Genetic localization of a mutation rendering the growth of E coli K12 insensitive to illumination at 365 nm]

The genotype of the Nop mutant recently isolated from the E. coli K 12 strain AB 1157 has been characterized. This mutant lacks 4-thiouridine in its tRNA and is much less susceptible to near ultraviolet-induced growth delay than wild type cells. This phenotype results from a single mutation called nuv which has been localized on the E. coli genetic map. nuv is found by conjugation to lie between the origins of injection of Hfr P4X and Hfr cavalli in the vicinity of the lac gene. Cotrans-duction with bacteriophage P1 more precisely maps nuv at 0.3 min. clockwise from tsx.     

4-Thiouridine and photoprotection in Escherichia coli K 12]

A high level of protection is observed in the Escherichia coli K 12 strain AB 1157 rec A 1 nuv+ whose transfer RNA contains 4-thiouridine. In contrast, the photoprotection level is low and observed at higher doses in a strain which differs from the former by a single mutation, nuv-, (lack of 4-thiouridine). This nucleoside is therefore an important chromophore leading to photoprotection. This conclusion is corroborated by the similarity of the action spectra for 8-13 link formation in tRNA and for photoprotection.     

Variation in regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis among isolates of Aspergillus flavus.

Two new phenotypes of Aspergillus flavus which exhibit novel patterns of aflatoxin production have been identified and characterized. In one of the new variants of A. flavus, aflatoxin is made in the absence of carbohydrate and concomitantly with growth, without a lag period. A second variant did not produce aflatoxin in the presence or absence of carbohydrate. Chemical mutagenesis of this nonaflatoxigenic strain resulted in mutant strains which produced aflatoxin on carbohydrate-containing media. The aflatoxin production pattern observed in these mutants resembled the typical production scheme, with a lag period through log phase growth.     

Variation in regulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis among isolates ofAspergillus flavus

Two new phenotypes ofAspergillus flavus which exhibit novel patterns of aflatoxin production have been identified and characterized. In one of the new variants ofA. flavus, aflatoxin is made in the absence of carbohydrate and concomitantly with growth, without a lag period. A second variant did not produce aflatoxin in the presence or absence of carbohydrate. Chemical mutagenesis of this nonaflatoxigenic strain resulted in mutant strains which produced aflatoxin on carbohydrate-containing media. The aflatoxin production pattern observed in these mutants resembled the typical production scheme, with a lag period through log phase growth.     

Modes of tetracycline resistance in Bacillus thuringiensis]

The sensitive strain and tetracycline-resistant mutants exhibit two types of growth curves after addition of tetracycline. The level of resistance of these strains is enhanced by a short period of preincubation with a non-inhibitive concentration of tetracycline.     

Herbicide resistance and supersensitivity in photosystem II

Resistance to triazine herbicides in higher plants was first observed in 1970. A mutation in the photosystem II reaction center D1 protein at position Ser264 --> Gly is responsible for this resistance. So far, 37 single mutants, 16 double mutants, 5 triple mutants and 5 deletion/insertion mutants in the D1 protein have been obtained by randomly induced and site-directed mutagenesis in cyanobacteria and algae. The influence of these mutations on the binding affinities of different classes of herbicides will be discussed. Because a sufficiently high resolution X-ray structure of photosystem II does not yet exist, the reaction center of purple photosynthetic bacteria, which is homologous to photosystem II, served as a model. In the bacterial reaction center a total of 25 single and 3 double herbicide-resistant mutants have been generated.     

Symbiotic efficiency in spontaneous mutants of Rhizobium legumino-sarum resistant to streptomyocin, spectinomycin, or kanamycin]

Symbiotic effectiveness of 45 mutant strains selected from four wild effective strains of Rhizobium leguminosarum for resistance to streptomycin, spectinomycin or kanamycin was determined on Vicia faba. Loss of effectiveness occurred in twenty of these mutants; distribution of ineffective mutants was uniform among the three types of antibiotic resistant mutants but varied with the parent strain from which mutants have been derived.     

Laminin: loss-of-function studies

Laminin, one of the most widely expressed extracellular matrix proteins, exerts many important functions in multiple organs/systems and at various developmental stages. Although its critical roles in embryonic development have been demonstrated, laminin’s functions at later stages remain largely unknown, mainly due to its intrinsic complexity and lack of research tools (most laminin mutants are embryonic lethal). With the advance of genetic and molecular techniques, many new laminin mutants have been generated recently. These new mutants usually have a longer lifespan and show previously unidentified phenotypes. Not only do these studies suggest novel functions of laminin, but also they provide invaluable animal models that allow investigation of laminin’s functions at late stages. Here, I first briefly introduce the nomenclature, structure, and biochemistry of laminin in general. Next, all the loss-of-function mutants/models for each laminin chain are discussed and their phenotypes compared. I hope to provide a comprehensive review on laminin functions and its loss-of-function models, which could serve as a reference for future research in this understudied field.     

Effect of sublethal concentrations of sumithion on limb regeneration of fresh water field crab Oziotelphusa senex senex

The initiation and progress of regeneration following the removal of the left 4th walking leg were altered in the crab (Oziotelphusa senex senex) by exposure to sumithion. Depending on the concentration used, sumithion caused a complete inhibition of regeneration, a delay of initiation of limb bud development or a reduction of limb bud growth rate. Crustacean limb regeneration can also be used as a sensitive bioassay for studying the effects of environmental pollutants.     

The collagen substratum influences in vitro hatching and attachment of the mouse blastocyst in a serumless medium

Summary When a serumless medium is used for the in vitro growth and development of post-blastocyst mouse embryos, a collagen substratum causes a delay in the hatching from the zona pellucida. However, the collagen substratum is essential for blastocyst attachment and trophoblast cell outgrowth after hatching has taken place.     

Bacterial growth in artificial capillary spaces

In experiments on the influence of microscopic capillaries on the growth of Escherichia coli, Brevibacterium linens, Micrococcus flavus and Bacillus cereus, a distinct delay in growth was observed. The difference in counts was greatest after 8 h. Later a slight equilibration of counts was noted. With B. cereus, only slight or no spore formation was observed under microcapillary conditions.     

Forecasting price delay and future stock returns: The role of corporate social responsibility

This paper investigates the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance in forecasting companys' stock prices and future returns. The forecasting analysis identifies a negative association between CSR performance and proxies of price delay. The negative CSR–delay association is weak for state‐owned enterprises (SOEs) because of their politically oriented motivation of CSR activities, but significantly strong for non‐SOEs. Furthermore, we find that forecasting delayed firms is expected to have higher future returns. In particular, the returns premium is most attributable to the CSR component of delay, compared with the non‐CSR component. Taken together, these results suggest that CSR performance plays a positive role in enhancing stock price efficiency, and a potential explanation is that CSR performance can be considered as additional information for equity predictions.     

Mitochondrial distribution and inheritance

Mechanisms mediating the inheritance of mitochondria are poorly understood, but recent studies with the yeastsSaccharomyces cerevisiae andSchizosaccharomyces pombe have begun to identify components that facilitate this essential process. These components have been identified through the analysis of conditional yeast mutants that display aberrant mitochondrial distribution at restrictive conditions. The analysis of these mutants has uncovered several novel proteins that are localized either to cytoskeletal structures or to the mitochondria themselves. Many mitochondrial inheritance mutants also show altered mitochondrial morphology and defects in maintenance of the mitochondrial genome. Although some inheritance components and mechanisms appear to function specifically in certain types of cells, other conserved proteins are likely to mediate mitochondrial behavior in all eukaryotic cells.     

Mutants of Bacillus thuringiensis with altered sporulation: morphologic responses to several treatments applied in the exponential phase]

During log-phase of growth, wild strain and and oxytetracycline-resistant mutants with altered sporulation exhibit distinct responses to some treatments, autolysis, osmotic pressure, ultraviolet irradiation and bacteriophage infection.     

Relationship of prodigiosin condensing enzyme activity to the biosynthesis of prodigiosin and its precursors in Serratia marcescens

Prodigiosin condensing enzyme (PCE) activities were present in Serratia marcescens wild type 08, mutants OF, WF and 9-3-3. Their specific activities exhibited different maxima and at different times during the late log phase or the early stationary phase of cell growth. The levels of prodigiosin and its precursors also showed a significant increase at this period. The results support that prodigiosin and/or its precursors are secondary metabolites. The ubiquity of the PCE activity in mutants deficient in prodigiosin biosynthesis suggest that this particular enzyme may also be present in non-pigmented clinical isolates.     

Bacterial growth in artificial capillary spaces

Summary In experiments on the influence of microscopic capillaries on the growth ofEscherichia coli, Brevibacterium linens, Micrococcus flavus andBacillus cereus, a distinet delay in growth was observed. The difference in counts was greatest after 8 h. Later a slight equilibration of counts was noted. WithB. cereus, only slight or no spore formation was observed under microcapillary conditions.Acknowledgment. The author would like to thank Mr. Theo Wihan for his excellent technical assistance.     

Individual carboxypeptidase D domains have both redundant and unique functions in Drosophila development and behavior

Metallocarboxypeptidase D (CPD) functions in protein and peptide processing. The Drosophila CPD svr gene undergoes alternative splicing, producing forms containing 1–3 active or inactive CP domains. To investigate the function of the various CP domains, we created transgenic flies expressing specific forms of CPD in the embryonic-lethal svr ^PG33 mutant. All constructs containing an active CP domain rescued the lethality with varying degrees, and full viability required inactive CP domain-3. Transgenic flies overexpressing active CP domain-1 or -2 were similar to each other and to the viable svr mutants, with pointed wing shape, enhanced ethanol sensitivity, and decreased cold sensitivity. The transgenes fully compensated for a long-term memory deficit observed in the viable svr mutants. Overexpression of CP domain-1 or -2 reduced the levels of Lys/Arg-extended adipokinetic hormone intermediates. These findings suggest that CPD domains-1 and -2 have largely redundant functions in the processing of growth factors, hormones, and neuropeptides.     

Transduction of the chemotactic cAMP signal across the plasma membrane ofDictyostelium cells

AggregatingDictyostelium cells secrete cAMP during cell aggregation. cAMP induces two fast responses, the production of more cAMP (relay) and directed cell locomotion (chemotaxis). Extracellular cAMP binds to G-protein-coupled receptors leading to the activation of second messenger pathways, including the activation of adenylyl cyclase, guanylyl cyclase, phospholipase C and the opening of plasma membrane Ca²⁺ channels. Many genes encoding these sensory transduction proteins have been cloned and null mutants of nearly all components have been characterized in detail. Undoubtedly, activation of adenylyl cyclase is the most complex, involving G-proteins, a soluble protein called CRAC and components of the MAP kinase pathway. Null mutants in this pathway do not aggregate, but can exhibit chemotaxis and develop normally when supplied with exogenous cAMP. The pathways leading to the activation of phospholipase C were identified, but unexpectedly, deletion of the phospholipase C gene has no effect on chemotaxis and development, nor on intracellular Ins(1,4,5)P₃ levels; the metabolism of this second messenger will be discussed in some detail. Activation of guanylyl cyclase is G-protein-dependent and essential for chemotaxis. Analysis of a collection of chemotactic mutants reveals that most mutants are defective in either the production or intracellular detection of cGMP, thereby placing this second messenger at the center of chemotactic signal transduction. Analysis of the cAMP-mediated opening of plasma membrane calcium channels in signal transduction mutants suggests that it has two components, one that depends on G-proteins and intracellular cGMP and one that is G-protein-independent.     

Effects of anti-EGF serum on newborn mice

Summary Administration of anti-EGF serum to newborn mice led to delay of eyelid opening and incisor tooth eruption, acceleration of hair growth and delay of weight gain. These results indicate that in the first week after birth EGF still has a physiological function, which can be abrogated by anti-EGF serum.