Appearance of Nitrate in Soybean Seedlings and Chlorella Caused by Nitrogen Starvation

Disinfected seeds of soybean and actively growing cultures ofChlorella vulgaris were grown on nitrogen-free media. The nitratecontent of both the soybean seedlings and algal cultures substantiallyincreased during nitrogen starvation. The nitrate level in soybeanseedlings was at least eight times greater than seeds aftertwo to three weeks. Nitrogen starvation also caused an increasein the nitrate content of the algal cultures. Nitrate reductaseactivity also increased, and its appearance was sensitive tocycloheximide. Tungstate, added during starvation, inhibitedthe induction of nitrate reductase with a concomitant increasein the level of nitrate. These data suggest that oxidation ofreduced nitrogen compounds can occur in higher plants and algae. ¹ A contribution of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (Received June 6, 1981; Accepted August 25, 1981)     

Circular dichroism spectra of granal and agranal chloroplasts of maize

Granum-containing chloroplasts from mesophyll cells of maize (Zea mays L. var. MV 861) leaves exhibited circular dichroism spectra with a large double signal; peaks at 696 nm (+) and 680 nm (−). In the circular dichroism spectra obtained with agranal chloroplasts of bundle sheath cells, this large double signal is absent. Separation of grana lamellae, in a medium of low salt concentration and in KSCN solution, resulted only in a slight decrease of the amplitude, while upon treatment with digitonin the large double signal disappeared. A negative signal of the chlorophyll b peak at 654 nm was observed in the case of both granal and agranal chloroplasts, and it was not affected either by low salt or by digitonin treatment. A positive peak at about 515 nm was higher in granal than in agranal chloroplasts.     

Taurolithocholate-induced inhibition of biliary lipid and protein excretion in the rat.

Taurolithocholate (TLC), a natural bile salt, induces selective impairment on canalicular membrane of the hepatocyte, which seems to be a major determinant of its cholestatic effect in experimental animals. In order to extend existing studies about the effects of TLC on bile secretion, we examined in TLC-treated rats the biliary excretion of compounds that are transported to canalicular membrane via vesicles, such as lipids and proteins. The single intravenous injection of TLC (3 mumol/100 g body wt.) inhibited transiently the biliary bile salt excretion, while the biliary excretion of lipids (i.e., cholesterol and phospholipids) and proteins remained inhibited even though the biliary excretion and composition of bile salts were normalized. Under such a condition, TLC also inhibited the transcellular vesicular pathway to the exogenous protein horseradish peroxidase entry into bile, without altering the paracellular biliary access of the protein. The hepatic uptake of horseradish peroxidase was unaffected by TLC-treatment. The results indicate that TLC can inhibit the biliary excretion of compounds that reach the canaliculus via a vesicular pathway, such as lipids and proteins, by a mechanism not related to a defective bile salt excretion. Possible explanations for these findings are discussed.     

Comparison of hepatic, renal and intestinal bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activities in rat microsomes

1. Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyltransferase activity and its dependence on substrate concentrations in rat liver, renal cortex and intestinal mucosa microsomes were studied. 2. Bilirubin monoglucuronide synthesis from unconjugated bilirubin was a higher capacity, lower affinity step in comparison with bilirubin diglucuronide formation in the three tissues tested. 3. Bilirubin glucuronide formation in liver microsomes showed a higher capacity but a lower affinity than extrahepatic ones. Renal cortex and intestinal mucosa exhibited similar kinetics parameters. 4. In vitro bilirubin glucuronidation in renal cortex and intestinal mucosa was quantitatively important as compared with the hepatic one.     

Evidence for a major route for zinc uptake in human red blood cells: [Zn(HCO3)2Cl]- influx through the [Cl-/HCO3-] anion exchanger

The initial rate of Zn2+ uptake in human red cells was measured by atomic absorption. A very important fraction of Zn2+ uptake was inhibited by DIDS with IC50 = 0.3 microM (and by furosemide and bumetanide with IC50 of 200 and 500 microM, respectively). DIDS-sensitive Zn2+ uptake exhibited the following properties: 1) It required the simultaneous presence of both external HCO3- and Cl-. 2) In Cl- containing media, it was strongly stimulated by external HCO3- following a sigmoidal (S-shaped) and saturable function, which was fitted by a Hanes equation, with n = 2 and an apparent dissociation constant (for external HCO3-) of 5.3 +/- 0.9 mM (mean +/- SD of four experiments). The maximal rate of Zn2+ uptake at saturating HCO3- concentrations was 50.7 +/- 4.8 mmol (liter cells x h)-1. 3) In HCO3- containing media, it was strongly stimulated by external Cl- following a Michaelis-like equation with an apparent dissociation constant (for external Cl-) of 88 +/- 11 mM (mean +/- SD of three experiments). 4) Bicarbonate-stimulated Zn2+ uptake was inhibited by physiological concentrations of phosphate (sulfate was a much less potent inhibitor than phosphate). A kinetic analysis of the data strongly suggested that zinc was transported by the anion carrier in the form of the monovalent anion complex: [Zn(HCO3)2Cl]-.     

Long-term effects of ungulates on phytophagous insects

Abstract.  1. Most plants interact with a diverse suite of herbivores, allowing the opportunity for the existence of positive and negative interactions between highly dissimilar organisms. However, most studies on herbivorous interactions have been performed under the assumption that they occur mainly between similar species. Consequently, ecologists are still far from a full understanding of the ecological factors that determine insect population dynamics.
2. In this study, a 7-year field experiment was conducted that manipulated the presence of ungulates to evaluate their effects on the abundance, attack rate, and survival of four guilds of co-occurring herbivorous insects living on the same host plant: seed predators, stem borers, gall makers and sap suckers. These four guilds differed in habits and behaviour, the first three being sessile and endophytic and the last being free-living.
3. This study shows that the abundance of all four guilds was negatively affected by ungulates. However, the effect on attack rate differed among guilds, as mammals do not affect the seed predator attack rate. Ungulates also differentially affected insect survival, ingesting only seed predators and gall makers.
4. In summary, this study suggests that diverse mechanisms may affect different insect guilds in different ways. Therefore, competition between disparate herbivores appears to be complex and can be provoked by multiple mechanisms.     

Antisense RNA decreases AP33 gene expression and cytoadherence by <Emphasis Type="Italic">T. vaginalis</Emphasis>

Background  

Host parasitism by Trichomonas vaginalis is complex. Adherence to vaginal epithelial cells (VECs) is mediated by surface proteins. We showed before that antisense down-regulation of expression of adhesin AP65 decreased amounts of protein, which lowered levels of T. vaginalis adherence to VECs. We now perform antisense down-regulation of expression of the ap33 gene to evaluate and confirm a role for AP33 in adherence by T. vaginalis. We also used an established transfection system for heterologous expression of AP33 in T. foetus as an additional confirmatory approach.     

Epidermal growth factor–stimulated Akt phosphorylation requires clathrin or ErbB2 but not receptor endocytosis

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding to its receptor (EGFR) activates several signaling intermediates, including Akt, leading to control of cell survival and metabolism. Concomitantly, ligand-bound EGFR is incorporated into clathrin-coated pits—membrane structures containing clathrin and other proteins—eventually leading to receptor internalization. Whether clathrin might regulate EGFR signaling at the plasma membrane before vesicle scission is poorly understood. We compared the effect of clathrin perturbation (preventing formation of, or receptor recruitment to, clathrin structures) to that of dynamin2 (allowing formation of clathrin structures but preventing EGFR internalization) under conditions in which EGFR endocytosis is clathrin dependent. Clathrin perturbation by siRNA gene silencing, with the clathrin inhibitor pitstop2, or knocksideways silencing inhibited EGF-simulated Gab1 and Akt phosphorylation in ARPE-19 cells. In contrast, perturbation of dynamin2 with inhibitors or by siRNA gene silencing did not affect EGF-stimulated Gab1 or Akt phosphorylation. EGF stimulation enriched Gab1 and phospho-Gab1 within clathrin structures. ARPE-19 cells have low ErbB2 expression, and overexpression and knockdown experiments revealed that robust ErbB2 expression bypassed the requirement for clathrin for EGF-stimulated Akt phosphorylation. Thus clathrin scaffolds may represent unique plasma membrane signaling microdomains required for signaling by certain receptors, a function that can be separated from vesicle formation.