Synchronization and signal transmission in protoplasmic strands of Physarum

The importance of endoplasmic streaming in the synchronization of contraction activites in plasmodial strands of Physarum was investigated under experimental conditions allowing simultaneous observation of the endoplasmic flow in the middle part of a strand mounted as a trapeze and the measurement of isometric contraction activities of the arms of the trapeze, as well as of the activities of the strand portion connecting the arms. The correlation of longitudinal and radial contraction activities in different regions of a trapeze was examined. Whereas the arms and the middle part of a trapeze contract synchronously in a longitudinal direction (in-phase behaviour), an antiphase correlation appeared when comparing the longitudinal contraction activity of the arms and the radial activity of the middle part. This result is interpreted to mean that the middle part is able to perform isotonic contractions which induce radial dilatation of the strands. No clear-cut correlation between longitudinal and radial activities could be found when measuring simultaneously both activities in one and the same arm of a trapeze by combining tensiometry and cinematography. Protoplasmic shuttle streaming within a strand mounted as a trapeze is found to run regularly out of one arm through the middle part into the other arm, and vice versa. There is no correlation between the time points of streaming reversal and a certain stage of contraction cycles as presented by the contraction curves of the arms. However, there is a good correlation between the points of streaming reversal and the phase deviations of the longitudinal contraction activities of the arms. The importance of these phase deviations for the control of streaming reversal, i.e., for the generation of hydrostatic pressure differences in a system working with phase synchrony, is discussed. The role of endoplasmic streaming as a pacemaker for synchronization phenomena of contraction activities is stressed. The possibility is discussed that shuttle streaming of endoplasm acts as a mechanical coupling within the regulation phenomena resulting in spatial monorhythmicity.Partly presented at the Cell Motility workshop, 8^th European Muscle Conference, Heidelberg 17.–20. September 1979     

影响舟山群岛蛙类物种多样性的主要因素分析

分析了面积、海拔高度、离物种源的最小距离、岛屿形状和人类活动对舟山群岛蛙类物种多样性的影响。结果显示,物种多样性与岛屿面积和最高海拔明显相关。但物种多样性与离物种源的最小距离没有显著相关性,这说明岛屿形成后蛙类在岛屿间（或岛屿和大陆间）很少发生迁移和再定居,物种数处于“非平衡”状态。岛屿形状不影响物种多样性。人类活动对物种多样性影响较小,原因是舟山群岛没有专一性的林栖种类,除淡肩角蟾外,其余种类均能生活于农田栖息地。我们认为,岛屿面积是舟山群岛蛙类物种多样性的主要决定因素和最佳预测者。     

Inhibition of fungal growth by plant chitinases andβ-1,3-glucanases

Summary Plant chitinases and -1,3-glucanases have been demonstrated to inhibit fungal growth in model experiments, both on agar plates or in liquid media. Here,Trichoderma longibrachiatum was taken as a model to study the morphological changes caused by chitinase and glucanase treatments, using cytochemical techniques in combination with fluorescence and electron microscopy. Chitinase, alone or in the presence of glucanase, arrested growth of the hypha: it affected the extreme tip of the fungus producing a thinning of the wall, a balloon-like swelling and a rupture of the plasma membrane. Chitin and glucans were present in the wall, as shown by lectinand enzyme-binding experiments, but they had a different susceptibility to chitinase and -1,3-glucanase. Chitin was present at the apex and in the inner parts of the lateral walls; it was more susceptible to chitinase at the tip than in the subapical part. Glucans mostly occurred on the outer layer where they were degraded by glucanase. The latter did not affect the inner hyphal skeleton. It is suggested that the growth inhibition ofTrichoderma by hydrolytic enzymes is the consequence of a thinning of the cell wall in the hyphal apex, leading to an imbalance of turgor pressure and wall tension which causes the tip to swell and to burst.Abbreviations WGA-FITC wheat germ agglutinin labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate - ConA-FITC concanavalin A labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate - PEG polyethylene glycol - SEM scanning electron microscopy - TEM transmission electron microscopy     

浙江蝮蛇蛇毒蛋白水解酶(蛋白酶a)的酶学性质及生物学活性研究

应用离子交换及凝胶柱层析,从浙江蝮蛇(Agkistrodon halys Pallas)蛇毒中分离纯化出一种具有酪蛋白水解活性的蛋白酶a。经研究表明,以酪蛋白为底物,该蛋白酶a作用的最适pH值为9.5,最适温度为45℃,Km值为1.33×10~(-5)mol/L,酶活性受EDTA抑制。蛋白酶a不水解TAME,BAEE等精氨酸脂。实验表明,蛋白酶a具有纤维蛋白溶解作用而无出血毒性,EDTA和半胱氨酸可抑制其纤溶活性。     

Evaluation of antifungal activity of antimycotics by automatic analyzing system

Antifungal activity of several antimycotics has been evaluated using an automatic analyzing system (AAS), which is composed of a specially designed reaction vessel, microscopic observation system, image analyzing system, and computer program for automatic tracing of hypha growth. The agar plate was prepared on the ceiling of the reaction vessel, and spore mass of a fungus (Aspergillus niger) was inoculated onto it. After the preincubation at 28 °C for 24 h the reaction vessel was set on a microscope stage and connected to the liquid flow system. An appropriate hypha was selected for the measurement of growth process during the following steps: first contact with saline for 30 min for the adaptation, the second contact with same saline for 30 min, contact with saline containing an antimycotic substance for 60 min, and contact with flushing saline for 60 min. During a sequence of these steps, the apical tip of a growing hypha displayed on a TV monitor was followed automatically. The dynamic response of hypha to an agent was analyzed by several parameters. Morphological changes of the hypha caused by respective agents were recorded on VTR for further analysis. By using this system, the antifungal activity of antimycotics could be quantitatively determined within several hours.     

Changes of some enzymatic activities in iodoacetate-treated microconidiating cultures of Neurospora crassa

In iodoacetate-treated microconidiating cultures of Neurospora crassa, mycelial yield, sucrose consumption and ethanol production are reduced. The specific activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is sharply decreased while the specific activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase are stimulated. A polyphenoloxidase is induced in the microconidiating cultures.     

Cytokinins: Synthesis of 2-, 8-, and 2,8-substituted 6-(3-methyl-2-butenylamino)purines and their relative activities in promoting cell growth

We have synthesized 2- and 8-monosubstituted and 2,8-disubstituted derivatives of the cytokinin 6-(3-methyl-2-butenylamino)purine (N⁶-isopentenyladenine) and have shown the dependence of growth-promoting activity in the tobacco bioassay upon the position, number, and type of substituent. The representative substituent groups were MeS, Me, MeSO₂, C₆H₅CH₂S, HS and Cl. The 8-methyl derivative was exceptional in being more active than the unsubstituted parent compound. In general, substitution in the 8-position decreases activity less than substitution in the 2-position, with the exception of the electron-attracting methylsulfonyl. Substitution in both the 2- and 8-positions lowers the activity more than substitution at either single position on the adenine nucleus, with the exception of the 2,8-dimethyl derivative. The chloro and methylthio derivatives show activity in the same range as the methyl derivatives, and the mercapto compounds, which exist mainly as CS tautomers, show somewhat less activity than the corresponding methylthio compounds. Bulky (C₆H₅CH₂S and MeSO₂) and strongly electron-attracting (MeSO₂) substituents cause relatively great reduction in cytokinin activity.     

Activity of synthetic gibberellin A15 and (±)-gibberellin A15isolactone

The activities of (±)-gibberellin A₁₅ ((±)-GA₁₅) and (±)-gibberellin A₁₅-isolactone ((±)-iso-GA₁₅) which were obtained by stereocontrolled total synthesis and gibberellin A₁₅ (E-GA₁₅) synthesized by interconversion of enmein were assayed by the rice seedling test. As expected, (±)-GA₁₅ showed half the activity of natural gibberellin A₁₅ (GA₁₅). E-GA₁₅ which has a natural configuration showed the same activity as natural gibberellin A₁₅ while (±)-iso-GA₁₅ was almost inactive. These samples were also submitted to the cucumber hypocotyl assay. Contrary to what has already been reported, they were almost inactive.     

Alterations in carbohydrate metabolism of γ-irradiated cavendish banana

γ-Irradiation of preclimacteric banana resulted in a gradual increase in fructose content, which reached a maximum in 6 days. Although the catabolism of glucose-U-¹⁴C was less in irradiated banana, incorporation of label into fructose was high. Initial fructose accumulation in irradiated banana may be due to a shift in glucose utilization from the glycolytic to the pentose phosphate pathway. The ratio of resporatory CO₂ from glucose-6-¹⁴C and glucose-1-¹⁴C was halved in irradiated bananas indicating predominance of the pentose phosphate pathway. The radioactivity of fructose derived from glucose-6-¹⁴C was almost twice that from glucose-1-¹⁴C in irradiated bananas, whilst in control both fruit the labelled precursors yielded equal amounts. Studies on individual enzymes in these two pathways showed an increase in phosphorylase, phosphoglucomutase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and fructose-6-phosphatase and a decrease in hexokinase in irradiated banana.