Translocation and radio-telemetry monitoring of pygmy marmoset, Cebuella pygmaea (Spix, 1823), in the Brazilian Amazon

Two groups of pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) were rescued along the left bank of the Madeira River during the formation of Santo Antônio Hydroelectric Dam reservoir in the state of Rondônia, Northern Brazil. Reintroduction of both groups occurred in areas of open Tropical rainforest located within the project´s Permanent Preservation Area. A post-release monitoring was conducted for three months using radio-telemetry. Individuals of each group remained together and settled in stable home ranges near their respective release sites. The mortality rate of translocated animals was about 7%. This seems to be the first report documenting the complete group translocation of C. pygmaea and the first to successfully employ radio-telemetry techniques in monitoring this species. This study demonstrated the feasibility of translocation and the use of radio-telemetry in monitoring C. pygmaea.

Structures and homologies of carbohydrate: phosphotransferase system (PTS) proteins

The bacterial phosphotransferase system (PTS) is the major transport system for many carbohydrates that are phosphorylated concomitantly with the translocation step through the membrane (group translocation). It consists of two general proteins, enzyme I and histidine protein (HPr), and a series of more than 15 substrate-specific enzymes II (ElI). The sequences of several of these derived from Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were compared, which allowed the possible identification of the following functional domains: membrane-bound pore, substrate-binding site, linker domains, transphosphorylation domain and primary phosphorylation site. Several Ells have been analysed in the meantime, also by topological .tests, by sequential deletion of the corresponding structural genes, and by construction of intergenic hybrids between different domains of several Ells. These data suggest evolutionary relationships between different Ells; they also enable a general model to be constructed of Ells as carbohydrate transport systems, phosphotransferases, chemoreceptors in chemotaxis and as part of a global regulatory network.

Sucrose Accumulation in Red Beet Vacuoles by UDP Glucose-Dependent Group Translocation — Fact or Artefact?

Beetroot vacuoles obtained by slicing or enzymic techniques incorporated UDP[14C] glucose predominantly into an ethanol insoluble product. No labelled sucrose was detected. Chromatographic separations and kinetic experiments suggested the results were due to glucan synthase II (EC 2.4.1.34). Evidence is presented that this enzyme can account for many of the features previously attributed to the proposed UDPglucose-dependent group translocation mechanism for sucrose transport into red beet vacuoles. The possible interference by glucan synthase II in experiments published previously is discussed.