Epidemiology of Dientamoeba fragilis Jepps and Dobell, 1918. 3. Further studies on Enterobius transmission through eggs]

In two new attempts to infect human subjects with pin-worms that were infested, at that time, with protozoa Dientamoeba fragilis, presence of these protoza in the intestinal canal was observed in one case for more than 84 days, and in another case for more than 31 days after contamination. The duration of latent periods fixed for Enterobius vermicularis was almost identical (51 and 50 days). New attempts implement and confirm the results of the first successful attempts to transfer the infection (Ockert, 1972b) as well as the hypothesis of the epidemiological interrelation between both parasites (Burrows and Swerdlow 1956).     

Further studies on seed transmission in the ecology of some aphid-transmitted viruses

A small proportion (1–4%) of the seeds of Stellaria media extracted from fallow soil from three widely separated areas contained cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). S. media seeds buried for 21 months produced 5 % infected seedlings. S. media plants from Britain, N. America and Australia were least severely affected by the CMV strain obtained from their country of origin and showed more severe reactions when infected with two alien strains. Several weed species were experimentally infected with lettuce mosaic, turnip mosaic and cauliflower mosaic viruses but, although virus was detected in the seeds of some species, it was not transmitted to any of their seedlings.     

Further studies on mevalonate phosphorylation in neonatal chick brain

Mevalonate phosphorylation was studied in neonatal chick brain. Formation of phosphorylated derivatives of mevalonic acid increased with the pH in the range assayed (5.5–9.5). Phosphomevalonate kinase was completely inactivated after treatment at 50°C for 5–10 min, whereas mevalonate kinase was found to retain its activity under the same conditions. Exposure to 65°C for 5 min resulted in the inactivation of mevalonate kinase. Both mevalonate-activating enzymes from chick brain were located primarily in the soluble fraction. The amounts of phosphomevalonic acid and pyrophosphomevalonic acid did not show a significant diurnal variation to suggest the presence of a circadian rhythm in either kinase. Cholesterol feeding and fasting had no effect on mevalonate phosphorylation by neonatal chick brain.     

Further studies on the smooth-surfaced membranes isolated from rat brain

The light and heavy smooth-surfaced membranes (LSM and HSM), which had densities corresponding to 1.08 M and 1.28 M sucrose, respectively, were isolated from rat brain and some of their biochemical properties were investigated. Both LSM and HSM showed high Na+,K+-ATPase activity and, in particular, in HSM the activity was four times (21.55 mumol/mg protein/h) higher than that of the brain homogenate. High 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase activity (293.4 mumol/mg protein/h) was characteristic of LSM. 5'-Nucleotidase and acetylcholinesterase activities were also higher in LSM than in HSM. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that LSM and HSM had many protein component and that low molecular weight proteins such as proteolipid protein and basic protein were almost absent, in contrast with myelin and myelin-like membrane. GM1 ganglioside constituted the major class of total ganglioside in both LSM and HSM. These biochemical findings suggested that LSM is a membrane that has not previously been described, or a membrane fraction related to the oligodendroglial plasma membrane.     

Further studies on bovine serum amylase. 3. Affinity chromatography

The major bovine serum isoamylases controlled by the AmI locus have been examined by gel filtration. On Sephadex G-200 the isoamylases can be resolved into two classes. The AmI A and AmI B have apparent molecular weights of 307,000 daltons whilst the AmI C isozyme has an apparent molecular weight of 44,400 daltons. The separation of the isozymes into two classes according to their elution behaviour on Sephadex G-200 has been shown to be an affinity separation. All three AmI isozymes are eluted from a non-dextran media (BioGel A1.5m) with apparent molecular weights of 417,000 daltons. The affinity separation on Sephadex G-200 has been shown to be inhibited by the addition of 1% (w/v) maltose to the elution buffer. In the presence of 1% (w/v) maltose all three AmI isozymes are coeluted from Sephadex G-200 with apparent molecular weights of 321,000 daltons. The maltase and amylase activities of the AmI isozymes were eluted coincidentally under all the conditions studied.     

Further studies on bovine serum amylase. 3. Affinity chromatography

The major bovine serum isoamylases controlled by the AmI locus have been examined by gel filtration. On Sephadex G-200 the isoamylases can be resolved into two classes. The AmI A and AmI B have apparent molecular weights of 307 000 daltons whilst the AmI C isozyme has an apparent molecular weight of 44 400 daltons. The separation of the isozymes into two classes according to their elution behaviour on Sephadex G-200 has been shown to be an affinity separation. All three AmI isozymes are eluted from a non-dextran media (BioGel A1.5m) with apparent molecular weights of 417 000 daltons. The affinity separation on Sephadex G-200 has been shown to be inhibited by the addition of 1% (w/v) maltose to the elution buffer. In the presence of 1 % (w/v) maltose all three AmI isozymes are coeluted from Sephadex G-200 with apparent molecular weights of 321000 daltons. The maltase and amylase activities of the AmI isozymes were eluted coincidentally under all the conditions studied.     

Multimodal responses of the nonspiking giant interneurons in the brain of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii

Three pairs of nonspiking giant interneurons (NGIs; G1, G2, and G3) of the crayfish brain responded with depolarizing and hyperpolarizing graded potentials to body tilt in roll to the ipsi- and contralateral sides in the dark. The higher and the larger the angle of body tilt, the larger was the amplitude of the geotactic responses. In ipsilaterally statocystectomized animals, all the NGIs responded with hyperpolarizing potentials only to the contralateral side-down tilt, whereas in contralaterally statocystectomized animals, they responded with depolarizing potentials only to the ipsilateral side-down tilt. In bilaterally statocystectomized animals, none of the NGIs responded to body tilt in the dark, but in the presence of an overhead light, they exhibited depolarizing and hyperpolarizing potentials in response to body tilt to the ipsi-and contralateral sides, respectively. All the NGIs responded with depolarizing and hyperpolarizing graded potentials to illumination of the contra- and ipsilateral eyes, respectively. The amplitude of these visual responses, however, varied in association with the amplitude of the geotactic response produced by body tilt. These results indicate that the NGIs integrate the sensory inputs from eyes and statocysts and that the interaction between sensory inputs from the left and right sensory organs with either the same modality or with different modalities enhance the directional sensitivity of NGIs as premotoneurons in the compensatory oculomotor system.     

Further studies on D-3-aminoisobutyrate-pyruvate aminotransferase

D-3-Aminoisobutyrate-pyruvate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.40, D-BAIB aminotransferase) participates in the metabolism of thymine. Recently we purified this enzyme from rat liver. We have studied D-BAIB aminotransferase further to clarify its physiological function. Among our findings were the following. (1) The enzyme activity was widely distributed in the organs of guinea pigs and rats. The kidney, liver, and lung showed high specific activities. (2) Using the livers of six vertebrates, differences between species were studied. Activity was detected in all species, the human liver showing the lowest activity among them. (3) Developmental study using rat liver showed that the activity was low at birth, increased sharply thereafter for 10 days, and then subsequently declined to the adult level. (4) Intraperitoneal injection of BAIB and beta-alanine in rats was performed to determine whether they induce activity of this aminotransferase. Only BAIB increased the activity of the aminotransferase in the liver significantly. (5) Subcellular distribution study of this aminotransferase in rat liver revealed that it is a mitochondrial enzyme.     

Glutamine transaminase from brain tissue. Further studies on kinetic properties and specificity of the enzyme.

Glutamine transaminase, highly purified from rat brain, was studied. In the first series of experiments, the kinetics of the transamination reaction between 2-oxoglutaramate and phenylalanine were examined in order to determine the type of reaction mechanism. This proved to be of the ping-pont type, as can be expected for a transamination. The specificity of the enzyme for various amino acids and 2-oxo acids was then studied in detail. The most active substrates were glutamine, methionine and ethionine as amino-group donors, and phenylpyruvate, glyoxalate and 2-oxo-4-methiobutyrate as amino-group acceptors. For these and several other substrates, the kinetic constants, V and Km, were determined.     

Further studies on the role of astroglia in brain neurons maturation and morphogenesis

Using in vitro cultures of dissociated brain neurons and astrocytes, we have compared the morphologies of mesencephalic and striatal neurons cultured for two days on mesencephalic and striatal astrocytes in the four possible combinations. From these comparisons, it appears that: 1. Neurons grown on co-regionalized (homotopic) astrocytes have more primary neurites and branching points than neurons grown on heterotopic astrocytes. 2. The total neuritic length is only slightly affected by the type of co-culture. 3. The branched arborization which develop faster on homotopic astrocytes present several dendritic features. Following these morphological observations, we have been able to demonstrate: 1. That mesencephalic astrocytes (but not striatal astrocytes) secrete trypsin sensitive factors different from laminin and FGF that increase the number of primary neurites and branching points but have no or little effect on total neuritic length. 2. That mesencephalic astrocytes (but not striatal astrocytes) present at their surface a 190 KD glycoprotein specifically recognized by the fucose-specific lectin UEA.