Characteristics of usurped colonies in the subtropical paper wasp,Ropalidia fasciata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Summary Nest usurpation in the subtropical paper waspRopalidia fasciata was studied in Okinawa, southern Japan. Eight of 14 usurpations occurred around the first worker emergence (within 3 days before and 3 days after the emergence). A discriminant analysis showed that the usurpers preferred colonies that had fewer adult females and fewer cells but abundant pupae, compared with non-usurped colonies in the study area on same dates. This suggests that usurpers can assess the development of other colonies and then select a nest that is easy to usurp (fewer females) but has valuable resources (abundant pupae).     

Molecular pathogenesis of malignant melanoma: a different perspective from the studies of melanocytic nevus and acral melanoma

The Clark model for melanoma progression emphasizes a series of histopathological changes beginning from benign melanocytic nevus to melanoma via dysplastic nevus. Several models of the genetic basis of melanoma development and progression are based on this Clark’s multi-step model, and predict that the acquisition of a BRAF mutation can be a founder event in melanocytic neoplasia. However, our recent investigations have challenged this view, showing the polyclonality of BRAF mutations in melanocytic nevi. Furthermore, it is suggested that many melanomas, including acral and mucosal melanomas, arise de novo, not from melanocytic nevus. While mutations of the BRAF gene are frequent in melanomas on non-chronic sun damaged skin which are prevalent in Caucasians, acral and mucosal melanomas harbor mutations of the KIT gene as well as the amplifications of cyclin D1 or cyclin-dependent kinase 4 gene. Amplifications of the cyclin D1 gene are detected in normal-looking ‘field melanocytes’, which represent a latent progression phase of acral melanoma that precedes the stage of atypical melanocyte proliferation in the epidermis. Based on these observations, we propose an alternative genetic progression model for melanoma.     

Kinetic resolution of organosilicon compounds by stereoselective dehydrogenation with horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase

Streoselective dehydrogenation of three isomers of trimethylsilypropanol was carried out with horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH, EC 1.1.1.1.) and optically active organosilicon compounds were obtained in a water-organic solvent two-layer system with coenzyme regeneration. Furthermore, we examined the effects of the silicon atom on stereoselectivity of HLADH compared to the corresponding carbon compounds. Substitution of the silicon atom for the carbon atom was found to improve the stereoselectivity of HLADH. For example, the optical purity of the remaining 1-trimethylsilyl-2-propanol was higher than 99% enantiomeric excess (ee) at 50% conversion, whereas that of the carbon analogue was 84% ee. This phenomenon was probably ascribable to the bulkiness of the organosilicon compounds derived from their longer Si-C bond. Kinetic analysis in an aqueous monolayer system demonstrated that the specific properties of the silicon atom greatly affected the reactivity of these substrate compounds.Correspondence to: A. Tanaka     

Salt tolerance and glycerol accumulation of a respiration-deficient mutant isolated from the petite-negative, salt-tolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii

A respiration-deficient (RD) mutant was isolated from the petite-negative, salt-tolerant yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii. One strain among sixteen glycerol-non-utilizing mutants exhibited vigorous liberation of CO2 but no uptake of O2. Furthermore, this strain lacked cytochrome aa3 and had a reduced level of cytochrome b. The few mitochondria found in cells of this strain contained few or no cristae. Salt tolerance and intracellular accumulation of glycerol by the RD strain were almost equal to that of the wild-type strain in media containing NaCl up to 2.5 M. In media with more than 3 M NaCl, the growth of the RD mutant was retarded and the intracellular accumulation of glycerol was depressed in spite of ample production.     

Antitumor activity of phenylahistin in vitro and in vivo.

Phenylahistin is a new cell cycle inhibitor produced by Aspergillus ustus. Since phenylahistin was produced as a scalemic mixture of (-)-phenylahistin and its enantiomer, we separated each enantiomer and evaluated their antitumor activity in vitro. (-)-Phenylahistin exhibited antitumor activity against 8 tumor cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 1.8 x 10(-7) to 3.7 x 10(-6), while (+)-phenylahistin exhibited 33-100-fold less potent activity than (-)-phenylahistin did. (-)-Phenylahistin also showed antitumor activity against P388 leukemia and Lewis lung carcinoma cells in vivo.     

Synthesis and Bioactivity of Novel Acetylenic Compounds

The synthesis of novel acetylenic ketone compounds and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities are herein described.     

Metallo-β-lactamase inhibitory activity of phthalic acid derivatives

4-Butyl-3-methylphthalic acid was recognized as a metallo-β-lactamase inhibitor. The structure–activity relationship study of substituted phthalic acids afforded 3-phenylphthalic acid derivatives as potent IMP-1 inhibitors. On the other hand, 3-substituted with 4-hydroxyphenyl phthalic acid derivative displayed a potent combination effect with biapenem (BIPM) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa that produce IMP-1.     

Phase transitions of the purple membrane and the brown holo-membrane X-ray diffraction,circular dichroism spectrum and absorption spectrum studies

The phase transition of the purple membrane observed by differential scanning calorimetry (Jackson, M.B. and Sturtevant, J.M. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 911–915) has been investigated by X-ray diffraction, circular dichroism and absorption spectrum, in comparison with the phase transition in the brown holo-membrane. The two-dimensional crystal of bacteriorhodopsin transformed into two-dimensional liquid around 74–78°C in the purple membrane and around 50–60°C in the brown holo-membrane. The X-ray diffraction patterns obtained at 78°C for the purple membrane and at 60°C for the brown holo-membrane exhibit several broad peaks. Analysis of the pattern suggests that bacteriorhodopsin molecules aggregate in trimers even above the phase transition temperature. The negative circular dichroism band in the visible region is still present at 80°C in the purple membrane and at 60°C in the brown holo-membrane, but becomes negligibly small at 70°C in the brown holo-membrane. The 560 nm absorption peak due to bacteriorhodopsin changes its position and height drastically around 80°C in the brown holo-membrane as in the purple membrane. X-ray diffraction studies have been made on membranes of total lipids extracted from the purple membrane. No indication of the phase transition has been found between ?81°C and 77°C.