Purification of mouse liver thymidylate synthetase by affinity chromatography using 10-methyl-5,8-dideazafolate as the affinant

Summary Thymidylate synthetase (methylenetetrahydrofolate: 2-deoxyuridine-5-monophosphate C-methyltransferase; EC 2.1.1.45) from neonatal mouse liver has been purified 714-fold by affinity chromatography on aminohexylsepharose bound 10-methyl-5,8-dideazafolate.Supported by grant CA22754, awarded by the National Cancer Institute, DHEW.     

Polyacetylenes from the spongePetrosia ficiformis found in dark caves

Summary Several high molecular weight polyacetylenes have been isolated from the spongePetrosia ficiformis found in dark caves. These compounds are related to, but different from, the polyacetylenes isolated from the same sponge living in its usual habitat.This work is a part of the Progetto finalizzato per l'Oceanografia e i Fondi Marini, CNR, Roma.The authors thank Mr G. Scognamiglio for the HPLC work, Mr C. Di Pinto for the NMR spectra and Mr G. Villani for the collection of the sponge.     

Effects of ACTH and diabetes on phospholipid metabolism in adrenal mitochondria.

Incorporation of 32P into adrenal mitochondrial phospholipids (PL) incrased in ACTH-treated rats, but it decreased in diabetics, inspite of the fact that these animals showed adrenal overacity. Since diabetics did not show increased 11 beta-hydroxylation. as opposed to ACTH-treated rats, it is suggested that the stimulation of this enzyme activity by exogenous ACTH is related to an increased turnover of PL at the mitochondrial membrane. The process is impaired in diabetics and prevents the stimulation of 11 beta-hydroxylation.     

A facile one-step synthesis of cysteinyldopas using mushroom tyrosinase

Summary A convenient one-step procedure, based upon the tyrosinase co-oxidation of dopa and cysteine, is reported for the synthesis of 5-S-cysteinyldopa (I) in 74% yield. Secondary products of the reaction turned out to be 2-S-cysteinyldopa (II, 14%), 2,5-S, S-dicysteinyldopa (IV, 5%), and the hitherto unknown 6-S-cysteinyldopa (III, 1%).The generic term cysteinyldopa is proposed to designate the various cotechol amino-acids arising from addition of cysteine to dopaquinone.This work was supported in part by a grant from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma.     

N-(5′-Phosphopyridoxyl)-4-aminobutyric acid: a stable bisubstrate adduct inhibitor of rat brain 4-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase

Summary N-(5-Phosphopyridoxyl)-4-aminobutyric acid, a stable adduct of pyridoxal phosphate and 4-aminobutyric acid, has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of rat brain 4-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-T) with a K_i of 1.4 M.Acknowledgments. This work was supported in part by the United Parkinson Foundation, l'Association Canadienne l'Ataxie de Friedreich, and the Medical Research Council of Canada.     

Non-mendelial female sterility in Drosophila melanogaster: demonstration of an inducer chromosome 4]

Crosses between two classes of Drosophila melanogaster strains (reactive and inducer) may lead to partially sterile F1 females. This sterility, called S.F. sterility, can be characterized by its physiological features. It appears to be the result of an interaction between two factors: "R" brought into the initial croos by the reactive mother and "I" by chromosomes of the inducer father. Except for chromosome 4, each chromosome of the well known inducer strains may carry the I factor (inducer chromosomes). The present results provide evidence for the presence of an inducer fourth chromosome in the inducer strain Nagasaki.     

An electrophoretic investigation of the binding of 3-14C coumarin to rat serum proteins

Summary The binding of coumarin to serum proteins of the rat has been demonstrated. Of the total bound coumarin (37% of injected dose), 36% was bound to the slow and fast ₁ globulins, 11% to the post albumins, 10% to globulin and 9% to albumin.     

A cannabinoid with cardiovascular activity but no overt behavioral effects

Summary Abnormal-⁸-tetrahydrocannabidiol (ABN-⁸-THC) failed to elicit central nervous system and cardiovascular effects in laboratory animals. Abnormal-cannabidiol (ABN-CBD) was also devoid of overt behavioral effects but produced marked hypotension with only slight bradycardia in anesthesized dogs.Acknowledgment. This work was supported by NIDA (grant No. DA-00574-01 and DA-00490) and Virginia Heart Society (grant No. RR-05697)     

Effects of cerebral lateral,ventricular infusions of phloridzin on feeding and body weight in Gallus domesticus (L.)

Summary Contrary to earlier findings in rats, cerebral lateral ventricular infusions of 1×10^–3 M or 2×10^–3 M solutions of phloridzin at a rate of 2.5 l/min for 90 min had no significant stimulating effects on food intake and weight gain in hens and cocks. These different responses to intraventricular phloridzin might reflect a difference of sensitivity to the inhibitory action of phloridzin on glucose transport in cerebral cells or certain peculiarities of mechanisms controlling food intake in chickens.