The gene encoding the Ia antigen-associated invariant chain (Ii) is not linked to the H-2 complex

The invariant (Ii) chain of murine Ia antigens is associated with the intracellular but not the cell-surface forms of the A alpha:A beta and E alpha:E beta Ia complexes. Due to its unique subcellular localization, Ii has been postulated to play a part in the assembly or intracellular transport of the Ia alpha:beta complexes, which function in immune recognition. A more general role for Ii in the transport of other cell proteins has also been suggested. Because of the unusual subunit composition of Ia antigens and because the synthesis of alpha, beta and Ii chains is coordinately regulated, it was of interest to determine whether, like the alpha and beta chains, Ii is encoded by a gene in the I region of the H-2 histocompatibility complex. We report here the use of an Ii chain polymorphism present in Mus spretus to demonstrate that the gene for Ii is not linked to the H-2 complex. Thus, intracellular Ia antigens consist of the products of two linked genes and one unlinked gene.     

The association between N-acetyl-neuraminic acid and calcium ions in aqueous solution

Summary The conductances of aqueous solutions of the calcium salt of N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (NANA) an important constituent of glycolipids and glycoproteins have been measured over a range of temperature. The data are consistent with the formation of the Ca (NANA)⁺ ion-pair. Dissociation constants and thermodynamic parameters for the ion-pair have been derived.     

Renal and pressor actions of angiotensin in salt loaded and depleted rabbits

Résumé Chez les lapins auxquels on a administré du sel, l'angiotensine en doses de 0.005-0.00005µg/kg/min a réduit l'excrétion urinaire de sodium à une quantité correspondant au logarithme de la dose, tandis que des doses inférieures à 0.005µg/kg/min n'ont eu aucun effet sur la tension artérielle. Chez les mêmes lapins lors d'une déplétion de sel, de telles doses n'ont eu aucun effet sur l'excrétion de sodium. Des doses fortes (> 0.05µg/kg/min) qui élevaient toujours la pression sanguine, provoquèrent souvent une augmentation lente de l'excrétion de sodium, beaucoup plus marquée quand l'animal était exempt de sel que lors qu'il en était pourvu. On suggère que l'angiotensine agit normalement comme une hormone qui retient le sodium, action produite par de petites quantités sans effet sur la tension artérielle.     

Communication arising. Is coral bleaching really adaptive?

From an experiment in which corals are transplanted between two depths on a Panamanian coral reef, Baker infers that bleaching may sometimes help reef corals to survive environmental change. Although Baker's results hint at further mechanisms by which reef-building corals may acclimatize to changing light conditions, we do not consider that the evidence supports his inference.     

Patterns of colonization in a metapopulation of grey seals

The colonization of a new habitat is a fundamental process in metapopulation biology, but it is difficult to study. The emigration of colonists from established populations might be induced by resource competition owing to high local population density. Migration distances are also important because they determine the frequency and scale of recolonization and hence the spatial scale of the metapopulation. Traditionally, these factors have been investigated with demographic approaches that are labour-intensive and are only possible in amenable species. In many cases, genetic differentiation is minimal, preventing traditional genetic approaches from identifying the source of colonists unambiguously. Here we present a bayesian approach that integrates genetic, demographic and geographic distance data. We apply the method to study the British metapopulation of grey seals, which has been growing at 6% per year over the last few decades. Our method reveals differential recruitment to three newly founded colonies and implicates density-dependent dispersal in metapopulation dynamics by using genetic data.