Complexing of 3d transition metal ions with 9-substituted purines. IV. The effect of base-stacking on the basicity and complexing-ability

A number of 9-methylpurines were equilibrated between carbon tetrachloride or chloroform and aqueous solutions containing either nickel(II) perchlorate or N⁶,N⁶-dimethyladenosine. The equilibrium constants for the complex formation with nickel(II) ion and association with N⁶,N⁶-dimethyladenosine were calculated on the basis of the distribution data. The results, together with those obtained in the presence of both nickel(II) perchlorate and N⁶,N⁶-dimethyladenosine, are interpreted to indicate that stacking-association with the latter compound reduces the complexing-ability of 9-methylpurines. The protonation of guanosine in the presence of caffeine was examined potentiostatically and its association with caffeine studied by phase-solubility measurements. Association with caffeine was shown to lower the basicity of guanosine.     

Hepatic biotransformation in farmed blue fox and raccoon dog

In farmed raccoon dogs and blue foxes, the hepatic content of cytochrome P-450 and the activity of polysubstrate mono-oxygenase with benzo(a)pyrene and 7-ethoxycoumarin as substrates, as well as activity of UDP glucuronosyltransferase were of the same order of magnitude as those in the laboratory rat. The amount of reduced glutathione tended to be higher in canids. There existed differences in the biotransformation activities between raccoon dogs from different farms. These cannot, however, be systematically related to the quality of food, body composition and succinate dehydrogenase activity.     

Resistance of Escherichia coli to penicillins. IX. Genetics and physiology of class II ampicillin-resistant mutants that are galactose negative or sensitive to bacteriophage C21, or both

Ampicillin-resistant mutants of class II are determined by a doubling of chromosomally and episomally mediated ampicillin resistance on agar plates. Several mutants were isolated from a female as well as from an Hfr strain. The mutants differed from each other in various properties such as response to colicin E2 and sodium cholate, response to the phages T4 and C21, and fermentation of galactose. By conjugation and transduction experiments, it was shown that mutations in at least four loci gave the class II phenotype. The mutations were found to be in the galU gene, the ctr gene, and two new genes close to mtl denoted lpsA and lpsB. The carbohydrate compositions of the lipopolysaccharides of the mutants were investigated and found to be changed compared to the parent strains. GalU mutants lacked rhamnose and galactose and had 11% glucose compared to the parent strain. The lpsA mutant also lacked rhamnose and had only traces of galactose and 58% glucose, whereas the lpsB mutant contained 14% rhamnose, traces of galactose, and 81% glucose compared to the parent strain.     

Horizontal mesoscale distribution of phytoplankton in the Tvärminne sea area,southern Finland

Horizontal distribution of phytoplankton was studied by sampling two grids, both having 16 sampling points. The distance between sampling points was 10 m. Phytoplankton species were enumerated by inverted microscopy and the observed distribution patterns were compared with a random distribution. Contagious distribution was common among the species studied. Both actively moving and passively drifting species showed significant contagiousness in their distribution. Actively moving and passively drifting species showed different distribution patterns. The effects of horizontal heterogeneity on phytoplankton sampling are discussed.     

Replication of kinetoplast DNA in Trypanosoma equiperdum. Minicircle H strand fragments which map at specific locations

The mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, kinetoplast DNA, is a network containing thousands of topologically interlocked minicircles. Minicircles are replicated as free molecules after being detached from the network. The minicircle L strand appears to be synthesized continuously and the H strand discontinuously. This paper describes properties of Trypanosoma equiperdum minicircle H strand fragments which could be Okazaki fragments. These fragments constitute a family of molecules of discrete sizes (ranging from about 70 to 1000 nucleotides) which map to specific locations. Three of the most prominent fragments, a 73-mer, 83-mer, and 138-mer, map at contiguous or overlapping sites. Based on their position relative to the initiation site for L strand synthesis, the 73-mer may be the first Okazaki fragment to be synthesized and either the 83-mer or the 138-mer may be the second. The 5' end of the 73-mer lies within a sequence, GGGCGT, found at a similar location in minicircles of all trypanosomatid species. During the maturation of free minicircles and after their reattachment to the networks there appears to be continued extension and ligation of the H strand fragments. However, the ligation of the 73-mer, 83-mer, and 138-mer to the rest of the H strand is delayed; their eventual ligation results in covalent closure of the minicircles.     

Positive identification of a measles virus cDNA clone encoding a region of the phosphoprotein

A measles virus-specific cDNA clone, C1-G, that was previously assigned as a hemagglutinin-specific clone has been reassigned as a phosphoprotein-specific clone. The nucleotide sequence of C1-G was used to deduce the amino acid sequence. A synthetic peptide was constructed from a portion of the deduced sequence, and antisera were prepared. The antibodies directed against this synthetic peptide specifically precipitated the phosphoprotein of measles virus and not the hemagglutinin.     

Morphological "primary homology" and expression of AG-subfamily MADS-box genes in pines, podocarps, and yews

The morphological variation among reproductive organs of extant gymnosperms is remarkable, especially among conifers. Several hypotheses concerning morphological homology between various conifer reproductive organs have been put forward, in particular in relation to the pine ovuliferous scale. Here, we use the expression patterns of orthologs of the ABC-model MADS-box gene AGAMOUS (AG) for testing morphological homology hypotheses related to organs of the conifer female cone. To this end, we first developed a tailored 3'RACE procedure that allows reliable amplification of partial sequences highly similar to gymnosperm-derived members of the AG-subfamily of MADS-box genes. Expression patterns of two novel conifer AG orthologs cloned with this procedure-namely PodAG and TgAG, obtained from the podocarp Podocarpus reichei and the yew Taxus globosa, respectively-are then further characterized in the morphologically divergent female cones of these species. The expression patterns of PodAG and TgAG are compared with those of DAL2, a previously discovered Picea abies (Pinaceae) AG ortholog. By treating the expression patterns of DAL2, PodAG, and TgAG as character states mapped onto currently accepted cladogram topologies, we suggest that the epimatium-that is, the podocarp female cone organ previously postulated as a "modified" ovuliferous scale-and the canonical Pinaceae ovuliferous scale can be legitimally conceptualized as "primary homologs." Character state mapping for TgAG suggests in turn that the aril of Taxaceae should be considered as a different type of organ. This work demonstrates how the interaction between developmental-genetic data and formal cladistic theory could fruitfully contribute to gymnosperm systematics.