Morphological changes in strains of Aspergillus flavus link ex fries and Aspergillus parasiticus speare related with aflatoxin production

Two strains ofAspergillus flavus Linkex Fr. and two strains ofA. parasiticus Speare were cultured on crushed moist wheat (Triticum durum var. Pané no. 247) for aflatoxin production studies in correlation with morphological changes. The toxicogenic strains were adapted to the substratum by means of successive transfers at regular intervals (72 h.)The amount aflatoxins synthesized by the toxicogenic strains decreased gradually after succesive subculturing. The decrease was accompanied by marked morphological changes. One of the strains studied,A. flavus NRRL 3251, lost completly the capacity of aflatoxin synthesis after several subcultures, presenting at the same time strong morphological variations.A. flavus CBS 120.62 also lost its toxicogenicity after six subcultures.     

Limited proteolysis of glutamine synthetase is inhibited by glutamate and by feedback inhibitors.

Limited proteolysis of glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli has been studied under nondenaturing conditions (pH 7.6, 20 degrees C). Trypsin cleaves the polypeptide chain of glutamine synthetase into two principal fragments, Mr = about 32,000 and 18,000. The covalently bound AMP group is attached to the larger fragment and its presence does not affect cleavage. Although the cleaved polypeptide chain does not dissociate under nondenaturing conditions, catalytic activity is lost. Chymotrypsin and Staphylococcus aureus protease produce similar cleavages in glutamine synthetase. The substrate L-glutamate retards tryptic as well as chymotryptic digestion. Tryptic digestion is also retarded by some of the feedback inhibitors of glutamine synthetase including CTP, L-alanine, L-serine, L-histidine, and glucosamine 6-phosphate. An implication of these findings is that there is a region of the glutamine synthetase polypeptide chain that is particularly susceptible to proteolysis. Either the glutamate and inhibitor sites are formed partly by this suceptible peptide or the binding of glutamate and some inhibitors induces conformational changes within the E. coli glutamine synthetase molecule in the region of the susceptible peptide.     

Metabolic adaptations in delayed skin flaps. Glucose utilization and hexokinase activity.

The distribution of glucose and hexokinase activity was determined in the epithelial tissue of delayed bipedicled skin flaps in guinea pigs. The periods of "delay" were 1, 3, 7, 14, or 21 days. The flap survival was maximal (100% of the flap) when the flap elevation was performed either 7 or 14 days following the "delay" procedure. When the flap elevation was performed 1, 3, or 21 days following the "delay" procedure, the result was partial necrosis. A differential distribution of epithelial glucose was found within the bipedicled flaps. The lowest glucose level (30% of normal) was at a distance of 2 to 3.5 cm from the end of the caudal pedicle during the first day after the "delay" procedure. This decreased glucose content recovered toward normal levels during the later part of the "delay" period. The bipedicled flaps exhibited increased hexokinase activity during the 3-week period of the "delay," and the responses of hexokinase activity and tissue glucose levels to the "delay" procedure were reciprocal in the caudal half of the flaps.     

Purification and properties of sucrose synthase from maize kernels

Sucrose synthase was purified from 22-day-old maize (Zea mays L.) kernels to homogeneity by the successive steps of ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration through a Sephadex G-200 column, and affinity chromatography on a UDP-hexanol-amino-agarose column. The degree of purification is 42-fold and the yield is over 80%. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic techniques, sedimentation velocity, and gel filtration studies revealed that the enzyme has identical subunits and could assume tetrameric, octameric, and other higher aggregated forms which are dependent on the ionic species and ionic strength of the solution. All of the enzyme forms exhibit catalytic activity but show differences in their specific activities. In most cases, the tetramer is the predominant form and has the highest specific activity. It is thus concluded that the tetramer could be the native form of the enzyme. The subunit protein has a molecular weight of 88,000 and a blocked NH₂ terminus which is not available to Edman degradation. Some general properties and the amino acid composition of the enzyme are also reported.     

Long-Term Responses to Loss of Renal Mass: Tubular Changes: A Micropuncture Study of HCO3 Reabsorption by the Hypertrophied Proximal Tubule

In rats with renal failure produced by excision of one kidney and infarction of large portions of the other kidney, given a low calcium, high phosphorus diet for 2-3 weeks, GFR was reduced by 80 percent, the fractional excretion of sodium increased from 7 to 23 percent, that of bicarbonate from 16 to 23 percent and that of water from 4 to 13 percent. Single nephron GFR in the remaining nephrons was nearly doubled and end-proximal TF/P_In was depressed from 2.3 to 1.8, and proximal TF/P_HCO3 from 0.52 to 0.35, the latter figure corresponding to an increase of absolute proximal HCO₃ reabsorption from 1.7 to 3.5 nEq/min or from 2.8 to 3.2 Eq/L of single nephron glomerular filtrate. Acute parathyroidectomy had no influence on the fall of GFR or the rise of SNGFR in the remaining nephrons and failed to cause any significant changes in proximal tubular bicarbonate reabsorption. Parathyroidectomy, on the other hand, practically prevented the rise of the fractional excretion of sodium and of water and inverted the rise of the fractional excretion of bicarbonate to a fall. The data are interpreted to indicate that secondary hyperparathyroidism in renal failure impairs distal nephron bicarbonate and sodium reabsorption and, thus, contributes to the maintenance of sodium balance, but could possibly aggravate acidosis.     

中国蜘蛛抱蛋属一新记录种——博格纳蜘蛛抱蛋

报道了产自中国云南喀斯特地区的蜘蛛抱蛋属一新记录种——博格纳蜘蛛抱蛋（Aspidistra bogneri H.-J.Tillich）。该种以前报道仅产于越南宁平省菊芳国家公园（Ninh Binh,Cuc Phuong National Park）,本次是中国首次记录。对该种的特征进行了详细描述并提供了彩色图片,凭证标本存放于中国科学院昆明植物研究所标本馆（KUN）。     

黑河上游灌丛建群种中国沙棘自由授粉子代父本分析和花粉流

利用SSR分子标记对中国沙棘（Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis Rousi）自由授粉的种子进行父本分析,研究其子代的父本来源和花粉散布模式。结果显示：在80%的置信水平上,193个子代中有104个个体可以确定花粉来源;在20个确定的父本中,16个为中国沙棘,4个为肋果沙棘（H.neurocarpa S.W.Liu et T.N.He）。传粉格局分析结果显示,中国沙棘有效花粉散布范围为3~71 m,平均距离为20.4 m,2株母本分别有87.23%和78.95%的有效花粉来自距其30 m的范围之内,研究结果表明中国沙棘自然种群以近距离传粉为主。此外,在黑河上游沙棘杂交带中,中国沙棘子代中的肋果沙棘花粉平均贡献率达到14.84%,表明中国沙棘与肋果沙棘存在较高的种间当代花粉流。     

土牛膝碱（abidenine）的分离及结构测定

从土牛膝(Achyraanthes bidentata Bl.)的根中分离到一种新的生物碱——土牛膝碱(ubidenine),通过波谱方法测定出土牛膝碱的化学结构为5,6—二氢化—2,3,10,11—四甲氧基—二苯并[a,g]—喹嗪盐(1)。     

对林檎分类学地位的研究

林檎与花红在新梢、花、果方面均有较大的差别,其树干及大枝上有寄生瘤状突起。中国绵苹果的酶谱差异较大,林檎与花红的酶谱最接近,主酶带均为三条,其中有两条Rf值分别为0.53、0.56的主酶带相同;林檎比花红多出一条Rf值为0.80的弱酶带。结果表明,林檎为花红的一个变种。