Vertical partitioning between sister species of Rhizopogon fungi on mesic and xeric sites in an interior Douglas‐fir forest

Understanding ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) community structure is limited by a lack of taxonomic resolution and autecological information. Rhizopogon vesiculosus and Rhizopogon vinicolor (Basidiomycota) are morphologically and genetically related species. They are dominant members of interior Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) EMF communities, but mechanisms leading to their coexistence are unknown. We investigated the microsite associations and foraging strategy of individual R. vesiculosus and R. vinicolor genets. Mycelia spatial patterns, pervasiveness and root colonization patterns of fungal genets were compared between Rhizopogon species and between xeric and mesic soil moisture regimes. Rhizopogon spp. mycelia were systematically excavated from the soil and identified using microsatellite DNA markers. Rhizopogon vesiculosus mycelia occurred at greater depth, were more spatially pervasive, and colonized more tree roots than R. vinicolor mycelia. Both species were frequently encountered in organic layers and between the interface of organic and mineral horizons. They were particularly abundant within microsites associated with soil moisture retention. The occurrence of R. vesiculosus shifted in the presence of R. vinicolor towards mineral soil horizons, where R. vinicolor was mostly absent. This suggests that competition and foraging strategy may contribute towards the vertical partitioning observed between these species. Rhizopogon vesiculosus and R. vinicolor mycelia systems occurred at greater mean depths and were more pervasive in mesic plots compared with xeric plots. The spatial continuity and number of trees colonized by genets of each species did not significantly differ between soil moisture regimes.     

Incidence of cystic fibrosis in Saguenay-Lac-St.-Jean (Quebec, Canada).

The incidence of cystic fibrosis (CF) in Saguenay-Lac-St.-Jean, a geographically isolated region of Quebec, was estimated to be 1 in 902 during the period 1975-1988. The carrier rate was calculated to be 1 in 15 inhabitants. The high incidence of CF in Saguenay-Lac-St.-Jean is probably the result of a founder effect and genetic drift for one or more mutations. Historical, demographic, and social factors also may have contributed to the high incidence.     

Directional fixation of mutations in vertebrate evolution

Summary We have made pairwise comparisons between the coding sequences of 21 genes from coldblooded vertebrates and 41 homologous sequences from warm-blooded vertebrates. In the case of 12 genes, GC levels were higher, especially in third codon positions, in warm-blooded vertebrates compared to cold-blooded vertebrates. Six genes showed no remarkable difference in GC level and three showed a lower level. In the first case, higher GC levels appear to be due to a directional fixation of mutations, presumably under the influence of body temperature (see Bernardi and Bernardi 1986b). These GC-richer genes of warm-blooded vertebrates were located, in all cases studied, in isochores higher in GC than those comprising the homologous genes of cold-blooded vertebrates. In the third case, increases appear to be due to a limited formation of GC-rich isochores which took place in some cold-blooded vertebrates after the divergence of warm-blooded vertebrates. The directional changes in the GC content of coding sequences and the evolutionary conservation of both increased and unchanged GC levels are in keeping with the existence of compositional constraints on the genome.     

Thyroid hormone modulation of TRH precursor levels in rat hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid and blood

In the present study we have examined the in vivo effects of thyroid hormones and TRH on tissue and blood levels of TRH and TRH-Gly (pGlu-His-Pro-Gly), a TRH precursor. Using specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs), we measured TRH immunoreactivity (TRH-IR) and TRH-Gly-IR concentrations in blood, hypothalamus, anterior and posterior pituitary, and thyroid in euthyroid, hypothyroid and thyroxine (T4)-treated 250 g male Sprague-Dawley rats. TRH-Gly-IR and TRH-IR were detected in all of these tissues. Highly significant positive correlations between whole blood TRH-Gly-IR levels and the corresponding serum TSH values (p less than 0.01), whole blood TRH-IR versus serum TSH (p less than 0.01) and whole blood TRH-Gly-IR versus whole blood TRH-IR (p less than 0.01) are consistent with cosecretion of TRH and TRH precursor peptides into the circulation. Euthyroid rats injected with TRH IP (1 microgram/100 g b.wt.) and hypothyroid rats had 4-fold higher whole blood TRH-Gly-IR levels compared to euthyroid controls (p less than 0.0005). Injection of TRH into euthyroid rats significantly increased the TRH-Gly-IR concentration in the hypothalamus, anterior and posterior pituitary and thyroid. The increase in blood TRH-Gly-IR following intravenous TRH may be due, in part, to partial saturation of TRH-degrading enzymes in blood and cell membranes. The ratio of TRH-Gly to TRH was significantly increased in the anterior pituitary by hypothyroidism and TRH injection, suggesting that thyroid hormones and TRH regulate the alpha-amidation of TRH-Gly to form TRH in this tissue. TRH-Gly levels of pooled pituitary and thyroid extracts quantitated by a combination of TRH-Gly RIA and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed several-fold increases following incubation at 60 degrees C. Heating at this temperature may block the alpha-amidation activity in extra-hypothalamic tissues but not the "trypsin-like" enzymes which cleave prepro-TRH into TRH-Gly-immunoreactive peptides.     

Reactivity of HDL subfractions towards lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. Modulation by their content in free cholesterol

(1) Human HDL2 (d 1.070-1.125) and HDL3 (d 1.125-1.21) labelled with unesterified [14C]cholesterol, were incubated with a source of lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. For optimal activity, the reaction required the addition of albumin in excess, at least 3-times greater than the concentration of HDL-free cholesterol. Under such conditions, the reaction appeared saturable. HDL3 was found the most efficient substrate and the Vmax values expressed for 1.5 IU LCAT/ml and with an albumin/free cholesterol ratio of 3, were 8.3 nmol free cholesterol esterified/ml per h and 4.1 nmol/ml per h for HDL3 and HDL2, respectively. (2) HDL3 were modified in the presence of VLDL by inducing triacylglycerol lipolysis with a semipurified lipoprotein lipase from bovine milk. The newly formed HDL had gained free cholesterol and phospholipids, so that about 50% of these modified HDL, referred to as light-LIP-HDL3, were reisolated in the HDL2 density range. Light-LIP-HDL3 were enriched mostly in free cholesterol (+ 160%) and in phospholipid (+ 40%). Their reactivity towards LCAT was half-reduced compared to parent HDL3, which correlated well with a decrease in their phospholipid/free cholesterol molar ratio. Moreover, HDL3 artificially enriched in free cholesterol and exhibiting a comparable PL/FC behaved like lipolysis-modified HDL in their reactivity towards LCAT. (3) HDL3 were also modified by co-incubation with VLDL (post-VLDL-HDL3), or with VLDL and a source of lipid transfer protein (CET-HDL3). The latter treatment greatly affected the lipid composition of the core particle (-25% esterified cholesterol, +190% TG). In both cases, the moderate decreasing LCAT reactivity observed could be related to the phospholipid/free cholesterol ratio. Thus, like in artificial substrates, the lipid composition of the HDL surface may control the rate of LCAT-mediated cholesterol esterification.     

Alumorphs--human DNA polymorphisms detected by polymerase chain reaction using Alu-specific primers

The simultaneous analysis of multiple loci could substantially increase the efficiency of mapping studies. Toward this goal, we used the polymerase chain reaction to amplify multiple DNA fragments originating from dispersed genomic segments that are flanked by Alu repeats. Analysis of different human DNA samples revealed numerous amplification products distinguishable by size, some of which vary between individuals. A family study demonstrated that these polymorphic fragments are inherited in a Mendelian fashion. Because of the ubiquitous distribution of Alu repeats, these markers, called "alumorphs," could be useful for linkage mapping of the human genome. A major advantage of alumorphs is that no prior knowledge of DNA sequence of marker loci is required. This approach may find general application for any genome where interspersed repetitive sequences are found.     

Effect of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) and [D-Trp6, des-Gly-NH2(10)]LHRH ethylamide on alpha-subunit and LH beta messenger ribonucleic acid levels in rat anterior pituitary cells in culture

The effect of incubation with LHRH and its agonist [D-Trp6, des-Gly-NH2(10)]LHRH ethylamide has been measured on the concentrations of mRNAs for the common alpha-subunit of glycoprotein hormones and beta-LH in rat anterior pituitary cells in primary culture. After incubation, total RNA was analyzed by Northern blot or dot blot hybridization with alpha- and LH beta 32P-labeled cRNA probes and mRNA levels were quantified by autoradiography. Short-term treatment (4-6 h) of pituitary cells with 100 nM LHRH led to a marked stimulation of LH release but no effect was observed on alpha-subunit or LH beta mRNA levels. Longer (24-72 h) incubation periods with LHRH led to complete desensitization of the LH response to the neurohormone and induced 2- to 3-fold increases in alpha-mRNA cell content while LH beta mRNA levels remained unchanged. Maximal induction of alpha mRNA accumulation was observed with an LHRH concentration as low as 0.1 nM. Incubation with the LHRH agonist [D-Trp6, des-Gly-NH2(10)]LHRH ethylamide for 24-72 h also increased alpha mRNA but did not modify LH-beta mRNA levels. It is concluded that long-term exposure of anterior pituitary cells to LHRH or to an LHRH agonist positively regulates alpha-subunit gene expression in the absence of change in LH beta mRNA levels. This observation can provide an explanation for the high plasma levels of free alpha-subunits found in patients treated chronically with LHRH agonists.     

Assignment of the gene encoding the catalytic subunit Cβ of CAMP-dependent protein kinase to the p36 band on chromosome

Summary A cDNA for the human catalytic subunit (C) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) has been cloned from a testis cDNA library. In the present study, we have determined the chromosomal localization of this gene using a cDNA for C as a probe. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA from human/mouse cell hybrids revealed that the presence or absence of a 20-kbXbaI fragment, which hybridized with the C probe, was concordant with the presence of human chromosome 1.In situ hybridization to metaphase chromosome confirmed the somatic cell hybrid data and regionally mapped the C gene of PKA to the p36 band on chromosome 1.     

The majority of cells infected with the defective murine AIDS virus belong to the B-cell lineage.

Murine AIDS (MAIDS) is caused by a defective retrovirus which encodes a gag fusion protein (Pr60gag). We previously reported that this virus induced an oligoclonal proliferation of infected cells and suggested that this cell expansion was an important event in the pathogenesis of MAIDS. To identify these target cells, we constructed novel defective viruses whose genomes could be detected with specific probes. Helper-free stocks of these viruses induced MAIDS. Using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry and Southern analysis, we found that most infected cells belong to the B-cell lineage. Transformation of these B cells appears to be the primary event responsible for the development of immunodeficiency. This animal model may be relevant to our understanding of AIDS, of the immunodeficiencies associated with B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, and of the role of B-cell proliferation and transformation in the effects of superantigens, since Pr60gag appears to be a superantigen.