Structural organization of the beta-globin locus of B-haplotype sheep

Goats and some sheep synthesize a juvenile hemoglobin, Hb C (alpha 2 beta C2), at birth and produce this hemoglobin exclusively during severe anemia. Sheep that synthesize this juvenile hemoglobin are of the A haplotype. Other sheep, belonging to a separate group, the B haplotype, do not synthesize hemoglobin C and during anemia continue to produce their adult hemoglobin. To understand the basis for this difference we have determined the structural organization of the beta- globin locus of B-type sheep by constructing and isolating overlapping genomic clones. These clones have allowed us to establish the linkage map 5' epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta I-beta B-epsilon III-epsilon IV- psi beta II-beta F3' in this haplotype. Thus, B sheep lack four genes, including the BC gene, and have only eight genes, compared with the 12 found in the goat globin locus. The goat beta-globin locus is as follows: 5' epsilon I-epsilon II-psi beta X-beta C-epsilon III-epsilon IV-psi beta Z-beta A-epsilon V-epsilon VI-psi beta Y-beta F3'. Southern blot analysis of A-type sheep reveals that these animals have a beta- globin locus similar to that of goat, i.e., 12 globin genes. Thus, the beta-globin locus of B-haplotype sheep resembles that of cows and may have retained the duplicated locus of the ancestor of cows and sheep. Alternatively, the B-sheep locus arrangement may be the result of a deletion of a four-gene set from the triplicated locus.      

Line-scanning microphotolysis for diffraction-limited measurements of lateral diffusion.

Fluorescence microphotolysis was combined with confocal laser-scanning microscopy to yield a method, herein referred to as line-scanning microphotolysis (LINESCAMP), for the measurement of molecular transport at a lateral resolution of approximately 0.34 microns and a temporal resolution of approximately 0.5 ms. A confocal microscope was operated in the line scan mode, while the laser beam power could be switched during scanning between low monitoring and high photolysing levels in less then a microsecond. The number and location of line segments to be photolysed could be freely determined. The length of the photolysed segments could be also chosen and was only limited by diffraction. Together with instrumentation a new, completely general, theoretical framework for the evaluation of diffusion measurements was developed. Based on the numerical simulation of diffusion processes employing a modified Crank-Nicholson scheme, the theory could be applied to any photobleaching geometry and profile as the initial condition and took into account the convolution with the microscope point spread function. With small diffraction-limited areas, the method yielded accurate values for diffusion coefficients in the range between approximately 10(-4) and 1 micron2 s-1. A first application of the method to the diffusion of a fluorescently labeled tracer inside the cell nucleus showed the potential of the method for the study of complex biological systems.     

Improvement of the catalytic properties of penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli ATCC 11105 by selection of a new substrate specificity

Cloned penicillin G acylase (PGA) from Escherichia coli ATCC 11105 was mutagenized in vivo using N-methyl-N-nitrosoguanidine. Mutants of PGA were selected by their ability to allow growth of the host strain E. coli M8820 with the new substrates phenylacetyl--alanyl-l-proline (PhAc-Ala-Pro) phthalyl-l-leucine (Pht-Leu) or phthalylglycyl-l-proline (Pht-Gly-Pro) as sole source of proline and leucine respectively. PGA mutants were purified and immobilized onto spherical methacrylate (G-gel). The immobilized form of mutant PGA selected with (PhAc-gbAla-Pro) hydrolyzed 95% of 9 mmol penicillin G 30% faster than wild-type PGA using the same specific activities. The specific activity of the soluble enzyme was 2.7-fold, and inhibition by phenylacetic acid was halved. Immobilized PGA mutant selected with Pht-Gly-Pro hydrolyzed penicillin G 20% faster than wild-type PGA. The K _m of the soluble enzyme was increased 1.7-fold. Furthermore, the latter two mutants were also 3.6-fold more stable at 45° C than wild-type PGA. The specific activity of the mutant selected with Pht-Leu was 6.3-fold lower, and inhibition by phenylacetic acid was increased 13-fold.     

Selective inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis by gold salts and phenylbutazone

Gold salts and phenylbutazone selectively inhibit the synthesis of PGF_2α and PGE₂ respectively. Lowered production of one prostaglandin species is accompanied by an increased production of the other. Selective inhibition by these drugs was observed in the presence of adrenaline, reduced glutathione and copper sulphate under conditions when most anti-inflammatory compounds inhibited PGE₂ and PGF_2α syntheses equally. It is postulated that selective inhibitors may have a different mode of action and beneficial effects may be related to the endogenous ratio of PGE to PGF required for normal function.     

Two silicone nontoxic fouling release coatings: Hydrosilation cured PDMS and CaCO3 filled,ethoxysiloxane cured RTV11

Two silicone coatings have been evaluated for barnacle adhesion. One coating is an unfilled hydrosilation cured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) network, while the other is a room temperature vulcanized (RTV), filled, ethoxysiloxane cured PDMS elastomer, RTV11^?. The adhesion strength of one species of barnacle, Balanus eburneus, to the hydrosilation coatings is in the range of 0.37–0.60 kg cm^‐2 while the corresponding range for RTV11 is 0.64–0.90 kg cm^‐2. The easier release of B. eburneus from the hydrosilation cured network compared to RTV11 is discussed in relationship to differences in bulk and surface properties. Preliminary results suggest bulk modulus may be the most important parameter in determining barnacle adhesion strength. In light or mechanical property analysis, a re‐evaluation of surface properties and chemical stability is presented.     

HUMAN COOPERATION BASED ON PUNISHMENT REPUTATION

The threat of punishment usually promotes cooperation. However, punishing itself is costly, rare in nonhuman animals, and humans who punish often finish with low payoffs in economic experiments. The evolution of punishment has therefore been unclear. Recent theoretical developments suggest that punishment has evolved in the context of reputation games. We tested this idea in a simple helping game with observers and with punishment and punishment reputation (experimentally controlling for other possible reputational effects). We show that punishers fully compensate their costs as they receive help more often. The more likely defection is punished within a group, the higher the level of within‐group cooperation. These beneficial effects perish if the punishment reputation is removed. We conclude that reputation is key to the evolution of punishment.     

Subcutaneous injection of visible implant elastomer in sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758): a study on compatibility and retention

The purpose of this study was to mark endangered sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) with visible implant elastomer (VIE) in order to assess mortality, compatibility, retention, persistence and histological reactions resulting from this tagging technique. It was hypothesized there would be only minor effects on the fishes' health, and assumed that acute effects would be more pronounced than long‐term effects. On 11 September 2013, 20 specimens were tagged ventrally with visible implant elastomer, 20 received a subcutaneous injection with 0.9% NaCl solution, and another 20 served as untreated control. Mean total length was 28.0 ± 1.8 cm and mean body mass 64.1 ± 12.0 g. The sterlets were kept in four 4,000‐L tanks filled with 2,400‐L water. Acute effects were monitored for 95 days, where fish were held at temperatures between 2.4°C and 15.2°C, reflecting outdoor conditions. Chronic effects were examined 282 days post‐tagging through histological sections of the tagging region in five sterlets. During the first 95 days of observation, tag retention was 100%. No signs of incompatibility were detected. Body mass did not significantly differ between VIE‐tagged fish and controls. At day 282 post‐tagging, however, distinct tissue reactions were visible at the tagging sites of nine fish. Histological examination of five fish revealed a variable degree of infiltration with leukocytes in the areas around the elastomer, which did not necessarily correspond with the externally visible degree of inflammation. After medical treatment, the lesions healed without complications, whereas the retention rate of the VIE tags was 5%. According to the findings, the tag location rather than the tag itself was responsible for the externally visible irritations, indicating that the ventral subcutis of sterlet is not a suitable site, even for small VIE tags in long‐term studies. The results of this study also suggest that VIE marking should in general be critically evaluated before application in field studies.     

Localization,transmission, spontaneous mutations,and variation of function of the Dpp4 (Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV; CD26) gene in rats

Dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (DPPIV) is involved in endocrine and immune functions via cleavage of regulatory peptides with a N-terminal proline or alanine such as incretins, neuropeptide Y, or several chemokines. So far no systematic investigations on the localization and transmission of the Dpp4 gene or the natural variations of DPPIV-like enzymatic function in different rat strains have been conducted. Here we mapped the Dpp4 gene to rat chromosome 3 and describe a semi-dominant mode of inheritance for Dpp4 in a mutant F344/DuCrj(DPPIV-) rat substrain lacking endogenous DPPIV-like activity. This mutant F344/DuCrj(DPPIV-) rat substrain constantly exhibits a nearly complete lack of DPPIV-like enzymatic activity, while segregation of DPPIV-like enzymatic activity was observed in another DPPIV-negative F344/Crl(Ger/DPPIV-) rat substrain. Screening of 12 different inbred laboratory rat strains revealed dramatic differences in DPPIV-like activity ranging from 11 mU/microl (LEW/Ztm rats) to 40 mU/microl (BN/Ztm and DA/Ztm rats). A lack of DPPIV-like activity in F344 rats was associated with an improved glucose tolerance and blunted natural killer cell function, which indicates the pleiotropic functional role of DPPIV in vivo. Overall, the variations in DPPIV-like enzymatic activity probably represent important confounding factors in studies using rat models for research on regulatory peptides.     

The circling behavior of the deafblind LEW-<Emphasis Type="Italic">ci2</Emphasis> rat is linked to a segment of RNO10 containing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Myo15</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kcnj12</Emphasis>

The LEW/Ztm-ci2 rat is an autosomal recessive mutant that displays circling behavior, deafness, progressive retinopathy, locomotor hyperactivity, ataxia, and opisthotonus. We performed a genome-wide scan of a (LEW/Ztm-ci2 × BN/Ztm) F₁ × LEW/Ztm-ci2 backcross population with anonymous microsatellite markers to analyze the genetics of this mutant rat. This linkage analysis demonstrated a very strong association of RNO10 SSLP markers to the phenotype with a core region in the central part of the chromosome. The knowledge of genes mapping to this part of the rat genome and their linkage to SSLP markers is still poor. We developed SSLP markers closely linked to genes, which might be responsible for the mutant phenotype by using the growing amount of rat-specific DNA sequences available at World Wide Web databases. Application of this method facilitated the search for candidate genes for the phenotype of the LEW-ci2 rat. We were able to map Myo15 and its neighboring genes, Znf179 and Aldh3a1, to the region of interest and Myo1c to a more distal location on RNO10. Further rat BAC clones were used to create a physical map of the region of interest. This map revealed the position of further genes. Among those is Kcnj12. Owing to their localization on RNO10 and their involvement in a similar pathology in human and mouse, Myo15 and Kcnj12 can be regarded as candidate genes for the deafblind phenotype of the LEW-ci2 rat.