Photophobic responses of calanoid copepods: possible adaptive value

A genual pattern of photophobic responses has been observedwhich differs for calanoid copepods from freshwater, estuarineand oceanic environments. Using a video-computer system formotion analysis, the photophobic responses of light and darkadapted calanoid copepods were compared. Dark-adapted copepodswere exposed to 600 ms flashes of dim blue light at 5 s intervalswhich simulated the flashes of biolumines-cent marine zooplankton.Light-adapted copepods were exposed to 600 ms intervals of darknessat 5 s intervals to simulate the shadows of organisms passingoverhead. Four species of coastal marine copepods (Acartia hudsonica,Centropages hamatus, Pseudocalanus minutus and Temora longicornis)all showed photophobic responses to both flashes and shadows.These responses may have adaptive value to the copepods sincethey live in an environment with predators that are bioluminescentat night and cast shadows on their prey during the day (e.g.ctenophores and cnidarian medusae). Two species of oceanic copepods(Euchaeta marina, Pleuromamma abdominalis) showed strong photophobicresponses to flashes but no response to shadows. This may correspondto the abundance of bioluminescent predators on copepods inthe oceanic environment (fish, ctenophores, siphonophores, etc.)and their lack of exposure to the shadows of predators, sinceboth these species are rarely found in the euphoric zone duringthe day. Two species of freshwater copepods (Diaptomus sanguineus,Epishwa massachusettsensis) showed no similar photophobic responseto flashes of light. This lack of startle response may relateto the lack of bioluminescence in the freshwater environment.Freshwater copepods showed a weak photophobic response to shadows.The adaptive value of this behavior is unclear, however, sincethe responses seem to be too weak to function for escape, andthe dominant predators large enough to cast shadows (fish) tendto approach their prey laterally. ¹Present address: Marine Science Institute, University of Texasat Austin, Port Aransas, TX 78373–1267, USA     

Nascent lipoproteins from recirculating and nonrecirculating liver perfusions and from the hepatic Golgi apparatus of African green monkeys

Perfusate apoB-100-containing lipoproteins from the isolated, perfused livers of African green monkeys consist of significant amounts of d greater than 1.006 g/ml particles in addition to very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). Distinguishing characteristics of these perfusate lipoproteins are the relative abundance of surface lipids and deficiency of core lipids. The present studies were performed to determine the likelihood that the d greater than 1.006 g/ml perfusate lipoproteins are secretion products instead of products of post-secretory modification (e.g., lipolysis) of secreted VLDL. [14C]Leucine from the perfusate became incorporated into the apoB of each of the perfusate lipoprotein classes to a similar extent in both recirculating and nonrecirculating perfusions. When endogenously radiolabeled perfusate VLDL from one liver was recirculated through a second liver, only about 15% of the radiolabeled protein appeared in the d greater than 1.006 g/ml fraction. The particle morphology and the cholesterol and apoB distribution between VLDL and d greater than 1.006 g/ml fractions were similar in recirculating and nonrecirculating perfusions. A Golgi apparatus-rich fraction was isolated from the homogenates of fresh liver samples and the isolated Golgi VLDL and d greater than 1.006 g/ml lipoproteins exhibited morphologic evidence of extra surface material analogous to that seen in perfusate. Taken together, these data support the possibility that significant amounts of d greater than 1.006 g/ml lipoproteins, many with surface-rich properties, are nascent, secretory products of the primate liver. The low level of lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) in this perfusion system appears to permit detection of these secretion products and it is significant to note that the perfusate lipoprotein profile, which is unlike that of normal plasma, is similar to that of LCAT-deficient patients.     

Small molecule-mediated density-dependent control of gene expression in prokaryotes: bioluminescence and the biosynthesis of carbapenem antibiotics.

Sophisticated signal transduction systems enable prokaryotes to sense their growth environment and mount an appropriate adaptive response. Signal transduction and gene regulation through the phosphorylation of two regulatory components is now recognised as one of the major global regulatory networks in bacteria. However, not all types of sensor-regulator circuits relay information via phosphoryl transfer. The Vibrio fischeri LuxR protein which has previously been characterised as a member of the response-regulator superfamily responds to a small diffusible signal molecule N-(3-oxohexanoyl)homoserine lactone (HSL). Biosynthesis of HSL in V. fischeri is dependent on the expression of the luxI gene. Until recently, the role of HSL as an 'autoinducer' was thought to be restricted to V. fischeri and a few related marine bacteria in which it controls the onset of bioluminescence. However, we have discovered that a diverse group of terrestrial bacteria: (1) produce HSL; (2) possess genes analogous to luxI; and (3) exhibit cell density-dependent induction of bioluminesence when transformed with a recombinant plasmid carrying V. fischeri lux genes but lacking luxI. In one of these, Erwinia carotovora, HSL is shown to mediate the cell density-dependent biosynthesis of a carbapenem antibiotic.