Auxin-induced H+-pump stimulation does not depend on the presence of epidermal cells in corn coleoptiles

Cell-wall acidification and electrical reactions (depolarization and hyperpolarization) are typical auxin responses in maize (Zea mays L.) coleoptiles. In an attempt to test the role of the outer epidermis in these responses, they have been measured and compared in intact and peeled coleoptile fragments. To exclude interactions between parenchymal and epidermal cells, the coleoptile pieces were completely stripped of their outer epidermis. This preparation was monitored by means of a scanning electron microscope. When externally applied indole-3-acetic acid was tested, we found that neither cell-wall acidification nor the electrical membrane responses depended on the presence of intact epidermal cells.Abbreviations IAA Indole-3-acetic acid - MES 2-[N morpholino-ethane-sulfonic acid - TRIS 2-Amino-2-hydroxymethyl-1,3-propanediol We thank Kuki Kaethner for her excellent technical assistance. This work was supported by the Hessische Graduiertenförderung and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Iron K-edge absorption spectroscopic investigations of the cores of ferritin and haemosiderins.

The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) associated with the iron K-edge has been measured and interpreted for ferritin and haemosiderin extracted from horse spleen, and haemosiderin extracted from the livers of humans with treated primary haemochromatosis, and from the spleens of humans with treated secondary haemochromatosis. For ferritin, the data are consistent with, on average, each iron atom being in an environment comprised of approx. six oxygen atoms at 1.93 +/- 0.02 A, approx. 1.5 iron atoms at 2.95 +/- 0.02 A and approx. 1.1 iron atoms at 3.39 +/- 0.02 A, with a further shell of oxygens at approx. 3.6 A. Iron in horse spleen haemosiderin is in an essentially identical local environment to that in horse spleen ferritin. In contrast, the EXAFS data for primary haemochromatosis haemosiderin indicate that the iron-oxide core is amorphous; only a single shell of approx. six oxygen atoms at approx. 1.94 +/- 0.02 A being apparent. Secondary haemochromatosis haemosiderin shows an ordered structure with approx. 1.4 iron atoms at both 2.97 +/- 0.02 and 3.34 +/- 0.02 A. This arrangement of iron atoms is similar to that in horse spleen haemosiderin, but the first oxygen shell is split with approx. 2.9 atoms at 1.90 +/- 0.02 A and approx. 2.7 at 2.03 +/- 0.02 A, indicative of substantial structural differences between secondary haemochromatosis haemosiderin and horse spleen haemosiderin.     

The silk-producing system ofLinyphia triangularis (Araneae,Linyphiidae) and some comparisons with Araneidae

Summary The spinning apparatus ofLinyphia triangularis, adult females and males, was studied with the scanning electron microscope and the main anatomical and histochemical characteristics of the silk glands, including the epigastric apparatus of males, are presented. The epigastric glands seem to be important for the construction of sperm webs. A detailed account of the use of the different kinds of silk in web building is given.The spinning apparatus ofLinyphia closely corresponds to the araneid pattern. Characteristic of linyphiid spiders is the poor development of the aciniform glands. Corresponding to the minor importance of capture threads forLinyphia, the triads (aggregate and flagelliform glands) are less developed than in Araneidae.Linyphia make much less use of the secretions of the piriform glands for connecting threads than Araneidae. Capture threads adhere to other threads by their own glue; other threads seem mostly to be bound to one another by the secretion of the minor ampullate glands whose chemical properties, inLinyphia, appear especially adapted to this function. Neither the anatomical and histochemical data concerning the spinning apparatus nor the structure of the webs provide any indication of close relationships between Linyphiidae and Agelenidae, as was recently claimed.     

Topology of the anion-selective porin Omp32 from Comamonas acidovorans.

Limited proteolysis experiments were performed with outer membranes from Comamonas acidovorans to probe the topology of its major protein component, the anion-selective porin Omp32. Proteinase K treatment above a critical temperature of 42 degrees C cleaved the surface-exposed regions of the porin, yielding membrane-embedded fragments which were separated by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or reversed phase chromatography. The identification of the proteinase K-sensitive sites was performed by microsequencing. This allowed us to determine six surface-exposed sites of the porin, all located in nonconserved primary structure regions. These results along with the previously determined amino acid sequence and in conjunction with some structural constraints applicable to porins allowed us to propose a chain-folding model of the Omp32 porin. The features of our model are compared with the structure of the Rhodobacter capsulatus porin, recently established by X-ray crystallography (Weiss et al., 1991) and they are used to elucidate the structural basis of the anion selectivity.     

Alteration of cell surface carbohydrates associated with ordered and disordered proliferation of oral epithelia: a lectin histochemical study in oral leukoplakias, papillomas and carcinomas

Cell surface carbohydrates in healthy oral mucosa (n = 15), leukoplakias without (n = 48) and with (n = 62) dysplasia, oral papillomas (n = 6) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) (n = 40) were examined using the lectins peanut agglutinin (PNA), Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I), soybean agglutinin (SBA), Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), and Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin I (GS I-B4). Binding of these lectins in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues was demonstrated using either the peroxidase-anti-peroxidase (PAP) method or the avidin-biotin method. Healthy oral epithelia revealed binding sites for these lectins mostly in the suprabasal keratinocytes with occasional PNA binding also in their basal cells. Unlike healthy mucosa, a number of leukoplakias without and with dysplasia revealed receptor sites for UEA I also in their basal layer. Only those keratinocytes undergoing squamoidal differentiation exhibited SBA binding. Staining patterns of UEA I and SBA did not vary significantly between either leukoplakias without and with dysplasia or papillomas and SCCs. Conversely, a reduction or lack of binding sites for PNA (Gal beta 1-3GalNAc), HPA (D-GalNAc alpha) and GS I-B4 (alpha D-Gal) was observed more frequently in leukoplakias with dysplasia and SCCs contrasting their counterparts lacking epithelial dysplasia. Cell surface glycosyl residues play an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation and epithelial growth. Aberrant glycosylation in oral dysplastic leukoplakias and carcinomas leading to the lack of the relevant terminal sugar residues from their cell surface carbohydrates is probably a major reason for the hyper-/disordered proliferation.     

Indium-111 autologous leucocyte scanning: comparison with radiology for imaging the colon in inflammatory bowel disease.

Indium-111 autologous leucocyte scanning was compared with barium enema for assessing the extent of colonic disease in Crohn''s colitis and ulcerative colitis. Scanning was shown to be as accurate as conventional radiology in colitis, reliably distinguishing active from inactive disease. The results suggest that 111In-leucocyte scanning is an accurate, non-invasive, alternative technique for imaging the extent of disease in colitis.     

Release of sediment-phosphorus and the influence of algal growth on this process

Summary Phosphorus release from undisturbed sediment cores was studied in a continuous flow system. Various lakes and polder ditches were compared with each other. Peaty lakes exchanged their particulate phosphorus rapidly with the overlying water as compared with other sediment types. This makes them suitable for phosphorus load reduction measures. There was found to be no simple direct relation between chemically extracted phosphorus fractions and the phosphorus released during the experiment. Algal growth in the overlying water stimulated the release of phosphorus.     

FBJ murine osteosarcoma virus: identification and molecular cloning of biologically active proviral DNA

A 12.0-kilobase EcoRI restriction fragment containing FBJ murine osteosarcoma virus (FBJ-MSV) proviral DNA was identified in FBJ-MSV-transformed nonproducer rat cells and molecularly cloned in bacteriophage Charon 30 (lambda FBJ-1). A 5.8-kb HindIII fragment containing the entire FBJ-MSV proviral DNA was isolated from lambda FBJ-1 and subsequently subcloned in plasmid pBR322 (pFBJ-2). The DNA from recombinant plasmid pFBJ-2 was able to induce morphological transformation of rat fibroblasts in tissue culture. Transfected cells contained the p55 and p39 antigens specific for cells transformed by FBJ-MSV (T. Curran and N. M. Teich, J. Virol. 42:114-122, 1982). The organization of the FBJ-MSV provirus was analyzed by restriction endonuclease mapping, and a region of nonhomology with the helper virus was delineated. Sequences specific for this region (presumably the viral fos gene) were subcloned and used as a probe to identify related sequences present in the normal genomes of cells from a variety of mammalian species (cellular fos). A single-size (3.4 kilobases long) class of RNA hybridizing to the viral fos probe was identified in FBJ-MSV-transformed cells.     

Genetic and biochemical characterization of a human surface determinant on somatic cell hybrids: the 4F2 antigen

We have mapped the gene which codes the species-specific determinant defined by monoclonal antibody 4F2 to human chromosome 11. All human chromosomes, except Y, were included in a group of four human-mouse hybrid lines. Hybrids heterogeneous for 4F2 antigen expression were sorted using the fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) to yield populations homogeneous with respect to the presence or absence of this determinant. Isozyme analysis indicated corresponding genetic selection for or against human chromosome 11. This map assignment was confirmed using a hybrid line which contained only human chromosome 11. Immunoprecipitation of the 4F2 determinant from the 11 only hybrid resulted in a heavy subunit of molecular weight (Mr) = 100,000 and a light subunit of Mr = 41,000. This contrasts with results obtained from nonhybrid human cells of different lineages. These results demonstrate the importance of FACS techniques in the rapid mapping of genes which code human cell surface antigens.     

Soybean leaf photosynthesis in relation to maturity classification and stage of growth

Leaf photosynthetic rates were measured on field-grown soybeans during the 1980 season. Comparisons were made between different cultivars and isolines representative of maturity groups I–IV. Mature, fully expanded leaves at different nodes on the plant were measured in high light to determine which had the highest potential photosynthetic rates at any one time. Successive leaves during the growing season had maximum rates which increased from about 22 mol CO₂ m^-2 s^-1 on 25 June to a peak of 30–44 mol CO₂ m^-2 s^-1 in early August.The persistency and eventual decline in the maximum rate was associated with the maturity group and related dates of flowering, pod fill and onset of senescence. Early maturing cultivars (groups I and II) had higher peak rates (38–44 mol CO₂ m^-2 s^-1) than later maturing cultivars (30–35 mol CO₂ m^-2 s^-1, groups III and IV). However, the photosynthetic rates of early maturing cultivars declined rapidly after attaining their peak, whereas the leaves of later maturing cultivars maintained their photosynthetic activity for much longer.