Zur Wahl der organischen Lösungsmittel bei der Gewinnung von Chloroplasten in nichtwässerigem Milieu

Summary For the isolation of chloroplasts in non-aqueous media the following organic solvents are suitable: pentane, hexane, heptane, petroleum ether and carbon tetrachloride. These solvents cause a minimum loss of lipids.The loss of lipids and some lipid components of frozendried and ground shoots fromElodea canadensis during the isolation of chloroplasts in non-aqueous media (petroleum ether b. r. 60–80°C and petroleum ether-carbon tetrachloride mixtures) is reported.     

Contribution à l'étude de la morphogenèse du thalle duStigeoclonium farctum berth (Chaetophorale)

Summary All inhibitors or any modifications of the cultural conditions lead to partial or total isolation of the cells of filaments ofStigeoclonium farctum. The suppression of the intracellular correlation leads to the ramification of the filaments.     

Intrapopulational genetic variation in the hybridization betweenDrosophila melanogaster females andD. simulans males

Summary Intrapopulational variation on interspecific crossing ability betweenD. melanogaster andD. simulans has been measured. When themelanogaster females andsimulans males were crossed, hybridization ranged from 3 to 34%, the female component of variation being more important than the male component. This point is discussed in relation with the role played by each sex in sexual isolation.     

On the solvent-extraction of acetylcholine receptor

Summary Chloroform/methanol rechromatography on Sephadex LH-20 of fractions isolated from organic solvent extracts ofE. electricus electric organs exhibited alterations in elution point compared to the original chromatography. Additionally,³H decamethonium bromide did not coelute with any of the observed fractions. It is concluded that as presently described the organic solvent isolation procedure for the cholinergic receptor exhibits undesirable characteristics.Acknowledgments. The authors thank Dan Burrough and Rick O'Brien for their competent technical assistance. Naval Medical Research Development and Command, Research Work Unit No. MRO41.06.01.0021. The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private ones of the writers and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Navy Department or the naval service at large.     

Rapid isolation of mitochondrial DNA. Mitochondrial DNA fromDrosophila serrata

A simple and rapid method for isolation of high quality mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is presented in this report. Using this method, isolation and restriction site maps for 10 enzymes of the mtDNA ofDrosophila serrata were established.     

A new furanoid fatty acid from the soft coralsSarcophyton glaucum andgemmatum

Summary The isolation and spectral data of a new furanoid fatty acid obtained from 2Sarcophyton soft-corals is reported.     

(+)-Abscisic acid,a metabolite of the fungusCercospora rosicola

Summary The first isolation of (+)-abscisic acid from a fungus,Cercospora rosicola, is reported.Acknowledgments. The authors wish to express appreciation to Prof. Romano Locci for helpful discussions.     

Isolation of the two paragonial substances deposited into the spermatophores ofAcanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera,Bruchidae)

Summary Aqueous extracts from spermatophores ofAcanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera, Bruchidae) have been chromatographed on Sephadex G 25 and G 15 columns, the active fractions being further purified by preparative SiO₂ TLC. The isolation and properties of 2 biologically active compounds are reported. The paragonial substance A has a favourable action upon oogenesis, is a low molecular weight molecule (500–1000) and gives 1 single amino acid on hydrolysis, corresponding to glycin on TLC. The paragonial substance B is toxic, or an inhibitor of oogenesis at lower concentration, thus showing an antagonistic effect.     

Release of oxidases from the roots of plants

Summary In this paper, we report on the isolation and purification of the oxidase released from the roots ofLactuca sativa seedlings. This is the first time that the release of oxidases from the roots of plants into their rhizosphere has been reported.     

Isolierung anthocyanhaltiger und anthocyanfreier Gewebestämme vonDaucus carota: Einfluss von Auxinen auf die Anthocyanbildung

Summary The isolation of anthocyanin-producing and non-producing cell lines of tissue cultures ofDaucus carota is described. Those clones which are able to synthesize anthocyanins do this in dark only if there is an auxin like 2,4-D, IAA or NAA present. In light no supplementary auxin is necessary for anthocyanin production. It is assumed that there might be relations between auxin and light-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis.     

The oak processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea processionea L.) an urticating caterpillar related to the pine processionary caterpillar (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff.) (Lepidoptera,Thaumetopoeidae)

Summary The hairs ofThaumetopoea processionea caterpillars (Lepidoptera) provoke a cutaneous reaction in man and animals. The urticating apparatus, the urticating gland which produces hairs, and the urticating hairs, are similar to those of theT. pityocampa caterpillar. The irritant fraction extracted from hairs contains soluble proteins; one of these shows immunological identity with thaumetopoein, the urticating protein of theTh. pityocampa caterpillar. This thaumetopoein-like protein is currently undergoing isolation and will be subjected to dermatological tests.     

Cortinarins inCortinarius speciosissimus? A critical revision

Summary Fluorescent cyclic decapeptides, the so-called cortinarins, have been claimed to cause the toxicity of the deadly poisonous mushroomCortinarius speciosissimus. As the structure elucidation described in the literature is doubtful in decisive parts, the proposed structures must be disputed. The present study demonstrates that the fluorescence is mainly due to ergosta-4,6,8 (14),22-tetraen-3-one (8) and to photodecomposition products of the nephrotoxin orellanine (1). Moreover, we were not able to reproduce the isolation of fluorescent or any other cyclic peptides related to cortinarins fromC. speciosissimus, by various methods.     

Selective effects of PHA on rat brush border hydrolases along the crypt-villus axis

Summary The mechanism of the toxicity of lectin fromPhaseolus vulgaris seeds has been investigated on rat enterocytes. Cell isolation procedures showed a selectivity in the loss of brush border hydrolases; this indicated that the microvilli blebbing was not the only mechanism of action of lectins on rat enterocytes.     

Vidalols A and B,new anti-inflammatory bromophenols from the Caribbean marine red algaVidalia obtusaloba

Chemical studies of the Caribbean red algaVidalia obtusaloba have resulted in the isolation of two new bromophenolic metabolites, vidalols A and B (1, 2). The new compounds were discovered as part of an organized effort to isolate new naturally-occurring anti-inflammatory agents with a focus upon those which may function through the inhibition of phospholipase A₂.     

Inhibitory effect of bacterial ubiquinones on the settling of barnacle,Balanus amphitrite

In an attempt to clarify the influence of marine bacteria on the settling of fouling invertebrate larvae, we screened for inhibitors, produced by marine bacteria, of settling by cyprids of the barnacle,Balamus amphitrite. We found that the culture broth ofAlteromonas sp. strain number KK10304, which was associated with the marine sponge,Halichondria okadai, effectively inhibited settling of the cyprids. Bioassay-guided isolation indicated ubiquinone-8 (1) as an effective inhibitor of cyprid settling. As ubiquinones are widely distributed in bacteria, several related compounds were also tested.     

A constitutive heparinase in aFlavobacterium sp

Summary The isolation of a small gram-negative rod, lacking flagella or pili, and tentatively identified as aFlavobacterium sp., giving exceptionally high yields of heparinase, is reported. The enzyme was partially purified.Joubert, J. J., Part of M. D.-thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa. To whom correspondence should be sent.     

Sterols of the lobster (Homarus americanus) and the shrimp (Pandalus borealis)

Summary In this study we have analyzed the sterol compositions of two continental shelf species of crustacea, the lobster (Homarus americanus) and the shrimp (Pandalus borealis). Cholesterol was found to be the most abundant sterol in these two species with smaller amounts of desmosterol, 24-methylcholesterol, 24-ethylcholesterol, 24-methylenecholesterol and 22-dehydrocholesterol. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Contribution Number 3494. This work was supported by the Office of Sea Grant of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Special thanks are extended to Ms.R. Beebe-Center, who was responsible for a large part of the isolation work described here.     

Isomériecis-trans des ménaquinones et oxydations phosphorylantes dans les extraits deMycobacterium phlei

Summary Incubation ofM. phlei washed cells with [¹⁴C³H₃]-l-methionine led to [2-¹⁴C³H₃] dihydromena-quinone-9 with an isotope ratio identical to that of methionine. Chromatography of the doubly labelled quinone indicated, despite a pronounced isotope effect, that bothcis andtrans isomers had the same isotope ratio. This result eliminates any possibility of hydrogen exchange in the 2-methyl group of menaquinones during oxydative phosphorylation, even in thecis isomer. Furthermore, it is confirmed that this compound is certainly formed from natural or synthetic menaquinones during isolation or incubation periods by the effect of daylight irradiation.     

Veränderungen der aggressiven Handlungsbereitschaft männlicher Schwertträger,Xiphophorus helleri,nach sozialer Isolation (Fische,Poeciliidae)

Summary IfXiphophorus helleri males are kept in social isolation for 14–56 days, the fights for rank order position showed an increasing duration and intensity. These results support the idea of a spontaneous accumulation of attack readiness and are in contrast to the results in cichlid fishes. It is supposed that the different influence of social isolation to aggressive behaviour corresponds to different types of social organisation anp ecological adaptations.

---

---

Mit Unterstützung der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Evidence of mitotic division of coelomocytes in the normal,wounded and grafted earthwormEisenia foetida

Summary In the oligochaeteEisenia foetida the free amoebocytes, once released into the coelomic fluid were observed to remain mitotically active following the trauma of receiving a body wall graft or wound.Special thanks to Dr.A. Terry for her help.