The role of heteroduplex correction in gene conversion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Two different models have been proposed to explain the relative frequencies of the non-mendelian allelic segregations which are detected by tetrad analysis after meiosis in fungi. The first model maintains that 6:2 type tetrads result from correction of heteroduplexes containing mismatched sites and 5:3 type tetrads result from failure to correct mismatched sites. The second model suggests that 6:2 segregations result from the filling-in of double-strand gaps using information obtained from both strands of a homologous duplex. In this model 5:3 type tetrads result if the allele is included in the heteroduplex regions flanking the gap and the resulting mismatched nucleotides are not corrected. We have studied the correction of heteroduplex plasmid DNA in pms1 mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which are known to exhibit higher frequencies of 5:3 type tetrads and lower frequencies of 6:2 tetrads than wild-type strains. Our results suggest that the pms1 mutation causes a defect in mismatch correction, supporting the hypothesis that meiotic gene conversion in wild-type yeast cells often results from the correction of heteroduplex DNA.     

Fourier analysis and spatial representation in the visual cortex

Summary Simple cells in the cat visual cortex are shown to be general purpose analyzers of visual information achieving, at the same time, minimum uncertainty in spatial localization and spatial frequency. Their responses to moving bars, edges and gratings are linearly interrelated and predictable from each other.We thank Dr S. Marelja for much helpful discussion.     

Amplification and enhanced expression of the c-myc oncogene in mouse SEWA tumour cells

SEWA tumour cells are derived from an osteosarcoma induced in an A.SW mouse by infection with polyoma virus. Cytogenetic analyses have revealed three different characteristic chromosomal abnormalities diagnostic for the presence of amplified genes: 'double minutes' (DMs), homogeneously staining chromosomal regions (HSRs) and C-bandless chromosomes (CMs; for review see ref. 2). DMs may undergo fluctuation in number depending on the conditions in which the cells grow. Their number usually increases after injection of cells into a mouse and often is reduced to undetectable levels when the cells are explanted back into tissue culture; when the cells are re-introduced into the mouse, they again acquire multiple DMs. We show here that cells of SEWA lines carrying DMs, HSRs or CMs contain amplified copies of the proto-oncogene c-myc and enhanced levels of c-myc messenger RNA and c-myc protein. DMs or CMs are the sites of c-myc amplification in two different SEWA lines.     

Adsorption Equation and Adsorption Paramenter of Cellulase to Cellulose Fibres in Biofinishing

Adsorption isotherms for SF cellulase from Trichoderma pseudokoningii on cotton, flax and viscose yarns were investigated to provide information about cellulase-cellulose binding on different types of cellulosic fibres. The half-saturation constants and maximum adsorption constants suggest that SF cellulase has greater affinity for viscose than for cotton and greater affinity for cotton than for flax. It is suggested that this is related to the different crystallinities and microporous structures of these fibre types. The fraction of adsorbable protein in the total cellulase was found to be the same for each of the three cellulase substrates.