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.     

Amount of ribosomal DNA and seed protein content in the genusTriticum

Summary rRNA/DNA hybridization experiments were performed and seed protein content was determined in several lines of 4 species ofTriticum (wheat). No correlation between rRNA gene number and seed protein content was found.Supported by CNR contract No. 74/0267.     

Atypic chronology of the mitotic cycle of neoplastic mouse mast cells

Zusammenfassung Im mitotischen Zyklus vollständig asynchroner, exponentiell proliferierender neoplastischer Manusmastzellen des Stamms P815Y ist dieG1-Phase vollständig abwesend. DNA-Synthese (S-Phase) beansprucht 84%,G2-Phase 14% und Mitose 4% der vollen Dauer des Zell-Zyklus.

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This investigation was supported by the Office of Naval Research under contract No. Nonr-266(76) and by the Health Research Council of the City of New York under contract No. I-428, and carried out at Columbia University (Department of Biochemistry).

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Recipient of Career Scientist Award of the Health Research Council of the City of New York under Contract No. I-428.     

Occurrence of ecdysone in the blood of the chelicerate arthropod,Limulus polyphemus

Summary A molt promoting substance, assumed to be ecdysone, was discovered inLimulus haemolymph. Preliminary bioassay suggests a titre of 9 ng ecdysone per ml of haemolymph.Supported by the University of Minnesota Graduate School, NSF Grant No. GB 16607 and USPHS Grant No. HO 07336.     

Octopamine and proctolin mimic spontaneous membrane depolarisation inLucilia larvae

Summary Octopamine and proctolin at concentrations below 10^–8 M reversibly induce a spontaneous rhythmic depolarization which occurs in body-wall muscles ofLucilia larvae. The effect appears to be postsynaptic and mediated by receptors specific for each substance.This work was supported by NIEHS grant No. ES00814 and EPA grant No. R804345.     

Late DNA replication in the sex chromosomes ofDidelphis virginiana

Zusammenfassung Autoradiographisch wurde die späte DNS-Synthese derX- undY-Chromosomen vonDidelphis virginiana (Virginia Opossum) in Knochenmarkzellen untersucht. Die weiblichen Tiere zeigen typische späte Reduplikationsmuster in einemX, die männlichen das späte Reduplikationsmuster inX undY und inY allein.

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This study was supported in part by research grant No. AM-02504 and training grant No. Tl-AM-5277, National Institutes of Health. Dr.Reiss was a predoctoral trainee, National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases, U.S. Public Health Service.     

Voltage variation inLilium longiflorum pistils induced by pollination

Summary Voltage variations inLilium longiflorum pistils arose 120 min after pollination with pollen of the same flower. No action potential was registered if pollen ofPetunia hybrida was placed on the stigma. Apparently the voltage variations were evoked by the germination of the pollen grains, and/or the penetration of the style by the pollen tubes.     

Xanthumin and 8-epi-xanthatin as insect development inhibitors fromXanthium canadense Mill.

Summary Two insect development inhibitors againstDrosophila melanogaster have been isolated from the leaves ofX. canadense and identified as xanthumin and 8-epi-xanthatin.Search for Insect Development Inhibitors in Plants, IV. Part III, Heterocycles10, 117 (1978).This investigation was supported in part by grants (No. 056141 and No. 376065) from the Ministry of Education of Japan. The authors express their sincere thanks to Prof. Junkichi Iwasa of this department for his encouragement and to Dr Kenji Uneyama, Department of Industrial Chemistry of this University, for¹³C-NMR measurements.     

Norzooanemonin in the hydroidTubularia larynx

Summary The hydrochloride of 1,3-dimethyl imidazole-4-carboxylic acid (norzooanemonin), has been isolated from the hydroidTubularia larynx and its structure determined by X-ray analysis.This investigation was supported by grant No. HD-04543 from the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development. One of us (RLM) also wishes to thank the National Institutes of Health for a Career Development award No. HD-19931.     

Sex attractant of the larch bud moth found by electroantennogram method

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe der Antennogramm-Methode wurdetrans-11-Tetracedenylacetat als spezifisches Attraktans für Männchen des LärchenwicklersZeiraphera diniana bestimmt. In geeigneter Konzentration ist die Attraktivität der synthetischen Substanz derjenigen virginer Weibchen ebenbürtig.

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This research was supported in part by Environmental Protection Agency Grant No. EP-00802 and by the Rockefeller Foundation.

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Contribution No. 46 of the research team for the investigation of the population dynamics of the larch bud moth, directed by Professor Dr.P. Bovey. The research was aided by the Swiss National Funds for Scientific Research.     

An arachidonic acid-specific lipoxygenase from the gorgonian coralPseudoplexaura porosa

Summary A novel lipoxygenase was partially purified from the gorgonian coralPseudoplexaura porosa and was found to be specific for arachidonic acid. This soluble enzyme catalyzed the formation of 15-hydroperoxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (15-HPETE) from arachidonic acid.This investigation was supported by PHS grant No. CA32395 awarded by the National Cancer Institute and by PHS Research Carreer Development Award No. ES00120 to MDC awarded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, DHHS. The authors acknowledge Ms M. A. Russell and Dr D. G. Anderson of the University of Miami for assistance in the collection of gorgonian corals. Preliminary work was conducted at the University of Miami School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. This is journal series No. 3638 from the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Inhibition of rat liver adenyl cyclase by adenosine and adenine nucleotides

Riassunto L'attività adenilciclasica delle frazioni subcellulari di fegato di ratto fu inibita dall'adenosina, dall'AMP e dall'ADP (1 mM) del 60, 50 e 40%. Alla concentrazione di 0.08 mM, l'adenosina e l'AMP inibirono l'attività ciclasica del 40 e del 30%. L'IMP, l'inosina, l'adenina e l'ipoxantina furono senza effetto.

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This work was aided by Grants No. AM06034 and No. FR05641 from the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service.     

Extractive components from the nutmeg ofMyristica simarum A. DC.: The structure of lignan-ketone: Otobanone

Summary Otobanon obtained fromn-hexane extract ofMyristica simarum A. DC. was elucidated as 1-oxo-otobain by the physical spectra and chemical degradation.Acknowledgment. The authors are indebted to Chemical Research Center for financial support under the project No. CRC-6203, which supported by the National Council on Science Development of China.     

Subcellular localization ofO-acetylserine sulfhydrylase in spinach leaves

Summary A combination of differential centrifugation and isopycnic sucrose density gradient centrifugation of extracts from spinach leaves (Spinacia oleracea L.) shows that about 20% of the O-Acetylserine sulfhydrylase are associated with chloroplasts. No appreciable amounts of O-Acetylserine sulfhydrylase band with mitochondrial and peroxisomal marker enzymes.This work was supported in part by the Swiss National Foundation (SNF), grant No. 3.610-0.75.     

Binding of actinomycin D and divalent cations to lipopolysaccharides ofAgrobacterium tumefaciens as studied by fluorescence spectroscopy

Summary The binding of actinomycin D and divalent cations to lipopolysaccharides ofA. tumefaciens was studied. Fluorimetric titrations revealed 2 binding sites (low and high affinity sites) for divalent cations, and 1 high-affinity site for actinomycin D.Acknowledgment. This project was financed by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India (grant No. D.O. No.11 (19)/77-SERC). To whom reprint requests should be addressed.     

Use of the degeneracy of the genetic code by selective pressure to cut up genes of procaryote genomes

The DNA sequences of three bacteriophages are analysed in order to localise those parts coding for a protein. A weak stability on the DNA molecule allows us to characterize the beginning and the end of genes. A survey of the codons used shows that the cause for this weak stability is the systematic use of A-T bases in third position, which is made possible by the degeneracy of the genetic code.     

Biochemical divergence between cavernicolous and marine Sphaeromidae and the Mediterranean salinity crisis

Summary Allozymic variation in proteins encoded by 14 loci was analyzed in 3 cavernicolousMonolistra and in 2 marineSphaeroma species. Genetic distance data, high levels of heterozygosity and the divergence time calculations support the hypothesis thatMonolistra diverged from its Sphaeroma-like marine ancestor during the Messinian, in connection with the Mediterranean salinity critis.This research was supported by the National Research Council, Italy, grant No. 77.01490.04, and by funds of the Faculty of Sciences, University of Rome.     

The effect ofListeria monocytogenes lipids on immune response to T-dependent and T-independent antigens

Summary The administration ofListeria monocytogenes lipids augmented the humoral immune response to ovalbumin (OVA), polyvinyl pyrrolidone andE. coli lipopolysaccharide, but failed to support the induction of delayed hypersensitivity to OVA.This study was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences (grant No. 10.5).     

Circadian variation of serum testosterone in the adult male rat with a late morning acrophase

Summary Serum testosterone concentrations were measured in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. A significant circadian testosterone rhythm (p<0.01) was found with peak values at 10.00 and 13.00 h.Supported in part by NIH, NCI Grant No. CA 15062 and NIH, NIAMDD Grant No. 5 RO1 AM11376.The authors would like to acknowledge the excellent technical assistance of Ms.Kris Strom.     

Dissociation of urease in acetate buffer of pH 3.5 with retention of the enzymatic activity

Riassunto Le molecole dell'urease (peso molecolare 480,000, coefficiente di sedimentazione 18,6 S) si dividono a metà quando trattate con tampone acetato, 0,1M, pH 3,5. Inizialmente, l'attività enzimatica è 40% di quella al pH 7 (tampone fosfato, 0,34M) e la dissociazione è riversibile. Prolungata esposizione al pH 3,5 causa una lenta denaturazione, con perdita dell'attività e dell'abilità di ricostituirsi.

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This work was supported by grant No. GM 13,900 and by Career Development Award No. 5K3 GM 13,489 (to G. G.) from the National Institutes of Health.