The sperm attractant ofHormosira banksii (Phaeophyceae,Fucales), a seaweed common to Australia and New Zealand

Summary Hormosira banksii is a taxonomically isolated brown seaweed endemic to Australia and New Zealand. The sperm attractant of this species has been isolated and identified as trans-1-vinyl-2-(1E, 3Z-hexadienyl)-cyclopropane (I) (hormosirene).Hormosira is the first organism in which a cyclopropane derivative has been found to act as a hormone in sexual reproduction. The implication of this finding in relation to phylogeny and phytogeography is discussed.Acknowledgment. A substantial part of this work was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).     

Invertébrés marins du lagon néo-calédonien. I. Étude structurale d'une nouvelle sapogénine extraite d'une holothurie:Bohadschia vitiensis Semper

Summary Acid hydrolysis of Cuvier's organs alkoholic extract of sea- cucumber,Bohadschia vitiensis, led to many sapogenins. The first 3 isolated compounds had already been isolated from another sea-cucumber species/seychellogenin, 22,25-oxido-holothurinogenin and 24,25-dehydro holothurinogenin. The 4th product is a new sapogenin formulated,4, on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Sociétés animales et effet de groupe

Summary In the present note, the author is reviewing recent researches dealing with the action carried by the group on the individual taken isolated. He distinguishes two kinds of effects: 1.Mass effect, owing above all to a modification of the medium by the population itself; 2.group effect, induced chiefly by sensorial stimuli which occurs without requiring the gathering of a large number of individuals.Some examples of group effects are given. Individuals living in society are physiologically different from isolated. Correlation, coordination and social facilitation are to be included among group effects. To-day, we are allowed to speak of social physiology.     

Morphology of a non-occluded virus isolated from citrus red mite,Panonychus citri

Summary The size and morphology of virus particles isolated from citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) are similar to those observed in thin sections. The similarity to the virus particles isolated fromOryctes rhinoceros suggests affinity to theBaculovirus group.Presently at USDA, ARS, Fruit and Vegetable Insect Laboratory, Vincennes, IN 47591.     

3-Amino-3-deoxy-D-glucose: an antibiotic produced by a deep-sea bacterium

Summary Gram-positive bacteria isolated from deep-sea sediments of the Pacific basin showed considerable antibacterial activity. ABacillus strain, isolated from a sediment sample collected at a depth of 4310 m, was shown to produce 3-amino-3-deoxy-D-glucose, a known antibiotic.     

Bioactive marine metabolites. VIII. Isolation of an antimicrobial blue pigment from the bryozoanBugula dentata

Summary An antimicrobial blue pigment, which is identical with a tetrapyrrole from a bacterium, was isolated from the bryozoanBugula dentata.     

Ecology and physiology of phototrophic bacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria in marine salterns

Marine salterns are habitats for a large variety of halophilic bacteria. In the anoxic zones, halophilic sulfur bacteria develop mainly at the sediment surface, but only a few of them have so far been isolated from such environments. Among the phototrophic sulfur bacteria that sometimes form purple layers underneath the green cyanobacterial layers, members of the generaEctothiodhodospira, Chromatium (C. salexigens), Thiocapsa (T. halophila) were isolated. They grow by using sulfide as an electron donor. In the marine salterns, sulfide originates from active sulfate reduction. Among the halophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria, onlyDesulfovibrio halophilus andDesulfohalobium retbaense have so far been isolated. The ecology and physiology of both kinds of bacteria are discussed in this paper.     

A new alarm pheromone (2-decen-1-yl-acetate) isolated from the stings ofApis dorsata andApis florea (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Summary From sting extracts ofApis dorsata andA. florea, a substance was isolated which is active in alarm behaviour of both of these species but not ofA. mellifera andA. cerana. The active substance was identified as 2-decen-1-yl-acetate.     

Occurrence of biopterin in the wings ofMorpho butterflies

A blue fluorescent compound was isolated fromMorpho butterfly wings. Based on thin layer chromatographic, UV and CD-spectrophotometric and HPLC analyses, the blue fluorescent compound was identified as L-erythro biopterin. Biopterin is a major component of blue fluorescent pteridines in bothM. sulkowskyi andM. adonis. Pterin and isoxanthopterin can also be detected as minor components in these species. This paper is the first to report the presence of biopterin in butterfly wings.     

Study of the metabolites ofPhyllosticta maydis. I. Isolation and partial identification

Summary Various metabolites of the fungusPhyllosticta maydis have been isolated, particularly mevalonolactone. The most interesting of these compounds, which is highly toxic to corn seeds (Zea mays), and which is probably a complex polyol, is the subject of the present report.Acknowledgment. The authors are indebted to Professor T. Gäumann for his cooperation and Dr J.C. Tabet who performed the measurements of mass-spectrometry.     

Stimulation der Eiablage unbegatteter Weibchen des MondspinnersActias selene durch ein Männchen-Pheromon

Summary Mated females ofActias selene lay their eggs quicker than virgin females. Of the latter, virgins kept isolated in a separate room lay their eggs later than virgins kept in a room where males are present. Antennaless virgin females kept in the same room as males behave like isolated virgin females. It is concluded that the males produce an olfactory active sex pheromone that stimulates oviposition in females.     

Isolation of peptides blocking the function of anti-apoptotic Livin protein

Livin (ML-IAP) is a cancer-associated member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family. By yeast two-hybrid screening of a randomized peptide expression library, we isolated short linear peptides that specifically bind to Livin, but not to other IAPs. Intracellular expression of the peptides sensitized livin-expressing cancer cells toward different pro-apoptotic stimuli. The bioactive peptides neither showed sequence homologies to Smac-derived IAP inhibitors, nor did they interfere with the binding of Livin to Smac. Intracellular expression of the peptides did not affect the levels or the subcellular distribution of Livin. Growth of livin-expressing tumor cells was inhibited in colony formation assays by the Livin-targeting peptides. These findings provide evidence that the targeted inhibition of Livin by peptides represents a viable approach for the apoptotic sensitization and growth inhibition of tumor cells. The inhibitory peptides isolated here could form a novel basis for the development of therapeutically useful Livin inhibitors.     

Mitochondrial association of alpha-synuclein causes oxidative stress

α-Synuclein is a neuron-specific protein that contributes to the pathology of Parkinson’s disease via mitochondria-related mechanisms. The present study investigated possible interaction of α-synuclein with mitochondria and consequences of such interaction. Using SHSY cells overexpressing α-synuclein A53T mutant or wild-type, as well as isolated rat brain mitochondria, the present study shows that α-synuclein localizes at the mitochondrial membrane. In both SHSY cells and isolated mitochondria, interaction of α-synuclein with mitochondria causes release of cytochrome c, increase of mitochondrial calcium and nitric oxide, and oxidative modification of mitochondrial components. These findings suggest a pivotal role for mitochondria in oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by α-synuclein. Received 27 December 2007; received after revision 7 February 2008; accepted 8 February 2008     

Zur Spaltung von Adenosintriphosphat durch die Z-Scheiben der indirekten Flugmuskeln vonPhortnia regina (Diptera)

Summary ATP splitting is demonstrated to occur in the Z discs of isolated flight muscle myofibrils ofPhormia regina after the quantitative extraction of myosin.     

Tannin und Adrenalin

Summary Tannic acid in concentrations which of themselves have no action potentiates and prolongs the action of adrenaline on the isolated rabbit intestine (inhibitory effect) and on the isolated non-pregnant rabbit uterus (excitatory effect). The adrenaline-pressor effect in the decapitated cat and, in the same species, its stimulant action on the nictitating membrane (either denervated or normal) may also be potentiated by tannic acid. Since the oxidation of adrenalinein vitro is inhibited by tannic acid, it seems that this—in addition to a possible increase of permeability—is mainly responsible for the potentiation of adrenaline.     

Displacement activity of some natural cularine alkaloids at striatal3H-SCH 23 390 and3H-raclopride binding sites

Five natural cularines isolated from the aerial parts ofSarcocapnos crassifolia (Fumariaceae) and a cularioid isolated from the bark ofGuatteria ouregou (Annonaceae) were tested for their ability to displace³H-SCH 23 390 and³H-raclopride from their striatal binding sites. Celtisine, breoganine and cularidine were able to inhibit the binding at D-1 and D-2 dopaminergic sites at nanomolar concentrations. Other alkaloids were active at micromolar concentrations. These data suggest that the presence of an oxepine system in the isoquinoline skeleton could lead to compounds which would be very active and possibly selective at dopaminergic receptor sites.     

Sylvaticin: A new cytotoxic and insecticidal acetogenin fromRollinia sylvatica (Annonaceae)

Summary Sylvaticin (I), a new tetrahydroxy annonaceous acetogenin with nonadjacent tetrahydrofuran rings, has been isolated from the dried fruits ofRollinia sylvatica St. Hil. (Annonaceae). This compound is extremely cytotoxic to human tumor cells and shows promising insect control properties.     

Ein bicyclischer Abkömmling von (−)-longifolen ausHelminthosporium sativum undH. victoriae

Summary (–)-Longifolene,4, and a new secolongifolane derivative, shown to possess structure5, have been isolated fromHelminthosporium sativum andH. victoriae.     

Cyanobacterial symbiont biosynthesis of chlorinated metabolites fromDysidea herbacea (Porifera)

The tropical marine spongeDysidea herbacea contains large numbers of a symbiotic filamentous cyanobacterium identified on the basis of a detailed ultrastructural study asOscillatoria spongeliae. We report the flow-cytometric separation of the symbiont from the sponge cells, and demonstrate by chemical analyses that a unique group of polychlorinated compounds isolated from the whole sponge tissue is limited to the cyanobacterial filaments, whereas the accompanying sesquiterpenoids are found only in the sponge cells. This is the first demonstration that secondary metabolites ascribed to a sponge are localized in prokaryotic symbiont cells.