Fermentation patterns of poorly fermenting cabbage hybrids

Thirteen varieties of cabbage, including five commonly used commercial varieties and eight newly developed hybrids, were analyzed for their ability to undergo lactic acid fermentations. The rates of fermentation, total quantities of acids produced, and chemical analyses indicate that 11 of the 13 selections could support adequate fermentation at any of the three stages of maturation. However, two varieties G27 × G51 (105) and G60 × W-1 (106), harvested during the earlier phases of the 1967 and 1968 growing seasons, failed to undergo proper fermentations and consistently resulted in producing putrid products. These hybrids when harvested at the late stage of maturation were capable of producing total titratable acidities comparable to the acceptable varieties. However the resulting sauerkrauts were judged to be of poor quality. The inability of these varieties to support adequate fermentations may be due to growth inhibitory substances or the lack of inherent maturation-dependent growth factor(s) essential for the growth of lactic acid bacteria.     

Barley—Botany,production, harvesting,processing, utilization and economics

Barley, probably the oldest cultivated cereal, is widely grown in cooler areas of the world. The annual world production of nearly two and a half billion bushels exceeds that of rye but is less than that of rice, wheat, corn and oats, respectively. Most of the annual 300 million dollar crop of the U.S. is fed to livestock, but about one- third is manufactured into malt.     

Glucose represses the lactose-galactose regulon in Kluyveromyces lactis through a SNF1 and MIG1- dependent pathway that modulates galactokinase (GAL1) gene expression.

Expression of the lactose-galactose regulon in Kluyveromyces lactis is induced by lactose or galactose and repressed by glucose. Some components of the induction and glucose repression pathways have been identified but many remain unknown. We examined the role of the SNF1 (KlSNF1) and MIG1 (KlMIG1) genes in the induction and repression pathways. Our data show that full induction of the regulon requires SNF1; partial induction occurs in a Klsnf1 -deleted strain, indicating that a KlSNF1 -independent pathway(s) also regulates induction. MIG1 is required for full glucose repression of the regulon, but there must be a KlMIG1 -independent repression pathway also. The KlMig1 protein appears to act downstream of the KlSnf1 protein in the glucose repression pathway. Most importantly, the KlSnf1-KIMig repression pathway operates by modulating KlGAL1 expression. Regulating KlGAL1 expression in this manner enables the cell to switch the regulon off in the presence of glucose. Overall, our data show that, while the Snf1 and Mig1 proteins play similar roles in regulating the galactose regulon in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and K.lactis , the way in which these proteins are integrated into the regulatory circuits are unique to each regulon, as is the degree to which each regulon is controlled by the two proteins.     

Childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma near large rural construction sites,with a comparison with Sellafield nuclear site.

OBJECTIVE--To determine whether population mixing produced by large, non-nuclear construction projects in rural areas is associated with an increase in childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma. DESIGN--A study of the incidence of leukaemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma among children living near large construction projects in Britain since 1945, situated more than 20 km from a population centre, involving a workforce of more than 1000, and built over three or more calendar years. For periods before 1962 mortality was studied. SETTING--Areas within 10 km of relevant sites, and the highland counties of Scotland with many hydroelectric schemes. SUBJECTS--Children aged under 15. RESULTS--A 37% excess of leukaemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma at 0-14 years of age was recorded during construction and the following calendar year. The excesses were greater at times when construction workers and operating staff overlapped (72%), particularly in areas of relatively high social class. For several sites the excesses were similar to or greater than that near the nuclear site of Sellafield (67%), which is distinctive in its large workforce with many construction workers. Seascale, near Sellafield, with a ninefold increase had an unusually high proportion of residents in social class I. The only study parish of comparable social class also showed a significant excess, with a confidence interval that included the Seascale excess. CONCLUSION--The findings support the infection hypothesis and reinforce the view that the excess of childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma near Sellafield has a similar explanation.     

The heat shock protein 83 (Hsp83) is required for Raf-mediated signalling in Drosophila.

The heat shock protein Hsp90 has been shown to associate with various cellular signalling proteins such as steroid hormone receptors, src-like kinases and the serine/threonine kinase Raf. While the interaction between steroid hormone receptors and Hsp90 appears to be essential for ligand binding and activation of the receptors, the role of Hsp90 in Raf activation is less clear. We have identified mutations in the hsp83 gene, the Drosophila homologue of hsp90, in a search for dominant mutations that attenuate signalling from Raf in the developing eye. The mutations result in single amino acid substitutions in the Hsp83 protein and cause a dominant-negative effect on the function of the wild-type protein. We show that both wild-type and mutant forms of Hsp83 bind to the activated Drosophila Raf but the mutant Hsp83 protein causes a reduction in the kinase activity of Raf. Our results indicate that Hsp83 is essential for Raf function in vivo.     

A comparative study of the proteoglycan of growth cartilage of normal and rachitic chicks.

1. Proteoglycan was isolated from growth cartilage of normal and rachitic chicks. 2. The proteoglycan from normal cartilage showed differences in chemical composition and physical properties from a comparable fraction isolated from bovine nasal cartilage. 3. The proteoglycan from rachitic-chick cartilage was of smaller size than tis normal counterpart, though of similar average chemical composition. 4. Differences between proteoglycan from normal and rachitic cartilages can be explained in terms of limited proteolytic cleavage.     

Cell-free synthesis of mouse mammary tumor virus Pr77 from virion and intracellular mRNA.

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV) was purified from two cell lines (GR and Mm5MT/c1), and the genomic RNA was isolated and translated in vitro in cell-free systems derived from mouse L cells and rabbit reticulocytes. The major translation product in both systems was a protein with the molecular weight 77,000. Several other products were also detected, among them a 110,000-dalton and in minor amounts a 160,000-dalton protein. All three polypeptides were specifically immunoprecipitated by antiserum raised against the major core protein of MuMTV (p27), but they were not precipitated by antiserum against the virion glycoprotein gp52. Analysis of the in vitro products by tryptic peptide mapping established their relationship to the virion non-glycosylated structural proteins. The 77,000-dalton polypeptide was found to be similar, if not identical, to an analogous precursor isolated from MuMTV-producing cells. Peptide mapping of the 110,000-dalton protein shows that it contains all of the methionine-labeled peptides found in the 77,000-dalton protein plus some additional peptides. We conclude that the products synthesized in vitro from the genomic MuMTV RNA are related to the non-glycosylated virion structural proteins. Polyadenylic acid-containing RNA from MuMTV-producing cells also directed the synthesis of the 77,000-dalton polypeptide in the L-cell system. If this RNA preparation was first fractionated by sucrose gradient centrifugation the 77,000-dalton protein appeared to be synthesized from mRNA with a sedimentation coefficient between 25 and 35S.     

Environmentally-induced changes in the Fatty acids of chlorella

Qualitative and quantitative analyses were made of the major fatty acids of Chlorella fusca, Shihira and Krauss, in both autotrophic and heterotrophic culture. Cells grown heterotrophically were subjected to CO₂ concentrations as great as 40%-in-air.     

The effect of season and location on phosphoadenylate concentrations and adenylate energy charge in two species of freshwater clams

Summary Concentrations of phosphoadenylate nucleotides and the adenylate energy charge ((ATP+1/2ADP)/(ATP+ADP+AMP)) have been suggested as sensitive integrating measures of the energy state of organisms. This synoptic study investigated the seasonal and spatial variation of phosphoadenylate concentrations and AEC in two freshwater bivalve molluscs, the paper-shell clam, Anodonta imbecillis and the asian clam, Corbicula fluminea. Concentrations of all three adenylates, as well as the total adenylate concentration and adenylate energy charge of both species varied seasonally. These fluctuations were closely related to reproductive periods in both species. Total adenylate concentrations and ATP concentrations were slightly negatively correlated with shell length in A. imbecillis but the ADP and AMP concentrations and AEC were not significantly correlated with shell length. In C. fluminea the AEC was negatively correlated were positively correlated with shell length. Neither species exhibited significant differences in AEC between two collection locations. When C. fluminea collected from the Savannah River were acclimated and fed in the laboratory their AEC increased significantly.