Increased near-ultraviolet induced DNA fragmentation in xeroderma pigmentosum variants.

Immediate fragmentation of parental DNA by near-ultraviolet irradiation at 313 nm was measured in cultured skin fibroblasts from normal individuals, patients with Xeroderma pigmentosum of complementation group A (XPA) and Xeroderma pigmentosum variants (XPV) by the alkaline elution procedure. For a dose of 2.25 KJm^?2 given at O^o fragmentation was comparable in all cell strains. However, fragmentation was strongly increased relative to O^o in XPV but not in normal fibroblasts and the XPA strains when irradiation was carried out at 37^o. From our results it appears that a step in the repair of $\text{parental}$ DNA is abnormal in XPV.     

Predator detection and avoidance by starlings under differing scenarios of predation risk

Practically all animals must find food while avoiding predators.An individual's perception of predation risk may depend on manyfactors, such as distance to refuge and group size, but it isunclear whether individuals respond to different factors ina similar manner. We tested whether flocks of foraging starlingsresponded in the same way to an increased perception of predationrisk by assessing three factors: (1) neighbor distances, (2)habitat obstruction, and (3) recent exposure to a predator.We found that in all three scenarios of increased risk, starlingsreduced their interscan intervals (food-searching bouts), whichincreased the frequency of their vigilance periods. We thenexamined how one of these factors, habitat obstruction, affectedescape speed by simulating an attack with a model predator.Starlings were slower to respond in visually obstructed habitats(long grass swards) and slower when they had their head downin obstructed habitats than when they had their head down inopen habitats. In addition, reaction times were quicker whenstarlings could employ their peripheral fields of vision. Ourresults demonstrate that different sources of increased riskcan generate similar behavioral responses within a species.The degree of visibility in the physical and social environmentaffects both the actual and perceived risk of predation.     

The ossification centers in the lower end of tibiotarsus in domestic fowl.

The morphogenesis of lower end of tibia in chick is studied commonly but the process of ossification of the same has received very little attention so far. The present study is directed to throw some light on the appearance of ossification centers in the lower end of tibiotarsus of chick. The histology of lower end of tibiotarsus was studied by procuring developing tibiotarsi from chick embryos (20) of 6th day incubation till hatching and 3 post hatched chicks. The transparancies of chick embryos at different incubation periods and post hatched chicks were prepared by Dawson's Alizarin staining method. Three cartilage center (tibial, fibulare and intermedium) appeared in 6...9 days of incubation period in the tarsal region. These gradually fused with the lower end of tibia. Three ossification centres developed in the lower end of tibiotarsus. One for intermedium appeared on 16th day and two fotibial and fibulare on 20th day. All these three centres could be located in the transparancies of the chick embryos in tarsal region. The present study proves that the three cartilages centres maintain their individuality during the ossification process even though those fuse completely with the lower end of tibia in chick. The centers for tibial and fibulare are similar to epiphyseal centres of mammals in histological details.     

Wnt-7a in feather morphogenesis: involvement of anterior-posterior asymmetry and proximal-distal elongation demonstrated with an in vitro reconstitution model.

How do vertebrate epithelial appendages form from the flat epithelia? Following the formation of feather placodes, the previously radially symmetrical primordia become anterior-posterior (A-P) asymmetrical and develop a proximo-distal (P-D) axis. Analysis of the molecular heterogeneity revealed a surprising parallel of molecular profiles in the A-P feather buds and the ventral-dorsal (V-D) Drosophila appendage imaginal discs. The functional significance was tested with an in vitro feather reconstitution model. Wnt-7a expression initiated all over the feather tract epithelium, intensifying as it became restricted first to the primordia domain, then to an accentuated ring pattern within the primordia border, and finally to the posterior bud. In contrast, sonic hedgehog expression was induced later as a dot within the primordia. RCAS was used to overexpress Wnt-7a in reconstituted feather explants derived from stage 29 dorsal skin to further test its function in feather formation. Control skin formed normal elongated, slender buds with A-P orientation, but Wnt-7a overexpression led to plateau-like skin appendages lacking an A-P axis. Feathers in the Wnt-7a overexpressing skin also had inhibited elongation of the P-D axes. This was not due to a lack of cell proliferation, which actually was increased although randomly distributed. While morphogenesis was perturbed, differentiation proceeded as indicated by the formation of barb ridges. Wnt-7a buds have reduced expression of anterior (Tenascin) bud markers. Middle (Notch-1) and posterior bud markers including Delta-1 and Serrate-1 were diffusely expressed. The results showed that ectopic Wnt-7a expression enhanced properties characteristic of the middle and posterior feather buds and suggest that P-D elongation of vertebrate skin appendages requires balanced interactions between the anterior and posterior buds.     

Hyphal morphogenesis in Aspergillus nidulans

The formation of hyphae that grow solely by apical extension is a defining feature of filamentous fungi. Hyphal morphogenesis involves several key steps, including the establishment and maintenance of a stable polarity axis, as well as cell division via the deposition of septa. Several filamentous fungi have been employed in attempts to decipher the mechanisms underlying these steps. Amongst these fungi, Aspergillus nidulans has proven to be a particularly valuable model. The genetic tractability of this fungus coupled with the availability of sophisticated post-genomics resources has enabled the identification and characterization of numerous genes involved in hyphal morphogenesis. Here, we summarize current progress towards understanding the function of these genes and the mechanisms involved in polarized hyphal growth and septation in A. nidulans. We also highlight important areas for future investigation.