A recombination map of the human X-chromosome

Summary A family with 11 normal boys has been typed with DNA probes spanning the whole of the X-chromosome to observe directly the recombination events in 11 meioses from one female. This has (a) identified apparent recombination hot-spots on the X-chromosome; (b) shown the positions and numbers of cross-overs that have occurred in the p and q arms; (c) not shown any cross-overs in the centromeric region and (d) enabled the calculation of the genetic length of the X-chromosome.     

The role of introns in evolution

What are the roles of 'classical' introns in the evolution of nuclear genes, and what was the origin of these introns? Exon shuffling has been important in the evolution of cell surface and extracellular proteins, but the evidence for it in respect of intracellular proteins is weak. Intron distributions imply that some introns have been removed while others have been inserted in the course of evolution: ancestral patterns of introns may thus have been obscured. Recent evidence on the self-splicing and reverse-splicing abilities of Group II introns supports the hypothesis that these could have been the ancestors of classical introns.     

Enzymes as molecular automata: a reflection on some numerical and philosophical aspects of the hypothesis.

Enzymes, by means of their properties of specific recognition and allosteric modulation, are able to integrate many separate processes into systemic units with coherent functions; in a sense, they have to be considered as the true organizers of the cytoplasmic processes. In this respect, the present article describes a simple model, based on binary variables and automata theory, which simulates the basic regulatory performance of the modulated enzyme. The model admits a variety of modifications and improvements; it also suggests some original lines of thought on which to reflect about the organization and collective phenomena of the networks of enzymes. In discussing the connection of this 'molecular automata' hypothesis with other areas of present-day theoretical biology, a fertile panorama of initiatives appear. A special partnership between Information Science (computation) and Biology is developing.     

Identification of a male-specific (H-Y) antigen on the flagellar plasma membrane of ram epididymal spermatozoa

Summary H-Y (male-specific) antigen has been detected on the plasma membranes of both caput and caudal ram spermatozoa using both immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence labelling techniques. In these spermatozoa the distribution of H-Y antigen appears to be confined to both the posterior region of the head and the mid-piece region of the flagellum. In addition, caput spermatozoa also exhibit intense immunoperoxidase staining of the cytoplasmic droplet which is situated on the flagellum at the base of the head. Western blot analyses of purified plasma membranes from the flagella of caudal spermatozoa have revealed the presence of a malespecific protein with an estimated molecular weight of 25,000–27,000.