Analyses of Pneumocystis Fatty Acids

The major ester-linked fatty acids of the total lipids extracted from Pneumocystis carinii isolated from the lungs of corticosteroid-trcaicd rats were 16:0. 18:0, 18:1, 18:2 and 20:4. Others detected included 14:0, 16:1 and 22:4. The major sphingolipid fatty acids were 16:0, 18:0,22:0,24:0 and 24:1; others included 14:0, 18:1, 20:0, 23:0, 24:2 and 26:0. The total lipid fatty acid compositions of preparations from appropriate lung controls were similar to those of the organism.     

利用黄粉甲繁育管氏肿腿蜂:不同蜂虫比对繁育效果的影响

利用黄粉甲Tenebriomolitor的蛹作为中间寄主繁育管氏肿腿蜂Sclerodermaguani,测定了不同蜂虫比对发育历期、寄生率等几项评价繁育效果的重要指标。结果显示接蜂时不同蜂虫比对雌蜂产卵量和育出的子代蜂数量有较明显的影响,当蜂虫比为2∶1时这2项重要指标较为理想。综合比较了寄生率、寄生成功率、子代蜂的发育历期、出蜂数、性比等各项指标后认为,人工扩繁时采用2∶1的蜂虫比较为适宜。     

不同年龄大鼠不同脑髓区积聚GABA能力的比较

应用同位素示踪和神经组织离体培育的方法,揭示了不同年龄大鼠 CNS 中七个不同区域积聚 GABA 能力的差异。(1)皮层、海马、尾核、下丘脑积聚 GABA 的能力随年龄增长显著增强;而脊髓、垂体积聚 GABA 的能力随年龄增长而显著减弱。(2)年龄对小脑积聚GABA 的能力无明显影响。(3)七个区域积聚 GABA 能力的总和随年龄增长不断增强。证明CNS 中 GABA 系统功能变化与生长、发育、衰老密切相关。     

Characterization of heparin oligosaccharides binding specifically to antithrombin III using mass spectrometry

Heparan sulfate (HS) is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan attached to a core protein on the cell surface. Protein binding to cell surface HS is a key regulatory event for many cellular processes such as blood coagulation, cell proliferation, and migration. The concept whereby protein binding to HS is not random but requires a limited number of sulfation patterns is becoming clear. Here we describe a hydrophobic trapping assay for screening a library of heparin hexasaccharides for binders to antithrombin III (ATIII). The hexasaccharide compositions are defined with their building block content in the following format: (DeltaHexA:HexA:GlcN:SO 3:Ac). Of five initial compositions present in the library, (1:2:3:6:1), (1:2:3:7:1), (1:2:3:7:0), (1:2:3:8:0), and (1:2:3:9:0), only two are shown to bind ATIII, namely, (1:2:3:8:0) and (1:2:3:9:0). The use of amide hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry permitted reproducible quantitative analysis of the composition of the initial library as well as that of the binding fraction. The specificity of the hexasaccharides binding ATIII was confirmed by assaying their ability to enhance ATIII-mediated inhibition of Factor Xa in vitro.     

A phylogenetic analysis of Prunus and the Amygdaloideae (Rosaceae) using ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA

The economically important plum or cherry genus (PRUNUS:) and the subfamily Amygdaloideae of the Rosaceae have a controversial taxonomic history due to the lack of a phylogenetic framework. Phylogenetic analysis using the ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) was conducted to construct the evolutionary history and evaluate the historical classifications of PRUNUS: and the Amygdaloideae. The analyses suggest two major groups within the Amygdaloideae: (1) PRUNUS: s.l. (sensu lato) and MADDENIA:, and (2) EXOCHORDA:, Oemleria, and PRINSEPIA: The ITS phylogeny supports the recent treatment of including EXOCHORDA: (formerly in the Spiraeoideae) in the Amygdaloideae. MADDENIA: is found to be nested within PRUNUS: s.l. in the parsimony and distance analyses, but basal to PRUNUS: s.l. in the maximum likelihood analysis. Within PRUNUS:, two major groups are recognizable: (1) the AMYGDALUS:-PRUNUS: group, and (2) the CERASUS:-LAUROCERASUS:-PADUS: group. The clades in the ITS phylogeny are not congruent with most subgeneric groups in the widely used classification of PRUNUS: by Rehder. A broadly defined PRUNUS: is supported.     

报春石斛花香气成分及其日变化规律

采用静态顶空气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用技术研究报春石斛(Dendrobium primulinum)花香气成分及香气释放的日变化规律,检测并分析一天内六个时间点(6:00、9:00、12:00、15:00、18:00、21:00)报春石斛花的香气成分。各时间点占总香气释放量排序为：6时(35.26%)>9时(22.78%)>12时(19.35%)>21时(7.86%)>15时(7.59%)>18时(7.17%)。共检测出202种香气物质,包括酯类、烯萜类、醇类、醛类、烷类等,其中6:00有93种,9:00有87种,12:00有68种,15:00有61种,18:00有63种,21:00有65种。各个时间点共有的化合物21种。报春石斛花香气释放量6:00最高,18:00最低,主要香气成分是醋酸辛酯。     

THE GROWTH OF BOTRYTIS CINEREA PERS., FUSARIUM CAERULEUM (LIB.) SACC., AND PHOMA FOVEATA FOISTER IN THE PRESENCE OF TETRACHLORONITROBENZENE ISOMERS

The linear growth of Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium caeruleum and Phoma foveata in culture was reduced in the presence of vapour from any of the three isomers of tetrachloronitrobenzene. The isomers were fungistatic but not fungicidal.
Differences in activity were observed amongst the isomers. The 2:3:4:6 isomer was the most active against all three test fungi. 2:3:5:6-TCNB (tecnazene) was more active than 2:3:4:5-TCNB against Botrytis cinerea , but less active against Fusarium caeruleum and Phoma foveata . Two strains of Fusarium caeruleum resistant to the 2:3:5:6 isomer were not resistant to the other two isomers, although they were more resistant than their 2:3:5:6-TCNB sensitive parent strains.
Sporulation and sclerotial production by Botrytis cinerea were completely suppressed by 2:3:5:6-TCNB and 2:3:4:6-TCNB but not by the 2:3:4:5: isomer.     

银杏叶片磷脂酰甘油脂肪酸分子种组成及其位置分布

用高效液相色谱法和酶解的方法检测了银杏叶片磷脂酰甘油(PG)脂肪酸的分子种组成和位置分布,确定银杏叶片PG主要分子种的脂肪酸组成(sn-1/sn-2)是18:3／16:1(3t),18:3／16:0,18:2／16:1(3t),18:2／16:0,18:1／16:1(3t),16:0／16:1(3t),18:1／18:1,18:/16：0和16:0和16:0／16:0。银杏叶片PC脂肪酸组成和位置分布的分析结果表明,C18脂肪酸主要位于sn-l位,16:1(3t)只分布于sn-2位,16:0在sn-1位和sn-2位上均有发现。sn-1位上的不饱和度∑u大于sn-2位上的∑u。     

Characteristics of Synthesis of Very-Long-Chain Saturated and Tetraenoic Fatty Acids in Swine Cerebral Microsomes

The elongation of arachidoyl-CoA (20:0-CoA) yielded 22:0 and 24:0 concomitantly, whereas the elongation of behenoyl-CoA (22:0-CoA) yielded only a negligible amount of 24:0 in adult swine cerebral microsomes. The dependence on time, pH, and the substrate concentrations were examined for the synthesis of 22:0 and 24:0 from 20:0-CoA. A microcomputer-aided simulation study suggested that there were two parallel pathways in the elongation of 20:0-CoA to 22:0 and 24:0. The elongation of 22:0-CoA could not be observed in adult swine cerebral microsomes; however, it was observed clearly in newborn swine and rat brain microsomes. A dilution experiment with the addition of cold 22:0-CoA in the reaction of elongation of 20:0-CoA confirmed the above suggestion that no intermediate 22:0 appeared during the synthesis of 24:0 from 20:0-CoA. The elongation of endogenous 20:4-CoA to 22:4 and 24:4 was examined in newborn swine cerebral microsomes, and the presence of two parallel pathways in the elongation of 20:4-CoA to 22:4 and 24:4 similar to those involved in the elongation of 20:0-CoA to 22:0 and 24:0 was suggested.     

Rabbit muscle gangliosides

Four ganglioside fractions were isolated from rabbit muscle: one hematoside and three hexosamine-containing species. They were analyzed for hexoses, hexosamine, sialic acid, fatty acids, and long-chain base content. The molar ratios of sphingosine-hexose-hexosamine-sialic acid were: for hematoside, 1:2:0:1; for the disialogangliosides, 1:3:1:2; and for trisialoganglioside, 1:3:1:3. The carbohydrates were studied by thin-layer and paper chromatography. The hexoses were glucose and galactose; the hexosamine was N-acetylgalactosamine and the sialic acid was N-acetylneuraminic acid. Fatty acids and long-chain bases were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The fatty acid composition was similar in all of the four gangliosides. The most abundant fatty acids were 16:0 and 18:0, but significant amounts of 16:1, 18:1, 20:0, and 22:0 were also found. Hydroxy fatty acids were not detected. In all of the muscle gangliosides the main long-chain bases were C(18)-sphingenine and C(20)-sphingenine. In hematoside there were also measurable amounts of C(18)-sphinganine and C(20)-sphinganine, whereas in the major gangliosides only traces of C(18)-sphinganine were detected.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
LINGUISTICS AND FOLKLORE: Alpha: The Myths of Creation. C harles H. L ong
LINGUISTICS AND FOLKLORE: The Two Hands oj God: The Myths of Polarity . A lan W. W atts . (Patterns of Myth and Experience. A lan W. W atts , ed.)
LINGUISTICS AND FOLKLORE: The Wisdom of the Serpent: The Myths of Death, Rebirth, and Resurrection . J oseph L. H enderson , and M aud O akes     

Design Lesson Number One

Abstract

Ourselves, Our Values: James Lincoln Collier. The Rise of Selfishness in America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991. 308 pages. $24.95 hardback.

Ourselves, Our Values: Kenneth J. Gergen. The Saturated Self: Dilemmas of Identity in Contemporary Life. New York: Basic Books, 1991. 295 pages. $24.95 hardback.

Ourselves, Our Values: Mary Ann Glendon. Rights Talk: The Impoverishment of Political Discourse. New York: The Free Press, 1991. 218 pages. $22.95 hardback.

Ourselves, Our Values: Paul Leinberger and Bruce Tucker. The New Individualist: The Generation after the Organization Man. New York: Harper Collins, 1991. 454 pages. $24.95 hardback.

The Schools Mess: Chester E. Finn, Jr. We Must Take Charge: Our Schools and Our Future. New York: Macmillan, 1991. 365 pages. $22.95 hardback.

The Schools Mess: Dennis P. Doyle, Bruce S. Cooper, and Robert Trachtman. Taking Charge: State Action on School Reform in the 80's. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hudson Institute, 1991. 150 pages. $15.00 paperback.

The Schools Mess: Jonathan Kozol. Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools. New York: Crown Publishers, 1991. 250 pages. $20.00 hardback.

The Schools Mess: Jane M. Healy. Endangered Minds: Why Children Don't Think and What We Can Do About It. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990. 382 pages. $11.00 paperback.     

Occurrence of a capsule in Aeromonas salmonicida

Aeromonas salmonicida grown in a medium with excess glucose as carbon source produces both capsular and exocellular polysaccharides. The capsular polysaccharide is composed of glucose, mannose, rhamnose, N-acetylmannosamine and mannuronic acid in the molar ratios of approximately 5:3:0.75:2:1. The extracellular polysaccharide is similarly constituted, but in the molar ratios of approximately 4.75:10.5:1.5:2:1. The capsular and exocellular polysaccharides did not cross-react with monoclonal antibodies against the A-layer or the O-antigen lipopolysaccharide.     

Studies on Composition of Molecular Species of Phosphatidylglycerol in Relation to Cold-resistance of Poplar

The composition of molecular species and the positional distribution in fatty acids of phosphatidylglycerol (PG) isolated from poplar ( Populus deltoides cv. Lux 1-69/55 and Poeuramericarla cv.I- 45/51 ) leaves were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), enzym hydrolysis and gas phase chromatography (C,C), and the different cold-resistant poplars were compared with respect to the compositions of molecular species of PG isolated from their leaves. The results showed that the fatty acid compositions ( sn- 1/sn-2) of the major molecular species in PCs from poplar leaves were as follows: 18:3/18:2(18:2/18:3), 18:3/16: 1(3t); 18:3/16:0; 18:2/ 16:1 (3t); 16:0/18:2,18:2/16:0; 18: 1/16: l(3t); 16:0/16: l(3t); 18: 1/18: 1,16:0/18: 1( 18: 1/16:0); 16:0/16:0o The positional distribution of fatty acids in lPG from poplar leaves was found that 16:1(30 was exclusively occupied the sn-2 position, whereas 16:0 was present in both the sn1 position and the sn-2 position. The C18 acids were principally localized at the sn-2 position. The relative contents of the unsaturated molecular species of leaf PCs were more than 70% in both coldresistant poplar and cold-sensitive poplar. The ratio of the unsaturated/saturated molecular species of PG isolated from the cold-resistant Ⅰ -45 poplar was 3.10, which was higher than that of the PG from the cold-sensitive cottonwood, which was 2.38. The sum of the relative contents of the disaturated molecular species of the PG from poplar leaves was closely associated with the cold-resistance of plants. The ∑[ 16:0/16:0+ 16:0/16: l(3t) ] of the PG from cottonwood was higher than that of the PG from cold-resistant I -45 poplar. The differences in the compositions of molecular species and the phase transition temperatures of PCs between cold-resistant and cold-sensitive plants were discussed in terms of the pathways and the activities of selective acyhransferases involved in the PG biosynthesis in chloroplast.     

Substrate specificity of human plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase towards molecular species of phosphatidylcholine in native plasma

The specificity of human plasma lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase for molecular species of phosphatidylcholine (PC) was studied by determining the molecular species composition of whole plasma before and after incubation at 37 degrees C. Since the disappearance of PC under the conditions employed is entirely due to the activity of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase, its specificity can be determined from the decrease in the concentration of each species after the reaction. The selectivity factor for each species was calculated by dividing its observed contribution by its concentration at zero time. The major species contributing to cholesterol esterification in whole plasma were 16:0-18:2 (46%), 18:0-18:2 (16%), 16:0-18:1 (15%), 16:0-20:4 (10%), 18:0-20:4 (5%) and 18:1-18:2 (5%). The specificity, as determined from the selectivity factors for whole plasma, was in the order: 16:0-18:2 greater than 18:1-18:2 greater than 16:0-18:1 greater than 18:0-18:2 greater than 16:0-22:6 greater than 18:0-20:4 greater than 16:0-20:4. The high-density lipoproteins (HDL) contained a significantly higher percentage of 16:0-20:4 and 18:0-20:4 and a lower percentage of 16:0-18:1 and 18:0-18:1 compared to the very-low and low-density lipoproteins. These differences disappeared after incubation of the plasma for 24 h. Using selectivity factors for HDL PCs only, the specificity of the enzyme was found to be in the order: 16:0-18:2 greater than 18:1-18:2 greater than 18:1-18:1 greater than 16:0-22:6 greater than 18:0-18:2 greater than 16:0-18:1 greater than 16:0-20:4. These results indicate that in native plasma, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase prefers 16:0 greater than 18:1 greater than 18:0 at the 1-position and 18:2 greater than 18:1 greater than 22:6 greater than 20:4 at the 2-position of PC.     

Individual molecular species of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in myelin turn over at different rates.

Phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of the myelin membrane exhibit heterogeneity with respect to metabolic turnover rate (Miller, S. L., Benjamins, J. A., and Morell, P. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 4025-4037). To test the hypothesis that this is due to differential turnover of individual molecular species (which differ in acyl chain composition), we have examined the relative turnover of individual molecular species of myelin PC and PE. Phospholipids were labeled by injection of [2-3H]glycerol into the brains of young rats. Myelin was isolated at 1, 15, and 30 days post-injection, lipids were extracted, and phospholipid classes were separated by thin-layer chromatography. The PC and PE fractions were hydrolyzed with phospholipase C, and the resulting diacylglycerols were dinitrobenzoylated and fractionated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The distribution of radioactivity among individual molecular species was determined. The labeled molecular species of myelin PC were 16:0-16:0, 16:0-18:0, 16:0-18:1, and 18:0-18:1, with most of the label present in 16:0-18:1 and 18:0-18:1. Changes in distribution of label with time after injection indicated that 16:0-18:1 turned over more rapidly than 18:0-18:1. The labeled molecular species of myelin PE were 18:0-20:4, 18:1-18:1, 16:0-18:1, 18:0-18:2, and 18:0-18:1. As with myelin PC, 16:0-18:1 (and 18:1-18:1) turned over more rapidly than 18:0-18:1. The relative turnover of individual molecular species of PC in the microsomal fraction from forebrain was also examined. The molecular species profile was different from myelin PC, but again, 16:0-18:1 turned over more rapidly than the other molecular species. Thus, within the same membrane, individual molecular species of a phospholipid class are metabolized at different rates. Comparison of our results with previous studies of turnover of molecular classes of phospholipids indicates that in addition to polar head group composition (Miller et al., 1977), fatty acid composition is very important in determining the metabolic fate of a phospholipid.     

Bio-samtools: Ruby bindings for SAMtools, a library for accessing BAM files containing high-throughput sequence alignments

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The SAMtools utilities comprise a very useful and widely used suite of software for manipulating files and alignments in the SAM and BAM format, used in a wide range of genetic analyses. The SAMtools utilities are implemented in C and provide an API for programmatic access, to help make this functionality available to programmers wishing to develop in the high level Ruby language we have developed bio-samtools, a Ruby binding to the SAMtools library. RESULTS: The utility of SAMtools is encapsulated in 3 main classes, Bio::DB::Sam, representing the alignment files and providing access to the data in them, Bio::DB::Alignment, representing the individual read alignments inside the files and Bio::DB::Pileup, representing the summarised nucleotides of reads over a single point in the nucleotide sequence to which the reads are aligned. CONCLUSIONS: bio-samtools is a flexible and easy to use interface that programmers of many levels of experience can use to access the information in the popular and common SAM/BAM format.     

BUCHBESPRECHUNGEN

Book reviewed in this article:
NOLF, D.: Otolithi piscium. Handbook of Paleoichthyology. Vol. 10. Edited by H.-P. SCHULTZE. Stuttgart
DELSON, ERICH (Ed.): Ancestors: The Hard Evidence. New York: Alan R. Liss, Inc.
REMANE, A.; STORCH, V.; WELSCH, U.: Systematische Zoologie. Fortgefiihrt von V. STORCH und U. WELSCH.
WILSON, R. R.: The Camel. London and New York: Longman
WHIITINGTON, H. B.: The Burgess Shale. London: Yale University Press     

人工环境下棘胸蛙(Paa spinosa)繁殖期的行为谱及活动节律

2007年4月,利用红外线摄像设备记录人工环境下的棘胸蛙行为活动,采用扫描取样法和目标动物取样法对录像资料进行分析,对人工环境下棘胸蛙的个体行为和活动节律进行了研究。结果表明：人工环境下的棘胸蛙行为主要包括静止行为（休息、对视）;社会行为（打斗、追逐）;运动行为（游泳、呜叫、跳跃）;捕食行为;繁殖行为（求偶呜唱、侵占、驱赶、撕咬,摔跤、抱对、错抱、拒绝行为、产卵）等。日变化规律变化表明：棘胸蛙的静止行为占了多数,其余多数行为集中在夜间,在凌晨03：00～05：00间出现一个最高峰,与此不同的是棘胸蛙的打斗行为在白天06：00～07：00、08：00～09：00、11：00～12：00多次出现高峰,而在夜间17：00～24：00打斗行为时间分配很少。呜叫行为在06：00—07：00,13：oo～14：00出现两个高峰,而在夜间17：00～01：00鸣叫行为时间分配很少。棘胸蛙的繁殖行为也主要发生在夜间,在凌晨02：30—04：30为高峰,其间抱对行为占到67％,其次为摔跤17％,撕咬15％,而其余所占很少。在行为描述的基础上,对棘胸蛙的有关行为机制进行了探讨。     

Levels of free fatty acids and calcium absorption in giant squid axons at rest and upon stimulation

Nine free fatty acids (FFA) were discovered in the squid axons at rest: 12:0, 14:0, 15:0, 16:0, 16:1, 18:0, 18:1, 20:3, 20:4. The relative amount of FFA equaled 14.1 micrograms per mg of lipids. Stimulation of nervous conductors decreased the amount of acids--14:0, 15:0, 16:1, 20:3. Simultaneously a considerable increase of the content of 20:4 was observed and three new fatty acids 20:0, 20:1, 22:2 appeared. The content of FFA increased to 27.2 micrograms/mg of lipids. Calcium absorption in the squid axons was equal to 23 nmol/g, but under stimulation this parameter increased to 37 nmol/g. Exogenous fatty acids brought about also an increase of calcium absorption. The accumulation of FFA under excitation was suggested to be the result of the increase of phosphoinositides content and related to the regulation of Ca transport.