Characterization of Aspergillus niger catalase

Aspergillus niger catalase has been characterized by a variety of physical techniques including gel filtration, sedimentation rate and equilibrium methods and photon correlation spectroscopy. The catalase has a sedimentation coefficient (S₂₀⁰) of 14.2 ± 0.08 S and diffusion coefficient (D₂₀⁰) of 4.14 ± 0.35 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹. The average molecular weight of the catalase from all available data including current sedimentation equilibrium measurements and two previous literature values is 345 000. The frictional ratio of the molecule assuming a hydration parameter similar to that of bovine liver catalase (.3 g H₂O g⁻¹) is 1.103, suggesting that Aspergillus niger catalase has an asymmetric structure with an axial ratio of approximately 3 (the Stokes radius is 5.83 ± 0.49 nm). The titration curve and amino acid analysis indicate that in the native conformation only 23% of the ionizable amino acid residues are titratable between pH 3 and 10.5. Denaturation with sodium n-dodecylsulphate increases the number of titratable groups to 46%. The ratio of anionic to cationic amino acid residues in Aspergillus niger catalase is 2.46 and the isoelectric point is 6.5. The optimum pH for catalytic activity is approximately 7.     

Structure of 7S seed globulin from Phaseolus vulgaris L. in solution

The structure of the 7S globulin from Phaseoulus vulgaris L in dilatue solutions has been studied by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), by quasi-elastic light scattering (Q ELS), by circular dichroism spectroscopy (c.d.), and by precise density measurements. The molar mass, the radius of gyration, the volume, the maximum dimension and the diffusion coefficient were determined as M = 1.45 × 10⁵ g mol⁻¹, R_G = 4.05 nm, V = 300- nm³, L = 13.0 nm and D_20,w⁰ = 4.5 × 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹, respectively. The molecule has an asymmetrical shape with the dimensions 12.5 × 12.5 × 3.75 nm. The secondary structure of the 7S globulin is characterized by a small portion of -helical structure (14%) and a marked content of β-structure (18%).     

Biochemical and biophysical studies on cytochrome aa3 VIII. Effect of cyanide on the catalytic activity

1. 1. Cyanide inhibits the catalytic activity of cytochrome aa₃ in both polarographic and spectrophotometric assay systems with an apparent velocity constant of 4·10³ M⁻¹·s⁻¹ and a K_i that varies from 0.1 to 1.0 μM at 22 °C, pH 7·3.

2. 2. When cyanide is added to the ascorbate-cytochrome c-cytochromeaa₃−O₂ system a biphasic reduction of cytochrome c occurs corresponding to an initial K_i of 0.8 μM and a final K_i of about 0.1 μM for the cytochrome aa₃−cyanide reaction.

3. 3. The inhibited species (a²+a₃³⁺HCN) is formed when a²⁺a₃³⁺ reacts with HCN, when a²⁺a₃²⁺HCN reacts with oxygen, or when a³⁺a₃³⁺HCN (cyano-cytochrome aa₃) is reduced. Cyanide dissociates from a²⁺a₃³⁺HCN at a rate of 2·10⁻³ s⁻¹ at 22 °C, pH 7.3.

4. 4. The results are interpreted in terms of a scheme in which one mole of cyanide binds more tightly and more rapidly to a²⁺a₃³⁺ than to a³⁺a₃³⁺.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain of Tetrahymena pyriformis The properties of submitochondrial particles and the soluble b and c type pigments

Submitochondrial particles isolated from Tetrahymena pyriformis contain essentially the same redox carriers as those present in parental mitochondria: at pH 7.2 and 22 °C there are two b-type pigments with half-reduction potentials of −0.04 and −0.17 V, a c-type cytochrome with a half reduction potential of 0.215 V, and a two-component cytochrome a₂ with E_m7.2 of 0.245 and 0.345 V.

EPR spectra of the aerobic submitochondrial particles in the absence of substrate show the presence of low spin ferric hemes with g values at 3.4 and 3.0, a high spin ferric heme with g = 6, and a g = 2.0 signal characteristic of oxidized copper. In the reduced submitochondrial particles signals of various iron-sulfur centers are observed.

Cytochrome c₅₅₃ is lost from mitochondria during preparation of the submitochondrial particles. The partially purified cytochrome c₅₅₃ is a negatively charged protein at neutral pH with an E_m7.2 of 0.25 V which binds to the cytochrome c-depleted Tetrahymena mitochondria in the amount of 0.5 nmol/mg protein with a K_D of 0.8 · 10⁻⁶ M. Reduced cytochrome c₅₅₃ serves as an efficient substrate in the reaction with its own oxidase. The EPR spectrum of the partially purified cytochrome c₅₅₃ shows the presence of a low spin ferric heme with the dominant resonance signal at g = 3.28.

A pigment with an absorption maximum at 560 nm can be solubilized from the Tetrahymena cells with butanol. This pigments has a molecular weight of approx. 18 000, and E_m7.2 of −0.17 V and exhibits a high spin ferric heme signal at g = 6.     

The respiratory chain of Azotobacter vinelandii II. The effect of cyanide on cytochrome d

1. Cyanide causes a slow disappearance of the oxidized band (648 nm) of cytochrome d in particles of Azotobacter vinelandii and inhibits the appearance of the reduced band (631 nm). No effect of cyanide is found on the reduced band of cytochrome d.

2. The kinetics of the disappearance of the 648-nm band of cytochrome d with excess cyanide deviates from first-order kinetics at lower temperatures (22 °C) indicating that at least two conformations of the enzyme are involved. At higher temperatures (32 °C) the observed kinetics of the cyanide reaction are first order with a k_on = 0.7 M⁻¹·s⁻¹ and with an estimated k_off of approximately 5·10⁻⁵ s⁻¹.

3. The value of the k_off (7·10⁻⁴−14·10⁻⁴ s⁻¹ at 32 °C) determined from the rate of reduction of cyanocytochrome d by Na₂S₂O₄ or NADH is one order of magnitude larger than the k_off value found when the enzyme is in its oxidized state.

4. No effect of cyanide is found on the spectrum of cytochrome a₁.     

A comparative study of EPR spin trapping and cytochrome c reduction techniques for the measurement of superoxide anions

Superoxide anions (O₂^.−) generated by the reaction of xanthine with xanthine oxidase were measured by the reduction of cytochrome c and by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). Studies were performed to determine the relative sensitivities of these two techniques for the measurement of O₂^.−. Mixtures of xanthine, xanthine oxidase, DMPO generated two adducts, a transient DMPO-OOH and a smaller but longer-lived DMPO-OH. Both adducts were inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD), demonstrating they originated from O₂^.−, and were also significantly decreased when the experiments were performed using unchelated buffers, suggesting that metal ion impurities in unchelated buffers alter the formation or degradation of DMPO-adducts. O₂^.−, generated by concentrations of xanthine as low as 0.05 μM, were detectable using EPR spin trapping. In contrast, mixtures of xanthine, xanthine oxidase, and cytochrome c measured spectrophotometrically at 550 nm demonstrated that concentrations of xanthine above 1 μM were required to produce measurable levels of reduced cytochrome c. These studies demonstrate that spin trapping using DMPO was at least 20-fold more sensitive than the reduction of cytochrome c for the measurement of superoxide anions. However, at levels of superoxide generation where cytochrome c provides a linear measurement of production, EPR spin trapping may underestimate radical production, probably due to degradation of DMPO radical adducts.     

Kinetics and equilibria of Ga(III)---thiocyanate complex formation. Mechanism of ligand substitution reactions of Ga(III) in aqueous solution

The kinetics and equilibria of complex formation by Ga(III) with NCS⁻ in aqueous solution have been measured over a range of acidities and temperatures, the contributing paths to the reaction resolved, and their rate constants and activation parameters determined. The hydrolysis equilibria required to carry out this resolution of kinetic behaviour have also been measured.

Unlike the other reported complexation reactions of Ga(III) in aqueous solution, the separate reaction pathways can be assigned with no ambiguity. At 25 °C and ionic strength 0.5 M, the observed forward rate constant for the complex formation is described by {k₁ + k₂K_1h/[H⁺] + k₃K_1hK_2h/[H⁺]²} M⁻¹ s⁻¹. For these conditions, the first and second successive hydrolysis constants of Ga(H₂O)₆³⁺ are given by pK_1h = 3.69 ± 0.01 and pK_2h = 3.74 ± 0.04. The rate constants corresponding to the reactions of the species Ga(H₂O)₆³⁺, Ga(H₂O)₅(OH)²⁺ and Ga(H₂O)₄(OH)₂⁺ with NCS⁻ are k₁ = 57 ± 4 M^{−1 −1}, k₂ = (1.08 ± 0.01) × 10⁵ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and k₃ = 3 × 10⁶ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ respectively. The complexation equilibrium quotient [GaNCS²⁺]/([Ga³⁺][NCS⁻]) has been independently determined by spectrophotometric titration to be 20.8 ± 0.3 M⁻¹ at 25 °C and ionic strength 0.5 M.

These kinetic results lead to an interpretation of the data, and a reinterpretation of other data for aquo-Ga(III) complex formation kinetics from the literature which support the assignment of a dissociative interchange mechanism for these reactions rather than the associative activation mode sometimes proposed.     

Solvent extraction of divalent palladium and platinum from aqueous solutions of their chloro complexes using an N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamoylethoxy substituted calix[4]arene

The compound 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetra-(2-bromoethoxy)calix[4]arene has been prepared by first converting 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetra-(2-hydroxyethoxy)calix[4]arene into the tosylate, and then to the product by reaction with LiBr. The compound crystallizes in the trigonal space group P3₂21 with A = 13.160(2), C = 25.595(6) Å, A = 90.00(2), β = 90.00(1), γ = 120.000(9)⁰, Z = 3, _calc = 1.40 g cm⁻³. The final R value for 2391 unique reflections was 0.061. The compound reacts with excess sodium N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamate to give 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetra-(2-N,N-dimethyldithiocarbamoylethoxy)calix[4]arene. This compound is an effective extractant for transferring palladium(II) from an aqueous to a chloroform phase. No extraction of PtCl₄²⁻ is observed under thermal conditions. Under photochemical conditions using a mixture of PtCl₄²⁻ and PtCl₆²⁻, extraction of platinum into the chloroform layer is observed. An explanation for this observation is given.     

Development of a cell-free translation system from Cucumis melo: preparation, optimization and evaluation of sensitivity to some translational inhibitors

A very active cell-free translation system was prepared from 4–5-day-old embryonic axes of melon (Cucumis melo L.), a species whose dry seeds contain a powerful translational inhibitor. The system was optimized for Mg²⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺, high speed supernatant, total wheat germ tRNA, time and temperature. Using a 30 000 × g supernatant, the system translates endogenous messengers and polyuridylic acid very efficiently. Melon ribosomes were inhibited in vitro by several well-known eukaryotic inhibitors including melonin, the protein inhibitor present in the dry seeds of C. melo. Our results suggest that the protein inhibitor does not affect the activity of melon ribosomes neither in vivo nor during their isolation.     

High-density cultivation of Perilla frutescens cell suspensions for anthocyanin production: Effects of sucrose concentration and inoculum size

High-density cultivation of Perilla frutescens cells for anthocyanin production was carried out in both batch and fed-batch modes in a 500-ml shake flask. In fed-batch cultures, a high cell density of 27.7 g dry cells l⁻¹ and a total anthocyanin production of 3.87 g l⁻¹ by intermittent feeding of all medium components except hormones were obtained. In batch cultures, both initial sucrose concentration and inoculum size showed a conspicuous effect on the kinetics of cell growth, sugar consumption, and secondary metabolite (anthocyanins) production by suspended P. frutescens cells. At an inoculum size of 50 g wet cells l⁻¹, the maximum cell density of 38.3 g dry cells l⁻¹ was obtained after 11 days of cultivation at an initial sucrose concentration of 60 g l⁻¹, the highest pigment production of>5.8 g l⁻¹ was attained after 10 days of cultivation at an initial sucrose concentration of 45 g l⁻¹. These amounts of cell mass and anthocyanin pigments were 3.3 and 24 times higher than those at an initial sucrose concentration of 15 g l⁻¹ and inoculum size of 15 g wet cells l⁻¹, respectively.     

Chlorophyll a fluorescence and photochemical activities of chloroplast fragments

1. Comparative studies were made on the fluorescence characteristics of chlorophyll a at 20° and −193°, and quantum efficiencies for P 700 oxidation and NADP⁺ reduction were measured in chloroplasts and chloroplast fragments obtained after incubation with 0.5% digitonin.

2. Differences in the flurescence yield of chlorophyll a in flowing and stationary suspensions of untreated chloroplasts and of the large fragments are indicative of light-induced photoreduction of the quencher Q of chlorophyll a, associated with pigment System 2 (chlorophyll a₂). The relatively low constant fluorescence yield of chlorophyll a in the small fragments indicates the absence of fluorescent chlorophyll a₂ from these fragments and suggests that the low fluorescence is due to chlorophyll a, associated with pigmen System 1 (chlorophyll a₁). The ratio of the fluorescence yields of chlorophyll a₁ and chlorophyll a₂ is 0.45:1. In the large particles the concentration ratio of pigment System 1 and System 2 is 1:3.

3. The efficiencies of quanta absorbed at 673, 683 and 705 nm for NADP⁺ reduction and P 700 oxidation in untreated chloroplasts and chloroplast fragments indicate that digitonin treatment results in a separation of System 2 from System 1 in the small fragments. Sonication does not cause such a separation. Under the conditions used P 700 oxidation and NADP⁺ reduction in the small fragments separated after digitonin treatment, occurred with maximal efficiency of 0.7 to 1.0 and 0.7, respectively.

4. The constancy of the fluorescence yield of chlorophyll a₁ in the small fragments, under conditions at which P 700 is oxidized and NADP⁺ is reduced, is interpreted as evidence either for the hypothesis that the fluorescence of chlorophyll a₁ is controlled by the redox state of the primary photoreductant XH, or alternatively for the hypothesis that energy transfer from fluorescent chlorophyll a₁ to P 700 goes via an intrinsically weak fluorescent, still unknown, chlorophyll-like pigment.

5. The low-temperature emission band around 730 nm is argued not to be due to excitation by System 1 only; the relatively large half width of the band, as compared to the emission bands at 683 and 696 nm, suggests that it is possibly due to overlapping emission bands of different pigments.     

Cytochrome oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. IV. Reaction with oxygen and carbon monoxide

The reaction between a cytochrome oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and oxygen has been studied by a rapid mixing technique. The data indicate that the heme d₁ moiety of the ascorbate-reduced enzyme is oxidized faster than the heme c component. The oxidation of heme d₁ is accurately second order with respect to oxygen and has a rate constant of 5.7 · 10⁴ M⁻¹ · s⁻¹ at 20 °C. The oxidation of the heme c has a first-order rate constant of about 8 s⁻¹ at infinite concentration of O₂. The results indicate that the rate-limiting step is the internal transfer of electrons from heme c to heme d₁. These more rapid reactions are followed by more complicated but smaller absorbance changes whose origin is still not clear.

The reaction of ascorbate-reduced oxidase with CO has also been studied and is second order with a rate constant of 1.8 · 10⁴ M⁻¹ · s⁻¹. The initial reaction with CO is followed by a slower reaction of significantly less magnitude. The equilibrium constant for the reaction with CO, calculated as a dissociation constant from titrimetric experiments with dithionite-reduced oxidase, is about 2.3 · 10⁻⁶ M. From these data a rate constant of 0.041 s⁻¹ can be calculated for the dissociation of CO from the enzyme.     

Etude des mutants chlorate-resistants d'escherichia coli K12. IV. Isolement, purification et etude de la nitrate-reductase reconstituee In vitro par complementation

Study on chlorate-resistants mutants of Escherichia coli K12. IV. Isolation, purification and study of nitrate-reductase restored in vitro by complementation

By mixing the cell-free extracts of the two mutants chl A⁻ and chl B⁻ of Escherichia coli K12, previously freed from particle membranes, we achieved restoration of nitrate reductase activity. The activity is restored first in a soluble form, then in a particulate form. This mechanism is called “complementation”. In the soluble state, the purified enzyme reduces NO₃⁻ and ClO₃⁻, using reduced benzyl viologen or FMNH₂ as electron donors. It is sensitive to KCN, NaN₃, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (1 mM) and N-ethylmaleimide (0.1 mM)

The soluble form is sensitive neither to phospholipase C, nor to 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide; it associates with phospholipids and cytochrome b₁ to form particles in which nitrate reductase activity is no longer sensitive to ethyl N-maleimide and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, but, conversely, becomes sensitive to 2-n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide.

These results clearly demonstrate that it is possible to study the mechanism of integration of the enzyme leading to active membranes particles without any previous solubilisation of the original material.     

Bioelectrochemical transformation of nicotinic acid into 6-hydroxynicotinic acid on Pseudomonas fluorescens TN5-immobilized column electrolytic flow system

Pseudomonas fluorescens TN5 catalyzes the hydroxylation of nicotinic acid (NA) into 6-hydroxynicotinic acid (6HNA), an important compound as a starting material for the synthesis of a new type of pesticides. Under aerobic conditions, however, 6HNA is metabolized in the P. fluorescens cells. The use of Fe(CN)₆³⁻ as an extracellular electron acceptor enhances the biotransformation of NA into 6HNA and completely suppresses the subsequent oxidation of 6HNA. The function of the P. fluorescens cell was combined with the electrode process by immobilizing the P. fluorescens cells on the carbon fiber electrode surface in the column, where Fe(CN)₆³⁻ was used as an electron transfer mediator. Continuous-flow electrolysis of NA in the presence of Fe(CN)₆³⁻ at the P. fluorescens-immobilized column electrode realized the accelerated and complete transformation of NA into 6HNA without any by-product.     

Relationship between cyprid energy reserves and metamorphosis in the barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin (Cirripedia; Thoracica)

Nauplii batch cultures of Balanus amphitrite were reared with four different diatoms (Skeletonema costatum, Thalassiosira pseudonana, Chaetoceros gracilis, silicate-limited C. gracilis) at three different cells concentrations: 1×10⁵, 5×10⁵, and 1×10⁶ cells ml⁻¹. The cyprid energy reserves were quantified as the ratio of triacylglycerols (TAG) to DNA. Energy reserves of larvae fed on different diatoms at a concentration of 1×10⁶ cells ml⁻¹ were ranked in the order: silicate-limited C. gracilis>C. gracilis>T. pseudonana>S. costatum. There was a significant linear relationship between the TAG content of the diet and cyprid energy reserves. The effect of cyprid energy reserves on metamorphosis to polystyrene surface in the presence and the absence of conspecific settlement factor (SF) was studied after 12, 24, and 48 h of incubation. A strong positive correlation between energy reserves and percent metamorphosis was observed in the absence of SF (r_{12 h}=0.88, r_{24 h}=0.82, r_{48 h}=0.68, P<0.05). A weak positive correlation was observed in the presence of SF (r_{12 h}=0.43, r_{24 h}=0.48, r_{48 h}=0.50, P<0.05). In both treatments, more than 80% of the cyprids with high energy reserves metamorphosed within 24 h. In contrast, a high proportion of cyprids with low energy reserves metamorphosed in response to SF in 24 h. Our results indicate that discriminatory metamorphic behavior of cyprids is closely linked to their TAG/DNA ratio, a proxy for energy reserve.     

Leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence and growth responses of Genipa americana seedlings to soil flooding

Effects of soil flooding on photosynthesis and growth of Genipa americana L. seedlings, a neotropical fruit-tree species used in gallery forest restoration programs, were studied under glasshouse conditions. Despite the high survival rate and wide distribution in flood-prone habitats of the neotropics, previous studies demonstrated that growth of G. americana is reduced under soil flooding. Using leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements, we tested the hypothesis that stomatal limitation of photosynthesis is the main factor that reduces carbon uptake and growth rates of G. americana seedlings. Throughout a 63-day flooding period, the survival rates were 100%. The maximum values of the net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance to water vapor (g_s) of control seedlings were 9.86 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ and 0.525 mol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively. The earliest effects of flooding were significant decreases in g_s and A, development of hypertrophied lenticels and decrease in the dry weight of roots. A strong effect of the leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (LAVPD) on g_s and A were observed that was enhanced under flooded conditions. Between 14 and 63 days after flooding, significant reductions in g_s (31.7% of control) and A (52.9% of control) were observed followed by significant increments in non-photochemical quenching (q_N) (187.5% of control). During the same period, there were no differences among treatments for the ratio between variable to initial fluorescence (F_v/F₀), the maximum quantum efficiency of the photosystem II (F_v/F_m) and photochemical quenching (q_P), indicating that there was no damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. Based on the results, we conclude that decreases in stomatal opening and stomatal limitation of photosynthesis, followed by decrease in individual leaf area are the main causes of reductions in carbon uptake and whole plant biomass of flooded seedlings.     

Particulate formate oxidase from Nitrobacter agilis

1. The nitrite oxidase particles obtained by sonic oscillation of Nitrobacter agilis cells also possessed appreciable formate oxidase activity, ranging from about 25 to 50% of the nitrite oxidase activity depending upon the N. agilis strain. Both activities distributed themselves in the same pattern and proportions during differential centrifugation, and resided solely in the pellet resulting from high-speed centrifugation.

2. Difference spectra of formate-reduced particles or intact cells demonstrated the presence of cytochromes of the c- and a-types like those of the NO₂⁻-reduced material. Under anaerobic conditions NO₃⁻ or fumarate acted as an alternate electron acceptor in place of O₂ in formate oxidation. Under aerobic conditions increasing NO₃⁻ concentrations resulted in (a) an increased role of NO₃⁻ as a terminal electron acceptor compared to O₂, (b) a greater total enzymatic transfer of electrons from formate than if O₂ were the sole electron acceptor, and (c) a partial inhibition of O₂ uptake suggestive of a competition for electrons by the two acceptors. The formate oxidase system failed to catalyze consistently the transfer of electrons to either added mammalian cytochrome c or Fe(CN)₆³⁻. The marked sensitivity of the system to certain inhibitors implicated cytochrome oxidase as an integral part of the formate oxidase. The system was also inhibited significantly by a variety of chelating agents, indicating a metal component in the formate dehydrogenase or early portion of the electron transfer sequence.

3. The stoichiometry of the formate oxidase system was shown to approach the theoretical value of 2 moles of CO₂ evolved per mole of O₂ or per 2 moles of formate consumed.

4. To a limited extent, phosphorylation occurred concomittantly with the oxidation of formate in the presence of the cell-free particulate system.     

Pigment content and molar extinction coefficients of photochemical reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas spheroides

Reaction center particles isolated from carotenoidless mutant Rhodopseudomonas spheroides were studied with the aim of determining the pigment composition and the molar extinction coefficients.

Two independent sets of measurements using a variety of methods show that a sample with A_{800 nm} = 1.00 contains 20.8 ± 0.8 μM tetrapyrrole and that the ratio of bacteriochlorophyll to bacteriopheophytin is 2:1.

Measurements were made of the absorption changes attending the oxidation of cytochrome c coupled to reduction of the photooxidized primary electron donor in reaction centers, using laser flash excitation. The ratio of the absorption change at 865 nm (due to the bleaching of P870) to that at 550 nm (oxidation of cytochrome) was found to be 5.77.

These results, combined with other data, yield a pigment composition of 4 bacteriochlorophyll and 2 bacteriopheophytin molecules in a reaction center. Based on this choice, extinction coefficients are determined for the 802- and 865-nm bands: _{802 nm} = 288 (± 14) mM⁻¹ · cm⁻¹ and _{865 nm} = 128 (± 6) mM⁻¹ · cm⁻¹. For reversible bleaching of the 865-nm band, Δ^{red - ox}_865nm = 112 (± 6) mM⁻¹ · cm⁻¹ (referred to the molarity of reaction centers). Earlier reported values of photochemical quantum efficiency are recomputed, and the revised values are shown to be compatible with those obtained from measurements of fluorescence transients.     

Relative balance of the cost and benefit associated with carnivory in the tropical Utricularia foliosa

Investment by bladderwort (Utricularia foliosa) in carnivory, in terms of total C and N of bladders per leaf, was estimated in places with different nutrient concentrations from the Yahuarcaca Creek in the Colombian Amazon. The aims were to determine whether nutrient limiting conditions stimulate the investment in carnivory, and the relative balance between C and N invested in carnivory versus C and N obtained from prey. There were no significant differences either for phosphate (PO₄³⁻) concentration or for ammonia (NH₄⁺) concentration among five sampling areas, along approximately 5 km long stretch of the creek, with a pooled mean ± S.D. of 0.19 ± 0.06 and 8.6 ± 3.0 μM, respectively. However, there were significant differences in the nitrate (NO₃⁻) concentration ranging from 0.6 to 2.5 μM. Total C and N of bladders per leaf increased with decreasing NO₃⁻. This corroborates the hypotheses that the carnivorous plant U. foliosa optimises its investment in carnivory according to nutrient availability in the water, and that N is a limiting factor that stimulates the investment in carnivory. The numbers of prey per bladder were also higher under NO₃⁻ limitation, thus enhancing the input of nutrients toward the plant through the bladders. The ratio of total C of prey captured/total C invested in bladders was always lower than 1. However, the efficiency of N was higher since when NO₃⁻ concentration was lower than 1 μM, the ratio of total N of prey captured/total N invested in bladders ranged between 0.97 and 1.67.     

Ternary complexes in solution with hydrogen phosphate and methyl phosphate as ligands

The stability constants of the 1:1 complexes formed between Cu(Arm)²⁺, where Arm = 2,2′-bipyridyl or 1,10-phenanthroline, and methyl phosphate, CH₃OPO₃²⁻, or hydrogen phosphate, HOPO₃²⁻, were determined by potentiometric pH titration in aqueous solution (25°C; l = 0.1 M, NaNO₃). On the basis of previously established log K versus pK_a straight-line plots (D. Chen et al., J. Chem. Soc., Dalton Trans. (1993) 1537–1546) for the complexes of simple phosphate monoesters and phosphonate derivatives, R-PO₃²⁻, where R is a non-coordinating residue, it is shown that the stabilities of the Cu(Arm) (CH₃OPO₃) complexes are solely determined by the basicity of the -PO₃²⁻ residue. In contrast, the Cu(Arm) (HOPO₃) complexes are slightly more stable (on average by 0.15 log unit) than expected on the basicity of HPO₄²⁻; this is possibly due to a more effective solvation including hydrogen bonding, an interaction not possible with coordinated CH₃OPO₃²⁻ species. Regarding biological systems the observation that HOPO₃²⁻ is somewhat favored over R-PO₃²⁻ species in metal ion interactions is meaningful.