Ontogeny,auditory structures,and primate evolution

The anatomy of the auditory region, particularly the carotid circulatory patterns and ectotympanic-petrosal relationships, has played a prominent role in primate systematics and phylogenetic reconstructions. Ontogenetic stages of petrosal-ectotympanic relationship are presented for certain strepsirhines. It is suggested that the “ectotympanic tube” or “ossified annulus membrane” found in early Tertiary primates is not necessarily an homologous structure to the true ectotympanic tube seen in haplorhines, and thus cannot be considered a shared, derived feature linking known Paleogene primates from Europe or North America to tarsioid and/or anthropoid ancestry. No fossil primate yet discovered makes a convincing ancestor for the earliest known anthropoids from the Oligocene of Africa. This is probably due to the fact that it still lies undiscovered in the Paleogene of Africa.     

Paternity exclusion in six captive groups of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Five genetic markers were employed to attempt to identify the fathers of 135 Macaca mulatta offspring living in large outdoor field cages. Family studies of two of these markers to confirm mode of inheritance of phenotypes had not heretofore been reported. Of the 284 exclusions required to identify the fathers of all 135 monkeys, 198 (or 70 percent) were possible using only these five genetic polymorphisms. For 58 (or 43 percent) of these 135 offspring the father was identified. These data were applied to estimate the association between dominance rank of fathers and reproductive success. Fertility of first- and second-ranking fathers was judged to be about twice as high as that of third- and fourth-ranking fathers.     

Role of sulA and sulB in filamentation by lon mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

Cells containing the pleiotropic Escherichia coli mutation lon filament extensively and die after exposure to ultraviolet light. Outside suppressors of the ultraviolet sensitivity, called sul, have previously been described at two loci; these mutations reverse the ultraviolet sensitivity of lon strains but do not affect the mucoidal or degradation defect of these strains. An isogenic set of strains carrying combinations of lon, sulA, and sulI was constructed, and their behavior during normal growth and after ultraviolet treatment was studied. sulA mutations had no detectable phenotype in lon+ cells; the lon sulA strains filamented transiently after ultraviolet irradiation, as did lon+ sul+ cells. We found that the sulB mutation, which alters cell morphology and slows recovery from transient filamentation after ultraviolet treatment, was epistatic to both lon and sulA. Whereas sulA mutations were recessive to the wild-type allele, sulB was partially dominant. The simplest model to account for our observations is that sulA and lon participate in a pathway of filamentation independent of that which produces transient filamentation in wild-type strains; sulB product may be the target of sulA action and may play a role in normal cell division.     

Analysis of L-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase mutants in Drosophila melanogaster: Complementation for intracellular degradation of the mutant polypeptide

Summary Null and low activity alleles at the genetic locus coding for L-Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (-GPDH, NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, E.C. 1.1.1.8) in Drosophila melanogaster have been analyzed by a combination of rocket immunoelectrophoresis, interallelic complementation, and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In addition to providing information on the molecular weight, charged state, and steady state level of CRM in each of these mutants, it is suggested that each mutation has resulted in a genetic lesion within the structural element, Gpdh ⁺. CRM levels appear to be the result of a differential sensitivity to the normal intracellular degradative process and the CRM^- mutants represent hypersensitive alleles, such that the mutant polypeptide does not accumulate in the intracellular environment.This investigation was supported in part by NIH Research Grants No. GM-23617, AG-01739, and by NIH Training Grant No. GM 296. Paper No. 6192 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, North Carolina 27650     

The effect of metal ions on the alkaline phosphatase of Rhizobium leguminosarum

The alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1.) from Rhizobium leguminosarum WU235 has been purified. The enzyme is a non-specific phosphomonoesterase, has a molecular weight of 78,500 and a sub-unit molecular weight of 39,400. Magnesium and zinc ions are implicated in the structure of the enzyme; atomic absorption analysis gave 1.9 g-atoms Mg²⁺ and 1.9–5.1 g-atoms Zn²⁺ per mole of enzyme. In addition high concentrations of Mg²⁺ markedly stimulate the enzyme. The phosphatase is inhibited by Li⁺ and Na⁺ and stimulated by K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺, which suggests that the enzyme is K⁺ activated.     

Glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) of the teleostFundulus heteroclitus (linnaeus): Isozymes, allozymes and their physiological roles

Summary In order to evaluate the role of glucose-phosphate isomerase (GPI) inFundulus heteroclitus, the isozymes and allozymes were purified and some of their physical and kinetic properties determined.Isozymes were purified from both liver (GPI-B) and muscle (GPI-A) tissue (Tables 1, 2). Gel filtration of the native enzyme and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that all forms are dimers of approximately 110,000 Daltons (Figs. 4, 5). Although thermal stability studies revealed no differences between the allozymes, the isozymes were clearly different (Figs. 6, 7). Kinetic analysis showed further differences between isozymes inK _m for substrate andK _I for 6-phosphogluconate (Figs. 8, 9; Table 3). No significant differences were found between the allozymes of the B-locus under the conditions employed in this study.Based on the tissue specificities and the functional differences between isozymes, we propose a possible regulatory role for GPI-B inF. heteroclitus. The sensitivity of this isozyme to 6-phosphogluconate inhibition may allow GPI-B to act as a regulatory enzyme in the partitioning of carbon flow between glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate shunt.Abbreviations me -mercaptoethanol - F6P fructose-6-phosphate - G1P glucose-1-phosphate - G6P glucose-6-phosphate - G6Pase glucose-6-phosphatase - G6PDH glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase - GPI glucosephosphate isomerase - HK hexokinase - HMP hexose monophosphate shunt - 6PG 6-phosphogluconate - PGM phosphoglucomutase Supported in part by: NSF grants DEB-76-19877 to D.A.P. and PCM 77-16838 to B.D.S., NIH Biomedical grant 5-50-7RR07-041 and a grant from the National Geographic Society. G.D.S. and R.V.B. are NIH trainees supported by a training grant (No. HD00139) to the Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University. This is contribution No. 1052 from the Department of Biology     

Episodic secretion of opioid activity in human plasma and monkey CSF: Evidence for a diurnal rhythm

Using a radioreceptor assay, opioiod activity has been determined in human plasma and monkey CSF at two-hour intervals across a 24-hour period. In both human plasma and monkey CSF, opioid activity showed an episodic secretion and a significant variation over time, suggesting a diurnal rhythm with increased levels in the morning. This rhythm is similar to those of adrenocorticotropin and beta-lipotropin (LPH) and reciprocal to the diurnal rhythm of pain sensitivity.     

Multiple forms of peroxidase from Narcissus pseudonarcissus

Multiple forms of peroxidase from Narcissus pseudonarcissus were identified and separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme forms were found to be particulate but could be solubilized in buffers of high ionic strength and high pH. Bulbs at different stages (dormant, early growth, flowering and post-flowering) were investigated and both the number and distribution of peroxidase forms were found to differ. The major peroxidase form in dormant bulbs was purified and displayed a number of notable properties including a MW of at least 10⁵, a high isoelectric point and the apparent absence of a heme prosthetic group.     

Covalent binding of halogenated volatile solvents to subcellular macromolecules in hepatocytes

Rat liver hepatocytes were used to bioactivate the aliphatic halides-carbon tetrachloride, trichloroethylene, and methylene chloride. Optimum bioactivation occured under a nitrogen atmosphere for carbon tetrachloride and under an oxygen atmosphere for trichloroethylene and methylene chloride. All were found to alkylate lipid and protein, while only carbon tetrachloride and trichloroethylene alkylated DNA and RNA.