Ultraviolet induced mutations in Aspergillus wentii.

Aspergillus wentii (IMI 17295) and its three nutritional mutant strains were irradiated with UV rays. New mutants obtained differed from the parent strains in colour of the conidia, growth factor requirements and amylase activity. Arginine deficient strains showed greater amylase activity.     

Oxidative metabolism of hydralazine. Evidence for nitrogen centered radicals formation

The oxidative metabolism of hydralazine, a hydrazine-containing hypotensive drug, has been studied using a spin-trapping technique. In the presence of Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺, hydralazine rapidly forms a nitrogen-centered-DMPO adduct with a^N = 15.0G, a_β^H = 16.7G and a_β^N = 2.55G. While catalase has a very small inhibitory effect, superoxide dismutase completely inhibits the formation of the DMPO adduct. Mass spectral analysis of the adduct indicates that the hydralazyl radical is trapped with DMPO. Human red blood cells also catalyze the formation of a nitrogen-centered-DMPO adduct, a^N = 15.9G, a_β^H = 19.4G and a_β^N = 1.7G, which is different than that obtained with metal ions. DMPO-H adduct is also formed in the red cells from hydralazine.     

Effect of propranolol on ECG of Myna, Acridotheres tristis, and Goh, Varanus bengalensis

Effect of propranolol (1 and 3 mg/kg body wt), a sympathetic blocking agent, on ECG patterns was studied in Varanus and Acridotheres. ECG was recorded before and after 5 min (immediate), 15 min and in some cases 25 min of drug infusion. All animals responded to propranolol with bradycardia. The effectiveness is dose dependent and it is also associated with the high heart rate both in Acridotheres and in Varanus. The P-R or P-S interval increased in all cases of Varanus after infusion. In Acridotheres height and duration of P-wave were increased slightly with the lower dose and decreased with the higher dose. The Q-S shortened with the lower dose and widened late with the higher dose in Varanus whereas in Acridotheres it is widened with lower and higher doses of propranolol. The Q-T interval has been increased in both groups of animals. An increased amplitude of T-wave height was observed in Varanus after 5 and 15 min of drug infusion. But it was noted with decrease in amplitude under high dose after 15 min of drug infusion. In Acridotheres it was on increase with lower dose and decrease with higher dose. The delta-wave disappeared after the administration of propranolol in Acridotheres.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Gross structure and dimensions of the gills in a hill-stream sisorid catfish,Glyptothorax pectinopterus

Gross structure and dimensions of the gills have been examined in a hill-stream sisorid catfish,Glyptothorax pectinopterus, which remains adhered to rocks by means of an adhesive organ developed on the ventral side of the thorax. The fish shows a greater weight-specific gill area and greater length of the gill filaments by comparison with other hill-stream fishes. Adaptation for life in a hill-stream habitat is shown by the presence of additional filaments on the gills and patches of specialised cells on the filament epithelium.     

Over-expression of superoxide dismutase and lack of surface-thiols in spermatozoa: inherent defects in oligospermia.

The infertility associated with oligospermia had been suspected to be a direct consequence of the impairment in fertilizing ability of the spermatozoa rather than the presence of low sperm number per se. This study defines some of these impairments, which include an over expression of superoxide dismutase, poor superoxide anion radical generation capacity and a lack of sperm-surface thiols in oligospermia. The abnormal biochemical make-up of spermatozoa could explain their low fertilizing ability in case of oligospermia.     

Pesticides induced changes in circulating thyroid hormones in the freshwater catfish Clarias batrachus.

1. Effects of endosulfan, malathion and carbaryl on circulating T4, T3 and T3/T4 ratio in the freshwater catfish, C. batrachus have been studied during reproductively active phases, i.e. vitellogenic and post-vitellogenic phases of its annual reproductive cycle. 2. Endosulfan provoked a significant increase in T4 and a decrease in T3 as well as the T3/T4 ratio. 3. Malathion decreased T3 and T3/T4 ratio without altering the level of T4 in circulation. 4. Carbaryl caused a decline in the level of T4 and an elevation in T3 and T3/T4 ratio.     

Comparative limnology of Sambhar and Didwana lakes (Rajasthan,NW India)

Two alkaline saline inland lakes of Indian arid region were studied during 1984 and 1985, to assess functioning and interaction of various environmental and biological factors. Changes in physical and chemical variables, planktonic composition, chlorophyll content and phytoplankton primary productivity were examined.Salinity in both lakes fluctuated from almost fresh water (1.80), to hypersaline (300) and acted as the main controlling factor for almost all the biotic parameters. Maximum total alkalinities were 2162 mg l^–1 and 2090 mg l^–1, respectively in Sambhar and Didwana lakes. Dissolved oxygen ranged from completely anoxic conditions to maxima of 11.68 and 7.29 mg 1^–1, respectively in Sambhar and Didwana lakes. Nutrient enrichment in the lakes was low.The phytoplankton species composition of Sambhar lake was reduced from an earlier reported 20 genera to only 11 (Nostoc, Microcystis, Spirulina, Aphanocapsa, Oscillatoria, Merismopedia, Nitzschia, Navicula, Synedra, Cosmarium and Closterium). Phytoplankton of Didwana was composed of only 9 genera including Anabaena and Nodularia. Sambhar lake, which once contained Artemia, is now totally devoid of them. On the other hand, Artemia was the most dominant zooplankter in Didwana lake at a salinity range of 15–288. Other zooplankters such as Moina, Cyclops and Brachionus flourished at lower salinity levels in Didwana lake. The seasonal quantitative and qualitative phyto- and zooplankton changes in relation to salinity are documented.     

Effect of steroidal fraction of seeds of Abrus precatorius Linn. on rat testis

Dose-dependent degenerative changes in the testicular weights, sperm count, later stages of spermatogenesis and Leydig cells are observed in testis of rats treated with steroidal fraction of seeds of A. precatorius. These are correlated with the dose-dependent decrease in the enzyme activity of 3 alpha, 3 beta, 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and leucine aminopeptidase. The steroidal fraction may also exert its influence indirectly at the pituitary level by a feedback mechanism, leading to decrease in production and release of testosterone which results in significant alterations in the testis.     

RecA protein of Escherichia coli has a third essential role in SOS mutator activity.

The DNA damage-inducible SOS response of Escherichia coli includes an error-prone translesion DNA replication activity responsible for SOS mutagenesis. In certain recA mutant strains, in which the SOS response is expressed constitutively, SOS mutagenesis is manifested as a mutator activity. Like UV mutagenesis, SOS mutator activity requires the products of the umuDC operon and depends on RecA protein for at least two essential activities: facilitating cleavage of LexA repressor to derepress SOS genes and processing UmuD protein to produce a fragment (UmuD') that is active in mutagenesis. To determine whether RecA has an additional role in SOS mutator activity, spontaneous mutability (tryptophan dependence to independence) was measured in a family of nine lexA-defective strains, each having a different recA allele, transformed or not with a plasmid that overproduces either UmuD' alone or both UmuD' and UmuC. The magnitude of SOS mutator activity in these strains, which require neither of the two known roles of RecA protein, was strongly dependent on the particular recA allele that was present. We conclude that UmuD'C does not determine the mutation rate independently of RecA and that RecA has a third essential role in SOS mutator activity.