The importance of carotenoids in signaling during aggressive interactions between male firemouth cichlids (Cichlasoma meeki)

Male firemouth cichlids, Cichlasoma meeki, have red pigmentationcovering large areas of their ventral surface, which is displayedduring aggressive interactions. We manipulated the levels ofred pigmentation by assigning the fish to one of two diets,which were as similar as possible except that one was high incarotenoids while the other was low in carotenoids. During diadictrials under white light, fish kept on the high carotenoid dietwon a higher proportion of contests than fish kept on the lowcarotenoid diet Under green light, where differences in rednesscannot be discriminated, there was no effect of diet on theoutcome of contests. These experiments demonstrate that it isthe effect of the diet on red pigmentation that is importantrather than some confounding variable such as differential growthrates. The weight of the two fish was also important; therewas a tendency for the heavier fish to win more contests. Themass effect was subordinate to color under white light but wasthe dominant factor under green light The nature of the contestsunder the different light conditions also varied; the displayin which the red pigmentation is most obvious was not used undergreen light, but was common under white light This suggeststhat the display strategies are flexible and can be alteredaccording to which displays are most effective in a given environmentPrevious studies of other species of fish and birds have shownthat the degree of redness influences mate choice and is affectedby parasite infestations. We propose that carotenoid pigmentationis likely to reflect a general quality, influenced by severalfactors, rather than a context-specific quality such as fightingability.     

Studies on the localization and expression of nitric oxide synthase using histochemical techniques

Summary This review provides an update on the variety of histochemical techniques available for the cellular localization and expression of nitric oxide synthase in formalin-fixed tissue sections. The techniques of immunohistochemistry and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry are discussed and the suitability of various types of probes and reporters which are useful forin situ detection of nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression are assessed. Figures are also included which illustrate the techniques described and protocols forin situ hybridization and NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry.     

Variation in heat shock proteins within tropical and desert species of poeciliid fishes

The 70-kilodalton heat shock protein (hsp70) family of molecular chaperones, which contains both stress-inducible and normally abundant constitutive members, is highly conserved across distantly related taxa. Analysis of this protein family in individuals from an outbred population of tropical topminnows, Poeciliopsis gracilis, showed that while constitutive hsp70 family members showed no variation in protein isoforms, inducibly synthesized hsp70 was polymorphic. Several species of Poeciliopsis adapted to desert environments exhibited lower levels of inducible hsp70 polymorphism than the tropical species, but constitutive forms were identical to those in P. gracilis, as they were in the confamilial species Gambusia affinis. These differences suggest that inducible and constitutive members of this family are under different evolutionary constraints and may indicate differences in their function within the cell. Also, northern desert species of Poeciliopsis synthesize a subset of the inducible hsp70 isoforms seen in tropical species. This distribution supports the theory that ancestral tropical fish migrated northward and colonized desert streams; the subsequent decrease in variation of inducible hsp70 may have been due to genetic drift or a consequence of adaptation to the desert environment. Higher levels of variability were found when the 30- kilodalton heat shock protein (hsp30) family was analyzed within different strains of two desert species of Poeciliopsis and also in wild-caught individuals of Gambusia affinis. In both cases the distribution of hsp30 isoform diversity was similar to that seen previously with allozyme polymorphisms.      

Effect of indomethacin on prostaglandin content of several rabbit tissues

The prostaglandin (PG) content of several tissues and fluids from 6 day pregnant rabbits was evaluated following treatment with indomethacin or vehicle . PGE and PGF were measured by radioimmunoassay. More complete depletion of PGE and PGF was accomplished by 3 injections of indomethacin (s.c.) given during the 18 h before sacrifice at a dose of 10 mg indomethacin per kg body weight than was accomplished by 1 injection of the same amount of indomethacin (i.v.) 1.5 h before sacrifice. Levels of PGF were more easily depressed by indomethacin than were those of PGE. PG levels in the kidney and blastocysts were depressed to a greater extent by indomethacin than were those in the uterus, uterine fluid or peritoneal fluid. Evaluation of the effect of indomethacin on a particular physiological function should be interpreted with caution unless the extent of PG depletion in that tissue is also measured.     

Blockade of alpha-adrenergic receptors by analogues of phosphatidylcholine

The experimental evidence reviewed in this article suggests that the kidneys may have an additional function in regulating blood pressure besides their role in controlling both blood volume by urine formation and the relative state of vasoconstriction by the renin-angiotensin system. That is, the kidneys may have an additional influence upon the vasculature of a hormonal vasodilating system. The interstitial cells of the renal medulla appear to be mediating this activity and lipid compounds have been extracted from the renal medulla which display depressor activity. One such compound, the antihypertensive polar renomedullary lipid (APRL), has been demonstrated to consist of specific alkyl ether analogues of phosphatidylcholine. The vascular responses to these compounds include vasodilation of both arterioles and venules, rapid lowering of arterial blood pressure with little or no tachycardia, increased depressor activity in hypertensive animals, and blockade of vascular smooth muscle alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. Most recently, APRL and a synthetic analogue, 1-0-octadecyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine, have been used to demonstrate alpha-adrenergic receptor blockade on a smooth muscle cell line (DDT1) by radioligand assays. This action may be due to the insertion of these compounds into cell membranes causing subsequent steric interactions and blockade of the alpha-adrenergic receptor.     

Degradation of C-Labeled Lignins and C-Labeled Aromatic Acids by Fusarium solani

Abilities of isolate AF-W1 of Fusarium solani to degrade the side chain and the ring structure of synthetic dehydrogenative polymerizates, aromatic acids, or lignin in sound wood were investigated under several conditions of growth substrate or basal medium and pH. Significant transformations of lignins occurred in 50 days in both unextracted and extracted sound wood substrates with 3% malt as the growth substrate and the pH buffered initially at 4.0 with 2,2-dimethylsuccinate. Degradation of lignin in such woods also occurred under unbuffered pH conditions when a basal medium of either 3% malt or powdered cellulose in deionized water was present. Decomposition of the lignin in these woods did not occur in cultures where d-glucose was present as a growth substrate. F. solani significantly transformed, as measured as evolved CO(2), both synthetic side chain (beta, gamma)-C- and U-ring-C-labeled lignins in 30 days under liquid culture conditions of only distilled deionized water and no pH adjustment. Degradation of dehydrogenative polymerizates by F. solani was reduced drastically when D(2) was the liquid medium. AF-W1 also cleaved the alpha-C from p-hydroxybenzoic acid and evolved CO(2) from the substrate, [3-C]cinnamic acid. Thus, the fungus cleaved side chain carbon from substrate that originally lacked hydroxyl substitution on the aromatic nucleus. Surprisingly, small amounts of C cleaved from aromatic acids by F. solani were incorporated into cell mass. Initial buffering of the culture medium to pH 4.0 or 5.0 with 0.1 M 2,2-dimethylsuccinate significantly increased F. solani degradation of all lignins or aromatic acids. Results indicated that AF-W1 used lignin as a sole carbon source.