Spore age and coverslip placement affects germination and post-germination development of Colletotrichum dematium var circinans

Spore suspensions from young (10–14 da; young spores) and old (4 mo; old spores) colonies of PColletotrichum dematium var circinans were placed on slides. Coverslips were left off, placed on in the normal manner, or supported on shims. Slides were placed in moist chambers and incubated in light or dark for up to 48 hrs. Germination and post-germination development were studied. Shimming had some beneficial effect on germination, especially for old spores in dark. In general, more germ-tubes and appressoria were produced on spores under shims than spores with other coverslip treatments. By 48 hrs more old spores under shims germinated, and greater numbers of germ-tubes and appressoria were produced than on other old spores under different coverslip treatments. However, numbers produced were lower than those predicted for comparably treated young spores. Spore age, incubation regime, and placement of coverslips did not affect germ-tube initiation. For all treatments more germ-tubes were initiated from spore tops than bottoms or tips. Fewer germ-tubes were initiated from spore centers than other locations on tops and bottoms, and from both tips than one tip. Approximately 26 % of all appressoria were produced sessile. A higher percentage of sessile appressoria were produced on old spores (80 %) than on young spores (20%).     

Parasite-induced enhancement of hemolymph tyrosinase activity in a selected immune reactive strain of Drosophila melanogaster

Larval hemolymph tyrosinase activity in Drosophila melanogaster was detected with high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The enzyme hydroxylated L-tyrosine, and oxidized the diphenol substrates L-dopa and dopamine. In larvae of a selected immune-reactive strain the rates of tyrosine hydroxylation, dopa oxidation, and dopamine oxidation were markedly increased during the early stages of melanotic encapsulation of the eggs of the parasitic wasp Leptopilina boulardi. Tyrosinase activity was not modified in parasitized larvae of a selected susceptible strain of D. melanogaster, in which hosts the parasitoids developed unmolested. During the same period of parasitization, the amount of free tyrosine in immune reactive larvae was approximately three times higher than in susceptible hosts. These data indicate that the tyrosinase system of the immune reactive strain is activated during parasitization, and this results in the synthesis of some precursors which ultimately produce a melanotic and sclerotic capsule around the eggs of the parasite. Based on known genetic information of the enzyme system in Drosophila, it appears that at least two genes may be involved in the activation process, one associated with the proenzyme for monophenol oxidase activity, and the second with the proenzyme for diphenol oxidase activity.     

On the structure and chromosome location of the 72- and 92-kDa human type IV collagenase genes.

The 72- and 92-kDa type IV collagenases are members of a group of secreted zinc metalloproteases. Two members of this family, collagenase and stromelysin, have previously been localized to the long arm of chromosome 11. Here we assign both of the two type IV collagenase genes to human chromosome 16. By sequencing, the 72-kDa gene is shown to consist of 13 exons, 3 more than have been reported for the other members of this gene family. The extra exons encode the amino acids of the fibronectin-like domain which has so far been found in only the 72- and 92-kDa type IV collagenase. The evolutionary relationship among the members of this gene family is discussed.     

Subunit function in eukaryote cytochrome c oxidase. A mutation in the nuclear-coded subunit IV allows assembly but alters the function and stability of yeast cytochrome c oxidase.

Strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae disrupted in YCOX4, the nuclear gene encoding cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV, do not assemble a functional or spectrally visible oxidase. We report the characterization of a yeast strain, RM1, expressing a mutated YCOX4 gene which is temperature sensitive for respiration at 37 degrees C, but incorporates cytochrome aa3 over all growth temperatures. The mutant enzyme is less stable than the wild type, with subunit IV readily proteolyzed without gross denaturation of the complex but with a concomitant loss of oxidase activity. When grown fermentatively at 37 degrees C, cytochrome c oxidase from the mutant strain had a turnover number of less than 3% of the normal complex, while Km values and subunit levels were comparable to normal. Thus alterations in subunit IV can perturb the enzyme structure and alter its catalytic rate, implying a role for this subunit in cytochrome c oxidase function as distinct from assembly.     

Salinity tolerance in different cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Seven barley(Hordeum vulgäre L.) cultivars tested varied greatly in their responses to root medium salinity (electrical conductivity of 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 dS nr^-1)-lant growth was relatively more adversely affected than seed germination. Dry/fresh mass ratio increased at higher salinity levels in all barley cultivars indicating reduced water uptake. Higher K/Na ratio in plant shoots compared to that in the root medium solution indicated selective uptake of K that seems to be among processes involved in tolerance of cultivars to salinity stress.     

Polarity of transport of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and D-glucose by cultured renal epithelia (LLC-PK1).

At least two types of glucose transporter exist in cultured renal epithelial cells, a Na(+)-glucose cotransporter (SGLT), capable of interacting with D-glucose but not 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dglc) and a facilitated transporter (GLUT) capable of interacting with both D-glucose and 2dglc. In order to examine the polarity of transport in cultured renal epithelia, 2dglc and D-glucose uptakes were measured in confluent cultures of LLC-PK1 cells grown on collagen-coated filters that permitted access of medium to both sides of the monolayer. The rates of basolateral uptake of both 1 mM glucose (Km 3.6 mM) and 1 mM 2dglc (Km 1.5 mM) were greater than apical uptake rates and the (apical-to-basolateral)/(basolateral-to-apical) flux ratio was high for glucose (9.4) and low for 2dglc (0.8), thus, confirming the lack of interaction of 2dglc with the apical SGLT. Specific glucose transport inhibitor studies using phlorizin, phloretin and cytochalasin B confirmed the polarised distribution of SGLT and GLUT in LLC-PK1 cells. Basolateral sugar uptake could be altered by addition of insulin (1 mU/ml) which increased 2dglc uptake by 72% and glucose uptake by 50% and by addition of 20 mM glucose to the medium during cell culture which decreased 2dglc uptake capacity at confluence by 30%. During growth to confluence, 2dglc uptake increased to a maximum, then decreased at the time of confluence, coincident with a rise in uptake capacity for alpha-methyl-D-glucoside, a hexose that interacts only with the apical SGLT. It was concluded that the non-metabolisable sugar 2dglc was a useful, specific probe for GLUT in LLC-PK1 cells and that GLUT was localised at the basolateral membrane after confluence.     

Neurogenic cholinergic dilation observed in isolated vessels of the skeletal muscles of cats (the caudal femoral artery)

Neuromediated behaviour of feline caudal femoral arteries was studied in vitro. Transmural stimulation of arteries, previously constricted by noradrenaline, caused an up to 58% relaxation of the induced tone. Atropine (10(-5) g/ml) blocked this response by 93%. The removal of endothelium did not affect the magnitude of the response. It is suggested that the caudal femoral artery is an example of a blood vessel which has muscarinic receptors located directly on its smooth muscles.