Ammonium Triggers Uptake of NO-3 by Chenopodium rubrum Suspension Culture Cells and Remobilization of their Vacuolar Nitrate Pool

Photoautotrophic cell suspension cultures of Chenopodium rubrumrequire high concentrations of nitrate and ammonium. Duringthe growth phase total NH₄⁺ and the greater portion of NH₃^–were consumed. During the stationary phase nitrate uptake continuedbut at a substantially smaller rate than during the growth phase.During growth the bulk of the absorbed N was incorporated intoprotein, the amount of which was then maintained constant untilsenescence. NH₃^– was accumulated upon transition betweenthe growth and the stationary phase. NH₃^–, like the freeamino acids, was deposited in the vacuole but, unlike thesecompounds, could not be remobilized upon transfer of the cellsinto N-free medium. Readdition of NH₄⁺ to the medium, however,resulted in a mobilization of the vacuolar NH₃^–-pool.Reutilization of both vacuolar N-storage pools must have beenaccomplished by recycling from the vacuole to the cytoplasmbecause N-metabolizing enzymes could not be detected in isolatedvacuoles. Transfer of the cells of the stationary phase intomedium containing NH₃^– and NH₄⁺ resulted in an inductionof nitrate uptake by the cells, but only after a lag phase of4–5 days. It is conceivable that NH₄⁺ induces NH₃^–-translocatingsystems in the plasmalemma and in the tonoplast. (Received December 19, 1988; Accepted March 2, 1989)     

Benthic algal biomass and productivity in high subarctic streams,Alaska

Year-round measurements of the standing crop of epilithic algae (as chlorophyll a concentration) in two streams — one second and one fourth order (map scale 1:63 360) — in interior Alaska (64°–65° N) were only about one tenth that reported from streams of temperate North America. Cell densities in these streams, however, were similar to those in comparable temperate streams. Year-round domination of the benthic flora by very tiny diatoms (Achnanthes spp.) may explain the apparent disparity between low chlorophyll a content and nearly average cell densities. Chlorophyll a standing crop in a more alkaline groundwater-fed stream, however, was higher and within the range of similarly sized temperate streams. Maximum chlorophyll a standing crop varied positively with alkalinity in 5 clear-water streams where standing crop was measured on natural or artificial substrates. Seasonal mean concentrations of sestonic chlorophyll a (used as estimates of benthic algal chlorophyll a standing crop) varied directly and significantly with alkalinity among ten clear-water streams; and, with total phosphorus among 8 of 10 clear-water and 5 brown-water streams studied. During the summer, when there is little darkness, gross primary productivity (as estimated by the diurnal dissolved-oxygen method) was similar to that of northern temperate streams. Gross primary productivity was also seen to vary directly with alkalinity in 5 clear-water streams of this region.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service     

Self-organizing maps: stationary states,metastability and convergence rate

We investigate the effect of various types of neighborhood function on the convergence rates and the presence or absence of metastable stationary states of Kohonen's self-organizing feature map algorithm in one dimension. We demonstrate that the time necessary to form a topographic representation of the unit interval [0, 1] may vary over several orders of magnitude depending on the range and also the shape of the neighborhood function, by which the weight changes of the neurons in the neighborhood of the winning neuron are scaled. We will prove that for neighborhood functions which are convex on an interval given by the length of the Kohonen chain there exist no metastable states. For all other neighborhood functions, metastable states are present and may trap the algorithm during the learning process. For the widely-used Gaussian function there exists a threshold for the width above which metastable states cannot exist. Due to the presence or absence of metastable states, convergence time is very sensitive to slight changes in the shape of the neighborhood function. Fastest convergence is achieved using neighborhood functions which are "convex" over a large range around the winner neuron and yet have large differences in value at neighboring neurons.     

Bioluminescence Assay for Measuring the Number of Bacteria Adhering to the Hydrocarbon Phase in the BATH Test

A thorough validation of the bacterial adherence to hydrocarbons (BATH) test was performed by means of a bioluminescence assay. Ten different gram-negative strains were subjected to the BATH test. For the calculation of the adhesion index, several factors had to be taken into account: ATP leakage, the action of ATP-hydrolyzing enzymes, the change in the extraction efficiency of Nucleotide-Releasing Reagent for Microbial Cells (NRB; Lumac bv) after vortexing and the difference in light production after the addition of NRB. When the adhesion index values obtained by bioluminescence measurement were used as reference, the total plate count technique appeared to be unreliable in estimating the number of bacteria adhering to the hydrocarbon phase. A highly significant correlation was established, however, between those reference values and the adhesion index values obtained by the optical density reading for octane and especially for hexadecane. With xylene, no correlation was found between the optical density reading values and the total plate count or bioluminescence values.     

The effects of cytotropic compounds on the resialylation of human asialotransferrin type 3 in the rat

Effects of chloroquine, colchicine, leupeptin, taxol and vinblastine on the resialylation and degradation of human [125I]asialotransferrin type 3 were studied in rats. An improved experimental technique was applied that permitted the quantification of resialylated ligand produced by individual animals over 3 h by using deconvolution. All three microtubule inhibitors increased the proportion of the dose undergoing resialylation by 35-39%. In addition, colchicine, and, especially, vinblastine enhanced the overall recovery of the dose as protein-bound 125I. The dose recovery was also augmented by leupeptin without any concomitant change in resialylation. Chloroquine suppressed resialylation and this effect could only be partially lifted by the administration of colchicine. The blood of colchicine-treated rats possessed no resialylating activity toward the ligand even when supplemented with additional alkaloid in vitro. The observations support the view that the respective fractions of the ligand destined for resialylation and degradation can, to a certain extent, be varied independently of each other. The effects of short-term starvation (20 h) and refeeding (4 h) on these processes are also presented.     

Locus determining the human sperm-specific lactate dehydrogenase,LDHC, is syntenic with LDHC

From the data presented in this report, the human LDHC gene locus is assigned to chromosome 11. Three genes determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in man. LDHA and LDHB are expressed in most somatic tissues, while expression of LDHC is confined to the germinal epithelium of the testes. A human LDHC cDNA clone was used as a probe to analyze genomic DNA from rodent/human somatic cell hybrids. The pattern of bands with LDHC hybridization is easily distinguished from the pattern detected by LDHA hybridization, and the LDHC probe is specific for testis mRNA. The structural gene LDHA has been previously assigned to human chromosome 11, while LDHB maps to chromosome 12. Studies of pigeon LDH have shown tight linkage between LDHB and LDHC leading to the expectation that these genes would be syntenic in man. However, the data presented in this paper show conclusively that LDHC is syntenic with LDHA on human chromosome 11. The terminology for LDH genes LDHA, LDHB, and LDHC is equivalent to Ldhl, Ldh2, and Ldh3, respectively.     

Requirement of cell nucleus for Sindbis virus replication in cultured Aedes albopictus cells.

The ability of Sindbis virus to grow in enucleated BHK-21 (vertebrate) and Aedes albopictus (invertebrate) cells was tested to determine the dependence of this virus upon nuclear function in these two phylogenetically unrelated hosts. Although both cell types could be demonstrated to produce viable cytoplasts (enucleated cells) which produced virus-specific antigen subsequent to infection. BHK cytoplasts produced a significant number of progeny virions, whereas mosquito cytoplasts did not. The production of vesicular stomatitis virus in mosquito cells was not significantly reduced by enucleation. That such a host function was not essential for vesicular stomatitis virus growth in insect cells is supported by the observation that the production of this virus by mosquito cells is not actinomycin D sensitive. This result agrees with a previously published report in which it was shown that Sindbis virus maturation in invertebrate cells is inhibited by actinomycin D, indicating a possible requirement for host cell nuclear function (Scheefers-Borchel et al., Virology, 110:292-301, 1981).     

Brain acyl-coenzyme A hydrolase: distribution, purification and properties

Rat brain acyl-CoA hydrolase enzymes which hydrolyse C₂, C₄, C₈ and C₁₆ derivatives were localized primarily in the soluble, 144,000 g, supernatant fluid. With octanoyl-CoA as substrate, long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase activity was greater in the pons, medulla and midbrain than in the cerebral cortex and caudate nucleus. The long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolase enzyme was purified from bovine brain stems to a specific activity of 4-61 n mol of palmitoyl-CoA hydrolysed per min per mg protein. The K_m values for palmitoyl-CoA and octanoyl-CoA were 5 μm and 14 μ/m , respectively. Activity of the enzyme was inhibited by bovine serum albumin and ρ-chloromercuribenzoate. The partially purified enzyme protein was found to have approximately eight titratable sulphydryl residues per 10⁵ g of protein. Studies of the molecular weight of the enzyme indicated the presence of associated and dissociated forms with molecular weights of approximately 96,000 and 46,000 respectively.     

Die Mauser der Schopfkuckucke(Clamator)

Zusammenfassung Alle Arten der GattungClamator erneuern die 6 äußeren Handschwingen in der Reihenfolge 6 — 9 — Pause — 7 — 10 — Pause — 8 — 5 (oder 5 — 8). Die 10 oder 11 Armschwingen werden regellos transilient gemausert. Für den Wechsel der 5 Steuerfedern gilt nur die Regel, daß eine der drei langen Federn S 1, S 2 und S 3 an beiden Schwanzhälften so lange stehen bleibt, bis mindestens eine der übrigen ausgewachsen ist. Infolge dieser Regelung hatClamator während der Vollmauser ständig einen langen Schwanz.Alle Flugfedern und die Körperfedern werden bei den Adulten im gleichen Zeitraum erneuert. BeiClamator glandarius läßt sich die Dauer der Vollmauser auf etwa 100 Tage schätzen.Die Jungen beginnen alle Federn zu erneuern, bevor sie 6 Monate alt sind. Nach dem Ende der Jugendmauser tritt die Geschlechtsreife ein.DieClamator- Sequenz der 6 äußeren Handschwingen unterscheidet sich fundamental von derCuculus-Sequenz, die von allen übrigen, geregelt mausernden Schmarotzerkuckucken der Alten Welt (Cuculinae) mehr oder weniger streng befolgt wird. Beide Sequenzen sind offenbar unmittelbar aus der ungeregelt transilienten Mauserweise der nicht-parasitischen und einiger parasitischer Kuckucke (z. B.Caliecbtbrus) hervorgegangen.

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Summary In all species of the cuculine genusClamator, the 6 outer primaries are moulted in the sequence 6–9 — pause — 7–10 — pause — 8–5 (or 5–8). The secondaries, 10 or 11 in number, are replaced in an irregular transilient way. There is only one rule governing the moult of the rectrices. One of the prolonged ones (S 1, S 2, and S 3) on each side is retained until at least one of the others has been renewed to its full length. In this way,Clamator retains a long tail all through the period of complete moult.All flight-feathers and the body plumage are replaced in the adults in the same span of time. The complete moult may last about 100 days inClamator glandarius. The young birds begin to moult all juvenal feathers before being about 6 months old. After this moult they are sexually mature.TheClamator sequence of the 6 outer primaries differs fundamentally from theCuculus sequence. The latter is followed (more or less strictly) by all other parasitic cuckoos of the Old World which have developed a regulation of the primary moult. Both sequences sprung obviously from the irregularly transilient mode which is to be found in all non-parasitic and a few parasitic genera of Cuckoos. This confirms the isolated position ofClamator.