The effects of hydrostatic pressure on signal transduction in brain membranes of deep-sea fishes of the genus Coryphaenoides

To investigate the effects of increased hydrostatic pressure on transmembrane signaling in deep-living marine species, the A₁ adenosine receptor – inhibitory G protein (G_i) – adenylyl cyclase signaling complex was examined in brain membrane preparations from four teleost fish species of the deep-sea family Macrouridae. The combined depth ranges of the adults of these species, Coryphaenoides armatus, C. cinereus, C. filifer, C. pectoralis, span several hundred meters to 5400 m. Basal adenylyl cyclase activity, determined at 5 °C, was inhibited by increased hydrostatic pressure in all four species. At the highest pressure tested, 476 atm, adenylyl cyclase activity was inhibited 60 to 70% relative to the atmospheric pressure values. Pressure inhibition did not result from denaturation or loss of protein components from the membrane due to pressure-induced shedding. Despite the pressure-inhibition of basal adenylyl cyclase activity, the responsiveness of adenylyl cyclase activity to modulation by N⁶-cyclopentyladenosine, an A₁ adenosine receptor agonist, was retained at elevated pressures. Because the accumulation of the second messenger cAMP depends on the summation of modulatory inputs, these results indicate that the transmembrane signaling in these deep-living species is insensitive to hydrostatic pressure changes.     

Detection of Penaeus monodon-type baculovirus (MBV) infection in Penaeus monodon Fabricius by in situ hybridization

Abstract. A digoxigenin-labelled DNA probe was used for in situ detection of the Penaeus monodon -type baculovirus (MBV) derived from cloned MBV polyhedrin genome in cultured Penaeus monodon Fabricius. First, the specificity of the probe against MBV DNA with dot blot hybridization analysis was verified. This probe indicated that cloned MBV polyhedrin fragment can be used as an MBV-specific probe. This was then used to microscopically examine sections of MBV-infected tissues for a blue-purple precipitate indicative of a positive reaction for MBV. MBV-positive cells were located only in the epithelium of the hepatopancreatic tubules and of the midgut. Furthermore, comparison of the susceptibility to MBV infection among several life-stages of the shrimp showed that the MBV genome was found in the zoea, mysis, post-larva, and adult stages, whereas MBV DNA was not detected in either eggs or nauplii. The results were quantified from in situ hybridization with an image analyser to compare the degree of cell infection among groups of cultured P. monodon collected from various farms in Taiwan.     

III. Buchbesprechungen

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Bestandeszuwachs und Leistungsvergleich montan-subalpiner Lärchen-Fichten-Mischbestände

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The Effect of Gravity on Root Emergence from Cuttings of Some Tree Species

Poplar shoots trained horizontally and normally growing shootswere used to compare the effect of horizontal and vertical orientationin summer on the subsequent rooting of terminal cuttings; asignificantly greater number of preformed roots emerged fromcuttings of vertical shoots. This difference in rooting abilitymay be due to the lower concentration of indolyl-acetic acidin the upper than in the lower half of horizontal poplar stemsas shown by Leach and Wareing (1967). Decapitation of a seriesof these poplar cuttings (Populus ? robusta Schn.) showed thatwound-root production was influenced by the larger terminalbuds on vertical than on horizontal shoots. From a comparison of horizontal and vertical storage of applerootstock cuttings at 45 ?F in the autumn, 29 per cent moreof the horizontal cuttings than the vertical ones had a basalcallus in the following February. Of these cuttings which madesatisfactory shoot growth (over 5 cm) in the following summer,horizontal cuttings exceeded vertical ones by 80 per cent; aresult which was correlated with root production. In a second experiment with M II apple rootstocks in which cuttingswere both stored and grown at the same angle more roots occurredon cuttings placed horizontally rather than vertically, andthis orientation also induced the rootings of a greater proportionof leafy Worcester Pearmain apple cuttings.     

Dorfchriften der in den fürftlich fürftenbergifchen Waldungen arbeitenden Ljalzhauer

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