Electronic structure and molecular design of simplified polyimide systems

The electronic structures of newly designed polyimide systems (ethenetetracarboxylic 1,2:1,2-dianhydride-diaminoethyne (PI-A) and ethenetetracarboxylic 1,1:2,2-dianhydride-diaminoethyne(PI-B)) are studied in detail with respect to their optimized geometries on the basis of the one-dimensional tight-binding self-consistent field crystal-orbital method. The computational results have revealed that PI-B shows intriguing properties such as a very small band gap and a wide bandwidth near the frontier level, compared with PI-A and other polyimides. Since PI-B would be a promising candidate for a new electric conducting material, a reaction diagram for this polymer is also proposed.Also affiliated to Central Research Laboratories, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Moriguchi 570, Japan.     

Nonuniform size distribution of nascent globin peptides, evidence for pause localization sites, and a cotranslational protein-folding model

Examination of nascent globin peptides accumulatingin vitro during globin synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates was carried out. A view was supported that nonrandom distribution of codons with different usage frequencies in mRNA may determine the messenger's translation kinetics. Regions of reduced translation of - and -globin polypeptide chains were localized, and the cotranslational protein-folding model suggested previously was substantiated. An active conjunction of synthesis and folding of proteins was proposed as one of the main destinations of a translation nonuniformity.     

Observations on the relation between phytoplankton diversity and environmental factors in the Vaal River at Balkfontein,South Africa

The relationship between specific environmental factors as independent variables and temporal changes in phytoplankton community structure in the Vaal River (a turbid system) during 1984 was investigated by employing different diversity indices. Temporal changes in community structure reflected temporal changes in certain environmental factors. Phytoplankton diversity, measured with Shannon-Wie H' and Hurlbert PIE indices, was related firstly to discharge and discharge derived variables (such as SO₄, Si, N and P loading) and secondly to turbidity derived variables (such as euphotic zone depth). Discharge appears to be of prime importance in affecting diversity. Observations were made that shed new light on conditions contributing to the development of an August peak (dominated by Stephanodiscus hantzschii fo. tenuis and Micractinium pusillum) in phytoplankton concentration. Increased environmental stress may reduce the number of sensitive species, thus reducing interspecific competition between tolerant species which could then exploit the — for them — more favourable conditions resulting in an increase in their numbers to peak concentrations.     

A unique alpha chain in hemoglobin of “Skive” DanishMus musculus

The primary structures of the alpha chains in hemoglobins from three stocks of mice with theHba ^w2,Hba ^w3, andHba ^w4 haplotypes were determined to establish whether the tentative alpha-chain assignments based on the results of isoelectric focusing patterns were correct. TheseHba haplotypes were identified in laboratory descendants of feral mice captured in different parts of the world. Hemoglobin from Centreville, Maryland,Mus musculus domesticus (Hba ^w2) contains equal amounts of alpha chains 1 and 3. Hemoglobin from CzechMus musculus musculus (Hba ^w4) contains equal amounts of alpha chains 3 and 4. Amino acid analysis of the alpha-globins of Skive DanishMus musculus musculus (Hba ^w3) establishes that its hemoglobin is comprised of about one-third alpha chain 2 as expected plus a greater amount of a unique alpha chain that has not been described previously. This unique alpha chain has glycine at position 25, isoleucine at position 62, and serine at position 68; it is called chain 7. It may represent an intermediate in the evolution of genes that code for chain 2 (which has glycine, valine, and serine at positions 25, 62, and 68, respectively) and chain 4 (which has valine, isoleucine, and serine at positions 25, 62, and 62, respectively).This research was sponsored jointly by the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences under Contract 1-ES-55078 and by the Office of Health and Environmental Research, U.S. Department of Energy, under Contract DE-AC05-840R21400 with Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc.     

The effects of antibiotics on hemolytic behavior of red cells

Human blood was sheared between rotating polyethylene disks and plasma hemoglobin measured at intervals to produce kinetic hemolysis curves (KHC), plotted as free hemoglobin concentration vs time. The KHC produced by blood samples incubated in the presence of penicillin, streptomycin, gentamicin, and amikacin lie always below those for control samples, indicating a reduction in hemolysis; this reduction was greater as the drug concentration was increased. Explanations in terms of alterations in red cell structure were sought by several characterization tests of amikacin-loaded blood samples. Drug-localization studies demonstrated that significant fractions of the total dosage were associated with the red-cell membrane. Resistive pulse spectroscopy was used to show how amikacin affected cell size, deformability, and osmotic fragility; results were sensitive to storage age of the blood. In all cases, the effect of shearing was to reduce cell size, deformability, and osmotic fragility. Mechanisms for hemolytic protection by drugs are proposed.     

Structural wrinkles and the genomic regulatory sites of eukaryotes

Summary Calculations of DNA angular parameters in 50 eukaryotic sequences reveal regions of large conformational deviations from ideal DNA around regulatory sites. Frequently, discrete peaks of structural variation are present upstream of genes. Known regulatory regions often include variants of consensus sequences. Thus, imprecise sequences and structures are recognized within large genomic stretches. The existence of structurally wrinkled regions in the vicinity of regulatory sequences is likely to facilitate greatly their recognition by proteins and enzymes.     

Phylogeny of the 5S ribosomal RNA fromSynechococcus lividus II: The cyanobacterial/chloroplast 5S RNAs form a common structural class

Summary The complete nucleotide sequence of the 5S ribosomal RNA from the cyanobacteriumSynechococcus lividus II has been determined. The sequence is 5-UGCCUAGUGUUUAUGGCGCG-GUGGAACCACGCUGAUCCAUCCCGAACUC-AGAGGUGAAACAUCGCAGCGGUGAAGAU-AGUUGGAGGGUAGCCUCCUGCAAAAAUA-GCUCAAUGCUAGGCA_OH-3. This 5S RNA has the cyanobacterial- and chloroplast-specific nucleotide insertion between positions 30 and 31 (using the numbering system of the generalized eubacterial 5S RNA) and the chloroplast-specific nucleotide-deletion signature between positions 34 and 39. The 5S RNA ofS. lividus II has 27 base differences compared with the 5S RNA of the related strainS. lividus III. This large difference may reflect an ancient divergence between these two organisms. The electrophoretic mobilities on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels of renatured 5S RNAs fromS. lividus II,S. lividus III, and spinach chloroplasts are identical, but differ considerably from that ofEscherichia coli 5S RNA. This most likely reflects differences in higher-order structure between the 5S RNA ofE. coli and these cyanobacterial and chloroplast 5S RNAs.     

The development and ultrastructure of the testa and tracheid bar inErythrina lysistemon Hutch. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae)

Summary The development of the testa was studied inErythrina lysistemon using both light and electron microscopy. Cells of the outer epidermis of the outer integument divide anticlinally and undergo radial elongation to form a palisade layer. The outer tangential walls are thickened at an early stage, and deposition of fluted thickenings on the radial walls occurs at maturity. Palisade cells in the hilar region differentiate from sub-funicular tissue, and at maturity the outer ends of the cells undergo extensive deposition of secondary walls and associated lignification. The light line occurs at the junction between the outer, thickened portions of the cells and the inner, less thickened portions. An electron-translucent (suberised) cap develops in the outer tangential walls of the palisade cells at a late stage. Microtubules and dictyosomes are closely associated with the developing thickenings in palisade and tracheid bar, and the microtubules run parallel to the wall microfibrils. Differentiation of the tracheid bar coincides with final secondary wall deposition and lignification in the hilar palisade. The cells of the tracheid bar are dead at maturity, but are surrounded by sheaths of elongate parenchyma.     

Similarities in the genomic sequence and coat protein structure of plant virsuses

The genomic sequences of several RNA plant viruses including cucumber mosaic virus, brome mosaic virus, alfalfa mosaic virus and tobacco mosaic virus have become available recently. The former two viruses are icosahedral while the latter two are bullet and rod shaped, respectively in particle morphology. The non-structural 3a proteins of cucumber mosaic virus and brome mosaic virus have an amino acid sequence homology of 35% and hence are evolutionarily related. In contrast, the coat proteins exhibit little homology, although the circular dichroism spectrum of these viruses are similar. The non-coding regions of the genome also exhibit variable but extensive homology. Comparison of the brome mosaic virus and alfalfa mosaic virus sequences reveals that they are probably related although with a much larger evolutionary distance. The polypeptide folds of the coat protein of three biologically distinct isometric plant viruses, tomato Bushy stunt virus, southern bean mosaic virus and satellite tobacco necrosis virus have been shown to display a striking resemblance. All of them consist of a topologically similar 8-standard β-Barrel. The implications of these studies to the understanding of the evolution of plant viruses will be discussed.     

Prediction and comparison of the secondary structure of legume lectins

Secondary structure prediction for the 4 legume lectins: Concanavalin A, soybean agglutinin, favabean lectin and lentil lectin, was done by the method of Chou and Fasman. This prediction shows that these four lectins fall into a structurally distinct class of proteins, containing high amounts of β-sheet and β-turns. There is a notable similarity in the gross structure of these proteins; all four of them contain about 40–50% of β-sheet, 35–45 % β-turn and 0–10% of α-helix. When the secondary structure of corresponding residues in each pair of these lectins was compared, there was a striking similarity in the Concanavalin A-soybean agglutinin and favabean lectin-lentil lectin pairs, and considerably less similarity in the other pairs, suggesting that these legume lectins have probably evolved in a divergent manner from a common ancestor. A comparison of the predicted potential β-turn sites also supports the hypothesis of divergent evolution in this class of lectins.