Na, K-ATPase activity of the microsomal fraction of the rat brain exposed to insulin

The effect of insulin on the activity of Na, K-ATPase was studied in rat brain microsomes. Addition of insulin to the incubation medium in a dose of 0.18 U/ml coupled with strophanthine did not change the enzyme activity. The raising of the hormone dose to 0.36 U/ml was accompanied by inhibition of the enzyme activity. The incubation duration (10 and 30 min) did not influence the Na-pump. Preincubation of brain microsomes with insulin for 5 min significantly activated Na, K-ATPase. It has been thus demonstrated that insulin is capable of influencing the activity of Na, K-ATPase of rat brain microsomes in vitro. The effect obtained depends both on the dose of the hormone introduced into the incubation medium and the experimental conditions.     

Action of polyene antibiotics on actinomycetes with a varying lipid makeup]

The effect of polyenic antibiotics, such as nystatin, levorin, amphotericin B and mycoheptin on 93 representatives of various species of the ray fungi was studied. It was shown that resistance of the actinomycetes to the polyens was connected with the absence or insufficient content of sterols (0.001--0.008 per cent in the dry mycelium). On addition of cholesterol to the nutrient media (100 microgram/ml) it was included into the membranes of some cultures and their sensitivity increased 2--60 times. Resistance of Actinomyces sp. LIA 0775 grown on the media with fats differing in their composition decreased 2--4 times. In these cases the culture lipids were characterized by lower content of phospholipids (35--45 per cent from the total lipids as compared to 70--80 per cent when grown on the control medium without fats) and significantly increased content of unsaturated fatty acids (3--4 times).