Two sex pheromone components of the tobacco budworm moth, Heliothis virescens

Two compounds were isolated from female $\text{Heliothis}$$\text{virescens}$ (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) extracts and identified as $\text{cis}$-9-tetradecenal and $\text{cis}$-ll-hexadecenal. Together they elicit intense male $\text{H}$. $\text{virescnes}$ response in laboratory tests and have attracted males in the field. Although $\text{cis}$-ll-hexadecenal is an $\text{H}$. $\text{zea}$ sex pheromone, no evidence was obtained for $\text{cis}$-9-tetradecenal in $\text{H}$. $\text{zea}$.     

Isolation of coccidioides immitis from bat guano and preliminary findings on laboratory infectivity of bats with Coccidioides immitis

$\text{Coccidioides}$$\text{immits}$ has been isolated from the guano of bats obtained beneath bat roosting places deep within deserted mine tunnels. Certain species of bats have been demonstrated to be susceptible to experimental infection by $\text{C.}$$\text{immitis}$. There is, however, a difference in the laboratory susceptibility between the species studied ($\text{Antrozous}$$\text{pallidus}$ and $\text{Macrotus}$$\text{californicus}$). $\text{Antrozous}$$\text{pallidus}$ requires 8 times more arthrospores (400 as compared to 50) than does $\text{Macrotus}$$\text{californicus}$ to produce a defineable infection. Our cultures for $\text{C.}$$\text{immitis}$ in the tissue of $\text{Antrozous}$ produced colonies of the bacterium $\text{Serratia}$$\text{marcescens}$. Because these tissues were handled under sterile conditions the presence of this red pigment (prodigiosin) producing bacterium was thought not the result of contamination. Prodigiosin suggests a possible mechanism for the apparent greatly reduced susceptibility to $\text{C}$. $\text{immitis}$ found in the laboratory population of $\text{Antrozous}$. Skin and serological tests on bats were negative as were cultures of guano from experimentally infected bats and mice. It is speculated that infected dying bats that fall to the floor beneath their roosting sites may contaminate the guano. We of course realize that other animals (we have found $\text{Neotoma}$ and $\text{Bassariscus}$ rarely in these tunnels) may have tracked the fungus into these deep tunnel sites.     

Site of action of the crinkled (cr) locus in the mouse.

The site of action of the crinkled (cr) locus was determined by combining dermis and epidermis from the tail of 15-day $\text{+}\text{cr}$ and $\text{cr}\text{cr}$ mice and by growing the recombined skins in the testes of histocompatible mice. Since $\text{cr}\text{cr}$ mice have bald tails, the presence or absence of hair in the graft was the feature used to determine gene action. Grafts of the combinations $\text{+}\text{cr}$$\text{epidermis}\text{-}\text{+}\text{cr}$ dermis and $\text{+}\text{cr}$$\text{epidermis}\text{-}\text{cr}\text{cr}$ dermis grew hair, whereas grafts of the combinations $\text{cr}\text{cr}\text{epidermis}\text{-}\text{+}\text{cr}$ dermis and $\text{cr}\text{cr}$$\text{epidermis}\text{-}\text{cr}\text{cr}$ dermis produced no hair. It was concluded that the cr locus, at least for tail skin, is active in the epidermis.     

The separation of phage promoter from bacterial lac promoter for beta-galactosidase expression in transducing phage lambda plac5.

The replication defective transducing phage λp$\text{lac}\text{5}\text{O}\text{29}\text{P}$3 carries a portion of the $\text{E.}\text{coli}\text{lac}$ operon in the $\text{b}$2 region of the lambda phage. This $\text{lac}$ operon segment contains the $\text{lac}$ promoter, the $\text{lac}$ operator, and the β-galactosidase $\text{z}$ gene, but does not contain the $\text{lac}$ repressor $\text{i}$ gene. The $\text{z}$ gene can be expressed from both the inserted $\text{lac}$ promoter and the phage promoter. When $\text{E.}\text{coli}$ strain 594 ($\text{z}$^?, $\text{i}$⁺) or JC6256 (Δ$\text{lac}$) is infected by λp$\text{lac}\text{5}\text{O}\text{29}\text{P}$3 in the absence of additional cyclic AMP, β-galactosidase synthesis is shown to be expressed from the phage promoter. When 594 (λ⁺) or JC6256 (λ⁺) is infected by λp$\text{lac}\text{5}\text{O}\text{29}\text{P}$3 in the presence of additional cyclic AMP and IPTG, β-galactosidase synthesis is shown to be expressed from the inserted $\text{lac}$ promoter.The ability to separate the phage promoter from the inserted $\text{lac}$ promoter for β-galactosidase expression will simplify the interpretation whenever λp$\text{lac}$5 is used.     

Effects of calcium and strontium on divalent ion content of refractive granules in Tetrahymena pyriformis

Quantitative electron probe analysis was employed to analyse refractile granules of T. pyriformis individually and in situ. The mean ratios of $\text{Ca}\text{P}$, $\text{Mg}\text{P}$, $\text{K}\text{P}$ and $\text{(}\text{Ca + Mg + K}\text{)}\text{P}$ in granules were similar in cells grown in three different nutrient media. Supplementing the calcium content of proteose-peptone medium with 0.3 and 3 mM calcium depressed the mean $\text{Ca}\text{P}$ ratio and increased the $\text{Mg}\text{P}$ ratio of the granules. The mean $\text{K}\text{P}$ ratio and $\text{(Ca + Mg)}\text{P}$ ratio were not significantly altered. When medium M was supplemented with 0.3 mM calcium, there was no significant change in the $\text{Ca}\text{P}$, $\text{Mg}\text{P}$, $\text{K}\text{P}$ nor $\text{(Ca + Mg)}\text{P}$ ratios. When supplemented with 3 mM Ca, the $\text{Ca}\text{P}$ ratio increased slightly, and the $\text{Mg}\text{P}$ ratio decreased slightly. There was no significant change in the $\text{K}\text{P}$ and $\text{(Ca + Mg)}\text{P}$ ratio. When each medium was supplemented with strontium, all granules incorporated this element, probably at the expense of calcium. The $\text{(Ca + Mg + Sr)}\text{P}$ ratios in granules in each strontium-containing medium were comparable to the $\text{(Ca + Mg)}\text{P}$ ratio in the granules in strontium-free media, indicating that the mix of divalent ions in granules may vary, but the proportion of divalent ions to phosphorus tends to be uniform.     

The biosynthesis of phosphorylated tyrosine hydroxylase by organ cultures of rat adrenal medulla and superior cervical ganglia: a correction.

Determination of the complete amino acid sequence of the rubredoxin isolated from the sulfate reducing bacterium $\text{Desulfovibrio}$$\text{gigas}$ showed that the molecule consists of a single polypeptide chain of 52 residues. The sequence of the first 42 residues was determined using an automatic Protein Sequencer. Peptides derived from tryptic hydrolysis and from specific cleavage at tryptophan residue were used to construct the total sequence. Compared with the sequence of $\text{Desulfovibrio}$$\text{vulgaris}$ rubredoxin, 37 positions are identical, and with the sequences of $\text{Clostridium}$$\text{pasteurianum}$, $\text{Peptostreptococcus}$$\text{elsdenii}$, $\text{Micrococcus}$$\text{aerogenes}$ and $\text{D.}$$\text{vulgaris}$ rubredoxins, 20 matching residues occur. A crystallographic study of the $\text{D.}$$\text{gigas}$ rubredoxin is in progress.     

Complexation of Pr3+ by two different ionophores enhances markedly its transport rate

Transport of Pr³⁺ across phosphatidylcholine vesicles, monitored through ³¹P nmr, is first-order in monensin ($\text{1}$), second-order in etheromycin ($\text{2}$) or in lasalocid A ($\text{3}$). When $\text{1}$ and $\text{2}$ (or $\text{2}$ and $\text{3}$) are incorporated $\text{together}$ in 1:1 ratio into the lipidic phase, transport is faster than with each ionophore alone. For instance, assuming that the complexes $\text{2}$.Pr³⁺.$\text{2}$, $\text{3}$.Pr³⁺.$\text{3}$, and $\text{2}$.Pr³⁺$\text{3}$ are equiprobable, they effect transport at intrinsic relative rates of 1, 2, and 13.5, $\text{i.e.}$ a remarkable synergism is set up.     

Synthesis of the four isomers of 5-hydroxy-PGI1

We wish to report here the syntheses of (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-hydroxy-, (5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-hydroxy-, (5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{S}$)-5-hydroxy-, and (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{S}$)-5-hydroxy-PGI₁ and their methyl ester derivatives. Treatment of (5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{S}$)-5-epoxy- and (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-epoxy-PFG_1α methyl esters with acid washed silica gel afforded (5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-hydroxy- and (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{S}$)-5-hydroxy-PGI₁ methyl esters; correspondingly, silica promoted cyclization of (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{S}$)-epoxy- and (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-epoxy- PGF₁ methyl esters yielded (5$\text{S}$, 6$\text{R}$)-5-hydroxy- and (5$\text{R}$, 6$\text{S}$)-5-hydroxy- PGI₁ methyl esters. Alternatively, the 5-hydroxyl group was introduced into the PGI₁ skeleton $\text{via}$ reaction of the 5-mercuric halides with sodium borohydride in the presence of oxygen. Stereochemical assignments were based on their mode of synthesis and ¹H nmr shift differences.     

The accumulation of glycinamide ribotide by ade3 and ade8 mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The purine intermediate GAR is present in cell free extracts of $\text{ade3}$ and $\text{ade8}$ mutants of yeast. It is also detectable following acid hydrolysis of extracts of $\text{ade6}$ and $\text{ade7}$ which accumulate FGAR and FGAM respectively. GAR accumulation is repressed by growing cells in high levels of adenine. Neither $\text{ade4}$ nor $\text{ade5}$ accumulate GAR and both prevent accumulation of GAR in $\text{ade3}$ and $\text{ade8}$ and FGAR in $\text{ade6}$. Since $\text{ade3}$ is known to be defective in folate metabolism these results indicate that $\text{ade8}$ is blocked in the conversion of GAR→FGAR.     

The detection of a bound ferredoxin in the photosynthetic lamellae of blue-green algae and other oxygen evolving photosynthetic organisms

The presence of an electron transport component with an EPR spectrum similar to that of a ferredoxin has been demonstrated in the blue-green alga $\text{Anabaena}$$\text{cylindrica}$, the green alga $\text{Euglena}$$\text{gracilis}$, and in chloroplasts from sorghum ($\text{Sorghum}$$\text{bicolour}$) and beans ($\text{Phaseolus}$$\text{vulgaris}$). The component is photoreduced at 77°K and is very similar to that previously reported in spinach. It seems likely that this component is a primary electron acceptor in photosynthesis in all of these organisms.     

Cycloheximide inhibition of insulin control of liver glycogen synthase b into a conversion.

Cycloheximide given to insulin-treated alloxan diabetic rats results in the inhibition of insulin-induced liver glycogen synthase $\text{b}\text{into}\text{a}$ conversion without affecting the level of synthase $\text{b}$. The effect of cycloheximide, believed to elevate cAMP in liver of normal rats, is independent of cAMP levels of the insulin-treated diabetic rat. The inhibition of insulin-mediated synthase $\text{b}$ to $\text{a}$ conversion by cycloheximide does not appear to be the result of a cycloheximide-induced cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of synthase $\text{a}$ to $\text{b}$ and suggests that insulin control of synthase $\text{b}$ and $\text{a}$ interconversions is dependent upon cycloheximide-sensitive protein synthesis.     

DNA synthesis during the division cycle of three substrains of Escherichia coliBr

The relationship between chromosome replication and the bacterial division cycle has been examined in three substrains of Escherichia coli$\text{B}\text{r}$ obtained from different sources and designated $\text{B}\text{r}$ A, $\text{B}\text{r}$ F and $\text{B}\text{r}$ K. At growth rates greater than 1.0 doubling per hour (μ > 1.0), the time for a round of chromosome replication (C) was 42 minutes in all three substrains, but the time between the end of a round and cell division (D) was 22 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ A, 16 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ F and 14 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ K. At slower growth rates C and D increased, but to significantly different extents in the three substrains. When μ = 0.5, C and D were approximately 80 and 40 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ A, 60 and 20 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ F, and 70 and 20 minutes in $\text{B}\text{r}$ K.As a consequence of the lengths of the C and D periods in the three stocks of E. coli$\text{B}\text{r}$, the patterns of chromosome replication during the division cycle differed. The most obvious difference was that E. coli$\text{B}\text{r}$ F and E. coli$\text{B}\text{r}$ K possessed periods devoid of DNA synthesis at both the beginning and the end of the division cycle during slow growth, whereas E. coli$\text{B}\text{r}$ A contained only one period devoid of DNA synthesis at the end of the cycle.     

A Novel function of cytochrome C (555, Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum) in oxidation of thiosulfate

Thiosulfate-cytochrome c-551 reductase derived from $\text{Chlorobium}\text{thiosulfatophilum}$ has been highly purified. The enzyme reduces cytochrome $\text{c}\text{-551 of}\text{C}\text{.}\text{thiosulfatophilum}$ in the presence of thiosulfate while cytochrome $\text{c}$-555 of the organism is not reduced by the enzyme. Cytochrome $\text{c}$-555 reacts with the enzyme at an appreciable rate only in the presence of cytochrome $\text{c}$-551. However, the reduction rate of cytochrome $\text{c}$-551 by the enzyme is greatly enhanced on addition of a catalytic amount of cytochrome $\text{c}$-555. Therefore, cytochrome $\text{c}$-555 seems to function as an effector on thiosulfate-cytochrome $\text{c}$-551 reductase as well as it acts as the electron donor to the light-excited chlorobium chlorophylls.     

Transformability of DNA polymerase-deficient mutants of Bacillus subtilis

The effect of a deficiency in DNA polymerase on recombination in $\text{Bacillus}$$\text{subtilis}$ has been studied. It is concluded that the major DNA polymerase of $\text{B.}$$\text{subtilis}$ is not required for recombination, and that the recombination deficiency of a previously described DNA polymerase-deficient mutant is actually due to a $\text{rec}$ mutation. Genetic crosses imply that this recombination deficiency is not $\text{recA}$ or $\text{recB}$.     

Binding of cytochrome c to the cytochrome bc1 complex (complex III) and its subunits cytochrome c1 and b1.

Cytochrome $\text{c}$₁, the electron donor for cytochrome $\text{c}$, is a subunit of the mitochondrial cytochrome $\text{bc}$₁ complex (complex III, cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase). To test if cytochrome $\text{c}$₁ is the cytochrome $\text{c}$-binding subunit of the $\text{bc}$₁ complex, binding of cytochrome $\text{c}$ to the complex and to isolated cytochrome $\text{c}$₁ was compared by a gel-filtration method under non-equilibrium conditions (a $\text{bc}$₁ complex lacking the Rieske ironsulfur protein was used; von Jagow et al. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta $\text{462}$, 549–558). The approximate stoichiometries and binding affinities were found to be very similar. Binding of cytochrome $\text{c}$ to isolated cytochrome $\text{b}$ which is another subunit of the reductase was not detectable by the gel-filtration method. Further, the same lysine residues of cytochrome $\text{c}$ were shielded towards chemical acetylation in the complexes $\text{c}\text{:}\text{c}$₁ and $\text{c}\text{:}\text{bc}$₁. From this we conclude that the same surface area of cytochrome $\text{c}$ is in direct contact with cytochrome $\text{bc}$₁ and with cytochrome $\text{c}$₁ in the respective complexes and that therefore cytochrome $\text{c}$ is most probably the structural ligand for cytochrome $\text{c}$ in mitochondrial cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase.     

Controlled alkaline hydrolysis of steroidal α-bromoketones: New conditions and synthesis of 2α-hydroxy-3-ones

Controlled alkaline hydrolysis of 16α-bromo-17-keto steroids $\text{1}$, $\text{5}$ and $\text{7}$ with potassium carbonate and tetra-n-butylammonium hydroxide (n-Bu₄NOH) and synthesis of 2α-hydroxy-3-ones $\text{11}$, $\text{13}$ and $\text{16}$ by the controlled hydrolysis of the corresponding 2α-bromo-3-ones $\text{9}$, $\text{12}$ and $\text{15}$ are described. Treatm carbonate in aqueous acetone or with n-Bu₄NOH in aqueous dimethylformamide (DMF) gave 16α-hydroxy-17-ones $\text{3}$, $\text{6}$ and $\text{8}$ in 85–90% yield, respectively. 2α-Hydroxy-3-ones $\text{11}$, $\text{13}$ and $\text{16}$ were obtained by hydrolysis of the corresponding bromoketones $\text{9}$, $\text{12}$ and $\text{15}$ in high yields using the above conditions or sodium hydroxide in pyridine or DMF, respectively. Deuterium labeling experiments suggested that equilibration between the 2α-bromoketone $\text{9}$ and the 2β-bromo isomer $\text{10}$ precedes the formation of the ketol $\text{11}$ in which the true intermediate might be the 2β-isomer $\text{10}$. However, rearranged androstane derivatives, 3β-hydroxy-2-ones $\text{18}$ and $\text{20}$, were stereoselectively obtained by treatment of the bromoketones $\text{12}$ and $\text{15}$ with an excess amount of sodium hydroxide.     

Trichomonasfetus—Induced abortion

$\text{History}$ and $\text{Clinical}$$\text{Signs}$: Herds infected with $\text{Trichomonas}$$\text{fetus}$ have histories of infertility, occasional abortions, and pyometra.$\text{Gross}$$\text{Lesions}$: There are no specific gross lesions in the fetus. The fetuses are usually aborted in the first half of gestation and may or may not be accompanied by the placenta.$\text{Microscopic}$$\text{Lesions}$: There are no specific microscopic lesions.$\text{Cultural}$$\text{Procedures}$: It is ordinarily not necessary to culture $\text{T.}$$\text{fetus}$ in order to demonstrate its presence in placental fluids and/or abomasal contents.$\text{Serologic}$$\text{Procedures}$: There are no suitable seroligic procedures for diagnosing Trichomoniasis.$\text{Special}$$\text{Procedures}$: Wet mounts of abomasal contents and/or placental fluids are examined microscopically for $\text{T.}$$\text{fetus}$.$\text{Preferred}$$\text{Diagnostic}$$\text{Procedures}$: Demonstrate the presence of $\text{T.}$$\text{fetus}$ by microscopic examination of wet mounts of placental fluids and/or abomasal contents.     

The effects of narcotic analgesics and narcotic antagonists on ganglionic transmission in the rat.

The effects of narcotic analgesics, narcotic-antagonist analgesics and narcotic antagonists on ganglionic transmission in the superior cervical ganglia of the rat were studied $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$ and $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$. $\text{In}$$\text{vivo}$ administration of morphine, meperidine, methadone, pentazocine or naltrexone blocked ganglionic transmission. Levorphanol, cyclazocine, nalorphine and naloxone had no effect on ganglionic transmission in this procedure. $\text{In}$$\text{vitro}$ studies confirmed the $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$ results with the exception of levorphanol, cyclazocine and nalorphine, which were also found to block ganglionic transmission $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$. In both preparations, naloxone did not antagonize the effect of morphine, suggesting that the effects of morphine and the other opiates were nonspecific. Similar potency of $\text{d}$- and $\text{l}$-isomers of pentazocine and cyclazocine support this conclusion. The observation that naltrexone blocked ganglionic transmission, but the other pure narcotic antagonist, naloxone, was inactive is somewhat unique to this test procedure and possibly significant.     

The effect of embryo quality at freezing on subsequent development of thawed cow embryos

Day 7 to 9 embryos were frozen by a rapid two-step method to ?38°C before being plunged into liquid nitrogen. Glycerol was used as the cryoprotectant and, following thawing, the embryos were cultured for 12 – 24 hours in PBS + 15% heat-treated steer serum. In Experiment 1, embryos were frozen in 2.0 ml glass ampoules or 0.5 ml Cassou straws. Two levels of glycerol (1.0M and 1.4M) gave comparable $\text{in vitro}$ survival rates ($\text{12}\text{20}$ and $\text{13}\text{25}$, respectively). A greater proportion of embryos developed in culture after freezing in straws. In Experiment 2, embryos were classified morphologically before and after freezing into 5 grades (1 = excellent; 2 = good; 3 = fair; 4 = poor; 5 = degenerate). Only embryos of grade 1, 2 and 3 were frozen. The post-thaw survival rates for embryos graded 1, 2 and 3 before freezing were 100% ($\text{11}\text{11}$), 86% ($\text{24}\text{28}$) and 83% ($\text{20}\text{24}$), respectively. Furthermore, the porportion of surviving embryos estimated to be of poor quality (grade 4) was greater for embryos graded 3 before freezing ($\text{13}\text{20}$) than for embryos graded 2 ($\text{6}\text{24}$) or 1 ($\text{1}\text{11}$). The percentage of embryos which developed normally after $\text{in vitro}$ culture for each of the pre-freezing grades 1, 2 and 3 was 91% ($\text{10}\text{11}$), 50% ($\text{14}\text{28}$) and 29% ($\text{7}\text{24}$), respectively. Of the total number of frozen-thawed embryos which developed in culture, $\text{5}\text{31}$ (16%) were of poor quality. The proportion of poor quality developing embryos was greater inembryos graded 3 before freezing ($\text{3}\text{7}$) than those graded 2 ($\text{2}\text{14}$). All of the embryos graded 1 before freezing and which developed in culture were of good quality. Results indicate that, if high post-thaw survival rates are to be obtained, stringent embryo selection processes will be required.