Some aspects of the gross and fine structure of the amphibian papilla in the labyrinth of the newt, Triturus cristatus

Each receptor cell in the sensory macula bears a number of stereocilia and one peripherally located kinocilium; in the two halves of the macula, the kinocilia lie on opposite sides of their associated stereocilia. The morphological axes of the receptor cells are approximately parallel to the long axis of the papilla. The gelatinous cupula overlying the macula extends almost to the opposite wall of the papilla. These structural features are discussed in connection with both the proposed function of the papilla as a vibration detector and the possible evolutionary relationships with other acousticolateralis receptors.     

Retting of Flax by Aspergillus niger

In this study, retting was carried out by Aspergillus niger. The pH, galacturonic acid (GA), and total reducing sugar were determined; the end point was identified by the classic empirical processes and by the maximal GA content of the retting water. The process gave clear and resistent fibers, and the retting time was similar to that of current industrial processes with bacterial enzymes. Control of total acidity was not required, since the pH remained close to neutrality throughout the entire process.     

Non-protein components of the cell surface of Staphylococcus aureus

1. pH–mobility curves of various laboratory strains of Staphylococcus aureus are non-sigmoid in shape, and all pass through a maximum value in the range pH4–5. 2. The maxima in the curves are not due to incomplete washing of the cells, adsorption of buffer components or irreversible surface damage. 3. Mild oxidation of the cell-surface teichoic acid with sodium metaperiodate gives cells that have typical sigmoid pH–mobility curves, characteristic of either a simple carboxyl surface or a mixed carboxyl–amino surface. 4. The results are discussed in terms of a pH-dependent change in the configuration of the teichoic acid molecules at the surface.     

Isolation and characterization of peanut spherosomes

Spherosomes of cotyledons of germinating peanuts (Arachis hypogea L.) were examined by electron microscopy and found to be particles about 1.0 to 2.0 μ in diameter bounded by a limiting membrane. Isolated spherosomes appear similar to spherosomes in situ. The isolated spherosomes are composed of 98.1% total lipids, 0.77% phospholipid and 1.27% protein by dry weight. The amounts of protein and phospholipid associated with the isolated spherosomes are sufficient to account for limiting membranes. Spherosomes amply account for the lipid in a peanut cotyledon. The activity of lipase and fatty acyl-Coenzyme A synthetase is not associated with the isolated spherosomes. This suggests that peanut spherosomes are principal sites of lipid storage but not of lipid degradation.     

A 36 Kilodalton Limiting-CO(2) Induced Polypeptide of Chlamydomonas Is Distinct from the 37 Kilodalton Periplasmic Carbonic Anhydrase

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii possesses a CO₂-concentrating mechanism, induced by limiting CO₂, which involves active transport and accumulation of inorganic carbon within the cell. Synthesis of several proteins is induced by limiting CO₂, but, of those, only periplasmic carbonic anhydrase has an identified function in the system. No proteins involved in active transport have yet been identified, but induced, membrane-associated polypeptides, such as the 36 kilodalton polypeptide focused on in this paper, would seem to be candidates for such involvement. The 36 kilodalton polypeptide was shown to be synthesized de novo upon transfer of cells to limiting CO₂. It was purified using SDS-PAGE and used to produce polyclonal antibodies. Antibodies were used to confirm the air-specific nature of the polypeptide, its strict association with membrane fractions, and the time course of its induction. Using the antibodies, a single, 36 kilodalton polypeptide was found to be specifically immunoprecipitated from in vitro translation products of poly(A⁺) RNA from cells only after exposure to limiting CO₂. The absence of translatable mRNA for this polypeptide in CO₂-enriched cells indicated that regulation occurs at the level of message abundance. The antibodies were also used to demonstrate the distinction between the limiting-CO₂ induced 36 kilodalton polypeptide and the similarly sized, limiting-CO₂ induced periplasmic carbonic anhydrase.     

The relationship between phosphate status and cyanide-resistant respiration in bean roots

Bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seedlings were cultured on complete or phosphate-deficient nutrient medium. After 14 days of culture on phosphate-deficient medium the visible symptoms of P_i deficiency were observed only in the shoot, the fresh and dry weights of the roots were slightly higher than in control plants. The decreased P_i content in the roots had little effect on total respiration rate but had an effect on the level of inhibition of respiration by cyanide. The high resistance of respiration to cyanide observed in P_i-deficient roots was the result of the suppression of cytochrome path activity and an increased participation of the alternative, cyanide-resistant pathway. The cytochrome pathway activity increased when inorganic phosphate was supplied to P_i-deficient roots for 1 or 3.5 h. It is speculated that the suppression of cytochrome pathway in P_i-deficient roots may result from restriction of the phosphorylating capacity or a partial inhibition of cytochrome oxidase activity.     

贵州植物二新种

陆生草本,株高130—160厘米,全体无毛。假鳞茎圆柱形,粗壮,高25—40厘米,直径4—4.5厘米,多纵棱,榄绿色,常具10—11节,节间长0.2—11厘米。叶片6—7,纸质,阔椭圆形至狭椭圆形,长98—140厘米,宽13—25厘米,先端渐尖,基部渐狭,边缘全缘,叶脉9—11条,在叶腹面下陷,在叶背面隆起;叶柄不明显。叶鞘6,阔卵状