Sequence and immunological characterisation of ovine pancreatic lipase

Purified ovine pancreatic lipase has been subjected to a limited protein sequence analysis. Cyanogen bromide fragments from the molecule were isolated and characterised to enable the structure of the molecule to be mapped. Some tryptic peptides were also isolated, sequenced, and aligned by homology to lipase sequences from other species. A total of 172 residues out of a possible 456 have been assigned, including 45 residues at the N-terminus and 10 residues at the C-terminus of the protein. A polyclonal antibody has been prepared to ovine lipase which has been characterised by Ouchterlony immunodiffusion and by Western blotting experiments. These experiments showed that the ovine pancreatic lipase was immunologically different from the ovine hepatic and lingual lipase, whereas there was considerable immunological similarity amongst ovine, bovine and rabbit pancreatic lipase, but less with porcine pancreatic lipase.     

Evo-devo and the I.I. Schmalhausen concept of the evolution of ontogeny

Evo-devo is considered a special field of knowledge emphasizing the role of developmental processes and mechanisms in evolution and integrating the data of many disciplines studying various structural levels of biosphere organization. A mechanical approach to estimation of events is regarded as a specific feature of the evo-devo concept. In our opinion, the I.I. Schmalhausen concept of the evolution of ontogeny, opposing the reductionist approach of many contemporary evo-devo adherents, can be regarded as the fundamental basis of evo-devo.     

Morphogenetic bases and parametric system of trichome evolution in plants of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Draba</Emphasis> L.

Using quantitative morphological analysis of light microscopy data, the normal variation of trichome morphogenesis is studied in six whitlow grass species (Draba L.) and the morphological variation of adult trichomes in 11 species. The evolution consists in the transition from a radial morphogenesis pattern to bilateral and replacement of complex (branched) trichome rays with simple (unbranched) rays. A parametric system is constructed for classification of the ray morphology; this system includes two parameters—the ratio of the numbers of complex to simple rays, characterizing the probability of secondary branching of primary buds, and the number of primary buds, characterizing the probability of primary branching on the surface of the trichome cell. In this parametric space, all of the studied species fit well a third-order curve consisting of two ascending branches displaying a positive correlation between the primary and secondary branchings and a descending branch, located between them, where the primary and secondary branches are negatively correlated. The deduced evolutionary direction is almost independent of the size of the trichome cells and is explained exclusively by the mechanics of morphogenesis: acceleration in the development of the primary bud of the ray decreases the probability of its own branching and creates additional elastic extension of the cell surface, preventing other buds from branching. The morphogenesis itself appears to be a mechanically nonholonomic system, filtering in a selective manner the fluctuations of the same sign, which explains the directed pattern of its evolution. In the evolutionarily initial state, trichome ontogenesis is absent because its modules (primary buds) are formed by a mirror duplication. The ontogenesis commences when mirror symmetry in the formation of modules is lost and replaced with an axial pattern; thus, the change in the morphological type of buds is a direct consequence of the emergence of ontogenesis and its further evolution. Its main material is intraindividual variation, the only source of which is the mechanics of morphogenesis itself. It is found that morphological evolution can take place at an initially zero heritability and zero adaptive value of morphological differences.     

An extract from the brown alga <Emphasis Type="Italic">Laminaria japonica</Emphasis>: a promising stress-protective preparation

It was shown in rats that stress is accompanied by a decrease in osmotic resistance and antioxidant protection of erythrocytes and an increase in their volume and diameter; cholesterol esters were reduced, the amounts of malone dialdehyde, cholesterol, sphingomyelin, and phospholipid lysofractions were increased. Comparative data on the membrane protecting activity of extracts of Laminaria japonica and Eleutherococcus senticosus are presented. Administration of these extracts caused the normalization of the parameters of erythrocytes in rats.     

Asymmetric synthesis of enantiomerically and diastereoisomerically enriched 4-[F or Br]-substituted glutamic acids

A novel simple synthetic protocol for the preparation of both (2S,4R)- and (2S,4S)-FGlu, applying Michael addition of methyl α-fluoroacrylate to a Ni^II complex of glycine Schiff base with BPB, was elaborated. In addition, same reaction of mentioned complex with ethyl α-bromoacrylate leads to the Ni^II complex of the Schiff base of BPB with (2S,4R)-4-bromo-glutamic acid monoester, that can be transformed into the corresponding complexes of 1-aminocyclopropane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid. The decomposition of the diastereoisomerically pure complexes leads to corresponding enantiomerically enriched (ee > 98%) amino acids.     

Identification of the dominant bacterium of two-stage biooxidation of gold-arsenic concentrate

In the process of biooxidation at 39°C in a continuous mode of the gold-arsenic concentrate from the Olympiadinskoe deposit, which was pretreated by chemical leaching with ferric ions, by a microbial association from the BIO department reactors of the Polyus gold mining company, a bacterial culture designated as strain HT-4 was isolated. The bacterium was a spore-forming rod 0.5–0.6 × 1.4–2.0 μm with a flagellum. The optimal temperature for growth and Fe²⁺ oxidation was 55°C. The strain grew in the pH range from 1.21 to 2.10 with the optimum at pH 1.6. The organism was incapable of lithotrophic and organotrophic growth. It grew mixotrophically by Fe²⁺ oxidation in the presence of 0.02% yeast extract. The DNA G+C base content was 48.6 mol %. Based on comparative phylogenetic analysis of 1472-bp nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA genes, strain HT-4 was classified as Sulfobacillus thermosulfidooxidans. Analysis by pulse-field gel electrophoresis revealed a unique profile of the NotI fragments of the chromosomal DNA. These results demonstrate the strain and species diversity of sulfobacilli in microbial associations involved in biooxidation of concentrates in different technological conditions. The strain “S. olympiadicus S-5” dominated in the process of biooxidation of original concentrate not treated with ferric iron, while S. thermosulfidooxidans HT-4 was predominant in biooxidation of the chemically leached concentrate.     

Impact of Postovulatory Food Deprivation on the Ova Transport, Hormonal Profiles and Metabolic Changes in Sows

The effect of food deprivation on ova transport, hormonal profiles and metabolic changes was studied in 20 crossbred multiparous sows during their second oestrus after weaning. To determine the time of ovulation, transrectal ultrasonographic examination was performed. The sows were divided into 2 groups, one control group (C-group), which was fed according to Swedish standards, and one experimental group (E-group). The E-group sows were deprived of food from the first morning meal after ovulation until slaughter. Blood samples were collected every second hour from about 12 h before expected ovulation in the second oestrus after weaning until slaughter and were analysed for progesterone, prostaglandin F_2α-metabolite, insulin, glucose, free fatty acids and triglycerides. All sows were slaughtered approximately 48 h after ovulation and the genital tract was recovered. The isthmic part of the oviduct was divided into 3 equally long segments and flushed separately with phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Uterine horns were also flushed with PBS. A significantly greater number of ova were found in the first and second part of the isthmus in the E-group (p = 0.05) while in the C-group most of the ova were found in the third part of the isthmus or the uterus (p = 0.01). The level of prostaglandin F_2α-metabolite was significantly higher in the E-group compared with the C-group. The concentration of progesterone increased in both groups after ovulation but there were no significant differences between the groups. The other blood parameters showed that the food-deprived sows were in a catabolic state. The 48 h period of fasting results, directly or indirectly in an delayed ova transport, which may be due to a delayed relaxation in the smooth circular muscle layer of the isthmus.     

Characteristics of the cardiointervalogram in newborns during sleep

One hundred and seven healthy full-term newborns were examined in this study. The cardiointer-valogram (CIG) was continuously recorded on the fifth to seventh day of life. An electropolygram (EPG) was recorded in 14 newborns along with the CIG and included the electroencephalogram, electrooculogram, electrocardiogram, and pneumogram. The functional state of the infants was continuously monitored, and calm or active wakefulness and active or calm sleep were distinguished using common criteria. Quantitative analysis of the sleep EPG was used to differentiate sleep phases by a standard method. The CIG was analyzed during orthodox (OS) and paradoxical (PS) sleep, and three different CIG types were distinguished by visual assessment and differential criteria established previously. The three types of CIG considerably differed in the structure and power spectrum of slow oscillations of R-R intervals, especially in the range from 0.04 to 0.15 Hz. The type I CIG was recorded during OS. At the end of this phase, the variability range increased while the amplitude of the mode and the tension index were reduced, indicating the type II CIG, with a duration of 3–4 min. All three CIG types were observed during PS; the type III CIG dominated, accounting for 58.3 ± 4.6% of the phase duration. A relationship was found between the CIG types and the cyclic organization of sleep, pointing to a difference in mechanisms regulating the heart rate in different functional states of the central nervous system in newborns.Translated from Fiziologiya Cheloveka, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2005, pp. 90–95.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Evsyukova, Kondrateva.     

Studies of hydrolytic activity of enzyme preparations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trychoderma</Emphasis> fungi

Enzyme preparations were isolated from the culture liquid of five mutant strains of the cellulase producer Penicillium verruculosum. The hydrolytic activities of these preparations against unbleached eucalypt cellulose was compared to that of commercial preparations of Trichoderma reesei (T. longibrachiatum). In the majority of cases, P. verruculosum enzymes provided higher yields of reducing sugars (RSs) and glucose. A correlation was found between the yield of RSs and the avicelase activity of the preparations in the reaction mixture.Translated from Prikladnaya Biokhimiya i Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 41, No. 2, 2005, pp. 210–212.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Skomarovsky, Gusakov, Okunev, Soloveva, Bubnova, Kondrateva, Sinitsyn.