A re-appraisal of two members of the genus Notholca from the Andes,with a note on the fine structure of the lorica of N. foliacea (Ehrenberg)

Rotifers described from the Andes by Murray (1913) and De Beauchamp (1939) as Notholca foliacea (Ehrenberg) are reviewed and re-assessed as Notholca walterkostei De Paggi, 1982. They are compared with N. foliacea and details of the lorica of this species seen with the scanning electron microscope are presented.     

GPIIb and GPIIIa amino acid sequences deduced from human megakaryocyte cDNAs

Platelet GPIIbIIIa is only synthesized in megakaryocyte or in cell lines with megakaryocytic features. The sequence for GPIIb and GPIIIa have recently been derived from cDNAs obtained from HEL cells. The sequence of these proteins produced by the megakaryocyte, has however, not been determined yet. This study describes full length cDNAs for GPIIb and GPIIIa isolated from megakaryocyte cDNA libraries. The cDNA sequences indicate the presence of nucleotide differences, between the sequence of the GPIIIa cDNAs from HEL cells, endothelial cells and megakaryocytes. One difference was also observed between HEL and megakaryocyte GPIIb at position 633 where a cystein in the megakaryocyte GPIIb, is replaced by a serine in the HEL sequence. The mRNA species for GPIIb (3.4kb) and GPIIIa (6.1 kb) were of the same size in HEL cells and human megakaryocytes.     

Modeling rendille household herd composition

Previous analysis of Rendille household herd composition revealed a transition from camel to cattle ownership for sedentary impoverished Rendille pastoralists of northern Kenya. In an attempt to delineate determinants of livestock holdings, logistic regression analysis of 112 household herds from the Rendille settlement of Korr, Marsabit District, Kenya was undertaken. Results indicated that household wealth, measured in present livestock holdings, past drought losses, and livestock sales, formed better predictors of cattle ownership than did household characteristics pertaining to labor supply, wage earners, age-set membership, and birth order of household head. These results are discussed in light of pastoral strategies designed to minimize risk.     

Drought and economic differentiation among Ariaal pastoralists of Kenya

This paper examines the effects of the 1984 drought upon household wealth differences in a community of Ariaal pastoralists of northern Kenya. The database consists of 1985 post-drought livestock counts and informants' statements of species-specific drought loss, compared to 1976 livestock counts on the same 38 households. The analysis confirms the hypothesis that the drought resulted in increased household wealth inequalities. It is suggested that the combination of differential herd growth, differential participation in the cash market, and differential loss to the drought has contributed to a polarization within Ariaal of rich and poor, resulting in rural proletarianization and urban migration.     

Phosphorylation influences the binding of the yeast RAP1 protein to the upstream activating sequence of the PGK gene.

Yeast repressor activator protein 1 (RAP1) binds in vitro to specific DNA sequences that are found in diverse genetic elements. Expression of the yeast phosphoglycerate kinase gene (PGK) requires the binding of RAP1 to the activator core sequence within the upstream activating sequence (UAS) of PGK. A DNA fragment Z+ which contains the activator core sequence of the PGK(UAS) has been shown to bind RAP1. Here we report that phosphatase treatment of RAP1 affected its binding to the PGK(UAS) but that this depended on the nature of the sequence flanking the 5' end of the activator core sequence. When the sequence flanking the 5' end of the activator core sequence was different from the PGK RAP1-binding site, phosphatase treatment of RAP1 decreased its binding to the DNA. When the 5' end of the binding site was a match to the PGK RAP1-binding site dephosphorylation of RAP1 increased RAP1 binding to the DNA. These observations were reproduced when the minimal functional DNA-binding domain of the RAP1 protein was used, implicating a phosphorylation-dependent binding of RAP1. This is the first evidence for phosphorylation-dependent binding of RAP1.     

Rare McArdle disease locus polymorphic site on 11q13 contains CpG sequence

Summary When probes throughout the McArdle disease (myophosphorylase) gene region were used to search for DNA polymorphisms, only an MspI polymorphism was found in 94 enzyme-probe combinations. Along with an insertion/deletion polymorphism more 3 to the gene locus, these polymorphisms will be informative in 75% of at-risk patients. These results contrast strikingly to the six polymorphic sites detected in 15 enzyme-probe combinations in the homologous Her's disease (liver phosphorylase) gene region. This single MspI polymorphic site includes a CpG sequence of known increased mutability suggesting that DNA regions with rare polymorphisms will have most polymorphic sites at sequences with enhanced mutability. Fluorescence in situ hybridization sublocalized this gene to proximal band 11q13, establishing a point of cross-reference between the physical and genetic maps.     

A review of the in vitro and in vivo neurochemical characterization of the NMDA/PCP/Glycine/Ion channel receptor macrocomplex

Conclusions Current neurochemical studies of the NMDA receptor macromolecular complex are yielding new insights into the interactions of the subunits of this complex and the associated potential clinical benefits of selective modulation of these subnits. Such studies offer the great potential for a new generation of pharmacotherapies for a wide range of CNS disorders, including stroke, a condition for which there is currently no effective pharmacological treatment. However, it is essential to understand that the first generation products in this area may not be optimal pharmacotherapies, such that haracterization of possible receptor subtypes and understanding the molecular biology of the component proteins of the receptor complex will be crucial in the design of the optimal pharmacological modulators of the NMDA receptor complex.Special issue dedicated to Dr. Erminio Costa     

Absorption, translocation, and metabolism of14C-clomazone in soybean (Glycine max) and threeAmaranthus weed species

The patterns of clomazone (2-[(2-chlorophenyl) methyl-4,4-dimethyl-3-isoxazolidinone) absorption, translocation, and metabolism and their contribution to the plant selectivity of this herbicide were studied in tolerant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] andAmaranthus hybridus and in susceptibleA. retroflexus andA. lividus. Differential root absorption appeared to play a significant role in the differential response of these four plant species to clomazone. Absorption of root-applied¹⁴C-clomazone was greater by the two sensitiveAmaranthus weeds than by the tolerant soybean andA. hybri-dus. Following application of¹⁴C-clomazone to roots, most of the absorbed radioactivity was translocated to the leaves of all four species. Approximately 50% of the absorbed¹⁴C-clomazone was metabolized by all four plant species as early as 12 h after treatment. Thin layer Chromatographic (TLC) analysis of plant tissue extracts from all four species revealed the formation of two major metabolites of clomazone. These unidentified metabolites had Rf values of 0.4 and 0.8, respectively, in a butanolacetic acidwater (1235, vol/vol/vol) developing system. The Rf value of unaltered clomazone in this system was 0.95. Differential metabolism or differential rate of metabolism of clomazone was not observed in this study and did not seem to account for the tolerance of soybean andA. hybridus or the suceptibility ofA. retroflexus andA. lividus to this herbicide.Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science Department, Contribution No. 600.     

Primary Infection of Barley by Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei in Relation to Leaf-Age Dependent Resistance and the Roles of the Epidermis and Mesophyll in this Resistance

Abstract The infection frequency of both compatible and incompatible races of Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei decreased gradually with increasing leaf age on undetached primary barley leaves. The length of secondary hyphae of the compatible race was approximately the same regardless of age, but secondary hyphae were slightly longer on younger seedlings than on older seedlings in the case of the incompatible race. Both the infection frequency and length of secondary hyphae of the two races weredistinctly different. On composite sections produced by exchanging the epidermal layers of young and relatively mature primary leaves, the infection frequency of the compatible race was higher on the epidermis of young leaves than on the epidermis of older, leaves, regardless of which mesophyll was under the epidermis. The epidermis appears to play a major role in age-dependent resistance, while the mesophyll may act disparately by providing a factor promotive to mildew infection in addition to supporting the resistance function of the epidermis.