Identification of the origin of triploidy by HLA markers

Summary HLA-A and HLA-B markers have been determined in fibroblasts grown from tissues of triploid conceptuses and have been tested in the parents. Informative data on the origin of triploidy were obtained in eight cases: diandry I or dispermy in 4 cases, diandry II or dispermy in 2, digyny I or II in 2. This confirms that triploidy involved more frequently two sets of paternal chromosomes.     

DNA content in the genus Xenopus

Nuclear DNA amounts were determined by cytofluorometry for twelve species and subspecies of the genus Xenopus. Absolute values, in pg per nucleus, were obtained by direct comparison with human lymphocyte nuclei. The lowest DNA amount (3.55 pg) was found in X. tropicalis, which possess only 20 chromosomes, and the highest (16.25 pg), in the hexaploid X. ruwenzoriensis, with 108 chromosomes. The two recently discovered tetraploid species, X. sp.n. and X. vestitus have, respectively, 12.57 and 12.83 pg of DNA. Among the species and subspecies with 36 chromosomes, the DNA content ranges from 6.35 to 8.45 pg.     

Assembly of Bacillus subtilis phage phi29. 1. Mutants in the cistrons coding for the structural proteins.

The effect of mutations in the cistrons coding for the phage structural proteins has been studied by analyzing the phage-related structures accumulated after restrictive infection. Infection with susmutants in cistron 8, lacking both the major head and the fiber protein, does not produce any phage-related structure, suggesting a single route for the assembly of phage phi29; infection with ts mutants in this cistron produces isometric particles. Mutants is cistron 9, coding for the tail protein, TP1, produce DNA-free prolate heads with an internal core; these particles are abortive and contain the head proteins HPO, HP1 and HP3, the upper collar protein NP2 and the nonstructural proteins p7, p15 and p16. Mutants in cistron 10, coding for the upper collar protein, NP2, produce DNA-free isometric heads also with an internal core; they contain the head proteins and the nonstructural protein p7, suggesting that this protein forms the internal core. Mutants in cistrons 11 and 12, coding for the lower collar protein, NP3, and the neck appendages, NP1, respectively, give rise to the formation of DNA-containing normal capsids and DNA-free prolate particles, more rounded at the corners than the normal capsids and with an internal core; the DNA-containing 11-particles are formed by the head proteins and the upper collar protein; the DNA-free 11-particles contain, besides these proteins, the nonstructural protein p7 and a small amount of proteins p15 and 16. The DNA-containing 12-particles have all the normal phage structural proteins except the neck appendages, formed by protein NP1; the DNA-free particles are similar to the DNA-free 11-particles. After restricitive infection mutant sus14(1241) has a delayed lysis phenotype and produces a phage burst higher than normal, after artificial lysis. It produces DNA-containing particles, identical to wild-type phage, which have all the normal phage structural proteins, and DNA-free prolate particles, more rounded at the corners than the final phage particles and with an internal core; the last particles contain the same proteins as the DNA-free 11 or 12-particles. These particles could represent a prohead state, ready for DNA encapsulation. None of the DNA-containing particles have the nonstructural proteins p7, p15 or p16, suggesting that these proteins are released from the proheads upon DNA encapsulation.     

Transforming activity of plasmid and chromosomal DNA inEscherichia coli

An auxotrophic strain ofEscherichia coli with therecB recC sbcB genotype was transformed by chromosomal DNA of the prototrophic strain and by plasmid DNA carrying genes for antibiotic resistance (R1drd 19). The donor plasmid DNA obtained by cell lysis in the presence of Triton X-100 and subsequent centrifugation in a caesium chloride-ethidium bromide gradient was shown to have a circulaf molecule and to retain its completeness after penetration into the recipient. Experiments with mixtures or plasmid and chromosomal DNA indicate a competition between these two DNA types during the transformation reaction in the given system.     

Etude hydrobiologique des lagunes du nord de la Tunisie

The limnology of three lakes in Tunisia was studied over a period of two years. These lakes differed substantially in the degree of salinity and resistivity. Physical and chemical parameters occurring in the lakes were analysed for a year. The investigation indicated some discussion about the following factors: Temperature, chlorides, potassium, sodium, calcium, carbonates, bicarbonates, dissolved oxygen, nitrats...In an another paper (second part), the author will study the interrelationships between annual variations of algal populations (plankton) and annual variations of these physical and chemical factors.

     

Introduction of bacteriophage Mu into Pseudomonas solanacearum and Rhizobium meliloti using the R factor RP4.

Phage Mu-1 and a thermoinducible derivative, Mu-1 cts 62 were inserted into the broad host range R factor RP4. These hybrid plasmids were transferred by conjugation to a phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas solanacearum GMI 1000 and a legume-root nodule bacterium Rhizobium meliloti 2011. The Mu genome is transcribed and tranlated in these new hosts: P. solanacearum (RP4:Mu cts) cultures have a spontaneous production of about 5 X 10(5) plaque-forming units ml-1 which is similar to the frequency of spontaneous Mu production in E. coli; the Mu production of R. meliloti is lower (about 10(2) plaque-forming units ml-1).     

The kinetic mechanism of action of an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation

Summary The chemiosmotic hypothesis predicts that the mechanism by which weak acids uncouple oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria is identical to the mechanism by which they transport hydrogen ions across artificial bilayer membranes. We report here the results of a kinetic study of uncoupler-mediated hydrogen ion transport across bilayer membranes. We made electrical relaxation measurements on black lipid membranes exposed to the substituted benzimidazole 5,6-dichloro-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazole. The simplest model consistent with our experimental data allowed us to deduce values for adsorption coefficients and rate constants. Our major conclusions are that the back diffusion of the neutral species is the rate limiting step for the steady state transport of hydrogen ions, that both the neutral and charged forms of the uncoupler adsorb strongly to the interfaces, and that the reactions at the membrane-solution interfaces occur sufficiently rapidly for equilibrium to be maintained. Independent measurements of the adsorption coefficients of both the neutral and anionic forms of the weak acid and also of the permeability of the membrane to the neutral form agreed well with the values deduced from the kinetic study.