Crossovers in two German cystic fibrosis families determine probe order for MET, 7C22 and XV-2c/CS.7

Summary We have followed the segregation of the probes pJ3.11, 7C22, pB79a, and MET through cystic fibrosis families in the German Democratic Republic with two affected sibs. Two families with a crossover between MET and the CF phenotype were detected. In one of these families recombination was also observed between the DNA probe 7C22 and CF, and between the markers XV-2c and CF, which suggests that XV-2c, MET and 7C22 are all on the same side of CF. The other MET recombinant family is informative with XV-2c and does not recombine, which excludes the genetic order XC-2c-MET-CF if multiple recombinant events are disregarded. These two families together demonstrate that recombinations may occur in a very small genetic interval, which has important implications for prenatal diagnosis based on data from linked markers.     

Localization of the human progesterone receptor gene to chromosome 11q22–q23

Summary The human progesterone receptor gene was mapped by in situ hybridization using two cDNA probes corresponding to the 5′ and 3′ part of the coding sequence. This gene was localized to 11q22-q23.     

Accumulation of cadmium and copper by the terrestrial snail Arianta arbustorum L.: kinetics and budgets

Summary Specimens of the terrestrial gastropod Arianta arbustorum were fed on cadmium- or copper-enriched agar plates with the aim of performing an input/output analysis and of studying the distribution of these metals in several organs of the snails. After a feeding period of 20 days about 45% of cadmium were lost. 36% accumulated in the hepatopancreas, where a cadmium concentration of more than 500 g/g was measured. The efficiency of cadmium assimilation decreased from about 90% at the beginning to about 55% after 20 days. Copper was distributed more evenly than cadmium, but the main site of copper storage seemed to be the foot/mantle tissues, where 49% of the ingested copper were found. The efficiency of copper assimilation always exceeded 95%. The patterns of distribution and assimilation of copper and cadmium are discussed in relation to differences in the cytological and biochemical detoxification mechanisms which exist for these metals in molluscs.     

Dermatology: cutaneous manifestations of human immunodeficiency virus infection

The Scientific Board of the California Medical Association presents the following inventory of items of progress in dermatology. Each item, in the judgment of a panel of knowledgeable physicians, has recently become reasonably firmly established both as to scientific fact and important clinical significance. The items are presented in simple epitome and an authoritative reference, both to the item itself and to the subject as a whole, is generally given for those who may be unfamiliar with a particular item. The purpose is to assist busy practitioners, students, research workers, or scholars to stay abreast of these items of progress in dermatology that have recently achieved a substantial degree of authoritative acceptance, whether in their own field of special interest or another.The items of progress listed below were selected by the Advisory Panel to the Section on Dermatology of the California Medical Association, and the summaries were prepared under its direction.     

Mapping of antibody specificities to V H gene families

V _H gene segments represent the products of the repeated duplication and subsequent diversification of a primordial V gene element. It is widely assumed that natural selection, operating via pathogens, has played the dominant role in this process. Here, we screen some 3.7 × 10⁴ C ⁺ colonies of mitogen-activated B cells for the production of antibodies specific for phosphorylcholine or hen egg lysozyme and expression of the V _H X-24, S107, Q52, or J558 gene families. These gene families were expressed at frequencies proportional to their genomic complexity among both unselected and antigen-specific C ⁺ colonies. Thus, the capacity to encode equivalent antibody-combining sites is dispersed uniformly among V _Hfamilies. This result suggests that individual V _H genes have not evolved to address specific antigens.     

Newly recognized ectrodactyly/deafness syndrome

A 7-year-old non-Ashkenazi Jewish girl is described having asymmetrical ectrodactyly (split hand and foot deformity), short stature, mental retardation, sensorineural deafness, and abnormal facies. Because this constellation of findings has not been reported previously, the authors believe that this represents a new congenital malformation syndrome, most probably of genetic etiology.     

An empirical analysis of the factors contributing to 20-year decrease in soil pH in an old-field plantation of loblolly pine

The pH of weak-acid solutions is controlled by acid concentration (HA + A^–), the degree of acid dissociation (A^–/HA), and the strength of the acids present (pK_a). We developed an empirical approach that allows the relative importance of each of these factors to be estimated for soils. This empirical model was applied to soils collected from an old-field plantation of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) at 5 and 25 years of age. During this period, soil pH dropped by 0.3 to 0.8 units, and extractable calcium, magnesium and potassium declined by 20 to 80%. The empirical model indicates that the decline in pH resulted largely from the reduction in base saturation of the exchange complex. However, the average acid strength of the exchange complex decreased during the 20 years, preventing a greater decline of perhaps 0.1 to 0.2 units in the observed pH. The rate of decrease in the acid neutralizing capacity to pH 3.5 was about 1.3 kmol_c/ha annually, while the increase in base neutralizing capacity was about 2.7 and 1.6 kmol_c/ha annually to pH 5.5 and 8.2, respectively. Extractable alkali and alkaline earth cations declined by about 2.2 kmol_c/ha annually, matched by the rate of increase in aluminium. These changes demonstrated the dynamic nature of poorly buffered soils, and indicated that changes in soil acidity may be expected over a period of decades (especially following changes in land-use).     

Reclustering of scattered Golgi elements occurs along microtubules

Depolymerization of the interphase microtubules by nocodazole results in the scattering and apparent fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus in Vero fibroblast cells. Upon removal of the drug, the interphase microtubules repolymerize, and the scattered Golgi elements move back to the region around the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) within 40 to 60 min. Using a fluorescent lipid analogue (C6-NBD-ceramide) as a vital stain for the scattered Golgi elements, their relocation was visualized by video-enhanced fluorescence microscopy in Vero cells maintained at 20 degrees C. The NBD-labeled structures were identified as Golgi elements by their colocalization with galactosyltransferase in the fixed cells. During reclustering, NBD-labeled Golgi elements were observed to move by discontinuous saltations towards the MTOC with velocities of 0.1 to 0.4 micron/s. Paths along which Golgi elements moved were super-imposable on microtubules visualized by indirect immunofluorescence. Neither the collapse of intermediate filaments caused by microinjection of antibodies to vimentin nor the disruption of microfilaments by cytochalasin D had an effect on the reclustering of Golgi elements or the positioning of the Golgi apparatus. These data show that scattered Golgi elements move along microtubules back to the region around the MTOC, while neither intact intermediate filaments nor microfilaments are involved.     

Egg weight, batch size and fecundity of the spotted stalk borer, Chilo partellus in relation to weight of females and time of oviposition

The egg laying pattern of the spotted stalk borer on sorghum and maize, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) was studied during the first three nights of oviposition under laboratory conditions. More than 50% of both eggs and egg batches are laid during the first night of oviposition. Batch size decreases with time, whereas mean egg weight remains constant.Larger females lay both larger eggs and egg batches than smaller ones. They are also more fecund but it is only the second night of oviposition that contributes significantly to this difference.The reproductive effort decreases much with time. Allocation of reproductive reserves to early eggs seems more important than having eggs evenly distributed over time. Larger females use proportionally more resources to the production of late eggs. Large eggs are likely to contain more yolk which could be of importance for the ballooning behaviour of newly hatched larvae.

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Résumé La ponte de C. partellus Swinhoe a été étudiée au laboratoire pendant les trois premières nuits de la ponte. Plus de 50% des ooplaques et des oefs ont été pondus pendant la première nuit. La taille des ooplaques diminue avec le temps, tandis que le poids moyen des oeufs reste constant.Les grosses femelles pondent des ooplaques et des oeufs plus grands que les petites. Elles sont aussi plus fécondes, mais c'est seulement à la seconde nuit de ponte qu'est due cette différence.Le reproduction diminue beaucoup avec le temps. L'affectation aux premiers oeufs des réserves utilizées pour la reprodution semble plus importante que l'émission d'oeufs régulièrement répartis dans le temps. Les grosses femelles utilisent proportionnellement plus de ressources à la production d'oeufstardifs. Les gros oeufs contiennent vraisemblablement plus de vitellus que pourrait être nécessaire pour le comportement aérostatique des chenilles néonates.

     

Kinetic β-deuterium isotope effects suggest a covalent mechanism for the protein folding enzyme peptidylprolyl cis/trans-isomerase

The cis/trans interconversion of Glt-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-4-nitroanilide and Glt-Ala-Gly-Pro-Phe-4-nitroanilide was studied both enzymatically and nonenzymatically by measuring kinetic β-deuterium isotope effects. The hydrogen atom at the α-carbon atom of the Xaa residue within the Xaa-Pro moiety was substituted by deuterium. In the nonenzymatic case the transition state of rotation is reflected by k_H/k_D > 1. When catalysed by 17 kDa PPIase the same bond rotation is characterized by k_H/k_D < 1. This suggests a covalent mechanism of catalysis which involves an approximately tetravalent carbon of the prolyl imidic bond for the transition state of reaction.