DA/DAPI fluorescent bands in the chromosomes of Pan paniscus

The fluorochrome pattern produced by DA/DAPI double staining in Pan paniscus chromosomes is reported. The location of DA/DAPI prominent bands differs from that reported for all other hominoid species. However, the pattern in the pygmy chimpanzee is most similar to that seen in Pan troglodytes. Comparison of the DA/DAPI pattern of the other hominoid species allows the construction of a proposed hominoid ancestral karyotype and a preliminary phylogenetic reconstruction of DA/DAPI bands for the great apes and man.     

Phylogenetic Position of Amblyospora Hazard & Oldacre (Microspora: Amblyosporidae) Based on Small Subunit rRNA Data and Its Implication for the Evolution of the Microsporidia

ABSTRACT. Sequences of the small subunit rRNA genes of Amblyospora californica and an Amblyospora sp. from Culex salinarius were determined. These sequences were compared phylogenetically with 16 other microsporidia. The results suggest Amblyospora forms a sister taxon to the rest of the microsporidia examined. The basal position of Amblyospora is discussed with respect to the evolution of microsporidian life cycles. These sequences represent the longest microsporidian small subunit rRNA genes sequenced to date, 1,359 and 1,358 bp, respectively. Structural features and GC content (49% for both) are comparable to those of other microsporidia which have been sequenced.     

P-31 in-vivo NMR investigation on the function of polyphosphates as phosphate-and energysource during the regreening of the green alga Chlorella fusca

The green alga Chlorella fusca accumulates polyphosphates under conditions of nitrogen starvation while deassembling the photosynthetic apparatus. The polyphosphate content of cells regreening after resupply with nitrate under different culture conditions was investigated by P-31 in-vivo NMR spectroscopy. Neither phosphate deficiency nor anaerobiosis during the first hours of regreening inhibited the recovery of the cells. Polyphosphates were degraded during regeening. Differences in the amount of polyphosphates of phosphate supplied and deficient cells occurred only after more then 8 h. After 16 h phosphate deficient cells had still 75% of the polyphosphate content of phosphate suppled cells. In cells kept under anaerobic conditions polyphosphate degradation was much higher than in oxygen supplied cells. After 8 h they contained less than 50% of the polyphosphate content of oxygen supplied cells. These data suggest that polyphosphates serve as obligatory phosphate source during regreening and may be used as an energy source.Non standard abbreviations EDTA Ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid - FID Free induction decay - MOPSO 3-(N-morpholine)-2-hydroxy-propanesulfonic acid - NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance - PP Polyphosphates - PP₄ central phosphate groups of polyphosphates     

Influence of phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol molar ratios in liposomes on cholesterol reactivity with cholesterol:oxygen oxidoreductase]

The reactivity of sonicated phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol liposomes with cholesterol : oxygene oxydoreductase, an enzyme which catalyses the oxidation of the 3 beta hydroxyl group of cholesterol to a ketone group, is compared with that of ternary system phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol-Thesit. Regardless to the phosphatidylcholines nature and the phosphatidylcholine/cholesterol molar ratio (R), the enzymatic oxidation rate of liposomal cholesterol is slower than when the reaction is developed in the present of Thesit, a surfactif agent which destroyes the lamellar particles. This is true whether Thesit is added during preparation of dispersions or during incubation with cholesterol oxydase. The enzymatic oxydation rate of cholesterol of ternary systems phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol-Thesit is independent of the (R) value and the phosphatidylcholine fatty acid unsaturation, whereas that of phosphatidylcholine-cholesterol dispersions depends on these two parameters. The reaction rate increases in the order: dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine to yolk egg phosphatidylcholines, and dioleylphosphatidylcholine. The optimal conditions for cholesterol oxidation were found to be R = 0.5. This result is not affected by the phosphatidylcholines nature. In order to explain these data, various hypotheses are considered. In particular, the weak liposomal cholesterol reactivity with cholesterol oxidase could result from an inhibitory effect on the enzyme-substrate combination due to the polar phosphorylcholine groups.     

The haemagglutination activity in the different developmental stages and changes of this activity caused by analogues of insect hormones in two members of the Culex pipiens complex of mosquitoes

Abstract. Haemagglutination activity was studied in last larval instars, pupae and adults of both sexes of the Culex pipiens mosquito complex. In females of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say, an anautogenous member of C. pipiens complex, activity was detected in the homogenate of the head‐thorax complex, gut and remaining abdomen (after removing the gut), before and after sucking water, glucose solution or blood. Similar investigations were made in females of autogenous Culex pipiens molestus Forskal, a member of the same mosquito complex. The results were compared with data obtained for males of these subspecies, plus the larvae and pupae. The results show that haemagglutination activity in adult females depends not on the sucking of blood, but on the age of the females. In newly emerged females, the level of activity was very low, but after 24 h or 48 h of activity was highly enhanced, even in females that had no possibility to suck water or other liquids including blood. Furthermore, in C. p. molestus, the haemagglutination activity does not change in hungry or engorged females, and a high level of activity was found in the gut of last larval instars, a developmental stage that never takes blood. Treatment with methoprene reduces haemagglutination activity in both sexes, but 20‐hydroxycdysone application decreased activity in the gut of females. It is suggested that haemagglutination activity may be regulated indirectly by the endocrine system. The possibility that haemagglutination activity may depend on some aspect of the digestive system that has no direct connection to blood uptake is discussed. In addition, the activity may be important not only for the elimination of infections, but also for the processing of food and the utilization and transport of nutrients.     

The forensic use of luminol chemiluminescence to detect traces of blood inside motor vehicles.

The luminol test for blood was carried out on a set of interior fittings and surfaces inside three different makes of modern motor car. The surfaces and fittings provided little interference with the test for blood, although there was some detectable chemiluminescence when the test was applied to blood-free material from a seatbelt, a boot-lining and a gear-knob. The case with which haemoglobin samples could be washed off interior car surfaces was also examined for seat fabrics, carpets, roof-linings and various other plastic interior surfaces. A standard wash with water alone was not very effective and removed only ca. 50% of the haemoglobin. A standard wash with soapy water or with a proprietary multipurpose car cleaner removed ca. 90% of the haemoglobin from the tested surface. The effect of high car interior temperatures on haemoglobin samples that were subsequently used in the luminol test was also examined. It was shown that the sensitivity of the luminol test was not decreased but was increased by the prior heating of a haemoglobin sample. This effect was attributed to the thermal conversion of haemoglobin to the more brighter catalyst for chemiluminescence, methaemoglobin. The enthalpy of this conversion in the solid state was found to be 14.1 kJ/mol.     

Annual cycle of stored spermatozoa within the ovaries of Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus (Teleostei, Scorpaenidae)

The aim of this work was to analyse the ultrastructure of storage crypts and stored spermatozoa, and to describe changes during the annual reproductive cycle of the bluemouth Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus , which has internal fertilization and a zygoparous mode of reproduction. Spermatozoa had elongated heads and long midpieces, two characteristics which are thought to be fairly advanced and correlated with internal fertilization, as is the case of the bluemouth. A remarkable spermatozoon feature was the retention of a significant quantity of cytoplasm around the head, a condition that appeared to be related to nourishment during the long storage period, up to 10 months in the intraovarian crystal structures of the female. Male sex cells' protection against the female immune system was ensured by junctional complexes between the crypt cells composed of tight junctions and desmosomes.