Conservation of cytoplasmic poly (A)-containing RNA in mouse and rat.

By comparing the melting temperature of DNA-DNA duplexes between related species, it is shown that total single-copy DNA evolves at a faster rate that DNA which is transcribed into poly (A)-containing RNA. Such a comparison suggests that at least 70% of rat single-copy DNA does not code for protein.     

The absence of an inhibitory effect of metyrapone (2-methyl-1,2-di (3-pyridyl) propan-1-one) on hepatic microsomal hydroxylation in scurvy.

Microsomes from livers of scorbutic guinea-pigs showed a reduced rate of acetanilide hydroxylation. The response of "scorbutic" liver microsomes to the inhibitor Metyrapone (2-methyl-1,2 di (3-pyridyl) propan-1-one) was different from that of liver microsomes from non-scorbutic guinea-pigs.     

Computer simulation of protein folding.

A new and very simple representation of protein conformations has been used together with energy minimisation and thermalisation to simulate protein folding. Under certain conditions, the method succeeds in "renaturing" bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor from an open-chain conformation into a folded conformation close to that of the native molecule.     

Gene amplification in oocytes of the rove beetleCreophilus maxillosus (staphylinidae,coleoptera-polyphaga

Summary The extra-DNA body was found, for the first time, in oocytes of an insect with telotrophic ovary. Dispersion of this body is accompanied by an enormous increase of nuclear volume and production of multiple nucleoli. It is suggested that the extra-DNA contains a huge mass of nucleolus organizers.This research was supported in part by funds from the Cytobiology Committee of the Polish Academy of Science.     

Nuclear pores in the spermatozoon of the rat

Summary The paper describes a hexagonal array of nuclear pores in a non-redundant region of the nuclear envelope underlying the basal surface of the rat spermatozoon head. It is concluded that intranuclear material protruding through these pores is the cause of the characteristic rows of circular bumps found in surface replicas of this region.     

Early investigations on the effect of methyl mercuric chloride upon DMN-acute hepatotoxicity

Summary Acute toxicity induced by DMN was partially prevented by previously administering methyl mercuric chloride (MMC), a chemical inhibitor of the drug metabolizing enzyme system (DMES). We have studied the early changes occurring during the course of DMN-intoxication, namely disaggregation of polysomal profiles and necrosis, evaluated morphologically and by the release of S-GPT.This work was supported by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Roma, Italy.     

Serum enzyme activities in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana)

Summary The serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, -hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase have been measured in the African elephant. In general, the values were broadly comparable with those of man except that alanine aminotransferase was much lower and creatine phosphokinase higher. No variation due to age, sex, season or location was observed.