Oxidative Phosphorylation and the Response to an Osmotic Treatment of Liver Mitochondria of Rats Fed an Amino Acid Imbalanced Diet

Fatty livers were produced by feeding rats an amino acid imbalanced diet containing 8% of casein supplemented with 0.3% of DL-methionine, and the oxidative phosphorylation of liver mitochondria and homogenates was examined. In contrast to choline deficiency, the mitochondria and the homogenates of fatty liver resulting from such an amino acid imbalance showed almost normal P:O ratio. However, the response to an osmotic treatment of liver mitochondria of rats fed the amino acid imbalanced diet was different from that of normal rats.     

Isolation of the Melanization and Reddish Coloration Hormone (MRCH) of the Armyworm,Leucania separata,from the Silkworm,Bombyx mori

Two types of glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) were found on DEAE-cellulose column chromatography of cell-free extracts of methylotrophic yeasts. One type, designated as GDH I, showed only the reductive activity which was detected in the reaction system containing dihydroxyacetone and NADH, at pH 6.0. The other type, designated as GDH II, showed the oxidative activity which was detected in the system containing glycerol and NAD ⁺, at pH 9.0, together with the reductive activity.

Candida boidinii No. 2201, which possesses the phosphorylative pathway for glycerol dissimilation, had only GDH I when grown on glycerol or methanol as the carbon source. Hansenula ofunaensis, which has the oxidative pathway, had both GDH I and GDH II when grown on glycerol, but only GDH I when grown on methanol. Hansenula polymorpha Dl-1, which has both pathways, had both GDH I and GDH II when grown on glycerol or methanol.     

Candidusin A and B: New p-Terphenyls with Cytotoxic Effects on Sea Urchin Embryos

Three fungal trichothecenes, verrucarin A, roridin A and 8-β-hydroxyroridin E, were isolated as callus-initiating promoters from Myrothecium sp. 301. These trichothecenes promoted callus induction, synergistically coupled with a low concentration of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.     

Effects of Dietary Level of Iron and Ascorbic Acid on Cadmium Toxicity in Rats

The transxylosylation reaction products of β-xylosidase-1, excreted by Penicillium wortmanni IFO 7237 using β-(1→4)-xylobiose as substrate, have been separated by chromatography on activated charcoal into four fractions, designated as P-1, P-2, P-3, and P-4, respectively. They were further purified by preparative paper chromatography. The characterization and structural analysis were done by measurement of the degree of polymerization (DP) and specific rotation followed by methylation analysis. Moreover, the enzymatic structural analysis of transxylosylation products, with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), allowed the confirmation of each structure. The first product, P-1, was β-(1→3)-xylobiose and the second, P-2, was β-(1→4)-xylotriose, but, P-3 was O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-d-xylopyranose or isomeric xylo-triose and P-4 was assumed to be O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-[O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-d-xylopyranose.     

Functional transplantation of salivary gland cells differentiated from mouse early ES cells in vitro

Atrophy or hypofunction of the salivary gland because of aging or disease causes hyposalivation and has an effect on the quality of life of patients, for example not only dry mouth but deterioration in mastication/deglutition disorder and the status of oral hygiene. Currently conducted therapies for atrophy or hypofunction of the salivary gland in clinical practice are only symptomatic treatments with drugs and artificial saliva, and therefore it is preferable to establish a radical therapy. At this time, as a fundamental investigation, by co-culturing mouse early ES (mEES-6) cells with human salivary gland-derived fibroblasts (hSG-fibro), differentiation of mEES-6 cells to salivary gland cells has been attempted. Also, the possibility of cell engraftment was examined. After identifying the cells which were co-cultured with GFP-transfected mEES-6 cells and hSG-fibro, the cells were transplanted into the submandibular gland of SCID mice, and the degree of differentiation into tissues was examined. The possibility of tissue functional reconstitution from co-cultured cells in a three-dimensional culture system was examined. Our results confirmed that the co-cultured cells expressed salivary gland-related markers and had an ability to generate neo-tissues by transplantation in vivo. Moreover, the cells could reconstitute gland structures in a three-dimensional culture system. By co-culture with hSG-fibro, mEES-6 cells were successfully differentiated into salivary gland cells which were transplantable and have tissue neogenetic ability.     

Isolation and Chemical Characterization of a Mating Pheromone Produced by Saccharomyces kluyveri

The pullulanase gene (pul) of Klebsiella aerogenes was transferred in vivo to Escherichia coli by using RP4:: Mu cts. The pul gene was expressed in E. coli, although the level of pullulanase activity in E. coli was lower than that in K. aerogenes, and the Pul⁺ transconjugants were relatively unstable in an unselective medium. Production of pullulanase, which is used to make maltose from starch, was induced in E. coli by pullulan, waxy maize amylopectin, soluble starch and maltose. When the transconjugant cells of E. coli were grown with pullulan or maltose, most pullulanase was produced intracellularly, whereas K. aerogenes produced pullulanase extracellularly. Retransfer of the pul_k gene from E. coli to K. aerogenes by conjugation resulted in an increase of the production of extracellular pullulanase.     

Isolation of 1-(1′-2′ S-Nornicotino)-1-deoxy-β-d-fructofuranose and Its Formation in Flue-curing Process of Tobacco Leaves

1-(1′-2′ S-Nornicotino)-1-deoxy-β-d-fructofuranose was first isolated from flue-cured leaves of Cherry Red tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, cv. Bright Yellow. Its structure was established spectrometrically and synthetically. This substance was shown to be formed from nornicotine during flue-curing. Its smoking effect was mild.     

Glycolipids Isolated from Spirulina maxima: Structure and Fatty Acid Composition

Several glycolipids were isolated from Spirulina maxima, an edible blue-green algae, by systematic fractionation with different solvents. Structural investigation by using methylation, GC-MS, and enzymic techniques indicated that the major glycolipids are O-β-d-galactosyl-(1→l′)-2′, 3′-di-O-acyl-d-glycerol, O-α-d-galactosyl-(l-→6)-O-β-d-galactosyl-(1→l′)-2′,3′-di-O-acyl-d-glycerol and 6-sulfo-O-α-quinovosyl-(l→l′)-2′, 3′-di-O-acyl-d-glycerol. Main fatty acid components of these glycolipids were identified as palmitic acid and linoleic or linolenic acid. Based on-these fatty acid compositions, Spirulina glycolipids were compared with those in higher plants.     

Structures of Ezomycins A1 and A2

The structures of ezomycins A₁. and A₂, antifungal antibiotics produced by a strain of Streptomyces, were determined as 1 and 2, respectively, by degradative and spectrometric studies.     

Metabolism of 2,4,4′-Trichlorobiphenyl by Acinetobacter sp. P6

Metabolism of 2,4,4′-trichlorobiphenyl by Acinetobacter sp. strain P6 has been studied. When the incubation was carried out without shaking at 15°C, two isomeric monohydroxy compounds, a dihydrodiol compound, a dihydroxy compound, a meta-cleaved yellow compound and a dichlorobenzoic acid were detected by combined gas liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry. As an additional metabolite, dichlorodihydroxy biphenyl, a dechlorinationhydroxylation product, was also detected. When the incubation mixture was shaken at 30°C, a meta-cleaved yellow compound was readily produced and predominantly accumulated in the reaction mixture upon further incubation. The major pathway of 2,4,4′-trichlorobiphenyl by Acinetobacter sp. P6 was considered to proceed oxidatively via 2.′3′-dihydro-2′,3′-diol compound, concomitant dehydrogenated 2′,3′-dihydroxy compound and then the 1′,2′-meta-cleaved yellow compound, i.e., 3-chloro-2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6(2,4-dichlorophenyl)hexa-2,4-dienoic acid.