Misdivision analysis of centromere structure in maize.

The size and organization of a representative plant centromere from the supernumerary B chromosome were determined using a repeated sequence specific to the centric region. Several derivatives of the B chromosome that suffered from misdivision of the centromere were analyzed for the content and organization of their B repeat. In all these derivatives, major rearrangements were detected. Some misdivisions produced a significant reduction in size of the B-specific cluster. These results demonstrate that the B repeat is part of the functional centromere, that it is spread throughout its length, and that plant centromeres are composed of repeat units that can be significantly changed in copy number without a change in function.     

An extended x-ray absorption fine structure study of the high-affinity cation-binding site in the purple membrane.

The structure of the high-affinity cation-binding site of bacteriorhodopsin was studied using extended x-ray absorption fine structure techniques. The results obtained for Mn2+ in aqueous solution and for the complex BR-Mn2+ (1:1 molar ratio) show great similarities, suggesting that Mn2+, when bound to this site, is coordinated with six atoms of oxygen, forming an octahedral disposition. The interatomic distance between the atoms of oxygen and the Mn2+ was found to be 2.17 A for the complex BR-Mn2+, similar to Mn2+ in solution (2.15 A). In addition, the absence of any other peak at greater distances in the Fourier-transformed spectrum indicates that neither phosphorus nor sulphur atoms are present in the second coordination shell. This suggests that this binding site is located in the protein, discarding the proximity of lipid polar headgroups.     

Flocculation of industrial and laboratory strains ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Summary A comparative study has been made of different laboratory and industrial wild-type strains ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae in relation to their flocculation behavior. All strains were inhibited by mannose and only one by maltose. In regard to the stability of these characters in the presence of proteases and high salt concentrations, a relevant degree of variation was found among the strains. This was to such an extent that it did not allow their inclusion in the Flol or NewFlo phenotypes. Genetic characterization of one wild-type strain revealed that the flocculation-governing gene was allelic toFLO1 found in genetic strains.This paper is dedicated to Professor Herman Jan Phaff in honor of his 50 years of active research which still continues.     

Determination of the kinetic parameters in continuous cultivation byDebaryomyces hansenii grown on D-xylose

Summary The kinetic parameters of the yeastDebaryomyces hansenii grown in continous cultivation on D-xylose were determined by different methods. While the values obtained for μ_m by the steady state and the washout methods only gave a 3% difference, the determined K_s values by the steady state and the maximal biomass output methods led a to a 305% difference. The latter method was suggested to overestimate the K_s value.     

New technique in optical resolutions

The present paper illustrates the development of an advanced technique in optical resolution. Both of the amphetamine enantiomers can be obtained by a two-step distillation in nearly quantitative yield without any loss of the resolving agent. It is proved that the second-order interactions (H-bond) are sufficient for separation of enantiomers by distillation. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The effect of the cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa on the growth and yield of cassava Manihot esculenta in a seasonally dry area in Kenya

The effect of the cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa on the growth and yield of cassava Manihot esculenta was studied over a 10-month period in two field trials near Lake Victoria in Kenya. One plot was maintained free of mites by means of acaricide, while the other was artificially infested.The highest population density of M. tanajoa occurred during the dry season. A maximum leaf area index (LAI) of about 2 was reached at the onset of the dry season. The total leaf area of mite infested plants was reduced compared with uninfested plants during the dry spell. During the following rainy season infested plants recovered and attained the same leaf area as uninfested plants. A multiple regression model predicting the leaf area showed that 58% of the seasonal variation could be explained by plant age, soil water, and leaf injury.The net growth rate of infested plants was lower than that of uninfested plants. Maximum values of 21 (infested plants) and 49 (uninfested plants) g m^-2 week^-1 were attained at the onset of the second rainy season. No difference was found between uninfested and infested plants with respect to net assimilation rates per unit leaf area during the dry season. The net assimilation rates reached a maximum almost at the same time as the growth rates, but the infested plants peaked slightly earlier and at a lower level than the uninfested plants. M. tanajoa did not affect the relative allocation of dry matter into stems and storage roots, but the absolute allocation of dry matter declined with increasing mite injury. Thus, after 10 months the dry matter of infested plants was reduced by 29% and 21% for storage roots and stems, respectively, compared with the uninfested plants.     

Modeling the alcoholic fermentation of xylose by Pichia stipitis using a qualitative reasoning approach

Qualitative Reasoning is a set of Artificial Intelligence theories, methods, and techniques that provide an answer to modeling problems in domains in which one can have a clear notion of how a system is functioning without being able to express it as classical mathematical equations, and where is posed the problem of using jointly quantitative and qualitative data, as well as processing a big amount of complex knowledge. SIMAO (a System to Interpret Measurements And Observations) is an attempt to deal with such problems. Although primarily devised for heterogeneous data interpretation in hydroecology, it was thought possible to use SIMAO in a wider context, like biotechnological processes. Starting from specific problems posed by a batch fermentation, the D-xylose conversion into ethanol by the yeast Pichia stipitis, this paper describes how was built and used a SIMAO model aimed at predicting the fermentation issue from initial conditions, i.e. set-points values and substrate concentration.List of Symbols QS quantity space - {pp, p, m, f, ff} quantity space elements - TR-m measurement translation rule - TR-o observation translation rule - TR-q qualitative transfer rule - incr, decr, inv primitive unary operators - [+], [-], [], [/] primitive binary operators     

The Response to Exercise with Constant Energy Intake in Identical Twins

Seven pairs of young adult male identical twins completed a negative energy balance protocol during which they exercised on cycle ergometers twice a day, 9 out of 10 days, over a period of 93 days while being kept on a constant daily energy and nutrient intake. The total energy deficit caused by exercise above the estimated energy cost of body weight maintenance reached 244 ± 9.8 MJ (Mean ± SEM). Baseline energy intake was estimated over a period of 17 days preceding the negative energy balance protocol. Mean body weight loss was 5.0 kg (SEM = 0.6) (p <0.001) and it was entirely accounted for by the loss of fat mass (p <0.001). Fat-free mass was unchanged. Body energy losses reached 191 MJ (SEM = 24) (p <0.001) which represented about 78% of the estimated energy deficit. Subcutaneous fat loss was slightly more pronounced on the trunk than on the limbs as estimated from skinfolds, circumferences, and computed tomography (CT). The reduction in CT-assessed abdominal visceral fat was quite striking, from 81 cm² (SEM = 5) to 52 cm² (SEM = 6) (p <0.001). At the same submaximal power output level, subjects oxidized more lipids than carbohydrates after the program as indicated by the changes in the respiratory exchange ratio (p <0.05). Intrapair resemblance was observed for the changes in body weight (p <0.05), fat mass (P <0.01), percent fat (p <0.01), body energy content (p <0.01), sum of 10 skinfolds (p <0.01), abdominal visceral fat (p <0.01), fasting plasma triglycerides (p <0.05) and cholesterol (p <0.05), maximal oxygen uptake (p <0.05), and respiratory exchange ratio during submaximal work (p <0.01). We conclude that even though there were large individual differences in response to the negative energy balance and exercise protocol, subjects with the same genotype were more alike in responses than subjects with different genotypes particularly for body fat, body energy, and abdominal visceral fat changes. High lipid oxidizers and low lipid oxidizers during sub-maximal exercise were also seen despite the fact that all subjects had experienced the same exercise and nutritional conditions for about three months.     

Mouse oocyte maturation is affected by lithium via the polyphosphoinositide metabolism and the microtubule network

The incubation of mechanically denuded mouse oocytes in medium containing LiCl delayed both germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and polar body extrusion in a dose-dependent and reversible manner. When myo-inositol alone was added to the culture medium, we observed that it accelerated GVBD and increased the rate of polar body extrusion, whereas, when combined with LiCl, the normal timing of GVBD was recovered. In the same way, when inositol trisphosphate (InsP₃) was microinjected into the ooplasma, we observed an important improvement of the rate of GVBD, as compared to control oocytes, and prevention of lithium inhibition. However, neither myo-inositol nor InsP₃ were able to rescue totally the oocytes from the negative effect of lithium on polar body extrusion. Moreover, lithium induced some important changes in microtubule and chromosome organizations. Before extrusion of the first polar body, the reduction of the spindle size or the appearance of short individualized chromosomes dispersed around a large aster of microtubules were often observed, whereas, after polar body extrusion, the spindle appeared smaller and chromosomes were often trapped in the midbody. Thus lithium affects mouse oocyte maturation at two different levels: GVBD and polar body extrusion. Whereas the former seems to be affected via polyphosphoinositide turnover, the latter is InsP₃-independent and seems to be influenced negatively via underdevelopment of microtubular structures. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.