Population changes and ranging behaviour of wild Japanese monkeys at Mt. Kawaradake in Kyushu,Japan

Population changes and home range utilization of the wild Japanese monkey at Mt. Kawaradake have been studied since 1972. Age compositions of this troop were obtained over a seven-year period. Troop size decreased from over 100 to 40 individuals as a result of a capture in 1974. The capture affected directly and indirectly the troop's range and population dynamics. The troop reduced its range size from 4.7 km² to 2.67 km² and changed its utilization pattern in relation to the decrease in size. After the capture, the troop used one particular area intensively, whereas the rhythmic nomadic pattern had been observed as before. This may have been caused by the decrease in the overall food requirement of the troop. The birth rate increased significantly after the capture. However, troop size did not increase because of the low recruitment rate for adult females and the high mortality of juveniles.     

Enhancement of tryptophan production by Escherichia coli as an application of genetic engineering

Summary A feedback resistant trp operon plasmid that transformed a multiple mutant (trpR tnaA) of Escherichia coli was found to enhance remarkably the production of tryptophan in a bench-scale fermentor. 5.5 g of tryptophan was accumulated per litre of culture medium at 24th hr in batch. The productivity was 0.229 g/l/hr. This productivity is the highest among those ever reported by other workers. The recombinant plasmid (Tc^r Trp⁺ I^-) used was completely stable in each run when tetracycline was added by 10 g/l into the medium.     

Studies on the damage to Escherichia coli cell membrane caused by different rates of freeze-thawing

Freeze-thawing of Escherichia coli cells caused a release of cell membrane components such as protein, phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides. A greater amount of release and a lesser extent of cell survival were seen in slow freeze-thawing than in rapid freeze-thawing. Several dehydrogenases in the cells were also freed. The mode of release was also dependent on the rate of freeze-thawing.The materials released by slow freeze-thawing were found to be mostly composed of outer membrane components, whereas the materials released by rapid freeze-thawing contained cytoplasmic as well as outer membrane components. The chemical composition of these fragments differed significantly from that of the original membranes. The relative content of cytoplasmic membrane-bound enzymes in these fragments also differed from that of the cytoplasmic membrane.The fragmentation was assumed to have resulted mainly from the crystallization of external water. In slow freeze-thawing, it was considered that the phase separation of the membrane phospholipid bilayer increased the possibility of outer membrane fragmentation. Rapid freeze-thawing caused cytoplasmic membrane damage to the cells as well as to the outer membrane. In rapid freeze-thawing, the effect of phase separation appeared to be small because of rapid passage through the transition temperatures.The presence of 10% glycerol completely inhibited the release of cellular materials and enzymes. Cell survival was maintained at a high level in the glycerol-treated samples whether freeze-thawed slowly or rapidly.     

Protection by picolinamide,a novel inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase,against both streptozotocin-induced depression of proinsulin synthesis and reduction of NAD content in pancreatic islets

Picolinamide, 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid amide, was found to be a strong inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase of nuclei from rat pancreatic islet cells. Another experiment using isolated pancreatic islets of rats showed that picolinamide protects against streptozotocin-induced depression of proinsulin synthesis as well as against streptozotocin-induced reduction of NAD content. The protection by picolinamide against the NAD depression was considered to be due to the blockage of an increased degradation of NAD mediated by a streptozotocin-induced increase in poly (ADP-ribose) synthetase activity. A possible mechanism of streptozotocin diabetes and its prevention is discussed.     

Two isoaccepting seryl tRNAs coded by separate mitochondrial genes in yeast

Summary In S. cerevisiae four isoacceptor mitochondrial tRNAs for serine have been separated by reversed phase chromatography. At least two of these species are products of different genes. In this work the deletion mapping technique has been used to locate two genes for tRNA^ser. The gene for tRNA^ser previously localized in the oli I region of the mitochondrial genome has been found to code for tRNA _ser ² , and another gene coding for tRNA _ser ¹ has been detected in the region where most of other tRNA genes are found. Results of fine mapping experiments allowed to localize this gene in the proximity of the gene for tRNA^arg.     

Developmental changes in soluble proteins during the early development of Dictyostelium discoideum

Changes in the pattern of soluble proteins that accumulatedat the growth phase, interphase and late-aggregation phase ofthe cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum were studiedby two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Amongthe 300 proteins detected during the early development, themost soluble do not change during the growth and aggregationphases, but about 90 proteins show changes in their relativeintensities on staining. During the transition from growth tothe interphase, the predominant changes were the disappearanceof 16 spots, the decrease in 30 spots, the appearance of 13new spots, and the increase in 14 spots. In contrast, from theinterphase to the late-aggregation phase, there were remarkableprogressive increases in 13 spots, an overall increase in 6spots, a decrease in 16 spots, the appearance of 8 new spotsand the disappearance of 4 spots. (Received July 13, 1979; )     

Fungal contamination and mycotoxin-producing potential of dried beans

A total of 604 samples of about 7 different types of beans was examined to determine their mycological profiles, and suitability for use as solid substrates for mycotoxin production.All of the samples were collected from bean jam makers in Tokyo by the official food examiners.Genera Penicillium and Aspergillus were predominant, and genus Wallemia was also found commonly in all types of beans.Mycotoxin-producing Aspergillus strains were isolated from 52 samples of beans, approximately 9% of the total. The highest incidence of toxigenic Aspergillus (14.1%) was found in kidney beans. Red beans and peas inoculated with Aspergillus ochraceus were found to produce about 7 to 8 times more toxin than was obtained in a liquid medium, and red beans inoculated with A. versicolor produced more toxin than was obtained in yeast extract sucrose broth. Green peas inoculated with Fusarium graminearum produced about 8 times more T-2 toxin than was obtained in 1% peptone containing Czapek solution under comparable culture conditions.     

A sulfotransferase model: Covalent participation of a macrocyclic oxime in the hydrolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl sulfate

The liberation of 2,4-dinitrophenolate ion from 2,4-dinitrophenyl sulfate (DNPS) in aqueous organic solvent with 0.1 N sodium hydroxide was accelerated upon addition of an equimolar amount of Oxime-I (10-hydroxy-11-hydroxyimino[20]-paracyclophane) to the sulfate ester. Oxime-I was found to undergo covalent participation at the oxime group to afford oxime O-sulfonate. The rate acceleration with Oxime-I was larger than that with β-CD (cycloheptaamylose). The catalytic efficiency of Oxime-I has been ascribed primarily to the tighter inclusion of the substrate ester into the more hydrophobic Oxime-I cavity provided by the effective apolar paracyclophane skeleton, as well as to the greater nucleophilicity of the oxime group than of the hydroxyl group in β-CD. Consequently, Oxime-I may be considered as a conventional model for arylsulfatases and sulfotransferases, providing the effective binding process for the substrate.     

Break points in Arrhenius plots of the Hill reaction of spinach chloroplast fragments in the temperature range from -25 to 25?C

The relationship between temperature and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol(DPIP) photoreduction activity in chloroplast fragments isolatedfrom spinach grown at different temperatures was investigatedin the temperature range from –25 to 25?C. Two break points in the slope of the Arrhenius plot of the Hillreaction were observed at –9 and 11?C in chloroplast fragmentsisolated from spinach grown at low temperatures (0–10?C).These breaks were not affected by an uncoupler. In chloroplastfragments from spinach grown in a higher temperature range (10–30?C),only one break point was observed at –9?C. The other breakpoint at around 10?C appeared after treatment with detergent.Both break points were completely abolished by fixing the chloroplastfragments with glutaraldehyde. The break at around 10?C in chloroplast fragments isolated fromspinach grown at lower temperature was interpreted as due toacclimation rather than chilling sensitivity. (Received September 6, 1977; )