Metabolism of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide during nitrification and denitrification in soil at different incubation conditions

Abstract NO production and consumption rates as well as N₂O accumulation rates were measured in a loamy cambisol which was incubated under different conditions (i.e. soil moisture content, addition of nitrogen fertilizer and/or glucose, aerobic or anaerobic gas phase). Inhibition of nitrification with acetylene allowed us to distinguish between nitrification and denitrification as sources of NO and N₂O. Under aerobic conditions untreated soil showed very low release of NO and N₂O but high consumption of NO. Fertilization with NH₄⁺ or urea stimulated both NO and N₂O production by nitrification. Addition of glucose at high soil moisture contents led to increased N₂ and N₂O production by denitrification, but not to increased NO production rates. Anaerobic conditions, however, stimulated both NO and N₂O production by denitrification. The production of NO and N₂O was further stimulated at low moisture contents and after addition of glucose or NO₃⁻. Anaerobic consumption of NO by denitrification followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was stimulated by addition of glucose and NO₃⁻. Aerobic consumption of NO followed first-order kinetics up to mixing ratios of at least 14 ppmv NO, was inhibited by autoclaving but not by acetylene, and decreased with increasing soil moisture content. The high NO-consumption activity and the effects of soil moisture on the apparent rates of anaerobic and aerobic production and consumption of NO suggest that diffusional constraints have an important influence on the release of NO, and may be a reason for the different behaviour of NO release vs N₂O release.     

Synthetic D- and L-enantiomers of 2,2-difluoro-2-deoxy-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate interact differently with myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins: identification of a potent small molecule 3-kinase inhibitor.

The ability of two enantiomeric fluoro-analogues of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] to mobilize intracellular Ca2+ stores in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells has been investigated. (-)-D-2,2-difluoro-2-deoxy-myo-Ins(1,4,5)P3 [D-2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3] was a full agonist [EC50 0.21 microM] and slightly less potent than D-Ins(1,4,5)P3 [EC50 0.13 microM]. (+)-L-2,2-F2Ins(1,4,5)P3 was a very poor agonist, confirming the stereospecificity of the Ins(1,4,5)P3 receptor. D-2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3 mobilized Ca2+ with broadly similar kinetics to Ins(1,4,5)P3 and was a substrate for Ins(1,4,5)P3 3-kinase inhibiting Ins(1,4,5)P3 phosphorylation (apparent Ki = 10.2 microM) but was recognised less well than Ins(1,4,5)P3. L-2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3 was a potent competitive inhibitor of 3-kinase (Ki = 11.9 microM). Whereas D-2,2-F2-Ins(1,4,5)P3 was a good substrate for Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase, L-2,2-F2Ins(1,4,5)P3 was a relatively potent inhibitor (Ki = 19.0 microM).     

High threonine producer mutant ofNicotiana sylvestris (Spegg. and Comes)

Summary Mutagenesis and the subsequent selection of mesophyll diploid protoplasts ofNicotiana sylvestris on growth inhibitory concentrations of lysine plus threonine has led to the isolation of an LT-resistant mutant. Regeneration of this line (RLT 70) and analysis of its descendants demonstrated the dominant monogenic nuclear character of the resistance gene, further namedak-LT1. When the inhibition properties of aspartate kinase were examined in the homozygous mutant, lysine-sensitive activity could no longer be detected. In comparison, 70%–80% of the wild-type enzyme activity was usually inhibited by lysine, and the rest by threonine. Evidence for the existence of at least two AK isoenzymes was obtained by ion-exchange chromatography, where two peaks of activity could be detected: the first one to be eluted is lysine sensitive, and the second one threonine sensitive. One consequence of the altered regulation of AK in the mutant was the enhanced production of soluble threonine. Threonine accumulation was observed to occur throughout the life cycle of the mutant plant as well as in its different organs. In particular, leaves exhibited a 45-fold increment of soluble threonine, which corresponds to a 13-fold increase in total threonine: almost one-third of the total amino acids was free and proteinbound threonine. In RLT 70 seeds, 20% of the free amino acid pool was in the form of threonine (70-fold accumulation compared to the wild type), and total threonine content was increased five fold. As a general rule, the other amino acids were also more abundant in RLT 70 seeds, such that the total of amino acids present was between two to four times higher, but in contrast with the situation encountered in leaves, this was also due to a higher protein-bound amino acid content.     

Isolation and characteristics of Thiopedia rosea (neotype)

Four new strains of Thiopedia rosea were isolated in pure culture from blooms of platelet-forming purple sulfur bacteria in the top layers of the anoxic hypolimnia of two freshwater lakes. Individual cells of the new strains as well as of T. rosea strain 4211 were spherical to oval, nonmotile and contained gas vesicles in the central part. The predominant photosynthetic pigments were bacteriochlorophyll a and okenone. All strains were strictly anaerobic and obligately phototrophic. Optimal growth occurred at low light intensities of 100 E · m^-2 s^-1 (tungsten lamp); intensities above 150 E · m^-2 s^-1 inhibited growth completely. Photoautotrophic growth was possible at sulfide concentrations up to 0.6 mM; higher concentrations were inhibitory. Acetate, butyrate and valerate supported photoorganotrophic growth in the presence of bicarbonate and sulfide concentrations below 1 mM. Sulfide was required as a source of cellular sulfur because assimilatory sulfate reduction is lacking. All strains were assigned to the species Thiopedia rosea with strain 4211 as a neotype.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. G. Schlegel on the occasion of his 66th birthday     

Acetylene inhibition technique underestimates in situ denitrification rates in intact cores of freshwater sediment

Abstract Denitrification in intact sediment cores was measured by the acetylene inhibition technique and compared with the nitrate flux between water and sediment. Less than half of the nitrate-N consumed by the sediment could be recovered as nitrous oxide-N. The low recovery rate of nitrous oxide from intact sediment cores indicated losses of nitrous oxide by diffusion down to nitrate-free sediment layers, where reduction of nitrous oxide may take place. In sediment slurries 100% of nitrate-N could be recovered as nitrous oxide-N as long as the nitrate concentration in the liquid phase was above 10 μM. Nitrous oxide added to nitrate-free sediment slurries was reduced regardless of whether acetylene was present or not. Therefore denitrification may be significantly underestimated by this method.     

Glucose control of sucrose synthase in the maize scutellum

The in vivo amounts of UDPG, UTP, UDP and UMP, metabolites known to influence the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS), were measured throughout 5 hr incubations of scutellum slices in fructose or water, i.e. under conditions of sucrose synthesis or breakdown. Cytosolic concentrations were estimated assuming that these metabolites were confined to the cytosol. Within the estimated in vivo concentration ranges, UDPG, UTP and UDP had little effect on the in vitro SS activity, but glucose (100 mM) inhibited SS in the synthesis direction by 63–70% and in the breakdown direction by 86–93%. Glucose inhibition of SS was considerably less when saturating levels of substrates were used. Sucrose did not inhibit SS. It is concluded that during germination the glucose produced from starch breakdown in the maize endosperm enters the scutellum and inhibits SS, preventing a futile cycle and limiting SS participation in sucrose synthesis.     

Initial stages in the course of adventitious bud formation on embryos of Picea abies

Adventitious buds on embryos of Picea abies (L.) Karst. developed after a pulse treatment with 250 μ M benzyladenine (BA) of pH 5.5 for 2 h. Light and temperature regimes were not critical during the initial stages. Adventitious buds developed faster after a pulse treatment and the variation among different experiments was lower compared to when the embryos were cultured on media supplemented with BA. Various stages of the differentiation of adventitious buds were identified: stage 1 - appearance of meristematic centres (approximately the first two weeks); stage 2 - development of adventitious bud primordia (approximately the third week); stage 3 - adventitious bud development (from approximately the 4th to the 8th week). This system may be used for further studies on bud differentiation.     

Stoichiometric binding of diacylglycerol to the phorbol ester receptor

The major phorbol ester receptor is the Ca++-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C. Diacylglycerol stimulates protein kinase C in a fashion similar to the phorbol esters. Likewise, it inhibits phorbol ester binding competitively. Both results suggest that diacylglycerol is the/an endogenous phorbol ester analogue. Alternatively, the diacylglycerol might simply be acting to modify the phospholipid environment of the protein. If diacylglycerol were indeed functioning as an analogue, it should interact with the receptor stoichiometrically. This interaction can be quantitated by measuring the perturbation in apparent diacylglycerol binding affinity as a function of the ratio of diacylglycerol to receptor. We report here that 1,2-dioleoylglycerol interacts with the receptor with the predicted stoichiometry.     

Critical roles for juvenile hormone and its esterase+ in the prepupa of Trichoplusia ni

In the caterpillar Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) it has been demonstrated by allatectomy that the appearance of juvenile hormone during the prepupal stage is crucial for the successful larval-pupal ecdysis of most larvae. Application of juvenile hormone or juvenile hormone esterase inhibitors at key times disrupted normal development as well. Thus the subsequent disappearance of juvenile hormone is regulated by degradation by juvenile hormone esterase in addition to a hypothetical reduction in biosynthesis. This reduction in juvenile hormone titer in the prepupa is just as critical for normal development as was its previous appearance. These observations on the critical role of juvenile hormone in the prepupa are in contrast to observations in some other species. For instance, in the case of Manduca sexta (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), juvenile hormone is considered only supplementary to the action of prothoracicotropic hormone in the postwandering stage and primarily is required for normal pupal development. It thus appears that even within the Lepidoptera the role of juvenile hormone in prepupal development can vary dramatically.