Identification of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin in Drosophila melanogaster

Using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection we have demonstrated the occurrence of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin in Drosophila melanogaster. The former is the first time that has been detected in vivo. The identification has been based on the retention times, hydrodinamic voltagrams and the differential concentration in three strains of Drosophila melanogaster. Compared to the wild type, the Punch2 mutant has diminished levels of both pteridines, whereas Henna-recessive3 lacks completely tetrahydropterin and has increased levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, as expected according to their biochemical lesions.     

Induction, by adriamycin and mitomycin C, of modifications in lipid composition, size distribution, membrane fluidity and permeability of cultured RDM4 lymphoma cells

Adriamycin and mitomycin C were previously found to modulate the sensitivity of lymphoma cells to lysis by certain effectors of immunity and this modulation was dependent on drug concentration. In the present studies, RDM4 lymphoma cells were treated with different concentrations of the two drugs for 24 h in culture. These treatments resulted in changes in the lipid composition, membrane fluidity, cell size distribution, and permeability to 51CrO4, Trypan blue, Acridine orange and trimethylaminodiphenylhexatriene (TMA-DPH) of the cells. Changes in some of these parameters, as a function of drug concentration, resulted in dose-response curves which were bell-like shaped, hence paradoxical similarities between non-drug-treated cells and cells treated with higher drug concentrations were observed.     

Effect of propionate and pyruvate on citrulline synthesis and ATP content in rat liver mitochondria.

Propionate inhibits citrullinogenesis when succinate (plus rotenone) or glutamate are the oxidizable substrates used. Propionate decreases the intramitochondrial concentration of carbamylphosphate by decreasing the ATP content. When the energy supply for citrullinogenesis is provided by an influx of exogenous ATP, propionate is no longer an inhibitor. Pyruvate inhibits citrullinogenesis with glutamate but not with succinate (plus rotenone) as oxidizable substrates. Propionate and pyruvate deplete mitochondrial ATP but probably by different mechanisms.     

TBCD Links Centriologenesis,Spindle Microtubule Dynamics,and Midbody Abscission in Human Cells

Microtubule-organizing centers recruit α- and β-tubulin polypeptides for microtubule nucleation. Tubulin synthesis is complex, requiring five specific cofactors, designated tubulin cofactors (TBCs) A–E, which contribute to various aspects of microtubule dynamics in vivo. Here, we show that tubulin cofactor D (TBCD) is concentrated at the centrosome and midbody, where it participates in centriologenesis, spindle organization, and cell abscission. TBCD exhibits a cell-cycle-specific pattern, localizing on the daughter centriole at G1 and on procentrioles by S, and disappearing from older centrioles at telophase as the protein is recruited to the midbody. Our data show that TBCD overexpression results in microtubule release from the centrosome and G1 arrest, whereas its depletion produces mitotic aberrations and incomplete microtubule retraction at the midbody during cytokinesis. TBCD is recruited to the centriole replication site at the onset of the centrosome duplication cycle. A role in centriologenesis is further supported in differentiating ciliated cells, where TBCD is organized into “centriolar rosettes”. These data suggest that TBCD participates in both canonical and de novo centriolar assembly pathways.     

Bionomies comparées de deux souches (Marocaine et Américaine) d’Ooencyrtus kuvanae [Hym.: Encyrtidae], parasite oophage deLymantria dispar [Lep.: Lymantriidae]

Résumé Des adultes d’Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Howard) sortis d’œufs deLymantria dispar (L.) récoltés au Maroc et aux états-Unis ont été élevés séparément mais simultanément dans les mêmes conditions abiotiques. On a évalué chez ces adultes des caractéristiques bionomiques telles que la longévité, la proportion de ♀ fécondes, la fécondité réelle moyenne, la durée de la période de ponte et le pourcentage d’œufs viables développés par parthénogenèse. Chez la progéniture, on a évalué la survie des larves et la proportion de ♀. Aucune différence significative entre les 2 souches n’est apparue. Des croisements entre les 2 souches ont donné une descendance comportant des proportions équivalentes de ♀.O. kuvanae avait été introduit au Maroc en 1926 depuis les états-Unis. Ainsi, 50 années d’acclimatation de ce parasite au Maroc (soit près de 500 générations) n’ont pas modifié ses potentialités et n’ont pas suffi à induire chez lui une nouvelle race géographique.

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Summary Adults ofOoencyrtus kuvanae (Howard) were recovered from eggs ofLymantria dispar (L.) collected in Morocco and in the U.S.A. They were reared separately and simultaneously under identical laboratory conditions. Various biological characteristics of adults from both sources were compared including longevity, proportion of fertilized versus unfertilized females, fecundity, duration of the oviposition period, and the percentage of viable eggs produced by virgin females. Also the survival of the larvae and the sex ratio of the 2 cultures were evaluated. Crossbreeding individuals of the 2 cultures resulted in a similar proportion of females in the progeny. In general there were no significan differences found between the 2 cultures.O. kuvanae had been introduced in Morocco in 1926 from the U.S.A. The adaptation of this parasite to conditions in Morocco during the ensuring 50 years since its establishment (about 500 generations) did not appear to modify the biotic potential of this species nor was it sufficient to induce the development of a new geographic race.

     

Analysis of the conformation of polypeptides : the combined use of energy computations and nuclear magnetic resonance studies.

This review surveys current approaches to the problem of determining the solution conformation of polypeptides. The basic principles of energy computations are described. The utility, problems, and limitations of various theoretical methods are summarized: conformational energy mapping, energy minimization, scanning of selected local conformations, statistical predictive schemes. The need for combining the calculations with experimental studies is pointed out. The information content of various physico-chemical methods is compared for this purpose. The analysis of nmr coupling constants is discussed in more detail. In combination with energy computations, it can furnish specific information on local aspects of the conformation. Examples of such combined studies on small peptides are summarized.     

Luminance artifacts of cathode-ray tube displays for vision research.

Phosphor persistence, video bandwidth, DC restoration and high-voltage regulation affect the appearance of images presented on cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), potentially resulting in differences between nominal and actual stimuli. We illustrate these effects by measuring physical parameters of horizontal and vertical static and counter-phase flickering gratings, and we illustrate problems for vision research by measuring contrast sensitivity to these gratings. We also measured the extent to which calibration protocols actually result in the monitor being calibrated over its entire area regardless of image size. The results of our physical measurements indicate substantial differences between gratings that nominally differ only as to orientation. Consistent with these differences, our psychophysical measurements indicate different sensitivities when the bars of the gratings are parallel or orthogonal to raster lines, regardless of the retinal orientation of the gratings. The results of our calibration check show that only a small region around the target area of calibration can be regarded as effectively linearized, and only if the size of the test image used during the check is similar to the size of the calibration patch. Overall, our results indicate potentially severe problems with the use of CRTs in vision research, and we discuss some published results that are likely to have been affected by these problems.