The Importance of Molecular Parameters of Quaternary Ammonium Salts in Their Antigibberellin (Retardant) Activity

The importance of six theoretically calculated molecular parameters in the antigibberellin (retardant) activity of quaternary ammonium salts is studied using a regression analysis. A bioassay system based on cell culture of fungus Gibberella fujikuroi is used to determine the activity. In the case of N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride (choline) and N,N,N-triethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium chloride (N,N,N-triethylcholine) derivatives with linear structure, the polarizability, proton acceptor activity, and lipophilicity of these compounds exert the largest effect on the antigibberellin activity. The antigibberellin activity of more sterically hindered N,N-dialkylpiperidinium salts was mainly defined by the steric parameter, while the polarizability, proton acceptor activity, and (through them) lipophilicity exert a lesser effect. Other parameters are of minor importance for the three groups of compounds studied.     

Effect of Calcium Ions on Hydrodynamic Properties of Pentameric and Decameric C-Reactive Protein in Solution

The molecular mass and sedimentation coefficient of native C-reactive protein in solution were determined by analytical ultracentrifugation in the presence and absence of calcium ions. Pentameric C-reactive protein was shown to be the major macroscopic form of this protein in solution. The removal of calcium ions from solution caused decompaction of the protein accompanied by changes in its hydrodynamic parameters. The sedimentation coefficient s ⁰ _20,w of pentameric C-reactive protein in solution containing 2 mM Ca²⁺ (6.6S) exceeded that for C-reactive protein in solution containing 2 mM EDTA (6.4S). Analysis of average molecular masses M _w and M _z obtained from sedimentation data demonstrated that the solution of highly purified protein was not homogeneous. As shown by intermolecular crosslinking, the solution also contained the 241-kDa decamer of C-reactive protein (9.5S) as a separate macroscopic form, whose share hardly reached 10% in the presence of 2 mM Ca²⁺ and increased after removal of calcium ions. The decamers were shown to result from intermolecular association of the pentamers.     

The effect of synthetic proteinase inhibitors of the level of human recombinant proinsulin production, secreted by a genetically engineered strain of Bacillus subtilis

Influence of O,O,-diethyl-1-(N-alpha-hydrohexafluoroisobutyryl)amino-1- methylpropylphosphonate and O,O-diisobutyl-1-[2-(ethoxycarbonyl)aminoperfluoroprop-2-yl] -1- methylpropylphosphonate on the level of production of human proinsulin secreted by a genetically engineered culture Bacillus subtilis AJ 73 (pBINS1.0.) has been studied. The above phosphonates, being non-toxic for microorganisms, reduced degradation of proinsulin by serine proteinases.     

Clinico-epidemiologic characteristics of group illness caused by Bac. cereus food poisoning]

The authors describe an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Bac. cereus embracing 80% of persons who catered at the same catering establishment. The poisoning occurred in the course of 15 hours after the moment of eating a sauce stored in warm place. In the majority of cases the course of the disease was mild; 77.8% of the patients displayed phenomena of enteritis, 20.2%--of entercolitis, and 2.0%--of gastroenterocolitis. All the patients recovered without any treatment in the course of 1--2 days.     

Diversity and the origin of the European population of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum dicoccum</Emphasis> (Schrank) Schuebl. As revealed by chromosome analysis

Cluster analysis of the Triticum dicoccum chromosome passports by artificial neural networks and UPGMA divided the European T. dicoccum population into two groups, West European and Volga-Balkan. The West European T. dicoccum accessions displayed a predominance of the marker translocation T7A:5B (67% of the accessions), which was also found in a few accessions from other countries (Turkey, Iran, and northern Africa), and were similar in chromosome C-banding patterns. The Volga-Balkan T. dicoccum accessions differed in the C-banding patterns of some chromosomes from the West European accessions, thus probably originating from another founder population. It was assumed that the T. dicoccum accessions carrying the T7A:5B translocation had a common origin and that the wild T. dicoccum population of the Middle East (Syria and Lebanon) contributed to the origin of West European T. dicoccum.     

Posttranslational chemistry of proteins of the GFP family

This review focuses on the current knowledge about posttranslational chemistry underlying the diverse optical properties of GFP-like proteins.     

Polymorphism of hordein-coding loci in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) populations of Iran and Central Asian countries

Starch gel electrophoresis was performed to study polymorphism of hordeins encoded by the Hrd A, Hrd B, and Hrd Floci in 366 local old barley accessions from Iran and Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan (Mountain Badahsan), and Kirgizia. In total, 60 alleles with frequencies of 0.0003-0.2818 were observed for the Hrd A locus, 106 alleles with frequencies of 0.0003-0.1603 were observed for the Hrd B locus, and five alleles with frequencies of 0.0164-0.4131 were observed for the Hrd Flocus. The alleles and allele frequencies displayed irregular distributions in barley populations of the above countries. Cluster analysis of the matrix of allele frequencies in populations from known collection sites revealed a cluster structure of local barley populations within each country. Local populations formed five differently sized clusters in Iran, six in Turkmenistan, three in Uzbekistan, and three in Kirgizia. The variation and allele frequency distribution of the hordein-coding loci in Iran and Central Asian countries were assumed to result from the introduction and spreading of barley forms via migrations of husbandmen.     

Study of genetic diversity and spatial structure of the wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.) population from the Ekaterinovka in the south of Primorskii krai

Data are presented on the genetic diversity and spatial structure of the natural wild soybean population from the neighborhood of the settlement of Ekaterinovka in Primorskii krai and on the relationship between the genetic structure of this population and its spatial organization. These data are discussed in comparison with the results of studies of wild soybean populations in the Far East region of the Russian Federation and China. Recommendations are given concerning the collection of genetic wild soybean resources.