Stomatal response to air humidity and its relation to stomatal density in a wide range of warm climate species

The gas exchange of 19 widely different warm climate species was observed at different leaf to air vapour pressure deficits (VPD). In all species stomata tended to close as VPD increased resulting in a decrease in net photosynthesis. The absolute reduction in leaf conductance per unit increase in VPD was greatest in those species which had a large leaf conductance at low VPDs. This would be expected even if stomata of all species were equally sensitive. However the percentage reduction in net photosynthesis (used as a measure of the relative sensitivity of stomata of the different species) was also closely related to the maximal conductance at low VPD. Similarily the relative sensitivity of stomata to changes in VPD was closely related to the weighted stomatal density or crowding index.The hypothesis is presented that stomatal closure at different VPDs is related to peristomatal evaporation coupled with a high resistance between the epidermis and the mesophyll and low resistance between the stomatal apparatus and the epidermal cells. This hypothesis is consistent with the greater relative sensitivity of stomata on leaves with a high crowding index.The results and the hypothesis are discussed in the light of selection, for optimal productivity under differing conditions of relative humidity and soil water availablility, by observation of stomatal density and distribution on the two sides of the leaf.Visiting scientist, plant physiologist and research assitant of the Cassava Program     

Redox interconversion of Escherichia coli glutathione reductase. A study with permeabilized and intact cells

Summary The redox interconversion of Escherichia coli glutathione reductase has been studied both in situ, with permeabilized cells treated with different reductants, and in vivo, with intact cells incubated with compounds known to alter their intracellular redox state.The enzyme from toulene-permeabilized cells was inactivated in situ by NADPH, NADH, dithionite, dithiothreitol, or GSH. The enzyme remained, however, fully active upon incubation with the oxidized forms of such compounds. The inactivation was time-, temperature-, and concentration-dependent; a 50% inactivation was promoted by just 2 M NADPH, while 700 M NADH was required for a similar effect. The enzyme from permeabilized cells was completely protected against redox inactivation by GSSG, and to a lesser extent by dithiothreitol, GSH, and NAD(P)⁺. The inactive enzyme was efficiently reactivated in situ by physiological GSSG concentrations. A significant reactivation was promoted also by GSH, although at concentrations two orders of magnitude below its physiological concentrations. The glutathione reductase from intact E. coli cells was inactivated in vivo by incubation with DL-malate, DL-isocitrate, or higher L-lactate concentrations. The enzyme was protected against redox inactivation and fully reactivated by diamide in a concentration-dependent fashion. Diamide reactivation was not dependent on the synthesis of new protein, thus suggesting that the effect was really a true reactivation and not due to de novo synthesis of active enzyme. The glutathione reductase activity increased significantly after incubation of intact cells with tert-butyl or cumene hydroperoxides, suggesting that the enzyme was partially inactive within such cells. In conclusion, the above results show that both in situ and in vivo the glutathione reductase of Escherichia coli is subjected to a redox interconversion mechanism probably controlled by the intracellular NADPH and GSSG concentrations.     

Germacranolides from Schkuhria anthemoidea

The isolation of eucannabinolide and three new sesquiterpene lactones from Schkuhria anthemoidea is reported. The structures and stereochemistries of the new compounds were established by chemical and spectroscopic means. The structure of santhemoidin B was confirmed by X-ray crystallography.     

Isolation of yeast with killer activity and its breeding with an industrial baking strain by protoplast fusion

Summary Wild strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated from dairy products, bakery goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, and tested for killer activity. Four isolates out of 238 strains possessed killer activity. The best of these was converted to the petite form and hybridized with an industrial strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by protoplast fusion. Thirty-eight out of 104 isolates had killer activity, and some of these had good dough-raising activity as well.     

Bleomycin stimulates both membrane (Na+-K+) ATPase and electrogenic (Na+-K+) pump and partially removes the inhibition by vanadium ions

Bleomycin 2 X 10(-6) and 6 X 10(-6) mol.1(-1) increased the activity of specific (Na+-K+) ATPase of the rat brain microsomes. It also stimulated the electrogenic (Na+-K+) pump in intact skeletal muscle cells. The blocking effect of vanadyl (+4V) on membrane (Na+-K+) ATPase was eliminated completely by the drug, but the action of vanadate (+5V) was counteracted only partially. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra revealed the formation of a +4V - bleomycin complex which is still able to activate the (Na+-K+) ATPase.     

Target influences on [3H]ACh synthesis and release by ciliary ganglion neurons in vitro

The developmental influence of neuron-target interaction upon transmitter synthesis from labeled precursor and the capacity to release labeled transmitter were examined in dispersed cell cultures of embryonic ciliary ganglion neurons by comparing cultures of neurons plated alone and neurons plated upon pectoral myotubes. Of the total ACh synthesized from radiolabeled choline by neurons plated alone, more than half is via a Na+-dependent path, but a larger fraction of the synthesis is Na+ insensitive in culture than in mature neurons in vivo. In addition, at 1 week in culture the neurons lacking target failed to significantly increase ACh synthesis from the labeled choline in response to a previous high [K+]0 depolarization. Synthetic responsiveness to depolarization is a characteristic of mature nerve terminals in this preparation. One week after plating neurons onto myotube cultures, synthesis of ACh from the exogenous precursor is double that of sibling cultures lacking muscle, and prior depolarization with [K+]0 results in an increase in labeled product. Release from the labeled transmitter pool by the neurons with myotubes was also enhanced. [3H]ACh release elicited by depolarization via a Ca2+-dependent mechanism was more than fivefold higher in the cocultures. The influence of coculture with myotubes upon neuronal development is not duplicated by the neurons themselves despite formation of apparent interneuronal synapses (G. Crean, G. Pilar, J. Tuttle, and K. Vaca, 1982, J. Physiol. (London). 331, 87-104), by "fibroblasts" or medium conditioned over myotube cultures. Neurons under these conditions neither increase synthesis of [3H]ACh in response to a prior depolarization nor demonstrate enhanced basal [3H]ACh synthesis and release. Thus, coculture of embryonic ciliary ganglion neurons with a striated muscle target has a somewhat specific inductive effect, enhancing the capacity for neuronal [3H]ACh synthesis and release toward mature levels. This influence of a readily accessible target upon ciliary neuron cholinergic development in vitro may reflect a normal neuromuscular interaction occurring during embryogenesis.     

Lipid-bound sugars in malignant human breast tumors

Microsomal preparations from malignant human breast tumors catalyzed the transfer of mannose and glucose from GDP-[14C]-Man and UDP-[14C]-Glc into lipid-linked sugars and glycoprotein-like substances. As judged by several criteria the obtained lipid-linked monosaccharides behaved as dolichyl phosphate mannose and dolichyl phosphate glucose whereas lipid-linked oligosaccharides behaved as polyprenyl diphosphate derivatives. The optimum conditions for mannosyl- and glucosyl-transfer reactions and the effect of dolichyl phosphate, detergent and EDTA on incubation mixture were described.     

Time of origin of Mauthner's neuron in Xenopus laevis embryos

The time of the last DNA replication of the Mauthner's neuron precursor cell has been investigated using radioautography. Embryos of Xenopus laevis were labeled at different stages of early development by single microinjections of tritiated thymidine. Labeling times were designed to cover the entire period of development between gastrula and hatching stages. The embryos were fixed at later stages (41 to 44, according to Nieuwkoop and Faber, 1967), when the Mauthner neuron can be readily distinguished by its characteristically large size and large nucleolus.Mauthner neurons of embryos which received tritiated thymidine from stage 10 (beginning of gastrulation) to stage 12 (advanced gastrula, medium yolk plug) were always labeled. Those embryos which received the isotope at or after stage $\text{12}\text{1}\text{2}$ (advanced gastrula, small yolk plug) were never found labeled. These results imply that the last DNA replication of the cell destined to give rise to the Mauthner neuron occurs during the last gastrula stages. This last DNA replication immediately proceeds the time of the so-called “histogenetic determination” of the Mauthner neuron proposed to correspond to stage 13 (slit blastopore) by Stefanelli (1951).Therefore it appears that the developmental program of the Mauthner neuron involves a remarkably early cessation of DNA replication closely followed by histogenetic determination. This is the earliest known event of this type for a specific, well characterized neuron in the amphibian embryo.     

Chemical and physiological changes in fungi during autolysis

A comparative study was done on some of the chemical changes occurring during autolysis of cultures ofAspergillus flavus in both physiologically acid and alkaline media. The mycelium ofA. flavus lost during autolysis 44 % of its maximum dry weight in the physiologically alkaline medium, whereas this loss was apparently nil in the physiologically acid medium. Nitrogen containing compounds seemed not to be affected by autolysis either in the physiologically acid or alkaline media. The disappearance of P-containing compounds in mycelium ofA. flavus autolysed in both conditions (NO ₃ ^– and NH ₄ ⁺ as N source) amounted to 64 % in the alkaline autolysis and to nearly 77 % in the acid autolysis. The results we have obtained for the acid autolysis strongly suggest that very little activity is shown by autolytic enzymes in the interval 10–133 days of incubation, when measuring autolysis by the loss in mycelial dry weight.

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Zusammenfassung Eine vergleichende Untersuchung war unternommen an einigen der chemischen Veränderungen, die während der Autolyse der Kulturen vonAspergillus flavus in physiologischen sauren und alkalischen Medien vorkommen. Die Myzelien vonA. flavus haben während der Autolyse 44 % ihres größten Trockengewichtes in physiologisch alkalischem Medium verloren, während dieser Verlust in physiologisch saurem Medium anscheinend Null gewesen ist. Stickstoff enthaltende Substanzen erschienen während der Autolyse weder in physiologisch saueren noch in alkalischen Medien beeinflußt zu sein. Das Verschwinden von P-enthaltenden Substanzen in Myzelien vonA. flavus in Autolyse unter beiden Bedingungen (NO ₃ ^– und NH ₄ ⁺ als Stickstoffquelle) erreichte 64 % in alkalischer Autolyse und beinahe 77 % in der saueren Autolyse. Die Ergebnisse, die wir in der saueren Autolyse erhalten haben legen es sehr nahe, daß autolytische Enzyme eine sehr geringe Aktivität in der Zeitspanne von 10–133 Tagen der Inkubazion zeigen, wenn die Autolyse an dem Verlust des mycelialen Trockengewichtes gemessen wird.