A new method for estimating gross phosphorus mineralization and immobilization rates in soils

Phosphorus availability in soils is controlled by both the sizes of P pools and the transformation rates among these pools. Rates of gross P mineralization and immobilization are poorly known due to the limitations of available analytical techniques. We developed a new method to estimate P transformation rates in three forest soils and one grassland soil representing an Alfisol, an Ultisol, and Andisol, and a Mollisol. Three treatments were applied to each soil in order to separate the processes of mineral P solubilization, organic P mineralization, and solution P immobilization. One set of soils was retained as control, a second set was irradiated with -rays to stop microbial immobilization, and a third was irradiated and then autoclaved, also stop phosphatase activity. All three sets of samples were then incubated with anion exchange resin bags under aerobic conditions. Differences in resin P among the three treatments were used to estimate gross P mineralization and immobilization rates. Autoclaving did not affect resin-extractable P in any of the soils. Radiation did not alter resin-extractable P in the forest soils but increased resin-extractable P in the grassland soil. This increase was corrected in the calculation of potential P transformation rates. Effects of radiation on phosphatase activity varied with soils but was within 30% of the original values. Rates of P gross mineralization and immobilization ranged from 0.6–3.8 and 0–4.3 mg kg-soil^-1 d^-1, respectively, for the four soils. The net rates of solubilization of mineral P in the grassland soil were 7–10 times higher than the rates in forest soils. Mineralization of organic P contributed from 20–60% of total available P in the acid forest soils compared with 6% in the grassland soil, suggesting that the P mineralization processes are more important in controlling P availability in these forest ecosystems. This new method does not require an assumption of equilibrium among P pools, and is safer and simpler in operation than isotopic techniques.     

Production of cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase of Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus ATCC21783 in B. subtilis

Summary The cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase, E.C. 2.4.1.19) gene from an alkalophilic Bacillus circulans var. alkalophilus ATCC21783 was cloned into Escherichia coli and B. subtilis. When cloned from E. coli to B. subtilis, the entire insert containing the CGTase gene was, depending on the plasmid construction, either unstable or the recombinant B. subtilis did not secrete the enzyme in significant amounts. To achieve efficient enzyme production in B. subtilis, the gene was placed under the control of the B. amyloliquefaciens -amylase promoter. In one of the constructions, both the promoter and the signal sequence of the gene were replaced with those of B. amyloliquefaciens, whereas in another construction only the promoter area was exchanged. The recombinant B. subtilis clones transformed with these plasmid constructions secreted CGTase into the culture medium 14 times as much as did the parental strain in shake flask cultures. In fermentor cultures in an industrially feasible medium the enzyme production was substantially higher, yielding 1.2 g/l of CGTase, which is about 33 times the amount of the enzyme produced by the parental strain in corresponding fermentations. Both of the plasmid constructions were stable when grown over 50 generations without antibiotic selection.     

Inhibition of receptor-bound urokinase by plasminogen-activator inhibitors

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) binds to a specific receptor on various cell types, the bound molecule retaining its enzymatic activity against plasminogen. We have now investigated whether receptor-bound uPA also retains the ability to react with and be inhibited by plasminogen activator inhibitors (PAI-1 and PAI-2). uPA bound to its receptor on human U937 monocyte-like cells was inhibited by PAI-1 (in its active form in the presence of vitronectin fragments) with an association rate constant of 4.5 x 10(6) M-1 s-1, which was 40% lower than that obtained for uPA in solution (7.9 x 10(6) M-1 s-1). The inhibition of uPA by PAI-2 was decreased to a similar extent by receptor binding, falling from 5.3 x 10(5) to 3.3 x 10(5) M-1 s-1. Stimulation of U937 cells with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate was accompanied by a further reduction in receptor-bound uPA inhibition by PAI-1 and PAI-2 to 1.7 x 10(6) and 1.1 x 10(5) M-1 s-1, respectively. These constants although lower than those for uPA in solution still represent rather rapid inhibition of the enzyme, and demonstrate that uPA bound to its specific cellular receptor remains available for efficient inhibition by PAI's, which may therefore play a major role in controlling cell-surface plasminogen activation and extracellular proteolytic activity.     

Interactions among coexisting larval Odonata: an in situ experiment using small enclosures

Field experiments using small replicated enclosures focused on interactions between larval populations of Epitheca cynosura and Ladona deplanata (Odonata: Anisoptera) — two species that emerge in early spring. The presence of Epitheca reduced the total biomass of Ladona, but Ladona had no significant effect on Epitheca. These early-emerging species reduced the biomass of small instars of late-emerging Anisoptera which colonized enclosures during the experiments; and the late-emerging Anisoptera seem to have inhibited colonization by Zygoptera larvae. Results are consistent with the importance of predatory (cannibalism or mutual predation) interactions in this community.     

Extraction and immunochemical assays of a tubulin-like factor in cotton seedlings

Antibodies to tubulin were prepared in rabbits by immunization with reduced-carboxymethylated calf-brain tubulin. In immunodiffusion tests the antibodies showed full cross reactivity with the immunogen as well as with native calf-brain tubulin. The same antibodies showed cross reactivity with a factor in extract of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cotyledons but there was no full immunological identity between calf-brain tubulin and this factor. A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for quantitative estimation of this plant tubulin-like factor was developed. It measured the binding of antibodies to immobilized calf-native tubulin. Competition between the unknown soluble tubulin-like factor, and immobilized tubulin was assayed at serum dilution of 1:50. Extraction conditions which preserved the antigenic properties of the tubulin-like factor from cotton cotyledons were defined. The radioimmunoassay measured quantities of the tubulin-like factor in the range of 0.1–10 g-equivalents of calf-brain tubulin. Immediately after homogenization of the tissue only 25% of the total amount of tubulin-like activity was present in soluble form, while most of it remained in the insoluble fraction. Apparent maximal solubilization was achieved spontaneously 10 h after homogenization or by treatment with guanidine hydrochloride. These results indicate that in this material, tubulin is not released immediately by homogenization but remains assembled in microtubules and-or in a bound or sequestered form.Abbreviations NRS normal rabbit serum - RCM reduced-carboxymethylated     

Chilling Injury in Cotton {Gossypium hirsutum L.): Light Requirement for the Reduction of Injury and for the Protective Effect of Abscisic Acid

Pretreatment by darkness increased chilling (4°C) injuryin whole cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) seedlings and isolatedcotyledonary tissue. Addition of sucrose in the dark periodprevented the effect of darkness. Application of the photosyntheticinhibitor DCMU in light simulated the effect of darkness. ABA(10^–5 M) decreased chilling injury when applied in lightas a pretreatment before the onset of chilling. The same pretreatmentin darkness was almost ineffective, unless sucrose was added.ABA applied in light together with DCMU was ineffective in decreasingchilling injury. Lower light intensity resulted in increasedchilling injury and a decreased effect of ABA in the preventionof chilling injury. The antimicrotubular drug colchicine increased the chillinginjury. Pretreatment with ABA in light decreased the chillingand colchicine injury while the same pretreatment in darknesswas ineffective. These results suggest that a deficiency of a photosyntheticproduct increases the chilling sensitivity of the tissue. ABAapparently increases chilling resistance through a metabolicprocess which depends on photosynthetic activity. ³ Incumbent of the Seagram Chair in Plant Sciences (Received November 20, 1980; Accepted January 31, 1981)     

Site-specific integration of an F'' lac pro factor in the region of the replication origin (oriC) of E. coli

Summary An episome, F 128, which carries approximately 8x10⁴ base pairs of chromosomal DNA homologous to the lac pro region of the E. coli chromosome, has been found to integrate into the oriC region of the chromosome in a site specific reaction. While the event appears to be recA-dependent, no homology between the episome and this region of the chromosome was detected. The Hfr strains formed result from the integration of intact F 128 molecules. The structure of the Hfr strains generated has been determined and their transfer properties analyzed.     

Immunogenicity of outer membrane derivatives ofHaemophilus influenzae type b

We prepared outer membrane derivatives ofHaemophilus influenzae type b to determine whether the residual capsular and noncapsular surface components are immunogenic and protective. These fragments consist primarily of six major proteins and lipopolysaccharide. By transmission electron microscopy, they appeared as small, membrane-like fragments or larger, cellshaped double-track ghosts. Rabbits immunized with ghosts responded with increases in serum anticapsular antibody and bactericidal activity. Antisera absorbed with capsular antigen to remove anticapsular antibody remained bactericidal and passively protected infant rats. These data suggest that antibodies to noncapsular surface antigens are protective, and that outer membrane derivatives retain some of the constituents responsible for stimulating immunity.