Changes in Organelle Movement in the Nuclear Region during the Cell Cycle of Adiantum Protonema

Movements of organelles in the nuclear region as the cell cycleprogresses in single-celled protonemata of Adiantum capillus-veneriswere examined by digital image processing techniques and microscopyof particle movement. Organelles in the nuclear region werenot very crowded and moving directionally along the longitudinalaxis of the filamentous cell in the G₁ and S phases. They beganto gather and accumulate in the nuclear region in early G₂ phase,after which directional movement changed to undirectional Brownianmotion-like movement in late G₂ phase. Movement of organelleslocated on the lateral surface of the nucleus slowed after premitoticpositioning of nucleus and lasted until the nucleolus disappeared.Movement of organelles in the cytoplasm surrounding the nucleoplasmresumed just after the nucleolus disappeared, whereas organelleslocated in the outer regions of the apical and basal surfacesof the nucleus moved rapidly during prophase but did not moveduring metaphase, movement being resumed after chromosome separation.Thus, organelle movement in the nuclear region showed temporaland spatial change during the cell cycle. (Received August 24, 1983; Accepted December 28, 1983)     

Termination of early pregnancy by ONO-802 suppositories (16,16-dimethyl-trans-Δ-PGE1 methyl ester)

ONO-802 was used in the form of vaginal suppositories for the termination of early pregnancy in 63 healthy volunteers. Fifty-four (86%) of the 63 cases had complete abortions and remaining 9 (14%) had incomplete abortions.One (1.6%) of the 63 cases complained of nausea and vomiting, and 3 (4.8%) complained of headaches. No other side effects were observed.These results suggest that ONO-802 is acceptable in the form of vaginal suppositories for the termination of early pregnancy.     

Morphine-like analgesic actions of enkephalin-like peptides containing the Tyr-Arg unit

The analgesic actions of some synthetically prepared peptides having the Tyr-D-Arg unit at the N terminal portion of met- and leu-enkephalin were measured by the intra-cisternal injection method in mice. Among them, Tyr-D-Arg-Gly-Phe (DR-4) induced the most potent naloxone-reversible analgesia and was also effective by s.c. injection. DR-4 showed the good affinity to mu-receptor, and the resistance to the enzymatic degradation.     

On the antisymmetry of the amino acid code table

Antisymmetry of the amino acid code table in terms of codon degeneracy is pointed out, and it is related to a physico-chemical problem of codon-anticodon interaction energy. A strong negative correlation between molecular weight of an amino acid and its codon degeneracy is pointed out, and its implication to the origin of the amino acid code table is discussed. Finally, an earlier form of the amino acid code table is proposed.     

Increase in arginine and citrulline production by 6-azauracil-resistant mutants of Bacillus subtilis.

In the arginine producer AHr-5, an L-arginine hydroxamate-resistant mutant of Bacillus subtilis, accumulation of N8-acetyl-L-ornithine increased as the level of L-arginine accumulation increased in the medium containing L-glutamic acid. Ornithine carbamoyltransferase of this strain was genetically derepressed. These results suggested that carbamoylphosphate might be deficient in vivo. With the intention to increase endogenous carbamoylphosphate, pyrimidine analogs inhibiting growth were selected and the mutants resistant to these compounds were derived from the AHr-5 mutant. Of the resistant mutants derived, the 6-azauracil-resistant mutant AAr-9 produced 28 mg of L-arginine per ml, which corresponded to more than twofold the amount produced by the parent strain. Derivation of an arginine-requiring mutant from the double-resistant mutant AAr-9 provides a new advantageous method for the production of L-citrulline. The increase in arginine and citrulline production is discussed.     

Purification and properties of a lambda operator-binding protein which is expected to be autorepressor (tof protein) from E. coli carrying lambdadv plasmid.

Summary In order to study the mode of action of the tof gene product, which is an autorepressor of the bacteriophage and plasmid dv, we have purified a DNA-binding protein which is specifically produced in bacteria carrying dv. This protein possesses characteristics expected for the product of the tof gene, since it is produced under conditions where cI-repressor is not made, and since it binds to oL and oR operators on the phage genome. The molecular weight of the native protein is 16,000–17,000 daltons, and the monomeric molecular weight as measured by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate is about 10,000 daltons. Denaturation and renaturation experiments demonstrated that the native protein is a dimer of 10,000-dalton monomers. The DNA-specific binding protein is not produced in cells carrying i ²¹dv or 80dv.     

Isolation and characterization of a plaque-forming lambda bacteriophage carrying a ColE1 plasmid

A plaque-forming lambdaimm434 bacteriophage carrying the entire genome of colicinogenic factor E1 has been isolated and characterized. This phage, lambdaimm434ColE1, can lysogenize as a stable plasmid within a recombination-deficient Escherichia coli cell that lacks the normal attachment site for lambda phage. Furthermore, it has been found that lambdaimm434ColE1 phage carrying amber mutations in the O and P genes of the lambda genome, i.e., lambdaimm434OamPamColE1, behaves as a plaque-forming phage, and this finding suggests that the ColE1 factor DNA permits replication of the DNA of the plaque-forming phage.     

Increase in arginine and citrulline production by 6-azauracil-resistant mutants of Bacillus subtilis.

In the arginine producer AHr-5, an L-arginine hydroxamate-resistant mutant of Bacillus subtilis, accumulation of N8-acetyl-L-ornithine increased as the level of L-arginine accumulation increased in the medium containing L-glutamic acid. Ornithine carbamoyltransferase of this strain was genetically derepressed. These results suggested that carbamoylphosphate might be deficient in vivo. With the intention to increase endogenous carbamoylphosphate, pyrimidine analogs inhibiting growth were selected and the mutants resistant to these compounds were derived from the AHr-5 mutant. Of the resistant mutants derived, the 6-azauracil-resistant mutant AAr-9 produced 28 mg of L-arginine per ml, which corresponded to more than twofold the amount produced by the parent strain. Derivation of an arginine-requiring mutant from the double-resistant mutant AAr-9 provides a new advantageous method for the production of L-citrulline. The increase in arginine and citrulline production is discussed.     

Synthetic gibberellin synergists in elongation of shoot growth ofOryza sativa L.

Previous studies showed that 2-ethyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-1-(p-tolylcarbamoyl) isourea acts as a potent GA₃-synergist in stimulating shoot growth of rice seedlings. Studies with several structurally related compounds show that the alkoxycarbonylcarbamoyl-isourea or -isothiourea skeleton is required for biological activity. Any chemical deletion from this skeleton causes complete loss of activity. From present and previous data it seems that alkoxycarbonylcarbamoyl-isourea or -isothiourea is converted by intramolecular cyclization in the rice seedlings into the corresponding triazinone that serves as the active form.Part 9 in the series Plant Growth-regulating Activities of Isourea Derivatives and Related Compounds; for Part 8 seeReferences, Ogawa et al. (1980b)     

Synthetic gibberellin synergists in elongation of shoot growth ofOryza sativa L.

Previous studies showed that 2-ethyl-3-methoxycarbonyl-1-(p-tolylcarbamoyl) isourea acts as a potent GA₃-synergist in stimulating shoot growth of rice seedlings. Studies with several structurally related compounds show that the alkoxycarbonylcarbamoyl-isourea or -isothiourea skeleton is required for biological activity. Any chemical deletion from this skeleton causes complete loss of activity. From present and previous data it seems that alkoxycarbonylcarbamoyl-isourea or -isothiourea is converted by intramolecular cyclization in the rice seedlings into the corresponding triazinone that serves as the active form.