Characterizing bisexual Artemia populations by isoelectric focusing

Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of protein extracts, -Esterase and Phosphoglucose isomerase, from groups of Artemia adults from different bisexual populations were studied. Both gave clear separation between the Old and New World species. The second was more polymorphic, allowing a discrimination among Mediterranean populations.     

Two beta-glycanase genes are clustered in Bacillus polymyxa: molecular cloning, expression, and sequence analysis of genes encoding a xylanase and an endo-beta-(1,3)-(1,4)-glucanase.

Two genes, xynD and gluB, encoding a xylanase and an endo-beta-(1,3)-(1,4)-glucanase (lichenase) from Bacillus polymyxa have been cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. A sequenced DNA fragment of 4,466 bp contains both genes, which are separated by 155 bp. The xynD and gluB genes encode proteins of 67.8 kDa (XYND) and 27 kDa (GLUB). Two peptides with molecular masses of 62 and 53 kDa appear in cell extracts of E. coli and culture supernatants of B. subtilis clones containing the xynD gene. Both peptides show xylanase activity in zymogram analysis. The XYND enzyme also shows alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activity. The XYND peptide and the xylanase XYNZ from Clostridium thermocellum (O. Grépinet, M. C. Chebrou, and P. Béguin, J. Bacteriol. 170:4582-4588, 1988) show 64% homology in a stretch of about 280 amino acids.     

Amino terminus of the interleukin-8 receptor is a major determinant of receptor subtype specificity.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a key mediator in the migration of neutrophils from the circulation to the site of inflammation in the tissue. IL-8 is secreted by many cell types in response to proinflammatory stimuli such as interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, and lipopolysaccharide and is a potent chemoattractant and activator of neutrophils. Neutrophil activating peptide-2 (NAP-2) and melanoma growth-stimulatory activity (MGSA/GRO) are structurally and functionally related to IL-8 and, like IL-8, bind to specific G protein-coupled receptors on neutrophils. In the present study two closely related cloned IL-8 receptor subtypes are characterized by expression of the cDNA clones in monkey kidney cells (COS-7) or chinese hamster ovary cells and analysis of their ligand binding profiles. Both receptor subtypes bind 125I-labeled IL-8 with similar high affinity, however, the F3R receptor binds IL-8 exclusively, while the 4Ab receptor binds both IL-8 and MGSA/GRO with high affinity and NAP-2 with lesser affinity. Furthermore, we demonstrate with the use of intersubtype chimeric receptors that the specificity of ligand binding to both IL-8 receptor subtypes is dictated by the heterogeneous NH2-terminal domain. The F3R receptor is representative of a restricted IL-8 receptor subtype, and 4Ab represents a nonrestricted receptor subtype. It is proposed that these subtypes be named IL-8 receptors alpha and beta, respectively.     

Continuous alcoholic fermentation of sucrose using flocculating yeast. The limits of invertase activity

Summary At high flow rates, the continuous alcoholic fermentation of sucrose in a laboratory fermenter with internal cell recycle, using a strongly flocculating yeast can be limited by the substrate hydrolysis. This system is sensitive to glucose catabolic repression and to mineral deficiency. The release of invertase activity in the medium is negligible. From theoretical and experimental considerations, the hydrolysis rate is imposed by diffusionnal limitations in the biomass particles. Nevertheless, ethanol productivities as high as 68 g/L.h can be reached, without biomass retention problems. A better understanding of the basic phenomena involved in floc formation and evolution is required to control reactor performances.     

Structure and ultrastructure of adrenocorticotropic hormone cells in goats in anoestrus, gestation and milk production.

The structural and ultrastructural characteristics of adrenocorticotropic hormone cells in adult female goats in anoestrus, gestation and milk production were studied with an immunohistochemical method (peroxidase-antiperoxidase). Only one cellular type has been identified and is characterized by numerous secretory granules of different electron density and an average diameter of 275 nm. During pregnancy these cells increase in number and size, and there is a frequent presence of vacuoles. During lactation the number of size of the cells decreases but without reaching the state observed in anoestrus and the involution of the cytoplasmic vacuolizations which appear in pregnancy.     

Flavin-photosensitized oxidation of reduced c-type cytochromes. Reaction mechanism and comparison with photoreduction of oxidized cytochromes by flavin semiquinones

In order to compare the oxidation and reduction reactions of c-type cytochromes (cytochrome c552 from the green alga Monoraphidium braunii and horse heart cytochrome c) by different flavins (lumiflavin, riboflavin and FMN), laser flash photolysis studies have been carried out using either reduced or oxidized protein in the presence of triplet or semiquinone flavin, respectively. The reaction kinetics clearly demonstrate that cytochrome oxidation is mediated by the flavin triplet state. The rate constants for reduction are 20-100 times smaller than those for oxidation, indicating that the triplet state is a more effective reactant than is the semiquinone. This is attributed to its excited state nature and correspondingly high free energy content. The rate constants for both the reduction and oxidation of cytochrome c552 by riboflavin are significantly smaller than those obtained with lumiflavin, suggesting a steric interference of the ribityl side chain in the flavin-cytochrome interaction. The comparison between oxidation and reduction indicates that the former process is less affected by steric hindrance than the latter. Both reduction and oxidation of cytochrome c552 by FMN show an ionic strength dependence with the same sign, consistent with a negatively charged reaction site on the cytochrome. The magnitude of the electrostatic effect is slightly smaller for reduction than it is for oxidation. A pattern quite similar to that observed with cytochrome c552 was obtained when parallel experiments were carried out with horse cytochrome c, although differences were observed in the steric and electrostatic properties of the electron transfer site(s) in these two cytochromes. These results suggest that the same or closely adjacent sites on the proteins are involved in the oxidation and reduction reactions. The biochemical implications of this are discussed.     

Marinalg International Awards

Marinalg International Awards     

Regional CNS Levels of Acetylcholine and Choline During Hypoglycemic Stupor and Recovery

During insulin stupor in mice, acetylcholine levels in cerebral cortex, cerebellum. brainstem, striatum, and hippocampus were unchanged from control values despite brain glucose concentrations 3-10% of normal, whereas choline levels rose 2.4-3.6-fold in all five CNS regions. Brain acetylcholine and choline levels did not change during recovery following glucose injection. The data suggest that. in hypoglycemic stupor, (1) overall rates of acetylcholine synthesis and degradation remain balanced within each of the CNS regions studied: (2) the biochemical mechanism that elevates brain choline levels is unlikely to be related only to cholinergic synaptic processes: and (3) brain choline levels need not rise for stupor to occur.     

Benthic ecoregionalization based on echinoid fauna of the Southern Ocean supports current proposals of Antarctic Marine Protected Areas under IPCC scenarios of climate change

The Southern Ocean (SO) is among the regions on Earth that are undergoing regionally the fastest environmental changes. The unique ecological features of its marine life make it particularly vulnerable to the multiple effects of climate change. A network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) has started to be implemented in the SO to protect marine ecosystems. However, considering future predictions of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the relevance of current, static, MPAs may be questioned under future scenarios. In this context, the ecoregionalization approach can prove promising in identifying well‐delimited regions of common species composition and environmental settings. These so‐called ecoregions are expected to show similar biotic responses to environmental changes and can be used to define priority areas for the designation of new MPAs and the update of their current delimitation. In the present work, a benthic ecoregionalization of the entire SO is proposed for the first time based on abiotic environmental parameters and the distribution of echinoid fauna, a diversified and common member of Antarctic benthic ecosystems. A novel two‐step approach was developed combining species distribution modeling with Random Forest and Gaussian Mixture modeling from species probabilities to define current ecoregions and predict future ecoregions under IPCC scenarios RCP 4.5 and 8.5. The ecological representativity of current and proposed MPAs of the SO is discussed with regard to the modeled benthic ecoregions. In all, 12 benthic ecoregions were determined under present conditions, they are representative of major biogeographic patterns already described. Our results show that the most dramatic changes can be expected along the Antarctic Peninsula, in East Antarctica and the sub‐Antarctic islands under both IPCC scenarios. Our results advocate for a dynamic definition of MPAs, they also argue for improving the representativity of Antarctic ecoregions in proposed MPAs and support current proposals of Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources for the creation of Antarctic MPAs.