Differential Effects of Fluoronorepinephrines on Phosphatidylinositol Turnover in Rat Pinealocytes

(+/-)-Norepinephrines (NAs), substituted with fluorine at positions 2, 5, and 6 of the ring, were compared with the unsubstituted compound with respect to their capacity for eliciting increased incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate into phosphatidylinositol of pinealocytes. 5F-NA and 6F-NA were approximately equipotent with NA, whereas 2F-NA required a higher concentration and gave lower maximum stimulation. Inhibition of these effects by prazosin confirmed the participation of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. The results are comparable with those reported for alpha 1-adrenergic receptor-mediated events in other systems and different from the beta-adrenergic receptor-mediated elevation of cyclic AMP in pinealocytes. These and earlier results emphasize the importance of the hydroxyl group at position 3 of the ring and at the beta-position of the side chain in catecholamine activation of the pineal alpha-adrenergic receptors, which are involved in alterations of phospholipid metabolism.     

Mechanism of epithelial lithium transport. Evidence for basolateral Na:Na and Na:Li exchange

Measurement of transmural sodium fluxes across isolated, ouabain- inhibited turtle colon in the presence of a serosal-to-mucosal sodium gradient shows that in the absence of active transport the amiloride- sensitive cellular path contains at least two routes for the transmural movement of sodium and lithium, one a conductive path and the other a nonconductive, cation-exchange mechanism. The latter transport element can exchange lithium for sodium, and the countertransport of these two cations provides a mechanistic basis for the ability of tight epithelia to actively absorb lithium despite the low affinity of the basolateral Na/K-ATPase for this cation.     

Characterization and sequence of a novel nitrate reductase from barley

Summary Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has both NADH-specific and NAD(P)H-bispecific nitrate reductases. Genomic and cDNA clones of the NADH nitrate reductase have been sequenced. In this study, a genomic clone (pMJ4.1) of a second type of nitrate reductase was isolated from barley by homology to a partial-length NADH nitrate reductase cDNA and the sequence determined. The open reading frame encodes a polypeptide of 891 amino acids and its interrupted by two small introns. The deduced amino acid sequence has 70% identity to the barley NADH-specific nitrate reductase. The non-coding regions of the pMJ4.1 gene have low homology (ca. 40%) to the corresponding regions of the NADH nitrate reductase gene. Expression of the pMJ4.1 nitrate reductase gene is induced by nitrate in root tissues which corresponds to the induction of NAD(P)H nitrate reductase activity. The pMJ4.1 nitrate reductase gene is sufficiently different from all previously reported higher plant nitrate reductase genes to suggest that it encodes the barley NAD(P)H-bispecific nitrate reductase.Scientific Paper No. 9101-14. College of Agriculture and Home Economics Research Center, Washington State University, Research Project Nos. 0233 and 0745     

Methanol as a convenient inducer of heat shock element-directed heterologous gene expression in yeast

Summary The addition of sublethal concentrations of methanol to yeast cultures was found to give strong induction of alacZ gene under heat shock element (HSE) control. Methanol addition is therefore an easily-executed alternative to temperature upshift for the induction of HSE-directed gene expression, although in this study it gave slightly lower levels of induction compared to heat shock.     

Seasonal variations in numbers,biomass and breeding patterns of dung beettles [Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae] in Southern France

Seasonal variations in numbers and biomass and breeding of 28 species ofScarabaeidae-Scarabaeinae andGeotrupidae were studied at 2 temperate sites and 2 mediterranean sites in southern France in 1978 and 1979, using cattle-dung baited pitfall traps. Maximum dung burial occurred when females were parous and ovipositiong (i.e. during spring at the mediterranean sites and summer at the temperate sites). Using biomass as a measure of dung burial the most important spring active beetles at the mediterranean sites were:Budas bison, B. bubalus, Scarabaeus laticollis, Onthophagus lemur andCopris hispanus, and at the temperate sites:C. lunaris, O. vacca, andO. ovatus. These results confirmed the previous choice ofC. hispanus, C. lunaris, B. bison andO. vacca for introduction into Australia. In addition it is suggested thatB. bubalus, S. laticollis andO. lemur be considered for introduction into mediterranean areas of south western Australia to complement those species already introduced for bush fly control.      

Investigation of PGM13, PGM16, and PGM17 variants by isoelectric focussing. Evidence for new subtypes of the PGM 1 3 and PGM 1 7 alleles

Summary A total of 345 haemolysates previously phenotyped by starch gel electrophoresis and known to contain the products of the PGM ₁ ³ , PGM ₁ ⁶ , and PGM ₁ ⁷ alleles have been analyzed by thin layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focussing in the pH range 5–7. Two common subtypes, 3+and 3-, of the PGM ₁ ³ allele have been found in a number of Pacific populations. A single form of the PGM ₁ ⁷ allele was observed in the Western Caroline Islands. In contrast, one of two Indian PGM₁7 variants focussed to a different position when compared with the form found at polymorphic frequency in the Western Caroline Islands. Only one type of the PGM ₁ ⁶ allele was detected during the present investigation.