Chaetomella acutiseta produces chaetomellic acids A and B which are reversible inhibitors of farnesyl-protien transferase

Chaetomellic acids A and B, isolated from Chaetomella acutiseta, are specific inhibitors of farnesyl-protein transferase that do not inhibit geranylgeranyl transferase type 1 or squalene synthase. Chaetomellic acids A and B are reversible inhibitors, resemble farnesyl diphosphate and probably inhibit FPTase by substituting for farnesyl diphosphate. Chaetomellic acid production appears to be widespread within the genus Chaetomella. Correspondence to: R. B. Lingham     

A scanning electron microscope study of normal and vitrified leaves from Datura insignis plantlets cultured in vitro

The surface anatomy of normal and vitreous leaves of plantlets obtained from Datura insignis Barb Rodr nodal segment cultures was compared using scanning electron microscopy. Normal and vitrified leaves are similar in several ways. They are both amphistomatic, and have similar distributions of glandular and non-glandular trichomes. Stomata have similar length, diameter and distribution in normal and vitreous plants. Immature stomata, which have closed pores, and plugged stomata, which contain an amorphous material between their guard cells, occur in both normal and vitrified leaves. Normal and vitreous leaves differ in the frequency of normal and abnormal stomata. Normal stomata have kidney-shaped guard cells and resemble closely those found in field-grown plants, whereas abnormal stomata have deformed guard cells. Normal stomata represent approximately 80% of the total number of stomata in normal leaves, but only 7% of the total number of stomata in vitreous leaves. Abnormal stomata represent 90% of the total number in vitreous leaves. The deformation of guard cells could possibly be a mechanical impediment to stomatal function.     

The metabolism of sugar and malic acid by Leuconostoc oenos: effect of malic acid, pH and aeration conditions

The co-metabolism of sugars by Leuconostoc oenos was studied under different environmental conditions. Under aerobic conditions, growth and sugar metabolism were poorer than under CO₂ or N₂ atmosphere and acetic acid accumulated to a larger extent. Glycerol was found in the aerobic cultures while erythritol was detected under N₂ or CO₂. When medium conditions make growth difficult (low pH, aerobic conditions, low nutrients), sugars were only slightly metabolized and growth was very slow while malic acid was rapidly and completely degraded, leading to an increase in the y _ATP. Aeration effects on the malic acid degradation rate depended on the nutrients and carbon source in the medium. Malic acid clearly stimulated bacterial growth, allowing an increase in the molar growth yields and ATP production. The results suggest that under adverse conditions cells are not able to grow and malic degradation supplies additional energy production.     

Biology of the bamboo Chusquea culeou (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) in southern Argentina

Over a period of 7 years the biology and phenotypic variability of Chusquea culeou were studied at 5 locations in cool temperate forests of southern Argentina. Excavated rhizomes had an average of 1.1 successful rhizome buds, and an average of 2.1 years elapsed between successive generations of rhizomes. Rhizome buds usually develop within the first four years after a rhizome forms. Height, volume and weight of a culm can be calculated from its diameter 1 m above the ground. Culm size, length of foliage leaf blades, and pattern of secondary branching differed among study sites. Dead culms were numerous and commonly remained erect for more than 7 years after dying. New culm shoots appear in spring and reach full size within a few months. Shoots can grow more than 9 cm/day. Less than half of the shoots survived a year; most were killed by moth larvae. Multiple primary branch buds emerge through the culm leaf sheaths in the second spring. The mean number of branch buds at mid-culm nodes varied between 34.8 and 81.5, and the mean number of primary branches was between 22.8 and 40.8. Number and length of branches, and number and length of foliage leaf blades at each node is related to the position of the node on a culm. Most branches grow about 3 cm and produce 1 to 3 foliage leaves annually. Foliage leaf blades generally live 2 years or more; few survive 6 years. Relative lengths of foliage leaf blades and their spacing along a branch permit recognition of annual cohorts.Both gregarious and sporadic flowering have been reported, and every year a few isolated plants flower and die. Length of the life cycle is unknown. Seedlings require up to 15 years to produce culms of mature size. Foliage branches may live more than 23 years, and culms may survive 33 years. Extensive loss of new shoots to predation suggests that gregarious flowering may be driven by a need to escape parasitism. C. culeou clumps expand slowly. Average annual rate of increase of the number of live culms in a clump was 4.6%. Methods of seed dispersal are undocumented. A dense stand of Chusquea culeou had an estimated phytomass of 179 tons/hectare (dry weight), 28% of which was underground. Net annual production was about 16 t/ha dry weight.     

Characterization of Large Unilamellar Vesicles as Models for Studies of Lipid Peroxidation Initiated by Azocompounds

The aim of this work was to characterize large unilamellar vesicles (LUVETs) prepared by a hand-driven extrusion device in order to use them for studies of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity. Vesicle structure and size were examined by electron microscopy. Lipid and antioxidant content was determined before and after the extrusion procedure. Then LUVETs were subjected to autoxidation initiated by both the lipid-soluble 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) and the water-soluble 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane hydrochloride) azocompounds. The results demonstrated that: i) LUVETs prepared with lipid concentrations ranging between 25 and 150 mM were essentially unilamellar and reasonably homogeneous, with an average diameter of 90 nm; ii) the phospholipid, cholesterol and antioxidant amounts retained by filters were about 10-15%; iii) LUVETs were suitable for autoxidation studies initiated by the water-soluble azocompound both in the absence and presence of antioxidants. The lipid-soluble azocompound could be used only at low concentrations and its vesicle content had to be determined since part of the initiator was not incorporated into the lipid bilayer. These data suggest that LUVETs seem to be recommended for studies of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity.     

Follicle-stimulating hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin induced changes in granulosa cell glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol concentration

In the present investigation, a hCG sensitive glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI) was isolated from cultured rat granulosa cells obtained from the ovaries of diethylstilbestrol (DES) implanted immature rats. The inositol-phosphoglycan (IPG) moiety of the GPI-lipid contains galactose, glucosamine, and myoinositol as demonstrated by metabolic labelling of granulosa cells for different time periods (5–96 h) with [³H]galactose, [³H]glucosamine, or [³H]myoinositol and treatment of the purified [³H]GPI with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. Labelling equilibrium of the GPI-lipid was achieved after 24 h ([³H]galactose and [³H]myoinositol) or 72 h ([³H]glucosamine) incubation, whereas incorporation of other labelled carbohydrates tested ([³H]galactosamine, [³H]mannose, and [³H]sorbitol) was negligible throughout the time period studied. The glucosamine C-1 appears to be linked through a glycosidic bond to the myoinositol molecule of the IPG moiety as revealed by the generation of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) after nitrous acid deamination of dual labelled ([³H]glucosamine/[¹⁴C]palmitate or [³H]glucosamine/[¹⁴C]myristate) glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol. To investigate the fatty acid composition of the diacylglycerol (DAG) backbone of the GPI, granulosa cells were also labelled (5–72 hr) with [¹⁴C]linoleate, [³H]myristate, [³H]-oleate, [³H]palmitate, or [³H]stearate and the radioactivity associated with the purified glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol determined. Incorporation of [³H]palmitate and [³H]myristate into the GPI-lipid peaked after 8 h and 24 h of labelling, respectively, and both fatty acids were partially released after PLA₂ treatment of the dual labelled ([³H]glucosamine/[¹⁴C]palmitate or [³H]glucosamine/[¹⁴C]myristate) GPI. In parallel experiments no significant incorporation of labelled stearate, oleate, or linoleic acid into the DAG backbone of the glycosylphosphatidylinositol could be detected. Granulosa cells were also labelled with [³H]glucosamine in the presence of FSH (30 ng/ml), cholera toxin (1 μg/ml), or the membrane permeable cAMP analog (but)₂ cAMP (1 mM). Time related increases in GPI-labelling were apparent after 48 h and reached a maximum level (3-, 5-, and 7-fold for FSH, CT, and (but)₂ cAMP, respectively) after 72 h in culture. In another set of experiments, granulosa cells were labelled for 72 h with [³H]glucosamine in the presence of (but)₂cAMP (1 mM), TPA (10^?7 M), or combination thereof. The effect of treatment with the membrane permeable cAMP analog on GPI labelling was prevented in the presence of TPA, whereas no differences in [³H]GPI content could be observed in untreated granulosa cells or cells cultured in the presence of the protein kinase C-activating phorbol ester alone. In cells differentiated with FSH (30 ng/ml for 3 days) to induce LH receptors, treatment with hCG (100 ng/ml) induced a rapid (60 sec) and transient (5 min) decrease in the GPI content, whereas no efect of the hormone on undifferentiated granulosa cells could be observed. The rapid effect elicited by hCG on GPI content and turnover may be an early transduction mechanism involved in the biological effects of LH/hCG in differentiated granulosa cells. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Low Selenium Diet Affects Monoamine Turnover Differentially in Substantia Nigra and Striatum

Abstract: Turnover of dopamine, noradrenaline. serotonin, and their metabolites has been measured in striatum and substantia nigra of adult female rats that were fed control or selenium-deficient diets for 15 days. In addition, the glutathione peroxidase activity has been studied. The most striking result was the increase of dopamine turnover (63%) and 3- methoxytyramine turnover (55%) in substantia nigra between control and experimental animals. On the other hand, no changes were found in the turnover rate of dopamine and its metabolites in the striatum. Likewise, no changes were found in noradrenaline turnover in substantia nigra. In the striatum, there was a significant increase of serotonin turnover versus no change for 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid. However, in the substantia nigra, serotonin turnover did not show significant changes, whereas 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid turnover decreased. At the same time, glutathione peroxidase activity significantly decreased in both structures after selenium-deficient diets. These results suggest that a selenium-deficient diet for a short period of time decreases brain protection. principally in the substantia nigra, against oxidative damage.