Noncyclic electron transport in chromatophores from photolithotrophically grown Rhodobacter sulfidophilus

Chromatophores isolated from the marine phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter sulfidophilus were found to photoreduce NAD with sulfide as the electron donor. The apparent K _m for sulfide was 370 M and the optimal pH was 7.0. The rate of NAD photoreduction in chromatophore suspensions with sulfide as the electron donor (about 7–12 M/h·mol Bchl) was approximately onetenth the rate of sulfide oxidation in whole cell suspensions. NAD photoreduction was inhibited by rotenone, carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and antimycin A. Sulfide reduced ubiquinone in the dark when added to anaerobic chromatophore suspensions. These results suggest that electron transport from sulfide to NAD involves an initial dark reduction of ubiquinone followed by reverse electron transport from ubiquinol to NAD mediated by NADH dehydrogenase.Abbreviations Bchl bacteriochlorophyll - CCCP carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone - MOPS 3(N-morpholino)-propane sulfonate - Uq ubiquinone     

Experimental reovirus myocarditis in newborn mice. Electron microscopic observations

Reovirus is a double-stranded RNA-virus which induces myocarditis in newborn mice. Due to the large diameter of the viral particles (70-75 nm) it can be detected by electron microscopy. Subcutaneous inoculation of 0.05 ml reovirus type 3 (TCID50-titer: 10(8.5)/ml) into newborn NMRI-mice (12-18 h after birth) caused a grey-yellow mottling on the ventricular surface first seen on the 5th day after birth. At the same time muscle fiber necrosis was observed which increased with time. Electron microscopic investigations of the diseased heart muscle disclosed a marked interstitial oedema, swelling of the tubular system and sarcoplasmic reticulum, and degenerative changes in the mitochondria of individual myocardiocytes as early as the 2nd post-inoculation day. Simultaneously, an enlarged Golgi-apparatus and an increasing number of lysosomes, partially exhibiting acid phosphatase activity, was detected in the perinuclear region of ventricular myocardiocytes. On the 5th day after infection, viruses were detected either within single membrane vesicles, dispersed in cytoplasm or as aggregated clusters in the perinuclear region. These in vivo electron microscopic findings correspond with observations of virus propagation in cell-culture systems.     

Cytogenetic replication studies with short thymidine pulses in bromodeoxyuridine-substituted chromosomes of different mouse cell lines

Summary In normal diploid fibroblasts of the mouse, 3T3-, SV-3T3-, and Meth A-cells, the chromosome replication patterns were studied by a bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labelling technique. SV-3T3 is a subline of 3T3 transformed by SV 40 and Meth A is a permanent cell line from Balb c transformed by methylcholanthrene. The use of 1 h thymidine pulses permits high resolution of the S-phase after partial synchronization of the cells at G₁/S in an otherwise BrdU-substituted S-phase. It could be shown that the autosomal heterochromatin of the mouse (Mus musculus) starts replication during the early S-phase (R-band replication), continues while R-band chromatin finishes, and still replicates when G-band chromatin starts. The heterochromatin finishes before the majority of G-bands have been replicated. There is no fundamental difference in the course of chromosome replication between the different cell lines studied here. It is concluded that there are no obligate changes in the course of the S-phase linked to the process of transformation.     

Control of echolocation pulses by neurons of the nucleus ambiguus in the rufous horseshoe bat,Rhinolophus rouxi

Horseradish peroxidase was applied by inotophoretic injections to physiologically identified regions of the laryngeal motor nucleus, the nucleus ambiguus in the CF/FM bat Rhinolophus rouxi. The connections of the nucleus ambiguus were analysed with regards to their possible functional significance in the vocal control system, in the respiration control system, and in mediating information from the central auditory system. The nucleus ambiguus is reciprocally interconnected with nuclei involved in the generation of the vocal motor pattern, i.e., the homonomous contralateral nucleus and the area of the lateral reticular formation. Similarly, reciprocal connections are found with the nuclei controlling the rhythm of respiration, i.e., medial parts of the medulla oblongata and the parabrachial nuclei. Afferents to the nucleus ambiguus derive from nuclei of the 'descending vocalization system' (periaqueductal gray and cuneiform nuclei) and from motor control centers (red nucleus and frontal cortex). Afferents to the nucleus ambiguus, possibly mediating auditory influence to the motor control of vocalization, come from the superior colliculus and from the pontine nuclei. The efferents from the pontine nuclei are restricted to rostral parts of the nucleus ambiguus, which hosts the motoneurons of the cricothyroid muscle controlling the call frequency.     

Phase II study of vaccinia melanoma cell lysates (VMCL) as adjuvant to surgical treatment of stage II melanoma

Summary Patients with stage II melanoma were vaccinated with vaccinia virus-induced melanoma cell lysates (VMCL). The vaccine contained viable vaccinia virus, membranous fragments and no intact nuclei. A number of antigens defined by monoclonal antibodies were detected in the vaccine including the ganglioside GD3 and DR antigens. Administration of the vaccine was associated with depression of natural killer cell activity against melanoma and K562 target cells in the first 3–6 months of treatment. Leucocyte dependent antibody (LDA) activity against melanoma cells was induced or increased in titre in approximately half of the patients studied. Continued vaccination was associated in a number of patients with a decrease in LDA titres. Studies on a small sample of patients revealed that this was associated with the development of serum factors which inhibited LDA activity. LDA activity appeared directed to non-MHC antigens on melanoma cells which were of at least two specificities. One specificity which was shared with antigens on a number of non-melanoma carcinoma cells was removed by absorption on fetal brain and may be similar to oncofetal antigens described by other workers. Reactivity against melanocytes was induced in some patients and may underlie the development of vitiligo in several patients. These results suggest that vaccines prepared from VMCL may be a favourable method for increasing immune responses against melanoma.     

Passive cable properties of locust ocellar L-neurons

Summary The passive electrical cable properties of ocellar L-neurons were determined by applying current steps and recording the voltage transients using a two-electrode intracellular current clamp system. Morphological data were obtained following intracellular staining with Lucifer yellow.Two groups of neurons were distinguished physiologically. In the first group both the membrane time constant _m and the first equalizing time constant ₁ could be determined. In the second group only _m was measurable. The ratio of the physiological groups was equal to the ratio of the morphological types ML:(M1 plus M2) in the median ocellar nerve. Thus the first group probably consists of ML-type L-neurons. The passive cable properties of this group were calculated by combining the physiological and morphological data. The following values were obtained: electrotonic lengthL=1.35; membrane time constant _m =7.6 ms; length constant =0.22 cm; membrane resistivityR _m=2.0 · 10³ · cm²; membrane capacitanceC _m=3.8 F · cm^–2; intracellular resistivityR _i=24 · cm. Evidence is presented that the membrane parameters of the other types of L-neurons have the same values. The results are discussed with special reference to transmission in the ocellar system.     

CO2 sensitive receptors on labial palps ofRhodogastria moths (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae): physiology,fine structure and central projection

Summary The tips of the labial palps ofRhodogastria possess a pit housing uniform sensilla (Fig. 1), histologically characterized by wall-pores and receptor cells with lamellated outer dendrites (Fig. 2). The receptor cell axons project to glomeruli in the deutocerebrum (cf. Fig. 3) which are not innervated by antennal receptors. From their histology as well as from their central projection these sense organs are identical with palpal pit organs of other Lepidoptera (Lee et al. 1985; Kent et al. 1986; Lee and Altner 1986).Physiologically, the palp-pit receptors respond uniformly; they are most excitable by stimulation with carbon dioxide (Fig. 6) while they exhibit relatively moderate responses to various odorants (Fig. 4). The responses to CO₂ (Fig. 7) show a steep dose-response characteristic. In ambient atmosphere (i.e., ca. 0.03% CO₂) the cells are in an excited condition already; the seeming spontaneous activity exhibited in air is decreased if the preparation is kept under N₂ or O₂ or CO₂-free air (Figs. 7, 10). There is hardly any adaptation of the responses to continuous or repeated stimulation (Fig. 8). Perhaps CO₂ sensitivity is correlated with sensilla characterized by both wall-pores and lamellated dendrites. Pilot tests indicate that CO₂ perception might be widespread in the Lepidoptera (cf. Fig. 12), but the biological significance remains obscure.     

Enumeration of chlorine-stressed organisms with acridine orange 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (AOINT)

Direct microscopic enumeration ofEnterobacter cloacae with the acridine orange 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride technique (AOINT) was compared with spread plate counts on nonselective media to establish the usefulness of the former technique in the enumeration of chlorine-stressed cells. Results indicate that the techniques are comparable when the organisms are not stressed. However, AOINT is more sensitive than are plate counts in the detection of chlorine-stressed cells.     

Unusual occurrence of EcoP1 and EcoP15 recognition sites and counterselection of type II methylation and restriction sequences in bacteriophage T7 DNA

Selected and counterselected oligodeoxynucleotide sequences were identified in the total sequence of bacteriophage T7 DNA using a statistical criterion derived for a probability model of the Markov chain type. All extremely rare tetra- and pentadeoxynucleotides are (or contain) recognition sequences for the Escherichia coli DNA methylases dam or dcm. Most of the 37 hexadeoxynucleotides absent from T7 DNA are recognition sequences for type II modification/restriction enzymes of E. coli or related species. In contrast to most restriction sites counterselected during evolution, the EcoP1 site GGTCT occurs 126 times in the T7 genome, and phage T7 replication is severely repressed in P1-lysogenic host cells. We demonstrate that the frequency of the EcoP1 site is determined by that of the overlapping recognition sites for T7 primase, an essential phage enzyme. The recognition site of a type III enzyme, EcoP15, is also not counterselected. In T7 DNA all 36 EcoP15 sites are arranged in such a manner that the sequence CAGCAG is confined to the H strand, the complementary sequence CTGCTG to the L strand. This "strand bias" is highly significant and, therefore, very probably selected. A functional relation between this strand bias and the refractive behaviour of phage T7 to EcoP15 restriction is suspected.