Inositol- and Galactose-Binding Lectins of Chicken Brain Fractions Enriched with Glial Cells

Galactose- and inositol-binding proteins with lectin activity (GL-GAL and GL-I, respectively) were isolated from membranes enriched with cells of chicken brain fractions. Both lectins are glycoproteins of molecular mass 13.5 and 11.5 kDa, respectively; they show a high affinity to EDTA (GL-I) and EGTA (GL-GAL, GL-I), which indicates an important role of Ca⁺² in molecular organization of these lectins. In brain glial cells of chick embryos, unlike adult chickens, a soluble form of lectins has been revealed; it is easily extracted with 2 mM EDTA and shows sensitivity to L-lactose, D-galactose, and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine. It is suggested that in the course of embryonal and postembryonal development of the chicken brain, a transformation and qualitative changes of the lectin spectrum occur due to a change of function of glial cells.     

A Simple Method for Isolating DNA of High Yield and Quality from Cotton (shape Gossypium hirsutum L.) Leaves

An easy, reproducible and fast procedure to isolate DNA from cotton leaves is described. The addition of 0.5 M glucose in the extraction buffer avoids browning by polyphenolic compounds and improves the quality of DNA for molecular analysis. The DNA yield ranged between 150–400 mg per gram of fresh tissue. The DNA was suitable for digestion by restriction enzymes and amplificatiion by Taq DNA polymerase.     

The participation of the striatum in the central regulation of gonadal hormonal function]

Intrastriatal corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) was shown to induce a decrease in the plasma tectosterone concentration. Besides, the 6-OHDA pre-treatment completely prevented the suppression of plasma testosterone in response to intrastriatal CRH administration. The findings suggest that the striatum is involved in the extrahypothalamic regulation of the gonadal endocrine function.     

Growth and shaping of the fin and limb buds

The development of the fin and limb buds involves a balance of centrifugal (active) and centripetal (passive) mechanical forces, the first of which acts to move the walls of these structures away from each other and the second of which holds them together. When the volume of the mesodermal core increases, the generated force meets with the resistance of the basal membrane, and as a result, the limb bud has a tendency to acquire a cylindrical shape. Collagen fibers, individual mesenchymal cells, and their groups hold together the dorsal and the ventral wall of the limb bud, prevent the movement of these walls away from each other, and in this way direct bud growth along the proximodistal and the anteroposterior axes. The balance of the forces which stretch the ectodermal layer and those which constrain it has also been observed in the development of other body parts.     

Im-trityl protection of histidine.

A rational attempt to prepare FmocHis(piTrt)OH regiospecifically gave in fact the well-known tau-trityl isomer, and experiments with model systems indicate that the prospects for access to pi-trityl histidine derivatives, which would be of great value for the racemization-free synthesis of histidine-containing peptides, are poor.