Antimicrobial and antiviral activity of xylosyl-methylthio-adenosine, a naturally occurring analogue of methylthio-adenosine from Doris verrucosa.

Xylosyl-methylthio-adenosine, a naturally occurring analogue of 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthio-adenosine, has been postulated to play a protective role during egg development in the mollusc Doris verrucosa. However, in vitro tests showed that this analogue is devoid of activity against fungi, bacteria and viruses.     

Oxygen heterocycles. Maackiain,a new naturally occurring chromanocoumaran

Zusammenfassung AusMaackia amurensis Rupr. et Maxim. var.Buergeri (Maxim.) C. K. Schneid wurde ausser dem bekannten Sophorol ein Phenol C₁₆H₁₂O₅ isoliert. Auf Grund spektroskopischer Untersuchungen und dem Vergleich mit einem synthetisch hergestellten Derivat (III;R=CH₃) wird dem Maackiain die Struktur (I;R=H) eines Chromanocumarans zugeschrieben.

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Paper IV. Paper III in this series seeH. Suginome, Tetrahedron Letters No. 19, 16 (1960).

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Read before the 14th Annual Meeting of the Chemical Society of Japan, Tokyo (April 1961).     

Antimicrobial and antiviral activity of xylosyl-methylthio-adenosine,a naturally occurring analogue of methylthio-adenosine fromDoris verrucosa

Xylosyl-methylthio-adenosine, a naturally occurring analogue of 5′-deoxy-5′-methylthio-adenosine, has been postulated to play a protective role during egg development in the molluscDoris verrucosa. However, in vitro tests showed that this analogue is devoid of activity against fungi, bacteria and viruses.     

Functional characterisation of naturally occurring mutations in human melanopsin

Melanopsin is a blue light-sensitive opsin photopigment involved in a range of non-image forming behaviours, including circadian photoentrainment and the pupil light response. Many naturally occurring genetic variants exist within the human melanopsin gene (OPN4), yet it remains unclear how these variants affect melanopsin protein function and downstream physiological responses to light. Here, we have used bioinformatic analysis and in vitro expression systems to determine the functional phenotypes of missense human OPN4 variants. From 1242 human OPN4 variants collated in the NCBI Short Genetic Variation database (dbSNP), we identified 96 that lead to non-synonymous amino acid substitutions. These 96 missense mutations were screened using sequence alignment and comparative approaches to select 16 potentially deleterious variants for functional characterisation using calcium imaging of melanopsin-driven light responses in HEK293T cells. We identify several previously uncharacterised OPN4 mutations with altered functional properties, including attenuated or abolished light responses, as well as variants demonstrating abnormal response kinetics. These data provide valuable insight into the structure–function relationships of human melanopsin, including several key functional residues of the melanopsin protein. The identification of melanopsin variants with significantly altered function may serve to detect individuals with disrupted melanopsin-based light perception, and potentially highlight those at increased risk of sleep disturbance, circadian dysfunction, and visual abnormalities.     

The isolation and characterization of two members of a new series of naturally occurring biflavones

Résumé Quelques bisflavones qui contiennent un lien 6,8 ont été isolées et charactérisées pour la première fois. Les déplacements méthoxyliques permettent de décider si l'on a affaire à des éléments flavanoïdes liées 6, ou 8. Le contrôle enzymique de la production de bisflavones dans le genreAuraucariaceae est démontré.     

Purification and amino acid sequencing of naturally occurring N-formyl-methionyl oligopeptides from Escherichia coli

A novel purification procedure for N-formyl methionyl oligopeptides from bacterial culture supernatants has been developed. C-terminal carboxypeptidase microsequencing of purified peptides from E. coli supernatants enabled identification of 6 naturally occurring formyl-oligopeptides.     

Naturally occurring translocation dicentric chromosomes and somatic reduction inLathyrus sativus L.

Summary A naturally-occurring case of terminal translocation resulting into end-to-end association of somatic chromosomes, and mitotic anaphase movement without chromatid separation in a variety ofLathyrus sativus is reported.     

Seasonal changes in the nitrate-reducing activity of a green alga

Zusammenfassung Trotz konstanter Kultur- und Versuchsbedingungen zeigt die Nitratreduktion intakter Zellen und zellfreier Extrakte der GrünalgeAnkistrodesmus braunii ausgeprägte jahresperiodische Schwankungen. Das Aktivitätsmaximum liegt in den Monaten Juni/Juli, das Minimum im Oktober/November.

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This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Phosphorylated derivatives of the cytokinins,zeatin and its 9-β-d-ribofuranoside,naturally occurring adenine and adenosine derivatives with plant cell-division promoting activity

Zusammenfassung Zeatin-ribosid-5-phosphat wurde einerseits durch Umsetzung von 6-Chlorpurin-ribotid mit trans-4-Amino-2-methylbuten-(2)-ol-(1) und andererseits durch Behandlung von Isopropyliden-zeatin-ribosid mit Pyrophosphorylchlorid hergestellt. Die Phosphorylierung des Isopropylidenderivats in Pyridin ergab ein Allylpyridiniumderivat, dessen Struktur spektroskopisch und durch Abbau bewiesen wurde.     

Structure and stereochemistry of attenuol,a new lignan fromKnema attenuata (Wall.) Warb.

Summary A new lignan attenuol has been isolated from the bark ofKnema attenuata (Wall.) Warb. Its structure (I) is deduced on the basis of analytical and spectral data. The compound has been assigned the absolute configuration as 2S,3R-dimethyl-1S-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-6,7-methylenedioxytetralin (III).Contribution No. 487 from the Ciba-Geigy Research Centre.Acknowledgments. We thank Dr H. Fuhrer and Dr P. Moser of Ciba-Geigy Ltd. Basle for the NMR spectral data and ORD determinations and Dr S. Selvavinayakam and his colleagues for the analytical results.     

Electroretinographic responses to polarized light in the wolf-spiderArctosa variana C. L. Kock

Zusammenfassung Registrierung der Elektroretinogramme jedes Auges der WolfspinneArctosa variana C.L.K. nach Reizung mit polarisiertem Licht. Bei Reizung der vorderen und hinteren Mittelaugen erhält man während der Polarizatordrehung Minima und Maxima. Der Effekt unterbleibt an den vorderen und hinteren Seitenaugen.

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This research has been sponsored jointly by the Office of Scientific Research, EOAR, through the European Office, Aerospace Research, United States Air Force, under Contract No. AF 61 (052)-107, and by the Rockefeller Foundation.     

Diuretic activity of roots ofClitoria ternatea L. in dogs

Zusammenfassung ZermahleneClitoria ternatea-Wurzeln oder deren Extrakt in 95% Alkohol zeigten bei oraler Verabreichung in nicht-toxischer Dosis keine nennenswerte diuretische oder natriuretische Wirkung beim Hund. Intravenöse Gaben des Extraktes führten zu mässiger Steigerung der Ausscheidung von Natrium und Kalium im Harn, zeigten aber gleichzeitig auch Anzeichen von Nierenschädigung.     

Absence of naturally occurring coronary atherosclerosis in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciurea) treated with chondroitin sulfate A

Zusammenfassung Die überraschende Atheromatosehemmende Wirkung von Chondroitin-Sulfat konnte nun auch beiSaimiri scurea, einem Primaten mit hoher Inzidenz von Atheromatose, nachgewiesen werden.

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Supported in part by grants from the Heart Institute of the National Institutes of Health, U. S. Public Health Service, John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc., and other donors.     

Constituents ofCannabis sativa L. XXI: Estrogenic activity of a non-cannabinoid constituent

Summary A non-cannabinoid phenol (4,4,dihydroxy-5-methoxybibenzyl) increased uterine weight in prepubescent female rats, suggesting non-cannabinoids contribute to the estrogenic effects ofCannabis.Acknowledgments. This research was supported by Contract 271-78-3527 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and by the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi. The authors are grateful to Karen S. Tomaszewski for technical assistance.     

Photosensitization and feeding deterrence ofEuxoa messoria (Lepidoptera: Noctuiidae) by α-terthienyl,a naturally occurring thiophene from the Asteraceae

Summary Alpha-terthienyl, a phototoxic thiophene derivative from species in the Asteraceae reduced feeding and growth of the phytophagous lepidopteran,Euxoa messoria, when incorporated into artificial diets at a concentration of 100 ppm. The effects of this substance were substantially enhanced by including photosensitizing near-UV radiation in the trials. The results suggest that the phototoxic properties of this secondary substance provide significant protection to the plants containing it.This work was supported by NSERC and Agriculture Canada.     

Specific inhibition of a calcium dependent activation of brain cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity by vinblastine.

Vinblastine selectively inhibits the activation of brain cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity by Ca++-protein activator (50% inhibition by 2 x 10(-5) M). This inhibitory effect was reversed by excessive amounts of the activator, whereas large quantities of Ca++ caused only a slight suppression of the vinblastine effect. This result of vinblastine suggests a new site of its action and also suggests the possible role of protein activator, phosphodiesterase proteins or cyclic nucleotides in the previously known effects of vinblastine in vivo and in vitro.     

Chitin synthetase activity and inhibition in different insect microsomal preparations

Summary To facilitate massive screening and for structure-activity relationship studies of chitin synthesis inhibitors, methods to obtain the chitin synthetase (CS) containing microsomal fraction from the postmitochondrial supernatant were examined. Compared with fractionation by differential centrifugation, the CaCl₂ precipitate yielded the most active CS preparation. Acidification (pH 5.6) and polyethylene glycol 8000 (5%) treatments resulted in relatively low CS activity. Inhibitory effects were detected with polyoxin-D and 1-geranyl-2-methyl benzimidazole, a novel CS inhibitor, but not with benzoylphenyl ureas.     

Photo-orientation in the larvae of the waxmothGalleria mellonella L. reared under constant dark and constant light conditions

Zusammenfassung Larven vonG. mellonella sind negativ phototaktisch. Der Grad der Photonegativität verändert sich während 24 h. Durch Dauerdunkel und Dauerlicht wird das phototaktische Verhalten der Larven reziprok verändert. Wahrscheinlich handelt es sich um eine endogene Photoorientierungsrhythmik.

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I am grateful to Prof. Dr.G. Birukow for extending all the facilities for this work and for his kind advice. I am also indebted to the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung for award of post-doctoral fellowship.