The tryptophan-rich domain of puroindoline is directly associated with the starch granule surface as judged by tryptic shaving and mass spectrometry

The starch granule surface is a frontline of microbial attack and defence, operating in the background of normal starch granule metabolism. Puroindoline, a wheat protein which binds starch granule surfaces, contains a unique tryptophan-rich domain likely responsible for this property, though direct evidence is lacking. To test puroindoline’s tight association, prime starch granule extracts were water-washed 8 or 20 times and residual puroindoline removed using a solution of 50% isopropanol/50 mM NaCl. We found that this solvent was consistent in the amount of protein extracted from wheat flour and washed starch, regardless of initial protein content. Relative quantification of puroindoline following water-washing was performed using dot blot. Washing more than 8 times did not further reduce puroindoline content of starch granules suggesting a strong association with the starch granule surface. To identify the tryptophan-rich domain tightly associated with the starch granule surface, a combination of in situ tryptic digestion and mass spectrometry was used. Following digestion and water-washing, 50% isopropanol/50 mM NaCl was used to remove tightly-associated peptides for identification by mass spectrometry. Using this method, we identified the tryptophan-rich domain of puroindoline directly bound to the starch granule surface of wheat.     

DNA topoisomerase I--targeted chemotherapy of human colon cancer in xenografts

Drug development is needed to improve chemotherapy of patients with locally advanced or metastatic colon carcinoma, who otherwise have an unfavorable prognosis. DNA topoisomerase I, a nuclear enzyme important for solving topological problems arising during DNA replication and for other cellular functions, has been identified as a principal target of a plant alkaloid 20(S)-camptothecin. Significantly increased concentrations of this enzyme, compared to that in normal colonic mucosa, were found in advanced stages of human colon adenocarcinoma and in xenografts of colon cancer carried by immunodeficient mice. Several synthetic analogs of camptothecin, selected by tests with the purified enzyme and tissue-culture screens, were evaluated in the xenograft model. Unlike other anticancer drugs tested, 20(RS)-9-amino-camptothecin (9-AC) induced disease-free remissions. The overall drug toxicity was low and allowed for repeated courses of treatment.     

Design and evaluation of an irrigation system for creating water gradients under an automatic rain shelter

Summary This paper reports on the design and performance of an irrigation system associated with a rain shelter. The shelter is used in the closed position as a platform for multiple spray lines. This system automatically supplies, at a specified time, water of specified depth and delivery rate, either uniformly or on a specified gradient across the sheltered area. Variations in crop water deficits and yields have conformed closely to imposed water gradients.     

Cell-to-cell transfer of bacterial outer membrane lipoproteins

Myxococcus xanthus cells can glide forward by retracting type IV pili. Tgl, an outer membrane lipoprotein, is necessary to assemble pili. Tgl mutants can be transiently "stimulated" if brought into end-to-end contact with tgl+ donor cells. By separating the stimulated recipient cells from donor cells, we found that Tgl protein was transferred from the donors to the rescued recipient cells. Mutants lacking CglB lipoprotein, which is part of a second gliding engine, could also be stimulated, and CglB protein was transferred from donor to recipient cells. The high transfer efficiency of Tgl and CglB proteins suggests that donor and recipient cells briefly fuse their outer membranes.     

Phonon dispersions of fcc delta-plutonium-gallium by inelastic x-ray scattering

We report an experimental determination of the phonon dispersion curves in a face-centered cubic (fcc) delta-plutonium-0.6 weight % gallium alloy. Several unusual features, including a large elastic anisotropy, a small-shear elastic modulus C', a Kohn-like anomaly in the T1[011] branch, and a pronounced softening of the [111] transverse modes, are found. These features can be related to the phase transitions of plutonium and to strong coupling between the lattice structure and the 5f valence instabilities. Our results also provide a critical test for theoretical treatments of highly correlated 5f electron systems as exemplified by recent dynamical mean field theory calculations for delta-plutonium.     

Effect of herbicides and annual weeds on the yield and seed quality of lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus L.)

Field research conducted over six location years has indicated that lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a poor competitor with annual weed species. Failure to control annual weeds reduced lathyrus seed yields by 54–95%, depending on the weed species present and their density. Weed competition also reduced thousand-seed weight. Preplant soil-incorporated applications of trifluralin and postemergence applications of sethoxydim controlled wild oat (Avena fatua L.) and green foxtail (Setaria viridis (L.) Beav.). Trifluralin failed to control wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), an important broad-leaved weed in western Canada, but this weed was controlled by both preplant soil-incorporated and postemergence applications of metribuzin. Lathyrus exhibited excellent tolerance to these herbicides, which are currently registered for use on high-acreage crops in Canada.     

Comparing model-based approaches with bucking simulation-based approach in the prediction of timber assortment recovery

The aim of the study was to compare model-based approaches inthe prediction of timber assortment recovery with bucking simulationbased on detailed stem data. A correction function for the totallength of saw log fragments and two optional saw log reductionmodels, that is, the MELA96 version and MELA05 version, wereapplied. In the bucking simulation, the volumes by timber assortmentswere calculated using a bucking-to-value simulator. The predictionof saw log recoveries varied between the bucking simulationand different versions of saw log reduction models. The levelof the reduction from the MELA96 version was at the same levelas from the bucking simulation where defects were taken intoaccount, but the saw log reduction had a very low variance dueto a small amount of independent variables. The saw log reductionof the MELA05 version included more variation although the levelof the reductions was higher and the variation did not meetwith the bucking simulation. As a conclusion, the model-basedapproaches seem applicable at least for the prediction of sawlog recovery in the large area forest inventories where thevariance of the standwise timber assortment recoveries neednot be predicted.