Effect of organic matter on growth and cell yield of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria

The effect of various organic compounds on the growth of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria was examined.Nitrosococcus oceanus, a strongly halophilic bacterium, had a very low tolerance to organic matter compared with other organisms tested. Organic compounds scarcely affected the growth of theNitrosomonas strains whereas nitrite formation by bothNitrosococcus mobilis strains was inhibited by nearly all of the substances tested. The growth ofNitrosospira strain Nsp₁ was enhanced more than 30% by acetate and formate, but not growth was detectable in the presence of pyruvate. On the contrary,Nitrosospira strain Nsp₅ was stimulated only by pyruvate. Nitrite formation by the twoNitrosovibrio tenuis strains tested was similar. The growth of both strains was enhanced considerably by formate and glucose; acetate and, to a greater extent, pyruvate inhibited these bacteria.In batch culture, the energy efficiency of autotrophically grown ammonia-oxidizing bacteria varied from strain to strain. The cell yield of mixotrophically grown cultures, per unit of ammonia oxidized, was increased in comparison with autotrophic ones. No heterotrophic growth was detected.     

Kinetics of sugar transport byThiobacillus A2

ApparentK _s andV _max values, for the transport byThiobacillus A2 of¹⁴C-labelled sucrose, hexoses and pentoses, were estimated using flow dialysis and membrane filtration techniques. Transport systems of varying degrees of specificity could be inferred from the data. For most sugars tested including glucose, fructose and arabinose, there was a close correlation between maximum rate of sugar transport and observed growth rate. Differences in transport rate were sufficient to explain slow and fast growth on glucose by wild type and GF strains ofThiobacillus A2.Abbreviations Butyl PBD 2-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-5-(4-biphenylyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole - Tris tris(hydroxymethyl)-amino-methane - PEP phosphoenolpyruvate     

Temperature effects on bioenergetics of growth, assimilaton efficiency and thyroid activity in juvenile varand lizards

When varanid lizards, Varanus niloticus, were allowed to select their preferred body temperature (c. 34°C) they exhibited swifter growth, larger food intake and superior efficiency of conversion when compared with animals restricted to a maximum body temperature of 24°C. At the higher temperature the animals also exhibited a higher metabolic rate and increased thyroid activity, while those at the lower temperature lostproportionately more energy via respiration. A complete energy budget over a period of 6 weeks is presented.     

Thymidine triphosphate dephosphorylating activity in regenerating rat liver

The enzyme activity of dephosphorylation of thymidine triphosphate was found in microsomal fraction of rat liver. The enzyme activity decreased at the time when [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA of regenerating liver increased. When the [³H]thymidine incorporation was suppressed by 1,3-diaminopropane, the enzyme activity remained elevated. These results suggest that the enzyme activity appears to be closely linked to DNA synthesis.     

Identification of a calmodulin-dependent glycogen synthase kinase in rabbit skeletal muscle, distinct from phosphorylase kinase

A glycogen synthase kinase that is completely dependent on Ca2+ and calmodulin has been identified in mammalian skeletal muscle, and purified approximately 3000-fold by chromatography on phosphocellulose and calmodulin--Sepharose. The presence of 50 mM NaCl in the homogenisation buffer was critical for extraction of the enzyme. The calmodulin-dependent glycogen synthase kinase (app. Mr 850 000) is distinct from myosin light-chain kinase and phosphorylase kinase, but phosphorylates the same serine residue on glycogen synthase as phosphorylase kinase. The physiological role of the enzyme is discussed.     

Archaebacterial elongation factor Tu insensitive to pulvomycin and kirromycin

A spermine-dependent, polyphenylalanine-synthesizing cell-free system having an optimum activity at 75-85 degrees C, has been developed from the extremely thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Caldariella acidophila. The C. acidophila system is totally insensitive to the EF-Tu targeted antibiotics pulvomycin (at 40 degrees C) and kirromycin (at 47-72 degrees C) contrary to control systems derived from both mesophilic (Escherichia coli) and thermoacidophilic (Bacillus acidocaldarius) eubacteria. The archaebacterial EF-Tu-equivalent factor is also immunologically unrelated to eubacterial EF-Tu and does not cross react with antibodies against Escherichia coli EF-Tu. The pulvomycin and kirromycin reactions thus provide new phyletic markers for archaebacterial ancestry.     

Identification of instars and species in some larval Polypedilum (Polypedilum) (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Instars II and III of Polypedilum aviceps Townes, Polypedilum convictum (Walker), and Polypedilum illinoense (Malloch) can be identified to species by associating them with instar IV because key taxonomic characters remain relatively unchanged from instar to instar. Instars I cannot be identified to species or genus unless they are associated with older, identifiable larvae reared from the same egg masses. No single character evaluated on slide material can be used to clearly separate instars in all three species. Larvae of P. aviceps can be separated into instars based on any four of seven characters; P. convictum by either of two characters; and, P. illinoense by a combination of two characters. Changes in structures of instars II, III, and IV are described for all three species. Growth ratios for some structures are compared and discussed with regard to Dyar's Rule.     

Measurement of chronic toxicity using the opossum shrimpMysidopsis bahia

The chronic toxicity of silver and endosulfan to the opossum shrimpMysidopsis bahia was determined using continuous-flow bioassays. The 28-day bioassays measured survival, fecundity, and growth (length and weight measurements). Maximum acceptable toxicant concentrations (MATC) were estimated from measured toxicant concentrations. MATC values were similar using either brood size or growth as a criterion for sublethal effects. As an alternative to the determination of fecundity impairment, measurement of growth reduction in response to exposure to toxicants may provide a useful tool in the assessment of chronic toxicity inMysidopsis life-cycle bioassays.