Stability of neuronal and glial marker enzymes in post-mortem rat brain

The enzymatic activities in post-mortem rat brain kept at 4°C and at 25°C were determined for a number of enzymes localized in specific cell types in the central nervous system. Choline acetyltransferase (CAT), glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), glutamine synthetase (GS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and 2,3-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase (CNPase) were found to be very stable at both 4°C and 25°C with only slight, if any, losses of activity being seen even at periods as long as 72 hr. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity was less stable than that of the other enzymes. In brains kept at 4°C GAD activity was stable out to 24 hr after which it began to decline rapidly to 65% of control at 72 hr. In brains kept at 25°C, GAD activity was stable for 6–8 hr and then began to steadily decline to 58% of control at 24 hr and 29% of control at 72 hr. Assuming that these enzymes have similar stabilities in post-mortem human brain, the effect of post-mortem delay in processing tissues may be of lesser significance than other factors with regard to the measured enzyme activities in human brain samples.     

Levels of ribosomal protein S1 and elongation factor G in the growth cycle of Escherichia coli.

The relative levels of ribosomes, ribosomal protein S1, and elongation factor G in the growth cycle of Escherichia coli were examined with two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Nonequilibrium pH gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used in the first dimension, and polyacrylamide gradient-sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis was used in the second dimension. The identities of protein spots containing S1 and elongation factor G were confirmed by radioiodination of the proteins and peptide mapping of the radiolabeled peptides. The levels of ribosomes and ribosomal protein S1 were coordinately reduced during transition from exponential phase to stationary phase. There was no accumulation of S1 in the stationary phase. In marked contrast, the level of elongation factor G showed no significant change from exponential phase to stationary phase. The relative level of elongation factor G compared with ribosomes or S1 increased by about 2.5-fold during transition from exponential phase to stationary phase. The results show that there are differences between the regulation of the levels of elongation factor G and of ribosomal proteins, including S1, apparent during the transition from exponential to stationary phase.     

Identification of natural tricetin-derived C-glycosides through synthesis

C-Glycosylation of 5,7-dihydroxy-3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyflavone was carried out with acetobromo-α-d-glucose, -α-d-galactose, -α-d-xylose, -β-l-arabinose and -αt-L-rhamnose. The respective 6-C-glycosides and 6, 8-di-C-glycosides (excepted for galactose) were isolated and permethylated. MS and TLC comparison confirmed the proposed structures of five natural tricetin-derived C-glycosides.     

Sugar ring isomerization in C-arabinosylflavones

6-C-α-l-Arabinopyranosyl- and furanosylacacetins have been synthesized. They are isomerized by short acid treatment to give a mixture of the four anomer/ring size combinations without any Wessely-Moser isomerization. In the same conditions molludistin (8-C-α-l-arabinopyranosylgenkwanin) led only to a mixture of molludistin and 8-C-α-l-arabinofuranosylgenkwanin. This is the first demonstration of ring sugar isomerization in C-glycosylflavones. In usual solvent systems, α-anomers are easily separated from β-anomers, whereas corresponding pyranosyl and furanosyl anomers are not. However, they are easily separated after permethylation and characteristic features are found in the mass spectra of PM 6-C-arabinofuranosyl isomers.     

Restriction map of Tn7

Tn7, a transposon of 14 kb, encodes resistance to trimethoprim (Tp) and streptomycin (Sm). A cleavage site map of this transposon for twenty-two different restriction enzymes as determined by comparison of restriction enzyme cleavage patterns of the plasmids ColE1 and ColE1::Tn7 is presented. The precise localization of these sites was facilitated by the use of two deletion derivatives of ColE1::Tn7: pGB2 and ColE1::Tn7Δ6, and by the use of pOB14 and pOB15 which contain a part of Tn7 cloned into the plasmid pBR322. This map should aid in the study of the structural and genetic organization of this transposon.     

Influenza and Infant Mortality

Early neonatal mortality in England and Wales in the second quarter of 1970 after a major influenza epidemic was slightly but significantly higher than in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. An increase was also noted in the first quarter of 1970. Analysis of infant mortality and an index of influenza prevalence over the past quarter-century indicates that similar increases occurred in relation to four of the other five major influenza epidemics during the period, the exception being the “Asian ''flu” epidemic of the autumn of 1957. It is suggested that the increased mortality in 1970 was the consequence of an increase in the prematurity rate, but we have no evidence to indicate whether the effect is specifically due to the virus or is nonspecific in nature.     

Chromosome studies in some members of the family Caviidae (Mammalia: Rodentia)

A study of the chromosomes of Cavia aperea and Galea musteloides has been made following the introduction into captivity of these two cavies from Argentina. The evolutionary relationships of the two genera have been considered, and the possible ancestry of C. porcellus from C. aperea was investigated in hybrids of the two species.