Antagonism of diazepam-induced feeding in rats by antisera to opioid peptides

Diazepam-induced feeding in rats is antagonized not only by the opiate antagonist naloxone but also intraventricular administration of specific antisera to the endogenous opioid peptides met-enkephalin or beta-endorphin. Pituitary beta-endorphin is probably not implicated in the diazepam effect since blockade with the glucocorticoid dexamethasone of the release of beta-endorphin from the anterior pituitary does not modify the diazepam-induced feeding, which is however prevented by TRH, a suggested physiological antagonist of some of the effects of opioid peptides. The possible central participation of both beta-endorphin and met-enkephalin in the ingestive behavior induced by diazepam gives further support to the postulated physiological role of endogenous opioids in appetite regulation.     

Lectin binding sites in the vitelline envelope of Bufo arenarum oocytes: Role in fertilization

Incubation of dejellied spawned oocytes from Bufo arenarum with different lectins results in a decrease of oocyte fertility. Concanavalin A was the most effective lectin; phytohem-agglutinin P and wheat germ lectin were less effective. Agglutinin from soybean was scarcely active. These lectin effects could be ascribed to a hindering of specific sites for some proteases, since the same treatment renders the oocyte vitelline envelope insensitive to spermatolysin (an essential requisite for fertilization) and to trypsin. Also in this case concanavalin A was the most effective lectin. Univalent concanavalin A was also effective in blocking the fertility of dejellied oocytes. These results indicate that the residues of α-D-glucose and α-D-mannose present in the vitelline envelope are involved in gamete interactions in Bufo arenarum. This idea is also supported by the finding that dejellied oocytes (fertilizables) have a number of binding sites for concanavalin A that is three or four orders of magnitude higher than coelomic or fertilized oocytes (both not penetrable by spermatozoa).     

Influence of culture medium pH on charasome development and chloride transport inChara corallina

Summary Internodal cells ofChara, grown in culture either at pH 5.7, 6.5 or 7.5, were studied to determine their chloride influx capability, the quantitative aspects of charasome morphology and the degree to which these two parameters could be correlated. In cells grown at pH 5.7 the charasomes were relatively small, were widely spaced on the plasma membrane, and contributed only a 0.6% increase to the surface area of the plasma membrane in the acid region of the cell. In contrast, the charasome membrane surface area of cells grown at pH 7.5 had increased × 19, the density of charasomes on the cell surface increased × 42, thus producing a × 3.57 increase in the acid region plasma membrane surface area. Chloride influx in cells grown at pH 7.5 was × 8.7–12.7 greater than in cells grown at pH 5.7. Cells that had been starved of chloride exhibited a × 2.4 average increase in the rate of chloride influx. Our observations establish the existence of a positive correlation between the rate of chloride influx and the increase in membrane surface area due to charasomes, although other factors, such as the effect of pH on transport-related enzymes, and the effect of charasome structure on chemical equilibria, may also be of importance.     

Selection of Wine Yeasts for Growth and Fermentation in the Presence of Ethanol and Sucrose

To optimize the conversion of carbohydrates to ethanol, strains of several Saccharomyces species were examined for the ability to grow and ferment in a range of sucrose and ethanol concentrations. A total of 632 wine yeasts, most of them isolated from wineries in Andalusia and Extremadura, southwestern Spain, were subjected to screening and selection. Growth and fermentative capacity in different ethanol and sucrose concentrations varied from one strain to another. There was no correlation between growth and fermentative capacity. The best 35 strains grew in 15% ethanol and fermented in 18% ethanol. Ethanol accumulated, although at a reduced rate, after the cells stopped growing. Most yeast strains were highly fermentative in 50% sucrose. Some of them effectively utilized the carbohydrates of the culture, yielding final ethanol concentrations of > 14%. Of the 35 selected strains, 16 were promising for genetic analysis and breeding because of their capacity to sporulate. These strains were homothallic, and their spores were viable. The meiotic products analyzed so far were also homothallic.     

Processing of yeast mitochondrial RNA: involvement of intramolecular hybrids in splicing of cob intron 4 RNA by mutation and reversion

Revertants have been obtained from six mutants of the box9 cluster, which are supposed to be defective in RNA splicing as a result of alterations in a splice signal sequence. This sequence is in the 5' part of intron 4 of the cob gene, 330 to 340 bp downstream from the 5' splice site. Sequencing reveals that reversion to splicing competence is achieved by restoration of the wild-type box9 sequence; by creation of novel box9 sequences; and by introduction of a second site or suppressor mutation (sup-) compensating for the effect of the primary box9- mutation. The sup- mutation alters a sequence in intron 4,293 bp upstream from the box9- primary mutation. The box9 sequence and this upstream sequence can base pair to form an intramolecular hybrid in intron RNA in which box9- and sup- are compensatory base pair exchanges (G----A and C----U, respectively). Thus intramolecular hybrid structures of intron RNA are essential for RNA splicing.     

Generation of an internal matrix in mature avian erythrocyte nuclei during reactivation in cytoplasts

When fused with mouse L-cell cytoplasts, chick erythrocyte nuclei enlarge, take up proteins from the host cytoplasm, and recommence RNA synthesis. We found that during this transition the erythrocyte nuclei gain an internal nuclear matrix, thus providing a novel approach to questions concerning the nature of the salt-resistant intranuclear skeleton. A new method for preparation and examination of the nuclear matrix in situ is also described.     

Study of Chromosomes in the Newborn after Ultrasonic Fetal Heart Monitoring in Labour

The effect of continuous-wave ultrasound on the chromosomes of newborn infants has been investigated. Twenty-four women were studied during labour. The fetal heart was monitored by a Sonicaid FM2 monitor applied to the abdomen, and continuous monitoring undertaken for intervals varying from 1 hour 5 minutes to 9 hours 25 minutes. There was no increase in the number of chromosome aberrations in cultures of blood taken from the insonated babies when compared with controls.