Chemical transformation of eremofortin C into PR toxin.

The natural products of both eremofortin C (EC) and PR toxin are secondary metabolites of Penicillium roqueforti. Because the chemical structures of EC and PR toxin are closely related to each other and differ only by a hydroxyl functional group in EC and an aldehyde functional group in PR toxin at the C-12 position, the chemical transformation of EC into PR toxin was investigated. Oxidation with a chromic anhydride-pyridine complex was found to be the most satisfactory method.     

Covalent structure of three phase-1 flagellar filament proteins of Salmonella

Using recombinant DNA techniques, the covalent structure was determined for three flagellar filament proteins produced by Salmonella serotypes with phase-1 antigens a, c and d. Comparison of the results obtained, together with previous results for antigen i, indicated an overall structure in which conservation of amino acid sequence was absolute at both ends of the molecule and proceeded inwards with progressively greater variation. Very few differences in nucleotide sequence were detected in regions of amino acid conservation, which suggested that these areas of the gene may be involved in regulatory functions.     

Relationship between bacteriophage T4 and T6 DNA topoisomerases. T6 39-protein subunit is equivalent to the combined T4 39- and 60-protein subunits

T6 DNA topoisomerase has been purified from bacteriophage T6 infected Escherichia coli. Unlike the T4 DNA topoisomerase which has three subunits, it consists of two subunits of molecular weights 75,000 and 51,000. They are the products of T6 genes 39 and 52, respectively. The purified T6 enzyme can stimulate in vitro T6 DNA replication. It has an ATP-dependent DNA relaxation activity similar to the T4 enzyme. Either ATP or dATP can be used in both reactions. Using a "Western blotting" and radioimmuno-detection methods, we show that T6 39 subunit contains protein sequences specified by both the T4 39 and 60 genes. The 52-proteins of both phages appear to be identical. The T4 and T6 topoisomerase genes represent a naturally occurring example of gene separation or fusion.     

Repopulation kinetics in irradiated mouse lip mucosa: the relative importance of treatment protraction and time distribution of irradiations

The repopulation kinetics of the irradiated lip mucosa of mice has been investigated. Split-dose experiments showed that, in this tissue, repopulation starts within 3 days after the first irradiation and increases exponentially within 10 days. To assess the relative importance of protraction and distribution of irradiations as a function of time, 10 fractions were given in (1) 3 days (three irradiations per day with a 4-hr interval), (2) 11 days (daily fractions), or (3) two short courses, each consisting of five fractions given in 1.5 days separated by a rest period of 8 days, with an overall time of 11 days. The results show that by protracting the treatment from 3 to 11 days (with daily irradiations) repopulation accounts for recovery of approximately 13 Gy. Delivering the radiation in two short courses separated by a rest period leads to an additional recovery of approximately 5 Gy. The most plausible explanation for this observation is that repopulation is much more efficient during the rest period between the two courses than during continuous daily irradiation. Although the regimen of two short courses with a rest period spares the acute reaction, it will not enhance the late tolerance. Before thorough knowledge about the repopulation kinetics of the tumors can be gained, caution should be observed for indiscriminate use of split-course multiple-fraction-per-day (MFD) regimens for treating various tumors.     

向日葵未受精胚珠培养时胚状体发生的显微观察

由开花前1—4天的向日葵子房中取出胚珠,在液体培养基上进行漂浮培养,诱导了未受精的卵细胞发育为单倍体的胚状体.亦诱导了珠被绒毡层产生胚状体。对两种胚状体的发生和发育过程及其形态发生特点作了显微观察与描述。     

光合磷酸化偶联机制研究——Ⅸ.抗生素HP-1对光合磷酸化的解联作用

抗生素HP-1在10~(-7)～10~(-6)M时可以有效地降低光合磷酸化活力,并促进电子传递。它象氯化铵一样能降低光照射时类囊体的质子吸收,但在降低光合磷酸化活力时,既不象氯化铵那样受反应液中磷酸盐浓度的影响,又不象尼日利亚菌素那样依赖反应液中K~+存在。抗生素HP-1可以作为一种新的解联剂而用于光合磷酸化及生物能量转换反应的研究。     

泥河湾层中新发现一处旧石器地点

半个多世纪以来,在泥河湾层中寻找早更新世时期的人类遗迹,已成为中、外许多科学家非常关心的一个问题。近几年来,在泥河湾村附近,大量古文化遗物从属于下更新统的泥河湾层中发现了。新的发现为旧石器时代考古学和第四纪地质学又增添了新的内容。     

甲型流感病毒自然温度敏感株的宿主依赖性

用鸡胚细胞(CEC)和Madin-Darby Canine Kidney(MDCK)两个宿主细胞系统,检查甲型流感病毒各亚型不同时期流行株的温度敏感性状(ts),发现自然界存在许多宿主依赖的温度敏感性突变株(hd-ts)。它们在CEC上是ts,在MDCK上却是ts~ 。检出的hd-ts株中有些曾经过人体接种观察证明为减毒株。这表明在CEC中鉴定的ts表型与对人减毒性状密切相关。     

土壤中含EB病毒诱导物的检测

从广西壮族自治区梧州市、苍梧县、罗城县和北京市收集的土壤标本中发现有EB病毒诱导物。梧州市和苍梧县沿公路和江河两旁桐油树下的土壤标本,对EB病毒早期抗原诱导的阳性率为40～58％。在其他大戟科植物下的土壤标本中,也发现有EB病毒诱导物。对桐油树下土壤中EB病毒诱导物与鼻咽癌发生的可能关系进行了讨论。