Glucoraphasatin: Chemistry, occurrence, and biological properties

Glucoraphasatin is an atypical glucosinolate mainly found in Raphanus sativus roots and sprouts. This review focuses on the chemistry, the occurrence, and the biological properties of glucoraphasatin.     

The stimulatory effect of testosterone propionate and 17β-estradiol on 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity in rat target tissues

The effect of castration and subsequent administration of 17β-estradiol and testosterone propionate on 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity in rat target tissues was studied. Castration 34 days earlier resulted in a 95 reduction in ventral prostate 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity and 16 days earlier in a 67% reduction in uterine 5′-methylthiodenosine phosphorylase activity. Four days of testosterone propionate administration stimulated ventral prostate 5′-methylhioadenosine phosphorylase activity 32% above castrate levels, which represented more than 50% of the intact control levels. 17β-Estradiol on the other hand stimulated uterine 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity of 35% above castrate controls within 24h and with 3 days of continuous hormone treatment to within 97% of the intact control levels. However, castration and subsequent 17β-estradiol administration did not affect 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase activity in rat liver and lung. Both prostate and uterine 5′-methylthioadenosine phosphorylase were shown to metabolize 5′-methylthioadenosine to 5′-methylthioribose through a 5′-methythiribose 1-phosphate intermediate. The data suggest that 5′-methylthioadenosine is not allowed to accumulate in rat target tissues even under conditions which are known to stimulate polyamine synthesis.     

Magnetic Alignment in Carps: Evidence from the Czech Christmas Fish Market

While magnetoreception in birds has been studied intensively, the literature on magnetoreception in bony fish, and particularly in non-migratory fish, is quite scarce. We examined alignment of common carps (Cyprinus carpio) at traditional Christmas sale in the Czech Republic. The sample comprised measurements of the directional bearings in 14,537 individual fish, distributed among 80 large circular plastic tubs, at 25 localities in the Czech Republic, during 817 sampling sessions, on seven subsequent days in December 2011. We found that carps displayed a statistically highly significant spontaneous preference to align their bodies along the North-South axis. In the absence of any other common orientation cues which could explain this directional preference, we attribute the alignment of the fish to the geomagnetic field lines. It is apparent that the display of magnetic alignment is a simple experimental paradigm of great heuristic potential.     

In situ nick translation of metaphase chromosomes with biotin-labeled d-UTP

Summary Conditioned culture medium from Daudi cells was used as a source of soluble H-Y antigen. Concentrated culture medium was labeled with ¹²⁵I and then fractionated by gel filtration. Column fractions were assayed for the presence of H-Y antigen by urease-ELISA. H-Y antigen-containing fractions were then pooled and subjected to an improved immunoprecipitation protocol. Three predominant H-Y antigenic proteins were identified with estimated molecular weights of above 200,000, 50,000, and 20,000.     

Relative abundance of thrombospondin 2 and thrombospondin 3 mRNAs in human tissues.

The levels of thrombospondin 2 (TSP2) and thrombospondin 3 (TSP3) mRNAs in a variety of human tissues were determined by analysis of multiple-tissue mRNA dot blots. For TSP2 mRNA, aorta and fetal heart had the greatest relative abundance. High levels were also detected for muscle, fetal, endocrine, immune, and nerve tissues. The pattern of expression of TSP3 mRNA was very different: kidney, pituitary gland, trachea, uterus, and fetal kidney had the greatest abundance. In general, TSP3 mRNA was expressed at high levels in endocrine, muscle, and fetal tissues. In addition to the tissue-specific differences, a more even distribution of TSP3 mRNA among tissues was observed. The high relative abundance of the two mRNAs in a variety of tissues and the tissue-specific differences in expression could be significant for understanding the diverse roles implicated for TSP2 and TSP3.     

Impacts of rewetting on peat,hydrology and water chemical composition over 15 years in two finished peat extraction areas in Sweden

Restoration of wetlands is a high priority world-wide. Peat extraction areas can be restored by rewetting, however affecting the environment. It could be expected to turn the drained peat-cutover area from a source to a sink of most elements. This study examined effects of such rewetting on peat, hydrology and water chemistry over 15 years at two sites in Sweden; the nutrient-poor Porla peatland and the nutrient-rich Västkärr peatland. Rewetting caused minor changes to peat chemistry, but at the Västkärr site ammonium concentrations increased in superficial peat layers while nitrate decreased. In terms of hydrology, rewetting of the Porla site decreased annual runoff and both high and low discharges. Water pH at the Porla site stayed fairly stable, but at the Västkärr site pH, after an initial 4 years dip, gradually increased to higher values than before rewetting. Water colour and organic matter content were fairly stable, but slightly lower values were found after 15 years than in initial 4–5 years. The concentrations of base cations and of inorganic N were lower after rewetting, while total P was higher. However, these impacts could change from an initial phase as the wetlands in the long-term perspective develop into mires.     

Accumulation of germanium (Ge) in plant tissues of grasses is not solely driven by its incorporation in phytoliths

Ge/Si ratios of plant phytoliths have been widely used to trace biogeochemical cycling of Si. However, until recently, information on how much of the Ge and Si transferred from soil to plants is actually stored in phytoliths was lacking. The aim of the present study is to (i) compare the uptake of Si and Ge in three grass species, (ii) localize Ge and Si stored in above-ground plant parts and (iii) evaluate the amounts of Ge and Si sequestrated in phytoliths and plant tissues. Mays (Zea mays), oat (Avena sativa) and reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) were cultivated in the greenhouse on soil and sand to control element supply. Leaf phytoliths were extracted by dry ashing. Total elemental composition of leaves, phytoliths, stems and roots were measured by ICP-MS. For the localization of phytoliths and the determination of Ge and Si within leaf tissues and phytoliths scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used. The amounts of Si and Ge taken up by the species corresponded with biomass formation and decreased in the order Z. mays > P. arundinacea, A. sativa. Results from LA-ICP-MS revealed that Si was mostly localized in phytoliths, while Ge was disorderly distributed within the leaf tissue. In fact, from the total amounts of Ge accumulated in leaves only 10% was present in phytoliths highlighting the role of organic matter on biogeochemical cycling of Ge and the necessity for using bulk Ge/Si instead of Ge/Si in phytoliths to trace biogeochemical cycling of Si.