Plasmid profiles and antibiotic susceptibility of Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 5, and 7

Abstract This paper describes the plasmid profiles obtained for 73 of 96 field isolates of Haemophilus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 1, 3, 5, and 7. We also characterized the antibiotic susceptibilities of these 96 isolates. Because of the high proportion of isolates resistant to some of the antibiotics, no conclusions can be drawn as to the role of plasmids in antibiotic resistance.     

Temporal mechanisms influencing gender expression and pollen flow within a self-incompatible perennial,Amianthium muscaetoxicum (Liliaceae)

Summary Temporal mechanisms that influence the synchrony of gender expression and the patterns of withinplant pollen flow were examined in Amianthium muscatoxicum. In this species self-incompatible pollinations can clog stigmas, interfere with the growth of outcrossed pollen tubes, and reduce fecundity. The majority of flowers have partial dichogamy: a two-day period of pollen dehiscence and a four-day period of pollen viability are nested in a six-day period of pistil viability. An indeterminate flowering sequence among flowers on the same plant and partial dichogamy within flowers help reduce pollen flow within the whole plant. The combined effects at both of these levels should reduce pollen wastage and lower the incidence of stigma clogging by incompatible self pollen.     

Quantity and Kinetic Properties of Ribulose 1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase in C3, C4, and C3-C4 Intermediate Species of Flaveria (Asteraceae)

The kinetic properties of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase(RuBPC) appear to have been modified during evolution of photosynthesisto adjust to changes in substrate availability. C₄ plants areconsidered to have a higher concentration of CO₂ available toRuBPC than C₃plants. In this study, the K_m(CO₂ and catalyticcapacity (k_cat) of RuBPC and the ratio of RuBPC protein to totalsoluble protein from several Flaveria species, including C₃,C₃-C₄ intermediate, and C₄ species, were determined. The C₃and intermediate species had similar K_m(CO₂) values while theC₄ species on average had higher K_m(CO₂) values. The mean ratioof K_cat/K_m for species of each group was similar, supportingthe hypothesis that changes in K_m and K_cat, are linked. Theallocation of total soluble protein to RuBPC was lowest in theC₄ Flaveria species, intermediate in the C₃-C₄ species, andhighest in the C₃ species. The results suggest that during evolutionof C₄ photosynthesis adjustments may occur in the quantity ofRuBPC prior to changes in its kinetic properties. (Received January 4, 1989; Accepted April 11, 1989)     

Cytoplasm-enriched fragments ofChara: structure and electrophysiology

Summary Cytoplasm-enriched fragments prepared from internodal cells ofChara corallina by centrifugation contain membrane bound vesicles ranging in size from a few m to hundreds of m. If the fragments are incubated in artificial pond water (APW) of pH₀ above 6.5, neutral red stains the inside of many vesicles bright crimson, suggesting the presence of inward proton-pumping. In APW of pH₀ below 6 crimson vesicles are found less frequently. Under such conditions most vesicles remain unstained inside and some develop indistinct pink halos. After a few days most fragments form a central vacuole, which stains red, regardless of the pH₀. The cytoplasmic layer still contains vesicles after vacuole formation.In order to identify the membrane bounding the vesicles various fluorescent probes were applied either by injection into the fragment or directly onto the vesicles released into artificial cytoplasm. Lucifer yellow or 6 COOH-F move readily across the tonoplast in intact cells, but did not enter any vesicles. On the other hand, the fluorescent cationic stain DIOC, which is used to highlight mitochondria and especially endoplasmic reticulum, stained the vesicle membrane. Numerous elliptical or kidney shaped nuclei in the flowing cytoplasm were highlighted with DAPI. In some fragments the nuclei formed large agreggates sometimes filling the width of the fragment.Patch-clamping the vesicles in artificial cytoplasm showed the presence of several kinds of channels, some displaying similar behaviour to the K⁺ channels observed in cytoplasmic droplets.Analogous to the plasmalemma of intact cells, the fragments without vacuoles displayed electrophysiological states dominated by either K⁺ conduction, H⁺ (or OH^–) conduction or the proton pump. On the other hand, excitation transients in fragments were of low amplitude or absent altogether. Detailed comparisons of data from fragments and intact cells are shown. The effect of vacuole formation on fragment electrophysiology was also explored.     

Pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and their sulfate and fatty acid esters in the rat brain

The rat brain contains large amounts of pregnenolone (P) and dehydroepiandrosterone (D) arising from local biosynthetic pathways. We have devised a procedure for the measurement of both "neurosteroids" either unconjugated or released from their sulfate (S) or fatty acid (L) esters. The measurements were performed at the acrophase of the circadian variation of neurosteroids, and confirmed the large accumulation of P (25 +/- 8 ng/g, mean +/- SD) and of PS (19 +/- 6 ng/g) and DS (2.1 +/- 0.5 ng/g) in the brain of adult male rats. We found that fatty acid esters constitute the major species of neurosteroids in brain (PL 46 +/- 14, and DL 36 +/- 7 ng/g, in adult males). The levels of P and DS were increased by daily injection of vehicle to intact males, whereas castration, without or with testosterone or estradiol supplementation (2 mg daily for 7 days), did not produce a significant change of neurosteroids concentrations. Measurements of neurosteroids had not been previously reported in cyclic females. The levels of P, PL, and DS were identical in proestrous females and in intact males, whereas PS (26 +/- 6 ng/g) and DL (50 +/- 16 ng/g) were increased in females. Compared to proestrous females, diestrous females had lower levels of PS (19 +/- 6 ng/g), DS (1.7 +/- 0.4 ng/g), and PL (43 +/- 19 ng/g). These differences suggested a modulatory role of ovarian secretions on the metabolism of neurosteroids.     

Beyond abortion: refusal of caesarean section

Social pressures and legal restrictions are proliferating against pregnant women. A dramatic infringement on women's rights is the court ordered cesarean section, as illustrated by the case of Angela C., a terminally ill cancer patient, 26 weeks pregnant, whose refusal of a cesarean section was overridden by a District of Columbia court. The premature infant and the mother died within two days. This case epitomizes a developing judicial pattern whose ethical reasoning the author criticizes. Within the context of the right to privacy and the concept of viability, which could legally override that right, Mahowald analyzes different situations where cesarean delivery is refused. After arguing that court ordered cesarean sections are inconsistent with court refusals to force persons to undergo less invasive procedures (e.g., bone marrow donation for the benefit of family members), she proposes alternatives to the present inconsistent practice.     

Consequences of terbium (111) binding on the conformation and enzymatic activity of Guinea pig liver transglutaminase

Calcium ions are crucial for expression of transglutaminase activity. Although lanthanides have been reported to substitute for calcium in a variety of protein functions, they did not replace the calcium requirement during transglutaminase activity measurements. Furthermore, lanthanides strongly inhibited purified liver transglutaminase activity using either casein or fibrinogen as substrates. Terbium (III) inhibition of transglutaminase-catalyzed putrescine incorporation into casein was not reversed by the presence of 10–200 fold molar excess of calcium ions (Ki for Tb(III)=60 µM). Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase upon Tb(III) binding were evident from a biphasic effect of Tb(III) on transglutaminase binding to fibrin. Low concentrations of Tb(III) (1 µM to 10 µM inhibited the binding of transglutaminase to fibrin, whereas higher concentrations (20 µM to 100 µM promoted binding. Conformational changes in purified liver transglutaminase consequent to Tb(III) binding were also demonstrated by fluorescence spectroscopy due to Forster energy transfer. Fluorescence emission was stable to the presence of 200 mM NaCl and 100 mM CaCl₂ only partially quenched emission. Purified liver transglutaminase strongly bound to Tb(III)-Chelating Sepharose beads and binding could not be disrupted by 100 mM CaCl₂ solution. Our data suggest that Tb(III)-induced conformational changes in transglutaminase are responsible for the observed effects on enzyme structure and function. The potential applications of Tb(III)-transglutaminase interactions in elucidating the structure-function relationships of liver transglutaminase are discussed.     

Growth dynamics of a ctenophore (Mnemiopsis) in relation to variable food supply. I. Carbon biomass, feeding, egg production, growth and assimilation efficiency

This paper contains new experimental data on the growth dynamicsof a lobate coastal ctenophore, Mnenmiopsis mccradyi, whichadd significantly to our understanding of the nutritional ecologyof ctenophores and their role as opportunistic predators. Theseexperimental observations were necessary to refine the dynamiccarbon budget presented as a simulation model in another report.The ratio of carbon biomass to dry weight may vary several-folddepending on the nutritional state and size from >12% inwell-fed larvae to <1% in starved adults. Feeding effort(clearance rate) is higher for previously starved animals, fallingsharply within a few hours after re-exposure to food. Directvisual observations of feeding activity of animals confirmedthis. Assimilation efficiency can be high (72%) in these animalsbut if they continue to feed at high food concentrations, incomingfood displaces material which is only partially digested andassimilation efficiency decreases substantially. Except at verylow food concentrations, growth efficiency ranges between 20and 45%. Mnemiopsis, begins to produce eggs at a size much lessthan its maximum. Egg production is very sensitive to food supply,and somatic growth is favored over egg production at low fooddensities. Even though several thousand eggs may be producedover a few days, they represent <2% day^–1 of the carbonbiomass of the ctenophore and several-fold less than respiratorycarbon.     

Role of light, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in regulation of buoyancy, growth and bloom formation of Anabaena flos-aquae

The availability of light, CO₂ and NH₄-N interacted to controlbuoyancy and growth of the gas vacuolate blue-green alga, Anabaenaflos-aquae. At high light intensities algal growth rates werehigh; however, the alga was non-buoyant regardless of the availabilityof CO₂ or NH₄-N. The mechanism for buoyancy loss involved increasedcell turgor pressures at higher light intensities which resultedin collapse of gas vacuoles. At lower light intensities algalgrowth rates and cell turgor pressures were reduced and buoyancywas controlled by the availability of CO₂ and inorganic nitrogen.Carbon dioxide limitation increased buoyancy, while reducedinorganic nitrogen availability reduced buoyancy. Mechanismsfor buoyancy regulation at low light intensities involved changesin cellular C/N ratios which appeared to affect the rate ofsynthesis and accumulation of protein-rich gas vacuoles. Algalspecific growth rates were combined with buoyancy data to forma single index (µ_bloom) to the rate of surface bloom formationof A.flos-aquae as a function of the availability of light,CO₂ and NH₄-N. The bloom formation index was enhanced with decreasedavailability of light and CO₂, and increased availability ofNH₄-N.