Seasonal Changes in Nitrogen Fractions of Coptis japonica, a Temperate Forest Evergreen Chamaephyte, and their Ecological Implications

Seasonal changes in several forms of nitrogen were investigatedin Coptis japonica, an evergreen rosette hemicryptophyte intemperate deciduous forest. The concentration of total nitrogenin rhizomes and roots decreased during the period of new shootgrowth from winter to spring. In the rhizomes, total solubleprotein stored by early summer decreased gradually until winter,coupled with an increase in free amino acids. Nitrogen was largelystored in free amino acids in the roots, especially during summer.The total soluble protein in current-year leaves decreased fromspring to summer and then increased during winter. The seasonalchanges in nitrogen components were coincident with the changein light-saturated photosynthetic rates recorded in a previousstudy. The ratio of total soluble protein to total nitrogendecreased from spring to summer and then increased from latesummer to winter in the current-year leaves. In contrast, chlorophyllcontent and the ratio of chlorophyll to total nitrogen werehigher in summer than in other seasons. The results indicatethat nitrogen was used in a manner that better utilizes thevery weak light in summer and the higher light intensities inother seasons. The major component of the free amino acid poolwas asparagine, in every organ throughout the season, exceptfor the senescent leaves. Since asparagine has a high N:C ratio,we suppose that the asparagine-dominated amino acid pool isadvantageous in the carbon-limited environment of the forestfloor.Copyright 1994, 1999 Academic Press Free amino acid composition, total nitrogen, total soluble protein, photosynthesis, evergreen hemicryptophyte     

Phase determination of the circadian rhythm of conidiation in heterocaryons between two out-of-phase mycelia in Neurospora crassa

Neurospora grows vegetatively as a syncytium in which multiple nuclei exist within a connected cytoplasm. Because of the ability of separate and distinct mycelia to fuse, the possibility exists of generating heterocaryotic cultures in which the nuclei and cytoplasms of two different strains are comingled into the same syncytium. We have used such heterocaryons, in which the component parts differed with respect to their circadian clock phase, to examine whether or not clock-dominant phases exist in the circadian cycle. To this end, the phase subsequent to the formation of heterocaryons by pairs of mycelial discs that are initially at different circadian phases was examined in Neurospora crassa. The resulting phase was an average of the parent phases in many cases, but was sometimes observed to correspond more closely to just one of the original parental phases. In these cases, we did not observe any dominant phases in the circadian cycle; the phase of a particular parent disc was more dominant in the heterocaryon when the proportion of the nuclei from that parent was greater in the heterocaryon. In some instances, which occurred mostly when the difference in phase of the parental discs was large, the resultant phase could not be related in a simple way to the parental phases. An interpretation based on a limit cycle model of the circadian oscillation is possible.     

Interferon and cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) released in the blood of mice infected with Mycobacterium bovis BCG. III. Interferon and cytotoxin induced by the specific antigen as compared with those induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

The time course of development and decline of the ability of BCG-infected mice to produce interferon in the serum in response to the intravenous infection of purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) was very similar to that of their systemic hypersensitivity to PPD. A cytotoxic factor (cytotoxin) was produced in parallel with interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD. The duration of the period in which cytotoxin-production responsiveness to PPD was definitely detectable was much shorter than that for interferon-production responsiveness although the periods for the maximum production of interferon and cytotoxin coincided. The kinetics of release of interferon in the serum of BCG-infected mice after stimulation with PPD did not parallel that of release of cytotoxin. The four kinds of activities, interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the serum of BCG-infected mice, were compared for their stability to heating at 56 C and to treatment at pH 2. The kinetics of inactivation of these four activities differed significantly, when the serum was either heated at 56 C or treated at pH 2. Interferon produced in response to LPS could be neutralized by anti-L cell(NDV) interferon rabbit serum as easily as L cell (NDV) interferon, 16 times as much antiserum was required to neutralize the same amount of interferon in response to PPD, but cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS were not neutralized at all by the antiserum. From these findings it is thought likely that interferons and cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS in the serum of BCG-infected mice are different substances, although the antigenic relationship between cytotoxins induced by PPD and LPS remains unknown.     

Evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) analogues, the inhibitors for polyamine biosynthetic pathway

Metabolic and antiproliferative effects of methylglyoxal bis(butylamidinohydrazone) (MGBB) and methylglyoxal bis(cyclopentylamidinohydrazone) (MGBCP), inhibitors for polyamine biosynthetic pathway, on Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, Aeromonas sobria, Aeromonas hydrophila and Vibrio cholerae were investigated. MGBB at the concentration of 100 mumol/l depleted intracellular putrescine and spermidine concentrations of E. coli to 25 and 20% of the controls, respectively, while MGBCP depressed their concentrations to 38 and 24%, respectively. In these polyamine-depleted E. coli cells the syntheses of RNA, DNA and protein decreased to 13, 54 and 29% of the control, respectively, with MGBB and to 23, 71 and 55%, respectively, with MGBCP. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of MGBB for the growth of A. sobria, E. coli, A. hydrophila, V. cholerae and Sh. sonnei were estimated to be 50, 160, 240, 285 and 320 mumol/l, respectively, whereas those of MGBCP were slightly higher for respective bacteria.     

Differences in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder manifestation between synucleinopathies and tauopathies

Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) frequently occurs in synucleinopathies including multiple system atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia with Lewy bodies despite the clinical course of RBD being different between these disorders. Comparatively, the existence of RBD symptoms is relatively rare in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy, a tauopathy showing atypical parkinsonism compared with Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, which is another tauopathy, RBD symptoms are less frequent than dementia with Lewy bodies, although both disorders share commonalities in terms of the existence of cortical dementia. Thus, RBD is thought to be relatively specific to synucleinopathies.

     

Synthesis of N-chlorosulfonyl dicyclohexylamine as a potent inhibitor for spermidine synthase and its effects on human leukemia Molt4B cells

N-Chlorosulfonyl dicyclohexylamine (CSD) was synthesized as a potent inhibitor of spermidine synthase and analyzed for antiproliferative effects on leukemic cells. The compound specifically inhibited spermidine synthase in a competitive mode with the substrate putrescine (Ki, 1.8 X 10(-7) M). When human leukemia Molt4B cells were cultured in the presence of the inhibitor, the intracellular level of spermidine and the rate of cell proliferation were markedly depressed. In these polyamine depleted and growth retarded cells the synthesis of protein, but not of DNA or RNA, was found to be significantly diminished.     

Successful lymph node transplantation in rats, with restoration of lymphatic function.

After doing a popliteal lymphadenectomy in rats, we were able to transfer a mass of inguinal nodes to the area, either on an island pedicle of the superficial epigastric vessels, or as a free flap by microvascular anastomoses. The transplants survived and at 7 days were able to entrap india ink particles, or particles of radioactive gold, injected in the distal part of the extremity.     

Diurnal rhythm of uridine incorporation into RNA regulated by two light-perceiving systems in a long-day duckweed, Lemna gibba G3

A long-day duckweed, Lemna gibba G3, was found to be controlledby two lightperceiving systems; a system perceiving a prolonged,high-intensity white light and the phytochrome system, withrespect to the incorporation of radioactive uridine into RNA.When the duckweed was exposed to short or long days, the uridineincorporating activity into RNA changed diurnally reaching itshighest level at 18 hr and its lowest one at 6 hr after thebeginning of a light period. The level of maximum activity rosein proportion to an increase in the length of the light periodup to 12 hr or in light intensity up to 3000 ergs/cm²sec. Thefar-red light termination of the light period resulted in adecrease in uridine incorporation, the extent of which was constantirrespective of the length of the light period. The uridine incorporating activity changed diurnally when theduckweed was exposed to continuous light. The period lengthof the rhythm was circadian and was constant over a temperaturerange of 16° to 30°C. (Received September 1, 1975; )