Allocation of Photosynthate to Individual Tubers of Solanum tuberosum L.: I. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TUBER GROWTH RATE AND ENZYME ACTIVITIES OF THE STARCH METABOLISM

Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) were grown in water culturein a controlled environment. Cooling (+8°C) of individualtubers decreased their growth rates and increased the growthrates of non-cooled tubers of the same plant. The carbohydrateconcentration in non-cooled and cooled tubers did not differsignificantly, but ¹⁴C-import from labelled photosynthate waslower in cooled than in non-cooled tubers. The markedly lowerconversion rate of ethanol-soluble ¹⁴C to starch in cooled,in comparison to non-cooled tubers, was not associated withsignificant differences in the in vitro activities of starchsynthase, ADPG-pyrophosphorylase and starch phosphorylase understandard assay conditions (+30°C). However, the Q₁₀-valuesof the enzymes differed in vitro in the temperature range between30°C and 8°C, leading to a marked decrease in the activityratio of ADPG-pyrophosphorylase/starch phosphorylase in cooledtubers. In tubers differing in growth rates without manipulation, 14d after tuber initiation significant positive correlations werefound between ¹⁴C-concentration of tuber tissue and the in vitroactivities of starch synthase and ADPG-pyrophosphorylase anda significant negative correlation between ¹⁴C-concentrationand starch phosphorylase. In contrast, in tubers which wereanalysed 5 d after initiation, there were only small differencesbetween tubers in growth rate, ¹⁴C import and the activity ratioADPG-pyrophosphorylase/starch phosphorylase. From various directand indirect evidence it is concluded that the growth rate ofindividual tubers, and thus the sink strength, is at least inpart controlled by the activity of starch synthesizing enzymes. Key words: Potato tuber, cooling, starch synthesizing enzymes     

Butanol Extract of Acanthopanax senticosus (Rupr. et Maxim.) Harms Alleviates Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

This study investigated the effect of butanol extract of AS (ASBUE) on atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE^−/−) mice. The mice were administered ASBUE (390 or 130 mg/kg/day) or rosuvastatin (RSV) via oral gavage for eight weeks. In ApoE^−/− mice, ASBUE suppressed the abnormal body weight gain and improved serum and liver biochemical indicators. ASBUE remarkably reduced the aortic plaque area, improved liver pathological conditions, and lipid metabolism abnormalities, and altered the intestinal microbiota structure in ApoE^−/− mice. In the vascular tissue of ASBUE-treated mice, P-IKKβ, P-NFκB, and P-IκBα levels tended to decrease, while IκB-α increased in high fat-diet-fed atherosclerotic mice. These findings demonstrated the anti-atherosclerotic potential of ASBUE, which is mediated by the interaction between the gut microbiota and lipid metabolism and regulated via the Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. This work paves the groundwork for subsequent studies to develop innovative drugs to treat atherosclerosis.     

猫后内侧上雪氏区视神经元对运动棒反应的取向和方向特征

猫后内侧上雪区（ｐｏｓｔｅｒｏｍｅｄｉａｌｌａｔｅｒａｌｓｕｐｒａｓｙｌｖｉａｎａｒｅａ,ＰＭＬＳ）的绝大多数神经元（１７１／２００）对运动棒的取向调谐,６２％（１２４／２００）细胞的取向调谐宽度（半高波宽）小于９０°：按方向选择性和取向选择性可分辨出几类特征明显的细胞类型：１、强取向和强方向选择性细胞;２、强取向调谐的双向选择细胞;３、弱取向调谐的强方向选择细胞;４、无取向无方向选择性细胞;以及５、特征不明显的或中间类型细胞。它们与最近光学记录揭示的鹰猴中颞叶视区（ｍｉｄｄｌｅｔｅｍｐｏｒａｌｖｉｓｕａｌａｒｅａ,ＭＴ）的组织有很好的吻合。     

四川55种鱼生活史型的研究

四川５５种鱼生活史型的研究刁晓明,罗一兵李波（西南农业大学水产系,重庆６３０７１６）（重庆大学计算机系,６３００００）ＬｉｆｅＨｉｓｔｏｒｙＰａｔｔｅｒｎｓｏｆ５５ＦｉｓｈＳｐｅｃｉｅｓｉｎＳｉｃｈｕａｎ￥ＤｉａｏＸｉａｏｍｉｎｇ;ＬｕｏＹｉｂｉｎｇ...     

Active and passive cation transport and L antigen hertogeneity in low potassium sheep red cells

Several lines of experimental evidence are presented suggesting that the L antigens in low potassium (LK) sheep red cells are associated with separate Na(+)K(+) pump flux is distinct from the action of anti-L(l) on K(+) leak flux, implying that K(+) leak transport sites may not be converted into active pumps by the L antiserum. Treatment of LK red cells with trypsin completely abolished both the stimulation of K(+) pump flux and the enhancement of the rate of ouabain binding brought about by anti- L. That this effect is due to a total destruction of the L(p) determinant associated with the LK pump was evident from the complete failure of anti-L(p) to bind to trypsinized LK red cells. The L(p) antigen can be effectively protected against the trypsin attack by prior incubation with anti-L, indicating that the sites for antibody binding and trypsin action may be closely adjacent at the structural level. Trypsin treatment, however, did not interfere with anti-L(l) reducing ouabain insensitive K(+) leak influx, nor did it prevent binding of anti-L(ly), the hemolytically active L antibody which is probably identical with anti-L(l). The functional independence of the L(p) and L(l) sites was documented by the observation that anti-L(l) still reduced K(+) leak influx in LK cells with experimentally induced high potassium concentrations, at which K(+) pump flux is fully suppressed, whether or not anti-L(p) was binding to the L(p) antigen associated with the LK pump.     

Complementing amino acid substitutions within loop 6 of the alpha/beta-barrel active site influence the CO2/O2 specificity of chloroplast ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase

Photosynthesis-deficient mutant 45-3B of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii contains a chloroplast mutation that causes valine-331 to be replaced by alanine within the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. This amino acid substitution occurs in loop 6 of the alpha/beta-barrel active site, three residues distant from catalytic lysine-334. The mutation reduces the specific activity of the enzyme and also reduces its CO2/O2 specificity factor by 42%, but the amount of holoenzyme is unaffected. In a previous study, an intragenic-suppressor mutation, named S40-9D, was selected that causes threonine-342 to be replaced by isoleucine, thereby increasing the CO2/O2 specificity of the mutant enzyme by 36%. To determine which other residues might be able to complement the original mutation, nine additional genetically independent revertants have now been analyzed. Another intragenic suppressor, represented by mutation S61-2J, causes glycine-344 to be replaced by serine. This change increases the CO2/O2 specificity of the mutant enzyme by 25%. Of the revertants recovered and analyzed, the mutant enzyme was improved only due to true reversion or by intragenic suppression mediated by substitutions at residues 342 or 344. Changes in the physical properties of the two pairs of complementing substitutions indicate that steric effects within loop 6 are responsible for the observed changes in the CO2/O2 specificity of the enzyme.     

Oviducal Contribution to Alteration of the Vitelline Coat in the Frog, Rana japonica. An Electron Microscopic Study

The vitelline coat (VC) surrounding coelomic eggs of the frog, Rana japonica , comprises bundles of filaments running both parallel and perpendicular to the egg surface. The coat gives little or no staining reaction with PA-CrA-Silver methenamine. In contrast, in the VC of uterine eggs the filament bundles are less conspicuous. and the interstices between the filament bundles stain strongly for carbohydrate. This alteration occurs during passage of the eggs down the first 1/20 th of the oviduct, the pars recta. The epithelium of the p. recta contains secretory cells, which contain electron-dense granules distinct from those in the jelly-secreting cells in more caudal portions of the oviduct. Treatment of coelomic eggs with an extract of p. recta followed by exposure to a sperm suspension resulted in marked swelling and softening of the VC. These results indicate that the contents of the granules secreted from the epithelial cells in the p. recta are deposited in the VC to increase its susceptibility to a fertilizing sperm.     

Cell Wall Solubilization in Pedicel Abscission of Begonia Flower Buds

Effects of metabolic inhibitors and growth regulators on the course of abscission and on the activities of cell wall solubilizing enzymes were studied in pedicel explants of Begonia flower buds. Actinomycin D, chloramphenicol and 2,4-dinitrophenol slightly retarded abscission, whereas cycloheximide exerted a strong inhibition if applied until 10.5 h after explant excision. Indoleacetic acid retarded and ethylene promoted abscission and cell wall solubilization. However, the activities of cell wall solubilizing enzymes did not correspond with the course of abscission. No polygalacturonase and pectic acid and pectin transeliminases could be detected in the abscission zone during abscission, whereas a low pectin methylesterase activity did not change. Endo- and exocellulase activities did not increase until about 10 h after the onset of abscission, indicating that they are the result rather than the cause of abscission.     

Hormonal Regulation of Pedicel Abscission in Begonia Flower Buds

In order to analyse the hormonal regulation of flower bud shedding in Begonia, levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene were determined in buds and pedicels. The translocation and metabolism of ¹⁴C-labeled IAA in pedicel segments were also studied. In a monoecious Begonia fuchsioides hybrid, abscising male flower buds contain about 1% of the IAA present in non-abscising female flowers. In a male Begonia davisii hybrid, the seasonal variation in bud drop coincides with changes in the IAA content of the buds, while also the release of IAA from the bud to the pedicel is hampered. Abscission zones of these pedicels always contain abscission promoting ethylene concentrations. The tissue is prevented from responding with abscission by IAA from the flower buds. The buds also contain ABA but without influencing abscission considerably. Pretreatment with ethylene or ABA does not affect IAA transport in pedicel segments. The rate of this transport is 4–6 mm × h^–1:; the capacity increases with the transverse area. In young segments, IAA is decarboxylated and also otherwise metabolized.