Stress-induced apoptosis in sea urchin embryogenesis

We find that early sea urchin embryos have the capability to induce programmed cell death, or apoptosis, in response to chemical and physical stress. Strongylocentrotus purpuratus embryos (fertilized, 4 cell, 16 cell, 64 cell, and early blastula) were exposed to known cytotoxins, in order to determine when apoptosis occurs naturally and in response to stress. Using cell permeability as an indicator of early stage apoptosis, caspase activation as a mid-stage indicator, and DNA fragmentation as a late stage indicator, we find that during the cleavage stage of embryogenesis apoptosis is almost completely absent. However, a statistically significant (p<0.001) rise in apoptosis in stressed embryos is evident around 24 h after fertilization, during the early blastula stage and shortly after hatching. Before this stage, exposed embryos show no statistically significant increases in apoptosis in comparison to the controls. This pattern of apoptosis in development is similar to that seen in lower vertebrate models in which stress-induced apoptosis occurs only around the mid-blastula transition. We conclude that apoptosis may be used to rid embryos of aberrant or damaged cells in early development, but this response is stage-dependant. Repair, rather than apoptosis, may be utilized during earlier stages, or alternatively, embryos exposed to such stressors may continue development with damaged cells and perhaps damaged DNA. Our continued studies will focus on these alternative hypotheses.     

Shock chemistry in the molecular clouds associated with SNR IC 443

Several interstellar molecules have been detected toward the highly perturbed B and G clouds associated with the supernova remnant IC 443 via their 3 mm transitions, including N2H+, SiO, SO, CN, HNC, and H13CO+. The (J, K) = (1, 1) and (2, 2) inversion lines of metastable ammonia have also been observed, as well as the J = 3-2 transition of HCO+ at 1.2 mm. Analysis of the (1, 1) and (2, 2) inversion lines of NH3 indicates minimum gas kinetic temperatures of TK = 70 K toward cloud B, and TK = 33 K in cloud G. Modeling of the J = 1-0 and J = 3-2 transitions of HCO+ implies densities greater than 10(5) cm-3 toward both positions. These data clearly show that hot and dense material is present in IC 443, and they suggest the presence of shocks in both regions. A careful analysis of the HCO+ lines indicates that the HCO+ abundance is at most enhanced by factors of a few over that found in cold, quiescent gas. This conclusion contradicts past claims of HCO+ abundance enhancements of several orders of magnitude in the perturbed regions. The N2H+ abundance was also found to be similar to that in cold gas, suggesting that there is no increase in ionization in the clouds. The abundances of SO and CS, as well as CN and NH3, do not appear to differ significantly from those found in cold dark clouds, although chemistry models predict sulfur-containing species to undergo high-temperature enhancements. SiO, however, is found to have an abundance in the perturbed gas 100 times larger than the upper limits observed in the dark cloud TMC 1, a result in agreement with high temperature chemistry models. In addition, the HNC/HCN ratio in both IC 443 B and G was found to be approximately 0.1--far from the ratio of 1 predicted by low-temperature ion-molecule chemistry, but similar to the values observed in clouds where elevated temperatures are present.     

Sediment oxygen profiles in a super-oxygenated antarctic lake

Perennially ice-covered lakes are found in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. In contrast to temperate lakes that have diurnal photic periods, antarctic (and arctic) lakes have a yearly photic period. An unusual feature of the antarctic lakes is the occurrence of O2 at supersaturated levels in certain portions of the water column. Here we report the first sediment O2 profiles obtained using a microelectrode from a perennially ice-covered antarctic lake. Sediment cores collected in January and October 1987 from Lake Hoare in Taylor Valley show oxygenation down to 15, and in some cases, 25 cm. The oxygenation of sediments several centimeters below the sediment-water interface is atypical for lake sediments and may be characteristic of perennially ice-covered lakes. There is a significant difference between the observed January and October sediment O2 profiles. Several explanations may account for the difference, including seasonality. A time-dependent model is presented which tests the feasibility of a seasonal cycle resulting from the long photoperiod and benthic primary production in sediments overlain by a highly oxygenated water column.