Diversity of forest tree species in Yanbaru,the northern part of Okinawa Island

The natural forests of Yanbaru, in the northern part of Okinawa Island, harbor many endemic and endangered birds and mammals, and are dominated by an evergreen oak, Castanopsis sieboldii. The Simpson diversity (D) and equitability index (J) were calculated using survey data on number of stems ( 4.5 cm DBH) of each species found in sample plots.Near-climax old forests (age 50 yr, without pine trees) showed high species diversity of trees, 0.92 ± 0.01 in D and 0.83 ± 0.05 in J for trees of which DBH 4.5 cm, and 0.81 ± 0.04 in D and 0.75 ± 0.05 in J for trees of DBH 10 cm.These high values are comparable to those of tropical rain forests. Although even young forests showed high species diversity, diversity indices tended to increase with forest age.The U.S. Marine Corps leases the eastern half of Yanbaru which contains most of these near-climax forests. Conservation of natural forests in this area is recommended.     

Action of rat liver Galβ1-4GlcNAc α(2-6)-sialyltransferase on Manβ1-4GlcNAcβ-OMe,GalNAcβ1-4GlcNAcβ-OMe,Glcβ1-4GlcNAcβ-OMe and GlcNAcβ1-4GlcNAcβ-OMe as synthetic substrates

Incubation of synthetic Man\1-4GlcNAc-OMe, GalNAc1-4GlcNAc-OMe, Glc1-4GlcNAc-OMe, and GlcNAc1-4GlcNac-OMe with CMP-Neu5Ac and rat liver Gal1-4GlcNAc (2-6)-sialyltransferase resulted in the formation of Neu5Ac2-6Man1-4GlcNAc-OMe, Neu5Ac2-6GalNAc1-4GlcNAc-OMe, Neu5Ac2-6Glc1-4GlcNAc-OMe and Neu5Ac2-6GlcNAc1-4GlcNAc-OMe, respectively. Under conditions which led to quantitative conversion of Gal1-4GlcNAc-OEt into Neu5Ac2-6Gal1-4GlcNAc-OEt, the aforementioned products were obtained in yields of 4%, 48%, 16% and 8%, respectively. HPLC on Partisil 10 SAX was used to isolate the various sialyltrisaccharides, and identification was carried out using 1- and 2-dimensional 500-MHz¹H-NMR spectroscopy.Abbreviations 2D 2-dimensional - CMP cytidine 5-monophosphate - CMP-Neu5Ac cytidine 5-monophospho--N-acetylneuraminic acid - COSY correlation spectroscopy - DQF double quantum filtered - HOHAHA homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn - MLEV composite pulse devised by M. Levitt - Neu5Ac N-acetylneuraminic acid - Neu5Ac2en 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid     

Macrofaunal communities on the continental shelf and slope of the southeastern Weddell Sea,Antarctica

Summary During the third leg of the European Polarstern Study (EPOS leg 3) in the austral summer season 1989, benthic macrofaunal communities were sampled from the Elephant Island area (61° southern latitude) and from Kapp Norvegia (71° southern latitude) to Halley Bay (75°30 southern latitude) using a commercial bottom trawl and an Agassiz trawl. Thirty-six trawl samples from a depth range of about 200–2,000 m were considered, with most of the samples being from the shelf and upper slope. Multivariate analysis techniques (clustering and TWIN-SPAN) discriminated between an eastern and a southern community in which parallel subgroups can be distinguished at increasing distance from the ice shelf.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation     

Hexahydroindanone derivatives of steroids formed by Rhodococcus equi

Summary A mutant strain of Rhodococcus equi accumulates three metabolites from the androst-4-ene-3,17-dione or from its degradation intermediate, 3a-H-4(3'-propionic acid)-7a-methylhexahydro-1,5-indanedione (MEPHIP). These three metabolites are: 3a-H-4a(3'-propionic acid)-5-hydroxy-7a-methylhexahydro-1-indanone--lactone (HIL); 3a-H-4(3'-trans acrylic acid)-5-hydroxy-7a-methylhexahydro-1-indanone (^2'-5-hydroxy-MEPHIP); and 3a-H-4(3'-hydroxy-3'-propionic acid)-5-hydroxy-7a-methylhexahydro-1-indanone (3'-hydroxy-HIL). The behaviour of this mutant allows us to propose a pathway for degradation of the intermediates, methylperhydroindanone propionates. However, during this degradation, the side-chain propionate was eliminated by a-oxidation mechanism. Offprint requests to: A. Miclo     

Hydrogen isotope discrimination in higher plants: Correlations with photosynthetic pathway and environment

Summary The ratio of deuterium to hydrogen (expressed as D) in hydrogen released as water during the combustion of dried plant material was examined. The D value (metabolic hydrogen) determined on plant materials grown under controlled conditions is correlated with pathways of photosynthetic carbon metabolism. C₃ plants show mean D values of-132 for shoots and -117 for roots; C₄ plants show mean D values of -91 for shoots and-77 for roots and CAM plants a D value of-75 for roots and shoots. The difference between the D value of shoot material from C₃ and C₄ plants was confirmed in species growing under a range of glasshouse conditions. This difference in D value between C₃ and C₄ species does not appear to be due to differences in the D value (tissue water) in the plants as a result of physical fractionation of hydrogen isotopes during transpiration. In C₃ and C₄ plants the hydrogen isotope discrimination is in the same direction as the carbon isotope discrimination and factors contributing to the difference in D values are discussed. In CAM plants grown in the laboratory or collected from the field D values range from-75 to +50 and are correlated with ¹³C values. When deprived of water, the D value (metabolic hydrogen) in both soluble and insoluble material in leaves of Kalanchoe daigremontiana Hamet et Perr., becomes less negative. These changes may reflect the deuterium enrichment of tissue water during transpiration, or in field conditions, may reflect the different D value of available water in areas of increasing aridity. Whatever the origin of the variable D value in CAM plants, this parameter may be a useful index of the water relations of these plants under natural conditions.     

Trypsin-catalyzed synthesis of the arginyl-arginine dipeptide froml-arginine ethyl ester

Summary Trypsin has been found to catalyze oligomerization ofl-arginine ethyl ester in aqueous reaction media. More than 40% of the substrate has been converted mostly to arginyl-arginine under the optimized reaction conditions (pH 10; [trypsin]10M; [substrate]0.5M).     

Uptake of sewage derived nitrogen by<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Ulva rigida</Emphasis> (Chlorophyceae) in Bahía Nueva (Golfo Nuevo,Patagonia, Argentine)

Uptake kinetics of nitrogen derived from sewage–seawater mixtures (2.5–20% v/v effluent) were determined in the laboratory for Ulva rigida (Chlorophyceae) native from Bahía Nueva (Golfo Nuevo, Patagonia, Argentine). In terms of nitrogen concentration, experimental enrichment levels varied between 53.7 and 362.3M of ammonium and between 0.77 and 6.21M of nitrate+nitrite. Uptake rates were fitted to the Michaelis–Menten equation, with the following kinetic parameters: ammonium: V_max = 591.2molg^–1h^–1, K _s=262.3M, nitrate+nitrite: V _max=12.9molg^–1h^–1, K _s=3.5M). Both nutrients were taken up simultaneously, but ammonium incorporation was faster in all cases. The results show a high capability of Ulva rigida to remove sewage-derived nitrogen from culture media. In the field, most of the nitrogen provided by the effluent would be tied up in algal biomass, supporting low nitrogen levels found at a short distance away from the source.     

New results of the “EPOS” leg 3 cruise to antarctica: Horizontal and vertical distribution of isopods (Crustacea) in the eastern Weddell Sea

Summary A comparison of the EPOS leg 3 material of Weddell Sea Isopoda with the known literature data revealed some new results for the horizontal and vertical distribution of isopods in the eastern Weddell Sea. The number of isopod species known for the Weddell Sea almost doubled to 118 species. New results on the vertical distribution of 11 isopod genera are presented.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation     

The distribution and abundance of krill faecal material and oval pellets in the Scotia and Weddell Seas (Antarctica) and their role in particle flux

Summary The abundance and depth distribution of zooplankton faeces in spring to early summer were investigated along meridional transects (47°W and 49°W) that extended from the Scotia Sea (57°S) across the Weddell-Scotia Confluence and into the Weddell Gyre (62°S). The sea ice edge retreated from 59°30S to 61°S during the study. Faeces were sampled with nets, Niskin bottles and sediment traps and subsequently analysed by light and electron (SEM) microscopy. Krill faecal strings and oval faecal pellets of unknown origin were by far the most important zooplankton faeces and highest concentrations were always found in the Confluence often close to the ice border. Krill faeces were usually more abundant in the uppermost layer (0–50m) where they contributed an average of 130 g dry weight m^–3. There was an exponential decrease with depth, with a minimum of 0.6 g dry weight m^–3 in the 500–1000 m stratum. Oval pellets were more evenly distributed in the upper 1000 m of the water column, with an average of 9 g dry weight m ^–3, although there was a small peak (20 g dry weight m^–3) in the subsurface layer (50–150 m depth). Consecutive collections (day-night) of krill faeces using drifting sediment traps showed that only the larger strings sank from 50 to 150 m depth. Peritrophic membranes appeared to deteriorate during sinking. Diatoms (in particular Nitzschia and Thalassiosira spp.) contributed by far the bulk of material in krill and oval faeces. In samples collected near or under the pack ice, remains of crustaceans in both krill- and oval faeces were also found.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation     

Anti-diabetic activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">β</Emphasis>-glucans and their enzymatically hydrolyzed oligosaccharides from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Agaricus blazei</Emphasis>

-Glucans were prepared from Agaricus blazei Murill by repeated extraction with hot water. The average molecular weights of -glucans were 30–50 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. Oligosaccharides (AO), derived from hydrolyzing -glucans with an endo--(16)-glucanase from Bacillus megaterium, were mainly di- and tri-saccharides. Though -glucans and AO both showed anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertriglyceridemic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-arteriosclerotic activity indicating overall anti-diabetic activity in diabetic rats, AO had about twice the activity of -glucans with respect to anti-diabetic activity.     

Elemental composition of suspended matter in the Scotia-Weddell Confluence area during spring and summer 1988 (EPOS leg 2)

Summary During austral spring and summer 1988 the upper 500 m of water column in the Scotia-Weddell Confluence was sampled for the elemental composition of total suspended matter. For particulate organic carbon surface water concentrations ranged between 2.5 and 15 mol/l, with an estimated 19 to 47% of this pool being detrital carbon. In late November, the highest surface water particulate organic carbon concentrations (15 mol/l) occurred in the Confluence area where they coincided with a maximum in particulate Si (1.7 mol/l). Later in the season particulate Si in the Confluence area decreased to 0.3 mol/l. In the Scotia Sea on the contrary, surface water particulate Si increased with time and reached 3 mol/l in late December. For particulate Ca and Sr in surface water, strong gradients are observed across the Scotia Front (e.g. Ca: from 230 to 10 nmol/l; Sr: from 1.0 to 0.1 nmol/l), with highest concentrations in the Scotia Sea. In general, these distributions are confirmed by the observations on plankton species composition, done by other participants. In the Scotia Sea heavily calcified coccolithophorids and diatoms occurred throughout the season, while in the Confluence area heavily calcified coccolithophorids were absent and a switch-over from diatom to naked flagellate dominance was observed following a krill event. In the surface waters, the lithogenic Si fraction represents on average only 4% of the total particulate Si content. However, this fraction reaches 60% below 100 m depth in the Confluence area, due mainly to the presence of a sub-surface maximum in the aluminosilicate load (particulate Al content up to 30 pmol/l), probably reflecting advection of resuspended shelf sediments. Subsurface Ba/barite concentrations are highest in the Scotia Sea (280 pmol/l) and decrease through the Scotia Front to reach values of 100 pmol/l and less in the Confluence area, the marginal ice zone and the closed pack ice zone.Data presented here were collected during the European Polarstern Study (EPOS) sponsored by the European Science Foundation     

The Effect of Phenylalanine on DOPA Synthesis in PC12 Cells

DOPA synthesis from phenylalanine was studied in PC12 cells incubated with m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine, to inhibit aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. DOPA synthesis rose with increasing concentrations of either phenylalanine or tyrosine; maximal rates (~55 pmol/min/mg protein for tyrosine; ~40 pmol/min/mg protein for phenylalanine) occurred at a medium concentration of ~10 M for either amino acid. The K_m for either amino acid was about 1 M (medium concentration). At tyrosine concentrations above 30 M, DOPA synthesis declined; inhibition was observed at higher concentrations for phenylalanine (300 M). These effects were most notable in the presence of 56 mM potassium. Measurements of intracellular phenylalanine and tyrosine suggested the K_m for either amino acid is 20–30 M; maximal synthesis occurred at 120–140 M. In the presence of both phenylalanine and tyrosine, DOPA synthesis was inhibited by phenylalanine only at a high medium concentration (1000 M), regardless of medium tyrosine concentration. The inhibition of DOPA synthesis by high medium tyrosine concentrations was antagonized by high medium phenylalanine concentrations (100, 1000 M). Together, the findings indicate that for PC12 cells, phenylalanine can be a significant substrate for tyrosine hydroxylase, is a relatively weak inhibitor of the enzyme, and at high concentrations can antagonize substrate inhibition by tyrosine.     

Kinetics of the reconstitution of hemoglobin from semihemoglobins α and β with heme

Kinetics of the reconstitution of hemoglobin from semihemoglobins and with hemin dicyanide have been investigated using three kinds of stopped-flow technique (Soret absorption, fluorescence quenching of tryptophan, and Soret CD). The semihemoglobins and are occupied by heme in the and chains, respectively, the other chain being heme-free. Based on the kinetic results, the following scheme for the reconstitution is proposed; First, hemin dicyanide enters the pocket-like site of the apo chains. Second, in semihemoglobin , the CN-ligand in the fifth coordination position of iron is replaced by the imidazole ring of the proximal His immediately after the heme insertion. In contrast, semihemoglobin changes its conformation after the heme insertion, and this is followed by the ligand replacement. Finally, the partial structure changes induced by the ligand replacement propagate onto the whole molecule and the final conformation is attained. The results indicate that semihemoglobin retains a more rigid and organized structure, and more closely approaches its final structure than does semihemoglobin . Correspondence to: Y. Kawamura-Konishi     

Transformation of Atriplex gmelini plants from callus lines using Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Atriplex gmelini plants were regenerated via organogensis from hypocotyl explants. Callus lines were induced from the hypocotyl explants on Linsmaier and Skoog (LS) medium supplemented with 1 M benzyladenine and 5 M -naphthaleneacetic acid in the dark. Shoots were regenerated from the callus lines on LS medium supplemented with 20 M thidiazuron and 0.1 M -naphthaleneacetic acid under a high-intensity light condition (450 mol m^–2 s^–1). The regenerated shoots were rooted on LS medium without growth regulators to obtain fully developed plants. We succeeded in transforming Atriplex gmelini from callus lines using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.     

High D-glucose does not affect binding of α-tocopherol to human erythrocytes

The role of -tocopherol uptake system in human erythrocyte in the uptake of plasma -tocopherol has been suggested. However no information is available on -tocopherol uptake activity of human erythrocytes in the presence of high levels of D-glucose which is known to lead to pathological alterations in different cells including human erythrocytes. Therefore, in order to examine the effect of D-glucose on the binding of -tocopherol to human erythrocytes, the binding characteristics of -tocopherol to these cells were established first. Binding of [3H]-tocopherol to human erythrocytes was both saturable and specific. Scatchard analysis of -tocopherol binding to these cells showed the presence of two independent classes of binding sites with widely different affinities. The high affinity binding sites had a dissociation constant (Kd1) of 90 nM with a binding capacity (n1) of 900 sites per cell, whereas the low affinity binding sites had a dissociation constant (Kd2) of 5.2 M and a binding capacity (n2) of 105,400 sites per cell. Trypsin treatment abolished all the -tocopherol binding activity. Competition for the binding of -tocopherol to human erythrocytes was effective with other homologues of -tocopherol (-tocopherol, -tocopherol and -tocopherol) and their potency was almost equal to -tocopherol itself. The order of preference was -tocopherol > -tocopherol -tocopherol -tocopherol. Incubation of human erythrocytes with various concentrations of D-glucose did not affect -tocopherol uptake activity. Our data demonstrate the presence of an -tocopherol uptake system in human erythrocytes and that the -tocopherol uptake activity is not modulated by the presence of D-glucose.     

Immunolocalization of β-(1→4) and β-(1→6)-D-galactan epitopes in the cell wall and Golgi stacks of developing flax root tissues

Summary Most cell wall components are carbohydrate including the major matrix polysaccharides, pectins and hemicelluloses, and the arabinogalactan-protein proteoglycans. Both types of molecules are assembled in the Golgi apparatus and transported in secretory vesicles to the cell surface. We have employed antibodies specific to -(16) and -(14)-D-galactans, present in plant cell wall polysaccharides, in conjunction with immunofluorescence and electron microscopy to determine the location of the galactan-containing components in the cell wall and Golgi stacks of flax root tip tissues. Immunofluorescence data show that -(14)-D-galactan epitopes are restricted to peripheral cells of the root cap. These epitopes are not expressed in meristematic and columella cells. In contrast, -(16)-D-galactan epitopes are found in all cell types of flax roots. Immunogold labeling experiments show that both epitopes are specifically located within the wall immediately adjacent to the plasma membrane. They are also detected in Golgi cisternae and secretory vesicles, which indicates the involvement of the Golgi apparatus in their synthesis and transport. These findings demonstrate that the synthesis and localization of -(14)-D-galactan epitopes are highly regulated in developing flax roots and that different -linked D-galactans associated with cell wall polysaccharides are expressed in a cell type-specific manner.     

New expanded bed adsorbents for the recovery of DNA

A 20–40 m pellicular high density (3.7 g cm^–3) expanded bed material has been designed for the capture of DNA and other large macromolecules. Anion exchangers fashioned out of these supports exhibited dramatically enhanced DNA binding capacities over commercial anion exchange adsorbents (6 mg ml^–1, c.f. 50 g ml^–1 at 10% breakthrough), due to a combination of small particle and fuzzy surface architecture created through the coupling of polyethylene imine chains.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2-mum DNA. An analysis of the monomer and its multimers by electron microscopy.

Summary The non-tandem inverted duplication in the 2-m DNA of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a length of 0.19 m and is located asymmetrically along the molecule. The majority of the dumb-bell structures that are formed upon denaturation and selfannealing of the 2-m monomer consists of the renatured inverted duplication sequences as double stranded stem and two single stranded loops of 0.67 m±0.06 m (S-loop) and 0.86 m±0.05 m (L-loop) length. Two additional size classes which comprised 5–10% of the measured molecules had contour lengths of around 1.7 m and 2.1 m. The smaller dumb-bells contained two S-loops and the larger dumb-bells contained two L-loops as was shown by heteroduplex mapping with an HindIII fragment from the L-loop. Two models which assume illegitimate or site specific recombination, are presented to explain the generation of double S-loop and double L-loop molecules. At least part of the 4-m and 6- circular molecules present in the yeast supercoiled DNA fraction are shown to be dimers and trimers of 2-m monomers, but often with inverted loop segments most probably due to intramolecular recombination between sequences of the inverted duplication.2-m DNA is used to indicate the supercoiled DNA fraction although in our measurements the average monomeric length is 1.9 mPart of this work has been presented at the Conference: The Genetics and Biogenesis of Chloroplasts and Mitochondria, Munich, August, 1976     

α°- and β°- Thalassemia in a Thai family: unusually mild homozygous β°-thalassemia without α-globin gene deletion

Summary Alpha-globin genes were analyzed by the direct method of DNA mapping using - and -globin specific probes in a Thai family in which the proposita was an unusually mild °-thalessemia homozygote. °-Thalessemia was found to be segregating in the family, inherited from the proposita's father by one of her younger sisters. However, °-thatlessemia was not detected by this DNA mapping in the proposita. The mild homozygous °-thalessemia in this family may result from interactions of a non-deletion -thalassemia, a gene responsible for high proteolytic activity permitting more balanced globin-chain levels, or from an unusually active hemoglobin F production in the proposita.     

Comparisons of the Genomes of New Giant Phages Isolated from Environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strains of Different Regions

To study the genome diversity of bacteriophages from geographically distant natural populations, new giant KZ-like Pseudomonas aeruginosa phages isolated in two different regions were compared with earlier known phages of three species (KZ, Lin68, EL). A broad spectrum of lytic activity was demonstrated for all KZ-like phages. Phages of the KZ species proved to be common in natural populations of various regions, while EL- and Lin68-related phages were extremely rare. Most KZ-related phages had unique DNA restriction patterns, but the differences between these were only minor, and the genomes did not contain nonhomologous fragments. The spectrum of capsid polypeptides proved to be conserved in each species, and was proposed as a character necessary and sufficient for express classification of phages with an accuracy of species. Phages isolated in different geographical regions showed no substantial difference. Some phages only slightly differing in DNA restriction pattern from KZ may be used to study the origin of KZ genes coding for orthologs of proteins of unrelated species (other phages, pathogenic bacteria, eukaryotes).