A new mutant class of soybean lacks urease in leaves but not in leaf-derived callus or in roots

Summary We reported earlier the recovery of two classes of soybean urease mutants in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr. cv. Williams). Class I mutants lack the embryo-specific urease while class II mutants lack the activities of both urease isozymes, the embryo-specific and the ubiquitous urease, the latter found in all tissues examined. We report here the recovery of a true-breeding mutant, aj3, which represents the third phenotypic class: normal levels of embryo-specific urease and little or no ubiquitous urease. Unlike class II mutant plants which lack urease in all tissue, aj3 lacks urease activity only in leaves (ca. 2% normal activity); its roots have near normal urease activity. Callus derived from leaves of aj3 has 14% to 40% the urease activity of Williams 82 callus. This partial reduction in urease activity in aj3 callus is sufficient to reduce growth with urea as sole nitrogen source and to confer resistance to 50 mM urea added to callus maintenance medium. Leaves of aj3 produce more than 40 times the urease antigen expected from their urease activity. The aj3 trait is due to a single recessive lesion which is not allelic with lesions at theEu2, Eu3 (class II) orEu1 (class I) loci. We designate the aj3 genotype aseu4/eu4.     

Molecular Cloning of Osmotin and Regulation of Its Expression by ABA and Adaptation to Low Water Potential

In response to adaptation to NaCl, cultured tobacco cells (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Wisconsin 38) synthesize a major 26 kilodalton protein which has been named osmotin due to its induction by low water potentials. To help characterize the expression of osmotin in adapted cells, a cDNA clone for osmotin has been isolated. Abscisic acid induces messenger RNA encoding osmotin. Levels of this mRNA in adapted cells are approximately 15-fold higher than in unadapted cells. Message for osmotin is present at constant levels through the growth cycle of adapted cells, while in unadapted cells, the level decreases during exponential phase of growth and increases again when the cells approach stationary phase. While abscisic acid induces the message for osmotin, a low water potential environment appears to be required for accumulation of the protein. An osmotic shock to unadapted cells does not increase the amount of message or protein present most likely because this treatment does not induce immediately the accumulation of abscisic acid. The increased expression of osmotin in adapted cells is not correlated with an increase in osmotin gene copy number. Osmotin is homologous to a 24 kilodalton NaCl-induced protein in tomato, as well as thaumatin, maize α-amylase/trypsin inhibitor and a tobacco mosaic virus-induced pathogenesis-related protein.     

Nuclear-magnetic-resonance imaging of leaves ofMesembryanthemum crystallinum L. plants grown at high salinity

Differences in water binding were measured in the leaf cells ofMesembryanthemum crystallinum L. plants grown under high-salinity conditions by using nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) imaging. The 7-Tesla proton NMR imaging system yielded a spatial resolution of 20·20·100 m³. Images recorded with different spin-echo times (4.4 ms to 18 ms) showed that the water concentrations in the bladder cells (located on the upper and lower leaf surface), in the mesophyll cells and in the water-conducting vessels were nearly identical. All of the water in the bladder cells and in the water-conducting vessels was found to be mobile, whilst part of the water in the mesophyll cells was bound. Patches of mesophyll cells could be identified which bound water more strongly than the surrounding mesophyll cells. Optical investigations of leaf cross-sections revealed two types of mesophyll cells of different sizes and chloroplast contents. It is therefore likely that in the small-sized mesophyll cells water is strongly bound. A long-term asymmetric water exchange between the mesophyll cells and the bladder cells during Crassulacean acid metabolism has been described in the literature. The high density of these mesophyll cells in the lower epidermis is a possible cause of this asymmetry.Abbreviations CAM Crassulacean acid metabolism - NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - T_E spin-echo time     

N-15 in vivo NMR spectroscopic investigation of nitrogen deprived cell suspensions of the green alga Chlorella fusca

The possibility to apply N-15 in vivo NMR spectroscopy to study algal N-metabolism has been investigated. N-15 labelled cells of the green alga Chlorella fusca, subjected to nitrogen starvation and N-14 labelled cells supplied with K¹⁵NO₃ after prolonged nitrogen starvation were monitored by N-15 in vivo NMR spectroscopy at different times after the change in their nitrogen supply. During 20–40 min, necessary for the acquisition of 1 spectrum, the cells were under dark anaerobic conditions, but the relative amounts of the metabolites detected did not change. Signals from 2 acid amides, from the side chain nitrogens of arginine and lysine, from prolin as well as 4 signals from α amino groups of amino acids were detected. Besides two signals not yet reported in the literature were found. They may be due to amino compounds, but not to amino acids. The amount of free amino acids in the cells increases not only upon resupply of nitrogen starved cells with nitrate but also during the first hours after nitrate depletion. The spectra obtained from N-15 labelled autospores show that N-15 in vivo NMR spectroscopy can be applied to the investigation of N metabolism of the cells.     

Behavior of captive-raised rattlesnakes (Crotalus enyo) as a function of rearing conditions

Two litters of rattlesnakes (Crotalus enyo; n = 6 per litter) were raised in large cages and small plastic boxes, respectively. No significant differences in exploration of a novel environment were observed between the litters, or between either of them and a group of wild-caught C. enyo, suggesting that the common practice of rearing baby snakes in small cages has no debilitating consequences on these measures. In the absence of differences between the litters, the two samples were pooled and additional analyses revealed the existence of reliable individual variation. Experiment 2 compared the two litters and the wild-caught snakes on measures of prey-directed behavior. The two captive-reared litters did not differ, but both exhibited lower levels of strike-induced chemosensory searching than did wild-caught snakes.     

The anatomy of the circumgenital scent gland of Saguinus fuscicollis (Callitrichidae, Primates)

In the adult male Saguinus fuscicollis , the scrotal skin and the area above the root of the penis are raised in a sharply defined cushion, which extends cranially into a rectangular suprapubic pad. The circumgenital area of the adult female resembles that of the male, except that the suprapubic pad is relatively and absolutely larger. A complex glandular organ, composed of holocrine and apocrine glands, is located beneath the epidermis of the circumgenital skin. In males, specialized holocrine glands associated with hair follicles predominate. They form a layer, 2-3 mm deep beneath the epidermis. These holocrine glands have a complex alveolar structure and possess numerously branched excretory ducts. Each group of glands empties into a common duct which enters the hair follicle. In males, the apocrine glands are located predominantly at the periphery of the glandular pad and between the scrotal and perineal areas. The excretory ducts of most apocrine glands empty on to the skin surface in close spatial association with hair follicles. However, independent openings were also observed. In females, the specialized holocrine glands resemble those of males but are more frequently interspersed with apocrine glands. The apocrine glands are larger and much more numerous than in males, especially in the region of the labia majora. Gonadectomy of an adult male and female resulted in a reduction in the size of the holocrine glands but had much less effect on the apocrine glands of the scent organ. In addition, the sexual dimorphism in gland histology was retained years after castration.     

Depletion of Brain Glutathione in Preweanling Mice by L-Buthionine Sulfoximine

Previous studies indicated that DL-buthionine sulfoximine (DL-BSO), an agent that inhibits the biosynthesis of GSH in liver and other peripheral organs, fails to suppress levels of GSH in the CNS. In the current study, preweanling mice responded to repeated injections of L-BSO with marked declines (79.6-86.5%) of GSH content in brain and spinal cord. In adult mice, the same treatment schedule produced only modest declines (17.8-29.2%) of GSH content in brain and a 55.9% decline in spinal cord. Pretreatment of preweanling mice with L-BSO represents a tool for studying the role of GSH in the CNS.     

Comparison of 16S rRNA sequences from the family Pasteurellaceae: phylogenetic relatedness by cluster analysis

The taxonomy of the family Pasteurellaceae has remained controversial despite investigations of biochemistry, serology, and nucleic acid relatedness. In an attempt to resolve some of this confusion, we have partially sequenced the 16S rRNAs of seven members of the family, representing all three genera. The sequences were aligned, similarity scores calculated, and single, average and complete linkage cluster analysis of the resulting distance matrix performed. In this way, an evolutionary branching pattern of these closely related species was reconstructed, and the approximate phylogenetic position of the family determined. Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) actinomycetemcomitans clustered with Haemophilus instead of Actinobacillus, supporting transfer of this species to the genus Haemophilus. Thus cluster analysis of phylogenetic relatedness was found to be particularly useful for studying closely related organisms, and could be performed using a microcomputer.     

Effects of validamycin A on the morphology, growth and sporulation of Rhizoctonia cerealis, Fusarium culmorum and other fungi

All Basidiomycotina screened were sensitive to validamycin A, whereas most Ascomycotina and all Mucorales and Oomycetes were insensitive. Studies with Rhizoctonia cerealis and Fusarium culmorum showed that, in semi-solid culture, the antibiotic caused a decrease in colony radial growth rate and that this was associated with a decrease in mean hyphal extension rate and an increase in hyphal branching. However, the antibiotic did not alter the morphology of R. cerealis grown in liquid culture (shaken or stationary). Validamycin A caused a reduction in the number and viability of conidia produced by F. culmorum.