Oviduct histochemistry and site of synthesis of a 29.7 kDa jelly coat glycoprotein in the anuran Lepidobatrachus laevis

The oviduct of the anuran Lepidobatrachus laevis contains three morphological regions, each of which contains a histochemically distinct luminal mucosa. In the pars recta, the most anterior portion of the oviduct, there are periodic acid-Schiff base (PAS)-positive simple glands and epithelia. In the pars convoluta, there are alcian blue-positive, combined alcian blue- and PAS-positive and PAS-positive gland types. The most posterior region, the pars uterina, contains alcian blue-positive and alcian blue-negative epithelial cells. Previous work has shown that solubilized egg jelly contains a major 29.7 kDa glycoprotein subunit that was detected in oviduct tissue extracts from the pars convoluta in the present study. Rabbit antisera to the 29.7 kDa egg jelly glycoprotein of L. laevis reacted with the major pars convoluta glycoprotein and there were no immunoreactive components in the pars uterina. The slight immunoreactivity detected at 29.0–37.0 kDa in pars recta extracts is not believed to be the jelly molecule, based on low immunoreactivity and subunit molecular weight measurements. We conclude that the synthesis of the 29.7 kDa egg jelly glycoprotein is restricted to the pars convoluta region of the oviduct.     

Origin of bombesin-like peptides in human fetal lung

Four different forms of bombesin-like immunoreactive peaks were detected in extracts of human fetal lung by the use of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Peaks I, II, III and IV, (increasing retention time), were eluted using a 14-38% of acetonitrile gradient containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). Peak II was the major material found in the extract of human fetal lung obtained at 16-20 weeks gestation. None of the four compounds contained in the eluted peaks had the same retention time as amphibian bombesin or porcine gastrin releasing peptide (GRP). On reversed-phase HPLC using two different solvent systems TFA or heptafluorobutyric acid (HFBA) as a hydrophobic counter ion, and in gel filtration chromatography, the chromatographic behavior of the main peak (peak II) was the same as that of the carboxyl terminal fragments of GRP, GRP18-27 or GRP19-27. This suggested that the peptide(s) in peak II resembled in composition the carboxy terminal 9 or 10 amino acids of porcine GRP. Following tryptic digestion the material in peak IV was converted to the more polar compound present in peak II. Two other peptide peaks were eluted close to peak II and these were presumed to be a modification of this main peak. One of the possible biosynthetic steps in the formation of bombesin-like peptides in human fetal lung could be a tryptic conversion of a less polar peptide to a more polar form (peak IV to II).     

Chroococcopsis epiphytica n. sp., eine neue Cyanophycee aus dem Gebiet des Neusiedler Sees

The morphology and life history ofChroococcopsis epiphytica nova spec. is described, a German and Latin diagnosis is added. Cultivated plants display some differences in comparison with plants in their natural habitat: calcification occurs only in the natural medium, endosporangia are developed only by cultivated plants. At the basis, where single cells and thalli are attached, a special sort of jelly is produced; it is discernible only by elective staining with methylene blue. The systematic position of the new species is discussed.

     

The evolution of food-producing glands in eusocial bees (Apoidea,Hymenoptera)1

A food-producing role for cephalic exocrine glands has arisen independently in both taxa of highly eusocial bees, Apis and Meliponini. With several exceptions, there is little evidence that food is produced by glands of solitary bees or by most bees at lower levels of sociality. We suggest that this association with sociality is due to four adaptive features of these glands: (1) food from the glands allows feces from queens and larvae to have a small volume, (2) the queen's fecundity can be increased, (3) nutrient recovery via cannibalism can be facilitated, and (4) rearing of emergency replacement queens is accelerated. Acceleration of the rearing of other castes and of queens in the normal process of colony fission is not clearly an advantage ascribed to these glands. Trophic eggs produced by meliponine colony workers are analogous to the secretions from food-producing glands in Meliponini and Apis workers.     

Heterobasidiomycetous fungi from Aegean Islands (Greece): New annotated records for a neglected group

As part of an inventory of macrofungi in selected islands of the Aegean Archipelago (Greece), 18 species of heterobasidiomycetes (phylum Basidiomycota) belonging to the orders Auriculariales, Cantharellales, Dacrymycetales and Tremellales were collected and identified from the islands of Agios Efstratios, Amorgos, Andros, Crete, Ikaria, Naxos and Nisyros. Among the heterobasidiomycetous fungi collected, Ceratobasidium cornigerum, Dacrymyces lacrymalis, Exidiopsis effusa, E. galzinii, Thanatephorus amygdalisporus, Tremella aurantia, Tulasnella pallida and T. pruinosa constitute first national records, while the genera Ceratobasidium, Thanatephorus and Tulasnella are reported for the first time in Greece. All species are listed with information on their hosts/substrates and occurrence in the investigated islands, while the most interesting records are described, illustrated, and critically discussed in the light of existing taxonomic and distribution data.     

Kinetics of aggregation of αs1 -casein/ca2+ mixtures: charge and temperature effects

Time-dependent light-scattering studies have been made on mixtures of α_s1 -casein and Ca²⁺ at fixed temperature over a range of [Ca²⁺] and [α_s1 -casein], and also as functions of temperature- Measurements were also made of the extent of precipitate formation in the casein/Ca²⁺ mixtures, using centrifugation. The results are analysed in terms of a monomeroctamer equilibrium between calcium caseinate particles followed by a Smoluchowski aggregation in which only the octamers can participate. The equilibrium constant is dependent upon the charge on the protein/Ca²⁺ particles, and hence can be related to the extent of binding of Ca²⁺ to the α_s1 -casein. The Smoluchowski constant is likewise shown to be charge-dependent. The variation of the reaction rate with temperature can be ascribed solely to the changing charge of the α_s1 -casein/Ca²⁺ complex caused by changed binding of Ca²⁺ at different temperatures.     

Immunological Characterization of Honey Proteins and Identification of MRJP 1 as an IgE-Binding Protein

We encountered a fourth case of honey allergy in Japan. We characterized and identified the IgE-binding proteins in honey using the serum of a honey-allergenic patient. Immunoblot analysis revealed that IgE in the patient serum specifically bound to four proteins in each honey sample. At least three of these IgE-binding proteins were N-linked glycoproteins. To identify the 60-kDa IgE-binding protein in dandelion honey, the N-terminal sequences of the fragmented protein were analyzed, revealing the protein to be major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP 1). Three IgE-binding proteins removed of N-linked oligosaccharide showed a large reduction in IgE-binding activity as compared with the intact protein. This suggests that the carbohydrates in the IgE-binding proteins are a major epitope for patient IgE.     

Inhibition of Protein Synthesis by Antiviral Protein from Yucca recurvifolia Leaves

We analyzed 18S and 26S rRNA partial base sequences [positions 1451–1618 (168 bases) of 18S rRNA and positions 1611–1835 (225 bases) and 493–622 (130 bases) of 26S rRNA] of a total of three strains of Pichia jadinii and Candida utilis. The three strains had identical base sequences with the type strain of P. jadinii (IFO 0987) in the 18S rRNA partial base sequencings. In the 26S rRNA partial base sequencings, there were partial base sequences similar to each other (1–0 base difference and 87–95 percent similarities). The sequence data obtained are discussed taxonomically and phylogenetically, especially in connection with Williopsis saturnus, the type species of the genus Williopsis ZENDER.     

C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) enhances stemness properties of human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cell

Mesenchymal stem cells are an attractive source of multipotent cells in part because they are easy to obtain. Several E3 ligases regulate the stability and functions of various factors in different adult stem cells through the ubiquitylation pathway. We investigated the C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP) E3 ligase that regulates pluripotency of human Wharton’s jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSC). We found that CHIP increases protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation by decreased expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which suggests improvement of the survival pathway by CHIP over-expression. We also found that increased CHIP expression induced Sox2 and NANOG, which can promote stem cell self-renewal and prevent oxidative stress-induced senescence of hWJMSC by decreased p21. We found that CHIP could be used to enhance the multiple functions of hWJMSC.