Processing of yeast mitochondrial RNA: involvement of intramolecular hybrids in splicing of cob intron 4 RNA by mutation and reversion

Revertants have been obtained from six mutants of the box9 cluster, which are supposed to be defective in RNA splicing as a result of alterations in a splice signal sequence. This sequence is in the 5' part of intron 4 of the cob gene, 330 to 340 bp downstream from the 5' splice site. Sequencing reveals that reversion to splicing competence is achieved by restoration of the wild-type box9 sequence; by creation of novel box9 sequences; and by introduction of a second site or suppressor mutation (sup-) compensating for the effect of the primary box9- mutation. The sup- mutation alters a sequence in intron 4,293 bp upstream from the box9- primary mutation. The box9 sequence and this upstream sequence can base pair to form an intramolecular hybrid in intron RNA in which box9- and sup- are compensatory base pair exchanges (G----A and C----U, respectively). Thus intramolecular hybrid structures of intron RNA are essential for RNA splicing.     

Epitopes of peptide 43-88 of guinea pig myelin basic protein: localization with monoclonal antibodies

Two monoclonal antibodies, one raised by immunization with mouse myelin basic protein (MBP) and the second raised by immunization with peptide 68-88 of guinea pig MBP, were compared with respect to specificity. The former antibody (15.32) cross-reacted completely with rat, guinea pig, human, and bovine MBP. It also reacted with peptide 43-88 from each MBP. The latter antibody (22.17) was nonreactive with MBP, but cross-reacted with peptide 43-88 from rat, human, guinea pig, and bovine MBP. When tested with small peptides derived from peptide 43-88, antibody 22.17 reacted with an epitope in the C-terminal region. Antibody 15.32 reacted with an epitope in the N-terminal half of the peptide. The data show that 22.17 reacted with a unique epitope associated only with free peptide, whereas 15.32 recognized an epitope common to both peptide 43-88 and MBP.     

Structural alterations in fibronectin correlated with morphological changes in smooth muscle cells

Nontransformed cultures of vascular smooth muscle cells proliferate until they form a confluent sheet of cells. Subsequently, the cells become reorganized to form multicellular nodules that are loosely attached to the substrate. The formation of nodules is facilitated by the addition of medium conditioned by nodular cultures. Nodulation is inhibited by the addition of fibronectin. Fibronectins derived from monolayer culture conditioned medium or from plasma are maximally effective while fibronectin isolated from nodular cell conditioned medium is inactive. Analysis by NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals that the nodular cell fibronectin has a molecular weight that is about 20-30 kd less than that of monolayer cell fibronectin. Further, nodular cell conditioned medium contains an activity that can convert both plasma fibronectin and monolayer cell fibronectin to the lower molecular weight correlated with the loss of biological activity.     

New Method of Isolating Salmonellae from Milk

The use of a cotton gauze swab and subsequent culture of the swab was found to be a more sensitive method for isolating Salmonella from liquid milk than the revised procedure of North. The swab method was found to be as sensitive as the North procedure for recovering Salmonella when incubated at 37 C but more sensitive when incubated at 43 C. Incubation of the swab cultures at the elevated temperature of 43 C gave good results when Salmonella was present at levels as low as one per liter. Swabs exposed to milk contaminated with 100 Salmonella per liter remained positive even when subsequently washed for 2 hr in noncontaminated milk. Bismuth sulfite agar and Brilliant Green sulfadiazine agar were equally effective for isolating Salmonella from broth cultures; use of both media resulted in maximal isolations.     

Transduction and Plasmid Deoxyribonucleic Acid Analysis in a Multiply Antibiotic-Resistant Strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis

A genetic analysis of a multiply antibiotic-resistant strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis was performed. Experiments designed to show reversion of organisms to antibiotic susceptibility, as well as studies of the influence of ultraviolet irradiation of phage on the transduction frequencies of the resistance markers, indicated that determinants of chloramphenicol (cml), tetracycline (tet), and neomycin (neo) resistance are present on separate plasmids, but the streptomycin marker is chromosomal. In 2 to 6% of tetracycline-resistant transductants, co-transduction of cml was also observed. By using CsCl-dye density gradients followed by neutral sucrose gradients, the plasmids carrying cml, tet, and neo could be isolated and their molecular weights could be determined. The tetracycline plasmid is shown to be incompatible with one of the cryptic plasmids of a recipient strain.     

Abnormalities in synaptonemal complexes in pollen mother cells of a lily hybrid

Two abnormalities, one in lateral elements of synaptonemal complexes the other involving whole complexes, have been studied with the electron microscope in pollen mother cells of the lily hybrid, Lilium aureliensis × L. henryi, which with the light microscope showed almost complete bivalent formation at metaphase. Brief water treatment of pollen mother cells prior to fixation, revealed that the aberrant configurations in lateral elements arose by breakage and subsequent folding of severed fragments up to about 0.8 m long. The abnormality ocurred at recognisable heterologous regions, apparently immediately after pairing. The folded fragments were eliminated from the chromosomes at some time during pachytene. Pseudo pairing was observed after synapsis between either more than one pair of homologues or one pair bent back on themselves, so as to produce polycomplexes. Seemingly, central elements could develop between lateral elements on their outer face under these conditions.     

Vegetationsschwankungen in einem Melico-Fagetum

Summary Following the dry year of 1959 considerable damage was done to a number of beeches in a Melico-Fagetum wood in the Drübel area near Brilon (Sauerland). The effects of this damage coupled with the subsequent removal of the affected trees were studied over an 8-year period with a permanent quadrat and revealed the following vegetation cycle: pure or almost pure beechwood — dying or cutting down of single beeches and with it an opening up of the tree canopy — an increase in the abundance and flowering of wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and other lightloving species — an increase in the density and growth of sycamore (Acer) and ash (Fraxinus) saplings — a decrease in the amount of wild strawberry and indeed of other light-loving species too because of the increasing shade — development of beech seedlings into young trees under the shadow of the other shrubs and trees — probably a sycamoreash-beech stand — probably a pure or almost pure becchwood again.

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Zusammenfassung Das Dürrejahr 1959 verursachte in einem Melico-Fagetum des Drübels bei Brilon erhebliche Schäden an mehreren Buchen. Diese Schäden und die folgende Abholzung der erkrankten Bäume lösten, wie 8jährige Untersuchungen in einem Dauerquadrat ergaben, folgenden Vegetationsyklus aus: Reiner oder fast reiner Buchen-Hochwald — Absterben bzw. Schlag einzelner Buchen und damit Auflockerung der Baumschicht — Vermehrung bzw. Blüte der Walderdbeere und anderer lichtliebender Arten — Verdichtung und schnelles Emporwachsen des Ahorn- und Eschen-Jungwuchses — Abnahme der Erdbeere, wohl auch anderer licht-liebender Arten infolge wieder zunehmender Beschattung — Heranwachsen von Buchen-Keimlingen zu Jungpflanzen, und zwar im Schatten der anderen Sträucher und Bäume — voraussichtlich Ahorn-Eschen-Buchen-Bestand — voraussichtlich wieder reiner oder fast reiner Buchen-Hochwald.

     

Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of cyasin in cycad flour

A method for the quantitative determination of cycasin from cycad flour by gas-liquid chromatography is described. The flour is extracted with 70% ethanol and the residue from the dried extract is directly trimethylsilylated. Androsterone was found to be an excellent internal standard. The average content of cycasin from ten separate analyses of one lot of flour was $\text{0.429 gm}\text{100 gm}$. The method is rapid, sensitive, and not hindered by contaminating compounds.