Secretion of trans-zeatin by Agrobacterium tumefaciens: A function determined by the nopaline Ti plasmid

Production of the plant cytokinin, trans-zeatin, by a number of strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens was measured by a combination of traceenrichment, HPLC and radioimmunoassay and confirmed by mass spectrometry. Secretion of trans-zeatin into a culture medium is a constitutive function of those strains which harbor a nopaline Ti plasmid. Strains cured of the nopaline Ti plasmid and those which harbor octopine or agropine plasmids are non-producers. Reacquisition of nopaline plasmids by cured strains restores production.     

Effects of disinfectants on Campylobacter jejuni

Because of the increasing recognition that Campylobacter jejuni is an important enteric pathogen of humans, we studied the effects of widely used disinfectants on the viability of this organism. At an inoculum size of 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/ml, 1.25 mg of hypochlorite per liter killed three strains within 1 min. At an inoculum size of 10(6) to 10(7) CFU/ml, 5 mg of hypochlorite per liter killed three strains within 15 min. Killing of similar concentrations of C. jejuni and Escherichia coli by hypochlorite was approximately the same. At the high inoculum, 0.15% phenolic compound, 10 mg of iodophor per liter, 1:50,000 quaternary ammonium compound, 70% ethyl alcohol, and 0.125% glutaraldehyde killed all three strains within 1 min. These studies demonstrate that, under the conditions we tested (pH 7.0; 24 to 26 degrees C), the recommended standard concentrations of disinfecting agents are adequate to destroy C. jejuni.     

Receptor-mediated phagocytosis of zymosan is unaffected by some conditions which reduce macrophage lysosomal enzyme secretion

We have previously shown that several agents which interfere with binding of ligands to the mannose-glycoprotein receptor on macrophages can inhibit zymosan-induced lysosomal enzyme secretion. Here we show that mannose only reduces the association of zymosan with macrophages during the first hour of exposure; after longer periods of uptake no effect is detectable. We have previously shown that mannose reduces surface binding of zymosan, probably by interfering selectively with binding to the mannose receptor. The present inhibition of association of zymosan with macrophages during short exposures can be entirely explained by this reduction of binding. Macrophages must therefore internalize zymosan at sites in addition to the mannose receptor. In contrast to macrophages the murine macrophage-like cell line P388D1 is lacking the mannose-glycoprotein receptor. Accordingly we find that binding of zymosan to P388D1 is much slighter than to macrophages and is unaffected by mannose or mannose-6-phosphate. The spontaneous lysosomal enzyme secretion of P388D1 is also unaffected by mannose. The data on macrophages confirm our previous suggestion that agents interfering with the mannose receptor inhibit the induction of lysosomal enzyme secretion by acting directly on the receptor. The data on P388D1 cells support this assertion by excluding effects at later steps in the secretory pathway.     

Comparative study of the peptide composition of Complex III (quinol-cytochromec reductase)

A comparative study has been made on the subunits of Complex III from beef heart, rat liver, Neurospora, and baker's yeast mitochondria. All of the subunits of the beef heart enzyme were similar to the counterpart subunit in rat liver Complex III, both with respect to their apparent molecular weights on SDS-polyacrylamide gels and their proteolytic digestion maps obtained in the presence of S. subtilus V8 protease. In contrast, the subunits of Neurospora and yeast Complex III varied considerably from the mammalian enzyme, as well as between themselves, the only exception being cytochrome b (subunit III). Less variation was observed in the electron transport peptides (IV-V) of higher and lower eukaryotes than in those subunits (I, II, VI-VIII) for which no functions are known. However, the data imply that subunits I, II, and VI-VIII are bona fide members of the complex, and that their functions within the complex, although unknown, are also somewhat conserved. Finally, the low-molecular-weight subunits of rat liver cytochrome oxidase and Complex III were compared. They appear to contain no subunits in common, implying different roles for these peptides in the two complexes.     

Difference in susceptibility of arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin to aminopeptidase activity in brain synaptic membranes

Arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin, peptides which serve as putative precursors for neurotrophic fragments, were digested in the presence of the respective ¹⁴C-Tyr²- and ${}^{14}\text{C-GlyNH}{}_2{}^9\text{-labeled}$ nonapeptides with a purified synaptic membrane preparation of rat brain. In this preparation aminopeptidase activity predominates in the conversion of these peptides. The disappearance of intact peptide and the release of free ¹⁴C-Tyr and ¹⁴C-GlyNH₂ was followed simultaneously with time by HPLC. Oxytocin was about four times more resistant to proteolysis than arginine-vasopressin as measured by slower disappearance of intact oxytocin, and reflected by the slower release of ¹⁴C-Tyr, but not of ¹⁴C-GlyNH₂ from oxytocin. Comparison of degradation rates of structure analogues showed that peptides having Ile in position 3, as oxytocin, were more resistant than analogues having Phe in position 3, as arginine-vasopressin. The data demonstrate that arginine-vasopressin and oxytocin differ markedly in susceptibility to the aminopeptidase activity in brain synaptic membranes, and indicate that this difference resides primarily in the amino acid residue in position 3. It is suggested that the difference in susceptibility may affect the pattern of neurotrophic metabolites in brain.     

黑胸大蠊（Periplaneta fuliginosa）病毒的分离及某些特性

从黑胸大蠊(Periplaneta fuliginosa)自然罹病的虫尸中分离得到一株非包涵体病毒。将病毒悬液均匀拌入无菌饲料并供食154～169日龄黑胸大蠊健康若虫时,能使其感染、发病,死亡率可达98％以上。在电子显微镜下观察时,病毒为球形二十面体颗粒,直径约23nm。病毒悬液具有典型核蛋白紫外吸收光谱。病毒用DNase和RNase处理并经吖啶橙染色、二苯胺和苔黑酚试验及甲醛反应证明:该病毒含有单链DNA。以上特性与细小病毒科的特征有点类似。     

正廿面体病毒的三角形剖分数和壳粒数公式的推导

本文对p=h~2+hk+k~2,T=pf~2,C=10T+2和C=10p(n-1)~2+2几个公式进行了新的推导和计算,并对其公式间的关系和每个参数的数学含义作了说明,进而澄清了一些模糊认识,加深了对公式的理解和运用。     

生物群落的生态稳定性

1.生物群落生态稳定的概念从生态学意义看,生物群落是稳定的,就是指它在相当长的一段时间内保持其中各种群数目不变,意即一方面,任何一个种群的数量不会少到能繁衍后代,乃致绝灭,另一