Storage mites

The interest in allergy to storage mites has increased over the past few years. Storage mites feed on a variety of substances and they can be found in many different products such as grain, flour, hay and straw, but also in house dust samples. The more common genera areLepidoglyphus, Tyrophagus, Glycyphagus, Acarus andBlomia. Several species of storage mites have been shown to cause IgE-mediated sensitization among rural workers, who to a varying extent develop asthma, rhinitis or conjunctivitis when exposed to barn dust. However, a number of studies, have reported on sensitization to storage mites also among urban people, indicating that sensitization is not restricted to individuals with occupational exposure. Regarding the allergenic relationship between storage mites and house dust mites, there appears to be a limited allergenic cross-reactivity between the two species. However, both species also possess their own unique allergens. Further research on identification and characterization of storage mite allergens and their cross-reactivity is required to understand the complexity of epitopes and allergens.     

Enhancement of specific nitrogenase activity inAzospirillum brasilense andKlebsiella pneumoniae,inhibition inRhizobium japonicum under air by phenol

Specific nitrogenase activity inAzospirillum brasilense ATCC 29145 in surface cultures under air is enhanced from about 50 nmol C₂H₄·mg protein^-1·h^-1 to 400 nmol C₂H₄ by the addition of 1 mM phenol. 0.5 and 2 mM phenol added increase the rate 5-fold and 4-fold. This enhancement effect is observed only between 2 and 3 days after inoculation, with only a small reduction of the growth of the cells by the phenol added. In surface cultures under 1% O₂, nitrogenase activity is slightly reduced by the addition of 1–0.01 mM phenol. Utilization of succinate is enhanced during the period of maximum enhancement of nitrogenase activity by 60% by addition of 1 mM phenol. The cells did not produce¹⁴CO₂ from [U-¹⁴C] phenol, neither in surface cultures nor in liquid cultures and less than 0.1% of the phenol was incorporated into the cells. A smaller but significant enhancement of nitrogenase activity by about 100% in surface cultures under air was found withKlebsiella pneumoniae K 11 after addition of 1 mM phenol. However, inRhizobium japonicum 61-A-101 all phenol concentrations above 0.01 mM reduced nitrogenase activity. With 1 mM phenol added activity was reduced to less than 10% with no effect on the growth in the same cultivation system. With thisRhizobium japonicum strain significant quantities of phenol (25 mol in 24 h by 2·10¹² cells) were metabolized to¹⁴CO₂, with phenol as sole carbon source. WithAzospirillum brasilense in liquid culture under 1% and 2% O₂ in the gas phase, no enhancement of nitrogenase activity by phenol was noticed.     

The relationship between split-line orientation and in vivo bone strain in galago (G. crassicaudatus) and macaque (Macaca mulatta and M. fascicularis) Mandibles

There is still disagreement concerning the functional significance of split-line patterns in bone. This study was undertaken to reexamine the mechanical forces hypothesis for split-line formation by comparing split-line patterns with in vivo mandibular bone strain patterns. The relationship between split-line orientation and in vivo stress and strain patterns on macaque and galago mandibles was examined during jaw opening and the power stroke of mastication and incision. An attempt was made to relate split-line orientation to the direction of tensile stress and strain along the primate mandible. In addition, we also investigated the alternative possibility that split-line orientation is related to the direction of low stresses (and strains) on the primate mandible. The results of this study showed that there was no consistent relationship between split-line orientation and the principal strains or stresses. Thus, split-lines did not run consistently in the direction of high or low stress and strain. Therefore, we have concluded that split-line orientation provides little useful information for inferring patterns of stress and strain in bone.     

IF-3 crosslinking to Escherichia coli ribosomal 30 S subunits by three different light-dependent procedures: Identification of 30 S proteins crosslinked to IF-3—Utilization of a new two-stage crosslinking reagent, p-nitrobenzylmaleimide

We here report the results of using three light-dependent procedures for crosslinking IF-3 to 30 S proteins within an IF-3·30 S complex. In the first procedure, employing FMN as a photosensitizer, protein S12 is found to be the only major crosslinked protein. In the second procedure, IF-3 is first reacted with the new two-stage crosslinking reagent, p-nitrobenzylmaleimide (PNBM), and the PNBM—IF-3·30 S complex is irradiated. The major crosslinked proteins are S3 > S2, S12, S18. Small amounts of crosslinked S11 and S21 are also found. In the third procedure, the IF-3·30 S complex is reacted with PNBM and then irradiated. The major crosslinked proteins are S12 > S3 > S11 and small amounts of crosslinked S1, S13, and S21 are also found. These results are compared with results obtained by others using different crosslinking procedures and are used to discuss the Lake and Kahan model (J. A. Lake and L. Kahan, 1975, J. Mol. Biol., 99, 631–644, and J. A. Lake, 1978, in Advanced Techniques in Biological Electron Microscopy II, Koehler, J. K., ed., pp. 173–211, Springer-Verlag, Berlin) for IF-3 binding to 30 S subunits.     

FITC-labeled lectins and calcofluor white ST as probes for the investigation of the molecular architecture of cell surfaces. Studies on conjugatophycean species

Summary In a screening program with 7 FITC-labeled lectins as probes, ConA receptors were identified in all of the 28 members of theConjugatophyceae, being under investigation. In nearly all of them RCA₁₂₀ receptors, too, are expressed. In 3 species only, PNA receptors, and in 2 species UEA receptors have been detected. No binding of DBA, SBA, and WGA was observed. The receptors for ConA, RCA₁₂₀, and UEA were shown to be associated with different molecules. Each lectin exhibits a unique and specific binding pattern, both chemically, as well as with regard to the topographic distribution on cell surfaces. While ConA receptors predominantly are associated with constituents of the cell wall, RCA₁₂₀ receptors mostly form part of the surrounding mucilage; the same holds for UEA receptors. Besides a variability of topographic distribution and species-to-species variation, a cell-to-cell variation exists in many species, suggesting that the expression of a lectin receptor is due to the developmental state of the cell and/or depends on external stimuli. In conclusion, we may point out, that FITC-labeled lectins turned out to be extremely useful probes for the investigation of the molecular architecture of cell walls. Calcofluor white ST binding to fibrillar polysaccharides (most probably cellulose) was shown to be inhibited by external incrustations of the cell wall. One species does not show any reaction with calcofluor white ST at all.     

In situ studies on crassulacean acid metabolism in Sedum acre L. and Sedum mite Gil

Summary CO₂ exchange, the diurnal variations in the levels of malic, citric and isocitric acid, and the labelling pattern after ¹⁴CO₂ fixation were measured in Sedum acre and Sedum mite growing in situ. As predicted from laboratory experiments, drought changed the gas exchange pattern from a C₃ type to a crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) type. This shift correlated with the development of a diurnal rhythm in the malic acid content. The results of ¹⁴CO₂ pulse-chase experiments suggest that in well-watered plants a CAM pattern of carbon flow already exists; hence water stress might enhance latent CAM rather than induce it. The in situ CAM performance by the Sedum species appeared to be highly susceptible to modulation by season and external factors, particularly light and temperature.CAM did not substantially contribute to total carbon gain in S. acre and S. mite. During most of their lifecycles the plants grow under conditions that favour CO₂ uptake by the C₃ pathway rather than by CAM. Hence, despite a capability to feature CAM, the ¹³C values found in S. acre and S. mite are those of C₃ plants.Abbreviations CAM Crassulacean Acid Metabolism - PEP-C Phosphoenolpyruvate-Carboxylase - DW Dry weight Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. M. Evenari on the occasion of his 75th birthday and to Dr. K.F. Springer     

Your son is cured now; You may take him home

While responding to a question on medical errors in an in-depth interview, a physician told a story about a medical error. The story revealed his silent involvement in the evolution of the error. His response is presented as a text requiring interpretation. Fine details of his manner of speaking are displayed in order to disclose what he said and what it meant. In interpreting the text, phenomenological and sociolinguistic methods are used.     

Genetic variability of proteins from plasma membranes and cytosols of mouse organs

The genetic variability of membrane proteins (structure-bound proteins) and cytosol proteins (water-soluble proteins) was investigated in two inbred strains of the mouse, C57BL/6J and DBA/2J. Membrane proteins and cytosol were isolated from the brain and liver of the mouse. The proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. A high number of genetic variant proteins (brain, 30; liver, 72) was found in the cytosol. Most of these variants represented changes in the amount of proteins. Electrophoretic mobility changes occurred only in about 1% (brain, 6; liver, 9) of all protein spots of a two-dimensional pattern. In contrast to the cytosol proteins, no genetic variation was detected among the membrane proteins, not even for the quantitative characteristics of the protein spots. The results obtained for the two classes of proteins suggest that the degree of variability in the amount of proteins is related to the degree of variability in the structure of proteins.