Further characterization of the lipid-depleted bovine rhodopsin obtained by cholate-ammonium sulfate fractionation

The rhodopsin preparation obtained by the method of ammonium sulfate fractionation contained 3–6 mol phospholipid and about 18 mol cholate per mol rhodopsin. The purified rhodopsin had 74% helical structure and showed a visible CD spectrum different from that of rhodopsin in the membrane. The rhodopsin was stable below but denatured gradually above 20°C. The lifetime of metarhodopsin I was long in this preparation. Regeneration capacity was low and only 30% of the original rhodopsin was regenerable by addition of 11-cis-retinal after bleaching.50 mol of phosphatidylcholine were maximally bound to 1 mol rhodopsin when the purified rhodopsin was mixed with phosphatidylcholine in 0.5% cholate. The rhodopsin recombined with lipid had properties similar to those of the original rhodopsin in the membrane. Exchange of cholate for other detergents was easily performed by dialysis. The rhodopsin preparation in which cholate was exchanged for digitonin gave almost the same CD, thermal stability and regenerability as those of a native rhodopsin in the membrane but metarhodopsin I still retained its long lifetime.     

Prevalence rate and age of acquisition of antibodies against JC virus and BK virus in human sera

A total of 480 serum samples from donors including 384 children up to 10 years of age were examined by the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test for the rates of prevalence and age of acquisition of HI antibodies against JC virus and BK virus. Among 136 serum samples from various age groups, there were five (4%) with no detectable antibodies against BK or JC virus, 75 (55%) with antibodies against both viruses, 41 (30.1%) with antibodies against only BK virus and 26 (19%) with antibodies against only JC virus. The prevalence of antibodies against JC and BK viruses was 70.5% and 80.8%, respectively, and the mean HI titers (4 x 2n,n greater than or equal to 1) were 4.90 and 4.30. About 50% of the children had acquired antibodies against BK virus by 3 years of age and against JC virus by 6 years of age. These results indicate that dual latent infections with both viruses are common, although independent infections with either virus are predominant in the human population.     

Protective effects of sodium selenite on killing and mutation by N-methyl-N''-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in E. coli.

Sodium selenite was found to protect Escherichia coli cells against killing and mutagenic effects of N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG). Such protective effects were not observed when cells were treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). The protection by sodium selenite was not controlled by the ada gene, which is responsible for the repair of alkylated damage in DNA. A reduction of the amount of glutathione was found when cells were treated with sodium selenite, and glutathione is known to be involved in the methylation of DNA by MNNG, not by MNU. Reduced methylation by MNNG due to the reduction of the amount of glutathione caused by abundant sodium selenite was suggested to be the mechanism of protection.     

Polyalcohol Production by Pichia miso in a Jar Fermentor

Cultural conditions for polyalcohol production by Pichia miso were examined in Waldhof type 20 liter-fermentor scale. The best result was obtained under conditions where the aeration rate was 1 volume per volume of the medium per minute with the stirring rate of 500r.p.m., (Kd=5×l0^-6 [g-mol of O₂/atm. min. ml.]); in 5 days incubation, Pichia miso completely dissimilated the glucose of a high concentration, 30%, and produced glycerol, D-arabitol and erythritol in a very high yield, 50% of sugar consumed. The greatest advantage compared with the shake flask culture is that the required fermentation time is shortened to half.     

Effect of Vitamin A and Estradiol on the Cystine and Hydroxyproline Content in Skin of Rats

In the previous paper the authors reported the increase of cystine content by vitamin A in the skin of rats fed vitamin A depleted ration. It is known that both depletion of vitamin A and administration of estrogens in massive dose have the keratinizing action on the epithelium of rats. The present studies were initiated to compare the action of vitamin A with estrogens on the cystine and hydroxyproline content in the skin of rats, and the authors reported the increase of these amino acids by supplementation of this vitamin and hormone.     

Kinetochore stretching-mediated rapid silencing of the spindle-assembly checkpoint required for failsafe chromosome segregation

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