Immobilization and nonspecific adsorption of proteins to pyrogeneous highly dispersed silicon dioxide

Summary A support based on pyrogeneous silicon dioxide of particle size 0.01 to 0.1/um, modified by 3-(amino)propyltriethoxysilane and activated by glutaraldehyde was employed for the immobilization of concanavalin A, immunoglobulins, basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, and chymotrypsin. Its binding capacity is comparable with that of porous supports while the biological activity of the proteins immobilized is retained. Nonspecific adsorption of these proteins to the support is low compared to its binding capacity.     

Progesterone transformations as a diagnostic feature in the generaAlternaria,Stemphylium andCladosporium

Various species of the generaAlternaria, Stemphylium andCladosporium were shown to display a specific reaction characteristic for the given genus. In theAlternaria genus this is a 1-2-dehydrogenation of the A ring of the steroid molecule, inStemphylium 14α-hydroxylation and inCladosporium 7β-hydroxylation. This chemotaxonomic feature may supplement morphological and functional criteria in the taxonomy of filamentous fungi (Hyphomycetes).     

Antibacterially active substances

Synthesis of two hydroxy-derivatives of nalidixic acid as a result of microbial transformation was demonstrated in certain species of the genusAspergillus. Aspergillus alliaceus produced 7-hydroxy-nalidixic acid andAspergillus niger 6-hydroxy-nalidixic acid. It was demonstrated that the antibacterial activity of both hydroxy-derivatives (tested inEscherichia coli) was lower than that of the initial nalidixis acid.     

Effect of trophic conditions on aspartate transamination in wheat plants

The enzymatic transamination reactions between aspartic and α-ketoglutaric acid and between aspartic and pyruvic acid were studied in fresh dialysed extracts of young wheat plants cultivated under various trophical conditions, in mineral solution (Knop), in the solution of an soil organic substance (potassium humate) and without nutrients (H₂O). Simultaneously, the level of endogenic aspartic acid, glutamic acid and the growth values were determined. The enzymatic reactions were characterized by determining the optimum pH, the time course, and the effect of coenzyme and of inhibitors. The activity of the aspartate-glutamate transaminase from the root system of plants was considerably higher than the activity of the overground organs. The enzymatic activity from both parts of the plant was inversely proportional to the growth rate: intensive growth of the plants from the Knop variant was connected with their low enzymatic activity; the level of endogenic glutamic acid was high. The slow growth of the plants without nutrients was connected with a higher enzymatic activity; the level of endogenic glutamic acid was low. The plants from the potassium humate variant had an intermediate position between these two variants from the point of view of growth as well as from that of enzymatic activity. The plants with insufficient nutrition (slow growth, low level of endogenic glutamic acid) apparently have a low capacity for supplementing the glutamic acid deficit, which is essential for the metabolic processes, by increasing the activity of the reactions leading to glutamic acid synthesis (Asp-Glu) and, on the other hand, by decreasing the reactions utilizing it (Glu-Ala). For wheat plants the active aspartate-glutamate reaction is obviously physiologically more important than the direct reaction glutamate-aspartate and the reaction aspartate-alanine which in all cases had a very low activity.     

Peroxidases of different parts of the pumpkin plant (Cucurbita pepo L.)

We compared the occurrence of peroxidase isozymes in protein extract from roots, hypocotyls and cotyledons of 10 dayCucurbita pepo plants and of adult leaves of older plants by means of starch gel and polyacryl amide gel electrophoresis. We reached maximum discrimination by means of starch gel electrophoresis: 11 zones were ascertained on the cathode side and about 2 on the anode side at pH 3.1. Two zones occurred regularly:A and (the latter having a more complicated structure). ZoneD is characteristic for roots, but is it suppressed and seldom found with leaves. On the other hand zonesC ₁ andC ₂ are clearly discernible with leaves but are substantially less evident with roots. The character of anodic zoneZ is discussed later in this paper.     

Estimation of the mean floristic similarity between and within sets of vegetational relevés

Various possibilities of usingSörensen's coefficient of floristic similarity in plant sociology are summarized. A new formula (11), derived from that bySörensen and based on constancy values, is suggested in order to calculate the mean floristic similarity within a set of relevés.     

Estimation of the mean floristic similarity between and within sets of vegetational relevés

Various possibilities of usingSörensen’s coefficient of floristic similarity in plant sociology are summarized. A new formula (11). derived from that bySörensen and based on constancy values, is suggested in order to calculate the mean floristic similarity within a set of relevés.     

The communities of the orderHalostachyetalia topa 1939 in the area of western substeppe ilmens of the Volga delta

Investigation of halophyte communities of Western substeppe ilmens of the Volga delta and their classification by theBraun-Blanquet method enabled us to distinguish 5 associations in this area:Suaedo salsae-Halocnemetum, Limonietum suffruticosi, Kalidietum foliati, Suaedo-Frankenietum, Suaedo-Petrosimonietum. These associations were united in the new allianceClimacoptero-Suaedion previously included in the orderHalostachyetalia ?opa 1939, the classPuccinellio-Salicornietea ?opa 1939.     

Interrelationships between vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza and rhizosphere microflora in apple replant disease

Phytotoxic micromycetes appear to be responsible for the apple replant disease (ARD). This was suppressed by the inoculation of apple-tree seedlings with some species of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi—Glomus fasciculatum andG. macrocarpum. After the inoculation, growth of apple-tree seedlings improved in dependence on the type of soil, on VAM fungus species and on the ARD appearance. After 12-month cultivation, plant biomass (height, shoot and root dry masses) was markedly increased by inoculation withG. fasciculatum. Similarly, the numbers of colony forming units per unit soil (CFU) of phytotoxic micromycetes and of diazotroph bacteria (associative dinitrogen-fixing bacteria) in the rhizosphere was affected; CFU of phytotoxic micromycetes decreased, whereas CFU of the genusAzospirillum was higher. These bacteria could also serve as antagonists against phytotoxic micromycetes. It is also suggested that the ratio of CFU of diazotroph bacteria to CFU of phytotoxic micromycetes can be used as an indicator of the degree of ARD. It may be assumed that the use of some VAM fungi can replace the chemcial treatment of the soil with ARD.