Obtaining monoclonal antibodies to Bordetella pertussis antigens

The immunization of mice with the protein fraction of B. pertussis strain 305 has made it possible to obtain hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies to B. pertussis antigens. Ascitic fluids containing monoclonal antibodies react in the ELISA in high titers and actively agglutinate B. pertussis strains 305 and 475.     

An Inducible DamID System for Profiling Interactions of Nuclear Lamina Protein Component Lamin B1 with Chromosomes in Mouse Cells

At the level of DNA organization into chromatin, there are mechanisms that define gene expression profiles in specialized cell types. Genes within chromatin regions that are located at the nuclear periphery are generally expressed at lower levels; however, the nature of this phenomenon remains unclear. These parts of chromatin interact with nuclear lamina proteins like Lamin B1 and, therefore, can be identified in a given cell type by chromatin profiling of these proteins. In this study, we created and tested a Dam Identification (DamID) system induced by Cre recombinase using Lamin B1 and mouse embryonic fibroblasts. This inducible system will help to generate genome-wide profiles of chromatin proteins in given cell types and tissues with no need to dissect tissues from organs or separate cells from tissues, which is achieved by using specific regulatory DNA elements and due to the high sensitivity of the method.     

The amino acid sequences of two alpha chains of hemoglobins from Komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis and phylogenetic relationships of amniotes

To elucidate phylogenetic relationships among amniotes and the evolution of alpha globins, hemoglobins were analyzed from the Komodo dragon (Komodo monitor lizard) Varanus komodoensis, the world's largest extant lizard, inhabiting Komodo Islands, Indonesia. Four unique globin chains (alpha A, alpha D, beta B, and beta C) were isolated in an equal molar ratio by high performance liquid chromatography from the hemolysate. The amino acid sequences of two alpha chains were determined. The alpha D chain has a glutamine at E7 as does an alpha chain of a snake, Liophis miliaris, but the alpha A chain has a histidine at E7 like the majority of hemoglobins. Phylogenetic analyses of 19 globins including two alpha chains of Komodo dragon and ones from representative amniotes showed the following results: (1) The a chains of squamates (snakes and lizards), which have a glutamine at E7, are clustered with the embryonic alpha globin family, which typically includes the alpha D chain from birds; (2) birds form a sister group with other reptiles but not with mammals; (3) the genes for embryonic and adult types of alpha globins were possibly produced by duplication of the ancestral alpha gene before ancestral amniotes diverged, indicating that each of the present amniotes might carry descendants of the two types of alpha globin genes; (4) squamates first split off from the ancestor of other reptiles and birds.      

Phylogeography of the temperate grassland plant Tephroseris kirilowii (Asteraceae) inferred from multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) data

Journal of Plant Research - A group of temperate grassland plant species termed the “Mansen elements” occurs in Japan and is widely distributed in the grasslands of continental East...     

Biodegradation of pollutants in the aerial discharges from antibiotic biosynthesis

Possible biodegradation of air pollution from antibiotic biosynthesis in the form of water condensates was studied in a 1000 ml laboratory bioreactor with using active sludge. The biodegradation of such a pollution was shown possible. The process kinetics was described by the Michaelis-Menten equation. The values of the equation constants were calculated.     

Isoenzyme Spectra of Lactate Dehydrogenase in Organs of Fur-Bearing Animals of Different Ecogenesis

On electrophoretic separation of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, EC 1.1.1.27) isoenzymes in tissue extracts of heart, kidney, skeletal muscle, and liver in minks, ferrets, polar foxes, foxes, raccoon dogs, nutria, and chinchillas, species peculiarities were revealed in ratios of the agar gel electrophoretic fractions. Thus, a higher relative content of the enzyme A-subunits in the LDH spectra of liver and skeletal muscles was found in semiaquatic animals, minks and nutrias, in comparison with terrestrial animals, polar foxes, ferrets, and chinchillas. In raccoon dogs and chinchillas, a high relative content of the enzyme B-subunits was revealed in these organs. All these data are an example of biochemical specialization of functions at the molecular level to ecological environmental conditions.__________Translated from Zhurnal Evolyutsionnoi Biokhimii i Fiziologii, Vol. 41, No. 3, 2005, pp. 240–246.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Tyutyunnik, Kozhevnikova, Unzhakov, Meldo.     

Low-molecular-weight ligands in plants: role in metal homeostasis and hyperaccumulation

Photosynthesis Research - Mineral nutrition is one of the key factors determining plant productivity. In plants, metal homeostasis is achieved through the functioning of a complex system governing...     

Phylogeography of Pulsatilla cernua (Ranunculaceae), a grassland species,in Japan

The genetic diversity and structure of Pulsatilla cernua, a continental‐grassland relict, were investigated using variations in chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and microsatellites of nuclear DNA. In the analyses of three cpDNA regions, 17 haplotypes were found in 24 populations of P. cernua from Japan, Korea, and Russia. Although the route and time of migration between the continent of Asia and Japan could not be well resolved, the cpDNA haplotype network suggests the existence of several ancient lineages in Japan and a recent secondary migration from Japan to the continent. Microsatellite analyses did not indicate genetic structure among the Japanese populations, indicating the existence of gene flow across the distribution area until recently. These results indicate that the present fragmentation of P. cernua in Japan may reflect a rapid, recent reduction from a previously large, continuous distribution.