Stimulation of the anaerobic growth ofSalmonella typhimurium by reduction ofl-carnitine,carnitine derivatives and structure-related trimethylammonium compounds

In view of the development of al-carnitine deficiency, the metabolism ofl-carnitine and structure-related trimethylammonium compounds was studied inSalmonella typhimurium LT₂ by means of thin-layer chromatography (TLC).l-Carnitine, crotonobetaine and acetyl-l-carnitine stimulated the anaerobic growth in a complex medium significantly. The stimulation depended on the formation of -butyrobetaine. The reduction ofl-carnitine proceeded in two steps: (1) Dehydration of thel-carnitine to crotonobetaine, (2) hydrogenation of crotonobetaine to -butyrobetaine. The reduction of crotonobetaine was responsible for the growth stimulation. Terminal electron acceptors of the anaerobic respiration such as nitrate and trimethylamine N-oxide, but not fumarate, suppressed the catabolism ofl-carnitine completely. Glucose fermentation, too, inhibited the reduction ofl-carnitine but optimal growth with a high carnitine catabolism was achieved byd-ribose. The esters of carnitine with medium- and long-chain fatty acids inhibited the growth considerably because of their detergent properties.Abbreviations TLC thin-layer chromatography     

Diagnosis of Hunter's syndrome carriers; Radioactive sulphate incorporation into fibroblasts in the presence of fructose 1-phosphate

Summary Mutual correction of co-cultivated fibroblasts from patients with Hunter's and Hurler's syndrome could be inhibited by either fructose 1-phosphate or mannose 6-phosphate. In the presence of fructose 1-phosphate a 50% mixture of fibroblasts from a patient with Hunter's syndrome and a normal homozygous individual showed an increased³⁵S-sulphate incorporation into acid mucopolysaccharides. When fibroblast cultures from one obligate and two possible carriers of Hunter's syndrome were tested for³⁵S-sulphate incorporation, the cultures showed either twice the normal³⁵S-sulphate incorporation into acid mucopolysaccharides in the presence of fructose 1-phosphate or an abnormally high incorporation in the presence as well as in the absence of the sugar phosphate.     

Inhibition of cyclic amp phosphodiesterase by 5'-deoxy-5'-S-isobutylthioadenosine at biologically active concentrations of drug

5'-Deoxy-5'-S-isobutylthioadenosine (SIBA), a synthetic analogue of S-adenosylhomocysteine, has been reported by others to inhibit a number of biological processes and these effects of SIBA have been attributed generally to inhibition of methyltransferases. However, the present studies with mouse lymphocytes show that SIBA also acts as a competitive inhibitor (K_i = 130 μM) of the high-affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and potentiates the cyclic AMP response of intact cells to several activators of adenylate cyclase. Moreover, SIBA has been found to inhibit lymphocyte-mediated cytolysis, a cellular function known to be sensitive to elevated lymphocyte levels of cyclic AMP, at concentrations (IC₅₀ = 250 μM) similar to those which inhibit cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase. These results indicate the need for caution in attributing biological effects of SIBA singularly to inhibition of methyltransferases and suggest the possible agency of cyclic AMP in the mechanism of SIBA action.     

H-Y antigen in transsexuality,and how to explain testis differentiation in H-Y antigen-negative males and ovary differentiation in H-Y antigen-positive females

Summary H-Y antigen was determined in eight transsexual patients. Two of the four male-to-female transsexual patients typed as H-Y antigen-negative, while the other two typed as expected from their phenotypic and gonadal sex, namely H-Y antigen-positive. Of the four female-to-male transsexual patients, three typed as H-Y antigen-positive and one was H-Y antigen-negative, as expected. The presence of normal testes in H-Y antigen-negative males is assumed to result from a mutation of nucleotide sequences of the H-Y structural gene for antigenic determinants. Thus, an H-Y is produced with normal receptor-binding activity which can sustain the testis determination of the bipotent gonadal anlage. In the case of H-Y antigen-positive females with normal ovaries a deletion of the autosomally located H-Y structural gene is assumed. This deletion should affect sequences for repressor-binding (as was suggested for H-Y antigen-positive XX-males) and for receptor-binding activity of the H-Y antigen molecule. The resulting H-Y antigen is unable to bind to the gonadal receptor of the bipotent gonadal anlage. Thus an ovary is determined. The relevance of H-Y antigen for the aetiology of transsexualism is discussed.     

Inhibition of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate

Rat liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, which was assayed by measuring the release of 32P from fructose 1,6-[1-32P]bisphosphate at pH 7.5, exhibited hyperbolic kinetics with regard to its substrate. beta-D-Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, an activator of hepatic phosphofructokinase, was found to be a potent inhibitor of the enzyme. The inhibition was competitive in nature and the Ki was estimated to be 0.5 microM. The Hill coefficient for the reaction was 1.0 in the presence and absence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. Fructose 2,6-bisphosphate also enhanced inhibition of the enzyme by the allosteric inhibitor AMP. The possible role of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in the regulation of substrate cycling at the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase step is discussed.     

A Simple Device for Staining Many Single-Hole Grids Without Individual Manipulation

In serial sectioning for electron microscopy one of the greatest problems encountered is that the Formvar support film may break when grids are being mounted in or removed from a holder used for staining, or during staining. The latter is particularly troublesome when grids are stained individually. We describe here a device that conveniently eliminates this problem.     

Deletion - translocation del (12) (p11) leads to (t10;12) (p13;pII).

Renewed examinatinon with improved banding techniques of a boy previously reported to have the karyotype 46, XY,del(12)(p11) revealed a translocation 46, XY,t(10;12)(p13;p11), and reexamination of a boy previously reported to have the karyotype 46,XY/46,XY,del(5)(p13) showed the same mosaicism, but with a significantly lower frequency of cells with del(5)(p13), 8% compared with 23% at the time of birth. The decrease of the frequency of cells with chromosome abnormality in mixoploids during the first years of life as found in the present case as well as in prevously reported cases is discussed.