Regulation of ammonia uptake in aspergillus nidulans.

The ammonia uptake in A. nidulans was found to be linear for about 20 min, and was proportional up to 1.5 mg/ml dry cell density. The transport of ammonia does not involve energy. Normal and biotin deficient A. nidulans showed an identical Km-values of 10.26 X 10(-5) M ammonia for uptake. The uptake of ammonium ion has been shown to be regulated by the intracellular concentration of ammonia.     

Biochemical and environmental perspectives on nitrogen metabolism in fishes

Catabolism of nitrogen-containing substances makes a major contribution to the oxidative metabolism in teleostean fishes. In this review, we focus on aspects of the formation, transport, detoxification and excretion of the two most important nitrogenous products of fishes: ammonia (NH₃ plus NH ₄ ⁺ ) and urea. While NH ₄ ⁺ makes up the bulk of nitrogenous waste, it is in equilibrium with the highly toxic NH₃. Ammonia is generated in the liver and excreted through branchial, surface and renal routes. Innocuous urea is derived through hepatic uricolysis or argininolysis and voided through kidney, gill, skin or faeces. Under conditions hampering the release of ammonia, such as exposure to exogenous ammonia, water limitation, or alkaline conditions, some teleosts detoxify ammonia through synthesis of urea by the ornithine-urea cycle in liver. Ammonia and possibly alanine are the prevalent vehicles of internal nitrogen transport. Glutamine is immaterial to interorgan nitrogen transport in fishes, but plays a transient role in the detoxification of ammonia by brain glutamine synthetase.     

Influence of host plant and larval diet on ovarian productivity inAcrolepiopsis assectella Z. (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae)

Summary Females ofAcrolepiopsis assectella, reared on a semi-synthetic diet and laying on artificial substrates, do not respond to external stimuli by increasing ovarian production. When returned to the natural host (Allium porrum) for only one generation, ovarian production again rises and reaches the same level as in wild females, but its variability is strongly reduced. We conclude that selection under artificial conditions eliminates individuals which strictly depend on host plants for stimulation of larval nutrition and of reproduction.     

Regulation of ammonia uptake inAspergillus nidulans

Summary The ammonia uptake inA. nidulans was found to be linear for about 20 min, and was proportional up to 1.5 mg/ml dry cell density. The transport of ammonia does not involve energy. Normal and biotin deficientA. nidulans showed an identical K_m-values of 10.26×10^–5 M ammonia for uptake. The uptake of ammonium ion has been shown to be regulated by the intracellular concentration of ammonia.Acknowledgment. The award of research fellowship by the Govt of India, Department of Atomic Energy, Bombay, to JDD is acknowledged.     

Glutamate synthase: a fascinating pathway from L-glutamine to L-glutamate

Glutamate synthase is a multicomponent iron-sulfur flavoprotein belonging to the class of N-terminal nucleophile amidotransferases. It catalyzes the conversion of L-glutamine and 2-oxoglutarate into two molecules of L-glutamate. In recent years the X-ray structures of the ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase and of the a subunit of the NADPH-dependent glutamate synthase have become available. Thanks to X-ray crystallography, it is now known that the ammonia reaction intermediate is transferred via an intramolecular tunnel from the amidotransferase domain to the synthase domain over a distance of about 32Å. Although ammonia channeling is a recurrent theme for N-terminal nucleophile and triad-type amidotransferases, the molecular mechanisms of ammonia transfer and its control are different for each known amidotransferase. This review focuses on the intriguing mechanism of action and self-regulation of glutamate synthase with a special focus on the structural data.Received 8 August 2003; received after revision 15 September 2003; accepted 17 September 2003     

苯酚在氨氮体系中的氧化降解研究

研究了氨氮存在下次氯酸钠处理苯酚模拟废水的氧化特性,探讨了苯酚在氨氯体系中的反应途径。实验结果表明:在含氨氮的苯酚废水中加入次氯酸钠,氨氮将与苯酚发生竞争反应。折点加氯曲线表现为当氯与氨氮质量比由5.35上升到27.67时,氨氮去除率的变化趋势滞后;而余氯量则不断减小,没有折点出现。随着氨氮浓度增加,苯酚的氧化降解受到抑制:一方面,苯酚的去除率不断下降;另一方面,体系中检测到一系列氯酚中间产物,其生成量和种类先增加后减少。HPLC分析结果显示体系中生成的氯酚中间产物至少有2种(2-氯酚和4-氯酚),至多有5种(2-氯酚、4-氯酚、2,6-二氯酚、2,4-二氯酚和2,4,6-三氯酚)。其中,2-氯酚和4-氯酚是导致三卤甲烷产生的最有效前体物质,而2,6-二氯酚、2,4-二氯酚和2,4,6-三氯酚则是生成卤乙酸的高活性物质。实验结果对次氯酸钠处理含氨氮的难生化或有毒有机废水具有一定的参考价值。     

The concentration of ammonia in the excreta of sixth instar larvae ofLamida moncusalis Walker (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera) during development

Summary The concentration of ammonia in the fresh and dry excreta ofLamida moncusalis Walker was determined. It was found that a large quantity of ammonia was lost from the excreta on drying. Ammonia is one of the major excretory products of the larva.5 September 1986Acknowledgment. We thank the State Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, Kerala, for the financial assistance.     

Cerebral ammonia production during hypoglycaemia in the newborn calf

Summary The effect of insulin hypoglycaemia on cerebral blood flow, and cerebral metabolic rates of glucose, oxygen and ammonia was investigated in the unanaesthetized newborn calf. A net loss of ammonia from the brain occurred during hypoglycaemia, and was greater in convulsing than in comatose animals.Acknowledgments. The expert assistance of Mr P.M.M. Bircham and Miss B.N. O'Connor is gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the Medical Research Council.     

Cerebral ammonia production during hypoglycemia in the newborn calf.

The effect of insulin hypoglycaemia on cerebral blood flow, and cerebral metabolic rates of glucose, oxygen and ammonia was investigated in the unanaesthetized newborn calf. A net loss of ammonia from the brain occurred during hypoglycaemia, and was greater in convulsing than in comatose animals.     

Ammonia and amino acid transport across symbiotic membranes in nitrogen-fixing legume nodules

Biological nitrogen fixation involves the reduction of atmospheric N₂ to ammonia by the bacterial enzyme nitrogenase. In legume-rhizobium symbioses, the nitrogenase-producing bacteria (bacteroids) are contained in the infected cells of root nodules within which they are enclosed by a plant membrane to form a structure known as the symbiosome. The plant provides reduced carbon to the bacteroids in exchange for fixed nitrogen, which is exported to the rest of the plant. This exchange is controlled by plant-synthesised transport proteins on the symbiosome membranes. This review summarises our current understanding of these transport processes, focusing on ammonia and amino acid transport. Received 5 June 2000; revised 13 July 2000; accepted 14 July 2000     

The mechanism of glutamine-dependent amidotransferases

Glutamine-dependent amidotransferases have been known for more than 30 years. The mechanism by which these enzymes generate ammonia from the glutamine amide nitrogen and transfer it to seven different chemical classes of acceptors has been the subject of intense scrutiny for the last 5 years. The increasing number of biochemical and structural studies dealing with amidotransferases and with mechanistically related enzymes has disclosed the dichotomy of the mechanisms within these enzymes for achieving the glutamine amide bond cleavage. Some of them use a catalytic Cys/His/Glu triad similar to serine protease, whereas the aminoterminal cysteine of the others is believed to play the same function. The transfer of ammonia from the glutamine site to the acceptor site which must operate in a concerted manner has been demonstrated in two cases to involve channelling but is still matter of investigation.     

Influence of reactive oxygen species production by monoamine oxidase activity on aluminum-induced mitochondrial permeability transition

Treatment of Ca2+-loaded mitochondria with both aluminum and tyramine results in a swelling of higher amplitude than with aluminum alone, while tyramine alone is ineffective. The phenomenon is accompanied by H2O2 production and thiol and pyridine nucleotide oxidation. Cyclosporin A, N-ethylmaleimide or dithioerythritol completely prevent these effects, while catalase exhibits a lower inhibition, pointing to the induction of the permeability transition (MPT) by an oxidative stress. Reactive oxygen species are generated by the interaction of aluminum with the inner membrane and the oxidation of tyramine by monoamine oxidase on the outer membrane. This different localization determines the oxidation of critical thiol groups located on both internal and external sides of pore-forming structures, resulting in MPT induction. The reduced effect by aluminum or the inefficacy by tyramine, when implied alone, can be attributable to the oxidation of thiol groups located only on the internal or external side, respectively. Ultrastructural observations show that aluminum plus tyramine induce the typical configuration of mitochondria that have undergone the MPT. Instead, with aluminum alone, the sensitive subpopulation, although swollen, preserves the outer membrane and shows an apparently orthodox configuration.     

Preliminary results on the abiotic synthesis of metalloporphyrins]

The possibility of obtaining metalloporphyrins in abiotic conditions was investigated. The direct formation of zinc-porphyrins in the reaction product obtained by exposing a mixture of methane, ammonia and water vapor to electrical discharges is reported.     

The cerebral cortex regulates immune responses in the mouse

Ablation of the left cerebral cortex abrogates the production of thymic hormone, reduces the number of spleen T cells and impairs immunization with sheep erythrocytes. In addition, partial decortication inhibits the ability of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DTC) to increase the level of circulating thymic hormone, as well as the number of splenic T cells. Therefore, the cerebral cortex would display an important role to maintain body integrity and relations with the external environment, through its effects on the immune system.     

Parental care in terrestrial gastropods

Parental care in terrestrial gastropods includes the of oviposition sites, production of large, heavily-yolked eggs supplied with calcium carbonate, provisioning of hatchings with eggs in specis with facultative sibling cannibalism, egg retention, and ovoviviparity. Evidence for true viviparity is scarce in terrestrial gastropods, as it is for postlaying care of eggs, though external egg carrying on the shell occurs in a few species. Care of young has not been observed in any terrestrial gastropod species. Provisioning of eggs with nutrients and calcium carbonate might be the most common form of parental investment. Ovoviviparity allows terrestrial gastropods to persist in habitats otherwise unsuitable for oviparous species (e.g. exposed rock walls). An interspecific comparison demonstrates that egg-retaining and ovoviviparous species produce smaller clutches than oviparous species and suggests a cost of parental care.     

Assimilation of ammonia and growth of biotin deficient Aspergillus nidulans.

Biotin deficiency in Aspergillus nidulans has been found to increase the uptake of ammonium ions, associated with a marked increase in the activity of NADP-linked glutamate dehydrogenase, which is found to be the major route of ammonia assimilation in this culture. The results obtained are discussed with respect to the growth of Aspergillus nidulans during biotin deficiency.     

Acute inhalation toxicity of ammonia in rabbits]

The aggressivity of ammonia at the pulmonary alveole level (intoxications in controlled ventilation) leads to an acute pulmonary oedema and cardio-vascular disfunctioning. Bradycardia is an early symptome (2,500 X 10(-6) but the real syndrome appears at 5,000 X 10(-6). Arterial pressure variations and blood gases modifications are significant, acidosis is systematic.     

俄罗斯科技对外合作态势与中国当前对俄科技合作对策

科技全球化伴随着经济全球化而来，已经成为不可阻挡的时代潮流，迫切要求中国与俄罗斯加大科技合作力度，为此首先要研究俄罗斯科技对外合作态势，主要表现为：适应国内外科学技术发展的实际情况，确定对外科技合作的长期战略目标；积极加强对外科技合作的政策安排，采取有效形式推进对外科技合作事业；对外科技合作事业全面展开，注重依据利益原则分层次地加以推进。我们掌握俄罗斯对外科技合作进程，才能使中国及早采取相应的操作对策，把对俄科技合作放在重要位置，采取激励政策提高对俄罗斯科技合作水平，按照国际规则来加强科技合作，在分配知识产权时保障创造性利益，切实加强企业之间的科技交流与合作，从而推动科技合作与经贸合作紧密地结合起来。     

Renal ammoniagenesis in kidney slices from rats undergoing glycerol-induced acute tubular necrosis

Summary Compared to control, kidney slices from rats undergoing glycerol-induced ATN produce less ammonia from glutamate, but show no difference when glutamine is substrate. However, gluconeogenesis from glutamine, like glutamate, is decreased in acute tubular necrosis (ATN). We conclude that renal ammoniagenesis is influenced by ATN. Glycerol-induced ATN causes a relative increase in glutamine deamidation and a decrease in glutamate deamination.Supported by a grant from the American Kidney Fund.