The dopaminergic innervation of the goldfish pituitary

Summary The dopaminergic innervation of the goldfish pituitary gland was studied by immunocytochemistry at the electron-microscope level using highly specific antibodies against dopamine coupled to bovine serum albumin with glutaraldehyde. A satisfactory preservation of the tissue was achieved after immersion in 5% glutaraldehyde in phosphate buffer containing sodium metabisulfite to prevent oxidation of the endogenous dopamine. The immunocyto-chemical procedure was performed on Vibratome sections using the preembedding method. Immunoreactivity was restricted to part of the neurosecretory type-B fibers (diameter of the secretory vesicles lower than 100 nm) in which it was found to occupy the whole cytoplasm. Labeled fibers were observed within the neurohypophysis in the different parts of the gland and in the adenohypophyseal tissue where immunoreactive profiles were detected in close apposition to the different cell types. These data are in agreement with previous results obtained by means of radioautography and further support a role for dopamine in the neuroendocrine regulation of pituitary functions in teleosts.     

Oxidation-reduction properties of the electron acceptors of Photosystem II I. Redox titration of the flash-induced carotenoid band shift,of C550 and of the variable fluorescence yield in spinach chloroplasts

Redox titration of the electrochromic carotenoid band shift, detected at 50 μs after a saturating actinic flash, in spinach chloroplasts, shows that only one electron acceptor in Photosystem II participates in a transmembrane primary electron transfer. This species, the primary quinone acceptor, Q, shows only one midpoint potential (E_m,7.5) of approx. 0 V and is undoubtedly equivalent to the fluorescence quencher, Q_H. A second titration wave is observed at low potential ($\text{E}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext><mtext>,7.5</mtext>}}\text{? ? 240}\text{mV}$) and at greater than 3 ms after a saturating actinic flash. This wave has an action spectrum different from that of Photosystem II centers containing Q and could arise from a secondary but not primary electron transfer. A low-potential fluorescence quencher is observed in chloroplasts which largely disappears in a single saturating flash at ? 185 mV and which does not participate in a transmembrane electron transfer. This low-potential quencher (probably equivalent to fluorescence quencher, Q_L) and Q are altogether different species. Redox titration of C550 shows that if electron acceptor Q_β is indeed characterized by an E_m,7 of + 120 mV, then this acceptor does not give rise to a C550 signal upon reduction and does not participate in a transmembrane electron transfer. This titration also shows that C550 is not associated with Q_L.     

Oxidation-reduction properties of the electron acceptors of Photosystem II. II. Redox titration at various pH values of the flash-induced formation of C550 in Chlamydomonas Photosystem II particles lacking the secondary quinone electron acceptor

Redox titrations of the flash-induced formation of C550 (a linear indicator of Q^?) were performed between pH 5.9 and 8.3 in Chlamydomonas Photosystem II particles lacking the secondary electron acceptor, B. One-third of the reaction centers show a pH-dependent midpoint potential (E_m,7.5) = ? 30 mV) for redox couple $\text{Q}\text{Q}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$, which varies by ?60 mV/pH unit. Two-thirds of the centers show a pH-independent midpoint potential (E_mm = + 10 mV) for this couple. The elevated pH-independent E_m suggests that in the latter centers the environment of Q has been modified such as to stabilize the semiquinone anion, Q^?. The midpoint potentials of the centers having a pH-dependent E_m are within 20 mV of those observed in chloroplasts having a secondary electron acceptor. It appears therefore that the secondary electron acceptor exerts little influence on the E_m of $\text{Q}\text{Q}{}^{\mathrm{?}}$. An EPR signal at g 1.82 has recently been attributed to a semiquinone-iron complex which comprises Q^?. The similar redox behavior reported here for C550 and reported by others (Evans, M.C.W., Nugent, J.H.A., Tilling, L.A. and Atkinson, Y.E. (1982) FEBS Lett. 145, 176–178) for the g 1.82 signal in similar Photosystem II particles confirm the assignment of this EPR signal to Q^?. At below ?200 mV, illumination of the Photosystem II particles produces an accumulation of reduced pheophytin (Ph^?). At ?420 mV Ph^? appears with a quantum yield of 0.006–0.01 which in this material implies a lifetime of 30–100 ns for the radical pair P-680⁺Ph^?.     

Desangeloylshairidin,X-ray structure determination of a sesquiterpene lactone from Guillonea scabra

The structure and absolute configuration of desangeloylshairidin, a guaianolide isolated from Guillonea scabra, have been established by X-ray diffraction analysis. No conformational change was observed in its seven-membered ring between the crystal and deuterochloroform solution states.     

Une triple translocation chez le Triton Pleurodeles waltlii

A cytogenetic study has lead us to a stock of fertile heterozygotes for a triple translocation. The chromosomal rearrangement has first been detected in a female resulting from a cross between a normal female and a male submitted to X ray-irradiation. The aberration consists of rearrangements between a chromosome 3, a chromosome 6 and a chromosome 7. Abnormal chromosomes have the following constitution: 7q?: the terminal portion of the long arm is lost and replaced by the end of the short arm of the chromosome 3. 6 q+: the terminal portion of the long arm is lost and replaced by the end of the long arm of the chromosome 7. 3p+: the terminal portion of the short arm is lost and replaced by the end of the long arm of the chromosome 6. On the analogy of the human chromosome standardization, the formula of heterozygotes is 24, t (3p+, 6q+, 7q?). The first meiotic division shows both in the female and in the male 9 bivalents and one hexavalent. The formulae of the gametes are the same in both sexes. When a heterozygote is bred with a normal individual the offspring is composed of phenotypically normal or abnormal animals, depending on their karyotypes. The unbalanced karyotypes are lethal or semilethal. The importance of the malformations depends on the temperature of the water where the animals grow. The study of the meiotic slides brings a cytological confirmation of the results obtained from the study of the phenotypes and karyotypes which appear in the offspring.     

Calorimetric measurement of free energy utilization by Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter

Summary Calorimetric estimates of the utilization efficiency of the free-energy derived from substrate oxidation by cell suspensions of two nitrifying bacteria, Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter, provided two ranges of values: 11 to 27% and 15 to 51%, respectively. About 15 to 30% of the utilized free-energy is used for driving endergonic reactions other than CO₂ fixation, probably the synthesis of polyphosphates.The molar heat of substrate oxidation does not seem to be influenced by the age of cells harvested during growth or by the length of the incubation period during which cells have been kept in a buffer suspension in a starved condition. The loss of respiratory activity measured either by oxygen uptake or heat evolution in the presence of the specific substrate, nitrite or ammonium, decreases according to kinetics which are influenced by the aerobiosis of the suspension. The viability of the starved cells decreases in a way which is similar to that of the respiratory activity. It seemed impossible to obtain cells which had lost their viability but kept the ability to oxidize their substrate.Two inhibitors of the respiratory chain, quinacrine and cyanide, are without effect on the molar heat of substrate oxidation and consequently on the free-energy utilization efficiency. 2.4 dinitrophenol did decrease the rate of heat evolution during substrate oxidation at concentrations at which the rate of oxygen uptake was not depressed, with the consequences that free-energy efficiency was apparently increased.     

Untersuchungen mit der Röntgen-Mikrosonde über Verteilung und Transport von Ionen in Pflanzengeweben

Summary Translocation and distribution of K, Ca, Sr and P in the fruit stalk and pods of Pisum sativum were studied by means of the electron probe X-ray micronalyser.Long-distance transport through the fruit stalk of K and P as well as of Ca and Sr takes mainly place in sieve tubes. Therefore the theory of Münch (1930) concerning the supply of substances via the phloem to seeds of weakly transpiring fruits is confirmed for several important ions. A fairly small Ca supply to the sieve tubes seems to be the reason that the transport of Ca in sieve tubes and its content in seeds are relatively low. Ca and Sr are also translocated in xylem vessels, mainly to the dorsal suture of the pods; there they accumulate as sulfate in the xylem tissues of the central vein.In addition to the longitudinal translocation there is also a lateral transport outwards from the conducting tissues. The heaviest depositions of minerals are located in the cell walls of sclerenchyma outside of the vascular bundles. These depositions consist mainly of Ca-Sr-phosphate in the fruit stalk and the dorsal suture and of Ca-Sr-sulfate as well as K-phosphate in the ventral suture. The cortical cells of the fruit stalk contain some crystals of Ca-Sr-oxalate.