Nitrogen Fixation Associated with Development and Localization of Mixed Populations of Cellulomonas sp. and Azospirillum brasilense Grown on Cellulose or Wheat Straw.

Mixed cultures of Cellulomonas sp. and Azospirillum brasilense were grown with straw or cellulose as the carbon source under conditions favoring the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. Rapid increases in cell numbers, up to 10 cells per g of substrate, were evident after 4 and 5 days of incubation at 30 degrees C for cellulose and straw, respectively. Nitrogen fixation (detected by acetylene reduction measured on parallel cultures) commenced after 2 and 4 days of incubation for straw and cellulose, respectively, and continued for the duration of the experiment. Pure cultures of Cellulomonas sp. showed an increase in cell numbers, but CO(2) production was low, and acetylene reduction was not detected on either cellulose or straw. Pure cultures of A. brasilense on cellulose showed an initial increase in cell numbers (10 cells per g of substrate) over 4 days, followed by a decline presumably caused by the exhaustion of available carbon substrate. On straw, A. brasilense increased to 10 cells per g of substrate over 5 days and then declined slowly; this growth was accompanied by acetylene reduction. Scanning electron micrographs of straw incubated with a mixed culture under the above conditions for 8 days showed cells of both species in close proximity to each other. Evidence was furnished that the close spatial relationship of cells from the two species facilitated the mutually beneficial association between them and thus increased the efficiency with which the products of straw breakdown were used for nitrogen fixation.

Immunocytochemical localization of the cytochrome b/f complex of chloroplast thylakoid membranes.

Antibodies directed against purified cytochrome f, isolated from the cytochrome b/f complex of spinach chloroplasts, were used in on-grid immunogold labelling studies of spinach leaf tissue. Our results show unambiguously that cytochrome f, and hence the cytochrome b/f complex, is located in both appressed and non-appressed thylakoid membranes.

Effect of Light Quality on the Composition, Function, and Structure of Photosynthetic Thylakoid Membranes of Asplenium australasicum (Sm.) Hook.

The effect of light quality on the composition, function and structure of the thylakoid membranes, as well as on the photosynthetic rates of intact fronds from Asplenium australasicum, a shade plant, grown in blue, white, or red light of equal intensity (50 microeinsteins per square meter per second) was investigated. When compared with those isolated from plants grown in white and blue light, thylakoids from plants grown in red light have higher chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratios and lower amounts of light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complexes than those grown in blue light. On a chlorophyll basis, there were higher levels of PSII reaction centers, cytochrome f and coupling factor activity in thylakoids from red light-grown ferns, but lower levels of PSI reaction centers and plastoquinone. The red light-grown ferns had a higher PSII/PSI reaction center ratio of 4.1 compared to 2.1 in blue light-grown ferns, and a larger apparent PSI unit size and a lower PSII unit size. The CO(2) assimilation rates in fronds from red light-grown ferns were lower on a unit area or fresh weight basis, but higher on a chlorophyll basis, reflecting the higher levels of electron carriers and electron transport in the thylakoids.The structure of thylakoids isolated from plants grown under the three light treatments was similar, with no significant differences in the number of thylakoids per granal stack or the ratio of appressed membrane length/nonappressed membrane length. The large freeze-fracture particles had the same size in the red-, blue-, and white-grown ferns, but there were some differences in their density. Light quality is an important factor in the regulation of the composition and function of thylakoid membranes, but the effects depend upon the plant species.

Post-embedding immunolabelling. Some effects of tissue preparation on the antigenicity of plant proteins.

The sensitivity of detection of proteins by immunolabelling embedded and sectioned material depends upon retention of antigenicity during tissue processing. Losses in pea seed storage protein antigenicity have been assessed using a solid phase radioimmunoassay. Storage proteins adsorbed to wells of microtiter plates were treated with the various "tissue preparation" steps and reacted with 125I-antibodies to the storage proteins. The glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde fixation steps caused approximately 60% and 30% loss in antigenicity, respectively. With each subsequent preparative step, losses accumulate and following treatment with Spurr's epoxy resin reached approximately 85% and 90%, respectively. However, if Lowicryl K4M, a methacrylate-acrylate embedding medium was used, losses were retained at approximately 70% and 60%, respectively. These observations have been verified on sections of embedded material using two labelling procedures, with protein A-gold and ferritin as the markers.

A method of estimating radial distribution function of protein particles in membranes from freeze-fracture electron micrographs.

A computational method for estimating the radial distribution function of particles seen in electron micrographs of freeze-fractured membranes is presented. The method overcomes the previous difficulty of measurements of this quantity from freeze-fracture electron micrographs--the systematic error due to the finite size of the sample areas in the freeze-fracture. By multiplying the measurements by weights specific to the shape of the sample area, the method lessens the errors due to the boundaries of the area and allows a synthesis of the average radial distribution function from counts over many small separate areas.

The role of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complex in chloroplast membrane stacking. Cation-induced aggregation of reconstituted proteoliposomes.

The major intrinsic protein from spinach chloroplast membranes, the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-protein complex, contains two distinct polypeptides of Mr 23,500 and 26,000 and 31% lipid by weight, comprising five diacyl lipids and seven chlorophylls, together with some carotenoids, per 26,000-Mr polypeptide. The chlorophyll a/b ratio is 1.1. Low-temperature fluorescence emission spectra of the light-harvesting complex revealed a major peak at 681 nm with a shoulder of variable intensity at 695 nm. The 695-nm emission has been correlated with a progressive aggregation of the complex into two-dimensional, semi-crystalline sheets. To determine the role of the light-harvesting complex in cation-dependent thylakoid stacking, the purified complex has been quantitatively incorporated into liposomes containing the four major chloroplast diacyl lipids using a simple freeze-thaw technique. The proteoliposomes appeared largely as unilamellar vesicles, with diameters between 0.1 and 0.8 micron. Freeze-fracture analysis showed intramembrane particles of 8-10 nm corresponding to the incorporated complex. Both monovalent and divalent cations caused an immediate aggregation of the proteoliposomes, which was reversed at low cation concentrations and was largely inhibited by prior trypsin treatment. Since lipid vesicles themselves showed none of these effects, it is concluded that surface-exposed polypeptide regions of the light-harvesting complex are directly involved in thylakoid stacking in vivo.

Immunofluorescent localization of pea storage proteins in glycol methacrylate embedded tissue.

Improved immunofluorescent techniques have been developed for the high resolution light microscopic localization of intracellular antigens in plant tissue. Thin sections of pea cotyledon tissue which had been fixed in paraformaldehyde and embedded in glycol methacrylate were reacted with mono-specific antibodies to the storage proteins legumin and vicilin. These antibodies were raised in sheep, purified by affinity chromatography and tested by immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion. Using the indirect technique, rhodamine-labeled antibodies permitted specific fluorescent localization of the legumin and vicilin to small (ca. 1 micrometer) cytoplasmic organelles in near mature tissue. Subsequent histochemical staining verified the proteinaceous nature of these organelles. Parameters affecting staining specificity and background fluorescence are discussed.

The taxonomy of some new isolates of dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria.

The interrelationships between 92 isolates of sporing and non-sporing sulfate-reducing bacteria were determined. Of the 116 biochemical and physiological characteristics examined, only 25 were useful for discrimination of groups. Responses to most of the test were negative. A similarity coefficient and a principal component factor analysis of these data were made. The deoxyribonucleic acids buoyant densities (DNA) from all strains and the electrophoretic properties of adenylylsulfotransferase (ATP-sulfurylase), adenylphosphosulfate (APS)-reductase, and sulfite reductase of selected isolated were determined. On the basis of these various data eight groups were recognized. Isolated of seven of these groups appeared to be similar to one or more named strains. Isolates of group E(DNA buoyant density, 1.708) were different from previously named strains. Sporins strains were not isolated from the Papua New Guinea location. Halophilic and non-halotolerant strains were isolated from highly saline locations in Australia. Results pertinent to the taxonomy and ecology of the sulfate-reducing bacteria are discussed.

The regreening of nitrogen-deficient Chlorella fusca II. Structural changes during synchronous regreening.

Chlorella fusca, strain 211-15, cells degreened in a nitrogen-deficient mineral growth medium in the light for 4-6 weeks were regreened for up to 24 hrs in a nitrogen rich medium that leads to synchronous cell division at 24-26 hrs. Structural changes in the plastid membranes during the regreening period were observed by thin section and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Nitrogen-deficient plastids were found to have non-appressed lamellae, prolamellar body-like membrane aggregations, and only 2 types of freeze-fracture face. At this time no photosynthetic oxygen evolution could be demonstrated. After 6 hrs regreening the plastid lamellae had fused to form bands of appressed lamellae and the four types of freeze-fracture face, described previously, were visible. At this time photosynthetic oxygen evolution could be demonstrated. After 24 hrs regreening the plastids had an appearance typical of normally grown Chlorella and had commenced to divide. Supporting evidence for these developmental stages is presented from isolated chloroplast particle fractions. An unusual type of cell wall proliferation was observed in the nitrogen-deficient Chlorella cells that resulted in the laying down of several walls, each with a trilaminar component.

Sex chromosome meiotic drive systems in Drosophila melanogaster I. Abnormal spermatid development in males with a heterochromatin-deficient X chromosome (sc-4sc-8).

The meiotic drive chracteristics of the In(1)sc-4Lsc-8R/Y system have been examined by genetic analysis and by light and electron microscopy. sc-4sc8-/Y males show a direct correlation between nondisjunction frequency and meiotic drive. Temperature-shift experiments reveal that the temperature-sensitive period for nondisjunction is at meiosis, whereas that for meiotic drive has both meiotic and post-meiotic components. Cytological analyses in the light and electron microscopes reveal failures in spermiogenesis in the tests of sc-4sc-8 males. The extent of abnormal spermatid development increases as nondisjunction becomes more extreme.

Distribution of enzymes in mesophyll and parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts of maize leaves in relation to the C4-dicarboxylic acid pathway of photosynthesis.

1. Mesophyll and parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts of maize leaves were separated by density fractionation in non-aqueous media. 2. An investigation of the distribution of photosynthetic enzymes indicated that the mesophyll chloroplasts probably contain the entire leaf complement of pyruvate,P(i) dikinase, NADP-specific malate dehydrogenase, glycerate kinase and nitrite reductase and most of the adenylate kinase and pyrophosphatase. The fractionation pattern of phosphopyruvate carboxylase suggested that this enzyme may be associated with the bounding membrane of mesophyll chloroplasts. 3. Ribulose diphosphate carboxylase, ribose phosphate isomerase, phosphoribulokinase, fructose diphosphate aldolase, alkaline fructose diphosphatase and NADP-specific ;malic' enzyme appear to be wholly localized in the parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts. Phosphoglycerate kinase and NADP-specific glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase, on the other hand, are distributed approximately equally between the two types of chloroplast. 4. After exposure of illuminated leaves to (14)CO(2) for 25sec., labelled malate, aspartate and 3-phosphoglycerate had similar fractionation patterns, and a large proportion of each was isolated with mesophyll chloroplasts. Labelled fructose phosphates and ribulose phosphates were mainly isolated in fractions containing parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate had a fractionation pattern intermediate between those of C(4) dicarboxylic acids and sugar phosphates. 6. These results indicate that the mesophyll and parenchyma-sheath chloroplasts have a co-operative function in the operation of the C(4)-dicarboxylic acid pathway. Possible routes for the transfer of carbon from C(4) dicarboxylic acids to sugars are discussed.

Photosynthetic Studies on a Pea-mutant Deficient in Chlorophyll.

A chlorophyll-deficient mutant of pea (Pisum sativum) was found as a spontaneous mutation of the variety Greenfeast. Total chlorophyll of the mutant leaves was about one-half that of normal pea leaves per mg dry weight, and the ratio of chl a:chl b ranged from 10 to 18, compared with 3 for normal pea. In each generation the mutant plants gave rise to normal and mutant plants and lethal plants with yellow leaves.For a normal pea plant, CO(2) uptake was saturated at about 60,000 lux, whereas with mutant leaves, the rate of CO(2) uptake was still increasing at 113,000 lux. At 113,000 lux the mutant and normal leaves showed similar rates of CO(2) fixation per unit area of leaf surface, but on a chlorophyll basis the mutant leaves were twice as active. Hill reaction measurements on isolated chloroplasts also showed that the mutant chloroplasts were saturated at higher intensities than the normal, and that the activity of the mutant was at least double that of the normal on a chlorophyll basis.It is suggested that the photosynthetic units of the mutant chloroplasts contain about half the number of chlorophyll molecules as compared to the normal photosynthetic units.Electron microscopy of leaf sections of normal and mutant leaves showed that the mutant chloroplasts contain fewer lamellae per chloroplast and fewer lamellae per granum. The lethal chloroplasts, which were virtually devoid of chlorophyll, were characterized by an absence of grana.

Studies on a Maize Mutant Sensitive to Low Temperature II. Chloroplast Structure, Development, and Physiology.

In the Zea mays L. mutant M11 grown in the dark at 15 degrees , the ultrastructure of the etioplast is abnormal. The pigment content of the etioplasts is reduced but the in vivo absorption characteristics suggest that the normal protochlorophyll (ide)-holochrome is present. The lowered synthetic ability of the etioplasts is not primarily due to a reduced complement of plastid ribosomes. The plastids of mutant M11 grown in the light at 15 degrees contain little pigment, are markedly deficient in ribosomes and their ultrastructure is abnormal. In mutant M11 grown at 15 degrees , an extreme sensitivity of the plastid membranes to light was observed.