Complete amino acid sequence of tenebrosin-C, a cardiac stimulatory and haemolytic protein from the sea anemone Actinia tenebrosa

The complete amino acid sequence of the cardiac stimulatory and haemolytic protein tenebrosin-C, from the Australian sea anemone Actinia tenebrosa, has been determined by Edman degradation of the intact molecule and fragments produced by treatment of the polypeptide chain with cyanogen bromide and enzymatic cleavage with endoproteinase Asp-N, thermolysin and trypsin. The molecule is a single-chain polypeptide consisting of 179 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 19,797 Da. Tenebrosin-C shows a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity (63%) with Stoichactis helianthus cytolysin III [Blumenthal, K. M. and Kem, W. R. (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 5574-5581] and is identical to a partial sequence (90 residues) reported for equinatoxin, a cardiostimulatory and haemolytic protein isolated from the European sea anemone Actinia equina [Ferlan, I. and Jackson, K. (1983) Toxicon Suppl. 3, 141-144]. No amino acid sequence similarity was detected between tenebrosin-C and other protein sequences stored in available databases. The predicted secondary structure of tenebrosin-C suggests that it is a compact, highly structured molecule.     

Seminal transferrin and spermatogenic capability in the bull

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between seminal transferrin and sperm output in ejaculates from mature dairy bulls. Caudal sperm reserves in mature Holstein bulls (n = 15) were depleted by 8 successive ejaculations during a 50-70-min period (depletion phase). Bulls were then ejaculated 6 times per week for a period of 4 weeks (6X phase). Weekly sperm output (WSO) and weekly transferrin output (WTfO) were the sums of sperm and transferrin levels in 6 ejaculates taken in 1 week of the study. Mean WSO ranged from 20.7 billion to 39.6 billion and mean WTfO ranged from 334 micrograms to 1872 micrograms among the bulls. Regression analysis of sperm and transferrin levels in ejaculates collected during the depletion phase indicated that approximately 40% of seminal transferrin was not related to sperm output and probably was from accessory fluids. A relationship between total seminal transferrin and total sperm in ejaculate was observed (p less than 0.01, r = 0.54). This relationship was stronger when the transferrin was corrected for accessory fluid contribution (p less than 0.01, r = 0.65). The relationship between WSO and WTfO corrected for accessory fluid transferrin contribution (cWTfO) was significant (p less than 0.01, r = 0.64). The relationship between WSO and cWTfO can be interpreted to reflect the relationship between actual testicular sperm production and transferrin from testicular or epididymal origin.     

Macromolecule synthesis and determination in sea urchin blastomeres at the sixteen-cell stage.

Three size classes of blastomeres, micro-, meso-, and macromeres, form at the fourth cleavage of sea urchin embryos. These cells are the first for which there is unequivocal evidence of restricted developmental potential. Overall patterns of protein synthesis are qualitatively similar in all three, but distinct quantitative differences exist, particularly but not exclusively in the ratio of histone to nonhistone synthesis. These differences are reproduced in heterologous cell-free translation directed by RNA purified from each of the three cell types. They are abolished by treatment of the embryos with actinomycin, in the presence of which all cells synthesize the same kinds and very nearly the same amounts of proteins, at least at the level of resolution available with gel electrophoresis in one dimension. Divergence of the protein synthetic patterns in normal embryos appears to be due to the addition of similar amounts of newly transcribed messenger RNA to variable maternal messenger pools, the sizes of which are proportional to the volume of cytoplasm.     

Der Zug des Sperbers(Accipiter nisus) auf Helgoland

Zusammenfassung Der Sperber ist auf Helgoland nur Durchzügler. Im langjährigen Mittel werden pro Jahr im Winter 0,4, auf dem Heimzug 2,1 und im Herbst 23,0 Fänglinge festgestellt. Der Zugablauf läßt eine Trennung der Zugzeiten der Alt- und Jungvögel einerseits sowie der und andererseits erkennen. Altvögel stellen 14,1%, 40,1% der Fänglinge. Anhand der Flügelmaße und Gewichte läßt sich mit fortschreitender Zugzeit keine klinale Variation nachweisen. Ältere Literaturangaben, Helgoland betreffend, werden teils korrigiert, teils präzisiert. Der geringe Anteil der Altvögel bzw. wird auf deren geringer ausgeprägten Zugtrieb zurückgeführt.

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The migration of the sparrow-hawk on Heligoland

Summary On Heligoland the Sparrow-Hawk occurs as a passage visitor only. Mean numbers (17 years) of birds trapped are 0.4 in winter, 2.1 during spring and 23.0 in autumn. Adults and juveniles as males and females as well show different periods of migration. Among birds trapped there are 14.1% adults and 40.1% females. No clinal variation of wing length and weight according to time of passage could be found. Former literature concerning Heligoland is partly corrected, partly rendered more precise. The low proportions of adults and females respectively are caused by weaker migratory urge.

     

Reiseerinnerungen an Spanien

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Zur Flora von Istrien

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Boosting Escherichia coli’s heterologous production rate of ectoines by exploiting the non-halophilic gene cluster from Acidiphilium cryptum

Extremophiles - The compatible solutes ectoine and hydroxyectoine are synthesized by many microorganisms as potent osmostress and desiccation protectants. Besides their successful implementation...