The membrane valve: A consequence of asymmetrical inhibition of membrane carriers. I. Equilibrating transport systems

Facilitated membrane transport systems act as valves, or rectifiers, when the substrate affinities on the two sides of the membrane differ substantially, i.e. when the system is strongly asymmetric. The asymmetry may be intrinsic or imposed by a reversible competitive inhibitor acting on only one side of the membrane. Under non-equilibrium conditions such systems allow net movements of substrate to proceed faster, sometimes much faster, in one direction than the other, though the final equilibrium is unaffected. Obligatory exchange systems may also function as valves when inhibited unsymmetrically, permitting exchange to occur more rapidly with one distribution of substrates than with the reversed distribution. Here, unequal flux rates do not depend on unequal concentrations of the substrate on either side of the membrane, but may also occur with equal concentrations, provided the affinities of the two substrates differ.The kinetic theory leading to these conclusions is given here, and it is shown how individual parameters of a carrier system affect the efficiency, or tightness, of the valve. In addition, simple kinetic tests for the operation of a valve are outlined. Examples are cited of transport systems having inhibitor-binding sites on only one surface of the cell membrane, which could function normally as valves. Systems implicated are glucose transport in various cells, the ADP-ATP exchanger of mitochondria, the anion transporter of erythrocytes, and the Na⁺-K⁺ pump.     

Fitness of a translocation homozygote in cage experiments with the onion fly,Hylemya antiqua (meigen)

Summary In Hylemya antiqua, a stock homozygous for an autosomal reciprocal translocation was isolated using egg-hatch reduction and karyotype analysis. Sibling translocation homozygous (TT) and heterozygous (T+) females were compared in respect to egg production and longevity. In one full-sib (5 TT and 8 T+ females) significantly higher values for both parameters for T+ than for TT females were scored, in four others (a total of 35 TT and 28 T+ females) no significant differences were found. Cage experiments were started with populations composed of equal numbers of wild type flies (++) and translocation homozygotes. The frequencies of the different karyotypes in three successive, non-overlapping generations, did not suggest substantial differences in fitness between ++ and TT flies. Possible causes of a surplus of T+ individuals found in these experiments are discussed together with the usefulness of the translocation for genetic control of H. antiqua.     

The use of Taka-diastase in a[3H]poly(A) hybridization assay of oligo(U) sequences in RNA

A reliable assay of uridylate sequences longer than 10 is described. The procedure is based on the hybridization of [3H]poly(A) with poly(U) or oligo(U) sequences in high ionic conditions and a subsequent degradation of single stranded polynucleotides with purified Taka-diastase. A 1:2 complex between poly(A) and poly(U) is formed on which on poly(U) strand is digested by Taka-diastase. The procedure is especially suitable for the detection and quantitation of Un (n greater than 10) in RNA preparation.     

A microsporidium,Nosema pilicornis sp. n., of the purslane sawfly,Schizocerella pilicornis

A new microsporidian species, Nosema pilicornis, which infects the purslane sawfly, Schizocerella pilicornis, is described. This microsporidium infects most body tissues of the host. N. pilicornis was compared to other microsporidian species infecting Hymenoptera and to a group of similar microsporidia infecting Lepidoptera. N. pilicornis could be distinguished from all other microsporidian species on the basis of host range and ultrastructural characteristics of the spore. Spores were oval, containing 11 to 12 polar filament coils, and the polar filament had an angle of tilt of about 80°. N. pilicornis infected lepidopteran larvae, but only when heavy spore dosages were fed to early larval instars. S. pilicornis is a good but sporadic biological control agent of common purslane, Portulaca oleracea, a pernicious weed of vegetable, ornamental, and orchard crops. N. pilicornis, which is transovarially transmitted and causes high mortality in infected larvae, affects the performance of S. pilicornis as a biological control agent.     

Aminopeptidase and lysozyme activity levels and serum protein concentrations in Biomphalaria glabrata (Mollusca) challenged with bacteria.

The total serum protein concentrations and levels of aminopeptidase and lysozyme activities in the sera of the gastropod Biomphalaria glabrata have been determined. The groups of snails from which hemolymph samples were taken for study included (1) untampered controls, (2) sham-injected snails, (3) heat-killed Bacillus megaterium-injected, and (4) live B. megaterium-injected ones. Our results indicate that there are significant elevations in the levels of aminopeptidase activity in 2 hr in the sera of snails that had been sham-, dead bacteria-, and liver bacteria-injected. The levels of lysozyme activity were not altered in sham-, dead bacteria-, and live bacteria-injected snails. This is contrary to an earlier finding (T. C. Cheng, M. J. Chorney, and T. P. Yoshino, 1977. J. Invertebr. Pathol., 29, 170–174), and the difference is believed to be due to the age of the snails employed. Comparisons of total serum proteins have revealed that the concentration in snails injected with live B. megaterium is significantly higher than in sham-injected ones. This may be due to increase of some yet undetermined serum protein fraction.     

Distribution of Nothanguina phyllobia and Its Potential as a Biological Control Agent for Silver-leaf Nightshade

The nematode Nothanguina phyllobia Thorne was found within large foliar galls on the perennial weed Solanum elaeagnifolium Cav. in west Texas. A two-year survey of a 6400 sq-km area in west Texas showed extensive distribution of the nematode. No hosts other than S. elaeagnifolium were observed. Densities of juvenile nematodes in the soil were high. N. phyllobia spread rapidly after small numbers of infective juveniles were applied in a foliar spray to an S. elaeagnifolium population. The host plant declined in vigor and frequently died. Artificial inoculation of an S. elaeagnifolium population with large numbers of the nematodes by broadcasting infected plant tissue resulted in high infection incidence.     

Geographic variation and genetic aspects of reproductive diapause in Drosophila triauraria and D. quadraria

ABSTRACT. Geographic variation and genetic aspect of reproductive diapause were studied in Drosophila triauraria Bock & Wheeler and D. quadraria Bock & Wheeler, in relation to their quantitative response to photoperiods. D. quadraria from the subtropical region had no photoperiodic diapause. In D. triauraria strains, diapause was induced under LD 10:14 or 12:12, but not under LD 14:10 or longer photoperiods. Their diapause was induced more effectively and maintained longer by LD 10:14 than by LD 12:12. The duration of diapause was longer in a northern strain, but the diapause inducing process varied little among different geographical strains. Diapause incidence was 50% or lower in F₁ hybrids between D. triauraria and D. quadraria and backcross progenies between F₁ and D. quadraria , and about 70% in backcross progenies between F₁ and D. triauraria under LD 10:14, but very low under LD 12:12. The lower incidence of diapause in these F; and backcross progenies is assumed to be due to the less efficient induction of diapause, since once diapause was induced in them, it was maintained for a long time, especially in the backcross progenies between F₁ and D. triauraria. These experiments suggest that diapause induction and maintenance are different physiological processes controlled by different genetic systems.     

Opportunities for natural selection on DNA and protein at the Adh locus in Drosophila melanogaster

A study was made of environmental and genetic factors affecting the quantity and disposition of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) protein in Drosophila melanogaster. It was found that the amount of enzyme per fly is greatly influenced by the environmental conditions in which it develops. A critical factor is the concentration of yeast in the medium. A high concentration of yeast can double the quantity of ADH. The yeast appears to act through the provision of protein, and the protein to act through the provision of threonine, which is already known to induce ADH in fungi. Various genetic factors affect the quantity of enzyme. Males have more ADH than females. Files homozygous for the Fast allele have more ADH than those homozygous for the slow allele, and the difference is greater in females than in males. One particular line (ve), homozygous for Slow, has approximately half the normal quantity of enzyme, and the quantity segregates with the electrophoretic allele. Lines differ in the relative amounts of ADH in the gut (including Malpighian tubules) and the fat body. In general it seems that slow lines have relatively more enzyme in the fat body. In a cross between ve and a line homozygous to Fast, the difference in tissue distribution segregated with the electrophoretic allele. It is argued, but not demonstrated, that the differences in quantity and tissue distribution are due to nucleotide substitutions in noncoding regions close to, or within, the structural gene. It seems likely that the observed environmental and genetic differences in the quantity and disposition of ADH will influence the relative selective values of the electrophoretic genotypes.