Frequency selectivity of hearing in the green treefrog,Hyla cinerea

Frequency selectivity of hearing was measured in the green treefrog, Hyla cinerea. A psychophysical technique based on reflex modification was used to obtain masked threshold estimates for pure tones (300-5,400 Hz) presented against two levels of broadband masking noise. A pure tone (S-1) presented 200 ms prior to a reflex-eliciting stimulus (S-2) inhibited the motor reflex response to S-2. The magnitude of this reflex modification effect varied systematically with the sound pressure level (SPL) of S-1, and threshold was defined as the SPL of S-1 at which the reflex modification effect disappeared. Masked thresholds were used to calculate critical ratios, an index of the auditory system's frequency selectivity. The frequency selectivity of the treefrog's hearing is greatest and critical ratios are lowest (22-24 dB) at about 900 and 3,000 Hz, the two spectral regions dominant in the male treefrog's species-specific advertisement call. These results suggest that the treefrog's auditory system may be specialized to reject noise at biologically-relevant frequencies. As in other vertebrates, critical ratios remain constant when background noise level is varied; however, the shape of the treefrog's critical ratio function across frequencies differs from the typical vertebrate function that increases with increasing frequency at a slope of about 3 dB/octave. Instead, the treefrog's critical ratio function resembles its pure tone audiogram. Although the shape of the treefrog's critical ratio function is atypical, the critical ratio values themselves are comparable to those of many other vertebrates in the same frequency range. Critical ratio values here measured behaviorally do not match critical ratio values previously measured physiologically in single eighth nerve fibers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Butyrophilin,an apical plasma membrane-associated glycoprotein characteristic of lactating mammary glands of diverse species

Lipid globule membranes were isolated from human and bovine milk and from the milk of sheep, goat, pig, rat and guinea pig, and their polypeptide compositions were analyzed. The major polypeptides with molecular weights similar to that of bovine butyrophilin were separated by gel electrophoresis, isolated and characterized with respect to isoelectric point, molecular weight, immunological cross-reactivity and peptide composition after proteolytic cleavage. We show that in all species examined these proteins are similar to bovine butyrophilin in (i) their relative insolubility in buffers of low and high ionic strength and in non-denaturing detergents, (ii) the occurrence of several isoelectric variants, and (iii) patterns of peptides obtained by protease digestion. It is concluded that closely related proteins are major constituents of the cytoplasmic coat structures associated with milk lipid globule membranes of many species, and we propose the name butyrophilins for this group of proteins. Bovine and human butyrophilins are glycosylated with relatively large amounts of glucosamine, mannose, glucose and galactose but little fucose, sialic acids or galactosamine. Most if not all of the sugar residues are associated with an acetone-soluble peptide fragment of $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}$ 12 000–16 000 focusing at about pH 4.0. We suggest that this fragment contains a membrane-spanning peptide sequence and is involved in the attachment of the cytoplasmic coat to the membrane of the milk lipid globule.     

Larval development of Diploptera punctata reared alone and in groups

Larvae of the cockroach Diploptera punctata were reared in isolation, in pairs, or in groups of 8–10. Duration of larval development, age at each ecdysis, weights at birth and ecdyses, and adult head-capsule width were measured. Duration of larval development was longer and adult size was larger in isolated animals than in animals reared in pairs and groups. The effect of isolation on development was more pronounced in males. All females had 4 larval instars, whereas males had 3 or 4 instars. The proportion of males with 4 larval instars was higher among animals reared in isolation. There was no difference in the duration of larval development or adult size between pair- and group-reared animals. The sex of animals in the group did not affect adult size or the duration of larval development. Males which underwent 3 or 4 larval instars had different schedules of moulting. Rates of growth of males of both instar types reared in isolation and pairs were similar. Greater adult weight of isolated animals and 4-instar-type males was a result of their longer duration of larval development. Both a higher rate of growth and longer duration of larval development contribute to the larger adult size of females than males.     

A further study on the dietary-regulated biosynthesis of high-sulphur wool proteins

When the diet of sheep is supplemented by the infusion of sulphur-containing amino acids or casein into the abomasum, the newly synthesized wool shows characteristic changes in its amino acid composition, with significant increases in cystine, proline and serine and decreases in aspartic acid and phenylalanine. This modification seems to be due entirely to an alteration in the overall composition of the high-sulphur proteins and to an increase in their proportion in the fibre. These variations are not the result of a change in the composition of individual proteins, but are due to alterations in their relative proportions and to the initiation of the synthesis of `new' proteins, many of which are extremely rich in cystine. It is suggested that the heterogeneity of the high-sulphur proteins may be due, in part, to similar changes in composition caused by natural variations in the nutrition of sheep.     

Pulsed-field gel analysis of human immunoglobulin heavy-chain constant region gene deletions reveals the extent of unmapped regions within the locus

The human immunoglobulin heavy-chain constant region gene locus is organized in three main gene groups, the physical distances of which are unknown. Different types of gene deletions, originated by unequal crossingover, have been found to encompass one or more genes in the locus. We have analyzed some of these deletions by means of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, which allows resolution of large DNA fragments. By identifying a fragment containing two of the main gene groups and by observing the size reduction of this fragment in subjects with deletions, we were able to estimate the distance between the two groups and better locate the pseudogene in-between.     

Isolation and Biochemical Characterization of a Neural Proteoglycan Expressing the L5 Carbohydrate Epitope

The monoclonal L5 antibody reacts with an N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate structure which is present on the neural cell adhesion molecule L1, neural chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, and other not yet identified glycosylated proteins. Using this antibody, we isolated and characterized proteoglycans from adult mouse brain and cultured astrocytes biosynthetically labeled with Na2 35SO4 and a 3H-amino acid mixture. Our data suggest that the L5 proteoglycans of both sources are identical in their biochemical properties. The apparent molecular mass of the L5 proteoglycan is approximately 500 kDa. Digestion of the iodinated L5 proteoglycan from mouse brain and of the [35S]methionine-labeled L5 proteoglycan from cultured astrocytes with proteinase-free chondroitinases ABC and AC revealed three major core proteins with apparent molecular masses of approximately 380, 360, and 260 kDa. These represent molecularly distinct protein cores.     

[3H]Tyramine binding: A comparison with neuronal [3H]-dopamine uptake and [3H]mazindol binding processes

[³H]Spiperone ([³H]SPI) binding sites in rat or bovine striata have been solubilized using CHAPS or digitonin detergents. Solubilized sites retained the binding characteristics of those in native membrane preparations. The same solubilized material, however, did not bind [³H]tyramine ([³H]PTA), thus indicating that [³H]PTA binding sites and DA receptors are different chemico-physical entities. In membrane preparations or crude synaptosomes obtained from the c.striatum of neonatally-rendered hypothyroid rats, when central DA-pathways are impaired, both [³H]PTA binding and [³H]DA uptake processes were markedly decreased, with no effect on [³H]mazindol ([³H]MAZ) binding, compared to euthyroids. Reserpine, a well-known inhibitor of DA-uptake into a variety of secretory vesicles, and a potent in vivo andin vitro inhibitor of [³H]PTA binding, did not affect the [³H]MAZ binding process. This further supported the suggestion that while [³H]PTA binding sites are almost totally associated with the vesicular transporter for DA, [³H]MAZ does label a site involved in the DA-translocation across the neuronal membrane. The latter process seems to be rather insensitive to thyroid hypofunction, when however the intracellular storage of DA might be consistently impaired. In conclusion, PTA might be well exploited as a marker of the DA vesicular transporter through its molecular characterization, whenever possible.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Paola S. Timiras     

Mapping in the mouse of the region homologous to the rat growth and reproduction complex (grc)

Offprint requests: J. Klein.     

In vitro culture of Aloe Barbadensis Mill.: Micropropagation from vegetative meristems

A method for rapid and highly effective plant micropropagation from vegetative meristems was established for Aloe barbadensis Mill. Plant micropropagation was achieved culturing apices on medium containing 1.1 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.3 M kinetin for 15–30 days. High morphogenetic ability was maintained by transferring explants (after 60 days) on media containing 0.11 M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2.2 M 6-benzylaminopurine.