Resonance electroconformational coupling: A proposed mechanism for energy and signal transductions by membrane proteins

Recent experiments show that membrane ATPases are capable of absorbing free energy from an applied oscillating electric field and converting it to chemical bond energy of ATP or chemical potential energy of concentration gradients. Presumably these enzymes would also respond to endogenous transmembrane electric fields of similar intensity and waveform. A mechanism is proposed in which energy coupling is achieved via Coulombic interaction of an electric field and the conformational equilibria of an ATPase. Analysis indicates that only an oscillating or fluctuating electric field can be used by an enzyme to drive a chemical reaction away from equilibrium.In vivo, the stationary transmembrane potential of a cell must be modulated to become locally oscillatory if it is to derive energy and signal transduction processes.     

Selection by Anion-Exchange Chromatography of Exopolysaccharide Mutants of the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis Strain PCC 6803

The degree of retention of whole cells of Synechocystis strain PCC 6803 on DEAE-cellulose columns was shown to depend on their content of exopolysaccharides, which are at least in part responsible for the external negative charge of the cells. This feature was used for the isolation of mutants modified in the apparent viscosity caused by these macromolecular constituents. When a wild-type suspension was loaded onto a DE52 column, the cells eluting in the two extreme fractions of a 0 to 5 M NaCl step gradient represented 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁷ of the total eluted population. The accuracy of the procedure was established through the analysis of four clones: Suc(0)32 and Suc(0)65 (0 M) and Suc(5)64A and Suc(5)61 (5 M). The decreased viscosity of the exopolymers of the two 0 M clones, which appeared identical, could be related to the production of molecules less charged in uronic acids and more readily liberated from the cells. The two 5 M clones exhibited a lower sedimentation velocity, correlating with either a 60% increase in uronic acid and a doubling of the specific viscosity of the exopolysaccharides [clone Suc(5)64A] or a doubling of the per-cell production of polymers otherwise identical to those from wild-type cells [clone Suc(5)61].     

Isolation and Properties of Mutants of Zymomonas mobilis Deficient in Sugar Assimilation

An enrichment method using d-cycloserine was designed for the isolation of spontaneous mutants of Zymomonas mobilis deficient in glucose or fructose utilization. The mutants could easily be isolated since they represented 80 to 90% of the population after two and three enrichment cycles. Glucokinase and fructokinase activities in the mutants were affected.     

A protein involved in co-ordinated regulation of inorganic carbon and glucose metabolism in the facultative photoautotrophic cyanobacteriumSynechocystis PCC6803

The involvement of a gene ofSynechocystis PCC6803,icfG, in the co-ordinated regulation of inorganic carbon and glucose metabolism, was established. TheicfG gene codes for a 72 kDa protein, which shows no homology with those registered in data libraries. Expression oficfG required glucose, the actual inducer probably being glucose-6-phosphate, and was independent of light and of the external inorganic carbon concentration. Mutants carrying an inactivated copy oficfG were constructed. Their growth characteristics were identical to those of the wild type under all regimes except in limiting inorganic carbon with glucose being present either before or after the transfer to the limiting conditions. These conditions completely prevented growth, both in the light and in the dark. The inhibition could be relieved by several intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Assays of various enzymic activities related to inorganic carbon uptake and to its assimilationvia either the Calvin cycle or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase did not reveal the level of action of IcfG. Possible models include a blockage of the assimilation of both carbon sources in the absence of IcfG, or the inhibition of Ci incorporation route(s) essential under limiting inorganic carbon conditions, even when glucose is present, and even in the dark.     

The six genes of the Rubisco small subunit multigene family from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum,a facultative CAM plant

The nucleotide sequences of the entire gene family, comprising six genes, that encodes the Rubisco small subunit (rbcS) multigene family in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (common ice plant), were determined. Five of the genes are arranged in a tandem array spanning 20 kb, while the sixth gene is not closely linked to this array. The mature small subunit coding regions are highly conserved and encode four distinct polypeptides of equal lengths with up to five amino acid differences distinguishing individual genes. The transit peptide coding regions are more divergent in both amino acid sequence and length, encoding five distinct peptide sequences that range from 55 to 61 amino acids in length. Each of the genes has two introns located at conserved sites within the mature peptide-coding regions. The first introns are diverse in sequence and length ranging from 122 by to 1092 bp. Five of the six second introns are highly conserved in sequence and length. Two genes, rbcS-4 and rbcS-5, are identical at the nucleotide level starting from 121 by upstream of the ATG initiation codon to 9 by downstream of the stop codon including the sequences of both introns, indicating recent gene duplication and/or gene conversion. Functionally important regulatory elements identified in rbcS promoters of other species are absent from the upstream regions of all but one of the ice plant rbcS genes. Relative expression levels were determined for the rbcS genes and indicate that they are differentially expressed in leaves.     

Iron mobilization from ferritin by chelating agents

The release of iron from horse spleen ferritin by the chelating agents desferrioxamine B, rhodotorulic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate, 2,2′-bipyridyl and pyridine-2-aldehyde-2-pyridyl hydrazone (Paphy) has been studied in vitro. Ferritin prepared by classical procedures involving thermal denaturation releases its iron less effectively than ferritin isolated by a modified procedure that avoids this step. Desferrioxamine B and rhodotorulic acid are the most effective in releasing iron from both preparations of ferritin. When FMN is added, iron release by desferrioxamine B, rhodotorulic acid, and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate was effectively blocked, whereas both bipyridyl and Paphy showed a marked simulation. A substantial increase in iron release was also observed for bipyridyl and Paphy with ascorbate; a less important increase was noted for rhodotorulic acid. EDTA exerted a marked inhibition of iron release from ferritin with rhodotorulic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate, bipyridyl, and Paphy. The effects of citrate and oxalate on iron release by the chelators was small. The effect of the concentration of flavin on iron release from ferritin by bipyridyl and desferrioxamine B have been studied. Desferrioxamine is unable to mobilize FeII from ferritin following reduction by reduced FMN, whereas bipyridyl can rapidly complex the ferrous iron. The results are discussed in the context of our current concepts of storage iron mobilization in the treatment of iron overload.     

Variations in litter size and reproductive effort within and between some populations of Lacerta vivipara

We studied the relationships between litter size, litter weight, newborn weight, relative clutch mass and the female snout-vent length in some Lacerta vivipara populations over a period of three years.
Litter size and litter weight were positively correlated with female snout-vent length in all the populations for all the years, as in most other lizard species. Relative clutch mass generally increased with female size, though correlations appear not to be very tight.
Considering the two best studied populations suggests that montane females invest less in reproduction than lowland ones.
The main reproductive traits of the species appeared highly variable between as well as within the different populations hitherto studied.
We argue that current theory about lizard reproductive strategy requires, first to work out a good estimate of reproductive effort, and second to get more information about the relations between the species and their environmental, biotic and abiotic conditions.     

On the state of carotenoids bound to reaction centers of photosynthetic bacteria: A resonance raman study

The carotenoids bound to reaction centers of wild, Ga and GlC strains of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides, of Rhodospirillum rubrum, strain S1 and of Rhodopseudomonas viridis, yield very similar, but unusual resonance Raman spectra. Through a comparison with resonance Raman spectra of 15,15′-cis-β-carotene, these carotenoids are shown to assume cis conformations, while the corresponding chromatophores contain all-trans forms only. These cis conformations likely are identical for all the carotenoids studied. They remain unaffected by variations of temperature from 20 to 300 K as well as by the redox state of $\text{P-870}$. They are unstable, being rapidly isomerised towards the all-trans forms when extracted from the reaction centers. The possible nature of these conformers is discussed on the basis of their electronic and vibrational spectra.     

Comparitive study of the milk fat globule membrane and the mouse mammary tumour virus prepared from the milk of an infected strain of Swiss albino mice

Milk fat globule membranes and mammary tumour virus particles (d = 1.17 g/cm³) have been obtained from the milk of a Swiss albino mice strain. Comparitive biochemistry shows that these two structures differ significantly in the phospholipid, polypeptide and glycopolypeptide patterns and enzymatic activities. However, the lipid profile and the morphology of both structures suggest a filiation with the plasma membrane. Density fractions obtained from the crude virus preparation have been thoroughly investigated. The results suggest that most of these fractions represent degraded virus and/or atypical virus assembly.     

2-Substituted-3H-indol-3-one-1-oxides: Preparation and Radical Trapping Properties

A series of 2-alkyl and 2-aryl substituted-3H-indol-3-one-1-oxides was prepared and evaluated for its radical trapping properties. Spin trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance experiments demonstrate the ability of these indolone-1-oxides to trap hetero- and carbon-centered radicals. The most stable spin adducts (lifetime of several hours) are obtained with 2-alkyl substituted nitrones, the 2-ethyl-5,6-dioxolo-3H-indolone-1-oxide, 5e and the 2-secbutyl-3H-indolone-1-oxide, 5f. These two nitrones are also sensitive to redox reactions in solution. Therefore this indolone-1-oxide series lacking a β-hydrogen atom gives rise to highly stable adducts with free radicals.