Are ecological systems chaotic - And if not, why not?

Chaotic dynamics emerge when positive/negative feedback systems are dominated much of the time by positive feedback growth processes. Although all ecological systems contain the seeds of chaos (positive feedback), empirical evidence and evolutionary/ecological reasoning support the view that ecosystems do not normally behave chaotically. They may, however, be driven to chaos by human actions that increase growth rates or induce delays in the regulatory (negative feedback) processes.     

Regulatory and Structural Properties of the Cyanobacterial ADPglucose Pyrophosphorylases

ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.27) has been purified from two cyanobacteria: the filamentous, heterocystic, Anabaena PCC 7120 and the unicellular Synechocystis PCC 6803. The purification procedure gave highly purified enzymes from both cynobacteria with specific activities of 134 (Synechocystis) and 111 (Anabaena) units per milligram protein. The purified enzymes migrated as a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with molecular mass corresponding to 53 (Synechocystis) and 50 (Anabaena) kilodaltons. Tetrameric structures were determined for the native enzymes by analysis of gel filtrations. Kinetic and regulatory properties were characterized for the cyanobacterial ADPglucose pyrophosphorylases. Inorganic phosphate and 3-phosphoglycerate were the most potent inhibitor and activator, respectively. The Synechocystis enzyme was activated 126-fold by 3-phosphoglycerate, with saturation curves exhibiting sigmoidicity (A_0.5 = 0.81 millimolar; n_H = 2.0). Activation by 3-phosphoglycerate of the enzyme from Anabaena demonstrated hyperbolic kinetics (A_0.5 = 0.12 millimolar; n_H = 1.0), having a maximal stimulation of 17-fold. I_0.5 values of 95 and 44 micromolar were calculated for the inhibition by inorganic phosphate of the Synechocystis and Anabaena enzyme, respectively. Pyridoxal-phosphate behaved as an activator of the cyanobacterial enzyme. It activated the enzyme from Synechocystis nearly 10-fold with high apparent affinity (A_0.5 = 10 micromolar; n_H = 1.8). Phenylglyoxal modified the cyanobacterial enzyme by inactivating the activity in the presence of 3-phosphoglycerate. Antibody neutralization experiments showed that anti-spinach leaf (but not anti-Escherichia coli) ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase serum inactivated the enzyme from cyanobacteria. When the cyanobacterial enzymes were resolved on sodium dodecyl sulfate- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and probed with Western blots, only one protein band was recognized by the anti-spinach leaf serum. The same polypeptide strongly reacted with antiserum prepared against the smaller spinach leaf 51 kilodalton subunit, whereas the anti-54 kilodalton antibody raised against the spinach subunit reacted weakly to the cyanobacterial subunit. Regulatory and immunological properties of the cyanobacterial enzyme are more related to the higher plant than the bacterial enzyme. Despite this, results suggest that the ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase from cyanobacteria is homotetrameric in structure, in contrast to the reported heterotetrameric structures of the higher plant ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase.     

Hydrogen evolution by subchloroplast preparations of photosystem II from pea and spinach,

Covalent coupling of bovine rhodopsin to CPG-thiol glass was used for separation of CNBr peptides. It is shown that cysteine residues 322 and 323 in the C-terminal cytoplasmic fragment of rhodopsin are modified with palmitic acid.     

Unidirectional incompatibility in Drosophila simulans: inheritance, geographic variation and fitness effects

In California, Drosophila simulans females from some populations (type W) produce relatively few adult progeny when crossed to males from some other populations (type R), but the productivity of the reciprocal cross is comparable to within-population controls. These two incompatibility types are widespread in North America and are also present elsewhere. Both types sometimes occur in the same population. Type R females always produce type R progeny irrespective of the father's type. However, matings between R males and females from stocks classified as type W produce type R progeny at low frequency. This suggests rare paternal transmission of the R incompatibility type, as we have found no evidence for segregation of incompatibility types in the W stocks. There is quantitative variation among type R lines for compatibility with W females, but not vice versa. Population cage studies and productivity tests suggest that deleterious side effects are associated with the type R cytoplasm.