Distribution of mass in relaxed frog skeletal muscle and its redistribution upon activation.

Five orders of equatorial reflection were recorded from both relaxed and fully activated intact frog sartorius muscle using synchrotron x-ray radiation. Electron density maps of the myofilament lattice in axial projection were calculated from the integrated intensities by Fourier synthesis, using all possible phase combinations. These maps were evaluated systematically in terms of their compatibility with electron microscopically and biochemically derived properties of the lattice structure and with the minimum wavelength principle. For the relaxed state, one phase combination emerged as most consistent with these constraints: it shows a thick filament with a compact core surrounded by an annular shell of density. The distribution of mass suggests that the S-2 moiety of the myosin molecule is an integral part of the thick-filament backbone and the S-1 moiety makes up the shell and is tilted or slewed around the backbone. For the active state, there are two feasible maps, which differ according to whether or not the activation process is associated with phase inversion in two of the reflections. Both maps represent patterns of redistribution of mass upon activation in which the thick-filament backbone is practically unaffected and there is movement of density from the annular shell towards the thin filaments. In addition to this outward radial flux of density from the thick-filament periphery, the pattern of net mass transfer involves a pronounced azimuthal component in both cases. The total net mass transfer is equivalent to approximately 20% (no phase change) or approximately 40% (with phase change) of the S-1 mass. From the observed systematic increase in peak widths of the higher orders, the size of the crystalline domain in the myofilament lattice in the relaxed sartorius is estimated to be greater than 650 nm and the variations in myofilament lattice spacing among different myofibrils to be about +/- 3%. Furthermore, in the activated state, the equilibrium positions of the myofilaments are no longer well ordered, but are distributed statistically about the lattice points with a standard deviation of approximately 3 nm.     

Alterations in cholesterol and fatty acid biosynthesis in rat liver homogenates by aryloxy acids (Short Communication)

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid inhibited the incorporation of [2-(14)C]mevalonate into cholesterol and non-saponifiable lipids. Both compounds inhibited the conversion of [1-(14)C]isopentenyl pyrophosphate into cholesterol and the synthesis of cholesterol and fatty acids from [2-(14)C]acetate. There was no inhibition of the conversion of [1-(14)C]mevalonate into CO(2). At low concentrations (0.5mm) of the compounds there was a stimulation of acetate incorporation into fatty acids.     

Purification and characterization of bovine aorta ribonucleases

1. Two ribonucleases (aorta ribonuclease I and aorta ribonuclease II) from bovine aorta were purified 4611-fold and 667-fold respectively. Ethanolic precipitation, acid extraction, isoionic precipitation at pH3.5 and Bio-Rex 70 column chromatography were the methods employed. 2. Aorta ribonuclease I exhibited no deoxyribonuclease or alkaline phosphatase activity. 3. Aorta ribonuclease I appeared to be homogeneous when subjected to discontinuous gel electrophoresis. 4. Aorta ribonuclease II exhibited the same properties as aorta ribonuclease previously isolated. 5. The activities of the aorta ribonucleases and pancreatic ribonuclease on homopolymers and dinucleoside phosphates were compared. 6. Aorta ribonuclease I exhibited optimum pH7.5 and, under the assay conditions used, optimum temperature 60 degrees .     

Viral Antibodies in Diabetes Mellitus

Sera from 123 patients with diabetes mellitus of recent onset, 155 patients with diabetes of more than two years'' duration, and 250 normal persons were collected over a period of two and a half years. All sera were tested for neutralizing antibody to Coxsackie virus types B1–6, and a sample was tested for complement-fixing antibody to a number of viral, rickettsial, and mycoplasmal antigens.In diabetics of recent onset no evidence was found of any excess of antibodies to mumps virus or some common respiratory viruses. Insulin-dependent diabetes within three months of onset were found to have higher antibody titres to Coxsackie B virus, particularly of type B4, than either normal subjects or patients with diabetes of longer duration.     

Die auswirkungen der körpergrösse von Aphelinus semiflavus howard (HYM., Aphelinidae) auf einige Organe und ihre leistungsfähigkeit

Zusammenfassung Die Körpergröße von Aphelinus semillavus How. variiert in Abhängigkeit von Große und Qualität des Wirtes. Tiere aus dem gesamten Variationsbereich wurden auf größenabhängige Proportionsverschiebungen untersucht.Relative Länge und Breite des Kopfes (bezogen auf die Körperlange) nehmen mit zunehmender Körperlange ab. Die relative Lange des Abdomens wächst etwa um den gleichen Betrag:Es besteht eine negative Korrelation zwischen der relativen Länge des letzten Fühlergliedes, des Trägers wichtiger Sinnesorgane, und der Körperlange. Seine Oberfläche steht in einem etwa konstanten Verhältnis zur Körperlänge. Die Anzahl der Porenplatten nimmt mit der Körperlänge nur wenig, ihre Länge deutlicher zu.Im Komplexauge wächst die Anzahl der Ommatidien etwa proportional zur Korperlange, während seine gesamte Fläche zwar linear, aber ïiberproportional ansteigt, was durch zunehmende Große der einzelnen Facetten erreicht wird.Die Länge der Vorderfliigel ist bei Männchen und Weibchen von mehr als 1 mm Länge etwa der Körperlange proportional. Unterhalb 1 mm nimmt die relative Flügellänge mit der Körperlange ab, bis die Flügel nur noch funktionslose Rudimente bilden. Die Relation Flügel-fläche:Körpergewicht ist bei mittelgroßen Tieren am günstigsten.Jedes Ovar hat stets drei Ovariolen, unabhängig von der Körperlänge. Große Weibchen legen nur etwas größere, aber bedeutend mehr Eier als kleine. Die Anzahl der (am 7.–10. Lebenstag) täglich abgelegten Eier steigt etwa linear mit dem Logarithmus des Körpergewichts an.Die Eiablage wird während des ganzen Lebens (im Labor etwa 40 Tage) fortgesetzt, ist aber zum. Ende hin etwas geringer. Relativ zum Körper-gewicht produzieren mittelgroße Weibchen die größte Eimasse. Die Anzahl der zum Nahrungsgewinn ausgesaugten Läuse steigt mit dem Körpergewicht.Zwischen der relativen Länge des Legestachels und der Körperlange besteht eine fast lineare negative Korrelation.Die gröBenabhangigen Proportionsverschiebungen werden als Auswirkungen unterschiedlicher Wachstumstendenzen der einzelnen Organe gedeutet, die ihrerseits genetisch fixiert sind und den biologischen Sinn haben, die Lebensf ähigkeit modifikatorisch kleiner Exemplare zu sichern und damit die Ausnutzung entsprechend kleiner Wirte zu ermöglichen.Die Bedeutung der Proportionsverschiebungen für die Leistung der ganzen Population wird diskutiert. Sic ist abhängig von der Häufigkeits-verteilung der verschiedenen Körpergrößen und these wiederum von der Art-Zusammensetzung und Ernährung der Wirtsfauna.

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Summary The body size of Aphelinus semiflavus How. varies with the size and the quality of the hosts. Specimens from the whole range of variation were investigated for differences between organ proportions, which depended on size.The relative length and width of the head (based on the body length) are reduced with increasing body length. The relative length of the abdomen increases approximately by the same amount.There is a negative correlation between the relative length of the last joint of the antennae and the body length. Its surface shows a nearly constant proportion to the body length. The length of the pore plates increases with the body length more distinctly than their numbers.Within the compound eye, the number of ommatidia increases almost proportionally to the body length; the whole area of the eye increases more than proportionally because the size of the single facets also becomes greater.When the body length is greater than 1 mm, the length of the forewings is nearly proportional to the body length. At less than 1 mm, the relative length of the fore-wings is reduced with declining body length until, finally, only rudiments without any function remain. The ratio between wing area and body weight is most favourable at medium body size.Three ovarioles, independent of the body size, are present in each ovary. Big females produce considerably more eggs than small ones. The size of their eggs is only slightly enlarged. The daily egg production (at the 7^th–10^th day of life) increases nearly linearly with the logarithm of body weight. Oviposition is continued throughout the life-time of the insect (ca. 40 days in the laboratory) but it is somewhat reduced at the end. Relative to their body weight, females of medium size produce the biggest egg masses. The number of aphids utilized by the parasite for nourishment increases with the body weight of the female.A negative correlation exists between the relative length of the extended ovipositor and the body length.The proportion differences of the organs, dependent on size, are interpreted to be consequences of different growth tendencies which are genetically fixed. Apparently, the biological role of such different growth tendencies is to ensure the viability of phenotypically small specimens and in this way to make the utilisation of small hosts possible.The importance of the differences of body proportions for the effect of the whole population is discussed. It depends on the frequency distribution of the different body lengths which itself is the consequence of the composition of host species and the nutriation of the hosts.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Hans Braun, emer. Direktor des Instituts für Pfanzenkrankheiten an der Universität Bonn, zu seinem 70. Geburts'ag am 2. Februar 1966 gewidmet.