Hepatic acid hydrolases of albino rats,Mastomys natalensis and albino mice duringPlasmodium berghei infection

Summary Changes in liver acid hydrolase activities during the infection of albino rats,Mastomys or mice withPlasmodium berghei are described. B-Glucosidase, B-galactosidase and N-acetyl-B-D-glucosaminidase exhibited widely different responses with acid phosphatase and cathepsin-B the least responsive and are likely to be causally related to immunity of animals.     

In vitro reactivation of anaphase spindle elongation using isolated diatom spindles

A key step for analysing the mechanochemistry of mitosis would be the isolation of a functional spindle capable of anaphase chromosome movement in vitro. Although Mazia and Dan first isolated spindles in 1952, with one or two possible exceptions, isolated spindles are non-functional. An alternative approach has used permeabilized cells to study anaphase chromosome movement, but these preparations are biochemically and morphologically complex, and hence difficult to analyse. We describe here a simple procedure for isolating diatom spindles which are capable of anaphase spindle elongation in vitro. With addition of ATP, the two half-spindles slide completely apart, with concomitant decrease in the zone of overlap. Electron microscopy reveals decreased numbers of microtubules throughout the spindle after ATP addition and confirms the complete absence of structures beyond the spindle poles. These results are inconsistent with theoretical models of mitosis which suggest that spindle poles are pushed apart by microtubule growth, are pulled apart by external forces applied to the poles, or are released from tension generated during spindle formation. The results are consitent with models that postulate mechanical interactions in the zone of microtubule overlap as a factor in spindle elongation.     

Negative phototaxis inDrosophila associated with a morphological change in the compound eye

Summary The ultrastructure of the compound eyes of several photonegative selection lines and their unselected photopositive controls of five species of themelanogaster subgroup was analyzed. A qualitative phenotypic change concerning the rhabdomeres in one of the photonegative selection lines ofD. mauritiana could be detected. It was proved that this structural aberration of the rhabdomeres is caused by a parallel mutation of the mutantora (outer rhabdomeres absent) ofD. melanogaster.     

Lack of mutagenicity of irradiated glucose in Salmonella typhimurium using host-mediated assay

Experiments were conducted to study the ability of irradiated glucose to induce reverse mutations in S. typhimurium by host-mediated assay. The results revealed no significant increase in the frequency of reverse mutations compared to controls.     

Marine indoles of novel substitution pattern from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp.

Summary 4,6-Dibromoindole and 4,6-dibromo-2-methylindole have been isolated from the acorn wormGlossobalanus sp. The biosynthetic implications of this finding are discussed.We wish to thank Prof. Paul J. Scheuer, University of Hawaii for his encouragement and for use of his facilities during spectroscopic work. T.H. gratefully acknowledges the giving of a travel grant by the University of the Ryukyus Foundation for International Exchange.     

Role of active oxygen species in diethyldithiocarbamate-induced gastric ulcer in the rat

Diethyldithiocarbamate, an inhibitor of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, was recently found to be ulcerogenic in the rat stomach, and active oxygen species were found to be responsible for its ulcerogenicity. To clarify which active oxygen species play a role in ulcerogenesis, the effects of various scavengers and iron-chelators were studied. As superoxide dismutase and catalase reduced the ulcerogenesis induced by diethyldithiocarbamate, the superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide were considered to play a pathogenic role in this ulcer model.     

Inactivation of muscle chloride channel by transposon insertion in myotonic mice.

MYOTONIA (stiffness and impaired relaxation of skeletal muscle) is a symptom of several diseases caused by repetitive firing of action potentials in muscle membranes. Purely myotonic human diseases are dominant myotonia congenita (Thomsen) and recessive generalized myotonia (Becker), whereas myotonic dystrophy is a systemic disease. Muscle hyperexcitability was attributed to defects in sodium channels and/or to a decrease in chloride conductance (in Becker's myotonia and in genetic animal models). Experimental blockage of Cl- conductance (normally 70-85% of resting conductance in muscle) in fact elicits myotonia. ADR mice are a realistic animal model for recessive autosomal myotonia. In addition to Cl- conductance, many other parameters are changed in muscles of homozygous animals. We have now cloned the major mammalian skeletal muscle chloride channel (ClC-1). Here we report that in ADR mice a transposon of the ETn family has inserted into the corresponding gene, destroying its coding potential for several membrane-spanning domains. Together with the lack of recombination between the Clc-1 gene and the adr locus, this strongly suggests a lack of functional chloride channels as the primary cause of mouse myotonia.     

Influence of pinealectomy on corticotropin (ACTH)

Sensory deprivation produced by removing the eyes and olfactory bulbs in male rats allowed pinealectomy to markedly augment the post-adrenalectomy elevation of ACTH levels. Pineal removal or sensory deprivation separately did not have this effect. Thus, intact sensory input and an intact pineal gland are independently capable of restricting the post-adrenalectomy rise in ACTH levels.