Gene Differences between the Sex Ratio and Standard Gene Arrangements of the X Chromosome and Linkage Disequilibrium between Loci in the Standard Gene Arrangement of the X Chromosome in DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA

The Standard and Sex Ratio gene arrangements of the X chromosome of D. pseudobscura differ from each other in allele frequencies at the four X chromosome loci, esterase-5, adult acid phosphatase-6, phosphoglucomutase-1 and octanol dehydrogenase-3. The Standard arrangement which is the common arrangement in all populations is polymorphic at these loci in varying degrees, the geographically less widespread Sex Ratio arrangement has little polymorphism and is genically predominantly E-5(1.04) AP-6(-) Pgm1(1.0) ODH-3(1.0). The Sex Ratio arrangement from different populations is alike at all of the four loci, the Standard arrangement shows some gene frequency differences among populations. The Standard and Sex Ratio arrangements differ from each other by three inversions which suggests that the two arrangements are "old". Gene differences between these two chromosome arrangements can be explained due to differential natural selection of alleles in the Standard and Sex Ratio arrangments.-The order and percent recombination among these four loci in the Standard arrangement are: E-5-.294-AP-6-.335-Pgm-1-.024-ODH-3. The Standard X chromosomes from four different wild populations were analyzed for evidence of linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci at these four loci. No evidence of linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci was obtained. However, when linkages involving simultaneously three loci, E-5, AP-6 and Pgm-1 are considered, then significant departure from linkage equilibrium is observed.     

Association of Alleles of the Malic Dehydrogenase Locus with a Pericentric Inversion in DROSOPHILA ROBUSTA

Associations of Malic dehydrogenase alleles with the third chromosome arrangement 3R and the pericentric arrangement 3L-R are described. Even though significant associations between alleles and inversions exist within a population, there is an overall similarity in MDH allele frequencies in different populations inspite of large differences in inversion frequencies.     

Intra-chromosomal position interference inNeurospora crassa

Multiple-point crosses where 20 pairs of regions (ten loosely linked markers) for the study of contiguous exchanges involving two linkage groups, capable of being investigated at a time, were utilized. In order to find out the effect of a chelating agent on interference, crosses were treated with different molar concentrations of ethylene-diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). All marker strains were standardized before use by inbreeding with a wild-type of known parentage.Since tests based on Coefficient of Coincidence and on Poisson distribution for finding out the position interference are rather unsatisfactory, a method based onContingency Chi-square test for detecting the intensity and nature of interference is described.Data obtained from 1813 analyzable ordered tetrads show that positive interference is absent in the control crosses. It is present among certain regions in crosses when treated with 4×10^–5M and 10×10^–5M EDTA but it vanishes again in crosses when treated with 20×10^–5M EDTA. Negative interference is present in the control crosses but it varies among pairs of regions on the two linkage groups. The localization and intensity of interference are alterable with EDTA treatment. The data are discussed in the light of certain concepts invoking to explain the mechanism that involves a genetic exchange.     

Fine needle aspiration cytologic diagnosis of the solitary cold thyroid nodule. Comparison with ultrasonography, radionuclide perfusion study and xeroradiography

Thirty-six cases of solitary and scintigraphically "cold" thyroid nodules were studied by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, ultrasonography, radionuclide perfusion study (RPS) and xeroradiography with the aim of differentiating the neoplastic from the nonneoplastic nodules. Histologic study of the excised specimens provided the definitive diagnosis in all cases. Of the techniques used in this study, FNA cytology and RPS had the highest sensitivities and specificities. Ultrasonography and xeroradiography were of limited use due to their low sensitivity rates.     

Comparison of increased expression of wild-type and herbicide-resistant acetolactate synthase genes in transgenic plants, and indication of posttranscriptional limitation on enzyme activity

Genes encoding wild type acetolactate synthase (ALS) and a sulfonylurea herbicide-resistant form of the enzyme, isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana, were expressed in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants under the control of their native promoters or of the highly active cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Expression of the wild type coding region from the 35S promoter resulted in a small, threefold increase in sulfonylurea tolerance above the levels measured in tissue expressing the native wild type gene. A much larger, 300-fold increase in herbicide tolerance was conferred by the mutant gene encoding a herbicide-resistant ALS. An additional 10-fold increase in tolerance was attained by expressing this coding region from the 35S promoter. The increase in both wild type and mutant gene expression directed by the 35S promoter resulted in over 25-fold higher levels of ALS messenger RNA in some transformants as compared with those expressing the native genes. However, ALS specific activity increased at most twofold, indicating that the amount of functional enzyme and messenger RNA are not correlated.     

Influence of gestation on jugular plasma thyroxine levels in Murrah buffalo and Karan Swiss cows

Plasma samples from 106 pregnant Karan Swiss (Brown Swiss x Sahiwal) cows and 108 Murrah buffalo were tested for thyroxine (T(4)) levels to determine the relationship between the hormonal changes and advancing pregnancy in the two species. All samples were collected within 2 months (January and February) to avoid seasonal interference on T(4) levels. In pregnant cows, the concentration of T(4) increased sharply during the first trimester, reaching a peak at the third month of gestation followed by a gradual decline until the last month of pregnancy. In pregnant buffalo, peripheral plasma T(4) levels fluctuated slightly throughout pregnancy without exhibiting a specific trend. Statistical analysis revealed that the magnitude of T(4) levels was significantly lower in buffalo (P < 0.01) than in the cows throughout pregnancy and that the hormonal patterns of the two species were significantly different (P < 0.05) during gestation. It was hypothesized from this study that T(4) requirements for the fetal buffalo calf may be lower than that for the fetal cattle calf since the buffalo gestation period is a month longer and the metabolic rate lower vis-a-vis the cow.     

A molecular model of the complete three-dimensional structure of the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I: binding of the dNTP substrate and template-primer.

A complete three-dimensional structure of the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (pol I) has been proposed on the basis of molecular modeling and molecular mechanics studies using available C alpha coordinates. The structure seems quite reliable because the overall surface of electrostatic potentials calculated for the molecularly modeled enzyme closely resembles that reported for the X-ray structure. The modeled structure is then used in developing a ternary complex of dTTP and (dA)25-(dT)14 poised in its active site. The orientation of both substrates in the ternary complex was primarily guided by the amino acid residues which had been known to interact with dNTP and DNA substrates from earlier studies. The proposed model (a) explains the geometrical and physicochemical relationship of the two substrates with the various critical amino acid residues involved in the binding process and (b) suggests possible roles for additional residues in the binding and/or polymerization reaction. Furthermore, the ternary complex appears to satisfy many biochemical and genetic data concerning catalytic requirements known to exist for the polymerization reaction.     

High frequency adventitious shoot regeneration from excised leaves ofPaulownia spp. cultured in vitro

High frequency, direct regeneration of shoots was induced in leaf cultures ofPaulownia tomentosa, P. fortunei x P. tomentosa andP. kawakamii. The optimum culture medium for the leaf explants derived from shoot cultures was Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 10 M indole-3-acetic acid and 50 M benzyladenine. Up to 40 shoots were obtained over a 4 month culture period from each leaf explant. Rooting occurred spontaneously in the shoots that were about 1 cm tall when subcultured on phytohormone-free MS medium. The plantlets could be transplanted successfully. Some of the transplantedP. tomentosa plantlets flowered in the greenhouse one year after transplanting. The protocol is suitable not only for rapid multiplication of the various species ofPaulownia, but also for analytical studies associated with adventitious shoot regeneration.