PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R R Brooks

Publications and source records attributed to R R Brooks.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Inhibition of bacteriophage-Q beta ribonucleic acid polymerase by guanosine triphosphate analogues.

Sixteen compounds related to GTP were evaluated as inhibitors of bacteriophage-Q beta poly(C)-dependent poly(G) polymerase. Non-phosphorylated compounds, including guanine, guanosine and deoxyguanosine, were inactive. Phosphorylated compounds gave significant inhibition at millimolar concentrations. For nucleotides the feature important for inhibition was the 5'-phosphate chain. Four triphosphates, XTP, ITP, 7-methyl-GTP and 2'-O-methyl-GTP, gave 50% inhibition of both the poly(C)- and poly(U2,C)-dependent reactions at concentrations from 0.1 to 5 mM. XTP was 10-fold more potent an inhibitor of the reaction with poly(U2,C) as template. None of these four compounds was able to substitute for GTP as substrate to a significant extent. The most active compound, 2'-O-methyl-GTP, was a competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.4 mM) of GTP in the poly(C)-dependent reaction.

Coliphages↗
PubMed1979

Nickel uptake by Flacourtiaceae of New Caledonia.

Herbarium and field specimens (over 300) of all of the Flacourtiaceae of New Caledonia were analysed for nickel in order to identify hyperaccumulators (greater than 1000 microgram/g dry mass) and to assess nickel accumulation in relation to the evolutionary status of 'nickel plants' of New Caledonia. One hyperaccumulator was identified in the genus Lasiochlamys, ten among Xylosoma, one among Casearia and seven among Homalium. Although these Homalium nickel plants had previously been recorded, fresh data for these and other Homalium are presented. The remarkable tolerance of Flacourticeae to ultrabasic rocks is shown by the fact that 75% of the species are found on such substrates. The number of hyperaccumulators was greatest in the genera Xylosoma and Homalium. The Flacourtiaceae are among the most primitive of all angiosperms and in common with other primitive hyperaccumulators, contain nickel as a complex with citric acid. The only advanced New Caledonian nickel plant (Psychotria douarrei) has most of its nickel bound with ligands other than citric acid, a feature of other advanced hyperaccumulators. It is postulated that nickel complexing with citric acid may be a primitive character. Most of the New Caledonian nickel plants belong to the order Violales of subclass Dilleniidae. It is suggested that hyperaccumulation of nickel is an evolutionary character which occurs in long-indisturbed floras such as that of New Caledonia.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1979

Hyperaccumulation of nickel by Alyssum Linnaeus (Cruciferae).

Herbarium specimens of all except one of the 168 recognized species of Alyssum Linnaeus have been analysed for their nickel content in order to identify hyperaccumulators (greater than 1000 microgram per g dry mass) of nickel. A further 31 hyperaccumulators (all in section Odontarrhena) were discovered in addition to the 14 European species reported earlier. Pot trials on the non-accumulator A. serpyllifolium Desfontaines and the hyperaccumulator A. pintodasilvae Dudley in ed. involving addition of nickel to the medium in which the plants were growing, showed that not all species of of section Odontarrhena were able to act as hyperaccumulators of nickel. Hyperaccumulation occurred almost exclusively in the eastern Mediterranean area and Turkey. There appeared to be a definite correlation between species diversity, proliferation and endemism on the one hand, and extremely high nickel concentrations (greater than 1%) on the other. The data have been used to assess the evidence for promoting section Odontarrhena to generic rank.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1978

Substrate, metal and template effects on inhibition of bacteriophage-qbeta ribonucleic acid polymerase by ortho- and pyro-phosphate.

Two reactions of bacteriophage-Qbeta RNA polymerase with synthetic templates were characterized and used to study the effects of substrate, metal and template on inhibition by Pi and PPi. Analysis of the poly(C)-dependent reaction yielded results on kinetics, GTP-dependence, preference for Mn2+ over Mg2+, and Michaelis constants for template similar to those in the literature. New data are provided for the poly(U2,C)-dependent reaction. Our results suggest that GTP and Mn2+ can form relatively stable complexes with the polymerase and that such complexes change the interaction of the enzyme with the inhibitors, Pi and PPi.

Coliphages↗
PubMed1978

Blood lead levels in sheep exposed to automotive emissions.

The lead content of whole blood of 62 sheep grazed continuously for 6 months near a major highway was compared with 38 sheep from a nearby uncontaminated area. Mean values of 0.90 and 0.20 microgram/ml were obtained. Four sheep from the contaminated area were placed in an uncontaminated paddock and the lead content of the blood decreased rapidly during the first 10 days and thereafter more slowly. After 185 days, blood lead levels had still not quite reached normal levels. Animal from an uncontaminated area showed an immediate rise in the blood lead levels when placed near a major highway. Sheep placed in a concrete pen away from motor vehicle exhaust emissions showed a rise in lead levels when fed with forage cut from the verges of a busy highway. Sheep placed near a highway and fed with forage from an uncontaminated area showed an increase of lead levels in the blood, comparable to that of the previous experiment. It was concluded that lead uptake by ingestion of polluted forage and by inhalation of airborne particulates are both mechanisms responsible for enhanced lead levels in ovine blood.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Digestion of fish samples for mercury determination by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Methods of digestion of fish samples for mercury determination by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry have been investigated. Digestion in Teflon bombs, Kjeldahl flasks, or borosilicate test tubes gives comparable precisions and mercury recoveries. Because of their cost and effect in limiting productivity, Teflon bombs were considered unnecessary for analysis of fish samples. Experiments with cooked and uncooked fish samples have confirmed that no appreciable loss of mercury occurs during baking 30 min at 170 degrees C.

Fish Products↗