ARAGONITE IN HALIMED A AND TYDEMANIA (ORDER SIPHON ALES)12

The mineral component of the marine green algal genus Halimeda is the orthorhombic calcium carbonate (aragonite); its presence appears to be a generic characteristic. Tydemania expeditionis also precipitates aragonite in contradistinction to species of the red alga Corallina wliich precipitate calcium carbonate of the hexagonal form (calcite). The analyses are based on x-ray diffraction methods. Although other inorganic substances arc present, the amounts are minor and probably represent contaminants. Specimens that are to be studied for mineral components should not be stored in formalin.     

Changes in protein phosphorylation associated with compaction of the mouse preimplantation embryo

In order to investigate the role of protein phosphorylation in the early differentiative events of mouse preimplantation development, timed groups of embryos of various stages were incubated in medium containing [32P]orthophosphate and harvested immediately after labelling or following a chase period. The phosphoproteins obtained were separated by electrophoresis in one and two dimensions. While some of the phosphoproteins found were common to all the stages examined, the detection of many depended on both the combination of pulse-labelling and chase periods used and on the developmental stage examined. Some phosphoproteins were only found in compacted 8-cell embryos, a correlation which suggests a possible link with the post-translational mechanisms which underlie compaction.     

Effect of mutations in the PINHEAD gene of Arabidopsis on the formation of shoot apical meristems

The primary shoot apical meristem of angiosperm plants is formed during embryogenesis. Lateral shoot apical meristems arise postembryonically in the axils of leaves. Recessive mutations at the PINHEAD locus of Arabidopsis interfere with the ability of both the primary shoot apical meristem as well as lateral shoot apical meristems to form. However, adventitious shoot apical meristems can form in pinhead mutant seedlings from the axils of the cotyledons and also from cultred root explants. In this report, the phenotype of pinhead mutants is described, and a hypothesis for the role of the wild-type PINHEAD gene product in shoot meristem initiation is presented. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Genetic control of bacterial suicide: regulation of the induction of PBSX in Bacillus subtilis.

PBSX is a phage-like bacteriocin (phibacin) of Bacillus subtilis 168. Bacteria carrying the PBSX genome are induced by DNA-damaging agents to lyse and produce PBSX particles. The particles cannot propagate the PBSX genome. The particles produced by this suicidal response kill strains nonlysogenic for PBSX. A 5.2-kb region which controls the induction of PBSX has been sequenced. The genes identified include the previously identified repressor gene xre and a positive control factor gene, pcf. Pcf is similar to known sigma factors and acts at the late promoter PL, which has been located distal to pcf. The first two genes expressed from the late promoter show homology to genes encoding the subunits of phage terminases.     

Chaperone-mediated activation in vivo of a Pseudomonas cepacia lipase

An extracellular Pseudomonas cepacia lipase, LipA, is inactive when expressed in the absence of the product of the limA gene. Evidence has been presented that LimA is a molecular chaperone. The lipA and limA genes have been cloned in separate and independently inducible expression systems in Escherichia coli. These systems were used to test the molecular chaperone hypothesis by investigating whether LimA could activate presynthesized prelipase and whether presynthesized LimA could activate newly synthesized prelipase. The results show that LimA cannot activate presynthesized prelipase and that presynthesized LimA can activate only a limited number of de novo synthesized prelipase molecules. Co-immunoprecipitation of prelipase/lipase with LimA generated a 1:1 complex of prelipase/lipase and LimA. The results suggest that a 1:1 complex of LipA and LimA is required for prelipase processing and secretion of active lipase.     

Dispersion and site fidelity of breeding female grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on North Rona, Scotland

Female grey seals ( Halichoerus grypus ) formed breeding aggregations on the island of North Rona, Scotland. Aggregations of females were associated particularly with gullies leading from the sea, leaving large areas of available space unoccupied. Changes in the degree of aggregation of females during the breeding season were similar in 1987, 1988 and 1989. Pronounced aggregations occurred in the early and late parts of each breeding season.
Of 67 breeding females marked in 1985, 62 (93%)) returned to N. Rona to breed in at least one season up to 1989, but 18 (27%) were present in all five years. Females came ashore up to 14 days before giving birth and 82% were observed first in the vicinity of their subsequent pupping site. Between 1985 and 1989, marked females which returned were faithful to their previous pupping sites, even when the previous pup had died. There was no evidence of a gradual change in the location of individual pupping sites over time. This pupping site fidelity may generate aggregations whose location, timing and composition is predictable.