Relation of Macromolecular Synthesis in Streptococci to Efficiency of Transformation by Markers of Homospecific and Heterospecific Origin

In previous studies with Streptococcus sanguis and S. pneumoniae as recipients and donors of transforming deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), it was found that heating recipients just prior to exposure to DNA caused an increase in the number of transformants induced by heterospecific DNA relative to that induced by homospecific DNA. In the present studies, S. sanguis recipients were found to recover from this effect of heat (48 C, 15 min) when incubated at 37 C before exposure to DNA. Inhibitors of nucleic acid synthesis, such as rifampin, 5-fluorodeoxyuridine, actinomycin, and p-hydroxyphenylazo-uracil, but not inhibitors of protein synthesis, such as chloramphenicol and erythromycin, prevented recovery from the effect of heat. Inhibitors of nucleic acid synthesis caused changes in unheated cells similar to those observed with heat treatment; these changes included increased transformability by genetically hybrid DNA and by low-efficiency markers in homospecific DNA. The effect of a combination of heat and inhibitors on transformation by heterospecific DNA was greater than when single treatments were used. The most effective inhibitor used alone was rifampin: in treated recipient cells, the yield of transformants produced by a given amount of irreversibly bound heterospecific DNA was increased without a significant change in the yield of transformants produced by bound homospecific DNA. A cell being doubly transformed by homospecific and heterospecific DNA was enhanced specifically in its transformability with the latter as a consequence of rifampin treatment. Treatment with rifampin also increased co-transformation by linked heterospecific markers. The period during which recipient cells were sensitive to the effects induced by rifampin and fluorodeoxyuridine lasted from 10 to 20 min after DNA uptake.     

Determination of synthesis, recycling and body mass of glucose in rats and rabbits in vivo with 3H- and 14C-labelled glucose

1. Glucose labelled with (3)H in position 2 and uniformly with (14)C was administered simultaneously to rabbits and rats either as a single injection or by continuous infusion. Plasma glucose specific radioactivity and the yield of (3)H in the plasma water were monitored. 2. The rates of synthesis, recycling of carbon and total body mass of glucose were calculated, without assuming a multicompartmental model and without fitting data by exponential expressions. 3. The rate of synthesis of glucose in starved-overnight rabbits was 4mg/min per kg (range 3-4.5mg/min per kg) and 25-35% of the glucose carbon was recycled. The mass of total body glucose in starved rabbits was 290mg/kg (range 220-390mg/kg). About one-third of the total body glucose equilibrates nearly instantaneously with plasma glucose. 4. In rats starved overnight, glucose synthesis was about 10mg/min per kg and recycling of carbon ranged from 30-40%. Total body mass (per kg body weight) is similar to that in rabbits. 5. The activity in plasma water after injection of [2-(3)H]glucose was determined. The initial rate of (3)H(2)O formation is rapid, indicating that the major site of glucose catabolism is in the rapidly mixing pool. The curve of total body glucose radioactivity was obtained from the (3)H(2)O yield, and total mass of glucose was calculated. This agrees with that obtained from the (3)H specific-radioactivity curve.     

Lichtbedingte Orientierungen der Chlorophyllmoleküle in Algenchloroplasten

Der Mesotaenium-Chloroplast hat in Kantenstellung ein Extinktionsmaximum bei λ = 670 nm, in Flächenstellung ein solches bei λ = 680 nm. Chi 660 und 680 sind im Mesotaenium- und im Mougeotia-Chloroplasten parallel zur Thylakoidfläche orientiert. Das gleiche gilt für das Chl 670 des Mougeotia-Chloroplasten, während dieses Chlorophyll im Mesotaenium-Chloroplasten teils flächenparallel und teils flächennormal ausgerichtet ist. Das Molekül bzw. die Porphyrinebene des flächenparallel ausgerichteten Chlorophylls kann mit seinem Rotübergang (Elektronenoscillator für die Absorption roten Lichtes) bzw. mit seinem Blauübergang zusätzlich parallel zur Chloroplastenlängsachse orientiert sein. Die Ausrichtung der Chlorophyllmoleküle steigert sich mit der Lichtintensität, wird jedoch durch DCMU bzw. durch 4-Amino-6-isopropyl-3-thiomethyl-1,2,4-triazin-5-on gehemmt bzw. völlig unterbunden. Herrn Prof. Dr. G. Schulz , Fachbereich Physik der Universität des Saarlandes, danken wir für die Unterstützung bei der Durchführung statistischer Teste, den Farbenfabriken Bayer, Leverkusen, für die Überlassung des 1,2,4-Triazinons.     

Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication in Simian Virus 40-Infected Cells: III. Comparison of Simian Virus 40 Lytic Infection in Three Different Monkey Kidney Cell Lines

A comparative study of simian virus 40 (SV40) lytic infection in three different monkey cell lines is described. The results demonstrate that viral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis and infectious virus production begin some 10 to 20 hr earlier in CV-1 cells and primary African green monkey kidney (AGMK) cells than in BSC-1 cells. Induction of cellular DNA synthesis by SV40 was observed in CV-1 and AGMK cells but not with BSC-1 cells. Excision of large molecular weight cellular DNA to smaller fragments was easily detectable late in infection of AGMK cells. Little or no excision was observed at comparable times after infection of CV-1 and BSC-1 cells. The different kinds of responses of these three monkey cell lines during SV40 lytic infection suggest the involvement of cellular functions in the virus-directed induction of cellular DNA synthesis and the excision of this DNA from the genome.     

Zur Formalgenetik der Phosphoglucoseisomerase (EC: 5.3.1.9)

Zusammenfassung Es werden Befunde aus einer Sippe mit PGI-Defizienz mitgeteilt. Die beiden Patienten haben eine nichtsphärocytäre hämolytische Anämie, sie besitzen den homozygoten Phänotypus PGI9. Die Eltern sind heterozygot PGI 9-1. Der Zymogrammvergleich von Eltern und Kindern spricht für die Hypothese, daß die PGI ein dimeres Molekül sei, das normalerweise aus identischen Polypeptidketten aufgebaut ist.

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Formal genetics of phosphoglucoseisomerase investigations of a family with PGI-Deficiency

Summary In a family two children exhibited a non-sphaerocytic hemolytic anemia; they revealed the homozygous phenotype PGI9. The parents are heterozygous PGI 9-1. The comparison of the zymogram pattern of both parents and children allows the conclusion that the PGI molecule is a dimer which has identical subunits in homozygous individuals.

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Mit Unterstützung durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Baboon Virus Isolate M-7 with Properties Similar to Feline Virus RD-114

A virus (M-7) isolated from baboon placental tissue demonstrates many similarities to endogenous feline virus RD-114. Immunodiffusion analysis shows a group-specific antigen (gs-1) line of identity between M-7 and RD-114. Anti-RD-114 DNA polymerase IgG inhibits M-7 polymerase by 57% compared to 97% for RD-114. M-7 virus has helper activity as demonstrated by rescue of murine sarcoma virus (MSV) from sarcoma-positive leukemia-negative human amnion cells. The host range of the rescued M-7 pseudotype of MSV, MSV (M-7), is similar to that of RD-114 virus. MSV (M-7) is also able to transform baboon cells and causes no detectable transformation of feline cells without addition of helper feline leukemia virus. Interference properties of M-7 and RD-114 virus are identical. Virus-specific neutralizing antisera, although partially cross-reacting, can distinguish MSV (M-7) from MSV (RD-114). These similarities and differences between RD-114 and M-7 viruses are best explained as type-specific differences between two viruses within the same strain.     

Six medical students in a community hospital

This paper describes part of an education experiment at the University of British Columbia at Vancouver.Six final-year medical students spent approximately 12 weeks in a community. Their time was divided between the hospital and various doctors'' offices. They answered a simple questionnaire to describe their experiences and commented favourably upon the opportunities for direct patient contact, learning basic skills, informal teaching by both family physicians and consultants, and the variety of work available.They had the opportunity to follow up the progress of the patient and learn the natural history of common illnesses. They achieved their basic objectives. We conclude from their reports and informal conversation that the experiment was successful and recommend other institutions to try similar programs.     

p-Toluenethiol as an Initiator of Autolysis in Bakers' Yeast

Cysteine or dithiothreitol enhances the rate of autolysis in toluene-treated yeast. p-Toluenethiol alone is even more effective and is recommended for the isolation of β-fructofuranosidase. This suggests a more general application of p-toluenethiol in the isolation of enzymes from yeast.     

Crystallization and some properties of glutamate dehydrogenase from rat liver

1. Glutamate dehydrogenase (L-glutamate:NAD(P) oxidoreductase, EC 1.4.1.3) from rat liver has been crystallized with a method carefully avoiding all denaturating agents. A 236-fold purification was achieved at a yield of 20%. The specific activity was 185 units/mg protein. The enzyme was homogeneous by analytical zone electrophoresis and sedimentation studies. The s0(20),w value was 13.2. 2. Sedimentation studies in the analytical ultracentrifuge and the behaviour of the enzyme in the disc-electrophoresis revealed that glutamate dehydrogenase from rat liver did not undergo a reversible association-dissociation reaction as reported of glutamate dehydrogenase of nearly all other mammalians. 3. Using antibodies prepared against crystalline bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase, no immunological differences between the rat and the bovine liver enzyme could be observed.     

Alteration in Bacterial Morphology by Optochin and Quinine Hydrochlorides

Incubation of washed bacterial and ribosomal suspensions with optochin or quinine hydrochloride caused an increase in the turbidity of the suspensions and the appearance of electron-dense cytoplasmic aggregates in the treated cells. These effects were more pronounced with optochin hydrochloride than with quinine hydrochloride, and they did not correlate with the relative sensitivities of different bacteria to growth inhibition by optochin or quinine.