Dark starvation and chloroplast function

Summary Mature spinach plants were held in the dark for several days. The photochemical activities and the activity of some enzymes related to NADP reduction were follwed in the chloroplasts isolated from leaves after dark starvation. Photosystem-II, measured by reduction of DPIP, remained stable during 6 days of darkening. The decrease of NADP reduction which appeared after 2 days of starvation was found to be due to protein autolysis rather than inactivation of the photosystems. The stability of photosystem-I was demonstrated by reactivation of NADP reduction after addition of purified ferredoxin and ferredoxin-NADP-reductase. After 4 days of starvation the restoration of the NADP reduction required in addition another, low-molecular-weight factor. From the isolation procedure and from its properties this factor is assumed to be identical with FRS. However, even in the presence of FRS only half of the total activity is restored after 7 days. The activity of the NADP-reducing system is restored in vivo when plants kept for 7 days in the dark are again illuminated.Abbreviations NADP nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide phosphate - DPIP 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol - DCMU (3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea - FRS ferredoxin-reducing-substance     

Fine mapping of the chicken salmonellosis resistance locus (SAL1)

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium is a Gram-negative bacterium that has a significant impact on both human and animal health. It is one of the most common food-borne pathogens responsible for a self-limiting gastroenteritis in humans and a similar disease in pigs, cattle and chickens. In contrast, intravenous challenge with S. Typhimurium provides a valuable model for systemic infection, often causing a typhoid-like infection, with bacterial replication resulting in the destruction of the spleen and liver of infected animals. Resistance to systemic salmonellosis in chickens is partly genetically determined, with bacterial numbers at systemic sites in resistant lines being up to 1000-fold fewer than in susceptible lines. Identification of genes contributing to disease resistance will enable genetic selection of resistant lines that will reduce Salmonella levels in poultry flocks. We previously identified a novel resistance locus on Chromosome 5, designated SAL1 . Through the availability of high-density SNP panels in the chicken, combined with advanced back-crossing of the resistant and susceptible lines, we sought to refine the SAL1 locus and identify potential positional candidate genes. Using a 6^th generation backcross mapping population, we have confirmed and refined the SAL1 locus as lying between 54.0 and 54.8 Mb on the long arm of Chromosome 5 ( F  = 8.72, P  = 0.00475). This region spans 14 genes, including two very striking functional candidates; CD27-binding protein ( Siva ) and the RAC -alpha serine/threonine protein kinase homolog , AKT1 ( protein kinase B , PKB ).     

Termination of pregnancy in cases of fetal death in utero by intravenous prostaglandin F2alpha.

Delivery was induced by an intravenous infusion of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2alpha) in gradually increasing doses in 30 consecutive cases of fetal death in utero after the 28th week of gestation. Twenty patients delivered during the first day of prostaglandin administration, 9 on the second day, and 1 patient not until the third day of infusion. It is concluded, that intravenous PGF2alpha appears to be superior to oxytocin in termination of pregnancy under these conditions.     

Fundamental stimulus for erythropoietin production in the neonatal rat

A mild degree of hemolytic anemia was induced in neonatal rats by a single subcutaneous injection with phenylhydrazine (PHZ). The ability to respond to this challenge was determined by monitoring serum erythropoietin (EP) levels at 6 and 12 hr. At 6 hr after PHZ, EP reached a level of 4.25 ± 1.03 U/ml, and at the 12-hr interval it had increased to 6.12 ± 1.49 U/ml. Based on these data, it is our suggestion that PHZ-induced hemolysis affords an effective stimulus for EP production in the neonatal rodent.     

The effect of food deprivation on enzyme activity in developing brain

Brain and body weights, contents of DNA and protein and activities of 1,6-diphosphofructoaldolase (aldolase, EC 4.1.2.13), creatine phosphokinase (CPK, EC 2.7.3.2), and isocitric dehydrogenase (ICD, EC 1.1.1.42) in brain (minus cerebellum and brain stem) were studied in control and food-deprived rats at 7, 14 and 21 days of postnatal age. Activities of all three enzymes per brain were less in the food-deprived animals. In both groups of rats the ratios of aldolase/DNA and CPK/DNA increased with maturation, indicating that increasing activity per brain during maturation was the result of both increased activity per cell and increased numbers of cells. The ratio of ICD/DNA decreased with maturation but was essentially the same in both the food-deprived and control groups. Increase of ICD activity per brain with maturation was attributable to increased numbers of cells. Food deprivation in immature animals resulted in lowered activities per brain for aldolase, CPK and ICD because of diminished cell multiplication.     

Genetic determination of the vibriocinogenicity trait in Vibrio cholerae of the El Tor biotype

In two different strains of cholera vibrios two recA-dependent plasmids, pVib I (1.9-2.2 Md) and pVib II (5.2-5.8 Md), have been detected. These plasmids determine the synthesis of vibriocin, coagulase and fibrinolysin, which has been established by the cotransformation of the DNA of plasmids pVib I and pBR322 and by the transfer mobilization with the use of plasmid RP4.     

Development of ovaries in bovine fetuses

The growth of ovaries, development of germ cells, formation of sex cords, folliculogenesis and dependence of these processes on the gonad morphogenesis stages were studied on 68 embryos and foetuses at the age of 1.5 to 9 months. Sex differentiation of ovaries was shown to take place in 1.5 month old embryo. The cords of connective tissue's cortical stroma appear also in 1.5 month old embryo, they develop in the dorsoventral direction and reach the gonad's covering epithelium in 6 month old foetuses. The formation of the medulla rudiment starts in 1.5 month old embryo when the gonad is separated from mesonephros and connected with it via the ovary gate. In 4 month old foetuses the ovary net transforms into a stellate structure. Important morphogenetic processes, such as the development of the ovary somatic elements, entry of the oocytes into meiotic prophase, formation of the sex cords and folliculogenesis, develop in the dorsoventral direction Germ cells in 9 month old foetuses are enclosed into primordial or, growing follicles.