Selective Degradation of Specific Components of Fertilization Coat and Differentiation of Hatching Gland Cells during the Two Phase Hatching of Bufo japonicus Embryos

The embryonic hatching process in the toad, Bufo japonicus , consists of two phases: rupture of the outer jelly strings at stage 20 (neural tube) and an escape from the inner jelly layers and fertilization coat (FC) of individual embryos at stage 23 (tailbud). SDS-PAGE analyses of FCs revealed that, of the eight major protein bands, two components with 58 K and 62 K in molecular weight gradually decreased from stage 18–19 on and totally disappeared at stage 22. When the FCs were treated with a hatching medium prepared by culturing denuded prehatching embryos, both 58 K and 62 K components of the FCs were solubilized, and in the solubilized materials 18 K and 31 K components appeared. Electron microscopy showed that a meshwork of filament bundles present in the FCs before stage 17 became dissociated at stage 19–20, and completely disappeared at stage 23, just before the hatching of embryos. Hatching gland cells (HGCs), an epidermal cell with numerous secretory granules, were first identified at stage 19, and underwent active secretion of the granules during stage 19–23. These results indicate that the hydrolytic degradation of 58K and 62 K components in FCs effected by the hatching enzyme constitutes the basic mechanism of embryonic hatching during both the first and second phases.     

Relationship between DNA chain growth termination and replicon sizes in γ-irradiated mouse cells

Unirradiated mouse leukemic L5178Y cells were pulse-labeled with [³H]thymidine continuously for up to 150 minutes. The resulting DNA fiber autoradiograms showed a continuously increasing fiber length up to 70 μm. However, in cells irradiated with 500 to 2000 rad of γ-rays, the resulting DNA fiber lengths leveled off at approximately 35 μm. Independent experiments to estimate replicon size by measuring the center-to-center distance in tandem tracks yielded a value of 48 μm. These results are consistent with a model proposing that the average replicon size is equal to √2 times the plateau value of the average length of labeled DNA measured in irradiated cells.     

Purification and properties of reductases for aromatic aldehydes and ketones from guinea pig liver.

NADPH-dependent enzymatic reduction of aromatic aldehydes and ketones observed in the cytosol of guinea pig liver was mediated by at least three distinct reductases (AR 1, AR 2, and AR 3), which were separated by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. By several procedures AR 2 and AR 3 were purified to homogeneity, but AR 1 could be purified only 30-fold because of the small amount. These enzymes were found to have similar molecular weights of 34,000 to 36,000 and similar Stokes radii of about 2.5 nm. AR 3 was identical to aldehyde reductase [EC 1.1.1.2] in substrate specificity for aromatic aldehydes and D-glucuronate and specific inhibition by barbiturates. AR 1 and AR 2 acted on aromatic ketones and cyclohexanone as well as aromatic aldehydes at optimal pHs of 5.4 and 6.0, respectively, and were immunochemically distinguished from AR 3. AR 1 was the most sensitive to sulfhydryl reagents, and AR 2 was more stable at 50 degrees C than the other enzymes. Similar heterogeneity was observed in the kidney enzymes, but other tissues had little aldehyde reductase activity and contained only AR 3. In addition, lung contained a high molecular weight aromatic ketone reductase different from the above reductases.     

Reproductive lifespan and reproductive performance in SPF C3H mice: the onset of reproductive life and production efficiency (author's transl)]

To improve the production system, the onset and the termination of reproductive life of C3Hf/HeMsNrs mice mated immediately after weaning and reared for 400 days of life, were studied. From weaning females mated with a full grown male (group A), the first litter was obtained at a mean age of 47 days, suggesting the first copulation at 26 days of age. The age of males at the first copulation was estimated to be at 44 days of age from the age giving the first litters in weanling males mated with weanling (group B) and full grown (group C) females. The sex ratio of litters delivered by young dams tended to be excess in males. The reproductive performance of dams in later life was not affected by the parturition in earlier age. The production efficiency with weaned youngs per pair during the first 200 days after mating was the highest in group A. It was found from these results that the C3H females attained their sexual maturity at 5 to 6 days after weaning, being available for breeding without any deletion in reproductive performance.     

Synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5-thio-d-glucopyranose

2-Acetamido-2-deoxy-5-thio-d-glucopyranose (12) has been synthesized from methyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-β-d-glucofuranoside (1). Benzoylation of 1, followed by O-deisopropylidenation, gave methyl 2-acetamido-3-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-β-d-glucofuranoside, which was converted, via selective benzoylation and mesylation, into methyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-5-O-mesyl-β-d-glucofuranoside (5). Treatment of 6, formed by the action of sodium methoxide in chloroform on 5, with thiourea gave methyl 2-acetamido-2,5,6-trideoxy-5,6-epithio-β-d-glucofuranoside (7), which was converted into the 5-thio compound 9 by cleavage of the epithio ring in 7 with potassium acetate. Alkaline treatment of 10, derived from 9 by hydrolysis, afforded the title compound. Evidence in support of the structures assigned to the new derivatives is presented.     

Tremorgenic Mycotoxin from Penicillium paraherquei

A tremorgenic mycotoxin was isolated from Penicillium paraherquei Abe ex G. Smith and identified as verruculogen. It was produced at the rate of approximately 1 mg/g of the dried fungal mycelium cultured on peptone-enriched Czapek-Dox medium at 28°C.     

Anatomical basis for an apparent paradox concerning conduction velocities of two identified axons in Aplysia.

Larger axons usually have faster conduction velocities, lower thresholds, and larger extracellular action potentials than smaller axons. However, it has been shown that the largest fiber, R2, in the right pleurovisceral connective of the marine mollusc, Aplysia, has a higher threshold and a slower conduction velocity than does the smaller axon of cell RI, even though the amplitude of R2's spike is larger than R1's spike. One explanation of this apparent parodox is that the two axons have different "intrinsic membrane and axoplasmic constants" (Goldman, L. (1961), J. Cell Comp. Physiol. 57: 185-191). However, the deep infolding of R2's axonal membrane suggested that differences in the shape of the two axons might also account for the paradox. Accordingly, we measured the conduction velocities of the two axons and then examined the same axons in the electron microscope in order to measure their volumes and surface areas. Our morphological observations indicate that the extensive infolding of surface membrane causes R2 to have a smaller volume to surface area ratio than R1. Thus, since conduction velocity is proportional to the square root of the volume to surface area ratio (Hodgkin, A.L. (1954), J. Physiol. 125: 221-224), it is predictable that the smaller axon would have a faster conduction velocity. The results suggest that the paradoxical conduction velocities can be explained largely as resulting from differences in the shapes of the two axons. However, certain discrepancies between the measured and the predicted values suggest that other factors are contributing as well.     

Ionic mechanism of 5-hydroxytryptamine induced hyperpolarization and inhibitory junctional potential in body wall muscle cells of Hirudo medicinalis

Five-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT) causes a hyperpolarization and increased conductance of the leech body wall muscle cell membrane. If 5-HT is applied in the absence of the Cl^?ion, the response appears as a depolarization, whereas if 5-HT is applied in the absence of the K⁺ion, the response is a hyperpolarization. In both cases, the conductance of the muscle cell membrane is increased. Stimulation of the peripheral nerve to the body wall muscle produces a complex junctional potential in muscle cells. Exposing the muscle to d-tubocurarine (d-TC) eliminates the excitatory component (EJP) of the complex potential. The inhibitory potential (IJP) that remains has an equilibrium potential at approximately 65 m V. Furthermore, this IJP appears as a depolarization when the nerve is stimulated in the presence of d-TC and low CL^?, whereas this is not the case if the nerve is stimulated in the presence of d-TC and low K⁺. The drugs BOL-148 and cyproheptadine block the IJP's in the body wall muscle. These data are interpreted as indicating that 5'HT acts on leech body wall muscle cells by increasing the conductance to the Cl^?ion and that the IJP's caused by nerve stimulation are probably the result of 5-HT release at nerve terminals. As a final point, it has been shown that the inhibition by 5-HT of the spontaneous EJP's that occur on the leech body wall muscle results from an inhibition of central neurons and not from any direct effect on the muscle cell or on peripheral synapses.     

Missing piece of top predator-based conservation: Demographic analysis of an owl population on a remote subtropical island

Top predators are frequently the target of conservation programs. Owls are such predators. However, previous studies of owls are biased to species occurring in temperate regions, whereas most owl species occur in tropical or subtropical regions and are understudied. Furthermore, owls are often endemic to islands and of unknown conservation status. Demographic data for such species are especially scarce although they are essential for initiating and promoting their conservation. As a case study of demographic analysis of owls in a tropical or subtropical area and on islands, we applied an integrated population model to 7-year monitoring data (2012–2018) of the Ryukyu Scops Owl population on Minami-daito Island, Japan. We used survival history data from 903 individuals, reproduction and sex ratio data from 213 broods, and count data of 2,526 individuals in total. Long-term averages of annual survival rates were 0.73 for adult females and 0.74 for adult males, although the sexual difference was not significant. Sex ratio estimates fluctuated annually and long-term averages were slightly skewed to males: 0.51 among fledglings, 0.54 among yearlings, and 0.52 among adults. Long-term averages of population size were estimated to be 273.4 females and 296.8 males. The long-term average of population growth rate was 0.98, suggesting a slightly declining trend. It was fortunate to recognize the declining trend during the early phase. Considering the general lack of fundamental ecological data on owls of tropical or subtropical areas and on islands, it seems likely that many endangered owl populations await conservation efforts.