The periodic swarming of Anchistioides antiguensis

Observations from the jetty of the Biological Station, Bermuda, of the appearance of Anchistioides antiguensis (Schmitt) at the surface over a short period in 1934 and eight months in 1935 are recorded, and show definite periodicity sometimes of sufficient intensity to merit the term swarming.
The periodicity coincides with the two weeks of the lunar cycle when the moon wanes from the last quarter to the first quarter of the new cycle. It appears to consist of two maximum appearances separated by an interval of some days.
Direct lunar influence, sex and the reproductive period, the surface-temperature, wind and weather, and the state of the tide are shown to have no connexion with swarming.
An explanation is suggested based on the feeding habits and depending on the periodic activity of the worms that form the food. The double maximum of the swarming period is shown to represent two stages of growth.     

Positive selection and the molecular evolution of a gene of male reproduction, Acp26Aa of Drosophila

The gene for a male ejaculatory protein, Acp26Aa, in four sibling species of the Drosophila melanogaster subgroup has previously been shown to have a nonsynonymous rate (Ka) of nucleotide substitution that is indistinguishable from the synonymous rate (Ks). By examining this gene in two other species of this subgroup, we found that Ka is generally large and can sometimes be more than twice as large as Ks. This suggests that positive selection may be operating at this locus of male reproduction.      

The structure of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase reveals homology to phosphoglycosyl transferases

Bacterial UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase catalyzes the reversible epimerization at C-2 of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) and thereby provides bacteria with UDP-N-acetylmannosamine (UDP-ManNAc), the activated donor of ManNAc residues. ManNAc is critical for several processes in bacteria, including formation of the antiphagocytic capsular polysaccharide of pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae types 19F and 19A. We have determined the X-ray structure (2.5 A) of UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase with bound UDP and identified a previously unsuspected structural homology with the enzymes glycogen phosphorylase and T4 phage beta-glucosyltransferase. The relationship to these phosphoglycosyl transferases is very intriguing in terms of possible similarities in the catalytic mechanisms. Specifically, this observation is consistent with the proposal that the UDP-GlcNAc 2-epimerase-catalyzed elimination and re-addition of UDP to the glycal intermediate may proceed through a transition state with significant oxocarbenium ion-like character. The homodimeric epimerase is composed of two similar alpha/beta/alpha sandwich domains with the active site located in the deep cleft at the domain interface. Comparison of the multiple copies in the asymmetric unit has revealed that the epimerase can undergo a 10 degrees interdomain rotation that is implicated in the regulatory mechanism. A structure-based sequence alignment has identified several basic residues in the active site that may be involved in the proton transfer at C-2 or stabilization of the proposed oxocarbenium ion-like transition state. This insight into the structure of the bacterial epimerase is applicable to the homologous N-terminal domain of the bifunctional mammalian UDP-GlcNAc "hydrolyzing" 2-epimerase/ManNAc kinase that catalyzes the rate-determining step in the sialic acid biosynthetic pathway.     

Synthesis, crystal structures and properties of substituted-pyridyl functionalized bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene derivatives and their corresponding Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes

Three substituted-pyridyl functionalized bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene (BEDT-TTF) derivatives 1-3 and their corresponding Ni(II) and Co(II) complexes have been synthesized and characterized. Their electrochemical properties in CH₂Cl₂ solution have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and two reversible single-electron oxidation waves for the TTF moiety are observed. Crystal structure analyses were carried out for compound 2 as well as for the Co(II) complex of 1 (7).