Investigation of pseudoautosomal and bordering regions in avian Z and W chromosomes with the use of large insert genomic BAC clones

To study pseudoautosomal and bordering regions in the avian Z and W chromosomes, we used seven BAC clones from genomic libraries as DNA probes of fragments of different gametologs of the ATP5A1 gene located close to the proximal border of the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) of sex chromosomes of domestic chicken and Japanese quail. Localization of BAC clones TAM31-b100C09, TAM31-b99N01, TAM31-b27P16, and TAM31-b95L18 in the short arm of Z chromosomes of domestic chicken and Japanese quail (region Zp23-p22) and localization of the BAC clones CHORI-261-CH46G16, CHORI-261-CH33F10, and CHORI-261-CH64F22 on W chromosomes of these species and in the short arm of Z chromosomes (region Zp23-p22) were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization with the use of W-specific probes. The difference in the localization of the BAC clones on the Z and W chromosomes is probably explained by divergence of the nucleotide sequences of different sex chromosomes located beyond the pseudoautosomal region.     

The changes in invertase activity and the content of sugars in the course of adaptation of potato plants to hypothermia

The pattern of changes in the activity of various forms of invertase (acid soluble, alkaline, and acid insoluble) and the content of sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) in the course of plant adaptation to prolonged (6 days) hypothermia (5°C) was investigated in the leaves of potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L., cv. Desiree) produced in vitro. We used the wild-type plants as a control and transformed plants with carbohydrate metabolism modified by inserting the yeast gene for invertase (apoplastic enzyme). In the course of adaptation to hypothermia, the activity of acid invertase was shown to rise and the content of sucrose and glucose to increase in the leaves of both genotypes. The greatest activity of acid invertases by the third day of cold acclimation corresponded to the peak level of sugars; in transformed plants, these characteristics exceeded those in the control plants. The transformed plants were more cold resistant than the control plants as suggested by the lack of disturbance of ion permeability of their membranes. It was concluded that owing to accumulation of low-molecular carbohydrates in the course of cold acclimation caused by activation of acid invertase cold resistant plants better adapt to temperature drop.     

A Study of the Mechanism of Acetate Assimilation in Purple Nonsulfur Bacteria Lacking the Glyoxylate Shunt: Acetate Assimilation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodobacter sphaeroides</Emphasis>

The mechanism of acetate assimilation in the purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, which lacks the glyoxylate shunt, has been studied. It has been found that the growth of this bacterium in batch and continuous cultures and the assimilation of acetate in cell suspensions are not stimulated by bicarbonate. The consumption of acetate is accompanied by the excretion of glyoxylate and pyruvate into the medium, stimulated by glyoxylate and pyruvate, and inhibited by citramalate. The respiration of cells in the presence of acetate is stimulated by glyoxylate, pyruvate, citramalate, and mesaconate. These data suggest that the citramalate cycle may function in Rba. sphaeroides in the form of an anaplerotic pathway instead of the glyoxylate shunt. At the same time, the low ratio of fixation rates for bicarbonate and acetate exhibited by the Rba. sphaeroides cells (approximately 0.1), as well as the absence of the stimulatory effect of acetate on the fixation of bicarbonate in the presence of the Calvin cycle inhibitor iodoacetate, suggests that pyruvate synthase is not involved in acetate assimilation in the bacterium Rba. sphaeroides.__________Translated from Mikrobiologiya, Vol. 74, No. 3, 2005, pp. 313–318.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Filatova, Berg, Krasil’nikova, Tsygankov, Laurinavichene, Ivanovsky.     

Isolation and determination of the activity of IgA1 protease from Neisseria meningitidis

A method of the isolation and purification of IgA1 protease from a culture of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A has been developed. Three inactivated intermediates of the production of the meningococcal vaccine, a culture liquid, as well as a supernatant and precipitate obtained by the precipitation of bacterial cells by cetavlon, served as a starting material. The purity of IgA1 protease was determined by SDS-PAGE. An immunoenzyme assay for determining the IgA1 protease activity has been developed. The yield of the enzyme with a specific activity of 0.5 to 4 million units/mg from 103 g of the cetavlon precipitate (40 l of culture liquid) was about 600 µg. It was shown that IgA1 protease isolated from serogroup A meningococcus is capable of protecting experimental animals (mice) infected with meningococcus of serogroup B.     

Biology and morphology of freshwater rapacious flagellate <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colponema</Emphasis> aff. <Emphasis Type="Italic">loxodes</Emphasis> Stein (Colponema,Alveolata)

The biology, morphology, and ultrastructure of the freshwater rapacious flagellate Colponema aff. loxodes, which attacks bodonids and chrysomonads, are studied. The flagellate is characterized by three-membrane alveolar pellicle, vesicular nucleus, two heterodynamous flagella, two microtubule bands which armor the longitudinal groove, and mitochondria with tubular cristae. Toxicysts (thread-organelles) are found in the cytoplasm. The posterior flagellum is characterized by the proximal fold. Micropores are completely absent. After being caught, the prey is taken into the longitudinal groove. Vegetative swimming cells are present in the life cycle. No reproduction or latent cysts are found. The taxonomical position of Colponema aff. loxodes is discussed in comparison with other colponemids and protists.     

Long‐proboscid brachyceran flies in Cretaceous amber (Diptera: Stratiomyomorpha: Zhangsolvidae)

The monophyletic family Zhangsolvidae comprises stout‐bodied brachyceran flies with a long proboscis and occurring only in the Cretaceous, originally known in shale from the Early Cretaceous Laiyang Formation (Fm.) in China (Zhangsolva Nagatomi & Yang), subsequently from limestones of the Early Cretaceous Crato Fm. of Brazil. Cratomyoides Wilkommen is synonymized with Cratomyia Mazzarolo & Amorim, both from the Crato Fm.; Cratomyiidae is synonymized with Zhangsolvidae. Two genera and three species of Zhangsolvidae are described: Buccinatormyia magnifica Arillo, Peñalver & Pérez‐de la Fuente, gen. et sp.n. and B. soplaensis Arillo, Peñalver & Pérez‐de la Fuente, sp.n. , in Albian amber from Las Peñosas Fm. in Spain; and Linguatormyia teletacta Grimaldi, gen. et sp.n. , in Upper Albian–Lower Cenomanian amber from Hukawng Valley in Myanmar. Buccinatormyia soplaensis and Linguatormyia teletacta are unique among all Brachycera, extant or extinct, by their remarkably long, flagellate antennae, about 1.6× the body length in the latter species. A phylogenetic analysis of 52 morphological characters for 35 taxa is presented, 11 taxa being Cretaceous species, which supports placement of the family within Stratiomyomorpha, although not to any particular family within the infraorder. This published work has been registered in Zoobank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F32CF887‐7C37‐45D5‐BD6B‐135FE9B729A7 .     

Plant Chromatin Replicated in the Absence of Protein Synthesis

The aim of the present work is to detect possible differencesin the chromatin of plants replicated in the absence of proteinsynthesis. The kinetics of nuclease digestion in Allium cepa L., evaluatedafter making the cells permeable, was faster for the chromatinof meristem cells replicated in the presence of 1.0 µgml^–1 cycloheximide than in control cells. In order to have a synchronous population in the meristems,cells were labelled as binucleate by a short treatment with5.0 mM caffeine. Treated cells failed to increase both theircontent in dense chromatin and intranuclear histones. Thesefacts suggest that chromatin replicated in the presence of cycloheximidedid not incorporate histones and was unable to be integratedinto dense chromatin patches. Key words: Allium cepa L., Chromatin replication, Protein synthesis     

The dependence of intracellular ATP level on the nutrition mode of the acidophilic bacteria <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sulfobacillus thermotolerans</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alicyclobacillus tolerans</Emphasis>

The dynamics of the ATP pool in the aerobic spore-forming acidothermophilic mixotrophic bacteria Sulfobacillus thermotolerans Kr1^T and Alicyclobacillus tolerans K1^T were studied in the course of their chemolithoheterotrophic, chemoorganoheterotrophic, and chemolithoautotrophic growth. It was established that, during mixotrophic growth, the maximum ATP concentrations in the cells of S. thermotolerans Kr1 and A. tolerans K1 were 3.8 and 0.6 nmol/mg protein, respectively. The ATP concentrations in sulfobacilli and alicyclobacilli during organotrophic growth were 2.2 and 3.1 nmol/mg protein, respectively. In the cells of the obligately heterotrophic bacterium Alicyclobacillus cycloheptanicus 4006^T, the maximum ATP concentration was several times higher and reached 12.3 nmol/mg protein. During lithotrophic growth, the maximum values of the ATP concentration in the cells of S. thermotolerans Kr1 and A. tolerans K1 were 0.3 and <0.1 nmol/mg protein, respectively; in the cells of the autotrophic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans TFBk, the ATP content was about 60–300 times higher (17.0 nmol/mg protein). It is concluded that low ATP content is among the possible causes of growth cessation of S. thermotolerans Kr1 and A. tolerans K1 under auto-and heterotrophic conditions after several culture transfers.     

Adverse Effects of Capture and Handling Little Bustard

Abstract Capturing wild animals for research or conservation purposes may cause some adverse effects, which is only acceptable if these are outweighed by conservation benefits. We used information from 3 on-going telemetry studies on the endangered little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in Western Europe to evaluate the risk factors associated with capture and handling. Of 151 telemetered birds, 23 (15.2%) exhibited impaired mobility and coordination after release, probably related to the occurrence of capture myopathy. Among the 23 impaired birds, 10 (43.5%) died before recovering normal mobility (6.6% of all birds captured). Logistic regression analyses identified longer handling time, longer restraint time, use of cannon nets, and capture of juveniles as inducing factors for these disorders. We conclude that little bustard is fairly susceptible to suffering ataxia and paresia after release as a result of restraint associated with capture and manipulation. Researchers can reduce this risk by keeping handling and restraint time below 10–20 minutes, particularly when using cannon nets or when capturing juveniles.