Genetic variation and divergence of the sibling pair of cyprinid fishes, Notropis cornutus and N. chrysocephalus

Horizontal starch gel electrophoresis was used to estimate the amount of genetic divergence between Notropis cornutus and N. chrysocephalus. Measures of genetic identity (1) and distance (D) were 0.881 and 0.127 ± 0.055 (s.e.), respectively. These estimates correspond more closely to the sibling species status of these taxa than other previously reported estimates. Notropis cornutus was found to be significantly more variable than N. chrysocephalus electrophoretically and morphologically. Assuming the existence of an electrophoretic clock, the time of divergence was calculated to be roughly 1.9–2.5 million years. This estimate corresponds very closely to a previously hypothesized late Pliocene divergence.     

Protease activities in non-embryogenic and embryogenic carrot cell strains during callus growth and embryo formation

Embryogenic and non-embryogenic cell strains of Daucus carota L. were examined for their protease activity using a wide range of chromogenic synthetic peptides as substrates. High arginine-specific activity was present in all strains, but no protease activity "specific" for embryogenic or non-embryogenic strains could be detected with the substrates tested. The specific protease activity was 5–10 times higher in the non-embryogenic as compared to the embryogenic strain for most tested substrates, and this difference was not due to release of proteases in the latter. All strains showed a decrease in protease activity when cultured in media without 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, but the embryos had high protease activity in comparison with the nondifferentiated cell aggregates. In the latter aggregates, hydrolyzing activity towards three of the substrates (H-D-Phe-Pip-Arg- p -nitroanilide, Suc-Ala-Pro-Phe- p -nitro-anilide and Bz-Phe-Val-Arg- p -nitroanilide) was absent, whereas the embryos were able to hydrolyze them.     

植物细胞的遗传全能性与组织培养形态发生控制

引言自1902年德国植物学家Haberlandt提出植物的单个细胞可能具有分化的全能性的理论以来,人们才开始从事植物组织培养,以致今天广泛用来有意识地定向控制遗传变异和人工创造植物新类型的研究。到今据不完全统计,全世界约有1000种高等植物作过离体培养尝试。根据大量实验结果证明,植物单个细胞具有遗传的全能性,     

烟草愈伤组织分化和芽原基形成期间呼吸代谢途径的改变

接种在继代培养基上的柳叶烟草愈伤组织,未观察到组织分化和芽原基形成。在分化培养基上生长的愈伤组织,接种后第6天可见拟分生组织和管胞分化,9—12天有芽原基形成,15—18天可观察到苗端结构。根据碘乙酸、Na_3PO_4和丙二酸抑制试验,以及3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶与琥珀酸脱氢酶活性测定结果,初步表明烟草愈伤组织呼吸中存在有EMP、HMP和TCAC代谢途径.在发生输导组织和芽原基分化的愈伤组织中(接种后第6—12天),HMP途径的运行程度较高;而芽原基的继续生长(培养12天以后),则与EMP途径的增加有关;分化培养基上生长的愈伤组织,始终较继代培养愈伤组织具有较高的FCAC活性水平。     

Ti质粒T区tms基因的分离及其对高等植物分化的影响

根癌农杆菌Ti质粒的T区DNA带有致瘤基因,其基因1和基因2编码生长素吲哚乙酸生物合成途径中的两个酶。以pGV 354(pBR322质粒中插有Ti质粒C 58 T区DNA的HindⅢ15—HindⅢ22大片段)重组质粒出发,我们分离了基因1和基因2,并构建了带有卡那霉素抗性基因的重组质粒pBZ 692,通过基因载体pGV 3850,我们将基因1和基因2引入了高等植物。结果证明基因1和基因2能促使烟草、向日葵、土豆等转化组织分化长根,转化的根在MS_0培养基上能脱分化形成愈伤组织并自主生长,在转化的组织中有转化标记胭脂碱的存在。     

Nuclear DNA content in differentiated tissues of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Summary Scanning cytophotometry following Feulgen-staining was used to determine nuclear DNA content in many differentiated tissues of nine cultivars, hybrids or selfed lines ofHelianthus annuus. Apart from such ephemeral tissues as endosperm and anther tapetum, it was found that tissue differentiation in sunflower occurs in the diploid condition, cells being arrested in the DNA presynthetic phase (G₁). In certain cases, however, the nuclear DNA content of differentiated G₁ cells does not exactly match the 2C DNA content found in meristematic cells, but may be either higher or lower. In endosperm and anther tapetum cells, nuclear DNA content may be as high as 24 C and 32 C, respectively. Cytological and autoradiographic analyses after³H-thymidine incorporation reveal that polyploidy in the tapetal cells is due to chromosome endoreduplication. No detectable difference between male-fertile and male-sterile plants exists as far as occurrence and level of cell polyploidy are concerned. The results are discussed in the context of previous investigations on the nuclear condition of differentiatedHelianthus annuus tissue.     

Epithelial differentiation at the edentulous alveolar ridge in man

Summary The epithelial lining of the mucosa of the edentulous, maxillary alveolar ridge was subjected to an ultrastructural and stereological analysis. Four biopsies collected from the non-inflamed crest, i.e., the center over former tooth sockets, in non-denture-wearing female patients 30 to 55 years of age were processed for light and electron microscopy. At the light-microscopic level, epithelial thickness was determined histometrically. Electron micrographs were sampled at two levels of magnification, from five strata in regions of epithelial ridges and from three strata over connective tissue papillae. Standardized stereological pointcounting techniques were employed to analyze a total of 990 electron micrographs. Observations and data revealed that at the alveolar ridge the oral epithelium is truly keratinizing and comprises four strata including a 40±5 m-thick stratum corneum, which displays the oral keratin pattern. The histoand cytodifferentiation were peculiar: (1) Compared to the neighbouring gingival and hard palate epithelium, that of the alveolar crest was markedly thicker, with elongated rete ridges indicating acanthosis. (2) The cytoarchitecture was identical neither to the gingival nor to the hard palate epithelium but revealed a mixture of features typical for either of these two epithelia. Reasons for this are explained on the basis of factors, possible genetic, inherent in epithelial cells that are possibly derived from both the gingival and the palatal environment.     

Disorganization of stroma alters epithelial differentiation of the glandular stomach in adult mice

Summary The response of adult epithelium in contact with heterologous mesenchymes/stromas was studied in three digestive organs (forestomach, glandular stomach, and duodenum). After various tissues were implanted beneath the epithelial layer of adult mice, the epithelial differentiation was examined after sacrifice of animals at intervals up to 24 weeks. In the forestomach and duodenum, the epithelial differentiation was not affected at all by the tissue implantation. In the glandular stomach, in contrast, epithelial cells exhibited altered differentiation in which chief and parietal cells disappeared and were replaced by columnar epithelial cells with PAS-positive granules. These epithelial cells often formed immature villi. Such differentiation-altered columnar epithelium (DACE) was induced by implanting any type of tissue and even by sham operation, indicating that it was induced by disorganization of the tissue-implanted stroma. The size of DACE was significantly influenced by the stage of implanted tissue; 14.5-day fetal mesenchyme induced the largest DACE, and was followed by 16.5-day fetal mesenchyme, adult stroma, and sham operation. These results suggest the importance of stromal organization in maintaining epithelial differentiation in the glandular stomach.     

Isolation of a brain peptide identical to the intestinal PHI (peptide HI)

The isolation of a brain peptide identical to the intestinal peptide PHI (peptide HI) is described. The peptide was isolated from porcine brain extract using a chemical assay method based on its C-terminal isoleucine amide structure. The complete amino acid sequence of the peptide was found to be: His-Ala-Asp-Gly-Val-Phe-Thr-Ser-Asp-Phe-Ser-Arg-Leu-Leu-Gly-Gln-Leu-Ser-Ala- Lys-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Ser-Leu-Ile-NH2. This sequence is identical to the intestinal peptide thus demonstrating PHI to be a brain-gut peptide. The role of PHI in the central nervous system as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator is discussed.     

Changes in the Expression of the αα Form of Enolase During Neuroblastoma Differentiation

Abstract: The relative amounts of the different enolase isozymes present in neuroblastoma cells change during differentiation. When differentiation is induced by low serum in the presence of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), there is a 50% decrease in the concentration of enolase activity associated with the form αα, and an increase in the activity associated with the γ-containing isozymes (αγ plus γγ); in the absence of DMSO, there is no decrease in αα or in total enolase activity. In order to study the mechanism of the changes in αα, cells differentiated with low serum with and without DMSO were compared. Measurements of the concentration of the α antigen by microcomplement fixation and by immunotitration demonstrate that the decreased enolase activity in DMSO cells is due to a decreased concentration of the α antigen. Measurements of the relative rate of synthesis of the antigen show that the decreased concentration of the α antigen is due to a decreased rate of synthesis. Enolase in differentiated cells is sufficiently stable (t_1/2 > 100 h) that a comparison of the relative rates of degradation has not been possible. The decreased synthesis of the α subunit of enolase that occurs under these conditions appears to be a useful model system for studying the de-expression of the α gene that occurs in vivo during neuronal differentiation.