Hepatotoxic doses of dioxin do not damage mouse bone marrow chromosomes

We report on a study of the cytogenetic and hepatotoxic effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Mice of the C57B1/6J (with high-affinity TCDD receptor) or DBA/2J (with low-affinity TCDD receptor) strains were given single intraperitoneal injections of 50, 100 or 150 micrograms of TCDD/kg body weight. At various times (8-48 h) after injection, we examined bone marrow cells for cytogenetic effects by performing structural aberration, sister-chromatid exchange, and micronucleus tests. 1 month after exposure, liver sections were studied for hepatotoxic effects. We found no evidence of chromosome damage by TCDD given in doses that cause liver damage in both strains of mice.     

Standardization of parameters for the mycobacillin synthetase activity

An effective method of preparation involving sonication was developed for cell-free mycobacillin synthetase fromBacillus subtilis. The enzyme showed optimum activity at a buffer concentration of 50 mM (Tris-HCl) and pH 7.5. ATP and Mg²⁺ which were essential for synthesis showed an optimum requirement at a ratio of 1∶1. The synthetase was markedly inhibited by ADP whereas AMP was without any effect. ATP or ATP-generating system could not be replaced by GTP, UTP or CTP. Co²⁺ and Mn²⁺ could to some extent substitute Mg²⁺. Mercapto reagents inhibited the antibiotic synthesis. Exogenous addition of pantothenic acid had no effect.     

Demonstration of auto-anti-idiotypic antibody cross-reacting with public idiotypic determinants in the serum of rye-sensitive allergic patients

The present study documents the presence, in the serum of one allergic individual, of auto-anti-idiotypic antibodies cross-reacting with public idiotypic determinants expressed on human IgE and IgG anti-Rye I antibodies. Sera from rye-sensitive patients were tested for specific IgG and IgE antibodies to Rye I by double antibody. The IgG fraction, isolated from the serum of a patient with a history of previous hyposensitization therapy, was repeatedly absorbed on Rye-I-Sepharose as well as on IgM- and IgG-Sepharose to remove anti-Rye I antibodies as well as any possible anti-heavy or light chain activity. This IgG fraction, named anti-idiotypic fraction (a-IdF), blocked in a dose-dependent fashion the reaction of IgG and IgE anti-Rye I antibodies with Rye I antigen. The a-IdF also blocked the binding of anti-rye antibodies to Rye I antigen in the serum of 20 unrelated allergic patients, indicating that these anti-Rye I antibodies bore public idiotypic determinants.     

Role of ATP and enzyme-bound nascent peptides in the control of elongation for mycobacillin synthesis.

The presence of a Zn2+-dependent acid p-nitrophenyl phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.2) in bovine liver was described. The enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity and migrates as a single band during electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel. The enzyme requires Zn2+ ions for catalytic activity, other bivalent cations have little or no effect. The enzyme, of Mr 118,000, optimum pH 6-6.2 and pI 7.4-7.5, was inhibited by EDTA, tartrate, adenine and ATP, but not by fluoride. The common phosphate esters are poor substrates for the enzyme, which hydrolyses preferentially p-nitrophenyl phosphate and o-carboxyphenyl phosphate. The Zn2+-dependent acid p-nitrophenyl phosphatase of bovine liver was different from the high-Mr acid phosphatases previously detected in mammalian tissues.     

Increase in membrane permeability of electrolytes and betacyanin in beet root disc by fenitrothion

Effect of fenitrothion (phosphorothioic acid, 0,0-dimethyl 0-4-nitro-m-tolyl ester), an organophosphorous insecticide, on membrane permeability employing the leakage of betacyanin and electrolytes as the criteria were studied in beet root(Beta vulgaris) discs. The leakage of both betacyanin and electrolytes increased with increasing concentrations (10–150 ppm) of fenitrothion in the incubation medium. At 0.33 mM the increase in electrolyte leakage was approximately linear for the first 6h, while the increase in betacyanin leakage started with a lag of about 2 h. Long term incubation (24 h) showed a biphasic nature (in the semilog plot) for the increase in betacyanin leakage, while the increase in electrolyte leakage appeared more complex. In the control sample, the Arrhenius plots (25–50°C) of leakage showed a break at 40°C. In treated samples no break was observed, but the slope decreased (for both electrolyte and betacyanin leakage) as compared to the respective slopes in the control in the temperature region greater than 40°C. The results are discussed in terms of the possible effect of the insecticide on the active transport in plant membranes     

Hybridity,polyploidy and change in breeding system in a Ruellia hybrid

Summary Ruellia tweediana and R. tuberosa are large flowered chasmogamous diploids (n=17) with normal meiosis and fertility. F ₁ hybrids, successful in only one direction (R. tweediana x R. tuberosa), are vegetatively vigorous and possess 17 often heteromorphic bivalents with high degree of segregational irregularities. It is exclusively cleistogamous and completely pollen and seed sterile. Like F ₁, the artificial amphidiploid (n=34) is also cleistogamous but shows preferential chromosome pairing with complete restoration of fertility. The parental chromosomes are sufficiently differentiated and cleistogamy is either genie or due to gene-cytoplasm interaction but sterility is entirely chromosomal. All floral parts excepting calyx are highly deformed. Such a deformity is associated with sterility in the F ₁ but with fertility in the amphidiploid. This is perhaps the first case of origin by hybridization of a true breeding and fully fertile cleistogamous taxon from two chasmogamous species. It also shows the extent and nature of change in breeding system brought about by hybridization and/or polyploidy.The chromosome numbers in the six, out of 16, obligate cleistogamous taxa (Table 4) show that they are high polyploids. Perhaps their origin has been in the same manner as in the present case.

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Zusammenfassung Ruellia tweediana und R. tuberosa sind großblütige, chasmogame Diploide (n=17) mit normaler Meiosis und Fertilität. Die F ₁-Hybriden, die nur in einer Richtung gelingen (R. tweediana x R. tuberosa), sind vegetativ kräftig und besitzen häufig 17 heteromorphe Bivalente mit einem hohen Anteil an Spaltungsunregelmäßigkeiten. Die Hybride ist ausschließlich kleistogam und vollkommen pollen- und samensteril. Wie die F ₁ ist auch die künstlich hergestellte Amphidiploide (n=34) kleistogam und zeigt eine präferentielle Chromosomenpaarung mit völliger Wiederherstellung der Fertilität. Die elterlichen Chromosomen sind genügend differenziert. Die Kleistogamie ist entweder genisch bedingt oder auf eine Gen-Cytoplasma-Interaktion zurückzuführen, die Sterilität ist ausschließlich durch die Chromosomen verursacht. Alle Teile der Blüte mit Ausnahme der Calyx sind stark deformiert. Bei der F ₁ ist diese Deformation mit Sterilität verbunden, die amphidiploide Form ist jedoch fertil. Das ist vielleicht der erste Fall eines aus der Kreuzung zweier chasmogamer Spezies hervorgegangenen reinerbigen und voll fertilen kleistogamen Taxons. Es läßt sich auch der Umfang und die Art der durch Hybridisierung und durch Polyploidie verursachten Änderung des Zuchtsystems erkennen. Die Chromosomenzahl bei 6 von 16 obligaten kleistogamen Taxa (Tab. 4) zeigt, daß sie hochpolyploid sind. Vielleicht sind sie auf eine gleiche Weise wie im vorliegenden Falle entstanden.