DETECTION OF PTERINS IN Phycomyces SPORANGIOPHORES*

Differential fluorometry with sodium dithionite showed pterin-like signals in extracts of Phycomyces sporangiophores. After iodine oxidation, pterin, biopterin and neopterin could be separated. The concentrations determined for these three pterins exceed the calculated minimal concentration of 3 times 10^?7M for the photoreceptor.     

PHOTOINITIATION OF SPORANGIOPHORES IN PHYCOMYCES MUTANTS DEFICIENT IN PHOTOTROPISM AND IN MUTANTS LACKING β-CAROTENE

Abstract—The formation of sporangiophores from mature Phycomyces mycelium is inhibited in a closed system. Irradiation of the mycelium with blue light reverses the inhibition of spordngiophore formation. Dose response curves for this reaction are established for wild type. β-caroteneless mutants and for mutants that are deficient in phototropism.
Phototropic-negative mutants. altered in genes madA and madB , have a raised threshold in this light reaction. whereas mutants deficient in genes madD to madG are unaffected. β-caroteneless mutants deficient in genes carA, carB , or carR have a threshold raised by a factor of 100–2000 depending on the amount of residual synthesis of β-carotene.     

ARE THERE SEVERAL PHOTORECEPTORS INVOLVED IN PHOTOTROPISM OF Phycomyces blakesleeunus? KINETIC STUDIES OF DICHROMATIC IRRADIATION*

Abstract— Photogeotropic equilibrium angles were measured for Phycomyces blakesleeanus wild type firstly by means of dichromatic fluence rate response curves using simultaneous irradiation with near threshold 450 nm reference light (constant at 1.2 × 10^?8 W m^?2) and variable fluence rates of test light (498–630 nm) from the same side. These curves showed minima for test light fluence rates that were close to the photogeotropic threshold for these wavelengths. Secondly, the time course of this inhibitory effect was studied with both the inductive reference 450 nm light (2 × 10^?-⁷ W m^?2) and the test light (606 or 450 nm) given as light pulses of 2 s duration (2 s light/48 s dark periods for 6 h). The dark period between the onset of the inductive reference light and test light pulses was varied between 0 and 48 s. No inhibitory effects were observed for simultaneous pulses; however, inhibitory effects were demonstrated for delay times of 2 s and 20 s for 606 nm as well as 450 nm test light. If the test light pulses were given immediately before the inductive reference light, only 606 nm test light was effective in producing a significant inhibitory effect. The results are discussed with regard to a multichromophoric photoreceptor system and to the wavelength dependence of the effects observed. The data and conclusions favor a photoreceptor system with at least two separate chromophoric absorptions of the blue light receptor type, one acting positively, the other acting inhibitorily, and at least one other photoreceptor of presumably minor influence.     

PHYTOCHROME-MEDIATED PHOTOTROPISM IN Adiantum PROTONEMATA-I. PHOTOTROPISM AS A FUNCTION OF THE LATERAL Pfr GRADIENT*

Abstract— Phytochrome-mediated phototropism of the protonema of the fern Adiantum capillus-veneris was studied in view of the hypothesis that phototropism is controlled by the gradient of Pfr (phytochrome in the far-red-absorbing form) across the short axis of the protonema. Fluence-response relationships were investigated using a microbeam irradiation technique that allowed simultaneous stimulation of the two sides of the subapical portion of the protonema with different fluences of red light. Mathematical models describing the tropic response as a function of fluence were derived from the hypothesis in consideration of the minimal phototransformation kinetics of phytochrome. and the fitness of the functions to the experimental data was examined. The analytical results were then evaluated in view of the photochemical properties of phytochrome known from the literature. It is concluded that the extent of the tropic response is determined by the difference in the Pfr concentrations between the two sides of the protonemal cell. It is further suggested that, even if phytochrome exists as a dimer in vivo, the physiological unit of phytochrome is the monomer.     

EFFECT OF CALCIUM ON DARK ADAPTATION IN Phycornyces PHOTOTROPISM

Adaptation processes enable phototropism of Phycomyces to operate over a 10-decade range of blue-light intensity (1 nW m-2-10 W m-2). To investigate the influence of calcium on dark adaptation, the phototropic latency method was employed with the modification that sporangiophores were temporarily immersed in solutions containing CaCl2 or LaCl3. Following such treatment, the time course of bending was found to have two components with distinct latencies and bending rates. After immersion in darkness for 30 min in LaCl3 solution or 1 h in a solution of CaCl2, MgCl2, or the calcium chelator EGTA, each sporangiophore was adapted to a blue light beam (1 W m-2) for 45 min by rotation around its vertical axis. Cessation of rotation defined the onset of the phototropic stimulus, at which time the intensity was reduced by as much as 10(3)-fold. For a 10(2)-fold reduction (to 10(-2) W m-2), immersion in CaCl2 (10-100 microM) reduces the latency 13 min for the early bending component and 18 min for the late component, whereas treatment with the calcium-channel blocker lanthanum (0.1-11 microM LaCl3) increases the latency 12 min for the early component and 13 min for the late component. EGTA (10 microM) also had an inhibitory effect, increasing the latency of the first and the second components by 7 and 10 min, respectively. In experiments performed similarly, but without the light adaptation treatment after immersion, no differences between calcium-treated and control sporangiophores were found. The bending rates of both components show only a weak dependence on calcium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

STUDIES ON THERMOSTABILITY OF MODEL MoO_4 TETRAHEDRA

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SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES ON THE STRUCTURES OF RETINOCHROME and METARETINOCHROME*

Abstract– Spectroscopic measurements of retinochrome and the related photoproduct, metaretino-chrome, were carried out to determine the conformation of the retinal and the protein. Absorption spectra with fourth derivatives indicate that the tryptophan residues are located in a hydrophobic core and that the environment around these residues does not change after light irradiation. Circular dichroism measurements indicate that retinochrome has a high helical content which is not altered by the conversion of retinochrome to metaretinochrome. Fourier transform infrared difference spectra demonstrate that retinochrome has the all-trans retinal and metaretinochrome has the 11-CM retinal. Retinochrome has an absorption due to amino acid residue(s) which changes in metaretinochrome. This work demonstrates that conformational changes are not induced during the conversion but the electrical charge(s) of the protein are changed by irradiation.     

INHIBITION OF LIGHT-DEPENDENT PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS OF SPORANGIOPHORES FROM Phycomyces blakesleeanus BY APPLICATION OF PTERIDINE BIOSYNTHESIS INHIBITORS*†

Abstract— In the zygomycete Phycomyces blakesleeanus the morphogenesis of both macrosporangiophores and microsporangiophores is under separate control of different blue-light photoreceptors. Blue light represses microphorogenesis and enhances macrophorogenesis. Both, flavins and pterins are discussed as possible components of these blue-light photoreceptors. 2,4-Diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) was shown to be an inhibitor of GTP-cyclohydrolase I, the initial enzyme of pteridine biosynthesis, in vitro and in vivo in Phycomyces. When grown on agar plates containing 5 mM of DAHP, Phycomyces shows a 6.0-fold reduction of light-dependent enhancement of macrophorogenesis, and microphorogenesis was 3.1 times less repressed when compared with controls grown without DAHP. This implies a participation of pteridines in blue-light photoreception in both phenomena, with greater influence on macrophorogenesis enhancement than on microphorogenesis repression.     

STUDIES ON GRAFT COPOLYMERIZATION OF DL-LACTIDE ON CORN STARCH AND BIODEGRADABILITY OF THE COPOLYMERS

1.INTRODUCTIONItiswellknownthataliphaticpolyestershaveahighlevelofbiodegradabilityandstarchwasakindoftotallybiodegradablenaturalpolymermaterial[1,2].Thebiodegradabilityofthealiphaticpolyesters/starchgraftcopolymerswereinvestigatedextensively[3-6].Thepresentpaperrelatestoaprocedureforpreparingastarch/D,L-lactidegraftcopolymer,akindofhydrophobic,totallybiodegradableproducthavinggoodwater-resistanceandmechanicalproperties.ThegraftcopolymersweresynthesizedbyreactingD,L-lactidewithcornstarchi…     

IMAGE ANALYZER USED FOR DATA ACQUISITION IN PHOTOTROPISM STUDIES

Abstract— Equipment (video system and goniometric device) developed for the automatic acquisition of data, which can generally be used for testing movement responses of small organisms is presented. This relatively cheap setup, especially designed for kinetic testing of phycomyces phototropism, could also be used with very slight modifications to study phototropism in higher plants and even for other purposes in the study of cell and organism movements. It permits continuous automatic observation of bending angle as a function of time. The goniometric device permits a complete geometrical localization of the object to be analyzed, even time-dependent if needed. The video-system hardware consists of a CCD-video camera (with a sensitivity maximum between 700 and 800 nm), light source (equipped with an IR-filter), video monitor, video card (for image digitalization), video recorder, computer and computer interface. The last assures (through a parallel port of the computer) complete control of the setup; time coordination between computer, lamp, camera and video recorder is thus ensured. Both real time processing and analysis of previously recorded data can be performed. The system permits automatic observation of experiments over long time periods and provides a large amount of data assuring good statistics, which can be analysed quickly.     

STUDIES ON THE RED AND BLUE FORMS OF THE PIGMENT OF BLEPHARISMA*

Abstract— –The intracellular pigment of the ciliate protozoan Blepharisma in the presence of oxygen sensitizes the cells to bright visible light (2700 foot candles (fc)). Illumination of the cells with dim visible light (200 fc) changes the color of the pigment to blue-gray; such cells are no longer sensitive to bright visible light. The pigment which exists in granules can be extruded by cold treatment and is slowly regenerated. The suspension of red cells, the extruded pigment from them and an ethanol extract of the pigment all have very similar absorption spectra. Illumination of the red pigment in ethanol converts it to the blue form of the pigment but only if oxygen is present, indicating a photooxidation. The pigment can be oxidized in darkness to the blue form by ozonation. A suspension of blue cells, the extruded pigment from them and an ethanol extract from them, all have similar absorption spectra. The pigments in red and blue form are very similar spectrophotometrically and in solubility in three species of Blepharisma studies: B. americanum, B. intermedium and B. japonicum. The purified pigment has strong absorption in the far (200–300 nm) ultraviolet (u.v.) and may serve as a screen against damaging U.V. radiation, especially as Blepharisma shows poor photoreactivation.     

STUDIES ON THE CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF LUMINOL IN DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE AND DIMETHYLSULFOXIDE-WATER MIXTURES*

Abstract— The absorption, fluorescence, and chemiluminescence (CL) characteristics of luminol have been studied in basic dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and various basic DMSO — water mixed solvents. It has been shown that the luminol dianion can be produced quantitatively in carefully deoxygenated ‘dry’ DMSO using potassium t-butyl alcoholate (BTO) as the base. A direct correlation has been found between the intensity of CL and the concentration of luminol dianion, Indicating that the dianion is the reactive species in the chemiluminescent reaction in DMSO. Increasing concentrations of water in the mixed solvents greatly reduced the CL intensity because of the decrease in luminol dianion concentration. Solvent effects on the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalic acid samples was noted and identified. Chemiluminescent spectra of luminol were run as a function of solvent composition, and compared with fluorescence spectra in the same media. The need for correcting these spectra for comparison was noted. Stopped flow kinetic studies were run in DMSO and DMSO-water mixtures. These data can be interpreted on the basis of two second-order steps and one first-order step in the reaction. The first-order step is probably last and probably arises from decomposition of a ‘peroxy’ intermediate. The rate constant for this step is k= 1·2±0·3×10^-1 sec^-1.     

ESCA STUDIES ON SURFACE COMPOSITION OF SEGMENTED POLYURETHANE

Segmented polyurethanes (SPU) have been used as an important biomedical material, of which the hemocompatibility is determined mainly by the surface properties of the polymer. ESCA has. been used in the present study to characterize the surface composition of SPU samples with different degree of phase segregation. Our experimental results show that (1) the ratio of O/N on polymer-air interface is greater than that in the bulk, i. e., more soft segment is found on the surface than in the bulk average; (2) the soft segment is more abundant on the surface for the sample with better phase segregation; (3) within about 50A thickness of the air facing side the composition variation of the sample with better phase segregation is greater than the sample with poor phase segregation.     

STUDIES ON CRITICAL CONCENTRATION OF LIQUID CRYSTALLINE ETHYLCELLULOSE

Critical concentrations of lyotropic liquid crystalline ethylcellulose in more than tensolvents were determined using both Abbe refractometer and polarized microscopy. Criti-cal concentration C_(crit) of forming liquid crystal phase decreased with increasing solubilityparameter δ of solvent until approaching the δ of polymer. Although the alcohols usedas solvents had the same variation rule, the critical concentration values of their solutionswere much higher, due to their excessive large hydrogen bond component of δ. The experi-ments of using mixed solvents which showed good linear relation between C_(crit) and δ alsoproved this rule. A technique of Transmission Optical Analysis was first used to estimatethe concentration dependence of critical phase transition temperature T_(crit) of EC, and aT-C phase diagram could be drawn.     

STUDIES ON ENHANCED CONDUCTIVITY OF STRETCHED CONDUCTING POLYMERS

A physical model of series of the conductivity on chain and the interchain conductivitybetween chains is proposed to explain enhanced conductivity of stretched conducting polymers.This model suggests that the enhanced conductivity for stretched conducting polymers might bedue to increasing of the interchain conductivity between chains along the elongation direction afterdrawing processes if the conductivity on chain is assumed much larger than that of the interchainconductivity between chains. According to this model, it is expected that the temperaturedependence of conductivity measured by four-probe method for stretched conducting polymers iscontrolled by a variation of the interchain conductivity between chains with temperature, whichcan be used to explain that a metallic temperature dependence of conductivity for stretchedconducting polymers is not observed although the conductivity along the elongation direction isenhanced by two or three orders of magnitude.     

STUDIES ON THE OXIDATION AND GRAFT COPOLYMERIZATION OF POLYETHERS

Polyethers could form hydroperoxide under air-oxidation or photo-oxidation in the presence of H_2O_2. The scission of ether linkage induced by moderate oxidation was prevented by controlling the reaction time and hydroperoxide concentration. The oxidation rate was affected by the end groups of polyethers. The decreasing order of oxidation rate for various poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol derivatives having different end groups are as follows: poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMG)>poly(tetramethylene ether)acetate (PTMGAC) >poly(tetramethylene ether) phenyl carbamate (PTMGPC). The urethane end groups in PTMGPC increase the resistance toward oxidation. Polyether hydroperoxide reacts with ferrous ion or N,N-dimethyl toluidine (DMT) to form polymericoxy radical which then initiates the graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers at low temperature, and was devoid of homopolymerization. The copolymer after separation and purification was proved to be a graft one by IR analysis and elemental analysis.     

STUDIES ON THE POLYMERIZATION OF 2,2,6,6-TETRAMETHYL PIPERIDINYL METHACRYLATE

The radical homo-and co-polymerization of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl piperidinyl methacrylate (TM-PM) with various initiators have been studied. It was found that, with azo-type initiators, the poly-merization proceeded readily, while with acyl peroxide initiators, the polymerization was inhibitedeffectively because of the formation of the stable TMPM-oxyl radical, identified by ESR. Thisobservation was further confirmed by the absence of inhibition effect on the addition of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl 4-piperidinol to the polymerization system, whereas remarkable inhibition was observed onthe addition of the stable 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl 4-piperidinol N-oxyl radical. The reaction mecha-nism was discussed. We also found that when TMPM reacted with BPO in petroleum ether, N-benzoyloxy 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl 4-piperidinyl methacrylate was formed, and this novel compound has been characterizedwith IR, ESR, NMR and Mass Spectroscopy.     

STUDIES ON POLYMERIZATION KINETICS OF METHYL METHACRYLATE AT HIGH CONVERSION

The bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate which was carried out in a metallic dilatometer and in a differential scanning calorimeter has been studied over the complete course of the reaction. An attempt was made to quantitatively express the relation on the onset of gel effect and the final conversion with polymerization conditions such as temperature, kinds and concentration of initiators. It was demonstrated further that the final conversion of polymerization in homogeneous ideal systems is only dependent upon the reaction temperature.     

STUDIES ON POLYSILOXANE-POLYSTYRENE COMPOSITE LATEXES

Polysiloxane-polystyrene composite latexes were prepared by two-stage emulsionpolymerization. Polymerization of styrene in swollen polysiloxane latex particles were studied.Formation of simple polystyrene particle in the 2nd-stage polymerization depends on the particlesize of the lst-stage latex and the polymerization temperature. Polystyrene domains in thevulcanizates reinforce the silicone rubbers effectively.