Probability of paternity exclusion and the number of loci needed to determine the fathers in a troop of macaques

We calculated the probability of paternity exclusion (P) in 6 troops of rhesus and Japanese macaques housed in open enclosures and 68 wild troops of Japanese, crab-eating, and toque macaques using 33 genetic loci which encoded the blood protein variations detected by electrophoretic techniques. In the open enclosures, especially of rhesus troops, we obtained a fairly high probability of paternity exclusion and succeeded in determining the fathers of offspring. However, we found significant differences between the observed and calculated probabilities in most of the troops. These differences were ascribed to a situation whereby the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium had not been attained in the troops and/or the numbers of variable loci were too small. In the wild troops of Japanese, crab-eating, and toque macaques, the means ofP were 0.2274 (0.0192–0.5017), 0.4635 (0.1676–0.7151), and 0.7382 (0.6266–0.7954), respectively. We also estimated the number of loci needed to determine the fathers of offspring with a probability of 0.8 assuming that ten males were present in the troop. The estimated number was about 13.5 times, 5 times and 1.8 times the number of loci examined on average in the troops of Japanese, crab-eating and toque macaques, respectively. This means that determination of most of the fathers of offspring in wild troops of these macaques, even of toque macaques which have a rather high probability of paternity exclusion, is difficult so long as we employ only electrophoretic techniques.     

Precocene causes male determination in the aphid Myzus persicae

When adult apterous viviparous females of Myzus persicae, reared in short night conditions at 21–23°C, are treated with the precocene analogue 6-methoxy-7-ethoxy-2,2-dimethylchromene, they deposit males towards the end of their reproductive lives. The first-born normal daughters of the treated females also deposit some males at various times in their reproductive lives. Karyotypic analysis was used to investigate the sequence of male and female embryos in the ovarioles of precociously metamorphosed aphids. The experiments support the hypothesis (Mittler et al., 1979) that juvenile hormone level controls the sex determination process in aphids. Since male aphids have an XO sex chromosome constitution, this implies that juvenile hormone level influences the behaviour of the X-chromosomes at or before the single maturation division of the egg. At this division one X-chromosome is eliminated from eggs which will develop as males. Aphids provide the first example of a specific endocrine influence on chromosome behaviour in sex determination.     

Effect of Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae) Age on Sex Ratios in Romanomermis culicivorax (Nematoda:Mermithidae)

First, second, third, early and late fourth-instar larvae, and pupae of Aedes aegypti were infected with Romanomerrais culicivorax and reared at 20, 25, and 30 C. An increase in the ratio of male to female nematodes was observed with increase in host age at the time of infection at each temperature. The number of pupal and late fourth-instar infections was low, but R. culicivorax continued to develop in adult A. aegypti. Since male nematodes were recovered from both male and female hosts infected as late fourth instars or pupae, the sex of the host did not influence the sex of the nematode.     

Quantitativ-morphologische Untersuchungen an Herzmuskelzellen von normalen und hypoxischen Ratten

Zusammenfassung Normale und hypoxische Herzmuskelzellen aus der Wand des linken Ventrikels der Ratte wurden quantitativ-morphologisch anhand von elektronenmikroskopischen Längsschnitten nach Perfusionsfixierung untersucht. In normalen Zellen waren alle Myofibrillen relaxiert, die mittlere Sarcomerlänge betrug 2,2 m. Die Schnittfläche wurde zu 55% von Myofibrillen, zu 27% von Mitochondrien und zu 18% von Grundplasma und Reticulum eingenommen. Die zwischen den Myofibrillen liegenden Mitochondrien waren längsoval und im Mittel 2,3mal so lang wie breit. Es bestand kein Unterschied zwischen subendokardial und subepikardial gelegenen Zellen.10 min nach Erstickung der Tiere waren in den sonst unauffälligen Muskelzellen die Glycogengranula vermindert. Nach 20 min führte die Hypoxie zu einer Zunahme der relativen Schnittfläche der Mitochondrien um etwa 16% und zu einer beginnenden Kontraktur der Myofibrillen (Sarcomerlänge 2,0 m). 20 min Hypoxie in Hypothermie (25–30°C intrathorakal) veränderte die normale Zellstruktur dagegen kaum. Wenn die Herzen während der 20 min dauernden Hypoxie in Normothermie mit einer procainhaltigen sauerstoff- und glucosefreien Blutersatzlösung durchspült wurden, waren die Myofibrillen relaxiert, die Schwellung der Mitochondrien dagegen wurde nicht reduziert. 30 min nach Erstickung wurde die Kontraktur stärker (Sarcomerlänge 1,7 m). Nach 60 min bildeten sich Superkontraktionsknoten, einzelne Myofibrillen waren in Höhe der I-Bänder unterbrochen. Die Cristae der Mitochondrien wichen auseinander, die Schnittfläche der Mitochondrien hatte um 27% zugenommen.Während in Normotherapie eine Asphyxie des Tieres bereits nach 10 min die Herzmuskelzellen funktionell schwer schädigt, ist die Schädigung morphologisch erst nach 20 min eindeutig. Das bedeutet, daß für die elektronenmikroskopische Präparation eine Hypoxie von unter 10 min bedeutungslos ist. Hinsichtlich der morphologischen Manifestationszeit für die Unterbrechung der Sauerstoffversorgung stimmen unsere Befunde an Herzmuskelzellen gut mit vergleichbaren Angaben an Leberzellen überein.

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Quantitative-morphological investigations of heart muscle cells of normal and asphyctic rats

Summary In heart muscle cells of the left ventricle of rats the distribution of cell organelles and their reaction to hypoxia were investigated by electron microscopy.In normal hearts fixed by perfusion with aldehydes, the mean sarcomere length was 2.2 m. 27% of the longitudinal sectional area was occupied by mitochondria, 55% by myofibrils and 18% by sarcoplasmic reticulum and ground plasm. The mitochondria situated in rows between the fibrils were oval and measured 2.3 times more in length than in width. There was no difference between cells from subendocardial and subepicardial regions.10 min hypoxia (complete occlusion of the trachea) did not affect the appearance of muscle cells but diminished the number of glycogen granules. After 20 minutes the area occupied by mitochondria was increased by 16%, the mitochondria between the myofibrils were more spherical and only 1.5 times longer than wide. The sarcomeres shortened to 2.0 m. With hypothermia (25–30°C) hypoxia of 20 minutes duration did not affect the cell structure. Perfusion of the heart by a saline solution, which contained procaine but neither oxygen nor glucose, for 20 minutes prevented shortening of the sarcomeres but not swelling of the mitochondria. 30 minutes after occlusion of the trachea the myofibrils shortened to a sarcomere length of 1.7 m. After 60 minutes irregularly and excessively contracted myofibrils appeared and some sarcomeres were interrupted at the level of the I-bands. In some of the swollen mitochondria the cristae were widely separated. The increase of the area occupied by mitochondria was 27%.Asphyxia affects heart muscle cells severely with respect to function within 10 min, but morphologically it takes 20 min before a definite effect can be noticed. As to the time after which lack of oxygen is manifested morphologically, our results are consistent with findings in liver cells.

     

Use of restrained molecular dynamics in water to determine three-dimensional protein structure: prediction of the three-dimensional structure of Ecballium elaterium trypsin inhibitor II

Refinement of distance geometry (DG) structures of EETI-II (Heitz et al.: Biochemistry 28:2392-2398, 1989), a member of the squash family trypsin inhibitor, have been carried out by restrained molecular dynamics (RMD) in water. The resulting models show better side chain apolar/polar surface ratio and estimated solvation free energy than structures refined "in vacuo." The consistent lower values of residual NMR constraint violations, apolar/polar surface ratio, and solvation free energy for one of these refined structures allowed prediction of the 3D folding and disulfide connectivity of EETI-II. Except for the few first residues for which no NMR constraints were available, this computer model fully agreed with X-ray structures of CMTI-I (Bode et al.: FEBS Lett. 242:285-292, 1989) and EETI-II complexed with trypsin that appeared after the RMD simulation was completed. Restrained molecular dynamics in water is thus proved to be highly valuable for refinement of DG structures. Also, the successful use of apolar/polar surface ratio and of solvation free energy reinforce the analysis of Novotny et al. (Proteins 4:19-30, 1988) and shows that these criteria are useful indicators of correct versus misfolded models.     

Using otolith weight to age fish

The problem of determining and verifying ages of fish, from populations having a considerable variation in size at age, has been investigated using the relationship between otolith size and fish size, which has been shown by several authors to be influenced by growth rate. In such a population of Sardinella aurita Val. an index of age can be obtained for individual fish by calculating the equivalent otolith weight at a particular fish length, using the otolith weight–fish length relationship determined for each age group. This statistic not only permits a much greater proportion of fish to be assigned ages than is possible with otolith reading alone, but also enables the age groups to be verified as year classes. However, it is concluded that, although appropriate models based on otolith-fish size relationships can predict age for groups of fish in which growth rates are known or can be assumed to be consistent, such techniques have a limited application in ageing fish from wild populations with highly variable growth rates.     

Quantitative phenotypical expression of three mutant genes in barley and the basis for defining an ideotype for Mediterranean environments

Summary Three mutants induced in the two-rowed barley variety Beka and their three binary recombinants have been used in an attempt to define an ideotype suitable for Mediterranean agroclimatic conditions. Physiological methods (classical plant growth analysis) together with the study of genotype x environment interaction for grain yield were used to characterize the genotypes. That characterization brought out the huge phenotypical variation produced by only three mutant genes, suggesting that single Mendelian genes may alone explain the quantitative variation, including grain yield, without the necessity of using the polygenic concept. The genotype best adapted to the environments studied is later in heading and has shorter straw and denser spikes than Beka; it also has higher inverse of leaf area rate and grain: leaf area ratio, a lower rate of leaf senescence, and a shorter grain filling period than the original variety.     

Differential Ultrastructural Localization of Myelin Basic Protein, Myelin/Oligodendroglial Glycoprotein, and 2'',3''-Cyclic Nucleotide 3''-Phosphodiesterase in the CNS of Adult Rats

In a light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical study we have examined the distribution of myelin basic protein (MBP), 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP), and myelin/oligodendroglial glycoprotein (MOG) within CNS myelin sheaths and oligodendrocytes of adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Ultrastructural immunocytochemistry allowed quantitative analysis of antigen density in different myelin and oligodendrocyte zones: MBP was detectable in high density over the whole myelin sheath, but not in regions of loops, somata, or the oligodendrocyte plasma membrane. CNP reactivity was highest at the myelin/axon interface, and found in lower concentration over the outer lamellae of myelin sheaths, at the cytoplasmic face of oligodendrocyte membranes, and throughout the compact myelin. MOG was preferentially detected at the extracellular surface of myelin sheaths and oligodendrocytes and in only low amounts in the lamellae of compacted myelin and the myelin/axon border zone. Our studies, thus, indicate further the presence of different molecular domains in compact myelin, which may be functionally relevant for the integrity and maintenance of the myelin sheath.