The influence of ionic detergents on the phospholipid fatty acid compositions of Porphyridium purpureum

The phospholipid fatty acid composition of Porphyridium purpureum on a solid medium was studied in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The most common fatty acids in phosphatidyl choline (PC) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) were palmitic (16:0), stearic (18: 0), linoleic (18:2ω 6), arachidonic (20:4ω 6) and eicosapentaenoic (20:5ω 3) acids, 20:4ω 6 being very abundant. In phosphatidyl glycerol (PG) the most common acids were 16:0, trans-hexadecenoic acid (tr 16:1ω 13), oleic acid (18:1) and 20:4ω 6. Both detergents increased the saturation grade of PC and PE by decreasing the relative amount of the polyunsaturated acids, especially 20:4ω 6. A corresponding increase in the amounts of saturated acids was observed in PC and PE. The changes in PG fatty acid composition were not very significant: a slight increase was observed in the amounts of 16:0 and tr 16:1ω 13 , with a corresponding decrease in the amounts of 20:4ω 6 and 20:5ω 3. Both detergents decreased the PC/PE and the (PC + PE)/PG ratios very markedly, most probably as a result of increases in the amounts of PE and PG. In the presence of CTAB the cells seemed to contain much more phospholipids than in the presence of SDS, perhaps as a result of the mucilage-precipitating effect of CTAB. The significance of the findings is discussed.     

The glycolipid fatty acids of Porphyridium purpureum cultured in the presence of detergents

The glycolipid fatty acid composition of Porphyridium purpureum on a solid medium was studied in the presence of Triton X-100 (TX), sodium desocycholate (SDC), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). TLC and GC/MS were used in determining the relative fatty acid compositions of mono-and digalactosyl diglycerides (MGDG and DGDG) and in assessing the MGDG/DGDG ratio. The most common fatty acids were palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), linoleic (18:2 ω6), arachidonic (20:4 ω6) and eicosapentaenoic (20:5 ω3) acids, the long-chain polyunsaturated acids being more abundant in DGDG; α-linolenic acid (18:3 ω3) was absent. TX and SDC in particular caused an increase in the saturation grade of both MGDG and DGDG fatty acids at very low concentrations (5–15 ppm). With a detergent concentration of 20 ppm a reversion of this tendency was sometimes found, and the fatty acid composition approached the controls again. The effects of SDS and CTAB were not as prominent. All the detergents studied increased the normal MGDG/DGDG ratio (0.3) to a maximum of ～ 1. The effect of increasing detergent concentration is not linear. The results suggest that in some cases very low detergent concentrations can be more effective than higher ones, a fact which may be important in algae growing in polluted waters.     

Effect of repeated bouts of short-term exercise on plasma free and sulphoconjugated catecholamines in humans

We tested the hypothesis that measurement of plasma catecholamine sulphate concentration after exercise reflects the overall activation of the sympathoadrenergic system during the whole period of repeated bouts of short-term exercise. A group of 11 male athletes performed two exercise tests at similar average power outputs consisting of three sets each. The tests either started with one set of three very intense sprints (95% of maximal running speed) followed by two sets of three less intense sprints (85% of maximal running speed; HLX) or vice versa (LHX). Similar mean areas under the curve of free noradrenaline (NA) during HLX and LHX [622 (SEM 13) v.s. 611 (SEM 14) nmol x l(-1) min) as well as similar mean heart rates [143 (SEM 9) v.s. 143 (SEM 8) beats x min(-1)] indicated comparable sympathetic activation during both exercise tests. Even so, plasma concentration of free NA was still significantly higher at the end of LHX than of HLX [35.7 (SEM 3.5) v.s. 22.5 (SEM 2.1) nmol x l(-1), respectively], i.e. when exercise ended with the more intense set of sprints. Plasma noradrenaline sulphate (NA-S) increased with exercise intensity showing higher mean increments after the first set of HLX compared to LHX [1.83 (SEM 0.42) v.s. 1.18 (SEM 0.29) nmol x l(-1); P<0.05]. However, after the end of HLX and LHX, increments in plasma NA-S were similar [4.52 (SEM 0.76) v.s. 4.06 (SEM 0.79) nmol x l(-1)], suggesting that NA-S response changed in parallel with the overall activation of the sympathetic nervous system during repeated bouts of short-term exercise. The results supported the hypothesis that measurement of plasma NA-S immediately after repeated bouts of short-term exercise reflects overall activation of the sympathetic nervous system during prolonged periods of this type of exercise.     

Poor transformability with novr and eryr donor DNA of some mitomycin-C-sensitive strains of Haemophilus influenzae

Three mitomycin-C-sensitive (MC^s) strains of Haemophilus influenzae, being poorly transformable with DNA carrying the antibiotic resistence markers nov^r and ery^r, were further investigated to determine the cause of their poor transformability. After being genetically integrated into the mutant-recipient genome the donor marker is replicated at the same rate as in the wild type, indicating that recombination in the mutant strains is normal. In the mutants, designated T^d (transformation-deficient), the poor transformability for the nov^r and ery^r markers is due to the lack of phenotypic expression of the markers, because the strains are killed by concentrations of antibiotics normally used to select for nov^r and ery^r transformants. Since the strains exhibit extreme sensitivity both to deoxycholate and osmotic shock in the presence of EDTA, the increased sensitivity to antibiotics (including mitomycin-C) is probably caused by a change in the cell envelope. Although recombination in the mutant strains proceeds normally, the T^d mutation nevertheless decreases both the rate of inactivation and of integration of donor DNA.     

Rice growth improvement and grains bio-fortification through lime and zinc application in zinc deficit tropical acid sulphate soils

A two years field study was conducted to explain the effect of Zn and lime application on morphological characteristics, rice yield and yield components, and more broadly, grains bio-fortification (Zn and protein content (CP), and amino acid profiles). The lime and Zn interaction increased grains and straw yield more than two times (6.64 ton ha^?1) compared to the control (3.20 ton ha^?1). The maximum increase in the Zn content of grain, white rice and bran was obtained about 30% in whole grain, 42% in bran and 56% in white rice. Furthermore, CP increased by about 8% in bran, 12.3% in whole grain, and 27% in white rice compared to control. Also, the Zn and lime application and their interaction were significantly increased the amino acids, especially essential parts.     

Studies on the amphipathic nature of the membrane proteins in Semliki Forest virus

The membrane glycoproteins E₁ and E₂ of Semliki Forest virus form spikes protruding from the external surface of the virion. They have been cleaved off by thermolysin or subtilisin leaving peptide segments in the membrane of the spikeless virus particles with a molecular weight of about 5000 enriched in hydrophobic amino acids. These peptides are soluble in chloroform/methanol and are solubilized into mixed micelles with Triton X100, with sodium dodecyl sulphate and with sodium deoxycholate. Peptide mapping studies show that each membrane glycoprotein has its own lipophilic peptide segment which presumably serves to anchor these proteins to the lipid membrane. The hydrophobic segments of the glycoproteins appear to be shielded from proteolysis not only by the lipids in the intact membrane but also by Triton X100 in the detergent-protein complexes obtained when this detergent is used to remove the lipid and solubilize the proteins.