Electron diffraction analysis of structural changes in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin.

Structural changes are central to the mechanism of light-driven proton transport by bacteriorhodopsin, a seven-helix membrane protein. The main intermediate formed upon light absorption is M, which occurs between the proton release and uptake steps of the photocycle. To investigate the structure of the M intermediate, we have carried out electron diffraction studies with two-dimensional crystals of wild-type bacteriorhodopsin and the Asp96-->Gly mutant. The M intermediate was trapped by rapidly freezing the crystals in liquid ethane following illumination with a xenon flash lamp at 5 and 25 degrees C. Here, we present 3.5 A resolution Fourier projection maps of the differences between the M intermediate and the ground state of bacteriorhodopsin. The most prominent structural changes are observed in the vicinity of helices F and G and are localized to the cytoplasmic half of the membrane.     

A novel type of meso-diaminopimelic acid-based peptidoglycan and novel poly (erythritol phosphate) teichoic acids in cell walls of two coryneform isolates from the surface flora of French cooked cheeses

The primary structure of the peptidoglycan and the teichoic acids of two coryneform isolates from the surface flora of French cooked cheeses, CNRZ 925 and CNRZ 926, have been determined. In the peptidoglycan, meso-diaminopimelic acid was localized in position three of the peptide subunit. It contained an d-glutamyl-d-aspartyl interpeptide bridge, connecting meso-diaminopimelic acid and d-alanine residues of adjacent peptide subunits. The -carboxyl group of d-glutamic acid in position two of peptide subunits was substituted with glycine amide. The teichoic acid pattern and composition differed between the strains: both contained an erythritol teichoic acid and strain CNRZ 925 also contained an N-acetylglucosaminylphosphate polymer. The erythritol teichoic acids differed in terms of the quality and quantity of substituents, but they both had N,N-diacetyl-2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxyglucuronic acid in common.Abbreviations DNP dinitrophenyl - Ery erythritol - Gal galactose - GlcN glucosamine - GlcNAc N-acetylglucosamine - GlcUANAc₂ N,N-diacetyl-2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxyglucuronic acid - Hex UANAc₂ N,N-diacetyl-2,3-diamino-2,3-dideoxyhexuronic - acid m-Dpm, meso-diaminopimelic acid - Mur muramic acid - MurNAc N-acetylmuramic acid     

Age-related nonrandom chromosomal abnormalities in human low-grade astrocytomas

We report a cytogenetic investigation of 55 low-grade astrocytomas in 52 patients, 15 children and 37 adults. In addition to numerical aberrations such as trisomy 7 and gonosomal losses, we found structural and/or numerical aberrations of chromosome 1 in eight astrocytomas. There was a striking difference between the rearranged chromosomes in pediatric and adult patients. Whereas the pediatric tumors revealed monosomies 1p with accompanying trisomy 1q, the astrocytomas in adults showed partial or complete monosomies 1q.     

Retrospective study of the parental origin of the extra chromosome in trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome)

The parental origin of the extra chromosome in trisomy 18 was traced in 30 informative families using highly polymorphic (CA) repeats mapped on the long arm of chromosome 18. Proband DNA was recovered from slides of chromosome preparations in 28 cases and from paraffin-embedded tissues in two cases. The extra chromosome was found to be of maternal origin in 26 cases (86.7%), and paternal origin in 4 cases (13.3%).     

Elevated CO2 and the mineral content of herbaceous and woody plants

The CO₂ enrichment effects (300–650 µmol mol^-1) on mineral concentration (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn), absolute total mineral contents per individual and of whole stands of four herbaceous (Trifolium repens L.,Trifolium pratense L.,Lolium perenne L.,Festuca pratensis HUDS.) and two woody species (Acer pseudo-platanus L.,Fagus sylvatica L.) were investigated.In general, the mineral concentration of the plant tissues decreased (all six species: N>Ca>K>Mg) with the exception of P. Mn and Fe were only determined for the tree species. Both decreased in concentration (Mn>Fe). Zn was only analysed forTrifolium pratense andFestuca pratensis and decreased significantly in the grass.Despite of decreases in concentrations of as much as 20% in some cases there were increases in absolute amounts per individual and, therefore, in the whole vegetation up to 25% because of the enhanced dry matter accumulation at elevated CO₂ supply.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. R. Bornkamm, TU-Berlin, on behalf of his 60th birthday     

Über schlauchförmige Ausstülpungen an der Zellmembran der Makrogametocyten von Eimeria perforans

Summary The surface of the gametocytes and gametes of Eimeria perforans reveals tube-like extrusions which have not been discovered so far in coccidia. These slender tubes are 650 Å in width and at least 1,3 in length. Probably they represent resorbing organelles. The tubes occur only at the surface of older female gametocytes and gametes and have not been observed in merozoites, schizonts, microgametocytes and male gametes. In transversal sections the tubes look like vesicles and are bordered by a membrane the layers of which are not sharply defined. The interior of the tubes seems to be empty after electron microscope observations. In longitudinal sections the membrane of the tubes is striated. The repeating unit of the dark and light bands amounts to about 165 Å. This appearance cannot be explained so far.

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Für beratende Hilfe sind wir Herrn Prof. Dr. R. Danneel und Herrn Prof. Dr. K. E. Wohlfarth-Bottermann zu Dank verpflichtet, für technische Unterstützung Fräulein cand. rer. nat. B. Volkmann. Herrn Dr. D. Spiecker von der Forschungsstelle für Jagdkunde und Wildschadenverhütung, Beuel, danken wir für die Durchführung der Infektionen. Die Mittel für die Untersuchungen stellte uns die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft zur Verfügung.     

2-KETO-SUGAR ACIDS IN GREEN FLAGELLATES: A CHEMICAL MARKER FOR PRASINOPHYCEAN SCALES1,2

The chemical composition of cell walls (thecae) of three taxa of scaly green flagellates (Prasinophyceae) was investigated. The theca of Tetraselmis striata, Tetraselmis tetrathele, and Scherffelia dubia consists mainly of carbohydrate (80% of dry weight), with proteins (5%), calcium (4%), and sulfate (6%) as minor components. The principal sugars (60% of dry weight) are the 2-keto-sugar acids 3-deoxy-manno-2-octulosonic acid (KDO), 3-deoxy-manno-5-O-methyl-2-octulosonic acid (5OMeKDO), and 3-deoxy-lyxo-2-heptulosaric acid (DHA). Arabinose, gulose, galactose, galacturonic acid, and in S. dubia, xylose and rhamnose were also found. Examination of scale preparations from Mantoniella squamata, Mesostigma viride, Pyramimonas amylifera, and Nephroselmis olivacea revealed that the 2-keto-sugar acids were always associated with the presence of typical prasinophycean scales on the cell surface. In contrast, 2-keto-sugar acids were not detected in the cell wall of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii nor in polymer preparations from the culture medium of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Dunaliella bioculata, Dunaliella primolecta, Asteromonas gracilis, Hafniomonas reticulate, Pedinomonas tuberculata, Monomastix sp., and Micromonas pusilla. We conclude that 2-keto-sugar acids are chemical markers for prasinophycean scales.     

Karyotype analysis in Hyacinthella dalmatica (Hyacinthaceae) reveals vertebrate-type telomere repeats at the chromosome ends.

Chromosome analysis of three different populations of Hyacinthella dalmatica (Lallem.) Trinajsti?, an endemic species of the coastal region of southeastern Europe, showed a unique chromosome number, 2n = 2x = 20, and bimodal karyotype with one large and nine smaller pairs of chromosomes. Staining with fluorochromes CMA3 (chromomycin A3) and DAPI (4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) revealed heterochromatic regions associated with NORs, centromeres, and several interstitial heterochromatic bands on the longest chromosome pair. Double-target FISH with two ribosomal DNA probes revealed one locus of 5S rRNA genes in the pericentromeric region of chromosome pair 3 and one locus of 18S-5.8S-26S rRNA genes on the short arm of chromosome pair 4 in all plants and populations analyzed. Southern hybridization analysis and FISH experiments demonstrated that the distal ends of H. dalmatica chromosomes contain the vertebrate telomere (5'-TTAGGG-3') repeat type rather than the Arabidopsis (5'-TTTAGGG-3') heptamer, and so suggest that this Asparagales species along with Aloe and Othocallis contains the vertebrate-type telomere repeat.