Darstellung des Lautrepertoires handaufgezogener Weißbüscheläffchen (Callithrix j. jacchus) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der fließenden Übergänge zwischen den einzelnen Lautgruppen

The vocalizations of eleven hand-rearedCallithrix jacchus have been sonagraphically analyzed and according to morphactical criteria compiled into a classification of eleven call-categories. These call-categories, however, are not discretely separable from each other because there exists a large variability within the groups as well as there are different types of continuous and summative transitions between them. Therefore it appears to be impossible to correlate particular tonal patterns exclusively with specific contexts or functions. It is suggested that the basic characteristics of all these eleven call-categories are initially included within the extremely variable group of “short phii-calls” (call-category 01).

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Az. Ro 356/2.     

Alanine aminotransferase in the rat nervous system during the postnatal development referring to the glutamate transmitter metabolism

Alanine aminotransferase has been studied in various nervous tissues during the postnatal development of the rat. At birth the enzyme activity was low and showed similar levels in all tissues studied. In the hippocampal formation and in the cerebellum which are supposed to be endowed with glutamatergic structures, the enzyme activity increased significantly during the postnatal development. These results contrast markedly with dorsal root ganglia and superior cervical ganglia, in which glutamatergic transmission processes are obviously absent. In these peripheral ganglia the time course of the enzyme activity persisted on a very low level after birth. The participation of alanine aminotransferase in forming of transmitter glutamate is discussed.     

Long-term study of infant-carrying behavior in captive common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Effect of nonreproductive helpers on the parents' carrying performance

Infant-carrying behavior in four families ofCallithrix jacchus was investigated over a period covering six to eight litters. We evaluated the effect of the total number of helpers and the number of adult helpers on the parents' carrying performance for the total carrying period and for three age stages of the infants. The carrying performance of the parents reached an asymptote beginning with litters 3 to 5. In two groups, the carrying performance of the parents was significantly negatively correlated with group size. However, considerable differences existed within each group and between the groups. The mother was the primary caregiver in the early weeks of the infants' lives. In this phase the helpers' contribution to carrying was less than might be expected. The relief of the parents from infant-carrying was greatest when the infants were 4 to 7 weeks old. Breeding males benefited most and from every helper, while breeding females benefited most from adult helpers, i.e., the carrying performance of the breeding female was considerably reduced until the respective group had grown to 8 to 10 members (infants not included). This group size is considered to be ideal for maximal relief of the parents from infant carrying. An increasing number of adult nonreproductive helpers (>4 or 5) does not induce a further reduction of the parents' carrying performance. Infant-rearing experience of nonreproductive helpers seems to be more important for the parents' and, especially, the breeding female's relief from infant-carrying than the overall number of helpers is. The data also strongly evidence that a group member's participation in infant-carrying is influenced by housing conditions and the demographic history of the group.     

Evidence for an intra- and extraplastidic pre-chorismate pathway

Pea plants grown under different conditions of cultivation, and eight different plant species with variegated leaves were used to study the intracellular localization of shikimate oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.25), the marker enzyme of the pre-chorismate pathway. The two series of experiments indicated an intra-and an extraplastidic compartimentalization of the enzyme, and both enzyme activities are regulated differentially. While the extraplastidic activity is permanently demonstrable, the intraplastidic activity is subject to the plants' developmental state and also depends on both illumination and fertilization.     

Membrane permeable fluorogenic rhodamine substrates for selective determination of cathepsin L.

The dipeptidyl rhodamine diamide substrates (Z-Phe-Arg)2-R110 and (Z-Arg-Arg)2-R110 are 820- and 360-fold more selective for cathepsin L than for cathepsin B allowing a sensitive determination of cathepsin L activity in the presence of high activity of cathepsin B. The results obtained with cell lysates suggest that the cysteine proteinase activity of vital macrophages detected by flow cytometry with these substrates is mainly due to cathepsin L.