Structure of the KcsA potassium channel from Streptomyces lividans: a site-directed spin labeling study of the second transmembrane segment.

KcsA is a prokaryotic potassium channel. The present study employs cysteine scanning mutagenesis and site-directed spin labeling to investigate the structure of the second transmembrane segment (residues 82-120) in functional tetrameric channels reconstituted in lipid bilayers. Spin-spin interactions are observed between nitroxide side chains at symmetry-related sites close to the 4-fold axis of symmetry. To aid in quantitative analysis of these interactions, a new diamagnetic analogue of the nitroxide side chain is used to prepare magnetically dilute samples with constant structure. Using constraints imposed by the spin-spin interactions, a packing model for this segment is deduced that is in excellent agreement with the recently reported crystal structure [Doyle, D., et al. (1998) Science 280, 69-77]. The relatively immobilized state of the nitroxide side chains suggests that the channel is rigid on the electron paramagnetic resonance time scale. Moreover, the poor sulfhydryl reactivity of the cysteine at many locations indicates that the channel is not subject to the low-frequency fluctuations that permit reaction of buried cysteines. At sites expected to be located in the pore, the accessibility of the side chains to collision with O(2) or nickel(II) ethylenediaminediacetate is low. This inaccessibility, together with the generally low mobility of the side chains throughout the sequence, makes it difficult to detect the presence of the pore based on these measurements. However, the presence of a solvated pore can be directly demonstrated using a polarity parameter deduced from the EPR spectra recorded at low temperature. These measurements also reveal the presence of a polarity gradient in the phospholipid bilayer.     

Plasticity of monkey triceps muscle fibers in microgravity conditions.

We examined the changes in functional properties of triceps brachii skinned fibers from monkeys flown aboard the BION 11 satellite for 14 days and after ground-based arm immobilization. The composition of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms allowed the identification of pure fibers containing type I (slow) or type IIa (fast) MHC isoforms or hybrid fibers coexpressing predominantly slow (hybrid slow; HS) or fast (hybrid fast) MHC isoforms. The ratio of HS fibers to the whole slow population was higher after flight (28%) than in the control population (7%), and the number of fast fibers was increased (up to 86% in flight vs. 12% in control). Diameters and maximal tensions of slow fibers were decreased after flight. The tension-pCa curves of slow and fast fibers were modified, with a decrease in pCa threshold and an increase in steepness. The proper effect of microgravity was distinguishable from that of immobilization, which induced less marked slow-to-fast transitions (only 59% of fast fibers) and changed the tension-pCa relationships.     

The Growth Response of the Stems of Genetically Modified Tobacco Plants (Nicotiana tabacum'Samsun') to Flexural Stimulation

Genetically modified tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum‘Samsun’)with antisense cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase DNA, produce secondaryxylem of a reduced tensile stiffness. These plants were grownalongside control plants. The stems of the plants were flexedor protected from flexing over a period of several weeks. Thetensile moduli and second moments of areas of the differenttissues inside the stems were measured and used to calculatethe bending stiffness of the plants. In tobacco, the cylinderof xylem was found to be the most important tissue in determiningthe bending stiffness of the plants. The thickness of the xylemtissue cylinder increased when plants were subjected to flexuralstimulation. This increased the bending stiffness of the stems.The response to mechanical stimulation was found to be correlatedwith tissue strain and the genetically modified plants wereable to exactly compensate for the reduced modulus of theirxylem tissue by increasing the thickness of the xylem tissuecylinder more than in control plants.Copyright 1999 Annals ofBotany Company. Tobacco plants, stem bending, xylem tissue, second moment of area, thigmomorphogenesis, mechanical strain.     

Detailed flow patterns in the nasal cavity.

The human nasal cavity filters and conditions inspired air while providing olfactory function. Detailed experimental study of nasal airflow patterns has been limited because of the complex geometry of the nasal cavity. In this work, particle image velocimetry was used to determine two-dimensional instantaneous velocity vector fields in parallel planes throughout a model of the nasal cavity that was subjected to a nonoscillatory flow rate of 125 ml/s. The model, which was fabricated from 26 computed tomography scans by using rapid prototyping techniques, is a scaled replica of a human right nasal cavity. The resulting vector plots show that the flow is laminar and regions of highest velocity are in the nasal valve and in the inferior airway. The relatively low flow in the olfactory region appears to protect the olfactory bulb from particulate pollutants. Low flows were also observed in the nasal meatuses, whose primary function has been the subject of debate. Comparison of sequentially recorded data suggests a steady flow.     

Castilleja chambersii (Scrophulariaceae), a new rare species from the northern Coast Range of Oregon

Castilleja chambersii is described from several collections made in the Coast Range of southwestern Clatsop County, Oregon. The new species is a member of subgenusCastilleja and is most closely related toC. parviflora andC. rupicola. This rare species is known from only three small and geographically restricted populations. Two new meiotic chromosome counts ofn=12 are reported for the new species.     

The relation between hip impact velocity and hip impact force differs between sideways fall techniques.

Fall techniques that reduce fall severity may decrease the risk of hip fractures. A fundamental variable for fall severity is impact force, but impact velocity is also used. The purpose of the study was to determine whether impact velocity is valid to determine differences in fall severity between different techniques. Five young adults with martial arts (MA) experience performed sideways falls from kneeling height using three techniques: Block with arm (Block) and MA techniques with and without use of the arm to break the fall. In addition, one subject also performed MA falls from standing height. Linear regression analysis showed a moderate relation between hip impact velocity and force, which was depended on technique. In falls with comparable impact velocities, forces in MA falls were lower than forces in Block falls. Hence, differences in impact force could not be predicted by velocity. In conclusion, hip impact velocity may be useful to make an approximate prediction of impact force within fall techniques. However, to determine differences between techniques it was not always a valid predictor. When direct impact force measurements are not possible, methods combining impact velocity with energy estimates before and after impact might be more valid.     

Haploid plant regeneration from unpollinated ovule cultures of niger (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Guizotia abyssinica</Emphasis> (L. f.) Cass.)

Haploid plants were regenerated in vitro from unpollinated ovules of niger (Guizotia abyssinica (L. f.) (Cass.) on Murashige and Skoog nutrient medium (MS) supplemented with 10 μM naphthaleneacetic acid or 10 μM NAA + 1.5 μM kinetin and 30 g/l sucrose. Gamborg (B5) medium was the best for plant regeneration (in comparison with MS, Nitsch and Nitsch (NN), and Chu (N6) media) from cultured ovules, and 6.66 and 7.33 ovules of JNC-6 and Ootacamund cultivars were involved in direct plant regeneration on this medium. Matured ovules (ovules collected one day before anthesis or on the day of anthesis) only responded to cultural regimes and involved in direct plantlet development. Cytological preparation of root tips and chloroplast counts in the guard cells of leaf stomata of regenerated plants confirmed their haploid nature. This text was submitted by the authors in English.