ABSTRACT
Neurospora crassa fluffy (fl) mutants are unable to produce macroconidia. We cloned the fl gene to determine its role in regulating conidiation. A cosmid clone containing fl was identified by complementation. The sequence of fl revealed that it encodes a Gal4p-type C6 zinc cluster protein with greatest similarity to the N. crassa NIT4 protein that regulates genes required for nitrate utilization. Analysis of several fl mutant alleles demonstrated that null mutants are blocked in the budding phase of development required to produce conidiophores. fl mRNA is transiently induced just prior to the developmental commitment to budding growth. This timing of fl expression is consistent with a role for FL protein in activation of the previously characterized conidiation-specific (con) genes, con-6 and con-10. These data suggest that FL acts as a developmentally regulated transcription factor required for conidiophore morphogenesis.
Subject(s)
Fungal Proteins/genetics , Genes, Fungal , Neurospora crassa/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins , Transcription Factors/genetics , Zinc Fingers , Amino Acid Sequence , Base Sequence , Cloning, Molecular , DNA, Fungal , DNA-Binding Proteins , Fungal Proteins/metabolism , Gene Expression , Molecular Sequence Data , Neurospora crassa/growth & development , Sequence Homology, Amino Acid , Transcription Factors/metabolismABSTRACT
Macroconidiation in Neurospora crassa is influenced by a number of environmental cues, including the nutritional status of the growing organism. Conidia formation is normally observed when the fungus is exposed to air. However, carbon limitation can induce conidiation in mycclia submerged in an aerated liquid medium. A mutant was previously isolated that could conidiate in submerged culture without imposing nutrient limitation and the gene responsible for this phenotype (rco-3) has now been cloned. RCO3 exhibits sequence similarity to members of the sugar transporter gene superfamily, with greatest similarity to glucose transporters of yeast. Consistent with this structural similarity, we find that glucose transport activity is altered in the mutant. However, growth of the mutant in media containing alternate carbon sources does not suppress conidiation in submerged culture. The properties of the mutant suggest that RCO3 is required for expression of glucose transport activity, glucose regulation of gene expression, and general carbon repression of development.
Subject(s)
Glucose/metabolism , Monosaccharide Transport Proteins/genetics , Neurospora crassa/genetics , Alleles , Amino Acid Sequence , Base Sequence , Biological Transport , Blotting, Northern , Cloning, Molecular , Culture Media , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal/genetics , Genes, Fungal , Molecular Sequence Data , Monosaccharide Transport Proteins/chemistry , Mutation , Neurospora crassa/chemistry , Neurospora crassa/physiology , Phenotype , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Sequence Alignment , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Spores, FungalSubject(s)
Abscess/microbiology , Mastitis/microbiology , Pseudomonas Infections/diagnosis , Abscess/drug therapy , Abscess/surgery , Drainage , Drug Resistance, Microbial , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Mastitis/drug therapy , Mastitis/surgery , Pseudomonas Infections/drug therapy , Pseudomonas Infections/surgeryABSTRACT
According to the 1980 Consumer Product Safety Commission's small parts standard, toys with small parts that pose a choking hazard cannot be marketed for children under the age of 3 years. To comply with the standard, toy manufacturers place age labels on packaging to indicate the ages for which toys with small parts are recommended. We conducted a survey of 199 toy buyers to determine the degree to which they understood such labels as warnings and whether more explicit warning labels would affect toy buyers' willingness to purchase toys with small parts for children between 2 and 3 years of age. Forty-four percent of respondents said they would buy for a child between 2 and 3 years of age a toy with the label "Recommended for 3 and up"; only 5% said they would buy for a young child a toy with the label "Not recommended for below 3--small parts." These findings indicate that a change in the small parts standard to require more specific labeling might substantially reduce potentially hazardous toy purchases.
Subject(s)
Consumer Product Safety , Play and Playthings , Product Labeling , Adult , Age Factors , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , MaleABSTRACT
In 1988 the Maryland legislature passed an innovative law designed to limit the availability of certain types of handguns within the state. Pro-gun forces opposed the law and gathered the requisite number of petitioning signatures to refer the law to a public referendum on election day. The months preceding the referendum saw intense political campaigning over the gun law, with pro-gun forces spending $6.6 million, more money than had ever been spent in a Maryland political campaign. The handgun law was recognized to be a public health issue. This article reviews the activity involved in the passage of the law and the referendum, and discusses the role played by the Johns Hopkins injury prevention faculty in providing information to decision makers.
Subject(s)
Firearms/legislation & jurisprudence , Wounds, Gunshot/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Civil Rights/legislation & jurisprudence , Faculty, Medical , Female , Humans , Infant , Lobbying , Male , Maryland/epidemiology , Middle Aged , Politics , Wounds, Gunshot/mortalityABSTRACT
The goal of this investigation was to evaluate objectively the psychological experience of pregnancy. Previous research, using symptoms checklists, interview information, and projective testing strategies has suggested that pregnancy presents a woman with emotional and psychological changes. The goal of this study was to substantiate objectively the assertion that pregnant women have different psychological experiences and emotional needs than nonpregnant women. To assess these needs a group of nineteen women experiencing their first pregnancy was compared to a nonpregnant control group on a variety of objective personality measures. The investigation results indicated that the pregnant women differed from the nonpregnant women on some fundamental dimensions of personality. These differences included a stronger introverted, inward personality orientation, and a lower level of self-acceptance and independence. Suggestions for future research are offered.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Female , Humans , Labor, Obstetric/psychology , Personality , Psychological TestsABSTRACT
The initial purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the role of intelligence in the selection of a cognitive coping strategy by undergraduate college students in test situations (N = 50). The primary hypothesis of this investigation was confirmed. Intelligence was found to be related significantly to the selection of a predominant coping strategy. Although this finding is interesting and important to the understanding of test anxiety, the second unpredicted finding, that identification of patterns of coping styles rather than one predominant style may be a more useful technique, is the primary contribution of this study. The results of this investigation contribute to the further understanding of coping in testing situations.
