Anaerobic degradation of 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate by a defined mixed culture of Acetobacterium woodii, Pelobacter acidigallici, and Desulfobacter postgatei

Abstract Acetobacterium woodii was continuously grown on 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate as pure culture or in commensalistic combination with Pelobacter acidigallici and Desulfobacter postgatei . Under pure culture conditions the following growth parameters were determined: μ _max= 0.112 h⁻¹, K _s= 1.07 mM, Y _max= 35 g/mol, and m = 0.22 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹. In coculture with P. acidigallici the affinity for the substrate increased and the K _s value was found to be 135 μM. Under batch culture conditions mixed populations of A. woodii, P. acidigallici , and D. postgatei completely mineralized 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate to CO₂, whereas under continuous culture conditions more than 3 mM acetate remained unused.     

Langzeitkulturen von Süßwasserschwämmen (Porifera,Spongillidae) unter Laborbedingungen

Zusammenfassung Süßwasserschwämme (Spongilliden) lassen sich in 120-1-Aquarien mit Herkunftswasser der Schwämme kultivieren. Das gut durchlüftete Wasser soll nicht wärmer als 17°C sowie mit den Zusätzen Aquatonic und Schwarztorf versehen sein. Anstelle des Teichbzw. Flußwassers kann auch Leitungswasser oder eine Mischung von Leitungs- und vollentsalztem Wasser verwendet werden. Das Wasser der Aquarien ist alle vier Monate zu erneuern.Als Kulturgefäße eignen sich Glas- und Kunststoffschalen. Diese werden mittels spezieller Halter in die Aquarien eingebracht.Langzeitkulturen bieten beste Voraussetzungen für die Schwammforschung.

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Permanent cultures of freshwater sponges (Porifera, Spongillidae) in the laboratory

Summary Freshwater sponges (Spongillidae) can be cultivated in 120-1 aquariums with water from the natural sponge habitats. The well-aired water should not be warmer than 17°C and should contain Aqua-tonic and black peat. Instead of habitat water, tap water or a mixture of tap and distilled water may be used. The water in the aquariums should be renewed every 4 months.For the culture we use glass or plastic vessels. These are mounted in the aquariums by special holders.Permanent cultures offer ideal conditions for sponge research.

     

From icons to symbols: Some speculations on the origins of language

This paper is divided into three sections. In the first section we offer a retooling of some traditional concepts, namely icons and symbols, which allows us to describe an evolutionary continuum of communication systems. The second section consists of an argument from theoretical biology. In it we explore the advantages and disadvantages of phenotypic plasticity. We argue that a range of the conditions that selectively favor phenotypic plasticity also favor a nongenetic transmission system that would allow for the inheritance of acquired characters. The first two sections are independent, the third depends on both of them. In it we offer an argument that human natural languages have just the features required of an ideal transmission mechanism under the conditions described in section 2.We would like to thank Robert Boyd, Noam Chomsky, Gerald Feinberg, Ken Glander, David Hull, Ernst Mayr, John Rawls, Peter Richerson, william Wimsatt and Paul Ziff for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. Special thanks go to Doug Stalker who was instrumental in both the origins and development of this work.     

Regulation and characterization of two inducible amino-acid transport systems in Chlorella vulgaris

Glucose or non-metabolizable glucose analogues induce two amino-acid transport systems in Chlorella vulgaris: an arginine system (arginine and lysine) and a proline system (proline, glycine, alanine and serine). the same amino-acid transport systems are induced in the absence of glucose, when the cells are depleted of their nitrogen source as judged by a comparison of K_m values and the lack of additive induction by the two treatments Changes in the concentration of neither internal free amino acids nor of soluble carbohydrate pools correlate prefectly with the induction of amino-acid transport. Also exogenous cAMP had no effect on the induction of transport. Both aminoacid transport systems are able to accumulate free amino acids more than 1000-fold. The accumulation plateau is not due to a steady state of influx and efflux, but rather arises by a shut-off of influx. No significant effux is observed. The biological importance of this frequently observed behaviour in amino-acid transport is discussed.     

Ultrastruktur und polysaccharidanteile der cuticula von Triops cancriformis Bosc. (Crustacea,Notostraca) während der Häutungsvorbereitung

Zusammenfassung Die Cuticula von Triops cancriformis besteht aus Endo-, Exo- und Epicuticula. Die Epicuticula ist aus vier Schichten aufgebaut, die Exocuticula aus 10 und die Endocuticula aus 60–80. Die Schichten der Endocuticula sind aus annähernd oberflächenparallel verlaufenden Mikrofibrillen, die zu Lamellulae zusammentreten, gebildet. Diese Lamellulae atehen senkrecht zur Oberfläche. Die Lamellulae der einzelnen Lagen verlaufen im rechten Winkel zu denen der Nachbarlagen. In Sinnesborsten verläuft so ein Teil der Fibrillen in Längsrichtung, der andere quer zur Längsachse.Polysaccharide finden sich in den Lamellulae, in zwei Schichten der Epicuticula, den Desmosomen und als Glykogengranula in Epidermiszellen.Die Häutung zeigt anscheinend keine Besonderheiten gegenüber anderen Arthropoden.

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Ultrastructure and polysaccharide content of the cuticle of Triops cancriformis Bosc. (Crustacea, Notostraca) during the Molting preparation

Summary The cuticle of Triops cancriformis consists of endo-, exo- and epicuticle. The epicuticle comprises 4 layers, the epocuticle 10 and the endocuticle 60–80 layers. The layers of the endocuticle consist of microfibrils. These microfibrils are almost parallel to the surface of the cuticle and merge into lamellulae. These lamellulae run vertical to the surface. The lamellulae in any one layer are at right angles to the lamellulae in the neighbouring layers. Thus, some of the fibrils in sensory setae are parallel to the longitudinal axis and others are perpendicular to it.Polysaccharides are found in the lamellulae, in two layers of the epicuticle, in the attachment regions and in the glycogen deposits in the epidermis cells.The molting process seems to be similar to the molting process of other arthropoda.

     

Carotenoids of Thiorhodaceae

Summary The isolation, morphology and growth chracteristics of pure cultures of a Thiothece, Lamprocystis and Thiodictyon strain are described.Their carotenoid composition is reported. The Thiothece strain produced in addition to okenone (1), several related ketocarotenoids, among which a demethylated okenone (6) was identified by a small scale total synthesis. Thiodictyon and Lamprocystis produced carotenoids of the rhodopinal (previously warmingone) series, the latter organism contained as major carotenoids a lycopenol (4), not previously found in Nature, and a cross-conjugated lycopenal (2), previously called anhydro-warmingone.Part 7. Acta chem. scand. 21, 2185 (1967).     

Structural gene isolation and prepeptide sequence of gallidermin, a new lanthionine containing antibiotic

Peptide antibiotics containing lanthionine and 3-methyllanthionine bridges, named lantibiotics are of increasing interest. A new lantibiotic, gallidermin, has been isolated from Staphyloccus gallinarum. Here we report the isolation of its structural gene which we name gdmA. In all lantibiotics so far studied genetically, three peptides can be formally distinguished: (i) the primary translation product, which we call the prepeptide; (ii) the propeptide lacking the leader sequence and (iii) the mature lantibiotic. Unlike the plasmid-coded epidermin, gdmA is located on the chromosome. The gdmA locus codes for a 52 amino acid residue prepeptide, consisting of an alpha-helical leader sequence of hydrophilic character, which is separated from the C-terminus (propeptide) by a characteristic proteolytic processing site (Pro-2 Arg-1 Ile1). Although pro-gallidermin differs from pro-epidermin (a recently isolated lantibiotic) only by a single amino acid residue exchange. Leu instead of Ile, the N-terminus of the prepeptide differs by an additional two exchanges.