Differential mitotic rates and patterns of growth in compartments in the Drosophila wing

In the wing disks of Drosophila slowly dividing cells of Minute mutations are progressively eliminated from Minute/Minute⁺ mosaic compartments by a process known as cell competition. From a study of two different Minutes we show here that the intensity of competition is greater in the more extreme Minute with the slowest rate of cell division. The way in which the more rapidly growing Minute⁺ clones grow and overcome the surrounding Minute cells is described and cell competition is shown to be a result of local interactions between slow- and faster-growing cells.     

Evaluation of Bone Strength During Aflatoxicosis and Ochratoxicosis

Young chickens were fed graded levels of aflatoxin (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μg/g of diet) or ochratoxin (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 μg/g of diet), and the breaking strength, displacement before failure, and diameter of their tibias were determined. Breaking strength was decreased at growth inhibitory levels of aflatoxin (2.5 μg/g) and ochratoxin (2 μg/g), whereas a reduction in diameter required higher levels (5.0 and 4.0 μg/g, respectively). Bones from birds with ochratoxicosis selected to have diameters equal to control bones had lower breaking strength. In an attempt to negate mathematically the effect of decreased diameter and bias in any selection process, stress at time of failure of the bones was calculated and found to be decreased by feeding aflatoxin but not ochratoxin. Total displacement of bones before breaking was increased significantly (P < 0.05) by both toxins at the highest levels administered, but this increase was primarily the result of an increase in displacement from the start of failure to complete failure. Increased displacement associated with both toxicoses was equal in bones selected to be of equal diameter or in bones from the same treatment but of different diameters. However, calculation of modulus of elasticity which is corrected for diameter revealed aflatoxin had no effect whereas ochratoxin tripled the effect. These data indicate that the material properties of bones can be altered during mycotoxicoses and suggest yet another way in which mycotoxins are detrimental to animal health.     

Purification of the Thy-1 molecule from rat brain.

The present paper describes the characterization of the Thy-1 molecule from rat brain. The molecule was recognized by its antigens, which could be solubilized from brain membrane with deoxycholate. In the solubilized form the Thy-1 antigens were associated with a homogenous component with the following hydrodynamic properties: s20,w=2.2s,v=0.72ml/g and Stokes radius=3.0nm. The mol.wt. of the deoxycholateantigen complex was estimated to be 27000; these values are not significantly different from those obtained thymocyte Thy-1. Brain Thy-1 was further purified by affinity chromatography with lentil lectin coupled to Sepharose 4B, and more than 80% of the antigen was bound. The material eluted with methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside was then filtered on a column of Sephadex G-200, and only one glycoprotein was found in the antigenically active fraction. On sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis the glycoprotein was very similar to the Thy-1 from thymocytes that binds to lentil lectin. Its apparent mol.wt. on 12.5% acrylamide gels was 24000, and it electrophoresed as a symmetrical band. Brain Thy-1 was antigenically indistinguishable from thymocyte Thy-1 when analysed with rabbit antisera raised against brain or thymocyte Thy-1.     

Serum lipoproteins in rats bearing Morris hepatomas of different degrees of differentiation.

Serum lipoproteins were measured by ultracentrifugal means in rats bearing hepatomas of different degrees of malignancy (Morris hepatomas 16, 5123TC and 7777) to determine the effect of these hepatomas on serum lipoprotein levels. Serum lipoprotein patterns were altered, especially in rats bearing hepatomas 16 and 7777, which had elevated high-density lipoproteins. (They were not elevated in serum of rats bearing hepatoma 5123TC). This increase in high-density lipoproteins seems to be specific for chemically induced hepatomas since HDL2 is usually decreased in humans and animals with types of cancer not involving the liver. It appears that hepatomas can synthesize lipoproteins, and the serum levels of the host rats are altered depending on the hepatoma. Different biochemistries appear to be associated with each hepatoma. Cholesterol and fatty acid levels of unfractionated serum and of isolated lipoproteins also indicate abnormal lipid/lipoprotein metabolism associated with these hepatomas.     

Synthesis of Reagents for Fluorescence-Tagging of DNA

Abstract

A general route for the synthesis of alkynylamino nucleoside triphosphates is described. These nucleosides can be selectively coupled through the alkynylamino group to a variety of reporter groups and used to enzymatically label DNA.