Production of Inosine from Hydrocarbons by Corynebacterinm petrophilum

Using the adenine auxotroph of hydrocarbonoclastic microorganism, Corynebacterium petrophilum, the effects of glucose on the inosine productivity were investigated. The mutant did not produce inosine from glucose as the sole source of carbon. Production of inosine in n-C₁₆ medium was found to be inhibited by the addition of glucose. To obtain information on such effect of glucose, several characters were compared between the cells grown in glucose medium and those grown in n-C₁₆ medium. Intracellular content of UV-absorbing materials of the glucose-cells was higher than that of hydrocarbon-cells. The glucose-celle could not grow in media containing adenosine or 5′-AMP. On the other hand, hydrocarbon-cells were able to achieve growth, with adenine, adenosine and 5′-AMP contained in the hydrocarbon medium, but, in the case of glucose medium, the cells could grow only in the presence of adenine. Furthermore, the growth of this mutant in n-C₁₆ medium was found to be inhibited by a larger amount of adenine than that required for the maximum growth, and this inhibition was overcome by the addition of guanine. The significance of the effect of guanine was discussed.     

Isolation and Identification of l-Menthyl-β-d-glucoside from Shubi

Quinoxalines derived from d-galactose with o-phenylenediamine (OPD) in acidic media under reflux were studied by using GLC and NMR measurements. Four quinoxaline derivatives were obtained from the reaction mixture, and were identical with those derived from d-glucose. The yields of 2-(D-lyxo-tetrahydroxybutyl)quinoxaline (GA-III), and the stereoisomeric derivative of GA-III, i.e., 2-(D-arabino-tetrahydroxybutyl)quinoxaline (ATBQ), were 13.2 and 5.3–, respectively. The ratio of GA-III to ATBQ derived from d-galactose was reciprocally coincident with that from d-glucose. Some proposals are made on the relationship between the isomerization of these sugars and the formation of quinoxaline derivatives.     

Effect of Chloramphenicol on the DNA Synthesis of Bacteriophage ϕX174

In bacteriophage ?X174 infection, the net synthesis of replicative form DNA ceased between 15 and 20 min after infection. When 30 μg of chloramphenicol/ml was added, net RF synthesis, however, continued beyond the normal time and level of turn-off. Experiments with ?X174 mutants unable to synthesize single-stranded DNA showed that a protein synthesis was required for the cessation of net RF synthesis and the protein was synthesized between 10 and 15 min after infection.     

Insect Ecdysis Inhibitors from the East African Medicinal Plant Ajuga remota (Labiatae)

γ-Glutamy Icy steine synthetase was purified from E. coli B. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 5.5 × 10⁴ and required only magnesium ion for activity. The optimal pH and temperature for reaction were 8.5 and 45°C, respectively. The Km values for l-glutamate, l-cysteine, and ATP were 0.50, 0.09, and 0.01 mm, respectively. GTP and UTP were also used as energy sources. The enzyme activity was inhibited by phosphate anions and by various sulfhydryl reagents. Unlike the enzyme from mammalian tissues, the E. coli B enzyme was not inhibited by α-alkyl analogues of methionine. The enzyme was feedback inhibited by reduced glutathione, although oxidized glutathione had no inhibitory effect.     

A Simplified Colorimetry without Incineration of Phosphorus in Phosphatides

An NAD linked formate dehydrogenating enzyme which catalyzed the last step of methanol oxidation system was extracted from the methanol-grown Kloeckera sp. No. 2201. The specific activity of the enzyme in the extract of methanol-grown cells was found to be considerably higher than that of the glucose-grown cells. The enzyme was purified about 35-fold from the extract of methanol-grown cells by heat treatment, column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose and on hydroxylapatite, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. The purified enzyme was shown to be homogeneous by analyses with electrophoresis and ultracentrifuga-tion. The purified enzyme was a kind of NAD: formate oxidoreductase (EC, 1.2.1.2) which catalyzed specifically the oxidation of formate to carbon dioxide. The Km values were 22 mm for formate and 0.1 mm for NAD. The enzyme was inactivated by potassium cyanide, sodium azide, and p-chloromercuribenzoate but not by any metal-chelating reagents tested. Other general properties of the enzyme were also investigated.     

Studies on the Metabolic Products of Oospora sp. (Oospora astringenes)

The chemical structure of oospolactone which is the metabolic product of Oospora astringenes was confirmed by the synthetical approach.     

The Incorporation of Leucine-U-14C into Ipomeamarone

1. It was demonstrated by silica gel thin layer chromatography that leucine-U-¹⁴C was incorporated into furanoterpenes, e. g. ipomeamarone, in sweet potato root tissue infected by Ceratocystis fimbriata.

2. Further proof for ipomeamarone synthesis from leucine-U-¹⁴C was obtained by the constancy of the specific radioactivity of ipomeamarone semicarbazone through repetitive crystallization.

3. The synthetic pathway of ipomeamarone from leucine was found to be connected with the synthetic pathway from acetate at least at some steps.

4. Leucine-U-¹⁴C was incorporated into both saponifiable and non-saponifiable materials in the same way as acetate-2-¹⁴C.     

Glycogen Phosphorylase Activity in Fat Body During Development of the Silkworm,Bombyx mori

Changes in the small intestinal mucin contents in rats were evaluated by two methods, viz., a newly established ELISA and a method based on the measurement of O-linked oligosaccharide chains (OSC) as a mucin marker. Significant correlation was observed between the values of ELISA-derived mucins and OSC. The results confirm the usefulness of measurement of OSC as an alternative method for mucin determination.     

Production of Nucleic Acid-Related Substances by Fermentative Processes

Brevibacterium insectiphilium KY 3446 (Steinhous, Breed AHU 1401) was found to accumulate IMP from hypoxanthine and UMP from uracil, respectively. This strain is thus considered to present the fourth example in salvage-type fermentation, in addition to Micrococcus sodonensis, Arthrobacter citreus and Brevibacterium ammoniagenes reported previously.

IMP from adenine and UMP from cytosine were also produced by KY 3446, respectively. Further, the addition of inosine and adenosine instead of the bases also caused IMP accumulation.

This strain grew well on sucrose medium, and produced IMP and UMP in higher yields on sucrose than on glucose medium.

Excessive amounts of Mn²⁺ stimulated growth, but markedly inhibited IMP production. The optimal concentration of Mn²⁺ for IMP accumulation induced morphogenetic alterations from normal and small to abnormal and large cells.