Bioprocessing in space: Human cells attach to beads in microgravity

Attachment to a substrate and survival of human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells have been tested in an incubator installed in the flight-deck of the Space Shuttle ‘Challenger’ during its eighth mission.HEK cells are producing the enzyme urokinase and are presently investigated as candidates for electrophoretic separation in an apparatus developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas.Attachment of HEK cells to a substrate is mandatory for survival and production of urokinase after electrophoretic separation.Analysis of the samples shows that cells adhere, spread and survive in microgravity (< 10⁻³ ×g) conditions as well as the ground controls at 1 × g. This result represents an important step towards further bioprocessing in space.     

Enhancing Soybean Rhizosphere Colonization by Rhizobium japonicum

A study was conducted to seek means to increase the colonization of the rhizosphere of soybeans (Glycine max L. Merrill) by Rhizobium japonicum. For this purpose, a strain of R. japonicum that was resistant to benomyl, streptomycin, and erythromycin was used. The numbers of R. japonicum rose quickly in the first 2 days after soybean seeds were planted in soil and then rapidly fell. The decline was slower if the seeds were coated with benomyl. This fungicide reduced the numbers of bacteria and protozoa in the rhizosphere, but the effect became less or disappeared as the plants grew. In sterile soil inoculated with R. japonicum and a mixture of microorganisms, the numbers of R. japonicum were usually lower if protozoa were present than if they were absent. Nodulation and plant yield were increased by the addition of benomyl to soybean seeds sown in sterile soil inoculated with R. japonicum and a mixture of microorganisms. The addition of streptomycin and erythromycin to soil stimulated the growth of R. japonicum but inhibited other bacteria in the presence or absence of soybeans. The data indicate that colonization can be increased by the use of antimicrobial agents and R. japonicum strains resistant to those inhibitors.     

Physical mapping of cleavage sites recognized by restriction endonucleases on the genome of bacteriophage T5

The DNA of bacteriophage T5 has been treated with restriction endonucleases EcoRi, HindIII, BamI, SmaI, PstI, SalI, KpnI and the electrophoretic pattern obtained in agarose gel has been analyzed in order to localize the specific cleavage sites on the T5 DNA. The localization of cleavage sites has been deduced from the electrophoretic pattern of double and partial digests, the digests of isolated restriction fragments and the digests of deletion mutant T5st(o) DNA.Four BamI cleavage sites have been found and localized on the physical map of T5 DNA at 0.21, 0.225, 0.685 and 0.725 fractional length. Endonuclease SmaI cleaves at 0.39, 0.59 and 0.69 fractional length. Endonuclease PstI cuts T5 DNA at 11 sites: 0.090, 0.210, 0.320, 0.510, 0.635, 0.670, 0.705, 0.770, 0.815, 0.840, 0.875 fractional length. Six KpnI cleavage sites have been mapped at 0.170, 0.215, 0.525, 0.755, 0.830, 0.850 fractional length. A complete cleavage map of the phage genome is presented for seven restriction enzymes.     

New species ofAlchemilla ser.Hirsutae

The author describes four new apomict species ofAlchemilla L. ser.Hirsutae H. Lindb. They appear to be endemic in the Western Carpathians, growing there on some few mountain ranges, mostly in synanthropic habitats. Their known distribution areas seem to be ± separate. Two numerical indices called the epicalyx index and the hypanthium index respectively are defined to characterise the proportion of anAlchemilla flower. Ranges of both indices are shown for each of the new species.     

Observations on populations of the horseshoe crabLimulus (=Xiphosura) polyphemus

1. Marked populations of Limulus (=Xiphosura) polyphemus reveal that in Cold Spring Harbor, New York, they consisted of 10,000–18,000 adults in 1957 and 1961. The sex ratio in 1957 was about 4 males: 1 female. Pairs may remain attached for as long as 9 days. An undisturbed female may lay as many as 12,000 eggs in one nest.
2. The Cold Spring Harbor populations appear to be rather sedentary: none of the 1,000 animals marked on the north edge of the sandspit in 1961 were detected in the outer harbor either at Laurel Hollow Beach or the peninsula adjacent to the Cold Spring Harbor Yacht Club 500–800 meters from the tagging site (see Fig. 1), nor were they found in the small beach adjacent to the Biological Laboratory in the inner harbor. Similarly, none of the 300 animals marked at this last site were found at the north edge of the sandspit.
3. The phenotype of the compound eye varies from black to pigmentless. Samples observed in Cold Spring Harbor and in the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts (separated by Long Island Sound and a distance of 150 miles) differ in the frequency of the various phenotypes scored, but the mode of inheritance of eye color remains obscure.
4. The available evidence indicates Limulus has considerable phenotypic variation in regard to body size, eye color, and other characters believed to be inherited, with the result that demes or physiological races are created. It is argued that the belief that this organism is stable and has not changed since the Triassic 200 million years ago has foundation only in regard to the pattern of the body of Limulus, but not in regard to its genotype. Limulus does not seem to be different from other organisms for which considerable genetic evidence is available, and thus the statement that DNA is fairly stable and has remained so for 200 million years is open to question.

     

Analysis of the volatile essential oils of Murraya koenigii and Pandanus latifolius

Using well-established techniques, samples were obtained of the volatile essential oils of the two types of curry leaf, Murraya koenigii and Pandanus latifolius. Both contained mainly terpenes, and M. koenigii produced less than 4% of other components with eight monoterpene hydrocarbons (ca 16%) and 17 sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (ca 80%) being obtained. The most important constituents of M. koenigii are β-caryophyllene, β-gurjunene, β-elemene, β-phellandrene and β-thujene. The volatile essential oil of P. latifolius also contained mainly sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6–42%) but the only monoterpene was linalool (ca 6%). Nearly 2000 times the total quantity of aroma volatiles was produced by M. koenigii compared with P. latifolius, and this partly explains the observed stronger flavour potency of the former.     

Volatile flavour components of mango fruit

An essence of fresh Venezuelan mango fruit obtained by well-established procedures possessed the characteristic aroma of the fruit. It was analysed by GC/MS using both EI and Cl. The fruit produced a relatively small quantity of aroma volatiles (ca 60 μg/kg fresh fruit), less than that obtained from many similar tropical fruits. Terpene hydrocarbons comprised ca 68% of the sample, eight monoterpenes contributing ca 54% and four sesquiterpenes contributing ca 14%. Important constituents included α-pinene, car-3-ene, limonene, γ-terpinene, α-humulene, β-selinene, acetophenone, benzaldehyde and a dimethylstyrene. Car-3-ene (26%) was the major constituent, and on odour evaluation of separated components at an odour port during GC, the peak due to this compound was described as having an aroma of mango leaves. This compound has not previously been detected among mango volatiles. The only other component providing mango aroma was a dimethylstyrene, and this too is a new mango volatile.