Nonlinear estimation of the parameters of Monod kinetics that best describe mineralization of several substrate concentrations by dissimilar bacterial densities

The kinetics of mineralization of a wide range of concentrations of benzoate, glucose, and benzylamine by Pseudomonas sp., Salmonella typhimurium, and microorganisms in acclimated sewage was studied. The treatment of initial substrate concentration and population density as independent variables in nonlinear regression analysis permitted the estimation of a single value for each of the parameters of Monod kinetics that best described the mineralization of substrate at each concentration by the pure cultures and the sewage microflora. One value for each of the parameters of Monod kinetics was used for each of the three compounds to produce theoretical curves which lay close to the observed data on mineralization. Statistically significant differences existed in the values of the parameters of Monod kinetics that best described mineralization in cultures differing only in initial substrate concentration and cell density. However, for the compounds tested, the variance left by analyses using one value for each parameter of Monod kinetics was less than double the unexplained variance left by individual analyses of the data from each treatment. Although significant, this increase is small compared with the amount of variance that could be explained using only one value for each parameter of Monod kinetics.     

An observation of episodic feeding and growth of larval Leiostomus xanthurus in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Four cruises were conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico overtwo spawning seasons of the sciaenid fish Leiostomus xanthurus.On only one occasion did unusually high densities of larvaeand their principal microzooplanktonic foods co-occur. Peakdensities of larvae and microzooplankton were observed in athin lens of cool surface water that characterized a hydrographicdiscontinuity, and all larvae contained high numbers of foodorganisms in their guts. Instantaneous exponential growth ratesestimated from measurements of otolith growth increments, indicatedaccelerated growth on the day that larvae were collected. Alaboratory experiment verified that larval L. xanthurus respondsto an increased ration with accelerated growth that is detectableon otoliths. Together these data suggest that the spatial distributionof L. xanthurus larvae and their microzooplanktonic food ispatchy and that interactions of larvae and microzooplanktonmay be episodic.     

Modification of the gene 5 DNA unwinding protein with ruthenium

A chemical modification of the gene 5 DNA binding protein (G5BP) from bacteriophage fd was investigated using X-ray diffraction and difference Fourier analysis. The crystalline protein was reacted with pentaammineruthenium (III) trichloride, Ru(NH₃)₅Cl₃, a reagent believed specific for histidine residues and useful in NMR and chemical modification studies of proteins. The major ruthenium site was found by difference Fourier analysis to be 4 Å from histidine 64, the only histidine residue in the molecule. A second bipartite site, believed to be a ruthenium-anion pair, appeared to be salt-bridged to glutamic acid 40 and arginine 16. Indications were present in the difference Fourier results to suggest that the loop containing tyrosine 41 had undergone a slight conformational rearrangement to accommodate this interaction.     

Elastic properties of the hind foot of the Donkey, Equus asinus

The elastic properties of the hind feet of Donkeys, and of tendons removed from the feet, have been investigated by methods similar to those used in a previous study of the forefoot. The elastic strain energy stored in the foot, during a trotting step, is calculated to be approximately the optimum which would minimize the work required of the muscles in this gait.     

Occurrence of oscillations in ATP synthesis and hydrolysis in chromatophores of Rhodospirillum rubrum

The conditions under which an oscillatory behaviour is observed during net hydrolysis or synthesis of ATP in chromatophores of Rhodospirillum rubrum FR1 are described. In the case of ATPase the oscillations are observed at low temperature (ca. 11°C) in the dark after an initial transient behaviour. These oscillations are attenuated or disappear by the addition of an uncoupler.Oscillations are also observed during ATP synthesis. At 3°C the oscillations appear spontaneously if photophosphorylation is measured during a sufficiently long time. At 30°C the mere intercalation of a dark period also at 30°C is sufficient to trigger the oscillations in the following light period.Abbreviations Bchl Bacteriochlorophyll - FCCP carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone - PMS phenazine methosulfate - TMPD, N,N,N,N tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Gerhart Drews as a homage for his permanent example as hard worker and careful scientist and also for his remarkable human quality     

Immunoelectrophoretic approach to the metabolic regulation of glutamine synthetase in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata E1F1: role of glutamine

Anti-glutamine synthetase serum was raised in rabbits by injecting purified glutamine synthetase (GS) of the phototrophic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata E1F1. The antibodies were purified to monospecificity by immunoaffinity chromatography in GS-sepharose gel. These anti-GS antibodies were used to measure the antigen levels in crude extracts from bacteria, grown phototrophically with dinitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, glutamate, glutamine or alanine as nitrogen sources. The amount of GS detected by rocket immunoelectrophoresis was proportional to Mn²⁺-dependent transferase activity measured in the crude extracts. Addition of GS inhibitor l-methionine-d,l-sulfoximine (MSX) to the actively growing cells promoted increased antigen levels, that were not found in the presence of glutamine or chloramphenicol. The ammonia-induced decrease in GS relative levels was reverted by MSX. GS levels remained constant when phototrophically growing cells were kept in the dark.Abbreviations GS glutamine synthetase - MOPS 2-(N-morpholine) propane sulfonate - MSX l-methionine-d,l-sulfoximine     

Dependence of 13C chemical shifts on the spatial interaction of protons,and its application in structural and conformational studies of oligo- and poly-saccharides

Regularities in the variation of chemical shifts and the glycosidation effects in the ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra of disaccharides were found to depend on the configuration at the anomeric centre of the glycosidating pyranose, and the absolute configuration of both pyranoses moieties. These empirical regularities are explained in terms of the spatial proton-proton interactions within the statistically averaged, or preferred, conformation near the glycosidic linkage. The applicability of these effects for the determination of the anomeric and absolute configuration and the sequence of pyranose residues in oligo- and poly-saccharides is discussed. The conformational properties of glycosidic linkages in disaccharides and disaccharide fragments of oligo- and poly-saccharides are compared on the basis of ¹³C-n.m.r. data.     

The importance of predation,substrate and spatial refugia in determining lotic insect distributions

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the interaction between predation, substrate, and spatial refugia in the organization of a stream insect community (Reeds Creek, Pendleton Co., West Virginia). Patterns of insect colonization were compared between fish exclusion cages and open controls that allowed access to vertebrate predators. Each cage contained 4 different substrates that varied in the relative amount of spatial refugia. Fish had little influence on the diversity or abundance of any insect taxa, even when spatial refugia were limited. The only significant effect due to predation, was an increased diversity of large (>8 mm) invertebrates in the absence of predators. However, because these taxa were relatively rare, the overall role of fish predation on insect community structure was minimal.In contrast, substrate had a marked effect on insect colonization. Insects were always more abundant (number/basket) on loose substrates containing large numbers of interstitial spaces, compared to cement-embedded substrates with few refuges available. In addition, invertebrates were more abundant on loose gravel compared to loose cobbles. Howver, when substrate preferencesrd were examined according to insect density (number/m²), loose cobbles were generally the preferred substrate. The present experiment rejects the hypothesis that patterns of substrate colonization can be explained as differential insect mortality by predators, due to varying amounts of refugia. Alternative mechanisms such as differing amounts of trapped detritus and substrate surface area may account for substrate preference.     

Optimum strengths for bones liable to fatigue and accidental fracture

Limb bones are liable to fail by fatigue, due to stresses imposed repeatedly in activities such as running. They may also be broken by larger stresses which occur occasionally in accidents. Too weak a bone will probably fail but too strong a bone is unduly heavy. A mathematical model predicts optimum strengths for bones subject to the hazards both of fatigue and of accidents. When accidents are mild and predictable, fatigue is the more important hazard. When they are large and unpredictable they are the more important hazard and stronger bones are generally preferred, but in extreme cases it may become advantageous to dispense with the bone. There is a restricted range of circumstances in which fatigue and accidents are both important hazards. The strengths of many limb bones seem surprisingly low, in the light of the theory and of current knowledge of the fatigue properties of bone.     

Myosin in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells: immunofluorescence and immunochemical studies of alterations in antigenic expression

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in the rat mesenteric artery show specific immunofluorescent staining with antisera against purified human uterine myosin (ASMM) but not human platelet myosin (APM). However, in primary cultures produced by enzymatic dissociation of this vessel, VSMC stain specifically with both ASMM and APM within 5 h after plating and throughout growth to confluence (4-10 d). In confluent cultures, APM staining remains bright while ASMM staining is reduced in intensity in most cells. In contrast, cellular myosin content, determined by quantitative SDS PAGE, is comparable in confluent and growing cultures. Immunoprecipitation of high salt extracts of cultured VSMC with ASMM and APM yields myosins with the same mobilities on SDS PAGE. When serial, exhaustive precipitations are performed with one antiserum, followed by reprecipitation with the other, myosin in subconfluent and confluent VSMC cultures is exhaustively precipitated by either antiserum, thus indicating complete immunological cross- reactivity. These results might be explained by synthesis of a new myosin isoform reactive with both ASMM and APM. However, the development of APM staining in cultured VSMC did not require protein synthesis. Therefore, it is more likely that the changes in immunofluorescent staining observed in vitro reflect conformational alterations, perhaps related to cytoskeletal rearrangements. These changes in myosin antigenic expression may be relevant to the problem of VSMC phenotypic modulation both in vitro and in vivo.