Mitogenic andadjuvant activities of polysaccharides from the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum NC-4.

Cell surface and extracellular polysaccharide fractions obtained from Dictyostelium discoideum NC-4 cultured in bacteria-free medium showed strong B-cell mitogenic activities. Upon periodate treatment of the extra-cellular polysaccharide fraction this activity completely disappeared. The extracellular polysaccharide fraction could also enhance the antibody response in vitro against sheep red blood cells.     

Effect of poly(ADP-ribose) formation on DNA synthesis in chick-embryo-liver nuclei. Possible mechanism of template activation.

The complete amino acid sequence of bovine phospholipase A2 (EC 3.1.1.4) was determined. This enzyme has a molecular weight of 13 782 and consists of a single polypeptide chain of 123 amino acids cross-linked by seven disulfide bridges. The main fragmentation of the polypeptide chain was accomplished by digesting the reduced and thialaminated derivative of the protein with trypsin, staphylococcal protease and cyanogen bromide. A number of chymotryptic peptides were used for alignment and to obtain overlaps of at least two residues. The sequence of the peptides was determined by Edman degradation by means of direct phenylthiohydantoin identification in combination with identification as dansyl amino acids. Although 71% of all residues of phospholipase A2 from bovine, porcine and equine sources are conserved, bovine phospholipase A2 differs from the others by the total number of residues and by substitutions at 20 (porcine) and 33 (equine) positions.     

Regulation of lettuce hypocotyl elongation by gibberellic acid. Correlation between cell elongation, stress-relaxation properties of the cell wall and wall polysaccharide content

Lettuce hypocotyl elongation caused by gibberellic acid wasstrongly inhibited by coumarin and dichlobenil, known inhibitorsof cellulose biosyndiesis. Stress-relaxation analysis of thecell wall revealed that gibberellic acid induces a decreasein both minimum relaxation time (To) and relaxation rate (b)and an increase in maximum relaxation time (Tm), when gibberellicacid stimulates hypocotyl elongation. Both coumarin and dichlobenilnullified the effect of gibberellic acid on changes in To, Tmand b values. The content of pectic, hemicellulosic and cellulosic substancesin the cell wall increased per hypocotyl but decreased per unithypocotyl length, in response to gibberellic acid treatment.Particularly, gibberellic acid caused a substantial increasein cellulose content per hypocotyl but a decrease per unit length.A good correlation existed between the decrease in To and thedecrease in hemicellulose content per unit lengdi of the cellwall. The increase in Tm was correlated with the decrease incellulose content per unit length of the cell wall. The decreasein b was correlated with the decrease in the content of bothcellulose and hemicellulose per unit length. Based on these results, we discuss the role of polysaccharidemetabolism of the cell wall in gibberellic acid-induced lettucehypocotyl elongation and the nature of gibberellic acid-inducedbiochemical modifications of the cell wall, which are representedby changes in stress-relaxation properties of the cell wall. ¹Present address: Department of Anatomy, Aichi Medical University,Nagakutecho, Aichigun, Aichi 480-11, Japan. (Received September 22, 1975; )     

Change in ATP-pyrophosphohydrolase activity during spherule formation of Physarum polycephalum.

The activity of Ca2+-dependent ATP pyrophosphohydrolase was found to fluctuate during spherule formation of the acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum under starving incubation. The enzyme activity increased up to 16-fold at the 3rd day of the starvation, then decreased drastically to less than its original level. Column chromatography of the enzyme preparation suggested that the increase in the activity was due to de novo synthesis of a new isozyme. Cycloheximide inhibited the synthesis. The two isozymes were different in their Ca2+ sensitivity, the new one being less sensitive.     

Regulation of chicken erythrocyte AMP deaminase by phytic acid.

AMP deaminase [EC 3.5.6.4] purified from chicken erythrocytes was inhibited by phytic acid (inositol hexaphosphate), which is the principal organic phosphate in chicken red cells. Kinetic analysis has indicated that this inhibition is of an allosteric type. The estimated Ki value was within the normal range of phytic acid concentration, suggesting that this compound acts as a physiological effector. Divalent cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ were shown to affect AMP deaminase by potentiating inhibition by lower concentrations of phytic acid, and by relieving the inhibition at higher concentrations of phytic acid. These results suggests that Ca2+ and Mg2+ can modify the inhibition of AMP deaminase by phytic acid in chicken red cells.     

Crumbs proteins stabilize the cone mosaics of photoreceptors and improve vision in zebrafish

Although the unique organization of vertebrate cone mosaics was first described long ago,both their underlying molecular basis and physiological significance are largely unknown.Here,we demonstrate that Crumbs proteins,the key regulators of epithelial apical polarity,establish the planar cellular polarity of photoreceptors in zebrafish.Via heterophilic Crb2a-Crb2b interactions,the apicobasal polarity protein Crb2b restricts the asymmetric planar distribution of Crb2a in photoreceptors.The planar polarized Crumbs proteins thus balance intercellular adhesions and tension between photoreceptors,thereby stabilizing the geometric organization of cone mosaics.Notably,loss of Crb2b in zebrafish induces a nearsightedness-like phenotype in zebrafish accompanied by an elongated eye axis and impairs zebrafish visual perception for predation.These data reveal a detailed mechanism for cone mosaic homeostasis via previously undiscovered apical-planar polarity coordination and propose a pathogenic mechanism for nearsightedness.     

Factors determining vegetation recovery after abandonment of coal-mining villages

Landscape and Ecological Engineering - There have been many earlier studies of the biodiversity and ecosystem services of abandoned farmlands, but studies of abandoned villages are limited,...