Seasonal changes in the cecal microflora of the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)

The dominant cecal bacteria in the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer were characterized, their population densities were estimated, and cecal pH was determined in summer, when food quality and availability is good, and in winter, when it is very poor. In summer the total culturable viable bacterial population was (8.9 +/- 5.3) X 10(8) cells ml-1, whereas in winter it was (1.5 +/- 0.7) X 10(8) cells ml-1, representing a decrease to 17% of the summer population density. Of the dominant species of cultured bacteria, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens represented 23% in summer and 18% in winter. Streptococcus bovis represented 17% in summer and 5% in winter. Bacteroides ruminicola represented 10% in summer and 26% in winter. In summer and winter, respectively, the proportion of the viable population showing the following activities was as follows: fiber digestion, 36 and 48%; cellulolysis, 10 and 6%; xylanolysis, 33 and 48%; and starch utilization, 77 and 71%. The most abundant cellulolytic species in summer was Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, representing 62% of the total cellulolytic population, and in winter it was Ruminococcus albus, representing 80% of the total cellulolytic population. The most abundant xylanolytic species in summer was Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, and in winter it was Bacteroides ruminicola, representing 59 and 54% of the xylanolytic isolates in summer and winter, respectively. The cecal bacterial of the Svalbard reindeer have the ability to digest starch and the major structural carbohydrates of the diet that are not digested in the rumen. The cecum in these animals has the potential to contribute very substantially to the digestion of the available plant material in both summer and winter.     

Seasonal changes in the ruminal microflora of the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus).

The dominant rumen bacteria in high-arctic Svalbard reindeer were characterized, their population densities were estimated, and ruminal pH was determined in summer, when food quality and availability are good, and in winter, when they are poor. In summer the total cultured viable population density was (2.09 +/- 1.26) X 10(10) cells ml-1, whereas in winter it was (0.36 +/- 0.29) X 10(10) cells ml-1, representing a decrease to 17% of the summer population density. On culture, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens represented 22% of the bacterial population in summer and 30% in winter. Streptococcus bovis represented 17% of the bacterial population in summer but only 4% in winter. Methanogenic bacteria were present at 10(4) cells ml-1 in summer and 10(7) cells ml-1 in winter. In summer and winter, respectively, the proportions of the viable population showing the following activities were as follows: starch utilization, 68 and 63%; fiber digestion, 31 and 74%; cellulolysis, 15 and 35%; xylanolysis, 30 and 58%; proteolysis, 51 and 28%; ureolysis, 40 and 54%; and lactate utilization, 13 and 4%. The principal cellulolytic bacterium was B. fibrisolvens, which represented 66 and 52% of the cellulolytic population in summer and winter, respectively. The results indicate that the microflora of the rumen of Svalbard reindeer is highly effective in fiber digestion and nitrogen metabolism, allowing the animals to survive under the austere nutritional conditions typical of their high-arctic habitat.     

Isolation and in vitro expression of the ricin A-chain gene: effect of deletions on biological activity.

The gene encoding the ricin A-chain was isolated and subcloned into an in vitro expression vector downstream from the SP6 promotor. mRNA encoding the A-chain strongly inhibited the translational activity of reticulocyte lysates. The inhibition correlated with glycosylase activity on rRNA, and could be abolished by addition of antibodies specific for ricin. mRNA generated after linearization of the vector at unique restriction sites within the A-chain coding sequence did not inhibit, except after linearization with ScaI. Also mutants lacking the 28 N-terminal amino acids of native A-chain strongly inhibited the lysates. However, in both cases no glycosylase activity could be observed. We also show that the lack of a stop codon in mRNA does not affect the level of expression as assayed here.     

Microcetus lappus gen. nov., sp. nov.: new species of ciliated protozoon from the bovine rumen

A new species of small, ciliated protozoon, Microcetus lappus gen. nov., sp. nov., from the rumen of Norwegian Red cattle is described. M. lappus possesses a novel cytopharyngeal apparatus of two rod-shaped structures, one situated on the dorsal side of the buccal cavity and one on the ventral side, suggesting that it belongs to a previously undescribed taxon.     

Effect of captopril on kidney function in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with nephropathy.

The influence of angiotensin II on kidney function in diabetic nephropathy was assessed by studying the effect of 12 weeks'' monotherapy with captopril (25-50 mg twice a day) in 16 hypertensive insulin dependent diabetic patients with persistent albuminuria. In an initial one week randomised single blind trial of captopril versus placebo, captopril (for nine patients) reduced arterial blood pressure from 148/94 (SD11/6) to 135/88 (8/7) mm Hg (p less than 0.05) and albuminuria from 1549 (range 352-2238) to 1170 (297-2198) micrograms/min (p less than 0.05), while glomerular filtration rate remained stable. No significant changes occurred in seven patients treated with placebo. During the 12 weeks of captopril treatment arterial blood pressure in all patients fell from 147/94 (11/6) to 135/86 (13/7) mm Hg (p less than 0.01), albuminuria fell from 1589 (range 168-2588) to 1075 (35-2647) micrograms/min (p less than 0.01), and glomerular filtration rate fell from 99 (SD19) to 93 (25) ml/min/1.73 m2 (p less than 0.01). The renin-angiotensin system showed suppressed plasma concentrations of angiotensin II and increased concentrations of angiotensin I and renin. The study showed that glomerular filtration rate is not dependent on angiotensin II, that captopril reduces albuminuria, probably by lowering glomerular hypertension, and that captopril represents a valuable new drug for treating hypertension in diabetics dependent on insulin with nephropathy.     

Cohort study of predictive value of urinary albumin excretion for atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients with insulin dependent diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether slightly elevated urinary albumin excretion precedes development of atherosclerotic vascular disease in patients with insulin dependent diabetes independently of conventional atherogenic risk factors and of diabetic nephropathy. DESIGN: Cohort study with 11 year follow up. SETTING: Diabetes centre in Denmark. SUBJECTS: 259 patients aged 19-51 with insulin dependent diabetes of 6-34 years'' duration and without atherosclerotic vascular disease or diabetic nephropathy at baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline variables: urinary albumin excretion, blood pressure, smoking habits, and serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, sialic acid, and von Willebrand factor. End point: atherosclerotic vascular disease assessed by death certificates, mailed questionnaires, and hospital records. RESULTS: Thirty patients developed atherosclerotic vascular disease during follow up of 2457 person year. Elevated urinary albumin excretion was significantly predictive of atherosclerotic vascular disease (hazard ratio 1.06 (95% confidence interval 1.02 to 1.18) per 5 mg increase in 24 hour urinary albumin excretion, P = 0.002). Predictive effect was independent of age; sex; blood pressure; smoking; serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, sialic acid, and von Willebrand factor; level of haemoglobin A(lc); insulin dose, duration of diabetes, and diabetic nephropathy (hazard ratio 1.04 (1.01 to 1.08) per 5 mg increase     

Fatal inanition in reindeer (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rangifer tarandus tarandus</Emphasis>): Pathological findings in completely emaciated carcasses

Background  

In a project to determine the causes of winter mortality in reindeer in Finnmark County, northern Norway, the most frequent diagnosis turned out to be complete emaciation, despite several of the reindeer having been given silage for up to 4 weeks before they died. The present paper describes autopsy results and other findings in these animals.     

Food and specific macronutrient limitation in an assemblage of predatory beetles

Habitats vary in food resources with carnivores often being prey limited, but it is unclear whether habitats facilitate a nutritionally balanced diet. Two paradigms in nutritional ecology, ecological stoichiometry and nutritional geometry, predict that carnivores are limited mainly by protein or lipid, respectively. Using the carabid beetle Anchomenus dorsalis and 10 other predatory beetles from agricultural fields, we developed and tested two simple procedures for quantifying macronutrient‐specific habitat conditions without requiring information about the natural prey. Both procedures assume that predators forage for nutrients rather than specific prey. Our results show that 10 of 11 species were food limited. Five species were lipid limited and one species was protein limited in the field. Co‐existing predator species showed considerable segregation of fundamental macronutritional niches. A linear relationship between specific nutrient limitation and the target lipid:protein (L:P) intake ratio indicates that species with high L:P target are more protein limited while species with low L:P target are more lipid limited. The study illustrates how species within a natural assemblage vary in nutritional niche and in specific nutrient limitation.     

Transmembrane topology of the NuoL,M and N subunits of NADH:quinone oxidoreductase and their homologues among membrane-bound hydrogenases and bona fide antiporters

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-reduced form (NADH):quinone oxidoreductase (respiratory Complex I), F420H2 oxidoreductase and complex, membrane-bound NiFe-hydrogenase contain protein subunits homologous to a certain type of bona fide antiporters. In Complex I, these polypeptides (NuoL/ND5, NuoM/ND4, NuoN/ND2) are most likely core components of the proton pumping mechanism, and it is thus important to learn more about their structure and function. In this work, we have determined the transmembrane topology of one such polypeptide, and built a 2D structural model of the protein valid for all the homologous polypeptides. The experimentally determined transmembrane topology was different from that predicted by majority vote hydrophobicity analyses of members of the superfamily. A detailed phylogenetic analysis of a large set of primary sequences shed light on the functional relatedness of these polypeptides.