Allantoinase in the marine polychaeteEudistylia vancouveri

Summary Allantoinase, an enzyme in the purine-urea cycle, was found inEudistylia vancouveri (Polychaeta). The enzyme had a pH optimum at 7.6 TheK _m was 0.012M allantoin, and the Arrhenius energy of activation was 12.6 to 14.6 kcal/mol.Supported by the U. S. National Science Foundation (Institutional Grant) and by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Grant No. T-900204 (WP-175). Publication No. 10 of the Laboratory of Biochemical Ecology; College of Fisheries Contribution No. 458. We thank Dr.Robert L. Fernald for generously making available to us the facilities of the Friday Harbor Laboratories, Friday Harbor, Washington.     

Occurrence of tetrodotoxin in the starfishAstropecten latespinosus

Summary A toxin causing paralysis was detected in the starfishAstropecten latespinosus. The toxin was purified by a method consisting of charcoal treatment and chromatography on CM-Sephadex C-25 and Bio-Rex 70. The toxin was identified as tetrodotoxin by its behavior in thin-layer chromatography and electrophoresis and its¹H-NMR spectrum.Acknowledgment. This work was in part supported by a research fund from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan.     

(E,E)-10,12-Hexadecadienal: A component of the female sex pheromone of the spiny bollworm,Earias insulana (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Summary (E,E)-10,12-Hexadecadienal has been identified as a component of the sex pheromone of the female spiny bollworm moth,Earias insulana, by gas-chromatographic, electroantennographic and microchemical studies of abdominal tip extracts and entrained volatiles from female moths.This work was carried out under Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food licence HH 11599/139, issued under the Destructive Pests and Diseases of Plants Order 1965.     

Effect of p-nitrophenylglycerol on motility of rat epididymal spermatozoa

Summary Using a convenient capillary tube assay, the antiswarming agent acting onProteus, p-nitrophenylglycerol (PNPG), was found to have produced an antimotility effect in sperms from rat cauda epididymides.Acknowledgment. The authors are grateful to K. C. Tsui and Y. F. Lam of the Hong Kong Agriculture and Fisheries Department for valuable discussion.     

The effects of juvenile hormone analogues on the eggs ofPieris brassicae L.

Summary Mortality was produced in the eggs ofP. brassicae after treatment with 3 juvenile hormone analogues. The mortality was greatest in the early stages of embryonic development.I am grateful to the United Kingdom Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who provided a Research Studentship for this work.     

Two new polyploidXenopus species from western Uganda

Summary 2 new species of the anuran genusXenopus have been found in western Uganda:X. ruwenzoriensis sp.n. with the hexaploid chromosome number of 108 in the Semliki Valley, west of the Ruwenzori, andX. species nova with the tetraploid chromosome number of 72 in and near lake Bunyoni.This work has been made possible by a grant from the Georges and Antoine Claraz Foundation and the permission and help the Uganda Fisheries Department gave us to carry out the field work.     

Peroxidase activity in the sponge,Iotrochota birotulata

Summary The spongeIotrochota birotulata contains a peroxidase which was partially characterized. This is the first report of a peroxidase in Porifera, originally thought to be devoid of such enzymatic activity.This study was supported by grant No. CA 21992 from the National Cancer Institute, DHEW.     

Search for the neurodepressing hormone in a stomatopod,Squilla mantis

Summary Crude extracts ofSquilla mantis eyestalks have no neurodepressing activity in theProcambarus bouvieri bioassay. However, partially purified extracts show a very high level of neurodepressing hormone with the same characteristics as the decapod hormone.This investigation was supported by grant No. 192 from the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, and by a grant from Fondo de Fomento Educativo. We are very thankful to Dr Victor Anaya for performing the bioassays.     

Über die Aktivität der Tyrosinase in Tabaksamen

Summary Water or buffered extracts from tobacco seeds (Mont Calme brun) showed both cresolase and catecholase activity of tyrosinase, which was inhibited by 10^–2 M thiourea. No difference of activity could be observed in extracts from old and fresh seeds. Unexpectedly, chlorogenic acid is not oxidized by this tyrosinase.     

Starfish encounters: An experimental study of its advantages

Summary The predatory starfishCrossaster papposus exploits a chemically mediated escape response in another predatory starfishAsteria rubens when a common food resource is available to both species. Intraspecific avoidance amongC. papposus is strong and functions in dispersal. Responses to inter- and intraspecific encounters among starfish may be important to the predatory ecology of species in high positions in their food webs.I thank the MAFF. Fisheries Lab., Burnham-on-Crouch for hospitality and facilities, Prof. N.B. Marshall, F.R.S. and Dr A.C. Campbell for laboratory facilities at Q.M.C.     

Effect of benzimidazole on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate phosphomonosterase activity in wheat leaves

Summary Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate phosphomonoesterase was isolated and partially purified from wheat (Triticum aestivum L. var. Selkirk) leaves. The enzyme hadK _NADP value of 1.4×10^–4 M and a pH optimum of 5.9.In vitro activity of this enzyme was unaffected by precursors of NAD (nicotinamide and nicotinic acid) or cytokinis (kinetin and benzimidazole). However, when detached wheat leaves were treated with solutions of these compounds, the precursors lowered the specific activity while the cytokinins enhanced the activity. It is suggested that spatial separation and compartmentation of the enzyme and its substrate NADP account for the similar effect of benzimidazole on both.This work was supported by a grant No. A2698 from the National Research Council, Canada.     

Chemotherapeutic effects of 4-isothiocyanato-4′-nitrodiphenylamine (C9333-Go/CGP 4540) on infections withNematospiroides dubius,Hymenolepis diminuta,Hymenolepis nana andSpirometra mansonoides

Summary 4-Isothiocyanato-4-nitrodiphenylamine possessed anthelmintic activity againstNippostrongylus dubius andHymenolepis nana in mice andH. diminuta in rats as determined by both egg counts and recovery of parasites at autopsy. No activity was detected against the cestode,Spirometra mansonoides, in cats.This investigation was supported in part by grants AI-10512 and AI-09483 from the National Institutes of Health. The authors are indebted to Dr P.P. Weinstein for providing animals infected withSpirometra mansonoides.     

HCO 3 − -ATPase activity distribution in rat liver cell fractions prepared by zonal centrifugation

Summary Plasma membrane sheets prepared by zonal centrifugation of a premicrosomal pellet obtained from a rat liver homogenate are devoid of HCO ₃ ^– -ATPase activity. Since the microsomal fraction is also lacking in this ATPase activity, it can be concluded that the HCO ₃ ^– -ATPase is not involved in the secretion of HCO ₃ ^– into bile. Acknowledgments. This investigation was supported in part by grants No. DE-02600 and AM 80686 from the United States Public Health Service. The A-XII zonal rotor is used under subcontract No. 3796 with the Union Carbide Corporation.     

Aplysianin-A,an antibacterial and antineoplastic glycoprotein in the albumen gland of a sea hare,Aplysia kurodai

Summary Aplysianin-A, an antibacterial and antineoplastic factor in the albumen gland of the sea hareAplysia kurodai, was isolated. It had a molecular weight of approximately 320 kD and consisted of subunits with a molecular weight of 85 kD. It contained 9.8% neutral sugar. Aplysianin A showed 50% inhibition ofBacillus subtilis growth at a concentration of 4 g protein/ml and 50% lysis of murine MM46 tumor cells at 14 ng protein/ml. A partial identity of antigenic specificity of the purified specimen with an antineoplastic factor fromAplysia eggs was observed in immunodiffusion tests.Acknowledgment. We are indebted to the staff of Fisheries Research Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo, Maisaka, for the collection of sea hares.     

A chromosome mutation affecting the number of nucleoli inXenopus borealis Parker

Résumé L'examen cytologique de la descendance de 2Xenopus borealis révéla 50% d'individus dotés de noyaux à 1 et 2 nucléoles (situation normale) et 50% à 1, 2 et 3 nucléoles. Le caryotype de ces derniers démontra la présence de 3 organisateurs nucléolaires, au lieu de 2, l'origine de l'élément supplémentaire relevant d'une translocation réciproque entre 4 et 7.

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Supported by a grant (No. 3.60.68) from the Fonds national suisse de la Recherche Scientifique and the George and Antoine Claraz donation.

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Unpublished research in this laboratory has shown thatXenopus laevis borealis (Parker) is a species on its own right and we propose to name itXenopus borealis (Parker).

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Material collected byFischberg andKobel, who express their gratitude to the Fisheries and Game Dept. of Kenya for permission to collect frogs of the genusXenopus.

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Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank Mrs.J. Tymowska and MissE. Ackermann for their technical advice; they are grateful to Mr.J. Jackson, MissM. C. Payot, MissL. Ricard and Mr.P. Grutter for their assistance and useful help.     

Superoxide dismutase and life span ofDrosophila melanogaster

Summary Comparison of superoxide dismutase activity in homogenates of wild and vestigial strains ofD. melanogaster revealed a lower enzyme activity in the short-living vestigial strain.Acknowledgments. We are indebted to Prof. M. Olszewska for giving us fly specimens. This work was partly supported by the project No. R. III. 13. 2. 4.     

Effect of a sesquiterpene fromAristolochia indica Linn. on fertility in female mice

Summary A sesquiterpene isolated from the roots ofAristolochia indica (Linn.) was found to exert 100% interceptive activity and 91.7% anti-implantation activity in mice at a single oral dose of 100mg/kg b. wt. No toxic effect was found at the dose levels used.The authors wish to thank Dr S. C. Pakrashi and his associate Mr P. P. Ghosh Dastidar of Medicinal Chemistry Department for isolating the compound for this study. Thanks are also due to Director-General of Indian Council of Medical Research for granting a Junior Research Fellowship to C.S.     

The relationship of phosphodiesterase and cyclic AMP to the process of fluid secretion in the salivary glands of the ixodid tickAmblyomma americanum

Summary Phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in the salivary glands of the female.Amblyomma americanum decreased as the tick progressed from a slow to a rapid phase of feeding, while the rate of fluid secretion increased, when glands were stimulated with cyclic AMP and theophylline Dopamine stimulated PDE activity and an inhibitory factor was found in glands obtained from rapidly engorging ticks which decreased PDE activity. These findings are discussed as they relate to the process of fluid secretion by salivary glands of feeding ixodid ticks.Journal article No. 3360 of Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma. This research was supported in part of NSF grant PCM-24140A02 from the National Science Foundation.     

Leishmania donovani in hamsters: Stimulation of non-specific resistance by novel lipopeptides and their effect in antileishmanial therapy

Several novel type of lipopeptides were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to stimulate non-specific resistance againstLeishmania donovani infection. Peritoneal macrophages isolated from young male hamsters treated with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and various synthetic lipopeptides (6 mg/kg i.p.) 7 days earlier, were cultured in vitro and challenged 24 h later withL. donovani promastigotes. One lipopeptide, Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) compound 86/450, exhibited significantly higher immunostimulatory activity than MDP. Its prophylactic activity was further confirmed in hamsters by giving 2 split doses of 3 mg/kg of the compound spaced at 2 weeks, i.e. on day –7 and +7 of challenge withL. donovani amastigotes. The prophylactic effect lasted for 7 days following the last treatment with compound 86/450. The antileishmanial action of sodium stibogluconate (SAG) was also found to be enhanced by 16% in hamsters primed with compound 86/450.CDRI Communication No. 5034.     

Energetics of myo-inositol transport inPseudomonas putida

Summary The effects of specific inhibitors on the high-affinity transport system of cyclitols and on the respiration ofPseudomonas putida shows that the transport activity is dependent on high energy phosphate bond.This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, grant No. 3.735.076.