Nuclear-cytoplasmic relations in the mitosis of sea urchin eggs. IV. Modification of gamma-radiation-induced damage to sperm in whole eggs and in haploid and diploid half-eggs.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SEARCH · Search PubMed
Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Phosphatase activities in sea urchin eggs and plutei were investigated by means of histochemical staining of immunoprecipitates. Two protein fractions were obtained by extraction in a hypotonic medium and by detergent treatment of the residual pellet. Three distinctly different phosphatase activities were discerned, nucleoside diphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.6.), acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2.) and alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1.). The nucleoside diphosphatase activity, which was confined to one antigen, was present in both water soluble and detergent extracts and at roughly the same concentration in eggs and plutei. By means of a monospecific antiserum the immunological identify of this antigen was established in all instances. The acid phosphatase activity, which was displayed by ten detergent extracted antigens in eggs, was only found in five detergent extracted antigens in plutei. This decrease in number of enzyme active antigens was also reflected by a general decrease in number of enzyme active antigens was also reflected by a general decrease in activity as assessed by quantitative determinations. Furthermore, by means of absorbed antisera it was established that two or three of the acid phosphatase active antigens were "egg specific". Another acid phosphatase active antigen, which was common to both developmental stages, was investigated by a monospecific antiserum. While this antigen was found in both soluble fractions, it was only enzymatically active when extracted with detergent. Alkaline phosphatase active antigens were only found in the detergent extract of plutei. However, immunoprecipitates with this activity appeared both with antiserum against unfertilized eggs and with antiserum against plutei. This suggests that the egg contained the antigens in an enzymatically inactive form.
In order to study the sperm-egg recognition mechanism on the surface of the plasma membrane, zonae were removed from mouse eggs by exposure to acidic conditions. Sperm binding to denuded eggs was then observed in the presence of various sugars. Among several carbohydrates tested, only glucosamine (GlcN) was found to increase the number of sperm bound to eggs while inhibiting sperm-egg fusion. The inhibition was reversible; when denuded eggs were transferred to a GlcN free medium, a high rate of polyspermy was observed.
Trypsin-like protease in sea urchin eggs is thought to reside in cortical granules since it is secreted at fertilization and has been isolated with cortical granule fractions from unfertilized eggs. A 35-kDa serine protease has been purified from Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs by soybean trypsin inhibitor-affinity chromatography. For this report the protease was localized by immunocytochemistry before and after fertilization, and its potential biological activity was examined by application of the isolated enzyme to the unfertilized egg surface. The protease was localized on sections by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, and was found to reside in the spiral lamellae of S. purpuratus cortical granules and in the electron-dense stellate core of Arbacia punctulata granules. At fertilization the enzyme is secreted into the perivitelline space and accumulates only very briefly between the hyaline layer and the nascent fertilization envelope. Shortly thereafter the enzyme is lost from the perivitelline space and immunological reactivity is no longer associated with the egg surface. The 35-kDa cortical granule protease has vitelline delaminase activity but does not appear to destroy vitelline envelope sperm receptors as judged by the fertility of protease-treated eggs.
The mean sperm concentration of 10 blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus ) was 1.03 x 10(10) per gram of testis. Testis weighed 3.9 and 17.2 g, with a mean of 6.6 g per fish. Fertilization rate of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus ) eggs fertilized with 5.00 x 10(4) to 1.20 x 10(7) blue catfish spermatozoa per egg was 17 to 87%, with an overall mean of 65%. Sperm concentrations of 5.0 x 10(4)/egg exhibited a lower, 16.6% (P < 0.05) fertilization rate than higher sperm concentrations (1.25 x 10(5) to 1.20 x 10(8)/egg). Batches of 450, 2,000, 5,000, 8,000 and 11,000 eggs were similarly fertilized with various sperm concentrations. Mean fertility rate ranged from 25 to 67%, with an overall mean of 53%. The largest egg mass produced the lowest (P < 0.05) fertilization rate. A combination of 450 eggs per batch and 5.0 x 10(5) to 1.20 x (8) sperm per egg produced the highest rate of fertilization (67 to 87%).
1. Synthetic Aplysia egg-laying hormone (ELH-lysine-amide) elicited egg laying in Stylocheilus at a threshold dose of 0.5 microgram per recipient, estimated to be a concentration in the circulation of Stylocheilus of approximately 70 nM. 2. Threshold level and size of egg mass produced by ELH-lysine-amide and bag cell extracts (containing biological ELH) were not significantly different. Latency to lay of recipients of 0.5-4.0 micrograms ELH-lysine-amide (30 +/- 1 min) was significantly longer (P less than 0.05) than for bag cell extract recipients (21 +/- 1 min). 3. ELH-lysine-amide depolarized and activated action potentials in Aplysia buccal neuron B16 in high magnesium, low calcium medium. 4. The lowest concentration of ELH-lysine-amide to activate a supra-threshold response of left and right B16 neurons ranged from 250 nM to 1 microM. 5. Threshold levels for responses to synthetic ELH-lysine-amide and to biological ELH were approximately the same in both egg-laying assay and electrophysiological assay, indicating the likely identity of synthetic and biological ELH. However, the shorter egg-laying latency with bag cell extract suggests that there may be additional factors in the extract that facilitate egg laying.
The presence of helminth eggs (Ascaris eggs) in sewage sludge may constitute a sanitary risk when used as agricultural fertiliser. Sanitisation of sewage sludge can be achieved by treatment with quick lime, a process that destroys sludge pathogens in two ways: pH increase and temperature rise. Among the pathogens of epidemiological relevance, Ascaris eggs are the most resistant to liming, and, hence, may serve as indicators of hygienic quality of biosolids. This research aims at defining, between 50 degrees C and 60 degrees C, the time required in the case of limed sludge to obtain a product with a negligible level of viable Ascaris eggs. To achieve this objective, investigations on inactivation kinetics of Ascaris eggs were conducted in the following products: contaminated milk of lime; naturally contaminated sludge treated with slaked lime and heat; naturally contaminated sludge treated with quick lime; and sludge treated at full scale with quick lime. For the inactivation kinetics where a negligible level of Ascaris eggs was reached, the inactivation threshold was determined. Depending on the experimental situation, the inactivation threshold period was found to fluctuate between 5 and 75 min at 55 degrees C and between 1 and 8 min at 60 degrees C.
Eggs of several metazoans have been demonstrated to express integrins; however, their function is unclear. Previous studies have shown that the betaC integrin subunit is expressed on unfertilized sea urchin eggs and proteolytically removed at fertilization. Here we report that the betaC subunit is reexpressed on the egg surface immediately after fertilization. Using morpholino antisense oligonucleotides to block translation, we show that without betaC expression, eggs undergo cleavage resulting in loosely adherent cells that fail to develop beyond a blastula. Without betaC containing integrins, the cortical actin network of the egg does not form, yet contractile rings appear. Coinjection of RNA encoding the betaC or chicken beta1 subunit, but lacking the morpholino target sequence, rescues the cortical actin network and normal embryos result. Coinjection of RNA encoding the betaC subunit lacking the cytoplasmic domain fails to rescue. These studies demonstrate that the cortical actin cytoskeleton is anchored by betaC integrins and contractile ring actin is not. We suggest that one important function of egg integrins is to organize the actin cortex.
An isotope dilution liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method is presented for the simultaneous analysis of several 5-nitroimidazole-based veterinary drugs, which are dimetridazole (DMZ), ronidazole (RNZ), metronidazole (MNZ), ipronidazole (IPZ), and their hydroxylated metabolites (DMZOH, MNZOH, and IPZOH), in egg (fresh egg, whole egg powder, and egg yolk powder) and chicken meat. Data acquisition was achieved by applying multiple reaction monitoring, and quantitation was performed by means of five deuterated internal standards (ISs), namely, DMZ-d3, RNZ-d3, IPZ-d3, DMZOH-d3, and IPZOH-d3, whereas MNZ and MNZOH were quantitated using DMZOH-d3. At the lowest fortification levels (i.e., 0.5 microg/kg for fresh egg and chicken meat and 1.0 microg/kg for other egg-based matrices) and for compounds having their own corresponding deuterated analogue used as an IS, acceptable performance data were obtained (corrected recoveries, 88-111%; decision limits, 0.07-0.36 microg/kg; detection capabilities, 0.11-0.60 microg/kg; and within-lab precision, < or = 15%). The method failed to give acceptable quantitative results for MNZ and MNZOH due to the unavailability of the corresponding deuterated ISs. Nevertheless, a reliable identification of these two analytes at levels < or = 1 microg/kg was still feasible.
The aim of this study was to determine whether edrophonium induces dyspeptic symptoms and/or gastric myoelectric changes in normal subjects and patients with functional dyspepsia. Eighteen normal controls and 28 patients with functional dyspepsia underwent electrogastrography (EGG) with edrophonium administration. After EGG recording with 1-hr fasting and 2-hr postprandial periods, subjects received an intravenous infusion of saline (placebo) followed by edrophonium 10 mg. After each injection, the EGG was recorded for 15 min and symptoms scored. Patients with functional dyspepsia had significantly more frequent gastrointestinal symptoms in response to edrophonium than normal controls. Edrophonium had no effect on EGG dominant frequency, but increased the power of the dominant frequency in both controls and dyspeptic patients. In the dyspeptic patients, reproduction of the patient's symptoms was associated with an increase in the power of the dominant frequency, whereas when no symptoms were produced, there was no change in power. Overall, 21 of 28 dyspeptic patients (75%) had either an abnormal baseline EGG (N=10) or a normal EGG and positive edrophonium test (N=11). In conclusion, edrophonium administration can reproduce symptoms in some dyspeptic patients. Symptoms after edrophonium administration may be related to either more vigorous gastric contractions and/or increased visceral perception of normal gastric contractions.
1. The effects of initial egg mass (IEM) and percentage mass loss during incubation (%ML) on hatchability of rock partridge eggs were investigated. 2. Eggs at the extremes of IEM had lower fertility and embryonic mortality. 3. Eggs at the extremes of %ML also had low fertility and hatchability was disproportionately reduced in eggs that had lost less mass during incubation. 4. Chick mass was a function of both IEM and mass lost during incubation. 5. In these respects rock partridge eggs are similar to that of other domesticated species of poultry.
White Leghorn (LS) and Australorp (AS) lines selected for short oviposition interval and their control lines (LC and AC), together with three strains of Australian commercial layers, were evaluated for crossbreeding performance. The estimates of selection effect on crossbreeding performance in lines LS and AS respectively were 3.5% and 15.2% for survivors' egg number, -3.3% and -2.0% for average egg weight, and 4.3% and 7.4% for efficiency of food utilisation. Compared to the commercial strains, the LS X AS cross was 13 to 15% higher for egg number, 7 to 10% lower for egg weight and 2 to 7% better for efficiency of food utilisation. The LC X AC cross laid more but smaller eggs than the commercial strains. This raised the question of how effective conventional selection in the commercial nucleus flocks had been in improving egg number in the previous 10 years, a period when the control lines had been bred without deliberate selection.
1. In field trials, eggs from two flocks of Large White turkey hens were injected with about 0.2 ml saline solution containing 600 micrograms of pyridoxine hydrochloride in order to examine its effect on hatchability. 2. Also, in an aseptic laboratory trial, eggs from Large White turkey hens were injected with 0.2 ml of saline solution and 0.2 ml of saline solution containing 600 micrograms of pyridoxine hydrochloride. 3. In field trials, hatchability of pyridoxine-injected eggs was 4.6% higher (P less than 0.05) than the control (non-injected) eggs. 4. In the aseptic laboratory trial, hatchability of pyridoxine-injected eggs was 4.2% higher (P less than 0.05) than saline-injected and control (non-injected) eggs.
Number of ovarioles, egg production, and weight of unfed and bloodfed Tabanus fuscicostatus Hine females were related linearly to wing length. Wing length did not change whether flies were freshly thawed, preserved in formalin solution, or oven dried. Left and right wings were similar in length. The length from the costa to the anterior cross vein or to the intersection of R4 and R5 veins was associated linearly to wing length. The number of eggs produced by flies bloodfed on one or two bovine hosts was similar when adjusted by wing length. The average number of ovarioles per female was 277 +/- 50 (+/- SD), and eggs developed in only 63% of the ovarioles after a bloodmeal. An estimated 3.1 eggs were produced for each milligram of blood ingested by a fly, and the average bloodmeal size was 110% of the unfed weight of the flies (49.7 mg). Egg volume was unrelated to body size, but was associated inversely with the number of eggs produced per female.
A line (E) of turkeys selected long-term (37 generations) for increased egg production was reciprocally crossed with its randombred control population (RBC1) that served as the base population of the E line to study the influence of long-term selection on the development of nonadditive genetic variation for egg production and body weight traits. Heterosis was significant for BW at 8, 16, and 20 wk of age and at 50% production (females only). At 16 and 20 wk of age, heterosis for BW was significant only for male offspring. No heterosis was observed in the reciprocal crosses for egg production when measured for 84, 180, or 250 d. Heterosis was significant for rate of response to stimulatory lighting of 14 h light per day (days from stimulatory lighting to production of first egg). Based on data for a 250-d production period, heterosis was observed in average clutch length but not in total days lost from broodiness or the effective length of the laying period (250-d lost in periods of 5 or more consecutive d at the end of the laying period). The present results suggest that long-term selection for increased egg production and the correlated decrease in BW increased the relative nonadditive genetic variation in BW. Reciprocal effects were significant for BW at 8 and 16 wk of age, probably due to a large difference in egg weight between the E and RBC1 lines.
The response of various anuran and urodele eggs to a brief rotation prior to first cleavage were observed. In all instances, the dorsal lip formed on the side of the egg which opposed gravity during the rotation. The ability of egg rotation to prevent the series of developmental abnormalities associated with UV irradiation of the uncleaved egg was also examined. Anuran and urodele eggs responded to those manipulations in a similar fashion. These results should facilitate future studies on the mechanisms involved in the establishment of the dorsal/ventral polarity of the amphibian egg.