Partial Purification and Properties of Ornithine Transcarbamoylase from Nostoc muscorum Kützing

Ornithine transcarbamoylase (carbamoyl phosphate:l-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3) has been partially purified from the blue-green alga Nostoc muscorum Kützing, an organism in which the enzyme seems to be involved in a bicarbonate-fixing pathway leading to citrulline. Pertinent to possible regulation of this pathway, the enzyme shows hyperbolic substrate kinetics, has a molecular weight estimated at 75,000 daltons, and its catalytic capability is little influenced by a selection of metabolites that might conceivably act as regulators in vivo. Thus it seems unlikely that this enzyme is the control point for bicarbonate fixation. In terms of energy of activation (12.3 kcal/mole), size and Km for carbamoylphosphate, the Nostoc enzyme resembled preparations from liver and higher plants more than preparations from Streptococcus and Mycoplasma. The enzymes from Streptococcus and Mycoplasma are probably specialized for citrulline breakdown rather than citrulline synthesis. The Km for ornithine was 2.5 mm at a saturating concentration of carbamoylphosphate and the Km for carbamoylphosphate was 0.7 mm at an ornithine concentration of 2 mm. Ornithine was inhibitory at concentrations greater than 2 mm. Phosphate was a competitive inhibitor with respect to carbamoylphosphate. The pH optimum for citrulline synthesis was 9.5.     

The role of cytokinins in chloroplast lamellar development

The accumulation of chlorophyll, production of two specific lamellar chlorophyll-protein complexes, onset of O(2) evolution, and detection of P700 were examined in intact Jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis [L.] D.C.) leaves treated with 10(-5)m kinetin or benzyladenine and allowed to green under low (30-35%) and high (80-85%) relative humidity. In contrast to reports of the promotion of chlorophyll accumulation by cytokinin treatment in excised tissue or cotyledons, intact greening leaves showed neither promotion of chlorophyll accumulation nor alteration in formation of the lamellar chlorophyll-protein complexes or development of photosynthetic function. Furthermore, cytokinin was ineffective in relieving the consequences of low relative humidity water stress on chlorophyll accumulation and on the formation of at least one lamellar chlorophyll-protein.     

Activity rhythms in some burrowing decapods

Summary 1. Emphasis is placed upon the need for in situ observations on marine animals when designing actographs for laboratory recording of locomotor rhythmicity and when interpreting the adaptive value of such rhythmicity.2. Two burrowing decapods,Goneplax rhomboides andNephrops norvegicus, show highly persistent circadian rhythms when kept in actographs incorporating simulated burrows.3. In some other crustaceans interactions between individuals affect the period and amplitude of the spontaneous locomotor rhythm.4. The significance of very persistent rhythms in burrowing species is discussed.

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Aktivitätsrhythmen bei einigen höhlengrabenden Decapoden

Kurzfassung Es wird dargelegt, daß Untersuchungen über rhythmische Erscheinungen mariner Tiere ergänzender In-situ-Beobachtungen bedürfen, um die biologische Bedeutung von Periodizitätsphänomenen möglichst zweifelsfrei interpretieren zu können. Circadiane Rhythmen treten bei höhlengrabenden Decapoden deutlicher hervor, wenn den Versuchstieren künstliche Schlupfwinkel geboten werden, wie durch Aktivitätsregistrierungen anGoneplax rhomboides undNephrops norvegicus unter zeitgeberfreien Laboratoriumsbedingungen (bei konstantem Dämmerlicht) bewiesen werden konnte. Experimente anUca pugilator haben ergeben, daß die gezeitenrhythmische Lokomotionsperiodik durch soziale Kontakte beeinflußt wird. Bei größeren Gruppen wurde eine relativ geringere Aktivitätsmenge als bei kleineren Gruppen oder einzeln getesteten Individuen registriert. Die endogene Rhythmik höhlengrabender Decapoden erweist sich als außerordentlich persistent. Es wird erörtert, inwieweit dieser Persistenz eine adaptive Bedeutung zukommt.

     

Stress-induced cruciform formation in a cloned d(CATG)10 sequence.

The synthetic alternating purine-pyrimidine sequence, d(CATG)10.d(CATG)10, has been cloned into a 2.079-kb pBR322-derived plasmid (pLN1) and its conformation studied under torsional stress. The resultant plasmid, pLNc40, is hypersensitive to cleavage by the single strand-specific nucleases, S1 nuclease and Bal31 nuclease, and to modification by the single strand-selective reagent, osmium tetroxide. The S1-hypersensitive site of this plasmid predominates over those previously mapped in pBR322. Site-specific cleavage of pLNc40 with the resolvase T4 endonuclease VII demonstrates that this alternating purine-pyrimidine tract selectively forms a cruciform structure when stably integrated into a negatively supercoiled plasmid. Quantitative measurements of the twist change (-4.3 +/- 0.2) and free energy of formation (16.2 +/- 0.5 kcal/mol) of this cruciform have been made from two-dimensional gel electrophoresis experiments, and correspond well with the predicted values of cruciform formation for this sequence. We conclude that cruciform extrusion versus the B-Z transition is the favoured conformation of this insert under torsional stress.     

Mapping of the DNA locus D4S10 and the linked Huntington's disease gene to 4p16----p15

An anonymous DNA fragment (G8) detects two restriction fragment length polymorphic alleles (RFLPs) called D4S10 in HindIII-digested human genomic DNA. This segment had been assigned to chromosome 4 and shows close linkage to the Huntington's disease gene. With in situ hybridization, we mapped D4S10 to the terminal region of the short arm of chromosome 4, localizing the Huntington's disease gene to bands 4p16----p15. This information may prove useful for the development of strategies to clone the Huntington's disease gene.     

Linkage of cystic fibrosis locus and polymorphic DNA markers in 14 families

Linkage relationships between the cystic fibrosis (CF) locus and three polymorphic DNA markers were examined in 14 families, five of which were of Hispanic origin. Tight linkage was found between the CF locus and MET (maximum lod score = 7.16 at theta = .001), and between CF and pJ3.11 (maximum lod score = 3.87 at theta = .001). We observed two recombinations between CF and collagen, yielding a maximum lod score of 0.359 at theta = .125, and one recombination in the cluster CF-MET-pJ3.11. Analysis by the seriation method indicates the order COL-pJ3.11-CF-MET.     

The physiological basis of seed dormancy in Avena fatua. II. On the involvement of alternative respiration in the stimulation of germination by sodium azide

Chromatography on DEAE-cellulose of an extract from etiolated leaves of sorghum ( Sorghum vulgare Pers. cv. INRA 450), a C₄ plant, gave only one form of phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase with functional and regulatory properties of a C₃ type plant enzyme. Greening of the leaves resulted in a significant increase in activity. This increase was due to the appearance of a new form of the enzyme, which eluted at lower ionic strength and exhibited new properties. This form was glucose-6-P activated and showed a sigmoidal curve response to the concentration of the substrate phosphoerralpyruvate. These kinetic properties are typical of a C₄ plant enzyme.     

Ontogeny of an endogenous rhythm in Eurydice pulchra

Field catches of Eurydice pulchra (Leach) from an Isle of Man beach indicated that adult animals were active in the water column solely during spring tide periods, whereas juvenile animals swam abundantly at high tide irrespective of lunar phase. Under constant conditions in the laboratory, animals kept in actographs with sand showed a circa-tidal rhythm of spontaneous emergence and swimming activity. In adults, the activity was greatest during “expected” night-time high-waters and was expressed solely after collection during spring tide periods. The rhythm was independent of sex, season or reproductive status. Juveniles showed no such diurnal modulation of the rhythm and the pattern was expressed throughout the semi-lunar cycle. These ontogenetic differences in behaviour are discussed in the light of previous work on the rhythm, and in terms of the differing habits of the mature and immature animals.     

Purification and general properties of argininosuccinate lyase from jack bean, Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC

1. Argininosuccinate lyase (EC 4.3.2.1) from jack bean [Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC] seeds was purified 532-fold from an acetone-butanol-dried powder. 2. The enzyme functions reversibly and exhibits maximum stability at 16 degrees . 3. At 16 degrees it has a half-life (t((1/2))) of 263min. 4. The enzyme is both cold-labile (t((1/2)) 131min. at 0 degrees ) and heat-inactivated (t((1/2)) 74min. at 38 degrees ); inactivation appears to be irreversible. 5. Treatment of the acetone-butanol-extracted powder with sodium dodecyl sulphate increased the sensitivity of the enzyme to temperature (t((1/2)) 70min. at 0 degrees ; t((1/2)) 23min. at 38 degrees ). 6. Addition, to the purified enzyme, of a fraction containing lipid from the seed increased the half-life to about 510min. at either 0 degrees or 38 degrees . 7. Arginine or homoarginine, and to a smaller extent some other amino acids or fumarate, protected the enzyme from cold-inactivation. 8. Reactivation attempts with both the cold- and heat-inactivated enzyme failed. 9. The K(m) value for argininosuccinate at pH7.5 is 1.3x10(-4). 10. The enzyme was inactivated completely within 15min. at 16 degrees by 0.5mm-p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, and subsequent exposure to 5mm-cysteine had no restorative effect.     

Physical and chemical studies of a low-molecular-weight form of urease

1. A new form of enzymically active jack-bean [Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC] urease corresponding to an S_20,w value of 11·8s and a molecular weight of 260000 was investigated. 2. Conversion of 18s urease (EC 3.5.1.5) into the 12s form depends on both low protein concentration and pH. Above pH5·3 urease exists in the 18s form and below pH4·8 in the 12s form; between these two pH values a 12s–18s rapid-equilibrium process is observed. 3. Comparison of the properties of 18s and 12s urease indicated no major differences. 4. A survey of other good urease sources revealed that the 12s form can also be obtained from soya bean (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc. cultivar Biloxi) and the bacterium Bacillus pasteurii (Miguel) Migula, but not from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. cultivar Congo). 5. The 12s forms from jack bean and Bacillus pasteurii did not hybridize.