The genusSaccharomyces (Meyen) Reess

The authors submit a taxonomic evaluation of an intermediate group of strains between the speciesSaccharomyces carlsbergensis Hansen andSaccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen. The material consisted of atypical strains of “bottom” brewer’s yeasts and the synonymous strainsSaccharomyces monacensis Hansen andSaccharomyces mandshuricus Saito. It was found that there were two different serological types in the speciesSaccharomyces carlsbergensis, one of which was characterized by the presence of antigen “C” and was typical for this species, while the other possessed antigen “M” and was grouped roundSaccharomyces monacensis. This second serological type merges with a group of strains which gives only one third fermentation of raffinose, so that it is actually an intermediate betweenSaccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen andSaccharomyces carlsbergensis Hansen and indicates the course of progressive development from the former species to the latter. No close similarity was found betweenSaccharomyces mandshuricus Saito and some of the strains of the transitional group or typical representatives of the two main species, and the authors therefore consider that there is some obscurity as to its synonymity withSaccharomyces carlsbergensis.     

Changes in the radioresistance of bacteria after the inhibition of proteosynthesis in the preirradiation phase

The strain ofEscherichia coli WP₂ (try_v) was irradiated with UV light, at a dosage of 240 erg/mm. Proteosynthesis was inhibited by the elimination of the essential amino acid from the cultivation medium. Changes in radioresistance were followed during 45 minutes of starvation and during the subsequent 45 minutes of restitution after the addition of the essential amino acid. The radioresistance of the cells showed a linear increase immediately after the removal of the essential amino acids, proportional to the duration of the inhibition of proteosynthesis. The increase in radioresistance was shown to be reversible. After the addition of the essential amino acid there was an immediate decrease in radioresistance which was most marked in the first 15 minutes.     

Phospholipidgranula im verhornenden Oesophagusepithel

Zusammenfassung Im Epithel des Meerschweinchenoesophagus fanden wir mit Ausnahme des Stratum corneum in jeder Schicht 0,1–0,3 große, lamellär-strukturierte Granula. Die Granula werden meistens von einer Membran (unit-membrane) umgeben, die ein lamelläres System in sich einschließt, das eine Periodizität von 60–70 Å aufweist und aus dunklen und hellen Lamellen besteht. Unsere Annahme, daß die Granula Phospholipide enthalten, wird durch die Beobachtung unterstützt, daß die Lokalisation der lichtmikroskopisch durchgeführten Baker-Reaktion vollkommen mit der Verteilung der lamellären Granula im elektronenmikroskopischen Bild übereinstimmt. Nach Pyridinextraktion ist die Baker-Reaktion negativ, während im elektronenmikroskopischen Material an Stelle der Granula nur Vakuolen zu finden sind.Die Granula erscheinen im Stratum germinativum meistens in Verbindung mit dem Golgiapparat und entleeren sich in Höhe des Stratum granulosum in den interzellulären Raum. Zwischen den Lamellen des Stratum corneum ist das Material der Granula als eine homogene, dunkle, amorphe Deckschicht vorhanden. Ihre Aufgabe besteht wahrscheinlich in der Steigerung der Resistenz der Hornschicht.

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Summary Lamellated granules of 0,1 to 0,3 in diameter are consistently found in all strata of the keratinizing epithelium of the guinea pig oesophagus. The granules are surrounded by a single membrane (unit membrane) and contain a lamellated system consisting of dark and light bands showing a periodicity of 60 to 70 Å. The supposed phospholipid nature of the granules was supported by the positive Baker-reaction at the light microscope level. The distribution of the Baker-positive substance was identical with that of the lamellated granules at the electron micrograph. After extraction with pyridin, the Baker-reaction turned out to be negative while on the electron micrographs the substance of the lamellated granules was lost.The granules first appear near the Golgi region of the stratum germinativum and are emptied into the extra-cellular space at the level of the stratum granulosum. The substance of the granules, after having lost their lamellated structure, remains between the keratinized layers as a homogenous, dense material. Its function probably consists in increasing the resistance of the cornified layer against chemical agents.

     

Amylase heterogeneity variants in man

The existence of six amylase heterogeneity variants in serum and urine has been discovered in a group of 111 families with twins, and the frequence of each variant was determined. It had been shown that each of these amylase heterogeneity variants is inherited codominantly, and the mode of inheritance is demonstrated schematically.These amylase heterogeneity variants may be used as an aid to twin zygosity determination and also in paternity problems.     

Effect of lowered incubation temperatures on nucleic acid and protein synthesis by a mesophilic and a psychrophilic bacterium

The authors studied changes in the synthesis of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) and protein by a mesophilic strain ofEscherichia coli B and a psychrophilic strain ofPseudomonas fluorescens at a low incubation temperature giving tenfold prolongation of the generation time. It was found that lowering the incubation temperature was followed by an increase in the intracellular nucleic acid content during the lag phase and the phase of accelerated growth, in which maximum nucleic acid (NA) values were reached. As a result, the total NA level in the cell also remained relatively high during further proliferation, when the increase in NA (particularly RNA) slows down at low incubation temperatures. Proteosynthesis, however, fell in the mesophilic culture. The smaller effect of a lowered temperature on DNA biosynthesis was manifested specifically in the lag phase ofEscherichia coli, in which disproportion developed between the amount of DNA (which was synthesized at a relatively higher rate) and RNA; this was afterwards equalized by a temporary break in DNA production. Pronounced differences in the given types of biosynthesis were found only in the mesophilic culture, while at suboptimal temperatures the metabolism of the psychrophilic strain slowed down but no marked changes occurred.