Chemical and sensory characteristics of the fruits of eight cultivars of field grown tomato

The physical and sensory characteristics of tomato fruits (cf. Gajc-Wolska et al.: Physical and sensory characteristics of the fruits …, this issue) were supplemented by total sugars and titratable acid analysis and flavor. The instrumental and sensory methods were highly statistically correlated. Comparison of cultivars always requires that physical and chemical analysis of tomato fruit quality should always include results of sensory evaluation.     

Spectroscopic and potentiometric evidence for the stabilization of a bent structure of octapeptides by Cu(II) ions

Syntheses and the results of a potentiometric and spectrophotometric study at 25°C and an ionic strength of 0.10 mol dm^?3 (KNO₃) of the H ⁺ and Cu²⁺ complexes of two pairs of tetra- and octapeptides are reported. The peptides, Gly-Gly-Pro-Gly and (Gly-Gly-Pro-Gly)₂, and Gly-Gly-Pro-Lys and (Gly-Gly-Pro-Lys)₂, are models for the biologically active octapeptide with antitumor activity, dog tuftsinyltuftsin. The results clearly demonstrate participation of the ?-NH₂ group of -Lys- in metal ion coordination from below pH 6 and, with the octapeptides at high pH, suggest the presence of a bent conformation with a large chelate ring spanning the two ends of the peptide chain.     

Purification of Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase from P3HR-1 cells.

The Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase was purified from extracts of P3HR-1 cells treated with n-butyrate for induction of the viral cycle. Sequential chromatography on DNA cellulose, phosphocellulose, and blue Sepharose yielded an enzyme preparation purified more than 1,300-fold. The purified enzyme was distinct from cellular enzymes but resembled the viral DNA polymerase in cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 or 2. The active enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 185,000 as estimated by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed a major polypeptide corresponding to a molecular weight of ca. 110,000. This polypeptide correlated with the catalytic function of the purified enzyme, whereas the other, less abundant polypeptides did not. By immunoblotting, the 110,000-molecular-weight polypeptide could be identified as a viral polypeptide. It could not be determined whether the native enzyme was composed of more than one polypeptide.     

Apparent survival rates of a long-lived partial migrant: the Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis

Capsule: In Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis populations from the eastern Adriatic Sea, there are considerable differences in the ratio of migratory birds and apparent survival among the colonies. Survival was dependent on age, colony and area of dispersal.

Aims: To identify the ratio of migratory birds within populations of Yellow-legged Gulls, and to compare apparent survival of gulls during migration in central and northern Europe and around the Adriatic Sea.

Methods: We analysed 15 years of resighting data of Yellow-legged Gulls using a MARK multi-state model to calculate survival rates. The effects of age, natal colony and area of dispersal were examined.

Results: Almost 60% of Adriatic Yellow-legged Gulls were migratory but the ratio varied among colonies (10.3–78.3%). Survival was dependent on age, colony and area of dispersal, with average values per group ranging between 0.599 (se 0.093) and 0.684 (se 0.084).

Conclusion: The ratio of migratory and dispersive Yellow-legged Gulls from different Adriatic colonies might be affected by both inheritance and food availability.     

Effect of jasmonates and exogenous polysaccharides on production of alkannin pigments in suspension cultures of Alkanna tinctoria

Summary The conditions for the efficient production of alkannin pigments by a suspension culture of Alkanna tinctoria were established. Pectin, polygalacturonic acid sodium salt and galactan increased the pigment production but not as much as agar did. A marked increase in the pigment content in cells and medium of suspension cultures after treatment with methyl jasmonate was observed. It was shown, applying a two-layer culture method, that mineral and olive oils intensified the pigment secretion from cells to the medium but did not enhance significantly their synthesis. Thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography methods showed that two main esters of alkannin are responsible for the characteristic colour of A. tinctoria suspension cultures.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - IAA indole 3-acetic acid - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - MeJA methyl jasmonate - TLC thin layer chromatography - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography     

Media from Rhabdomyosarcoma and Neuroblastoma Cell Cultures Stimulate in Vitro Aggregation and Fibrillization of Amyloid Beta-Protein

In vitro aggregation and fibrillization of synthetic amyloid beta-protein A 1–40 was assessed in the conditioned media from rhabdomyosarcoma (CRL 1598, HTB 82, HTB 153, CCL 136), adenocarcinoma (CCL 218), neuroblastoma (SY5Y), and COS cells cultured in the absence and presence of 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS). The aggregation and formation of cross -pleated sheet structures in A was quantitated by Thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence spectroscopy, while the morphology of A fibrils was examined in negative staining in the electronmicroscope (EM). In cultures supplemented with 10% FBS, the conditioned media from CRL 1598, HTB 82, CCL 218, and SY5Y cell cultures stimulated A aggregation in a time-dependent manner as compared to that of control (serum-containing medium that had not been exposed to cells). The order of stimulation was SY5Y > CRL 1598 HTB 82 > CCL 218, and the stimulation was higher in 2 week cultures than in 1 week cultures. Similar studies using media from HTB 153, CCL 136 and COS cell cultures showed no effect on A 1–40 aggregation. In serum-free cell cultures, only media from SY5Y and CRL 1598 could promote significant aggregation of A 1–40. Negative staining in EM revealed A fibril formation only with conditioned media from SY5Y and CRL 1598 cultured under serum free conditions; no A fibrils were noticed in media from cell cultures supplemented with 10% FBS. We propose that both the SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line and the CRL 1598 rhabdomyosarcoma cell line may serve as experimental models for in vitro studies of extracellular aggregation and fibrillization of A-protein in cell cultures, while rhabdomyosarcoma HTB 82 and adenocarcinoma CCL 218 may be models for study of A aggregation only.     

Correlation Effects in the Double Proton Transfer of the Formic Acid Dimer

The role of correlation effects in the potential energy hypersurface for the double proton transfer in the hydrogen bond of the formic acid dimer has been studied at the non-empirical level. The calculations were performed in different large as well as for the first time in complete basis set at the correlation level. The possible reasons of incorrect results of quantum chemical calculations are considered.     

Diverse evolutionary pathways shaped 5S rDNA of species of tribe Anemoneae (Ranunculaceae) and reveal phylogenetic signal

Anemone sensu lato (including Pulsatilla and Hepatica), tribe Anemoneae (Ranunculaceae), is arranged into two subgenera, Anemone and Anemonidium, with basic chromosome numbers x = 8 and x = 7, respectively. We elucidated the level of divergence of 5S rDNA unit arrays between the subgenera, determined intra‐individual and interspecific sequence variation and tested 5S rDNA phylogenetic signal in revealing the origin of polyploid species. High intra‐individual nucleotide diversity and the presence of 5S rDNA unit array length variants and pseudogenes indicate that weak homogenization forces have shaped 5S rDNA in the investigated species. Our results show that 5S rDNA evolved through two major changes: diversification of 5S rDNA into two lineages, one with long (subgenus Anemone) and one with short 5S rDNA unit arrays (subgenus Anemonidium); and subsequent contraction and expansion of 5S rDNA unit arrays. Phylogenetic analysis based on 5S rDNA supports the hypothesis that A. parviflora could be a parental species and donor of the subgenome D to the allopolyploids A. multifida (BBDD) and A. baldensis (AABBDD). In A. baldensis interlocus exchange possibly occurred, followed by subsequent replacement of the 5S rDNA from subgenome D with those from subgenome B. Here we present evidence that both models, concerted and birth‐and‐death evolution, were probably involved in the evolution of the 5S rDNA multigene family in subgenera Anemone and Anemonidium.     

Isolation‐driven functional assembly of plant communities on islands

The physical and biotic environment is often considered the primary driver of functional variation in plant communities. Here, we examine the hypothesis that spatial isolation may also be an important driver of functional variation in plant communities where disturbance and dispersal limitation may prevent species from occupying all suitable habitats. To test this hypothesis, we surveyed the vascular plant composition of 30 islands in the Gulf of Maine, USA, and used available functional trait and growth form data to quantify the functional composition of these islands. We categorized species based on dispersal mode and used a landscape metric of isolation to assess the potential role of dispersal limitation as a mechanism of isolation‐driven assembly. We tested for island and species level effects on functional composition using a hierarchical Bayesian framework to better assess the causal link between isolation and functional variation. Growth form composition and the community mean value of functional traits related to growth rate, stress tolerance, and nutrient use varied significantly with island isolation. Functional traits and growth forms were significantly associated with dispersal mode, and spatial isolation was the strongest driver of primary trait variation, while island properties associated with environmental drivers in our system were not strong predictors of trait variation. Despite the species‐level association of dispersal mode and functional traits, dispersal mode only accounted for a small proportion of the overall isolation effect on community‐level trait variation. Our study suggests that spatial isolation can be a key driver of functional assembly in plant communities on islands, though the role of particular dispersal processes remains unclear.