Production of N‐Acetyl‐Phosphinothricin: A Substance used for Inducing Male Sterility in Transgenic Plants

The non‐toxic compound N‐acetyl‐L‐phosphinothricin (N‐Ac‐L‐PPT) is used in a so‐called deacetylation system to induce male sterility in transgenic plants by tapetum specific deacetylation to the herbicide L‐phosphinothricin (L‐PPT). A procedure was developed to produce pure racemic and L‐isomeric N‐Ac‐PPT containing less than 30 ppm residual PPT. Experiments applied to wild type tobacco and PPT‐resistant tobacco showed that the maximal tolerated N‐Ac‐PPT concentration would be less than 45 mM of the L‐isomer. Otherwise unspecific deacetylation by several acylases, as well as by environmental conditions like higher temperatures or pHs beyond neutrality, increased the residual L‐PPT content to toxic concentrations. In contrast, N‐acetyl‐L‐phosphinothricyl‐alanyl‐alanine (N‐Ac‐L‐PPTT), a substance also occurring during the biosynthesis of phosphinothricyl‐alanyl‐alanine (PPTT) by some Streptomyces species, was tolerated up to 274 mM by wild type tobacco plants. However, the ArgE deacatylase from Escherichia coli originally used in the deacetylation system, as well as some other acylases, showed no activity towards N‐Ac‐L‐PPTT.     

Determination of the biological activity of Clostridium difficile toxins in in vivo and in vitro experiments

The biological activity of the filtrates of 29 C. difficile strains was studied in vivo (suckling white mice) and in vitro (cell cultures of different species and origin). The action of the filtrates on the experimental models in vivo was evaluated from the cytotoxic effect index, while in vitro the intensity of the cytotoxic effect was evaluated from the percentage of dead cells in the monolayer. The results of the comparative determination of toxicity characteristics in vivo and in vitro demonstrated that cell cultures were more sensitive experimental models than suckling white mice. The use of cell cultures permitted the quantitative evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of the filtrates under study, as well as the detection of their cell-directed action at minimal concentrations.     

Partial deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase with reduced affinity for PP-ribose-P in four related males with gout

Summary A family is described in which four affected males, spanning two generations, have hyperuricemia and gout accompanied by hematuria but are without severe neurologic involvement. The affected males were found to have markedly reduced levels of erythrocytic hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activity; these were 5–12% with hypoxanthine and 0.5–3% with guanine as compared to controls. Erythrocytic adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) was approximately three-fold elevated in the affected individuals.The residual HGPRT activity in affected males enabled characterization of some of the properties of this mutation. The apparent Michaelis constants (km) for both hypoxanthine and guanine were essentially unchanged, whereas the km for PP-ribose-P was approximately 10–20-fold elevated for all four affected males. The enzyme was more sensitive to product inhibition by IMP and GMP than controls, and exhibited greater thermal lability at 65°C than found with control lysates.     

Influence of carbachol and isoproterenol on myoelectrical activity of the uterus, vagina, and duodenum in the conscious domestic hen

The influence of intravenous infusion (20 min) of carbachol (CAR) and isoproterenol (IPN) on myoelectrical activity of the uterus, vagina, and duodenum was studied in 6 conscious and unrestrained hens. IPN infusions (1.5, 7.5, and 15 micrograms/hen/min) were performed before oviposition, and CAR infusions (0.5, 1.5, and 5 micrograms/hen/min) were administered after oviposition. CAR infusions resulted in a significant stimulation of myoelectrical activity of the vagina (1.5 and 5 micrograms/min) and the duodenum (5 micrograms/min), and in a significant increase (45 +/- 6%) in heart rate (HR), as compared to control values. These effects were blocked by previous i.v. injections of atropine (0.4 mg/hen). IPN infusions induced a significant inhibition of myoelectrical activity of the middle (7.5 and 15 micrograms/min) and caudal (all doses) uterine segments, of the vagina (7.5 and 15 micrograms/min), and of the duodenum (15 micrograms/min), and a significant tachycardia (39 +/- 14%) as compared to control values. The inhibitory effects of IPN on all organs studied and the stimulatory action on HR were suppressed by propranolol (0.24 mg/hen). The sensitivity of the vagina to both drugs argues for a more active participation of this oviductal part in the mechanism of oviposition.