Contents of Volume 53

Plant Molecular Biology -     

Flash spectroscopy of purple membrane.

Flash spectroscopy data were obtained for purple membrane fragments at pH 5, 7, and 9 for seven temperatures from 5 degrees to 35 degrees C, at the magic angle for actinic versus measuring beam polarizations, at fifteen wavelengths from 380 to 700 nm, and for about five decades of time from 1 microsecond to completion of the photocycle. Signal-to-noise ratios are as high as 500. Systematic errors involving beam geometries, light scattering, absorption flattening, photoselection, temperature fluctuations, partial dark adaptation of the sample, unwanted actinic effects, and cooperativity were eliminated, compensated for, or are shown to be irrelevant for the conclusions. Using nonlinear least squares techniques, all data at one temperature and one pH were fitted to sums of exponential decays, which is the form required if the system obeys conventional first-order kinetics. The rate constants obtained have well behaved Arrhenius plots. Analysis of the residual errors of the fitting shows that seven exponentials are required to fit the data to the accuracy of the noise level.     

Fractionation of the Biopolyols from Lignocellulosic Biomass for the Production of Rigid Foams

The objective of this investigation was to find a simple method for the production of phenolic-rich products and sugar derivatives via separation of liquefied lignocellulosic materials. After liquefaction, the liquefied products were separated by addition of a sufficient amount of water. It was found that those hydrophobic phenolics could be largely separated from aqueous solutions. Preparation of polyurethane foams using biopolyol and isocyanate was studied. Water was used as an environmentally friendly blowing agent. The factors influencing the cell structure of foams such as catalyst, dosage of blowing agent, and mass ratio of biopolyol to PEG were studied. The microstructure of synthesized foams was characterized by SEM.     

Nicardipine as a Ca2+ channel blocker in single barnacle muscle fibers

A study has been made of the efficacy of nicardipine as a Ca2+ channel blocker by determining the magnitude of its effect on the stimulatory response of the ouabain-insensitive Na+ efflux in single barnacle muscle fibers to 100 mM external K+. The results show that nicardipine (at pH 6.5) is a potent inhibitor, the minimal effective concentration being approx. 10(-7) M and the IC(50) about 5.10(-6) M. Nicardipine, however, is not as potent as verapamil (at pH 6.5) on an equimolar basis. This is explained by assuming that the number of dihydropyridine receptors in the t-tubule membranes of barnacle fibers is not high or that verapamil is able to block the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel in addition to the voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.     

长豇豆（Vigna sesquipedalis）生物学特性观察

豇豆近年来公认原产于热带西非(原生中心)和印度次大陆(次生中心)。种子含蛋白质25.0%,在豆类中仅次于大豆,比牛肉、猪肉和鸡肉的蛋白质含量都要高。鲜果含86%的水,3.3%的蛋白质,7.5%的碳水化合物,是广大人民喜爱的蔬菜。我国通常作蔬菜栽培的是长豇豆,又名豆角,其生物学特性的记载并不详尽。为此,我们对长豇豆作了进一步系统的观察,为育种和丰产栽培提供了必要的理论依据。     

毛喉鞘蕊花的化学成分研究

本文报导了,从产于滇东北的毛喉鞘蕊花(Coleus forskohlii Brig)的根茎中分离到四个二萜化合物,经光谱分析鉴定,其结构分别为1α,6β,7α-triacetyl-coleonol—B(1),I-acetyl—forskolin(2),coleonol-B(3),和deacetyl-forskolin(4)。化合物(1)和(2)是首次从该植物中分离到。