Activities of Various Peptidases in the First Leaf of Wheat

In the first leaf of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Capelle) the content of soluble protein diminished to about 50% of the initial value between the 7th and the 19th day after sowing. In order to understand proteolysis in the leaves, the activities of several peptidases were measured in extracts from leaves at four different ages. The carboxypeptidase activities increased during the growth of the leaves, and then began to decrease. The activities of the alkaline peptidases increased, while that of the benzoyl-DL-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPA) hydrolysing enzyme decreased during the whole period studied. The “naphthylamidase” activities showed first a slow rise, but then leveled off. Two bands with naphthylamidase activity could be detected after disc electrophoresis. All the peptidases studied were present in the leaves at rather high concentrations. This indicates that they all may participate in the hydrolysis of leaf proteins into free amino acids.     

Hydroquinone inhibits PMA-induced activation of NFkappaB in primary human CD19+ B lymphocytes

Hydroquinone (HQ), a reactive metabolite of benzene, is known to inhibit mitogen-stimulated activation of both T and B lymphocytes. Despite extensive study, the underlying mechanism for the immunotoxicity of the HQ is not clear. We have previously demonstrated that 1 micromol/L HQ inhibits TNF-induced activation of NFkappaB in CD4+ T cells, resulting in decreased IL-2 production. NFkappaB, known to be important in T lymphocytes, also plays a critical role in normal B cell development and activation. We therefore hypothesized that alterations in NFkappaB might be involved in HQ-induced B cell immunosuppression as well. In this study, we demonstrate that 1-10 micromol/L HQ inhibits PMA/ionomycin-induced activation of NFkappaB in primary human CD19+ B cells. Inhibition of NFkappaB is accompanied by a dose-dependent decrease in PMA-stimulated production of TNF with no corresponding loss in viability or increased apoptosis. HQ also does not appear to alter NFkappaB directly, as preincubation of B cell nuclear extracts with HQ does not diminish DNA binding activity of this protein. In contrast to T cells, inhibition of NFkappaB by HQ in B cells is not reversible after 72 h in culture, suggesting a long-term functional suppression. These data support our original findings in T cells and indicate that NFkappaB is particularly susceptible to inhibition by HQ. We further hypothesize that inhibition of NFkappaB in lymphocytes, and perhaps other cell types as well, may play a significant role in the observed toxicity of HQ.     

Sixty simple sequence repeat markers for use in the Festuca–Lolium complex of grasses

So far only very few simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers developed from grass species have had their primer sequences published. To make more markers available to the scientific community, we isolated and sequenced 256 microsatellite‐containing clones from four genome libraries of a Lolium multiflorum×Festuca glaucescens F₁ hybrid following enrichment in (TC)_n, (TG)_n, or both repeats. In this work, we report the primer sequences of 60 SSRs including preliminary results of polymorphism for mapping.     

悬钩子属植物化学成分及药理活性研究进展

本文对近10年来悬钩子属植物的化学成分和药理活性研究进行了综述,为该属植物的进一步开发利用提供参考。悬钩子属植物的化学成分主要包括黄酮、萜、鞣质、甾等。药理活性主要包括抗菌、抗炎、抗肿瘤、抗氧化、抗过敏、保肝、镇痛等。     

Passive water control at the surface of a superhydrophobic lichen

Some lichens have a super-hydrophobic upper surface, which repels water drops, keeping the surface dry but probably preventing water uptake. Spore ejection requires water and is most efficient just after rainfall. This study was carried out to investigate how super-hydrophobic lichens manage water uptake and repellence at their fruiting bodies, or podetia. Drops of water were placed onto separate podetia of Cladonia chlorophaea and observed using optical microscopy and cryo-scanning-electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) techniques to determine the structure of podetia and to visualise their interaction with water droplets. SEM and optical microscopy studies revealed that the surface of the podetia was constructed in a three-level structural hierarchy. By cryo-SEM of water-glycerol droplets placed on the upper part of the podetium, pinning of the droplet to specific, hydrophilic spots (pycnidia/apothecia) was observed. The results suggest a mechanism for water uptake, which is highly sophisticated, using surface wettability to generate a passive response to different types of precipitation in a manner similar to the Namib Desert beetle. This mechanism is likely to be found in other organisms as it offers passive but selective water control.     

Survival and Body Condition of Raccoons at the Edge of the Range

ABSTRACT We investigated the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic variables on overwinter survival of raccoons (Procyon lotor; n = 114) at the northern edge of their distribution. A Cox proportional hazard model identified winter severity as the variable with the greatest influence on raccoon survival (β = 1.08). Autumn body condition estimates (20.5 ± 0.46% total body fat) were relatively stable across years even though we observed large differences in autumn food indices. Variations in autumn body condition did not explain heterogeneity observed in overwinter survival nor the spring condition in which raccoons emerged. Relatively constant autumn body condition suggests reliable availability of anthropogenic food resources may negate variations observed in natural food items on which raccoons rely during hyperphagia. Conversely, spring body condition did vary among years and was highly correlated with winter severity. Accordingly, we also observed a strong inverse relationship with overwinter survival and winter severity. Our findings indicate winter climatic constraints are important factors governing the northern limit of raccoon distribution and changes in winter severity could have important implications in further range expansion of this species.     

Specific localization of scallop gill epithelial calmodulin in cilia

Calmodulin has been isolated and characterized from the gill of the bay scallop aequipecten irradians. Quantitative electrophoretic analysis of epithelial cell fractions show most of the calmodulin to be localized in the cilia, specifically in the detergent- solubilized membrane-matrix fraction. Calmodulin represents 2.2 +/- 0.3 percent of the membrane-matrix protein or 0.41 +/- 0.5 percent of the total ciliary protein. Its concentration is at least 10(-4) M if distributed uniformly within the matrix. Extraction in the presence of calcium suggests that the calmodulin is not bound to the axoneme proper. The ciliary protein is identified as a calmodulin on the basis of its calcium- dependent binding to a fluphenazine-sepharose affinity column and its comigration with bovine brain calmodulin on alkaline-urea and SDS polyacrylamide gels in both the presence and absence of calcium. Scallop ciliary calmodulin activates bovine brain phosphodiesterase to the same extent as bovine brain and chicken gizzard calmodulins. Containing trimethyllysine and lacking cysteine and tryptophan, the amino acid composition of gill calmodulin is typical of known calmodulins, except that it is relatively high in serine and low in methionine. Its composition is less acidic than other calmodulins, in agreement with an observed isoelectric point approximately 0.2 units higher than that of bovine brain. Comparative tryptic peptide mapping of scallop gill ciliary and bovine brain calmodulins indicates coincidence of over 75 percent of the major peptides, but at least two major peptides in each show no near-equivalency. Preliminary results using ATP-reactivated gill cell models show no effect of calcium at micromolar levels on ciliary beat or directionality of the lateral cilia, the cilia which constitute the vast majority of those isolated. However, ciliary arrest will occur at calcium levels more than 150 muM. Because calmodulin usually functions in the micromolar range, its role in this system is unclear. Scallop gill ciliary calmodulin may be involved in the direct regulation of dyneintubule sliding, or it may serve some coupled calcium transport function. At the concentration in which it is found, it must also at least act as a calcium buffer.     

Relation entre réaction géotropique et évolution du statenchyme dans la racine d'Asperge

Relationship between the Geotropic Response and the Evolution of the Statenchyma in Roots of Asparagus officinalis. The evolution of the statenchyma in roots of Asparagus of ficinalis seedlings, grown in obscurity, was followed during the first 17 days. After 7 days of etiolation, a decrease of both the average diameter of the amyloplasts and the average number of these organelles was observed in the central root cap cells. If the seedlings were illuminated (with white light) from the 7th day, the average number of statoliths increased rapidly in the statocytes. The volume of these organelles undergoes the same variation in etiolated and in illuminated plants. The initial rate of curvature (V_i) of the roots (stimulated in a horizontal position) and the volume of amyloplasts (V_ac) in their caps were analysed as a function of the time of germination in obscurity (from the 8th to the 17th day). It was found that V_i increased as a linear function of the logarithm of V_ac, which confirms that the weight of the amyloplasts of the statocytes may play a role in the geotropic stimulation of the roots.