Isolation and Identification of Lutein from Lemna paucicostata 381 as an Inhibitor of Benzoic Acid-induced Flowering in Lemna paucicostata 151

Efforts were made to isolate flower-inhibitory substances from extracts of the short-day plant Lemna paucicostata 381. Lemna paucicostata 151, which was used in the bioassay, exhibits poor flowering in response to the photoperiod, but flowers profusely in response to benzoic acid. Therefore, only those substances that inhibit benzoic acid-induced flowering were studied. Several fractions obtained by silica gel column chromatography exhibited flower-inhibitory activity when tested on L. paucicostata 151. After several purification steps, one of the active principles was identified as lutein by MS, UV and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Lutein and its isomer zeaxanthin inhibited benzoic acid-induced flowering in both L. paucicostata 151 and 381.     

Chemical modification of S-adenosylhomocysteinase by a water-soluble carbodiimide

S-Adenosylhomocysteinase (EC 3.3.1.1) from rat liver is inactivated by 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate (CMC) in a pseudo-first-order fashion. The rate of inactivation is linearly related to the concentration of the reagent, and a second-order rate constant of 4.94 +/- 0.27 M-1 min-1 is obtained at pH 5.5 and 25 degrees C. The inactivation does not involve change in the quaternary structure of the enzyme nor modification or release of the enzyme-bound NAD. Lack of modification at tyrosine, serine, cysteine, histidine, and lysine residues and the fact that the inactivation is favored at low pH suggest that the inactivation is caused by the modification of a carboxyl group. Statistical analysis of the relationship between the residual enzyme activity and the extent of modification, and comparison of the number of residues modified in the presence and absence of the substrate adenosine show that, among four reactive residues per enzyme subunit, only one residue which reacts more rapidly with the reagent than the rest is critical for activity. The CMC-modified enzyme binds adenosine and S-adenosylhomocysteine and is able to oxidize the 3' hydroxyl of these substrates, but apparently fails to catalyze the abstraction of the 4' proton of adenosine.     

Adrenocortical zonation of inbred wild-coloured mastomys, Praomys coucha: a new border zone in the cortex of females

Adrenal glands were examined in the inbred strain of wild-coloured mastomys (Praomys coucha), MWC. The most characteristic findings were emergence of a border zone between the zona fasciculata and z. reticularis of the cortex in females but not in males, and persistence of broad z. reticularis in males. The border zone was typically comprised of vacuolated cell layers, nodular layers and fibrous tissue. Vacuolated cells increased in number during pregnancy and partially disappeared during lactation. Growth of the nodules was greatly enhanced in both number and size during lactation. Thus, multiparae had very thick border zones composed predominantly of large nodules and, additionally, of vacuolated cells and fibrous tissue. The z. reticularis was compressed into a cord of closely packed cells by the expanded border zone in multiparous females but it continued to thicken with age in males. These changes produced completely different cortical zonation in the adrenal between sexes.     

Structure of the intracellular defective viral RNAs of defective interfering particles of mouse hepatitis virus.

The intracellular defective RNAs generated during high-multiplicity serial passages of mouse hepatitis virus JHM strain on DBT cells were examined. Seven novel species of single-stranded polyadenylic acid-containing defective RNAs were identified from passages 3 through 22. The largest of these RNAs, DIssA (molecular weight [mw], 5.2 X 10(6)), is identical to the genomic RNA packaged in the defective interfering particles produced from these cells. Other RNA species, DIssB1 (mw, 1.9 X 10(6) to 1.6 X 10(6)), DIssB2 (mw, 1.6 X 10(6)), DIssC (mw, 2.8 X 10(6)) DIssD (mw, 0.82 X 10(6)), DIssE (mw, 0.78 X 10(6)), and DIssF (mw, 1.3 X 10(6)) were detected at different passage levels. RNase T1-resistant oligonucleotide fingerprinting demonstrated that all these RNAs were related and had multiple deletions of the genomic sequences. They contained different subsets of the genomic sequences from those of the standard intracellular mRNAs of nondefective mouse hepatitis virus JHM strain. Thus these novel intracellular viral RNAs were identified as defective interfering RNAs of mouse hepatitis virus JHM strain. The synthesis of six of the seven normal mRNA species specific to mouse hepatitis virus JHM strain was completely inhibited when cells were infected with viruses of late-passage levels. However, the synthesis of RNA7 and its product, viral nucleoprotein, was not significantly altered in late passages. The possible mechanism for the generation of defective interfering RNAs was discussed.     

Pig lens glutathione S-transferase belongs to class Pi enzyme

Class Pi glutathione S-transferase was purified to homogeneity from pig lens cytosol. This enzyme was composed of two identical 22 kDa subunits and had isoelectric point of 8.5 from the results of SDS gel electrophoresis, gel filtration, amino acid sequence analysis and isoelectric focusing. Amino acid sequence of N-terminal 15 residues was almost identical to class Pi enzymes from human, rat and mouse. Antibody against the pig enzyme crossreacted to human glutathione S-transferase-pi and anti-rat glutathione S-transferase-P antibody crossreacted to pig enzyme.     

Role of allograft inflammatory factor-1 in bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is a protein expressed by macrophages infiltrating the area around the coronary arteries in a rat ectopic cardiac allograft model. We previously reported that AIF-1 is associated with the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and skin fibrosis in sclerodermatous graft-versus-host disease mice. Here, we used an animal model of bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis to analyze the expression of AIF-1 and examine its function in lung fibrosis. The results showed that AIF-1 was expressed on lung tissues, specifically macrophages, from mice with bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Recombinant AIF-1 increased the production of TGF-β which plays crucial roles in the mechanism of fibrosis by mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. Recombinant AIF-1 also increased both the proliferation and migration of lung fibroblasts compared with control group. These results suggest that AIF-1 plays an important role in the mechanism underlying lung fibrosis, and may provide an attractive new therapeutic target.     

Photo‐identification matches of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from feeding areas in Russian Far East seas and breeding grounds in the North Pacific

Humpback whales migrate seasonally from high latitude feeding areas to lower latitude breeding areas for mating and calving. In 2004–2006, a North Pacific basin‐wide study called SPLASH was conducted as an international collaboration among various groups of researchers. The Russian Far East consists of multiple high latitude feeding areas and during SPLASH, 102 whales were identified and compared to catalogs from breeding areas. Our goal in this study was to further investigate the migratory destinations of whales from the Russian Far East using a total of 1,459 photographs of whales identified from 2004 to 2014. We compared the latest Russian catalog with the SPLASH catalog from wintering areas (2004–2006) and with two additional regional catalogs from Okinawa (1989–2006) and the northern Philippines (2000–2006). We found a total of 152 matches: 106 with Asian, 35 with Hawaiian, and 11 with Mexican breeding grounds. The match rate was higher in mainland Kamchatka and consisted mostly of whales from the Asian breeding ground. In the Commander Islands, the proportion of whales from Asia was twice that of Hawaii and six times higher than Mexico. The total match rate was low, supporting the hypothesis of some undiscovered humpback whale breeding location in the North Pacific.     

Diel vertical migration and feeding rhythm of Daphnia longispina and Bosmina corexoni in Lake Toya, Hokkaido, Japan

Diel vertical migration (DVM) and diel feeding rhythm of two cladocerans, Daphnia longispina and Bosmina coregoni were investigated at the pelagic area of Lake Toya (Hokkaido, Japan) in May, August and October 1992. Both species performed nocturnal DVM. The amplitude of DVM, however, became smaller from May to October. Such seasonal variations in DVM could not be explained by light penetration and/or water temperature. The two species had a clear feeding rhythm; they fed at night in May and October but also after sunrise in August. These feeding rhythms appeared to be related to the light-dark cycle, but were not necessarily associated with their DVM. We suggest that the diel feeding rhythm and DVM are regulated independently by light cues.