Morphological taxonomy of little-differentiated Hyphomycetes

Morphological taxonomy of simple Hyphomycetes is complicated by the frequent occurrence of pleoanamorphism. In some groups of yeast-like fungi, uncommon synanamorphs are diagnostic. Differences in conidiogenesis do not always delimit natural groups. Some nomenclatural problems are mentioned, with an emphasis on the need of neotypification. Prospects are sketched for future taxonomic research.     

Binding of [3H]estradiol- and [3H]H1285-receptor complexes to rabbit uterine chromatin

In the present study we investigated the binding characteristics of estrogen and antiestrogen-receptor complexes to rabbit uterine chromatin. Activated or nonactivated estrogen receptors were partially purified by DEAE-cellulose chromatography using low (1 mM) or high (10 mM) concentrations of sodium molybdate. Activated [³H]estradiol-receptor complexes showed enhanced binding to chromatin acceptor sites unmasked by 1 M, 4 M and 6 M guanidine hydrochloride. We also examined the chromatin-binding characteristics of the estrogen receptors when bound by the high-affinity triphenylethylene antiestrogen, H1285. The acceptor site activity for the [³H]H1285-receptor complexes was markedly decreased at sites unmasked by 4 M and 6 M guanidine hydrochloride. Further, the nonactivated receptor complexes showed very low binding to deproteinized chromatin. The estrogen-receptor chromatin-acceptor sites were tissue specific and saturable. These chromatin acceptor sites differ in their affinity and capacity (number of binding sites per cell) for the estrogen- and antiestrogen-receptor complexes. Thus, we suggest that the differences in the physiological and physicochemical properties of estrogens and antiestrogens may be related to their differential interaction with uterine chromatin subfractions.     

The effect of acetaldehyde on gluconeogenesis from xylitol, sorbitol, and fructose by isolated rat liver cells.

In isolated rat liver cells, ethanol inhibited gluconeogenesis from xylitol and sorbitol but not from fructose. Acetaldehyde, at initial concentrations of 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 mm, stimulated gluconeogenesis from xylitol and sorbitol in the absence of pyrazole but inhibited in the presence of pyrazole. There was no effect with fructose. Acetate had no effect. Methylene blue and pyruvate (but not lactate) prevented the stimulatory as well as the inhibitory effects of acetaldehyde. Acetoacetate (but not β3-hydroxybutyrate) prevented, to a large extent, the inhibitory effects of low (but not high) concentrations of acetaldehyde. The inhibition by low concentrations of acetaldehyde appears to be mediated via acetaldehyde oxidation in the mitochondria, whereas the inhibition by high concentrations of acetaldehyde appears to reflect acetaldehyde oxidation in the cytosol. These data indicate that the inhibitory action of ethanol on glucose production from xylitol and sorbitol can be reproduced by physiological concentrations of acetaldehyde. Changes in the $\text{NAD}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{NADH}$ ratio produced during acetaldehyde metabolism appear to be responsible for these effects of acetaldehyde. These changes may contribute to the actions of ethanol on gluconeogenesis from these substrates.     

Primary production and accumulation of nutrients by the ground layer community of cerrado vegetation of central Brazil

Summary Net aerial primary production and accumulation of nutrients by the grasses and nongrasses of the ground layer community of a cerrado vegetation in central Brazil were determined in burnt and unburnt areas. The net aerial primary production of the ground layer community was 327 gm^–2 in the unburnt area and only 242 gm^–2 in the burnt area during the first year after fire. Grasses contributed 68 to 78% of the aerial biomass of the ground layer in the unburnt area. The live biomass in the burnt and unburnt areas was comparable by the end of the first dry period after the fire. The major part of N, P and K in the aerial biomass was in the grasses. The concentration of all nutrients in the aerial biomass was generally higher in the burnt area during the first year after the fire.     

Emergence of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from a small forested stream in Ontario

Three species of blackflies were found in emergence-trap samples taken overa period of 8 months from a second-order, forested, cold-stenothermal stream in southern Ontario. The emergence phenologies of the two common species, Prosimulium mixtum and Stegopterna mutata, are described and compared with their phenologies in other streams in North America. Hypotheses are presented for the poor faunal diversity and prolonged emergence of the two species in the stream studied. Emergence data are used to describe the pupal distribution in the stream.Wing-length measurements showed a distinct dimorphism in P. mixtum: females were larger than males. Adult size (except of P. mixtum females) varied among sampling sites in the stream and, in the case of S. mutata, this variation was time dependent.     

Autoantibody to vasoactive intestinal peptide in human circulation

In a radioassay for Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP)-binding, eight out of 33 plasma samples from healthy human subjects exhibited specific binding ranging from 2.6% to 46.7% of total [125 I]VIP. This binding was competitively displaced by unlabeled VIP. The structurally homologous peptides, Peptide Histidine Isoleucine (PHI) and secretin, were, respectively, 72-fold and 413-fold less potent than VIP in displacing bound [125 I]VIP, whereas the unrelated peptides, neurotensin, eledoisin, bombesin and metenkephalin, were without effect on the binding. The antibody nature of the VIP-binding factor was suggested by its precipitation with ammonium sulfate, attenuation after absorption with Staphylococcus aureus preparations, precipitation with antisera against human IgG and IgM, and coelution with standard IgG and IgM on anion-exchange and high-performance gel-filtration columns. Pepsin treatment of purified IgG fraction yielded a VIP-binding species with apparent molecular weight of 108 +/- 13 kDa that was precipitated by antiserum against the F(ab)2 fragment of the IgG molecule. These results demonstrate the existence in some human plasmas of an autoantibody that binds VIP.     

Existence of Sites for Anions and Divalent Cations in the Solubilized γ-Aminobutyric Acid/Benzodiazepine Receptor Complex

This study evaluated the ability of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), baclofen, monovalent anions, divalent cations, and various combinations thereof to protect solubilized benzodiazepine (BZ) receptors of types 1 and 2, when contained together on the complex, against heat inactivation. Neither anions, cations, nor GABA alone provided significant protection of solubilized BZ receptors against heat, but inclusion of monovalent anions or divalent cations together with 500 microM GABA did afford protection. Monovalent anions combined with GABA (500 microM) provided 50% to full protection. Divalent cations, such as CaCl2 (2.5 mM) or MgCl2 (2.5 mM) in the presence of GABA (500 microM) yielded 45% and 24% protection, respectively. Other divalent cations tested (Zn2+, Hg2+, Co2+, and Ni2+) were poor protectors, even when combined with GABA. Monovalent anions (200 mM NaCl) and divalent cations (5 mM CaCl2) when tested together provided no protection. Similarly, baclofen (the GABA-B agonist) provided no protection, either alone or together with anions or divalent cations. These results indicate that the independent but interacting recognition sites of GABA, BZ, anions, and divalent cations, previously detected in the membrane-bound state, are retained in the solubilized state.     

Host gall size and oviposition success by the parasitoid Eurytoma gigantea

Abstract. 1. Eurytoma gigantea Walsh is a specialist parasitoid of the tephritid gallmaker Eurosta solidaginis (Fitch).
2. In the natural environment the incidence of parasitism by Eurytoma is greater in small galls than in large ones.
3. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that small galls are not more frequently discovered; however, oviposition attempts on small galls were more likely to be successful.
4. Eurytoma spends much time probing galls too big to penetrate; this leads to a decrease in foraging efficiency when many large galls are present.
5. The chance of successfully penetrating a gall depends on the thickness of the gall wall and the length of the parasitoid's ovipositor.
6. A simulation model was constructed which shows that a gallmak-er's chance of being parasitized depends on gall size, the number of parasitoids that discover the gall, and their ovipositor lengths.     

Purification and properties of cathepsin D from the mammary glands of lactating rabbits

Cathepsin D was purified from the lactating rabbit mammary gland by a rapid procedure, which included fractionation with (NH4)2SO4, acid precipitation, double affinity chromatography on pepstatin-Sepharose 4B and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, resulting in approximately 360-fold purification of the enzyme over the homogenate and approximately 16% recovery. After isoelectric focusing, the enzyme dissociated into four (pI 5.8, 6.3, 6.5 and 7.2) multiple forms, but appeared homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Cathepsin D has a Mr of 45 kDa as determined by Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. On sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the enzyme gave a single protein band, corresponding to Mr of 45 kDa. The amino acid composition of the enzyme is similar to that of cathepsins D from other tissues. A single N-terminal amino acid was glycine. Cathepsin D contains 6.4% carbohydrates consisting of mannose, galactose, fucose and glucosamine at a ratio of 3:9:2:2. Cathepsin D is inhibited by pepstatin with Ki of 2.5 X 10(-9) M and irreversibly by N-diazoacetyl-N'-2.4-dinitrophenyl-ethylene diamine. The enzyme hydrolyzes bovine hemoglobin with the maximal activity at pH 3.0 with Km = 10(-5) M and HLeu-Ser-Phe(NO2)-Nle-Ala-Leu-OMe with Km = 4 X 10(-5) M and Rcat = 0.95 s-1. The major cleavage sites were Leu15-Tyr16, Phe24-Phe25 and Phe25-Tyr26 during hydrolysis of the oxidized insulin B-chain by cathepsin D.