Locomotor Activity in the Freshwater Crab Potamon fluviatile: The Analysis of Temporal Patterns by Radio-telemetry

Locomotor activity in a field population of the freshwater crab, Potamon fluviatile, was studied during the breeding season by means of radio-telemetry and by direct counts of active animals along a transect of the stream. The basic pattern of crabs' locomotor activity can be described as a sequence of short distance movements around the shelters (foraging movements), followed by rarer long distance displacements (wandering movements). Whilst direct counting showed that the crabs exhibit a broadly nocturnal rhythm in foraging movements, no daily periodicity in wandering activity was revealed by telemetry. There is sexual difference in these latter excursions: females move farther along the stream and into the surrounding terrestrial habitat than do males. This behaviour is in contrast to observations made during the non-breeding season and is probably related to the stage of female reproduction.     

Cycloartane triterpene glycosides from Astragalus trigonus

Three new cycloartane glycosides, trigonoside I, II and III, and the known astragalosides I and II were isolated from the roots of Astragalus trigonus. The structures of the new glycosides were totally elucidated by high field (600 MHz) NMR analyses as cycloastragenol-6-O-β-xylopyranoside, cycloastragenol-3-O-[-l-arabinopyranosyl(1 → 2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-β- d-xylopyranoside and cycloastragenol-3-O-[-l-arabinopyranosyl(1 → 2)-β-d-(3-O-acetyl)-xylopyranosyl]-6-O-β-d-xylopyranoside.     

Analysis by Confocal Microscopy of the Behavior of Heat Shock Protein 70 within the Nucleus and of a Nuclear Matrix Polypeptide during Prolonged Heat Shock Response in HeLa Cells

By means of confocal laser scanning microscopy and indirect fluorescence experiments we have examined the behavior of heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) within the nucleus as well as of a nuclear matrix protein (M_r = 125 kDa) during a prolonged heat-shock response (up to 24 h at 42°C) in HeLa cells. In control cells HSP70 was mainly located in the cytoplasm. The protein translocated within the nucleus upon cell exposure to hyperthermia. The fluorescent pattern revealed by monoclonal antibody to HSP70 exhibited several changes during the 24-h-long incubation. The nuclear matrix protein showed changes in its location that were evident as early as 1 h after initiation of heat shock. After 7 h of treatment, the protein regained its original distribution. However, in the late stages of the hyperthermic treatment (17-24 h) the fluorescent pattern due to 125-kDa protein changed again and its original distribution was never observed again. These results show that HSP70 changes its localization within the nucleus conceivably because it is involved in solubilizing aggregated polypeptides present in different nuclear regions. Our data also strengthen the contention that proteins of the insoluble nucleoskeleton are involved in nuclear structure changes that occur during heat-shock response.     

A new biallelic DNA polymorphism of the human COL5A1 gene

A cDNA probe of the human COL5A1 gene detects a frequent biallelic PstI polymorphism. Allele A has a frequency of 54% whereas that of allele B is 46%. This restriction fragment length polymorphism provides a useful marker for linkage analysis in 9q34.3.     

Natural resistance against hematopoietic cells in lethally-irradiated mice infected with Friend leukemia virus

Summary The influence of in vivo infection with the polycythemic substrain of Friend leukemia virus on noninducible (natural) resistance against allogeneic normal or malignant grafts was studied in lethally irradiated mice. Parallel studies were performed on the NK system in the same experimental conditions. The results indicate that FLV-P infection of mice with full (DBA/2) vs partial (BALB/c and CD2F1) susceptibility did not suppress their in vivo natural resistance against bone marrow or El-4 leukemia cells. On the other hand, a decline in NK activity paralleled the progression of leukemic disease in the more susceptible DBA/2 hosts. Abbreviations used: FLV-P, N-tropic polycythemic substrain of Friend Leukemia Virus Complex; NR, natural resistance; NR in vivo, natural resistance against normal or malignant hemopoietic grafts occurring in vivo in lethally irradiated mice; NK, natural killer; (¹²⁵I)IUdR, ¹²⁵I-labeled 5-iodio-2-deoxyuridine; IV, intravenous     

Effects of ACTH and 3′,5′-cyclic purine nucleotides on the morphology and metabolism of normal adult human adrenocortical cells in primary tissue culture

Summary Stereological studies showed that treatment of normal adult human adrenocortical cells in primary culture with ACTH or cyclic-AMP for 2 days results in similar increases in the volume of cells, of the mitochondrial and membrane space compartments and of the surface area of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial cristae, and decrease in the lipid content of the cells. These changes were more marked after 8 days of treatment. Treatment for 2 days with cyclic-GMP had no striking effects on cell ultrastructure, whereas an 8-day treatment led to ultrastructural changes similar to those obtained after 2 days of ACTH-or cyclic-AMP-treatment. A discrete population of untreated cortical cells maintained a slow proliferation that was not effected by exposure to cyclic-GMP, but was significantly increased in cultures treated with ACTH or cyclic-AMP. Radioimmunological studies showed that untreated cortical cells kept secreting progesterone and cortisol and that ACTH, but neither cyclic nucleotide, increased the secretion rate per cell of both hormones. These results assign a major role to cyclic-AMP and a minor one to cyclic-GMP in the mediation of the differentiation-promoting and trophic effects, but not in the steroidogenic effects of ACTH on the human adrenal cortex.The authors wish to thank Miss A. Coi and Mr. G. Gottardo for their technical assistance. These investigations were partly supported by a contract with CNR-Italy (CT 74.00226/115.3439)     

Production of amylase(s) by Schwanniomyces castellii and Endomycopsis fibuligera

Schwanniomyces castellii and Endomycopsis fibuligera Produced extracellular amylase(s) when grown on various carbon sources and at different pH values. Both yeast species showed significant amylase synthesis in the presence of either maltose or soluble starch. On the other substrates tested (glucose, cellobiose, sucrose, trehalose, melezitose, raffinose, ethanol, glycerol) differences were found regarding growth and amylase production. Free glucose in the culture medium apparently inhibited enzyme synthesis. The pH range allowing maximal growth and amylase production was 4.5–6.0 for E. fibuligera and 5.5–7.0 for S. castellii.