Growth kinetics of a bacteriophage in continuous culture

Lytic coliphage Qbeta was grown in continuously cultured host bacteria using a cascade of stirred flow reactors. The apparatus was constructed so that the steady stream of exponentially growing bacterial cells passing through the stirred flow reactors served to prevent coevolution brought about by host-parasite interactions. Wall growth was the primary cause for deviation from ideal continuous culture conditions and is largely dependent on the surface structure of the host bacteria. Using an Escherichia coli strain deficient in adhesive type I pili expression, the desynchronization of single burst events could easily be followed over the course of four infection latency periods. Computer simulations based on a two-stage model for the Qbeta infection cycle were in perfect agreement with the experimental data. Applications of the optimized system to strategies of molecular evolution are discussed. (c) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

昆虫核酸分子系统学研究进展

本文从研究对象、方法、类群、内容等方面综述了近十年来昆虫核酸分子系统学研究进展概况。文中首先介绍了ＲＦＬＰＡ、探针杂交及ＤＮＡ指纹、ＰＣＲ与ＲＡＰＤ－ＰＣＲ、顺序分析方法及应用情况,列举了在双翅目、膜翅目、同翅目、直翅目等目昆虫中的研究进展,并从居群遗传结构、分类学研究、系统发育和分子进化４个方面总结了昆虫核酸分子系统学的研究内容和主要成果,最后指出ＲＡＰＤ－ＰＣＲ与ＲＦＬＰ联合用于测序是近期昆虫分子系统学上最有应用价值的方法。     

Differentiation trees,a junk DNA molecular clock,and the evolution of neoteny in salamanders

Obligate neotenic salamanders die if forced to metamorphose. We suggest that this can be explained by assuming: 1) their “excess” DNA is “junk” DNA; 2) the “adult” specifying portion of the DNA becomes junk DNA and is available for repeated duplication. This suggests a “new” junk DNA molecular clock. We obtain remarkable agreement in “predicting” the amount of DNA per nucleus in present day non-obligate neotene salamanders from this molecular clock. These observatons are consistent with the idea that the development of these animals is describable in terms of differentiation trees whose branches (gene cascades) corresponding to adult somatic tissues accumulate deleterious mutations over evolutionary time. We show that the amount of DNA per nucleus increases linearly with the phylogenetic age of salamander families. The lack of constraints by natural selection, on unused adult branches, may account for the large amount of so-called “junk DNA” in obligate neotenic salamanders. The effects of this excess DNA, via increased cell size, suggest a positive feedback, ecophysiological explanation for such junk DNA: adaptation to cool water environments is enhanced by the lower metabolism associated with more DNA, larger cells and slower developmental time.     

Intraspecific diversity of the Cassava Green Mite Mononychellus progresivus (Acari: Tetranychidae) using comparisons of mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences and cross-breeding

Intraspecific diversity in Cassava Green Mite Mononychellus progresivus Doreste was examined using individuals collected in Benin and the Congo and in Columbia and Brazil. Comparisons were based on mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA sequences and the results of several cross-breeding experiments. Sequence variation was examined in a total of 1139 base pairs (bp) constituting the ITS2 ribosomal DNA (805 bp) and a fragment of the Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene (334 bp). Sequence divergence is low, ranging from 0% to 2.1% for COI and from 0% to 0.4% for ITS2. Inter-strain comparisons have shown that the two African populations appear to be identical. They were similar to the Colombian population while the Brazilian population was clearly different. The data support the hypothesis of a single introduction of the species in the two African populations. Crossing experiments have shown partial hybrid sterility, suggesting a genetic incompatibility consistent with differences detected by sequence data. The results show the usefulness of molecular markers as a tool for determining taxonomic status and dispersion paths in spider mites.     

铜绿假单胞菌PIC－N萘降解基因的研究

铜绿假单胞菌（Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｍｏｎａｓａｅｒｕｇｉｎｏｓａ）ＰＩＣ－Ｎ对萘、邻苯二甲酸、水杨酸等有较强的氧化能力。发现该菌株以禁为底物可诱导产生芳香烃分解酶系。菌株中存在一个５７．４ｋｂ的质粒,经限制性内切酶ＨｉｎｄⅢ处理可产生７个片段,用限制性内切酶ＥｃｏＲⅠ处理可产生８个片段。将以限制性内切酶ＨｉｎｄⅢ部分酶切的片段克隆至大肠杆菌质粒ｐＭＦＹ４３上,获得２９个克隆株。通过对含有菌株ＰＩＣ－Ｎ质粒ＨｉｎｄⅢ片段的７个重组质粒进行限制酶分析,绘出了该质粒ＨｉｎｄⅢ内切酶７个切点的酶切图谱。     

Molecular modelling of theDolichos biflorus seed lectin and its specific interactions with carbohydrates: α-D-N-acetyl-galactosamine,Forssman disaccharide and blood group A trisaccharide

The three-dimensional structure ofDolichos biflorus seed lectin has been constructed using five legume lectins for which high resolution crystal structures were available. The validity of the resulting model has been thoroughly investigated. Final structure optimization was conducted for the lectin complexed with GalNAc, providing thereby the first three-dimensional structure of lectin/GalNAc complex. The role of theN-acetyl group was clearly evidenced by the occurrence of a strong hydrogen bond between the protein and the carbonyl oxygen of the carbohydrate and by hydrophobic interaction between the methyl group and aromatic amino acids. Since the lectin specificity is maximum for the Forssman disaccharide GalNAc(1–3)GalNAc-O-Me and the blood group A trisaccharide GalNAc(1–3)[Fuc(1–2)]Gal-O-Me, the complexes with these oligosaccharides have been also modelled.     

Classification of cultivated rices into indica and japonica types by the isozyme,RFLP and two milled-rice methods

Four methods for classifying cultivated rices (Oryza sativa L.) (including IR varieties) into indica and japonica types — waxy gene product in endosperm starch, glutelin ₃ molecular weight in milled rice, RFLP polymorphism at the Wx locus and Glaszmann's isozyme method — were compared. On the basis of the two endosperm traits and the RFLP method Glaszmann's group 1 (indica) was classified as mainly indica and intermediate groups 2, 3 and 4 as exclusively indica. However, the endosperm traits classified Glaszmann's group 5 as mainly indica, while the RFLP method classified it as japonica. The RFLP waxy gene probe was closest to the isozyme method in classifying group 6 as japonicas; the waxy gene product gave mainly indica reaction even in group 6, and the glutelin ₃ method was intermediate. All IR rices were classified as being indica on the basis of Wx gene product and by Glaszmann's method, but a few were classified as japonica by the glutelin ₃ method and by the RFLP waxy gene probe.     

Reflections on biosystems motivating supramolecular engineering

Some goals of bioelectronics—interfacing biology and electronics — are the understanding of supramolecular bioprocesses and the construction of supramolecular devices. The principles for the design and fabrication of machineries with functional components of molecular size are inspired by reflecting on biosystems, and it seems important to consider such principles. We first discuss attempts to construct supramolecular machines, and then we consider the bacterial reaction centre as an example where supramolecular engineering helps to elucidate a bioprocess. We then discuss possible mechanisms leading to the emergence of life-like systems in the light of the basic principles used to design supramolecular devices. Finally, we reflect on prospects in molecular engineering inspired by studying the emergence of life-like systems.