Coupling between DNA replication and cell division mediated by the FtsA protein in Escherichia coli: a pathway independent of the SOS response, the "TER" pathway

Inhibition of DNA synthesis prevented the recovery of cell division in filaments of D-3R [ftsA3(Ts) recA56] returned to the permissive temperature. The FtsA protein may be a signal involved in the "TER" pathway, a series of events that coordinate cell division with DNA replication, that is independent of the SOS pathway.     

Co-ordination between elongation and division in Escherichia coli mediated by the wee gene product

A procedure to construct strains of Escherichia coli containing conditional lethal mutations in two different genes was used to construct a ftsA-3(ts) wee(Am) supF(ts) strain. This strain, OV-25-7, was used to ascertain whether the wee gene product (Wee) acts at the level of regulation of cell elongation or at the co-ordination of elongation and division. The mass per unit length and the buoyant density of cells in the absence of Wee increased only if division was allowed, as in the case of strain OV-25 (wee(Am) supF(ts)), but not when it was inhibited, as in strain OV-25-7. These results suggested that in E. coli the wee gene product was acting at the level of coordination between elongation and cell division.     

Comparison of different media for the isolation and enumeration of Aeromonas spp. in foods

Starch ampicillin agar (SA), starch glutamate ampicillin penicillin agar (SGAP) and Aeromonas medium (AM) were evaluated for enumeration of Aeromonas spp. from foods. Recovery from pure cultures of Aer. hydrophila and Aer. caviae was excellent on all media. Recovery of Aer. sobria was best on AM agar, where 95.5% were recovered, compared with 31.9% on SA agar and 33.3% on SGAP medium.     

Sampling in aerobiology. Differences between traverses along the length of the slide in Hirst sporetraps

Two years of data from four longitudinal traverses along each day's slide prepared from a continuously running Burkard sporetrap have been analyzed statistically. Using the Friedman test, a statistically significant difference was found between the four traverses, with a greater than 7% loss of pollen grains in the two outer traverses in relation to the inner. Four slides were then selected for more detailed analysis, using 18 longitudinal traverses with a 1-mm separation from the upper to the lower edge of the Melinex tape. There was found to be a progressive decline from the centre to the outside, and more than 4% of pollen grains were found outside the typical 14 mm width of the impaction orifice. There was no correlation between pollen grain size and the decline in counts from the centre to the outside. For the complete data set, there was a general rise in the diversity of bollen types with increasing sample counts, but above about 1000 pollen grains per sample there were no more than 27 pollen types found, often even fewer. A discussion is presented of whether four traverses really should be a fixing sample size, or whether it might be better to fix the total pollen count beginning with a traverse in the middle of the slide and ending with a variable number of traverses when that count is reached.     

Crystal structure of a helical oligopeptide model of polyglycine II and of other polyamides: acetyl-(glycyl-beta-alanyl)2-NH propyl.

We synthesized and solved the crystalline structure of the oligopeptide acetyl-(glycyl-beta-alanyl)2-NH propyl. The crystal is formed by layers of helical molecules with the same chirality; however, right-handed layers alternate with left-handed ones. Inside every layer, the packing of helices is pseudohexagonal with hydrogen bonds between neighbor molecules. The structure found affords direct support for the model proposed by Crick and Rich for polyglycine II and also provides an interpretation for the structure of a newly found family of polyamides that do not form sheets as observed in most nylon structures.     

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray diffraction studies of the Fab fragment of a neutralizing monoclonal antibody directed against human rhinovirus serotype 2

We report on the preparation, crystallization, and preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of the Fab fragment of the monoclonal antibody 8F5 that neutralizes infectivity of human rhinovirus serotype 2 (HRV2). Fab fragments prepared from this antibody by papain digestion were purified to isoelectric homogeneity by ion exchange chromatography and chromatofocusing. Crystals were obtained by the hanging drop vapor diffusion method using ammonium sulfate as precipitant. The crystals belong to the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions a = 59.9 A, b = 86.3 A, c = 128.2 A and diffract to at least 2.8-A resolution. The cell volume suggests the presence of one molecule per asymmetric unit, and the solvent content is estimated to be 61%.     

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of catalase HPII from Escherichia coli

Green crystals of the hexameric catalase HPII from Escherichia coli have been obtained by the hanging-drop method. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2 with a = 123 A, b = 132 A, c = 93 A, beta = 112.5 degrees. There are three subunits in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract at least to 3.2 A resolution and are suitable for further X-ray diffraction studies.     

Specific interactions of monotetrahydrofuranic annonaceous acetogenins as inhibitors of mitochondrial complex I

Annonaceous acetogenins (ACG) are a wide group of cytotoxic compounds isolated from plants of the Annonaceae family. Some of them are promising candidates to be a future new generation of antitumor drugs due to the ability to inhibit the NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase of the respiratory chain (mitochondrial complex I), main gate of the energy production in the cell. ACG are currently being tested on standard antitumor trials although little is known about the structure activity relationship at the molecular level. On recent studies, the relevance of several parts of the molecule for the inhibitory potency has been evaluated. Due to the great diversity of skeletons included in this family of natural products, previous studies on the presence and distribution of oxygenated groups along the alkyl chain only covered the compounds with different bis-tetrahydrofuranic (bis-THF) relative configurations. Therefore, we have investigated the inhibitory action of all the mono-tetrahydrofuranic (mono-THF) acetogenins available, which differ in the oxygenated arrangements along the molecule. Our results show that the hydroxyl and carbonyl groups, placed in the aliphatic chain that links the initial gamma-lactone moiety with the dihydroxylated tetrahydrofuranic ring system, significantly contribute for modulating the inhibitory potency of the ACG through specific effects.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyperaceae</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juncaceae</Emphasis> pollination measured in the air at two sites in SW Spain

The presence of airborne Cyperaceae and Juncaceae pollen was quantified using volumetric aerobiological traps over a 10-year period at two sites in SW Spain separated by 60 km (Badajoz 10 years, Mérida 3 years). The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between the daily and hourly concentrations. The values of the principal meteorological parameters—temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, and speed and direction of the wind—were calculated during the study period, and with the accumulated values corresponding to the period prior to pollination. The beginning and ending dates and the duration of the main pollen season (MPS) were also analyzed. Even though both families are anemophilous, the presence of their pollens in the air was low. The annual accumulated daily concentrations were in the range 1.8–15.8 for Juncaceae and 111.8–473.9 for Cyperaceae—values far lower than any other anemophilous pollen type. The Cyperaceae pollen concentration peaked between 09:00 and 12:00. The meteorological factor most closely related to its daily variations was found to be the wind direction, showing that location of the sources is of great importance. The results lend support to the hypothesis of a limitation of allogamous reproduction in favour of vegetative multiplication in both families. Nevertheless, the principal source of the airborne Cyperaceae pollen was found to be Scirpus holoschoenus, whose pollen is distinguishable from the rest. Hence, because of its large production of pollen, this species can be characterized as anemophilous and allogamous. Rainfall in the preceding autumn seemed to be responsible for the amount of Cyperaceae pollen in the air, since a lack of rain was found to be associated with lower densities in the traps. For the Juncaceae, it seems that the temperatures of the preceding December constituted the most limiting meteorological parameter.     

Relative importance of plant traits and ecological filters in road embankment revegetation under semiarid Mediterranean conditions

Revegetation in semiarid road embankments is not always successful because most of the sown species disappear and only a few survive. To improve hydroseeding success, there is a need to understand the underlying ecological processes that determine the outcome of sown species in restoration works.The objective of this work is to determine the relative importance of different factors in determining the final species composition after sowing in road embankments and with this aim, we conducted three different experiments: (1) experimental sowing in road embankments to determine species performance in field conditions; (2) greenhouse sowings, with the same species than the road embankment experiment, to study the effect of ecological filters (water stress and plant coexistence) on the performance of the species; and (3) analysis of relations between plant traits of the sown species (specific seed mass and specific plant biomass) and sowing success and competitive abilities in the greenhouse experiment. Relative success of the species in the embankments was compared with the relative success of the same species in greenhouse experiments and with the seed density sown in the road embankments.Plant coexistence, water stress and plant traits affected aboveground plant biomass production per species in the greenhouse experiment. However, the effects of plant traits on aboveground plant biomass were lower than the effect of plant coexistence but higher than the effect of water stress. The performance of the species in the water stress monoculture treatment at the greenhouse correlated positively with the performance of the species in the field 2 years after they were hydroseeded, thus indicating that water stress was the most influencing factor on species performance in road embankments. At the same time, plant traits as specific seed mass and plant biomass indirectly affected plant performance in the field since they affected aboveground plant biomass in the greenhouse experiment. On the contrary, species coexistence and seed density at sowing had influence on species performance in the road embankments neither 1 nor 2 years after hydroseeding.