Enzymes of the Tryptophan Pathway in Three Bacillus Species

The tryptophan synthetic pathway was characterized in three species of Bacillus, B. subtilis, B. pumilus, and B. alvei. They share the common features of a pathway which is subject to tryptophan repression, contains no unexpected complexes among the five enzymes, exhibits dissociable anthranilate synthase enzymes which do not require phosphoribosyl transferase for amidetransfer activity, contains separate indoleglycerol phosphate synthase and phosphoribosylanthranilate isomerase enzymes, and contains similar tryptophan synthetase multimers. In looking at these characteristics in detail however, differences among the three species became apparent, as, for example, in the complementation observed between the alpha and beta(2) components of tryptophan synthetase, and the dissociation patterns of the large and small components of anthranilate synthase. The results demonstrate some pitfalls in attempting to compare multimeric enzymes in crude extracts from different organisms.     

Ion-mediated water flow

Summary The electroosmotic flows of solution produced by the chloride salts of H, Na, K, tetramethylammonium (TMA) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) through three membranes of net negative charge and high water content (40 to 60%) have been obtained. The amount of solution transported, (EO _s), increased in the order: HCl, KCl, NaCl, TMACl and TEACl in a membrane of 43% hydration. In membranes 60% hydrated the order became HCl, KCl, NaCl, TEACl and TMACl. (EO _s) for a salt increased as membrane hydration became larger. The permselectivity of the three membranes for cations declined in the order: HCl, KCl=NaCl, TMACl and TEACl. Cation permselectivity also declined with increases in membrane hydration. The (EO _s) is a net solution flow and is the difference between the cation-induced water flow and the chloride-induced water flow in the opposite direction. In membranes of moderate to high H₂O content, co-ion transport is significant and the water-flow associated with co-ion movement must be determined if the contribution of the counter-ion ([EO]_cation) to the (EO _s) is to be found. Cl-ion induced water flow was determined by assuming an identity of K and Cl ions. [EO]_cation increased as the hydrated radii of the cations increased and for any particular cation [EO]_cation was at least 100% greater in the 60% hydrated membrane than in the 43% hydrated membrane. The current-induced water flow was found to be composed of both an electroosmotic and an osmotic component. The latter represented between 10 and 40% of the total water flow.Presented in part before the American Physiological Society at the 54^th meeting of the F.A.S.E.B., Atlantic City, N.J., April, 1970.     

MANDIBULAR HERPES ZOSTER—With Report on the Use of Cortisone in a Case with Geniculate Ganglion Symptoms

Herpes zoster, an acute specific viral infection, occurs more commonly than is generally supposed. It should be differentiated from other diseases involving the ear and skin; it must be considered as a possible etiologic agent in some palsies of the facial, glossopharyngeal or vagal nerves.The type of cephalic herpes zoster should be carefully differentiated; cases involving the “geniculate zone” may be other than “Ramsay Hunt''s syndrome.” This syndrome is now defined as a herpes zoster eruption of the external ear at the “geniculate zone” with involvement of the seventh or seventh and eighth nerves.The “topognostic” method is the best for determining the level at which the facial nerve has been affected.It is questioned whether there is a single outstanding therapeutic agent for this disease. Cortisone had no apparent therapeutic effect in a case reported herein.     

Phylogeography of the Lacerta viridis complex: mitochondrial and nuclear markers provide taxonomic insights

Based on broad, nearly rangewide sampling, we reanalysed the phylogeography of the Lacerta viridis complex using the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and the intron 7 of the nuclear β‐fibrinogen gene. Using the mitochondrial marker, we identified in phylogenetic analyses 10 terminal clades clustering in four deeply divergent main lineages whose relationships are weakly resolved. These lineages correspond to Lacerta bilineata, L. viridis, the previously identified Adriatic or West Balkan lineage and a newly discovered fourth lineage from the Anatolian Black Sea coast and the south‐eastern Balkan Peninsula. Except for the latter lineage, there is considerable phylogeographic structuring in each lineage, with higher diversity in the south of the distribution ranges. This pattern indicates the existence of two distinct microrefugia in the Italian Peninsula and Sicily and of up to seven microrefugia in the Balkan Peninsula, but of only one refugium along the Black Sea coast of Anatolia. We identified secondary contact zones of the main lineages and of terminal clades within these lineages. However, most of the formerly described putative contact zone of L. bilineata and L. viridis turned out to be a contact zone between the Adriatic lineage and L. viridis, but L. bilineata seems to be involved only marginally. Our nuclear marker could not unambiguously resolve whether there is gene flow in contact zones. Thus, further research is necessary to decide whether the four main lineages are conspecific or whether they represent distinct biological species. We restrict the name L. v. meridionalis to the newly identified genetic lineage from Turkey and south‐eastern Europe, synonymize some previously recognized taxa and suggest a tentative nomenclature for the L. viridis complex.