Control of nitrogenase inAzospirillum sp.

Many N₂-fixing organisms can turn off nitrogenase activity in the presence of NH₄ ⁺ and turn it on again when the NH₄ ⁺ is exhausted. One of the most interesting systems for accomplishing this is by covalent modification of one subunit of dinitrogenase reductase by dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosyltransferase (DRAT). The system can be reactivated when NH₄ ⁺ is exhausted, by dinitrogenase reductase activating glycohydrolase (DRAG) which removes the inactivating group. It is fascinating that some species of the genusAzospirillum possess the DRAT and DRAG systems (A. lipoferum andA. brasilense), whereasA. amazonense in the same genus lacks DRAT and DRAG.A. amazonense responds to NH₄ ⁺ but does not exhibit modification of dinitrogenase reductase characteristic of the action of DRAT. However, it has been possible to clone DRAT and DRAG and to introduce them intoA. amazonense, whereupon they become functional in this organism. The DRAT and DRAG system does not appear to function inAcetobacter diazotrophicus, an organism isolated from sugar cane, that fixes N₂ at a pH as low as 3.0.A. diazotrophicus does show a rather sluggish response to NH₄ ⁺. A level of about 10 M NH₄ ⁺ is required to switch off the system. The response to NH₄ ⁺ is influenced by the dissolved oxygen concentration (DOC) as has been reported forAzospirillum sp. A DOC in equilibrium with 0.1 to 0.2 kPa O₂ seems optimal for the response inA. diazotrophicus.     

Determination for inflorescence development is a stable state,separable from determination for flower development in Pisum sativum L. buds

Terminal meristems of Pisum sativum (garden pea) transit from vegetative to inflorescence development, and begin producing floral axillary meristems. Determination for inflorescence development was assessed by culturing excised buds and meristems. The first node of floral initiation (NFI) for bud expiants developing in culture and for adventitious shoots forming on cultured meristems was compared with the NFI of intact control buds. When terminal buds having eight leaf primordia were excised from plants of different ages (i.e., number of unfolded leaves) and cultured on 6-benzylaminopurine and kinetin-supplemented medium, the NFI was a function of the age of the source plant. By age 3, all terminal buds were determined for inflorescence development. Determination occurred at least eight nodes before the first axillary flower was initiated. Thus, the axillary meristems contributing to the inflorescence had not formed at the time the bud was explanted. Similar results were obtained for cultured axillary buds. In addition, meristems excised without leaf primordia from axillary buds three nodes above the cotyledons of age-3 plants gave rise to adventitious buds with an NFI of 8.3 ±0.3 nodes. In contrast seed-derived plants had an NFI of 16.5 ±0.2. Thus cells within the meristem were determined for inflorescence development. These findings indicate that determination for inflorescence development in P. sativum is a stable developmental state, separable from determination for flower development, and occurring prior to initiation of the inflorescence at the level of meristems.     

Competitive inhibition of an energy-dependent nickel transport system by divalent cations in Bradyrhizobium japonicum JH.

Both nickel-specific transport and nickel transport by a magnesium transporter have been described previously for a variety of nickel-utilizing bacteria. The derepression of hydrogenase activity in Bradyzhizobium japonicum JH and in a gene-directed mutant of strain JH (in an intracellular Ni metabolism locus), strain JHK7, was inhibited by MgSO4. For both strains, Ni2+ uptake was also markedly inhibited by Mg2+, and the Mg(2+)-mediated inhibition could be overcome by high levels of Ni2+ provided in the assay buffer. The results indicate that both B. japonicum strains transport Ni2+ via a high-affinity magnesium transport system. Dixon plots (1/V versus inhibitor) showed that the divalent cations Co2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+, like Mg2+, were competitive inhibitors of Ni2+ uptake. The KiS for nickel uptake inhibition by Mg2+, Co2+, Mn2+, and Zn2+ were 48, 22, 12, and 8 microM, respectively. Cu2+ strongly inhibited Ni2+ uptake, and molybdate inhibited it slightly. Respiratory inhibitors cyanide and azide, the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, the ATPase inhibitor N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and ionophores nigericin and valinomycin significantly inhibited short-term (5 min) Ni2+ uptake, showing that Ni2+ uptake in strain JH is energy dependent. Most of these conclusions are quite different from those reported previously for a different B. japonicum strain belonging to a different serogroup.     

Supplement of nutrients for effective cultivation of hepatitis B surface antigen-producing recombinant yeast

Summary In the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-producing recombinant yeast culture medium, the supply of Bacto-yeast nitrogen base without amino acids was found to be inadequate due to the lack of the several kinds of vitamins and trace elements. When the culture medium for this recombinant yeast was supplemented with sufficient vitamins and trace elements, its growth, HBsAg production and the stability of plasmid were improved.     

过硫酸铵-N,N,N′,N′-四甲基乙二胺体系产生的氧自由基及其清除的研究

应用ESR和自旋捕集相结合的技术直接测定了过硫酸铵—N,N,N′,N′-四甲基乙二胺(AP-TEMED)体系产生的氧自由基,经计算机波谱模拟和计算波谱参数证实该体系产生的氧自由基是O_2~-和·OH。并用维生素C、茶多酚、超氧化物歧化酶等氧自由基清除剂,从聚丙烯酰胺凝胶法、化学发光法和脂质过氧化法不同角度研究了AP-TEMED体系在自由基研究方面的应用意义。     

“缺体回交法”选育普通小麦—山羊草异代换系的研究

利用从兰单体自交分离得到的5个自花结实的4D缺体小麦(映72180、块天选15等)作母本与11个山羊草(Ae.speltoides, Ae.sharonensis等)杂交,再以4D缺体为轮回亲本对杂种进行回交,借助于幼胚培养技术,获得了缺天选15×拟斯卑尔脱山羊草二体异代换系,缺72180×沙融山羊草单体异代换系。代换系生长发育良好,育性基本正常,表明山羊草的4S染色体能够补偿小麦缺失的4D染色体的功能。证明利用“缺体回交法”选育普通小麦—山羊草异代换系是有效的和可行的。     

青甘边区黑河流域森林植被带及其昆虫区系的组成

黑河发源于青海、甘肃交界的祁连山区,是甘肃河西走廊最大的内陆河水系之一,水源丰富,流量稳定,这不仅取决于祁连山区大气降水和冰川融水,更重要的是与上游森林植被密不可分。但是,由于森林害虫猖獗成灾,严重威胁着这一地域森林的生存。近几年我们在森林昆虫普查的基础上,对黑河流域森林昆虫     

湖泊和地下水中异养细菌群落结构和生理特征的比较研究

对武汉东湖三个定点观测站和潜江市一深水机井中异养细菌群落的种群组成、对不同基质的反应、菌株和群落的生理特征和活力水平等方面比较研究结果表明:环境差异较小的东湖Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ站异养细菌群落间的差异亦较小,具有类似的结构特征和生理活力水平,对特定基质表现了相似的作用模式;地下水中的异养细菌群落在上述几方面均显示了明显的差别。此外,在异养细菌群落结构和功能研究方法上亦是有益的探讨。