Comparison of Triazine-Resistant and -Susceptible Biotypes of Senecio vulgaris and Their F(1) Hybrids

The relationship of triazine resistance to decreased plant productivity was investigated in Senecio vulgaris L. F₁ reciprocal hybrids were developed from pure-breeding susceptible (S) and resistant (R) lines. The four biotypes (S, S × R, R, R × S) were compared in terms of atrazine response, electron transport, carbon fixation, and biomass production. Atrazine response, carbon fixation rate, and PSII and whole-chain electron transport rates of hybrids were nearly identical to those of their respective maternal parents. Significant differences occurred between the two susceptible (S, S × R) and two resistant (R, R × S) biotypes in atrazine response (I₅₀), carbon fixation rate, and PSII and whole-chain electron transport rates; PSI rates were identical in all four biotypes. Coupled and uncoupled, whole-chain electron transport rates of thylakoids of the two susceptible biotypes were approximately 50% greater than those of the two resistant biotypes at photon flux densities greater than 215 micromoles per square meter per second. Carbon exchange rates of the two susceptible biotypes were 23% greater than those of the two resistant biotypes. Hybrid biotypes (S × R, R × S) were not identical to their maternal parents in biomass production. The S, S × R, and R × S plants all achieved greater biomass than R plants. These results suggest that while the resistance mutation influences thylakoid performance, reduced productivity of triazine-resistant plants cannot be ascribed solely to decreases in electron transport or carbon assimilation rates brought about by the altered binding protein. Since the F₁ hybrids differed from their maternal parents only in nuclear genes, it appears that the detrimental effects of the triazine resistance mutation on plant growth may be attenuated by interactions of the plastid and nuclear genomes.     

Production of butanol by Clostridium puniceum in batch and continuous culture

Summary The pink-pigmented, amylolytic and pectinolytic bacterium Clostridium puniceum in anaerobic batch culture at pH 5.5 and 25–30°C produced butan-1-ol as the major product of fermentation of glucose or starch. The alcohol was formed throughout the exponential phase of growth and surprisingly little acetone was simultaneously produced. Furthermore, acetic and butyric acids were only accumulated in low concentrations, and under optimal conditions were completely re-utilised before the fermentation ceased. Thus, in a minimal medium containing 4% w/v glucose as sole source of carbon and energy, after 65 h at 25°C, pH 5.5 all of the glucose had been consumed to yield (g product/100 g glucose utilised) butanol 32, acetone 3 and ethanol 2. Butanol was again the major product of glucose fermentation during phosphate-limited chemostat culture wherein, although the organism eventually lost its capacity to sporulate and to synthesize granulose, production of butanol continued for at least 100 volume changes. Under no growth condition was the organism capable of producing more than 13.3 g l^-1 of butanol. At pH 5.5, growth on pectin was slow and yielded a markedly lesser biomass concentration than when growth was on glucose or starch; acetic acid was the major fermentation product with lower concentrations of methanol, acetone, butanol and butyric acid. At pH 7, growth on all substrates produced virtually no solvents but high concentrations of both acetic and butyric acids.     

The primary structure of histone H3 from wheat

Wheat embryo histone H3 has been isolated and purified and the elucidation of the complete amino-acid sequence is described. Peptides were generated by cleavages with CNBr, S. aureus V8 proteinase, endoproteinase Lys-C and trypsin. The peptides were purified by HPLC and the sequence determined by solid-state and gas-phase sequencing methodology. The amino-acid sequence of the protein is identical to pea embryo histone H3 and the sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of a wheat embryo histone gene (Tabata T. et al. (1984) Mol. Gen. Genet. 196, 397-400).     

Immobilization of Penicillium chrysogenum: spore growth on Celite

Summary Penicillium chrysogenum spores have been immobilized by adsorption on two grades of wet or dry diatomaceous earth particles, Chromosorb-W and Celite R-633. Almost 90% of the spores were adsorbed within 2 h and those remaining in suspension were removed by washing to minimise the growth of free mycelia. After germination the immobilized biomass was almost independent of the spore loading on the particles and whether or not the spore suspension was added to wet or dry particles. The free biomass obtained was less than 5% of the immobilized biomass.     

Aberrant DNase I digestion kinetics of nucleosomal core particles from sea urchin sperm

The pancreatic deoxyribonuclease (DNase I) digestion rates at the susceptible sites on nucleosomal core particles from blastula, gastrula and sperm cells of the sea urchin, Parechinus angulosus, have been determined. Although there are differences in their isohistone composition, the rates of digestion are similar for both embryonic stages. The rates of digestion for sperm core particles are 3-5 times lower than for embryo core particles at the more, and up to 2.5 times lower at the less susceptible sites. An explanation for these differences could be sought in the sperm isohistones H2B which are characterized by N-terminal extensions of 20-25 amino acid residues.     

The reconstitution of a hybrid histone octamer containing avian 110Cys-des-thio-histone H3 and sea-urchin 73Cys-histone H4

A hybrid histone octamer was reconstituted from erythrocyte H2A and H2B, avian [110 Cys-des-thio]histone H3 and the sea-urchin sperm [73Cys]H4 variant. [110Cys-Des-thio]histone H3 was prepared by reaction of natural H3 with Raney nickel. The ability of the hybrid octamer to crystallize to the same form as the natural octamer demonstrated that the chemical modification of cysteine to alanine in H3 and the mutation from threonine to cysteine in sperm H4 do not alter histone-histone interactions in the octamer. Since the sulfhydryl groups of both H4 molecules are fully accessible to 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) these residues provide suitable sites for the introduction of a single cysteine-specific label per H4 molecule in the octamer.     

Isolation of sealed plasma membrane vesicles from Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea. I. Characterization of proton pumping and ATPase activity

Sealed vesicles were isolated from a plant pathogenic fungus Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea using a modification of a method previously developed for plant plasma membrane vesicle isolation. Vanadate-sensitive, proton pumping microsomal membrane vesicles were resolved on a linear sucrose density gradient and found to comigrate with a vanadate-sensitive ATPase. Both the proton pumping and ATPase activity of these vesicles had a pH optimum of 6.5 and demonstrated similar properties with respect to substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity. These properties were in agreement with previously published data on the Phytophthora plasma membrane ATPase. In contrast with previous reports there was no K+ stimulation of the plasma membrane ATPase and the Km for Mg:ATP (1:1 concentration ratio) was higher (2.5 mM). A comparison of anion (potassium salts) effects upon delta pH and delta psi formation in sealed Phytophthora plasma membrane vesicles revealed a correspondence between the relative ability of anions to stimulate proton transport and to reduce delta psi. The relative order for this effect was KCl greater than KBr much greater than KMes, KNO3, KClO3, K2SO4. This study presents a method for the isolation of sealed vesicles from Phytophthora hyphae. It also provides basic information on the plasma membrane H+-ATPase and its associated proton pumping activity.     

Cytochemical changes in hepatocytes of rats with endotoxemia or sepsis: localization of fibronectin, calcium, and enzymes

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is known to be implicated in the pathogenesis of endotoxemia and septic shock. The liver is the first vital organ to exhibit pathological alterations in shock. The present studies include immunoelectron microscopic localization of tissue fibronectin and cytochemical localization of calcium and enzymes in hepatocytes of animals with LPS-induced endotoxemia or cecal ligation-induced septic shock. The results showed increased staining of fibronectin in the basal (perisinusoidal) surfaces and in the cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi complex of hepatocytes in rats with endotoxemia or septic shock. Intracellular calcium content was significantly increased in the LPS-treated or septic rats. Calcium pyroantimonate precipitate was deposited predominantly on the outer surfaces of the RER of hepatocytes. In addition, diminution or depletion of glycogen, reduction of catalase-containing peroxisomes, increase of G-6-Pase activity, and depletion of cytochrome c oxidase in many mitochondria were also observed in hepatocytes of experimental animals. The overall results suggest that LPS stimulates: (a) hepatic synthesis and secretion of fibronectin; (b) uptake of calcium by hepatocytes; and (c) G-6-Pase activity. LPS treatment also leads to reduced numbers of peroxisomes and depletion of cytochrome c oxidase.     

Role of Glutathione in the Morphogenesis of the Bacterial Spore Coat

There is a marked increase in the half-cystine content of bacterial spores, especially the coat layers at the time of formation of the outer coat. When a cysteine auxotroph of Bacillus cereus T is grown on limiting cysteine, the spores contain the normal content of half-cystine, suggesting an alternate source. Glutathione appears to be such a supply of cysteine since it is hydrolyzed during sporulation and there are increased activities of the hydrolyzing enzymes at the same time. In addition, a cysteine auxotroph with a second alteration, a temperature-sensitive glutathione disulfide reductase, produces lysozyme-sensitive spores at 40 C. These spores appear to be defective in the formation of outer spore coat. During sporulation at 40 C, the double mutant accumulates oxidized glutathione which is a poor substrate for the hydrolytic enzymes. As a result, sporulating cells are deficient in half-cystines which are essential for outer spore coat morphogenesis. This alteration can be overcome by a shift to 30 C or by addition of cystinyl-pencillamine or cysteinyl-glycine to cultures sporulating at 40 C.