Germ Cell Nuclear Factor: An Orphan Receptor in Search of a Function

Germ Cell Nuclear Factor (GCNF) is an orphan member of the nuclearreceptor gene superfamily. Much has been understood about thefunctioning of GCNF which represents a candidate receptor fora novel hormonal signalling pathway. GCNF is not closely relatedto other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and formsits own branch within the superfamily tree. It has a uniqueexpression pattern that spans both embryonic and adult stagesof development. In the adult, it is expressed in the germ cells:oocytes and spermatogenic cells as well as specific neuronalcells within the brain. In the embryo, GCNF expression is turnedon after gastrulation in all germ layers the ectoderm, mesodermand endoderm. An antero-posterior gradient of GCNF is establishedin the neuroectoderm of the embryo, suggesting a role in regulationof neuronal and germ cell development. Regulation of physiologicalprocesses by a nuclear receptor is achieved through regulationof gene expression. GCNF is the only nuclear receptor to specifcallybind to DR0 hormone response elements to regulate gene expression.In the absense of a ligand, GCNF represses gene expression.GCNF is capable of regulating the expression of the protaminegenes in a response element-dependent manner. At present theligand for GCNF is unknown, but it is hypothesized that GCNFis a receptor for a novel hormonal signalling pathway that effectsits biological response by regulating the expression of a subsetof genes containing DR0 response elements.     

Localization of Surface Structures During Procaryotic Differentiation: Role of Cell Division in Caulobacter crescentus

Asymmetric cell division in Caulobacter crescentus produces two cell types, a stalked cell and a new swarmer cell, with characteristics surface structures. We have examined the role of the cell cycle in the differentiation of these two cells using the adsorption of bacteriophage øLC72, the assembly of the polar flagellum, and stalk formation as assays for changes in surface morphology. Previous studies of this aquatic bacterium [17, 25] have suggested that the replicating chromosome acts as a 'clock' in timing the formation of the flagellar filament at one pole of the new swarmer cell. The analysis of conditional cell cycle mutants presented here extends these results by showing that DNA synthesis is also required for adsorption of phage øLC72 and, more importantly, they also suggest that a late cell division step is involved in determining the spatial pattern in which the phage receptors and flagella are assembled. We propose that this cell division step is required for formation of 'organizational' centers which direct the assembly of surface structures at the new cell poles, and for the polarity reversal in assembly that accompanies swarmer cell to stalked cell development.     

Prevention of potato top-roll by aphicide and its effect on leaf area and photosynthesis

In a field of potatoes, top-roll, which is induced by the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae feeding on the leaves, was restricted to two rows of plants which accidentally received no phorate aphicide granules at planting. The photo-synthetic rate per unit leaf area and the ground cover of top-rolled leaves were respectively 50% and 20% less than those of normal plants which may account for the smaller yields of affected plants observed in previous experiments.     

Respiratory Loss of Recently Assimilated Carbon in Wheat

A series of experiments was undertaken to assess the amountof respiration associated with the growth of wheat at differentstages. Plants (or in some cases just the flag leaf) were labelledwith ¹⁴CO₂ and the amount of ¹⁴CO₂ respired during the subsequent48 or 72 h was measured. The evolution of ¹⁴C, expressed asa percentage of the amount initially assimilated (referred toas the R/A value) was used as a measure of the overall efficiencyof dry matter production. Respiratory ¹⁴CO₂ evolution from labelledplants was most rapid in the first 12 h after labelling, thereafterdeclining rapidly. Evolution was also more rapid following labellingsat the end of the light period (dusk) than at the beginningof it (dawn). The R/A values were greatest (42 and 50 per centrespectively for dawn- and dusk-labelled plants) for young plantsand least (13 and 28 per cent respectively) for plants duringmid grain filling. When flag leaves, as distinct from wholeplants, were labelled, R/A values were lower still (9 and 21per cent respectively), indicating that flag leaf assimilatewas used efficiently in grain production. The calculated minimum R/A for the formation of grain material(10 per cent protein, 90 per cent starch) was 6.2 per cent.That the experimentally determined values were greater thanthis is attributed to the turnover of carbon in enzymes, toother maintenance processes, and possibly to the operation ofthe pentose phosphate pathway of glucose oxidation. R/A valueswere lower in those plants labelled at the beginning than thoseat the end of the photoperiod. This was considered to be a consequenceof refixation of respiratory ¹⁴CO₂ during the light. The higherR/A values found for young plants were considered to be a consequenceof the greater percentage of ¹⁴C translocated to the roots (rootsbeing unable to refix respired CO₂) and of greater turnoverof enzymes associated with more active metabolism. Triticum, wheat, respiration, carbon assimilation, carbon loss, grain-filling     

Vegetative and Reproductive Response of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. to Photoperiods

The photoperiodic behavior of tomato cultivars differing ingrowth habit and geographical origin was investigated. Short(8 h) and long (11 to 14 h or dark interruption) photoperiodswere obtained by using the changing seasonal daylenghs. Observationson vegetative and reproductive development indicated that thetomato cultivars responded differentially to the treatments.A highly significant interaction between photoperiod and leafposition was observed. The probable cause for the diverse andcomplex responses of the tomato species to photoperiods is discussed.     

Determining blood pressure in infants: use of the flush technique

The flush technique that recently has come into use is probably the most satisfactory method available for measuring blood pressures in infants and is of great aid in diagnosis of diseases associated with hypertension or hypotension. The method is practical and highly accurate. Readings obtained by this technique are not influenced by the width of the cuff, are usually higher at the wrist than at the ankle, and approximate the mean rather than the systolic blood pressure.     

Low frequency of extra-pair paternity in two colonies of the socially monogamous short-tailed shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris

The short-tailed shearwater is a colonially nesting, socially monogamous seabird. Little is known about mate fidelity and breeding behaviour in this species because breeding birds are nocturnal on land and spend much of their time within subterranean nesting burrows. Colonial breeding and extended sperm storage create opportunities for extra-pair copulations which may form a significant component of the mating strategy in this species. Multilocus DNA fingerprinting was used to examine the genetic relationship between nestlings and the male and female nest attendants in 83 burrows from two distinct breeding colonies. Genetic analyses identified nine nestlings, approximately equally distributed between the two colonies, that were not related to the attendant pair male in those burrows, implying extra-pair paternity through extra-pair copulations. These results are used retrospectively to discuss the characteristics of extra-pair copulations and extra-pair fertilizations and the implications for estimates of life-time reproductive success in the short-tailed shearwater.