Identification and DNA sequence of fixZ, a nifB-like gene from Rhizobium leguminosarum.

Previously, several mutants which nodulated peas but which failed to fix nitrogen were isolated following Tn5 mutagenesis of pRL 1JI, a symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium leguminosarum. Two of these alleles, fix52::Tn5 and fix137::Tn5 were in a region of pRL 1JI which hybridized to a probe that contained the nifA gene and the amino-terminal region of the nifB gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The nitrogen fixation defect of the fix52::Tn5 mutant strain was corrected by a 2.0kb fragment of the corresponding wild-type DNA cloned in a wide host-range plasmid. The DNA sequence of this region revealed an open reading frame corresponding to the gene within which the fix52::Tn5 allele was located. The polypeptide corresponding to this open reading frame had a deduced molecular weight of 39,936 and the gene was termed fixZ. The deduced amino acid sequence of the fixZ gene product contained two clusters of cysteine residues, suggesting that the protein may contain an iron-sulphur cluster. The sequence of the fixZ polypeptide was very similar to the sequence of the K. pneumoniae nifB gene (provided by W. Arnold and A. Pühler) which is required for the synthesis of the FeMo-cofactor of nitrogenase. It was shown that the previously observed hybridization was due to homology between the amino terminal regions of fixZ and nifB. Upstream from fixZ was found another open reading frame whose 5' terminus was not established, but within which was located the fix137::Tn5 allele. This gene was termed fixY. The deduced amino acid sequence of the sequenced part of fixY showed similarity to that of the regulatory nifA gene of K. pneumoniae (provided by W. J. Buikema and F. M. Ausubel). Thus in R. leguminoarum the fix genes that correspond to the nifA and nifB genes are in the same relative orientation as in K. pneumoniae.     

Structural changes in thin filaments of crab striated muscle.

Low angle X-ray diffraction patterns were recorded from crab leg muscle in living resting state and in rigor (glycerol-extracted). Both resting and rigor patterns showed a series of layer-lines arising from a helical arrangement of actin subunits in the thin filaments. In the resting state, the crossover repeat of the long-pitch actin helices was 36.6 nm, and the symmetry of the genetic actin helix was an intermediate between $\text{26}\text{12}$ and $\text{28}\text{13}$. When the muscle went into rigor, the crossover repeat changed to 38.3 nm and the helical symmetry to $\text{28}\text{13}$.In the living resting pattern, six other reflections were observed on the meridian and in the near-meridional region. These were indexed as orders of 2 × 38.2 nm and could be assigned to troponin molecules; the spacings and the intensity distributions of these reflections could be explained by the model proposed by Ohtsuki (1974) for the arrangement of troponin molecules in the thin filaments.The muscle in rigor gave meridional and near-meridional reflections at orders of 2 × 38.3 nm. These were identified as the same series of reflections as was assigned to troponin in the living resting pattern, but were more intense and could be seen up to higher orders. We consider that the myosin heads attached to the thin filament at regular intervals along its axis also contribute to these reflections in the rigor pattern.     

Karyology and evolution inSesamoides (Resedaceae)

The meiotic behaviour abnormalities, fertility and size of pollen of 6 taxa ofSesamoides have been analysed. Besides diploids (2x), polyploids (4x, 6x, 8x) have been found. The chromosome base number is x = 10, but an origin from x = 5 is suggested.     

Purification of chicken brain choline acetyltransferase

Chicken brain choline acetyltransferase was purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulfate fractionation, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex (A-25), hydroxyapatite, Sephadex G-150, immunoabsorption and Sepharose-CoA columns. A purification of 3500-fold was achieved and the final preparation had a specific activity of 2:32 μmol acetylcholine formed per minute per milligram protein. The purified chicken choline acetyltransferase migrated as a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of sodium deodecyl sulfate. The native enzyme, with a molecular weight of 67,000 daltons, consists of two subunits of identical molecular weight. Chicken choline acetyltransferase has a sharp pH optimum of 7.4. It is activated by sodium chloride and potassium chloride but inhibited by cupric ion and N-ethylmaleimide.     

一类含间隙分布时滞的种群增长模型的稳定性

本文首先利用间隙分布时滞函数来建立更为符合实际的种群增长模型,然后运用两种不同的方法,对其平衡位置的局部稳定性进行了全面的讨论,得出了局部渐近稳定的充分必要条件,在参数平面上划分出了稳定和不稳地的区域。     

Fine needle aspiration diagnosis of Penicillium marneffei infection

A disseminated infection with Penicillium marneffei, a rare human pathogen that may infect both healthy and immunocompromised patients, was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The presence of yeast-form organisms with an eccentric or central dot and occasional septate and elongated forms highly suggested the diagnosis, which was confirmed on culture. Establishment of the diagnosis is important because this infection is potentially curable.     

Neutrophils-induced increase of adenosine triphosphate depletion in rat neonatal cardiac myocytes with impaired energy metabolism.

Isolated, cultured rat neonatal cardiac myocytes were placed in medium supplemented with mitochondrial respiratory inhibitor potassium cyanide which caused a rapid adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion. These myocytes with the impaired energy metabolism ("hypoxia-like state") were exposed to unstimulated human neutrophils. Effect of human neutrophils on the myocytes in the "hypoxia-like state" was quantified as a total change in the amount of ATP in cardiac cells. After 5 hours of incubation of neutrophils with the myocytes in the "hypoxia-like state" an additional decrease (of 50 per cent) in ATP content was observed. Since catalase (which destroys hydrogen peroxide) prevented the further decline in ATP level in the myocytes with impaired energy metabolism, it seem that hydrogen peroxide and possibly their products are responsible for this effect. These results suggest that unstimulated human neutrophils after activation by the contact with injured cardiac cells caused further decrease of ATP level in target cells.