Effect of lowered incubation temperatures on nucleic acid and protein synthesis by a mesophilic and a psychrophilic bacterium

The authors studied changes in the synthesis of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA) and protein by a mesophilic strain ofEscherichia coli B and a psychrophilic strain ofPseudomonas fluorescens at a low incubation temperature giving tenfold prolongation of the generation time. It was found that lowering the incubation temperature was followed by an increase in the intracellular nucleic acid content during the lag phase and the phase of accelerated growth, in which maximum nucleic acid (NA) values were reached. As a result, the total NA level in the cell also remained relatively high during further proliferation, when the increase in NA (particularly RNA) slows down at low incubation temperatures. Proteosynthesis, however, fell in the mesophilic culture. The smaller effect of a lowered temperature on DNA biosynthesis was manifested specifically in the lag phase ofEscherichia coli, in which disproportion developed between the amount of DNA (which was synthesized at a relatively higher rate) and RNA; this was afterwards equalized by a temporary break in DNA production. Pronounced differences in the given types of biosynthesis were found only in the mesophilic culture, while at suboptimal temperatures the metabolism of the psychrophilic strain slowed down but no marked changes occurred.     

Some factors stimulating and inhibiting pancreatic deoxyribonuclease

Для выяснения роли ДН-азы в реакции трансформации исследовали действие различных сред, применяемых при трансформации пневмококков, на активность панкреатической ДН-азы. Эти виды среды резко повышали активность фермента. Далее, было установлено, что это повышение вызывается yeast-экстрактом, входящим в состав этих сред. С помщяю спектрального анализа и пламенного спектрофотометра в yeast-экстракте были обнаружены Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, K⁺ и Na⁺. Изучалось действие этих ионов на активность ДН-азы и было установлено, что в присутствии Mg²⁺ (5×10^?3 m)иCa²⁺(вконцентрации 2×10^?4 m) резко повышается активность фермента, тогда как прибавление к этой системе KCl в концентрации 2×10^?1, 2×10^?2, 2×10^?3 и 2×10^?4 m оказывает угнетающее действие.—Обсуждается возможное влияние этих ионов на peaкцию трансформации.     

Contribution to the structural characterization of gamma globulin from pig colostrum

From the results obtained in the present work it is concluded that gamma globulin of the 7 S type (γG) which represents the main immunoglobulin component of pig colostrum, differs from serum γG globulin by the presence of another type of polypeptide chain, designed L₂; the latter was detected after S-sulfonation in starch gel electrophoresis as the fastest moving component and its immunoelectrophoretic pattern shows the presence of two precipitating components. Preparation of soluble heavy and light chains enabled us to study them imunochemically. The heavy chain is represented by two zones; the fainter one was not detected in comparative analysis of the heavy chain of serum γG globulin. The L₁ chain of colostral gamma globulin and the light chain of serum gamma globulin seem to contain three precipitating components, one of which appears due to aging of the chain solution in the presence of glycine. The material from colostrum seems to contain a larger amount of this component than serum. Further it was shown that the component arising in this way is antigenically closely related to the heavy chain.     

Influence of the soya meal fractions on gibberellic acid and gibberellin A production in submerse cultivation ofGibberella fujikuroi

The relationship of different soya meal components to gibberellin (GA) production was studied. Fluorometric assay confirmed that under the given fermentation conditions, only gibberellic acid (GA₃) was synthesized on medium containing corn steep. On substituting soya flour for corn steep, the same amount of GA₃ was produced and in addition gibberellin A (GA₁) was formed. The GA₃: GA₁ ratio was 1∶1. The course of fermentation in media containing the soya meal protein fraction (fraction I), the soya meal amino acid complex, the corn steep amino acid complex and individual amino acids (γ-aminobutyric acid or tryptophane) was the same as in the control medium containing soya meal. The soya meal fraction II, which is characterized by a high cellulose and carbohydrate content, raised GA production by 25% as compared with production in medium containling soya meal; it simultaneously stimulated GA₃ production, so that the final GA₃: GA₁ ratio was 4∶1.     

Metabolites ofStreptomyces noursei

Было установлено, что актиномицет Str. noursei образует амиды некоторых разветвленных алифатических кислот: изобутирамид, метилэтилацетамид, изовалерамид, а, вероятно, и более сложные гомологи, как изокапронамид, изоэнантамид и 4-метилкапронамид. Обсуждается биогенез этих веществ.     

Study of the growth and development ofChlorella populations in the culture as a whole

Colour tests for study of the nuclear apparatus ofChlorella cells are described. It can be concluded from the results thatChlorella cell nucleus contains a relatively large nucleolus; the peripheral layers of the nucleus are rich in chromatin only in the nuclear division phase. The nucleus divides by a simplified form of mitosis, characterized morphologically by simple constriction.