Studies on the Glucanase of Sclerotinia Libertiana

Glucanase-treatment of yeast cells was shown to increase the glucose fermenting activity, and decrease the sucrose and maltose fermenting activity. Also, lipase–and phospholipase–treatment decreased the fermenting activity on these sugars. However, the effects on the disaccharide fermenting activity could be reversed under various growth conditions of the yeast cells.

From these results, structural factors envolved in the transport of fermentable sugars into yeast cells are discussed.     

Segmental flexibility and complement fixation of genetically engineered chimeric human, rabbit and mouse antibodies.

We generated a family of chimeric immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules having identical antigen-combining sites for the dansyl (DNS) hapten, in conjunction with nine heavy chain constant (CH) regions. This family of antibody molecules allows comparison of CH dependent properties independent of possible variable region contributions to IgG function. The segmental flexibility and complement fixation activity were measured of six genetically engineered molecules (the four human IgG isotypes, mouse IgG3 and rabbit IgG) and the remaining three mouse IgG isotypes, (IgG1, IgG2a and IgG2b), isolated previously by somatic cell genetic techniques. These properties of antibody molecules each correlate with the length of the immunoglobulin hinge region which separate the first and second CH (CH1 and CH2) domains. These results attribute a structural basis for two critical properties of antibody molecules.     

Suppressor cells in the effector phase of autologous cytotoxic reactions in cancer patients

Summary Cytotoxicity was induced in lymphocytes (CL) from 10 out of 15 patients by autologous mixed lymphocyte tumor cell culture and further cultivation with recombinant interleukin-2. In cells from 3 of the 10 patients, cytotoxicity was suppressed by more than 50% when autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from the patients with large tumors were added to the autologous killing system. The cells responsible for suppressing the cytotoxicity in the effector phase were adherent or nonadherent to plastic depending on the patient examined. The T cell fraction from 1 patient significantly suppressed the cytotoxic activity, and this suppression was seen only in the autologous system. On the other hand, plastic adherent cells but not T cells from PBMC of 2 subjects suppressed the cytotoxic activity of CL. The reason why the main cell population suppressing the CL activity differed among the patients is unclear. However, the findings that the suppression was mostly abrogated following resection of the tumor mass suggested that suppressor cells, either of macrophage lineage or T cells, are induced in patients with a large tumor mass. This speculation is supported by the finding that the PBMC from a patient with tumor recurrence regained the suppressive activity.     

Killer cells induced by stimulation with allogeneic tumor cells and subsequent culture with recombinant interleukin-2

Summary Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured for 5 days with allogeneic tumor cells (allogeneic mixed lymphocyte/tumor cell culture), and subsequently cultured with recombinant interleukin-2 for 12 days. These cultured cells were found to be cytotoxic to autologous tumor cells. Results of two-color analysis using monoclonal antibodies to cell markers showed that more than 80% of their cultured cells were CD3⁺ cells, and CD4⁺ cells showed a higher distribution than CD8⁺ cells. However, CD8⁺ cells had a much higher killing activity with autologous tumor than did CD4⁺ cells, when estimated by an elimination study using monoclonal antibodies to T cell phenotypes and complement. The cold-target inhibition test showed that the cytotoxicity of these cells for autologous tumor cells was inhibited by unlabeled autologous tumor cells but not by unlabeled stimulator cells. Furthermore, about 40% of the cytotoxicity was suppressed by blocking of HLA class I antigen with a monoclonal antibody on autologous tumor cells. Thus, cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes to autologous tumor restricted by target cell HLA class I antigen is possibly induced by allogeneic tumor-stimulation.     

A preliminary study on quantitative relations among growth,reproduction and mortality in fishes

As a quantitative approach to the life histories of fishes, the present paper attempted to predict a relation among reproduction, growth and mortality numerically with a technique of control theory, the discrete maximum principle. A method for predicting the relation was derived on the postulate that natural selection maximized the net reproductive rate subject to a few constraints. The derived method was applied to Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring populations in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence as numerical examples. The examples demonstrated that the theoretical reproductive effort and body weight were well consistent with the observed ones every age but the theoretical survival rates were slightly different from the observed ones. For the reasons mentioned below, however, it should be interpreted that the examples rather support the adopted postulate to a certain degree. First, in general, it is very difficult to obtain good estimates of the rates with traditional methods. Second, intense fishing pressure possibly changes the life history parameters to some extent in fish populations. Moreover, the examples also suggested that, to examine the postulate in further detail, similar analyses had to be made with the data of many fish populations on which intense fishing pressure had not been exerted.     

Genetic characterization of mouse immunoglobulin allotypic determinants (allotopes) defined by monoclonal antibodies

We have generated a new series of monoclonal antibodies recognizing allotypic determinants on mouse IgG₁, IgG_2a, and IgG_2b. In this communication we describe their reactivities with immunoglobulins of the inbred mouse strains. Comparison with serology charts indicates that many of these monoclonal antibodies detect allotypic specificities previously defined by conventional antisera; others define previously undescribed specificities. Strain and isotype distribution allows us to assign five new allotypic specificities to Igh-1 and three new specificities to Igh-3. In addition, on the basis of reactivity with the monoclonal antibodies, we have defined a new Igh haplotype in SWR/J mice, Igh ^p.Abbreviations used in this paper Igh immunoglobulin heavy chain - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

835型氨基酸分析仪分析中停电的处理方法

本文介绍了日立835-50型氨基酸分析仪分析过程中遇到停电时,仪器管路的冲洗方法。     

Methane fermentation of xylan by mesophilic and thermophilic methane sludges

The degradation of xylan during methane fermentation proceeded as a first-order reaction. The rate constants were calculated to be 0.40–0.09 day^–1 at 37° C and 0.341 day^–1 at 55° C. From calculations based on the experimental data, K _A and C _A values in the expression of the velocity of xylose consumption changed as the fermentation progressed. In the mesophilic fermentation, the degradation of xylan slowed down after 2 days of incubation, but the rate of consumption of xylose increased between days 3 and 4 of incubation and slow again at the 5th day of incubation. In the thermophilic fermentation, the degradation of xylan proceeded at a constant rate and the rate of consumption of xylose increased slightly on the 3rd day of incubation. When the velocity of gas evolution was determined, the C _G value for acetate at 55° C was about 1.8 times larger than the value at 37° C.     

Optimization for xylanase and cellulase production from Aspergillus niger ATTC 6275 in palm oil mill wastes and its application

Optimization of enzyme production from Aspergillus niger ATCC 6275 under both submerged and solid-substrate cultivation was investigated. Results from submerged cultivation using palm oil mill effluent revealed that pretreatment of ground palm cake did not improve enzyme production. Addition of 0.60g NH4NO3/l generated maximum activity of xylanase and cellulase (CMCase). The optimum aeration rate was 1.2 v/v min. Under solid-substrate cultivation, the results indicated that heating and alkali treatment of the ground palm cake gave no further improvement in enzyme production. The optimal N-source was 2% urea. Optimal initial moisture contents for xylanase and CMCase activities were 60% and 50% respectively, with temperature optima of 30°C and 35°C, respectively. The optimal inoculum size was 1× 108 spores/g palm cake with an initial pH of 4.5–5.0. The maximum activities of xylanase (282.9U/g) and CMCase (23.8U/g) were obtained under the optimum conditions. Solid-substrate cultivation was a better method for the production of enzyme, particularly xylanase, from A. niger ATCC 6275. The application of these enzymes to decanter effluent showed the separation of oil and grease and suspended solids from the effluent. This is comparable to the result achieved from using the commercial xylase preparation Meicelase and superior to the effect of Sumyzyme.