ENDOGENOUS CHANGES OF PHOTOCHEMICAL ACTIVITIES OF SPINACH LEAVES

The activities of green cell-free extracts of spinach leavesin performing photochemical transphosphorylation, photosyntheticphosphorylation, the HILL reaction and the light-induced formationof the endogenous reducing substance (ascorbic acid) were followedin parallel during the growth process of the plant. There wasa certain parallelism between the development of the activitiesof photochemical transphosphorylation, of photo-synthetic phosphorylationand of the HILL reaction, activities being low in the earlierstage of growth, reaching a maximum just before efflorescence,and showing thereafter a more or less sharp decline. The activityin the light-induced formation of endogenous reducing substancewas undetectable for the first 35 day-period of growth, reacheda maximum about one week earlier than the other three activities,and again disappeared after 60 days of growth. (Received September 9, 1960; )     

Further studies on the role of cell-wall-degrading enzymes in cell-wall loosening in oat coleoptiles

A fungal endo-ß-l,3-glucanase was compared with afungal exo-ß-1,3-glucanase with respect to their effectson elongation and cell-wall extensibility in oat coleoptilesegments. The exo-enzyme enhanced elongation and extensibilityof the cell wall. Its effect was not additive to the effectof indole-3-acetic acid when given together with the latter,at least during 3 hr of incubation. Endo-glucanase showed nosignificant effect on elongation and no interaction with theexo-enzyme. Auxin and exo-glucanase increased extensibilityof the cell wall. The exo-glucanase was separated by isoelectricfocusing. The two fractions which were separated and showedglucanase activity induced elongation and cell wall loosening. (Received March 16, 1970; )     

The low dose and low dose rate cytogenetic effects induced by gamma-radiation in human blood lymphocytes in vitro. I. the results of physical and dosimetric study

Physical and dosimetric characteristics of the gamma-radiation field which is formed in the room containing the 60Co radiation source were investigated on condition of an unclosed breech mechanism and the presence of the lead layer on the beam pathway. The inverse square law was approximately found for the dependence of the dose rate vs distance on the radiation source both for the unclosed breech mechanism and lead layer (4 and 9 cm wide) in the beam pathway. This finding indicated a non-significant contribution of the radiation scattered from the walls at the point of cytogenetic experiments. The Monte Carlo calculations showed that some changes in the efficient spectrum of gamma-radiation resulted in a decreased average energy of 60Co gamma-rays to 1.03, 1.17 and 1.07 MeV for the unclosed breech mechanism, behind 4 and 9 cm lead layers, respectively.     

Evolutionary history of tall fescue morphotypes inferred from molecular phylogenetics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lolium</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">Festuca</Emphasis>species complex

Background  

The agriculturally important pasture grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. syn. Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) Darbysh.) is an outbreeding allohexaploid, that may be more accurately described as a species complex consisting of three major (Continental, Mediterranean and rhizomatous) morphotypes. Observation of hybrid infertility in some crossing combinations between morphotypes suggests the possibility of independent origins from different diploid progenitors. This study aims to clarify the evolutionary relationships between each tall fescue morphotype through phylogenetic analysis using two low-copy nuclear genes (encoding plastid acetyl-CoA carboxylase [Acc1] and centroradialis [CEN]), the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA ITS) and the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) genome-located matK gene. Other taxa within the closely related Lolium-Festuca species complex were also included in the study, to increase understanding of evolutionary processes in a taxonomic group characterised by multiple inter-specific hybridisation events.     

Comparison of homoeolocus organisation in paired BAC clones from white clover (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trifolium repens</Emphasis> L.) and microcolinearity with model legume species

Background  

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an outbreeding allotetraploid species and an important forage legume in temperate grassland agriculture. Comparison of sub-genome architecture and study of nucleotide sequence diversity within allopolyploids provides insight into evolutionary divergence mechanisms, and is also necessary for the development of whole-genome sequencing strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the degree of divergence between the O and P' sub-genomes of white clover through sequencing of BAC clones containing paired homoeoloci. The microsyntenic relationships between the genomes of white clover and the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula as well as Arabidopsis thaliana were also characterised.     

Chromosome aberrations and reproductive death of mammalian cells. Quantitative relations between these effects

The data reported in the literature concerning the relationship between the yield of chromosome aberrations and the number of cells without aberrations, on the one hand, and the survival rate of mammalian cells, on the other, with a reference to different types of radiation are reviewed in this article. It is shown that the number of chromosome aberrations per one lethal damage, as to the results obtained by different authors, ranges from 0.5 to 1.5, this discrepancy is mainly due to different methods applied by different authors, and at least one chromosome aberration corresponds to a lethal damage caused by irradiation in the G1 phase.     

Effect of temperature on the development of chromosome aberrations in human blood lymphocytes irradiated in pulse and continuous modes at BARS-6 reactor

Summarized results of 5 repeated experiments of comparative study of radiation effects of the pulse reactor BARS-6 either in a single pulse or a continuos irradiation mode on human lymphocytes are presented. Higher efficiency (30-40%) of continuous irradiation (exposure duration 1 h) rather than pulse irradiation with ultra-high dose rates (1-2.5) x 10(6) Gy/min (pulse duration 65 micros) was confirmed. The efficiency ratio did not depend on the temperature, 20 degrees C or 0 degrees C, during the exposure. Cell repair system and chromatin conformation influence on the results obtained is discussed.     

Cytogenetic effect of the pulse reactor BARS-6 continuous or one-time irradiation with ultrahigh dose rate on human lymphocytes

The results of the comparative study of radiation effects of the pulse reactor BARS-6 either in single pulse or continuos irradiation mode on human G0 lymphocytes are presented. Under identical doses the cytogenetic efficiency was observed to be higher for continuous irradiation (1 hour) than for single pulse irradiation with ultrahigh dose rate (0.5-3) x 106 Gy/minutes (pulse duration 65 x 10(-6) s). The difference averaged about 37% on total aberration frequency and 27% on the sum of dicentrics and centric rings. The influence of the dose rate and of the mixed gamma-neutron irradiation on the obtained results is discussed.     

Comparative investigation of structural and gene somatic mutations in workers of nuclear chemical plants. I. A study of stable and unstable chromosome aberrations

A study of frequency of unstable chromosome aberrations in 50 workers of nuclear chemical plants in remote period after beginning or finishing professional contact with ionizing radiation was carried out. 14 persons from this cohort were mainly whole-body exposed to external gamma-rays and 36 were exposed to combined external and internal radiation from incorporated Pu nuclides. In results of this irradiating practically every subject had a chronical radiation sickness. In the 1-st group the frequency of unstable aberrations varied from 0.2 to 3.6 per 100 cells and exceeded reliably control level in 5 persons. In the 2-nd group the frequency of unstable aberrations varied from 0 to 11.6 per 100 cells and exceeded reliably control level in 20 examined workers. The FISH study of frequency of stable aberrations was performed in 13 subjects who were exposed to combined external and internal radiation. Total frequency of complete and incomplete translocations varied from 0.6 to 18.5 aberrations per genome per 100 cells and reliable exceeded control level in 9 subjects. Non-random participation in exchange rearrangements (translocations) was revealed for used set of chromosomes (2, 3 and 8).