Vertical Distribution of Trace Metals in Natural Soil Horizons from Japan Part 2: Effects of Organic Components in Soil

The association of Al, Mn, Fe, Ba, Zn, Cr, Ni, Co and Pb withsoil organic matter (SOM) was investigated in three Japanesesoils. Organically bound metals were assayed by elementalanalysis of a fraction extracted with acidified hydrogenperoxide (H₂O₂) and the humic acid extracted withalkaline reagent, from soil sampled at various depths of solums.A Dystric Cambisol showed higher extractability with acidifiedH₂O₂ for most of the metals than a Humic Andosol and an Orthic Acrisol. A Humic Andosol had more metals associated with humicacid than the other two soils.Cu showed high extractability with acidified H₂O₂ andalso significant association with humic acid, while Pb showedhigh extractability with acidified H₂O₂ but itsassociation with humic acid was relatively low among the metalsinvestigated. As humic acid is highly resistant to weathering,retention of Cu with SOM may last longer than that of Pb.The binding of metals with SOM probably has contributed to theaccumulation of some metals in organic-rich shallow horizons of soil. Such metals were Zn, Cu, Ni and Pb in a Dystric Cambisol,Cu in a Humic Andosol, and Pb and Cu in an Orthic Arisol.     

Experimental models of primitive cellular compartments: encapsulation, growth, and division

The clay montmorillonite is known to catalyze the polymerization of RNA from activated ribonucleotides. Here we report that montmorillonite accelerates the spontaneous conversion of fatty acid micelles into vesicles. Clay particles often become encapsulated in these vesicles, thus providing a pathway for the prebiotic encapsulation of catalytically active surfaces within membrane vesicles. In addition, RNA adsorbed to clay can be encapsulated within vesicles. Once formed, such vesicles can grow by incorporating fatty acid supplied as micelles and can divide without dilution of their contents by extrusion through small pores. These processes mediate vesicle replication through cycles of growth and division. The formation, growth, and division of the earliest cells may have occurred in response to similar interactions with mineral particles and inputs of material and energy.     

The possibility of factors other than phytoalexin accumulation preventing fungal growth in the incompatible interactions of soybean with Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea

Soybean ( Glycine max ) cv. Harosoy 63 is resistant to race 1 and susceptible to race 9 of Phytophthora megasperma f. sp. glycinea (Pmg). In detached primary leaves inoculated with zoospores, growth of race 1 was completely suppressed 16 h after inoculation, while race 9 was unaffected. The amount of the phytoalexin glyceollin that accumulated, however, was not significantly different in either the incompatible or compatible interaction 16 h after inoculation. At the circumference of the inoculated area, a slight accumulation of phytoalexin was observed only in the incompatible interaction 20 h or more after inoculation. Tolerance of race 9 to the phytoalexin was significantly higher than that of race 1 when the phytoalexin was added to agar. Moreover, race 9 degraded glyceollin faster than race 1. On leaves inoculated at separate points with either race, the lesion associated with race 9 never colonized areas inoculated with race 1. These results suggest that factor(s) other than the accumulation of phytoalexin in soybean tissue might cause cessation of growth of Pmg.     

Vertical Distributions of Trace Metals in Natural Soil Horizons from Japan. Part 1. Effect of Soil Types

To predict the long-term behavior of trace metals in a soilprofile, we studied the vertical distributions of barium, zinc,copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, lead, and the principalmetals, aluminum, iron and manganese, in three soils withdeveloped horizons obtained from rural areas in Japan. Totalelement analysis and selective extraction tests with variousreagents were conducted to clarify the extractability of themetals at each sampling depth.Soil-b (Dystric Cambisols) had the highest extractability ofelements although the vertical distributions of its traceelements were similar to those of soil-d (Umbric Andosols),which had to lowest metal extractability of the three soils.Soil-KUR (Orthic Acrisols or Dystric Cambisols) was the oldest of the three soils and showed downward movement of some tracemetals (chromium and nickel) and principal elements (Fe and Mn)that was probably induced by long-term weathering.The extractability of manganese, zinc and barium with water washigher than other metals examined in all three soils. Lead andcobalt in soil-b and soil-KUR also were considered to have highextractability under long-term weathering processes. Zinc andlead accumulated near soil surface showed higher extractabilitywith every reagent used than those in deep layers of the three soils.     

Growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis in egg yolks from highly immunized hens.

This experiment was conducted to ascertain whether the growth of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) or Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) would be suppressed in the presence of antibodies contained in egg yolks. Specific pathogen-free chickens (102 days of age) were subcutaneously immunized with oil-adjuvanted bacterin of SE or ST, twice within a four-week interval. During 160 to 170 days of age, eggs were collected, the yolks were removed and mixed with an equal volume of physiological buffered saline, inoculated with ten colony forming units (CFU) of SE or ST, and incubated at 37 degrees C or 20 degrees C for 23 hr. The growth of organisms in each yolk solution was examined. The egg yolk derived from non-immunized hens was examined in the same manner as the controls. There was no difference in the growth titer between the antibody-positive yolk and the negative yolk. The result suggests that the antibodies in the yolk do not influence the growth of each organism, even if the hens are highly immunized.     

Non-steroidal inhibitors of Drosophila melanogaster steroidogenic glutathione S-transferase Noppera-bo

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) can be developed by elucidating the molecular mechanisms of insect-specific biological events. Because insect molting, and metamorphosis are controlled by ecdysteroids, their biosynthetic pathways can serve as targets for IGR development. The glutathione S-transferase Noppera-bo (Nobo), which is conserved in dipteran and lepidopteran species, plays an essential role in ecdysteroid biosynthesis. Our previous study using 17β-estradiol as a molecular probe revealed that Asp113 of Drosophila melanogaster Nobo (DmNobo) is essential for its biological function. However, to develop IGRs with a greater Nobo inhibitory activity than 17β-estradiol, further structural information is warranted. Here, we report five novel non-steroidal DmNobo inhibitors. Analysis of crystal structures of complexes revealed that DmNobo binds these inhibitors in an Asp113-independent manner. Among amino acid residues at the substrate-recognition site, conformation of conserved Phe39 was dynamically altered upon inhibitor binding. Therefore, these inhibitors can serve as seed compounds for IGR development.