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Sterol composition of three marine sponge species from the genus Cinachyrella

• 1.1. The hitherto undescribed sterol compositions of three marine sponge species belonging to the genus Cinachyrella are reported: C. alloclada and C. kükenthali from the Senegalese coast, at two different depths, and C. aff. schulzei from the lagoon of Nouméa, New Caledonia.
• 2.2. Fourteen free sterols have been identified by GC and GC/MS studies, including the 23,24ξ-dimethylcholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol (10) and the rare 24-norcholesta-5,22-dien-3β-ol (1).
• 3.3. The first compound (10) is reported for the second time in a marine sponge and it was found only in Senegalese sponges collected in shallow waters.
• 4.4. Sterol (10) has been isolated by HPLC and identified by NMR techniques.
• 5.5. Significant amounts of cholest-7-en-3β-ol (7) were also found in the Senegalese sponge species.
• 6.6. Apart from these two compounds, the three sponge sterol compositions are found to be very similar.

     

The occurrence of brassicasterol and epibrassicasterol in the chromophycota

• 1.1. Sterols were identified from eight isolates of five species in the Chromophycota that were cultured axenically and harvested in the stationary phase.
• 2.2. Analyses were performed on four strains from the Prymnesiophyceae, two strains from the Cryptophyceae and one from the Bacillariophyceae. Most strains examined contained only one major sterol, 24-methyl-22-dehydrocholesterol.
• 3.3. Analysis by capillary GC, HPLC, and in one instance NMR, showed that the two strains provisionally identified as Isochrysis contained brassicasterol (24β-methyl-22-dehydrocholesterol); whereas, all other species examined contained primarily epibrassicasterol (24α-methyl-22-dehydrocholesterol).
• 4.4. Stigmasterol (24α-ethyl-22-dehydrocholesterol) accompanied epibrassicasterol in Pleurochrysis carterae.
• 5.5. Analyses of C-24 alkyl isomers in these algae may provide useful information concerning their taxonomic placement.
• 6.6. The occurrence of both isomers of 24-methyl-22-dehydrocholesterol in oysters is explained by the occurrence of both isomers among algae which are probably dietary sources for oysters.

     

Breast,hips, and buttocks revisited: Honest fatness for honest fitness

This paper comments on: Low, B. S., Alexander, R. D., and Noonan, K.M. Human hips, breast, and buttocks: Is fat deceptive? Ethology and Sociobiology 8: 249-247, 1987. In it I argue that:

• 1.1. Sexual selection has probably not been the most important selection pressure on
• 2.female human body shape.
• 3.2. Male humans in different cultures find different aspects of the female body attractive
• 4.and therefore are unlikely to have exerted consistent directional sexual selection on
• 5.the female body.
• 6.3. Breast size is not correlated with lactation success.
• 7.4. Visible hip width is not correlated with parturition success.
• 8.5. Women would lower their fitness if they tried to deceive men about their internal
• 9.pelvic dimensions.
• 10.6. There are many alternative hypothesis to explain the existence of fat onwomen's
• 11.breast, hips, and buttocks.

     

Cloning and characterization of rabbit pancreatic colipase

• 1.1. Among the digestive enzymes synthesized by pancreas, lipase is the principle lipolytic enzyme which hydrolyses dietary glycerides.
• 2.2. For its action it requires a coenzyme, colipase.
• 3.3. The molecular mechanisms of the interaction of these two are not fully understood.
• 4.4. Further, molecular events that regulate and influence lipid absorption are ill denned.
• 5.5. The rabbit is the conventional animal model for the study of lipid absorption. We have undertaken the molecular cloning, and characterization of rabbit pancreatic colipase, the coenzyme for pancreatic lipase.
• 6.6. Colipase has been cloned from a gt 11 library of an adult rabbit pancreatic cDNA by probing with an oligonucleotide derived from human colipase sequence.
• 7.7. The total reading frame consists of 321 nucleotides coding for 90 amino acids of the functional protein and 17 nucleotides of the leader peptide.
• 8.8. Northern blot analysis revealed a distinct band around 0.5kb. Comparison with other species revealed an over all homology of 75% at the nucleotide level.
• 9.9. At the amino acid level highest conservation is observed at the lipase-binding region (AA 53–73).
• 10.10. Rabbit enzyme also retained the N-terminal pentapeptide of it preform.
• 11.11. The regions of homology and conservation may aid to define the sites of interaction of colipase with lipase.

     

Domain structure of the 90-kDa stress protein: Heparin- and antibody-binding domain

• 1.1. To understand the physiological roles of the 90-kDa stress protein (HSP90), we investigated the heparin- and antibody-binding domains of the protein.
• 2.2. For heparin-binding sites, HSP90 was digested completely with trypsin, and the digests were applied to a heparin-Sepharose column and eluted with 1.0 M NaCl, followed by 8.0 M urea.
• 3.3. Each elutant was purified by a reverse-phase C₁₈ column.
• 4.4. Two peptides from the NaCl-eluted fraction and no peptide from the urea-eluted fraction were purified.
• 5.5. The purified peptides were sequenced by an automated peptide sequencer.
• 6.6. One of the heparin-binding sites was present between Leu-362 and Arg-365; another was present between Leu-645 and Lys-648.
• 7.7. These two peptides were basic and considerably hydrophilic.
• 8.8. For antibody-binding sites, HSP90 was mildly digested with trypsin, electrophoresed on SDS-polyacrylamide gels and transferred to PVDF membranes.
• 9.9. The four bound of the trypsin fragments could be sequenced with a peptide sequencer.
• 10.10. There was only one antibody-binding peptide, 38 kDa, starting from Pro-2. The others showed no cross-reactivity with the antibody and started from Leu-283.
• 11.11. Therefore, the epitopes of HSP90 are present between Pro-2 and Leu-282.
• 12.12. The heparin-binding sites are present from the middle region of the HSP90 molecule, and the antigen sites are at the N-terminal domain.

     

Haematology of the australian eastern quoll,Dasyurus viverrinus

• 1.1. A variety of haematological parameters were determined in adult Dasyurus viverrinus.
• 2.2. Haemoglobin and red cell counts were high with a very low mean cell volume.
• 3.3. Basophils are absent but the eosinophils contain small numbers of basophilic granules which may indicate a dual role for this cell.
• 4.4. “Ring Form” leucocytes are present.
• 5.5. Three types of red cell picture could be identified, some animals showing large numbers of spherocytes, spicule cells, and inclusion bodies.
• 6.6. These cells resemble those found in some inherited human haemolytic anaemias but there was no evidence of haemolysis in the animals.
• 7.7. An alkali resistant haemoglobin component is present.

     

Properties of the transition from short-term to long-term depression in neurons of Helix pomatia

• 1.1. Synaptic short-term depression could be transferred into long term depression by repetition of series of stimuli.
• 2.2. The transition from short-term depression to long-term depression was blocked by puromycin.
• 3.3. The majority of the transition took place during resting periods between stimulus series.
• 4.4. The initiation of the transition process was 83% completed after 5 min of stimulation.
• 5.5. Short- and long-term depression were quantitatively separated into their two serial sites of origin: afferent axons and synaptic terminals.
• 6.6. Long sequences evoked periods with increased and variable EPSPs not conforming to depression.

     

Properties of enzymes hydrating epoxides in human epidermis and liver

• 1.1. Cytosolic and microsomal epoxide hydrolyzing enzymes of human skin and liver were compared and found to be different.
• 2.2. Epidermal and hepatic cytosolic epoxide hydrolases were different in terms of substrate selectivity, pI, inhibitor sensitivity and affinity Chromatographic properties.
• 3.3. Microsomal epoxide hydrolases had the same pIs but different substrate selectivities.
• 4.4. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from adults had higher specific activity than that from neonates or cultured epidermis, but lower activity than adult hepatic enzymes.
• 5.5. The sizes of cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from epidermis and liver were similar and lower than that from cultured fibroblasts.
• 6.6. Cytosolic epoxide hydrolase from all sources shared similar antigenic determinants.

     

The purification of kallikrein from human whole saliva

• 1.1. A quick and simple procedure is described for purifying kallikrein from human whole saliva. The enzyme has been purified about 2700-fold with a yield of approx. 30%.
• 2.2. The procedure is based on the immediate fractionation of saliva by ion exchange chromatography. This is followed by a combination of affinity and high performance liquid chromatography.
• 3.3. The results indicate that another protein component binds to the enzyme at pH 8.0.
• 4.4. The homogeneity of the enzyme has been demonstrated by gel electrophoresis in the absence as well as in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate.
• 5.5. A mol. wt of 40,100±1800 has been calculated from gel electrophores is experiments.
• 6.6. Sedimentation equilibrium in an analytical ultracentrifuge gave a mol. wt of 39,700.
• 7.7. The amino acid composition has been determined and it confirms that the enzyme has a low isoelectric point.
• 8.8. The presence of tryptophan has been demonstrated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy.

     

Immunocytochemical localisation of vitellogenic and non-vitellogenic yolk proteins in the ovary of leptinotarsa decemlineata

• 1.1. Two vitellogenins and chromoprotein 2 are selectively accumulated by the oocyte and cannot be detected either in follicle cells or in the germarium.
• 2.2. At the start of their accumulation in terminal oocytes they are asymmetrically distributed.
• 3.3. Endocytosis of vitellogenin 1 starts somewhat later than the uptake of vitellogenin 2 and chromoprotein 2.
• 4.4. In follicle cells of young follicles, a protein (DLP), immunologically related to diapause protein 1, is highly concentrated.
• 5.5. During vitellogenesis DLP is sequestered by the oocytes.
• 6.6. The protein rich globules in terminal oocytes contain the vitellins as well as chromoprotein 2 and DLP.

     

Investigation of phycocyanin-membrane interaction: Promotion of membrane interactions

• 1.1. In a continuing investigation of phycocyanin-membrane surface interaction, fluorescence quenching experiments were performed with a mixture of two populations of fluorescence probe-encapsulated phospholipid bilayer vesicles in the presence and absence of phycocyanin.
• 2.2. These membrane vesicles were prepared with 1,2-dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), cholesterol and a probe molecule.
• 3.3. A fluorophore was encapsulated in one population of membrane vesicles, while a quencher was encapsulated in another population of membrane vesicles.
• 4.4. The result was compared with those of experiments in the presence of other biomolecules, including albumin, cytochrome c, hemoglobin, myoglobin or RNA.
• 5.5. Interestingly, a one-third reduction of the fluorescence intensity was observed in the mixture of these two populations of membrane vesicles in phycocyanin's presence.
• 6.6. In contrast, the other biomolecules caused no significant reduction in the fluorescence intensity.
• 7.7. These findings were evidence of a phycocyanin-induced membrane perturbation.
• 8.8. This was further demonstrated by a phycocyanin-induced change in the thermotropic behavior of DMPC vesicles, as measured by differential scanning microcalorimetry.
• 9.9. Such a unique property of phycocyanin is believed to be associated with its known membrane surface-interacting character.
• 10.10. A possible phycocyanin-modulated membrane-membrane interaction was discussed.

     

Identification of the major annexins in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

• 1.1. Three calcium-binding proteins have been purified from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.
• 2.2. They were identified by amino acid sequence analysis on selected fragments obtained by tryptic digestion.
• 3.3. The proteins belong to the annexin family and were identified as annexins II, III and V.
• 4.4. Antibodies raised against the proteins were used to examine for their presence in a number of murine tissues.
• 5.5. The occurrence was found to be in reasonable accordance with earlier reports.

     

Characteristics of Crassostrea virginica crystalline style chitin digestion

• 1.1. Fundamental chitin digestion characteristics of Crassostrea virginica crystalline style were investigated.
• 2.2. Optimum temperature and pH were 34°C and 4.8. respectively.
• 3.3. The colloidal regenerated chitin (0.56mol/0.5 ml: GlcNAc equivalents) was saturating under all enzyme levels encountered.
• 4.4. There was no evidence of end product inhibition, even after 100 hr incubation.
• 5.5. Calculated K_m for the chitinase complex was 1.19mM when determined using a 30 min assay, but was only 0.70 mM when determined using a 4.6 hr assay.
• 6.6. Both K_m values are lower than reported for similar assays in other molluscs and for most bacteria.
• 7.7. Effect of substrate preparation on the kinetics are discussed.
• 8.8. Eight peaks of chitinase activity were resolved by DEAE-Fractogel ion exchange chromatography.

     

Catecholamines affect storage and retrieval of conditioned odour stimuli in honey bees

• 1.1. The effects of injected catecholamines and their analogues on odour learning in honey bees is described.
• 2.2. Dopamine blocks the retrieval of a learned odour signal with a specific time course and does not block the storage of this signal.
• 3.3. Noradrenaline blocks retrieval and storage of a conditioned odour signal.
• 4.4. Amphetamine shows the same effects as noradrenaline.
• 5.5. Haloperidol has no affect on memory retrieval or storage.

     

Correlation of water translocation,cuticle dehydration and post-ecdysial sclerotization by the american cockroach

• 1.1. Haemolymph volume decreases during the initial 16 hr post-ecdysial period, increases after water ingestion and subsequently drops until the inter-ecdysial level is reached.
• 2.2. Total body water follows a similar pattern, but the changes are not as pronounced.
• 3.3. Tissue water is inversely proportional to the total body water.
• 4.4. Soluble cuticle protein declines throughout the initial 16 hr period while both β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activity is lost within 6 hr after ecdysis.
• 5.5. Dehydration of the cuticle also occurs during the immediate 6 hr post-ecdysial period.
• 6.6. These data suggest that the formation of the protein-insoluble matrix is linked with water loss.
• 7.7. Water removal may decrease the distance between molecules allowing specific reactions to take place.

     

Relationship between brain trehalase activity and trehalosema during direct and diapausing development in Pieris brassicae

• 1.1. Brain trehalase specific activity and trehalosemia were measured during the end of the developmental life cycle in non-diapausing and diapausing insects.
• 2.2. During non-diapausing development, trehalosemia reached maximum values at the beginning of pupal life. Then a constant decrease was observed up to the end of adult life.
• 3.3. The specific activity of brain trehalase was maximum when the insects were in active feeding periods, minimum activity appearing during moulting phases.
• 4.4. During diapausing development, trehalosemia was very high at the beginning of pupal life, particularly when insects were exposed to wintering conditions.
• 5.5. When diapause was broken, trehalosemia fell, announcing adult emergence.
• 6.6. Brain trehalase activity showed the same qualitative variations as in non-diapausing larvae, but with rather lower values.
• 7.7. During pupal life, brain trehalase activity decreased markedly during the long period necessary to obtain diapause breakdown.
• 8.8. Wintering conditions allow a progressive increase of brain trehalase activity, which preceded the fall of trehalosemia.