Hydraulic properties of sphagnum peat moss and tuff (scoria) and their potential effects on water availability

The importance of macrostructure to root growth of ryegrass (L. perenne) seedlings sown on the soil surface was studied in two soils in which the macrostructure had resulted mainly from root growth and macro-faunal activity. Sets of paired soil cores were used, one of each pair undisturbed and the other ground and repacked to the field bulk density. Undisturbed and repacked soils were first compared at equal water potentials in the range −1.9 to −300 kPa. At equal water potential, the undisturbed soil always had the greater strength (penetration resistance), and root growth was always greater in the repacked soil with no macrostructure than it was in the soil with macrostructure intact. At equal high strength (low water potentials) it appeared that root growth was better when soils were structured. When strength was low (high water potentials), root growth was better in the unstructured soil. Soils were then compared during drying cycles over 21 days. The average rate at which roots grew to a depth of 60 mm, and also the final percentage of plants with a root reaching 60 mm depth, was greatest in repacked soils without macrostructure. The species of vegetation growing in the soil before the experiment affected root growth in undisturbed soil; growth was slower where annual grasses and white clover had grown compared with soil which had supported a perennial grass. It appears that relatively few roots locate and grow in the macrostructure. Other roots grow in the matrix, if it is soft enough to be deformed by roots. Roots in the matrix of a structured soil grow more slowly than roots in structureless soil of equal bulk density and water potential. The development of macrostructure in an otherwise structureless soil, of the type studied, is of no advantage to most roots. However, once a macrostructure has developed, the few roots locating suitable macropores are able to grow at low water potential when soil strength is high. The importance of macrostructure to establishing seedlings in the field lies in rapid penetration of at least a few roots to a depth that escapes surface drying during seasonal drought. ei]{gnB E}{fnClothier}     

Microbial production of xylitol from D-xylose using Candida tropicalis

Candida tropicalis DSM 7524 was used to produce xylitol from d-xylose. The fermentation conditions were optimized during continuous cultivation. The strain employed showed no great dependence upon temperature in a range between 30° C and 37° C. It achieved its best yield of xylitol from d-xylose at a pH value of 2.5. Such low pH values allow non sterile cultivation, which is a major economic factor. With an oxygen uptake rate of 0.8–1 ml oxygen per litre culture medium, the C. tropicalis produce xylitol at a yield of between 77% and 80% of the theoretical value. Higher yeast extract concentrations prevent the conversion of d-xylose into xylitol. d-xylose acts as a growth inhibitor in higher concentrations. The maximum xylitol yield was reached at a d-xylose concentration of around 100 g/l. In a non sterile batch culture with substrate shift 220 g/l xylitol were produced from 300 g/l d-xylose at a xylitol productivity rate of 0.37 g/(lh). In order to increase the specific yield, C. tropicalis was immobilised on porous glass and cultivated in a fluidized bed reactor. In a continuous non sterile cultivation with immobilised cells 155 g/l d-xylose produced 90–95% g/l xylitol with a productivity of 1.35 g/(lh).Mr. S. S. da Silva was a visiting scientist to the GBF. He was supported by a scholarship from the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development, Brasilia, Brazil (CNPq).We also would like to gratefully acknowledge the support of Prof. Dr. Michele Vitolo of the University of Sao Paulo, and the Centre for Biotechnology and Chemistry, Lorena, S. P. Brazil, in particular the Department of Fermentative Process.We are grateful to Prof. Rainer Jonas, head of the International Cooperation between Germany/Brazil for the helpful discussions and Dr. Heinrich Lönsdorf (GBF) for the Scanning electron micrographs.Dedicated to the 65th birthday of Prof. Dr. Fritz Wagner.     

On the appropriateness of use of a continuous formulation for the modelling of discrete multireactant systems following Michaëlis–Menten kinetics

The possibility of solving the mass balances to a multiplicity of substrates within a CSTR in the presence of a chemical reaction following Michaelis-Menten kinetics using the assumption that the discrete distribution of said substrates is well approximated by an equivalent continuous distribution on the molecular weight is explored. The applicability of such reasoning is tested with a convenient numerical example. In addition to providing the limiting behavior of the discrete formulation as the number of homologous substrates increases, the continuous formulation yields in general simpler functional forms for the final distribution of substrates than the discrete counterpart due to the recursive nature of the solution in the latter case.List of Symbols C{N. M} mol/m³ concentration of substrate containing N monomer residues each with molecular weight M - {N, M} normalized value of C{N. M} - C {M} mol/m³ da concentration of substrate of molecular weight M - _in normalized value of C {M} at the i-th iteration of a finite difference method - {M} normalized value of C {M} - C ₀{N.M} mol/m³ inlet concentration of substrate containing N monomer residues each with molecular weight M - {N ·M} normalized value of C₀{N. M} - _{0 i} normalized value of C ₀ {M} at the i-th iteration of a finite difference method - C ₀ {M} mol/m³ da initial concentration of substrate of molecular weight M - C _tot mol/m³ (constant) overall concentration of substrates (discrete model) - C _tot mol/m³ (constant) overall concentration of substrates (continuous model) - D deviation of the continuous approach relative to the discrete approach - i dummy integer variable - I arbitrary integration constant - j dummy integer variable - k dummy integer variable - K _m mol/m³ Michaëlis-Menten constant for the substrates - l dummy integer variable - M da molecular weight of substrate - M normalized value of M - M da maximum molecular weight of a reacting substrate - N number of monomer residues of a reacting substrate - N maximum number of monomer residues of a reacting substrate - N total number of increments for the finite difference method - Q m³/s volumetric flow rate of liquid through the reactor - S inert product molecule - S _i substrate containing i monomer residues - V m³ volume of the reactor - v _max mol/m³ s reaction rate under saturating conditions of the enzyme active site with substrate - v _max{N. M} mol/m³ s reaction rate under saturating conditions of the enzyme active site with substrate containing N monomer residues with molecular weight M - _max{N · M} dimensionless value of v_max{N. M} (discrete model) - _max{M} dimensionless value of v _max {M} (continuous model) - mol/m³ s molecular weight-averaged value of v_max (discrete model) - mol.da/m³s molecular weight-averaged value of v_max (continuous model) - v _max {M} mol.da/m³s reaction rate under saturating conditions of the enzyme active site with substrate with molecular weight M - _max {M} dimensionless value of v_max{M} - _{max, (i)} dimensionless value of v_max{M} at the i-th iteration of a finite difference method - v _max mol/m³ s reference constant value of v _max Greek Symbols dimensionless operating parameter (discrete distribution) - dimensionless operating parameter (continuous distribution) - M da (average) molecular weight of a monomeric subunit - M selected increment for the finite difference method - auxiliary corrective factor (discrete model)     

Structural characterization and promoter activity analysis of the γ-kafirin gene from sorghum

A genomic clone encoding the γ-kafirin gene from sorghum was isolated and sequenced. A 2938 bp sequenced fragment includes an intronless open reading frame of 636 nucleotides encoding a putative polypeptide of 212 amino acids. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of γ-kafirin with the published sequences of γ-prolamins of maize, and Coix revealed highly conserved domains. The N-terminal region of these proteins contains the conserved hexapeptide PPPVHL, which is repeated eight times in γ-zein, four times in γ-kafirin and three times in γ-coixin. The number of PPPVHL repeats accounts predominantly for the differences in the molecular weights of γ-prolamins. Several putative regulatory sequences common to the γ-kafirin and γ-zein genes were identified in both the 5′ and the 3′ flanking regions. Putative GCN4-like regulatory sequences were found at positions ?192 and ?476 in the 5′ flanking region of γ-kafirin. In the 3′ noncoding region, three putative polyadenylation signals, two AATAAT and one AATGAA, were found at positions + 658, + 716, and + 785, respectively. In order to investigate the role of the putative GCN4-like motifs and other possible cis-acting element(s) of the γ-kafirin promoter, a series of deleted and chimeric promoter constructs were introduced into maize, Coix and sorghum tissues by particle bombardment. Histochemical analysis of β-glucuronidase (GUS) activity in different tissues indicated that the element(s) responsible for tissue specificity is probably located in the 285-bp proximal region of the promoter, while the remaining promoter sequence seems to carry the element(s) responsible for the quantitative response.     

Eubacterial components similar to small nuclear ribonucleoproteins: identification of immunoprecipitable proteins and capped RNAs in a cyanobacterium and a gram-positive eubacterium.

Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particles play an important role in the processing of pre-mRNA. snRNPs have been identified immunologically in a variety of cells, but none have ever been observed in prokaryotic systems. This report provides the first evidence for the presence of snRNP-like components in two types of prokaryotic cells: those of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus leopoliensis and those of the gram-positive eubacterium Bacillus subtilis. These components consist of snRNP-immunoreactive proteins and RNAs, including some with the snRNP-unique 5' m2,2,7G (m3G) cap. Immunoreactivity was determined by immunoprecipitation procedures, with either antinuclear-antibody-positive (RNP- and Sm-monospecific) patient sera or a m3G monoclonal antibody, with radiolabelled cell extracts that were preadsorbed with antinuclear-antibody-negative sera. S. leopoliensis immunoprecipitates showed the presence of high-molecular-mass proteins (14 to 70 kDa) and RNAs (138 to 243 nucleotides) that are analogous in size to proteins and RNAs found in human (HEp-2) cell immunoprecipitates but absent in Escherichia coli immunoprecipitates. Thin-layer chromatography of S. leopoliensis immunoprecipitates confirmed the presence of a capped nucleotide similar to a capped nucleotide in HEp-2 immunoprecipitates; no such nucleotide was observed in E. coli immunoprecipitates. Immunoreactive RNAs (117-170 nucleotides) were identified in a second eubacterium, B. subtilis, as well. This work suggests that snRNPs or their evolutionary predecessors predate the emergence of eukaryotic cells.     

Mobilization of intracellular calcium in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells by uridine triphosphate and the calcium ionophore A23187

The known action of uridine triphosphate (UTP) to contract some types of vascular smooth muscle, and the present finding that it is more potent than adenosine triphosphate in eliciting an increase in cytosolic Ca²⁺ concentration in aortic smooth muscle, led us to investigate the mode of action of this nucleotide. With this aim, cultured bovine aorta cells were subjected to patch-clamp methodologies under various conditions. Nucleotide-induced variations in cytosolic Ca²⁺ were monitored by using single channel recordings of the high conductance Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ (Maxi-K) channel within on-cell patches as a reporter, and whole-cell currents were measured following perforation of the patch. In cells bathed in Na⁺-saline, UTP (>30 nm) induced an inward current, and both Maxi-K channel activity and unitary current amplitude of the Maxi-K channel transiently increased. Repetitive exposures elicited similar responses when 5 to 10 min wash intervals were allowed between challenges of nucleotide. Oscillations in channel activity, but not oscillation in current amplitude were frequently observed with UTP levels > 0.1 m. Cells bathed in K⁺ saline (150 m) were less sensitive to UTP (5-fold), and did not show an increase in unitary Maxi-K current amplitude. Since the increase in amplitude occurs due to depolarization of the cell membrane, a change in amplitude was not observed in cells previously depolarized with K⁺ saline. The enhancement of Maxi-K channel activity in the presence of UTP was not diminished by Ca²⁺ entry blockers or by removal of extracellular Ca²⁺. However, in the latter case, repetitive responses progressively declined. These observations, as well as data comparing the action of low concentrations of Ca²⁺ ionophores (<5 m) to that of UTP indicate that both agents elevate cytosolic Ca²⁺ by mobilization of this ion from intracellular pools. However, the Ca²⁺ ionophore did not cause membrane depolarization, and thus did not change unitary current amplitude. The effect of UTP on Maxi-K channel activity and current amplitude was blocked by pertussis toxin and by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but was not modified by okadaic acid, or by inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC). Our data support a model in which a pyrimidinergic receptor is coupled to a G protein, and this interaction mediates release of Ca²⁺ from intracellular pools, presumably via the phosphatidyl inositol pathway. This also results in activation of membrane channels that give rise to an inward current and depolarization. Ultimately, smooth muscle contraction ensues. PKC does not appear to be directly involved, even though the UTP response is blocked by low nm levels of PMA. While the latter data implicate PKC in diminishing the UTP response, agents that inhibit either PKC or phosphatase activity did not prevent abolition of UTP responses by PMA, nor did they modify basal channel activity.     

Intertidal interstitial Halicyclops from the Brazilian coast (Copepoda: Cyclopoida)

H. tageae sp. n. and Halicyclops ytororoma sp. n. are described from the intertidal interstitial water of Brazilian beaches. H. tageae is distinguished from all congeneric species by the number of setae on legs 1–4 endopodite 2 (1, 1, 2, 2) and by possessing a reduced inner spine on the leg 5 exopodite. It shares with H. brevispinosus, H. pusillus and H. canui the spine formula 2, 3, 3, 3 on exopodite 3 of swimming legs 1–4. H. ytororoma closely resembles H. gauldi and differs from this species by having 4 setae on leg 1 endopodite 3; H. gauldi has 3 setae on this segment.This is the first record of Halicyclops from marine interstitial water in Brazil.     

Cryptophytes: An emerging algal group in the rapidly changing Antarctic Peninsula marine environments

The western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) is a climatically sensitive region where foundational changes at the basis of the food web have been recorded; cryptophytes are gradually outgrowing diatoms together with a decreased size spectrum of the phytoplankton community. Based on a 11-year (2008–2018) in-situ dataset, we demonstrate a strong coupling between biomass accumulation of cryptophytes, summer upper ocean stability, and the mixed layer depth. Our results shed light on the environmental conditions favoring the cryptophyte success in coastal regions of the WAP, especially during situations of shallower mixed layers associated with lower diatom biomass, which evidences a clear competition or niche segregation between diatoms and cryptophytes. We also unravel the cryptophyte photo-physiological niche by exploring its capacity to thrive under high light stress normally found in confined stratified upper layers. Such conditions are becoming more frequent in the Antarctic coastal waters and will likely have significant future implications at various levels of the marine food web. The competitive advantage of cryptophytes in environments with significant light level fluctuations was supported by laboratory experiments that revealed a high flexibility of cryptophytes to grow in different light conditions driven by a fast photo-regulating response. All tested physiological parameters support the hypothesis that cryptophytes are highly flexible regarding their growing light conditions and extremely efficient in rapidly photo-regulating changes to environmental light levels. This plasticity would give them a competitive advantage in exploiting an ecological niche where light levels fluctuate quickly. These findings provide new insights on niche separation between diatoms and cryptophytes, which is vital for a thorough understanding of the WAP marine ecosystem.     

Characterization of hemocytes from the marine amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis (Dana 1853): Setting the basis for immunotoxicological studies

Hemocytes are circulating blood cells that play a crucial function in amphipods and other crustacean immune systems. The hemocytes of the marine tropical amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis have been used for the evaluation of DNA damage and micronuclei, but they have not been characterized in the scientific literature. The aim of this study was to describe the hemolymph cells of P. hawaiensis and study their phagocytotic activity. Basic dyes were used to differentiate the cell types and the presence of lipids. The total hemocyte counts (THCs) and the proportion and sizes of the hemocyte types were determined. Hemolymph was exposed to Escherichia coli for verification of the presence of phagocytosis. Three cell types, all containing lipids, were identified in P. hawaiensis: granulocytes (oval shape, 13.4 × 7.6 μm), semi-granulocytes (oval shape, 14.1 × 7.2 μm), and hyalinocytes (round shape, 9.6 × 7.2 μm). Those three cell types were found in different percentages in males (64.8%, 31.1%, and 4.2%) and females (70.1%, 28.2%, and 1.7%). THCs for males were 9007 ± 3800 cells per individual and 4695 ± 1892 cells per individual for females. The cells of E. coli were phagocytized by the hemocytes. Our findings increased the knowledge of hemocytes in P. hawaiensis and is a step forward in using hemocyte-based immune responses as an endpoint in ecotoxicology.