Species specificity of bacterial palindromic units

We described previously a family of dispersed palindromic sequences highly repeated in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium genomes. These sequences, called PU (palindromic units), are located outside structural genes. We report here observations suggesting that PU may have a role in bacterial speciation.     

Vertical distributions and relations of euphausiid populations off Elephant Island,March 1984

Summary Distributional relationships are described for post-larval and larval Euphausia superba and Thysanoessa sp. (probably macrura) and post-larval Euphausia frigida collected in 0–70/80 m and 0–175/200 m depth ranges with a MOCNESS sampler north of Elephant Island (61°S, 55°W) during 17–23 March 1984. Larval E. superba (predominantly calyptopes stage 2 and 3) were rare shallower than 80 m at night. Day catches of post-larval E. suberba were small and night catches were primarily near the top of the thermocline above 50 m depth. Thysanoessa sp. occurred throughout the 0–200 m depth range and was abundant in the upper 80 m both night and day. E. frigida migrated to the upper 80 m at night from deeper day depths. Larval stages of E. superba and bost-larval stages of all three species demonstrated independent and variable vertical distribution patterns both night and day. Changes in E. superba abundance and distributional patterns could to a certain extent be associated with observed environmental changes. An increase in larval and decrease in post-larval E. superba abundances between 0–80 m was associated with an intrusion of cold water at depth. At night, vertically restricted concentrations of post-larval E. superba were associated with shallow mixed layer depths, and a significant vertical separation of developmental stages and size categories was observed only during periods of stratification in the upper 80 m. Fluctuations in the distribution and abundance of Thysanoessa sp. and distribution of E. frigida did not appear to be influenced by physical parameters within the upper 80 m. Within the 0–80 m depth range, the distributions of these two species differed from each other and from E. superba and showed large tow to tow variability that could not be related to physical parameters in the upper water column.     

bcd: A mutation affecting the width of organelle domains in the cortex of Tetrahymena thermophila

Summary A single-gene recessive mutation, bcd (broadened cortical domains), of Tetrahymena thermophila is characterized by a variable broadening of the spatial domains within which cortical organelles, including both the contractile vacuole pores (CVP) and oral apparatus (OA), are formed. The phenotype is not temperature-sensitive. During the development of the organelles of the mutant prior to cell division, extra CVPs and extra oral primordia (OP) appear near ciliary rows adjacent to the rows at which these structures normally form. In the later stages of development, some, but not all, of these extra structures are resorbed, or in the case of the oral domain, multiple adjacent OPs may be completely or partially integrated into a single enlarged OA. When multiple OAs persist, one or more of these may display a reversed orientation reminiscent of those encountered in janus mutants. However, unlike janus, bcd cells do not express any sign of a mirror-image global organization.Our results can best be accounted for by postulating that the bcd mutation affects some common determinant of the widths of both CVP and OA domains. Studies are in progress which explore the relationship between this width-determining mechanism(s) and the mechanism(s) determining the location of cortical organelles around the cell circumference.     

Crystal structure of cytochrome c peroxidase compound I

We have compared the 2.5-A crystal structure of yeast cytochrome c peroxidase (CCP) with that of its semistable two-equivalent oxidized intermediate, compound I, by difference Fourier and least-squares refinement methods. Both structures were observed at -15 degrees C. The difference Fourier map reveals that formation of compound I causes only small positional adjustments of a few tenths of an angstrom. The map's most pronounced feature is a pair of positive and negative peaks bracketing the heme iron position. Least-squares refinement shows that the iron atom moves about 0.2 A toward the distal side of the heme. No significant difference density is evident near the side chains of Trp-51 or Met-172, each of which has been proposed to be the site of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) active radical in compound I. However, the second most prominent feature of difference density is a negative peak near the side chain of Thr-180, which, according to the results of least-squares refinement, moves by 0.15 A in the direction of Met-230. These observations, together with the results of mutagenesis experiments [Fishel, L. A., Villafranca, J. E., Mauro, J. M., & Kraut, J. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 351-360; Goodin, D. B., Mauk, A. G., & Smith, M. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 1295-1299] in which Trp-51 and Met-172 have been replaced without loss of the EPR radical signal in compound I, lead us to consider the possibility that the radical site lies within a cluster composed of the side chains of Met-230, Met-231, and Trp-191.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Electroantennogram responses of the oriental fruit fly, Dacus dorsalis, to a spectrum of alcohol and aldehyde plant volatiles

Electroantennograms (EAGs) were recorded from unmated, laboratory-reared, male and female oriental fruit flies, Dacus dorsalis, in response to a range of between C₁ and C₁₂ carbon chain-length saturated and unaturated aliphatic alcohols and aldehydes, most all of which are known host-plant volatiles. Only two of the 35 compounds tested elicited significantly larger EAGs from female than male antennae. For the two functional-group series tested, aldehydes elicited responses greater than or equal to the responses to the alcohols. In general, the unsaturated alcohols did not elicit responses significantly different from the saturated alcohols. However, the unsaturated aldehydes, (E)-2-hexenal and 10-undecenal, elicited larger amplitude EAGs than their saturated analogs. EAGs were significantly greater for a particular carbon chain-length, with responsiveness to primary alcohols peaking at C₆ and aldehydes peaking at C₇. The (E)-2- monoenic alcohols peaked at C₆, while the (E)-3-alcohols plateaued between C₅ and C₈. The greatest EAG responses of all compounds tested were elicited by the saturated and unsaturated C₆ alcohols and aldehydes which are constitutents of the general green-leaf volatile complex that emanates from most plants. The potential adapative benefit of selective sensitivity to green-leaf volatiles is discussed in regards to foraging behaviors of oriental fruit flies.

---

Résumé Des électroantennogrammes (EAG) ont enregistré les réponses, en élevages de femelles et mâles vierges de Dacus dorsalis, à une gamme de chaînes de carbones de C₁ à C₁₂ saturés et non-saturés d'alcools aliphatiques et d'aldéhydes, dont beaucoup sont connus comme substances volatiles des végétaux. Seulement 2 des 35 composés examinés ont provoqué des EAG significativement plus importants chez les femelles que chez les mâles. Pour les séries des deux groupes fonctionnels examinés, les aldéhydes ont provoqué des réponses supérieures ou égales aux alcools. En général, les réponses aux alcools nonsaturés n'étaient pas significativement différentes des réponses aux alcools saturés. Cependant, les aldéhydes non-saturés, (E)-2-hexénal et 10-undécénal, ont induit des EAG de plus grande ampleur que leurs analogues saturés. Les EAG étaient significativement les plus importants pour une chaîne de longueur particulière, la réponse aux alcools primaires culminant en C₆ et les aldéhydes en C₇. Les alcools monoéniques (E)-2- culminaient en C₆, tandis que les alcools (E)-3- étaient étales entre C₅ et C₈. Les EAG les plus importants ont été obtenus pour tous les composés examinés avec les alcools et aldéhydes en C₆ qui appartiennent à l'odeur verte complexe émise par beaucoup de plantes. Le bénéfice adaptatif potentiel de la sensibilité sélective à l'odeur verte des feuilles est examinée en fonction du comportement de prospection de D. dorsalis.

     

Comparison of sequences from the malB regions of Salmonella typhimurium and Enterobacter aerogenes with Escherichia coli K12: A potential new regulatory site in the interoperonic region

Summary The malE and malK genes from Salmonella typhimurium, and the MalEFG operon and a portion of malK from Enterobacter aerogenes were cloned and sequenced. Plasmid-borne malE genes from both species and the malF and malG genes from E. aerogenes were expressed normally in Escherichia coli, and their products function in maltose transport. This shows that the malB products from the three species are interchangeable, at least in the combinations tested. The general genetic organization of the malB region is conserved. Potential binding sites and distances between them are highly conserved in the regulatory intervals. An unexpected conserved region was detected, which we call the U box, and which could be another target for a regulatory protein. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of the U box in the regulatory, region of the pulA-malX operon in Klebsiella pneumoniae. The intergenic region between malE and malF from S. typhimurium and E. aerogenes, contains inverted repeats similar to the palindromic units (PU or REP) found at the same location in E. coli. The predicted amino acid sequence of the encoded proteins showed 90% or more identity in every pairwise comparison of species.     

Quantity and Kinetic Properties of Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase in C3, C4, and C3-C4 Intermediate Species of Flaveria (Asteraceae)

The kinetic properties of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase(RuBPC) appear to have been modified during evolution of photosynthesisto adjust to changes in substrate availability. C₄ plants areconsidered to have a higher concentration of CO₂ available toRuBPC than C₃plants. In this study, the K_m(CO₂ and catalyticcapacity (k_cat) of RuBPC and the ratio of RuBPC protein to totalsoluble protein from several Flaveria species, including C₃,C₃-C₄ intermediate, and C₄ species, were determined. The C₃and intermediate species had similar K_m(CO₂) values while theC₄ species on average had higher K_m(CO₂) values. The mean ratioof K_cat/K_m for species of each group was similar, supportingthe hypothesis that changes in K_m and K_cat, are linked. Theallocation of total soluble protein to RuBPC was lowest in theC₄ Flaveria species, intermediate in the C₃-C₄ species, andhighest in the C₃ species. The results suggest that during evolutionof C₄ photosynthesis adjustments may occur in the quantity ofRuBPC prior to changes in its kinetic properties. (Received January 4, 1989; Accepted April 11, 1989)