A covalently constrained congener of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae tridecapeptide mating pheromone is an agonist

An analog of alpha-factor, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae tridecapeptide mating pheromone (Trp-His-Trp-Leu-Gln-Leu-Lys-Pro-Gly-Gln-Pro-Met-Tyr), in which the side chains of Lys7 and Gln10 were covalently linked, was synthesized using solid phase methodologies. The yield of the purified cyclic analog cyclo7,10[Nle12]alpha-factor was 30%, and its structure was verified by amino acid analysis, peptide sequencing, fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Cyclo7,10[Nle12]alpha-factor caused growth arrest and morphological alterations in S. cerevisiae MATa cells qualitatively identical to those induced by linear pheromone and was one-fourth to one-twentieth as active as the linear alpha-factor depending upon the S. cerevisiae strain tested. Consistent with the relative activities of the linear and cyclic peptides, binding competition studies indicated that cyclo7,10[Nle12]alpha-factor had approximately 20-40-fold less affinity for the alpha-factor receptor. Hydrolysis of the cyclic peptide by the target cells did not lead to opening of the ring and was less rapid than that of linear alpha-factor. The alpha-factor antagonist des-Trp1-[Ala3,Nle12]alpha-factor reversed the activity of the cyclic analog, and cyclo7,10[Nle12]alpha-factor was not active at the restrictive temperature in a temperature-sensitive receptor mutant. These results support the conclusion that the cyclic alpha-factor occupies the same binding site within the receptor as is occupied by the natural pheromone. The cyclic alpha-factor represents a rare example of an agonist among covalently constrained congeners of small linear peptide messengers.     

A new technique for reconstructing Montgomery's tubercles

Although Montgomery's tubercles are often prominent structures on the areola, little attention has been paid to their reconstruction. Present techniques for nipple-areola reconstruction result in a flat-appearing surface that is usually not characteristic of a normal areola with its projecting Montgomery's tubercles. We describe a technique for creating Montgomery's tubercles that has resulted in a more normal-appearing nipple-areola complex and a higher degree of patient satisfaction.     

Tubular inclusions within polyploid nuclei ofGerris najas do not react with a monoclonal anti-β-tubulin antibody

Summary Variable aggregates, composed of tubules with a mean diameter of 19 nm, were found exclusively within polyploid nuclei of the midgut, Malpighian tubes, cyst cells, testis epithelium, and trophocytes ofGerris najas. The nuclear inclusions are always in direct contact with the nucleoplasm, and no other structures are associated with them. They appear most abundant within degenerating nuclei of the midgut surface epithelium, where they form paracrystalline bodies or spindle-shaped inclusions with tapered ends. Smaller fusiform inclusions occur in younger epithelial nuclei but not in the diploid nuclei of regenerative cells. In other tissues, mainly spindle-shaped inclusions can be observed, the longest (4.5 m) in cyst cell nuclei. The mean diameter of the tubules determined from transverse sections, resembles that of cytoplasmic microtubules and was verified statistically. The inclusions within trophocyte nuclei failed to react with monoclonal anti--tubulin antibody, although the antibodies could penetrate the nuclei after extensive lysis of the cells.     

Mortality associated with moderate intakes of wine,beer, or spirits.

OBJECTIVE--To examine the association between intake of different types of alcoholic drinks and mortality. DESIGN--Prospective population study with baseline assessment of alcohol intake, smoking habit, income, education, and body mass index, and 10-12 years'' follow up of mortality. SETTING--Copenhagen city heart study, Denmark. SUBJECTS--6051 men and 7234 women aged 30-70 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE--Number and time of cause-specific deaths from 1976 to 1988. RESULTS--The risk of dying steadily decreased with an increasing intake of wine--from a relative risk of 1.00 for the subjects who never drank wine to 0.51 (95% confidence interval 0.32 to 0.81) for those who drank three to five glasses a day. Intake of neither beer nor spirits, however, was associated with reduced risk. For spirits intake the relative risk of dying increased from 1.00 for those who never drank to 1.34 (1.05 to 1.71) for those with an intake of three to five drinks a day. The effects of the three types of alcoholic drinks seemed to be independent of each other, and no significant interactions existed with sex, age, education, income, smoking, or body mass index. Wine drinking showed the same relation to risk of death from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease as to risk of death from all causes. CONCLUSION--Low to moderate intake of wine is associated with lower mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and other causes. Similar intake of spirits implied an increased risk, while beer drinking did not affect mortality.     

The chemical characterization of favin, a lectin isolated from Vicia faba.

We have determined the subunit structure of the glucose- and mannose-binding lectin favin, from Vicia faba. The molecule is composed of two nonidentical polypeptide chains held together by noncovalent interactions. We have determined the complete amino acid sequence of the smaller alpha chain (Mr = 5,571) and shown that it is homologous to the alpha chain of the lectins from lentil and pea and to residues 72 to 120 of concanavalin A (Con A). The larger beta chain (Mr = 20,000) contains carbohydrate and is homologous to the beta chain of lentil, pea, soybean, peanut, and red kidney bean lectins and is homologous to a portion of the Con A molecule beginning at residue 122. Favin also contains a minor component, beta' (Mr = 18,700), that closely resembles the beta chain but lacks carbohydrate and may, on the basis of apparent molecular weight, lack some part of the COOH-terminal region of the polypeptide chain. Although favin is similar to Con A, it, like the lentil and pea lectins, appears to lack residues corresponding to positions 1 to 71 of Con A. Because these residues contribute significantly to the carbohydrate binding site of Con A, the lack of this region in the otherwise homologous lectin favin suggests that the carbohydrate binding site of favin differs from that of Con A or that the region represented by residues 1 to 71 of Con A is located in a different portion (i.e. in the beta chain) of the favin molecule.     

Communication between termites by biofields

Building of vertical galleries (runways) by termites of the species Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann) is suppressed in the interior area of arrangements of plastic containers with equal groups of termites and takes place preferably at the periphery. This reaction is not induced by chemical, vibrational or thermal influences. Shielding separation by plates of glass, plastic foam or various metals demonstrated, that the influence on activity and directional behaviour is caused by fields produced by the termites. They are most probably alternating electric fields. These biofields act together or, if the direction of the gradients differs, in competition with a weak alternating magnetic field in the air-conditioned experimental room. The centrifugal reaction of the termites to the biofields which do not influence the feeding activity, induces gallery building at the periphery of the nesting area.This paper was presented at the International Congress of Entomology in Washington (D.C.), USA, on August 23, 1976. —Experiments with support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft