MICROSPECTROPHOTOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF NUCLEAR DNA IN CHARA ZEYLANICA

Microspectrophotometric analysis of the DNA content of nuclei in various parts of Chara zeylanica Willd. revealed that the amount of DNA in the nucleus of an internodal cell equals twice the amount of DNA in the nucleus of a sperm, while the half-anaphase stage of the same nodal cells contains the same amount of DNA as the nuclei of the male gametes. The DNA content of the nuclei of internodal cells may rise as much as 50 times higher than that of the gametes. However, in the oldest (most basal) internodal cells, the DNA content of the minute nuclei falls again to the basic (1 C) amount. Measurements of sister nuclei derived by amitosis indicated that both nuclei have equal amounts of DNA; this was interpreted as further evidence that amitosis is not a disorganized process or manifestation of degeneration. The bearing of these analyses on the question of the site of meiosis in these plants is discussed.     

Behaviour of photosynthetic products associated with growth and grain production in the rice plant

Summary A study of the behaviour of the photosynthetic products assimilated at different growth stages was conducted in the field and in the greenhouse using C¹⁴ tracer.In general, the assimilated carbon is translocated to and accumulates in the growing organs. The carbon assimilated at the maximum tiller number stage is distributed mostly to the lower leaves. The carbon assimilated at the booting stage is distributed mostly to the spikelet, certain leaf sheaths and culms. The carbon accumulated in the form of carbohydrates in the leaf sheaths and the culm before flowering is retranslocated to the panicle after flowering. However, because of the consumption by respiration, the efficiency of this type of carbohydrate in grain production is not very high. The carbon assimilated after flowering accumulated mostly and efficiently in the brown rice.The release of the assimilated carbon as CO₂ is most intense immediately after assimilation. Thirty-five to 60 per cent of the assimilated carbon is consumed through respiration under the conditions of this experiment. As the carbon, which is in the form of sugars, rapidly changes to other forms, and also is consumed by respiration, the consumption declines rapidly. The retention percentage of assimilated carbon decreases as mutual shading increases.The large proportion of carbon released through respiration indicates the importance of studies on the significance of respiration in relation to growth.A portion of the thesis for the Master of Science degree submitted by Mr. Shen Lian to the Graduate School, University of the Philippines, College of Agriculture.     

Stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for propranolol enantiomers in serum

A simple and sensitive stereoselective high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the quantitation of propranolol enantiomers in serum is described. The method involves conversion of the propranolol enantiomers to diastereomeric urea derivatives by reaction with the chiral reagent (+)-phenylethylisocyanate, followed by chromatographic separation of the diastereomeric products. Conditions of the derivatization reaction were optimized to achieve rapid and quantitative yield with either of the enantiomers. Baseline resolution of the diastereomers was achieved on a reversed phase C₈ column with an isocratic mobile phase. Fluorescence detection afforded an absolute on-column detection limit of 100 pg. The assay has been applied to pharmacokinetic studies in humans and small laboratory animals.     

四膜虫中存在角蛋白样成分(简报)

中等纤维是脊椎动物细胞中普遍存在的一种细胞骨架成分,在一些无脊椎动物细胞中也发现有这类成分存在。据报道,枪乌贼的巨     

微核形成与细胞周期关系的初步研究 Ⅲ.丝裂霉素c诱发人淋巴细胞染色体畸变与不同周期阶段的微核形成

为了研究染色体畸变与微核形成的关系,本实验用不同浓度的丝裂霉素C(MMC,0.025—0.4μg/ml),处理人外周血淋巴细胞,观察中期染色体畸变与不同细胞周期形成的微核间的关系。获得如下主要结果:(1)MMC诱发的染色体畸变细胞率(ACF),未经培养的G_0期淋巴细胞的微核细胞率(NC-MNCF)以及培养的淋巴细胞的微核细胞率(C-MNCF),在一定剂量范围内均呈剂量依赖性增加,并可用幂回归方程描述;(2)微核形成与染色体畸变全然无关的NC-MNCF,和C-MNCF一样,与ACF呈良好的正相关;(3)用胞质分裂阻滞(CB)法,检测MMC诱发的CB-MNCF,较C-MNCF无显著提高,MNCF/ACF的比值较小,并随着MMC剂量增加从0.15左右降到0.03。所有上述结果表明,不能简单理解微核形成与染色体畸变间的关系,在分裂的细胞群体中,中期染色体畸变可能仅是微核形成的一种来源。     

云南10个民族红细胞酸性磷酸酶型分布调查

用淀粉凝胶电泳法对云南省汉族及9个少数民族的红细胞酸性磷酸酶(ACP_1)的表型分布进行了调查,检出A、BA和B3种表型,计算得云南汉、彝、白、傣、瑶、佤、哈尼、布朗、基诺和拉祜族ACP_1~A、ACP_1~B的基因频率依次为0.2067、0.7933;0.2406、0.7594;0.2341、0.7659;0.3750、0.6250;0.2300、0.7700;0.2727、0.7273;0.3594、0.6406;0.3036、0.6964;0.2381、0.76119和0.4474、0.5526。未发现ACP_1~C基因及其它稀有基因。研究表明,ACP_1表型的分布存在着一定的种族与民族差异。     

Molecular genetic, biochemical and nuclear magnetic resonance studies on the role of the tryptophan residues of glutamine-binding protein from Escherichia coli

The results of molecular genetic, biochemical and nuclear magnetic resonance studies on glutamine-binding protein of Escherichia coli suggest that the only two tryptophan residues, at positions 32 and 220, in the protein molecule are likely to be involved in (or sensitive to) interactions with the membrane-bound protein components of the glutamine transport system. It has been found that both tryptophan residues have limited motional freedom, are located away from the surface of the protein molecule and are not close to the ligand-binding site. Their presence, however, is required for the optimal transport of L-glutamine across the cytoplasmic membrane, though not essential for the ligand-binding process. The relevance of these results to the structure and function of the glutamine-binding protein in the glutamine transport system is discussed.     

Neural integration by short term potentiation

Neurophysiological studies in the oculomotor system suggest that an integrative operation is required in order to derive an eye position signal from a command signal which usually correlates with eye velocity. Several proposed models for a neural integrator are examined. All these models incorporate some form of positive feedback as a basic mechanism. Based on the performance of the models, we argue that such a scheme require extreme high precision in order to work properly. A new model based on potentiation phenomena in synaptic transmission is proposed and is shown to be free from the deficits of most previous models. The proposed model also accounts for various neural behaviors in a very natural way. A possible implementation of the model is also discussed in the context of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR).     

The potential role of DNA methylation in the response to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin

The Ah receptor is an intracellular protein that binds the environmental contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. The liganded receptor interacts with a specific DNA recognition motif located within a dioxin-responsive enhancer upstream of the CYP1A1 gene. Methylation protection and methylation interference studies indicate that the liganded receptor contacts both DNA strands, at 4 guanine residues contained within the recognition motif. These findings imply that the liganded receptor interacts with its cognate enhancer within the major groove of the DNA helix. Cytosine methylation of the recognition motif at CpG dinucleotides diminishes the protein-DNA interaction, as measured by gel retardation. Furthermore, methylation at cytosine inhibits the enhancer function of the DNA. These findings imply that DNA methylation can diminish the response to dioxin by impeding the Ah receptor-enhancer interaction.