Tracing paternal ancestry in mice, using the Y-linked, sex-determining locus, Sry

The molecular evolution of mammalian Y-linked DNA sequences is of special interest because of their unique mode of inheritance: most Y- linked sequences are clonally inherited from father to son. Here we investigate the use of Y-linked sequences for phylogenetic inference. We describe a comparative analysis of a 515-bp region from the male sex- determining locus, Sry, in 22 murine rodents (subfamily Murinae, family Muridae), including representatives from nine species of Mus, and from two additional murine genera--Mastomys and Hylomyscus. Percent sequence divergence was < 0.01% for comparisons between populations within a species and was 0.19%-8.16% for comparisons between species. Our phylogenetic analysis of 12 murine taxa resulted in a single most- parsimonius tree that is highly concordant with phylogenies based on mitochondrial DNA and allozymes. A total evidence tree based on the combined data from Sry, mitochondrial DNA, and allozymes supports (1) the monophyly of the subgenus Mus, (2) its division into a Palearctic group (M. musculus, M. domesticus, M. spicilegus, M. Macedonicus, and M. spretus) and an Oriental group (M. cookii++, M. cervicolor, and M. caroli), and (3) sister-group relationships between M. spicilegus and M. macedonicus and between M. cookii and M. cervicolor. We argue that Y- chromosome DNA sequences represent a valuable new source of characters for phylogenetic inference.      

Germination and production ofMacrophomina phaseolina microsclerotia as affected by oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration

Summary Germination of microsclerotia ofMacrophomina phaseolina was observed at O₂ concentrations of 16% or higher in autoclaved soil. Germination was delayed but otherwise unaffected as O₂ decreased from 21 to 16% and was in all cases complete in 32 hours. Laboratory-produced microsclerotia consistently germinated more rapidly and seemed more independent of O₂ concentrations within the range that permitted germination than naturallyproduced microsclerotia.Population changes in soil as measured by microsclerotial counts were inversely correlated with depth of interment and reduced O₂ concentration. Our inability to detect significantly growth responses ofM. phaseolina in non autoclaved soil was apparently related to limited O₂ although other possibilities are discussed.Contribution of the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Scientific Journal Series No. 9124.     

Active and passive cation transport and L antigen hertogeneity in low potassium sheep red cells

Several lines of experimental evidence are presented suggesting that the L antigens in low potassium (LK) sheep red cells are associated with separate Na(+)K(+) pump flux is distinct from the action of anti-L(l) on K(+) leak flux, implying that K(+) leak transport sites may not be converted into active pumps by the L antiserum. Treatment of LK red cells with trypsin completely abolished both the stimulation of K(+) pump flux and the enhancement of the rate of ouabain binding brought about by anti- L. That this effect is due to a total destruction of the L(p) determinant associated with the LK pump was evident from the complete failure of anti-L(p) to bind to trypsinized LK red cells. The L(p) antigen can be effectively protected against the trypsin attack by prior incubation with anti-L, indicating that the sites for antibody binding and trypsin action may be closely adjacent at the structural level. Trypsin treatment, however, did not interfere with anti-L(l) reducing ouabain insensitive K(+) leak influx, nor did it prevent binding of anti-L(ly), the hemolytically active L antibody which is probably identical with anti-L(l). The functional independence of the L(p) and L(l) sites was documented by the observation that anti-L(l) still reduced K(+) leak influx in LK cells with experimentally induced high potassium concentrations, at which K(+) pump flux is fully suppressed, whether or not anti-L(p) was binding to the L(p) antigen associated with the LK pump.     

Membrane Permeability of Conidia of Bipolaris oryzae

Germinability of the conidia of B. oryzae, after an efflux of substances — both electrolytes and non-electrolytes — was tested in sterilized solutions of plasmolytica and osmotica, ranging from molarity to 10^?12 M. Maximum percent germination was recorded at 10^?8 M concentration regardless of the exogenous supplement in the order KCl >D-glucose >Mannitol >NaCl. Germination was very poor or non-existent in other, higher or lower molarities tested except at 10^?7 M wíth c. 50% germination. In nature the conidia, though nutrient independent, are subject to leaching and likely to lose viability; hence the possible role of the proper osmoticum, basing on the observed fact, in maintenance of membrane equilibrium and germinability of the leached conidia has been discussed.     

Membranes in the miotic apparatus of barley cells

Membranes in the mitotic apparatus have been investigated ultrastructually in dividing cells of barley (Hordeum vulgare). After osmium tetroxide- potassium ferricyanide or ferrocyanide postfixation (OsFeCN) of material that had been fixed in glutaraldehyde in the presence of Ca(++), the nuclear envolope (NE)-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) complex is selectively stained, permitting observations on the cellular pattern and structural ramifications of this membrane system that have not been previously recognized. Specifically, it is observed that membrane system that have not been previously recognized. Specifically, it is observed that during mitosis the NE-ER forms a continuous membrane system that ensheathes and isolates the mitotic apparatus (MA). Elements of ER progressively accumulate in the region of the spindle pole, becoming most concentrated by early anaphase. Within the MA itself, there are striking spindle- membrane associations; in particular, tubular elements of predominantly smooth NE-ER invade the spindle interior selectively along kinetochore microtubules. The membrane elements at the pole and surrounding the MA consist of tubular reticulum and fenestrated lamellae. Membranes of the MA thus resemble in considerable detail the tubular network and fenestrated elements of the sarcoplasmic reticulum of muscle. It is suggested that the NE-ER of the dividing barley cell may function in one or both of the following ways: (a) to control the concentration of free Ca(++) in the MA and (b) to serve as an anchor to chromosome motion.     

Elicitor-induced rosmarinic acid accumulation and secondary metabolism enzyme activities in Solenostemon scutellarioides

This study aimed to improve rosmarinic acid (RA) production in the whole plant culture of Solenostemon scutellarioides through elicitation. Amongst selected elicitors methyl jasmonate (MJ), salicylic acid (SA), and yeast extract (YE) caused significant elevation in RA accumulation. Elicitation with MJ (50 μM) and SA (50 μM) caused almost 1.7 and 1.4-fold increase in RA accumulation, respectively, within day 1. While YE (100 μg ml^?1) elicitation showed highest RA content (~1.5-fold) in day 3. Preceding the elicitor-induced RA accumulation, there was a notable alteration in the specific activities of RA biosynthetic enzymes viz. phenylalanine ammonia lyase, tyrosine aminotransferase, hydroxyl-phenylpyruvate reductase and rosmarinic acid synthase up on MJ (50 μM), SA (50 μM) and YE (100 mg ml^?1) elicitation. Based on differential responses of aforementioned enzymes, RA synthesis was further scaled up through combination of elicitors in pre-optimized doses. In synergy study, at a time exposure with MJ + SA + YE and MJ + SA followed by YE after 24 h has been found to produce significant elevation of RA (2.0 and 1.9-fold, respectively) within 24 h while later maintained a steady state increased level (~1.7 ± 0.2-fold) over control up to day 7.     

Impacts of cage culture on physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality in Lake Volta,Ghana

The effects of cage fish farming on physico-chemical and bacteriological water quality in Lake Volta, Ghana, were investigated in 2013–2014. Farmed and unfarmed (control) areas of the lake were selected for monitoring. Nutrients, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, pH, total coliforms, Pseudomonas and Vibrio spp. in the water were monitored monthly. Analyses of the water samples were carried out according to standard procedures. Physico-chemical quality of the water in both farm and control sites were within ranges typical of minimally impacted water and did not vary significantly between the two contrasting sites. The bacteriological analysis, however, revealed contamination of the lake water by fish farming. The bacterial counts at the farmed sites were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the control sites, with figures at the farmed sites ranging from 132 to 1 708 cfu 100 ml?1 for total coliforms, 514 to 5 170 cfu 100 ml?1 Pseudomonas spp. and 14 to 516 cfu 100 ml?1 for Vibrio spp. The results suggested that cage fish farming has increased bacterial loads in the lake water, but has had minimal impact on its physico-chemical quality.     

Paraoxonase-2 is a ubiquitously expressed protein with antioxidant properties and is capable of preventing cell-mediated oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein

The oxidation of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins and cell membrane lipids is believed to play an integral role in the development of fatty streak lesions, an initial step in atherogenesis. We have previously shown that two antioxidant-like enzymes, paraoxonase (PON)-1 and PON3, are high density lipoprotein-associated proteins capable of preventing the oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL) (Reddy, S. T., Wadleigh, D. J., Grijalva, V., Ng, C., Hama, S., Gangopadhyay, A., Shih, D. M., Lusis, A. J., Navab, M., and Fogelman, A. M. (2001) Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 21, 542-547). In the present study, we demonstrate that PON2 (i) is not associated with high density lipoprotein; (ii) has antioxidant properties; and (iii) prevents LDL lipid peroxidation, reverses the oxidation of mildly oxidized LDL (MM-LDL), and inhibits the ability of MM-LDL to induce monocyte chemotaxis. The PON2 protein was overexpressed in HeLa cells using the tetracycline-inducible ("Tet-On") system, and its antioxidant capacity was measured in a fluorometric assay. Cells that overexpressed PON2 showed significantly less intracellular oxidative stress following treatment with hydrogen peroxide or oxidized phospholipid. Moreover, cells that overexpressed PON2 were also less effective in oxidizing and modifying LDL and, in fact, were able to reverse the effects of preformed MM-LDL. Our results suggest that PON2 possesses antioxidant properties similar to those of PON1 and PON3. However, in contrast to PON1 and PON3, PON2 may exert its antioxidant functions at the cellular level, joining the host of intracellular antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from oxidative stress.