salt low in sulfate is considerably smaller than the reduction in CH₄ emission observed in a similar study where fields were amended with high-sulfate containing salt (gypsum). The results indicate that CH₄ emissions from wetland rice fields on saline, low-sulfate soils are lower than CH₄ emissions from otherwise comparable non-saline rice tields. However, the reduction in CH₄ emission is not proportional to the reduction in CH₄ production     

Maintenance of two genetic entities by habitat selection

Summary In the laboratory, the two species of copepodsLepeophtheirus thompsoni andLepeophtheirus europaensis, ectoparasites of flatfishes, can meet and mate on at least one host species. In the wild however, these two species are found isolated on their sympatric hosts. Habitat selection theoretically represents a powerful enough mechanism to explain the maintenance of genetic heterogeneity in the wide sense. In this paper, the host colonization process is studied for both parasite species. It is shown that each parasite can develop and reach adult age on each host species. However,L. thompsoni is highly selective; it almost totally refuses to colonize hosts other than its natural one.Lepeophtheirus europaensis, on the contrary, readily infests turbot and brill in single-host experiments, but strongly prefers the brill when it has a choice. It appears that these two genetic entities are sympatrically maintained due to strong habitat selection. Such a pattern could theoretically only occur in a soft-selection context (density dependence). This point is discussed with respect to the different patterns in host use found in the geographical distribution of these parasites.     

Repetitive DNA sequences located in the central region of the human mdr1 (multidrug resistance) gene may account for a gene fusion event during its evolution

The mdr1 gene, first member of the human multidrug-resistance gene family, is a major gene involved in cellular resistance to several drugs used in anticancer chemotherapy. Its product, the drug-excreting P-glycoprotein, shows a bipartite structure formed by two similar adjacent halves. According to one hypothesis, the fusion of two related ancestral genes during evolution could have resulted in this structure. The DNA sequence analysis of the introns located in the region connecting the two halves of the human mdr1 gene revealed a highly conserved poly(CA) · poly (TG) sequence in intron 15 and repeated sequences of the Alu family in introns 14 and 17. These repeated sequences most likely represent molecular fossils of ancient DNA elements which were involved in such a recombination event. Correspondence to: M. Pauly     

Operational patterns affecting lactic acid production in ultrafiltration cell recycle bioreactor

Lactic acid production with cell recycling on an ultrafiltration tubular membrane reactor was studied; higher lactic acid concentrations as well as productivities were obtained under long-term fermentations compared with other high cell density systems. Different operational conditions, namely dilution rates and start-up modes, were assessed. Performances were very different at the three different dilution rates tested (D = 0.20 h(-1), D = 0.40 h(-1), or D = 0.58 h(-1)). The different behaviours are discussed and factors responsible for them are presented. The best way to operate for lactic acid production is chosen, the dilution rate of D = 0.40 h(-1) being the one providing the best overall performance. On the other hand, results show that of the two start-up modes tested, continuous start (membrane open) permits higher permeabilities throughout the operational runs than batch start (membrane closed). Operational stability was found to be directly associated with membranes that work at "steady state," the membrane permeability being kept around 15 L/m(2) h. Optimized cell bleed can improve time of operation if such membrane permeability can be maintained for a longer time. A comparison of results with those obtained in other lactic acid production systems is presented; such comparison shows that this tubular ultrafiltration membrane cell recycle reactor presents three important advantages: (1) concomitant lactic acid concentrations and productivities; (2) long periods of operation at reasonable permeabilities; and (3) good mechanical stability permitting the use of steam sterilization. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Changes in the subcellular localization of replication initiation proteins and cell cycle proteins during G1- to S-phase transition in mammalian cells

DNA replication in eukaryotic cells is restricted to the S-phase of the cell cycle. In a cell-free replication model system, using SV40 origin-containing DNA, extracts from G1 cells are inefficient in supporting DNA replication. We have undertaken a detailed analysis of the subcellular localization of replication proteins and cell cycle regulators to determine when these proteins are present in the nucleus and therefore available for DNA replication. Cyclin A and cdk2 have been implicated in regulating DNA replication, and may be responsible for activating components of the DNA replication mitiation complex on entry into S-phase. G1 cell extracts used for in vitro replication contain the replication proteins RPA (the eukaryotic single-stranded DNA binding protein) and DNA polymerase as well as cdk2, but lack cyclin A. On localizing these components in G1 cells we find that both RPA and DNA polymerase are present as nuclear proteins, while cdk2 is primarily cytoplasmic and there is no detectable cyclin A. An apparent change in the distribution of these proteins occurs as the cell enters S-phase. Cyclin A becomes abundant and both cyclin A and cdk2 become localized to the nucleus in S-phase. In contrast, the RPA-34 and RPA-70 subunits of RPA, which are already nuclear, undergo a transition from the uniform nuclear distribution observed during G1, and now display a distinct punctate nuclear pattern. The initiation of DNA replication therefore most likely occurs by modification and activation of these replication initiation proteins rather than by their recruitment to the nuclear compartment.     

Molecular Diversity and Evolution of bla TEM Genes Encoding β-Lactamases Resistant to Clavulanic Acid in Clinical E. coli

The molecular diversity of inhibitor-resistant TEM (IRT) enzymes was explored using a strategy which involved DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and direct nucleotide sequencing. The study of plasmid-borne genes from 27 strains, resistant to amoxicillin and β-lactamase-inhibitor combinations, identified mutations resulting in amino acid change at positions 69, 244, 275, and 276 known to be associated with the IRT phenotype and a mutation at nucleotide position 162 in the promoter region. These mutations were found to lie on two different gene sequences, described here as ``TEM-1B like' and ``TEM-2 like' restriction linkage groups. Further analysis, of nucleotide sequences of promoter and coding regions of the β-lactamases, confirmed that a given mutation causing IRT phenotype could be associated with two different gene sequence frameworks and two different causal mutations could lie on identical gene sequence framework. These data argue in favor of convergent phenotypic evolution of IRT enzymes under the selective pressure imposed by the intensive clinical use of β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Received: 18 March 1996 / Accepted: 15 July 1996     

An improved method for the generation and transfection of protoplasts from Cucumis sativus Cotyledons

Summary A protocol was developed for the preparation of Cucumis sativus var Straight 8 protoplasts that incorporates a two-step Ficoll^® gradient and results in a high percentage of viable, debris-free protoplasts suitable for the transient expression of foreign genes. Polyethylene glycol and electroporation were compared for their effect on protoplast transfection with commonly used reporter genes. Using a polyethylene glycol method, cucumber protoplasts transfected with a plasmid containing the -glucuronidase gene showed high expression levels, while protoplasts transfected with a plasmid containing the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase gene showed levels of activity that were barely distinguishable from mock-transfected controls. Tomato ringspot virus genomic RNA was also transfected into the protoplasts, and the assembly of viral particles was confirmed.     

Glutamine synthetase (GS) expression is reduced in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type

Glutamine synthetase (GS), a metabolic marker of the mature astrocyte, was investigated in the temporal neocortex of postmortem brain samples of 8 cases, either not demented or affected by senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. A negative correlation between the GS protein level and the density of both classical A4 deposits and senile plaques was evidenced. Such a correlation for GS underlies a dysfunction of the astroglial metabolism and particularly of the glutamate and ammonia neutralization. Since GS is sensitive to oxidative lesioning, the changes in GS level that were observed, occurring at the posttranslational stage, might reflect oxidative damage and have severe consequences on the pathological cascade of events.     

Subregional mapping of the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) gene to 4q between the markers D4S392 and D4S409

We have isolated nine yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) containing the gene that encodes the human gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R) gene by screening the YAC library of the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain (Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France) by the use of the polymerase chain reaction. We defined the location of the GnRH-R gene relative to 4q microsatellite markers D4S392 and D4S409. The genetic positions of these markers on chromosome 4 are 76 and 77 cM, respectively. This location was further established by chromosomal in situ hybridization.