The production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against enkephalins

The hybridoma technology of Kohler and Milstein (1975) was utilized to produce monoclonal antibodies against the enkephalins. Two hybridomas, AD4 and DB4, produced monoclonal antibodies of the IgG type 1 class against Leu⁵-enkephalin that were highly specific for Leu⁵- and Met⁵-enkephalin. AD4 exhibited almost equal reactivity with either Leu⁵- or Met⁵-enkephalin, whereas DB4 exhibited only a 20% cross-reactivity with Met⁵-enkephalin. The IC₅₀ of these monoclonal antibodies were approximately two orders of magnitude greater than the IC₅₀ a polyclonal antiserum against enkephalins (A206; Miller et al 1978) used routinely in many immunochemical and immunocytochemical studies.The monoclonal antibodies, AD4 and DB4, exhibited specific sequence and size requirements for binding enkephalin-related peptides. The amino acid sequence Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu or Gly-Gly-Phe-Met was essential for recognition by AD4 and DB4. However, Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe which lacks Leu or Met in the fifth position did not react with our monoclonal antibodies. Moreover, enkephalin-related peptides in which the enkephalin sequence was situated at the amino terminus and which contained six or more amino acids did not react significantly with AD4 or DB4. In particular, unlike the polyclonal antiserum A206, our monoclonal antibodies do not react with dynorphins 1–6 or 1–13. However, when the monoclonal antibody (AD4) was used to localize immunohistochemically the population of enkephalinergic amacrine cells in the chicken retina, it provided a staining pattern quite comparable to that observed in previous studies (Watt et al., 1983) using the polyclonal enkephalin antiserum A206. This finding therefore demonstrates that the immunoreactive products visualized in the enkephalin-immunoreactive amacrine cells of the chicken retina with the polyclonal antiserum correspond to authentic enkephalin or peptides very closely related to the enkephalins.     

Comparison of methods of determining stability and adaptation of sweet potato

Summary Four methods were used to determine stability and adaptation of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam.). Data from 14 sweet potato clones evaluated over 14 environments were used. Regression coefficients provided little information with regard to stability but did provide information on response of individual clones. Stability parameters using three of the four methods were highly correlated. The fourth presented different ranking patterns of stability than the other methods. However, the top five stable clones identified by the four methods were almost the same. Two methods were more effective and convenient in discriminating sweet potato clones based on their stabilities. Clones W151, Resisto, and W192 were more stable for no. 1 root yields. W151 and W192 were also stable for total root yields.Paper no. 10832 of the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service, Raleigh, NC 27695-7601, USA. Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by North Carolina Agricultural Research Service nor does it imply approcal to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable. This article is from a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfilment of the requirements for 1 Ph.D. degree.Present address: VISCA, Baybay, Leyte, Philippines     

Winter grass cover crop effects on nematodes and yields of double cropped soybean

Rye (Secale cereale L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) are commonly double cropped with soybean (Glycine max L.). Recent greenhouse studies have shown variability in plant-parasitic nematode response to cool season grass species and cultivars. However, subsequent soybean performance was not affected by previous annual ryegrass cultivar in the green-house. The objective of this research was to determine whether winter cover crop species or cultivars affected nematode populations and subsequent performance of soybean in teh field. Four cultivars of annual ryegrass, wheat, and rye, and a fallow control were seeded on a Suffolk sandy loam (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Hapuldult) soil in each of three years. Nematode-susceptible soybeans were seeded following forage removal. Soil samples for nematode counts were taken immediately before soybean harvest each year. In another experiment, one cultivar each of annual ryegrass, wheat, and rye, and a fallow control were followed by three soybean cultivars selected for differing nematode susceptibility. Grass cultivars did not affect nematode populations under succedding soybean. The only nematodes affected by grass species in either experiment were Pratylenchus spp., Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, and Tylenchorhynchus claytoni (Kofoid and White) Chitwood. Nematode population means were usually low following ryegrass and high following the fallow control. High soybean yields followed the fallow control, and low soybean yields followed annual ryegrass.     

Growth and survival of Azolla filiculoides in Britain. II. Sexual reproduction

Sporulation in the floating fern Azolla filiculoides Lam. is both frequent and widespread in Britain and might therefore play a greater part in the population dynamics of the species than has been suggested by earlier reports. In laboratory experiments, increasing plant density and/or phosphorus supply resulted in increased sporulation. It was estimated that a thick mat of 8 kg m² fresh biomass can produce 380000 microsporocarps and 85000 megasporocarps per m².
Light and temperatures >10°C were necessary for sporocarp germination. Sporocarps could survive exposure to both low temperatures (5°C for at least 3 months) and sub-zero temperatures (−10°C for at least 18 d). Sporocarps were found to survive storage in water for 3 yr and to germinate from mud samples collected in the field. In laboratory culture, sporeling growth and survival were optimal at 15°C.
There is some evidence that A. filiculoides might have adapted to the British climate since its introduction.     

沉香叶解剖结构的研究

通过石蜡切片法,光学显微镜观察,研究了沉香叶的解剖结构。结果表明,沉香叶为典型的异面叶,但具有许多旱生特征。表皮由一层排列紧密的形状不规则的表皮细胞组成,细胞外壁角质膜较厚,上表皮角质膜较下表皮的厚3.48μm,下表皮上零星分布着单细胞表皮毛,气孔类型为无规则型,仅分布在下表皮上,微下陷;叶肉组织发达,其间分布着较多的长方晶体,其长轴与表皮垂直;栅栏组织由1～2层圆柱形细胞组成,其外层细胞转化为异细胞,栅栏组织∶海面组织为1∶3.5,下表皮内具有1～2层由异细胞组成的下皮层;主脉发达,有异细胞组成的维管束鞘,具内生韧皮部;叶内具有发达的木质部外纤维。以上特征反映出植物结构与环境的统一性。     

Effects of medium composition and culture duration on in vitro morphogenesis of sweet potato

In vitro morphogenesis of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) shoot explants after cultures in callus initiation medium (CIM) with two sucrose contents and plant regeneration medium (PRM) with three growth regulator combinations for different durations was studied. After 4 weeks, explants on 5 % sucrose CIM had significantly more shoots but similar or lower root fresh mass and callus fresh mass than those on 3 % sucrose CIM subsequent to transfer for 6 weeks on all three PRM. Cultures transferred to growth regulator-free PRM after 4 and 12 weeks on 5 % sucrose CIM formed plants through organogenesis and embryogenesis, respectively. Embryogenic cultures from 4 weeks on CIM + 10 weeks on callus proliferation medium when transferred to PRM without growth regulator for 4 and 8 weeks produced multiple embryos in the prior and both embryos and shoot buds in the later.     

白木香内生真菌Fimetariella rabenhorstii的甾体类代谢产物

从白木香(Aquilaria sinensis(Lour.)Gilg)内生真菌Fimetariella rabenhorstii A20的发酵菌丝体中分离得到4个甾体类化合物.通过波谱分析,分别鉴定为5α,8α-桥氧-(22E,24R)-麦角甾-6,22-二烯-3β-醇(1)、3β,6β,7α-三羟基-(24R)麦角甾...