Effect of precursors on biosynthesis of monensins A and B

Precursors of monensins (acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate) affect the total production and the relative proportion of monensins A and B. Addition of propionate into the fermentation medium causes a prevalence of monensin B whereas butyrate and isobutyrate stimulate the production of monensin A and suppress the production of monensin B.     

Modulating effect of cerulein on benzodiazepine receptors

Subcutaneous administration of caerulein (100-500 micrograms/kg) significantly reduced the development of picrotoxin (8 mg/kg) seizures in male mice. The same doses of caerulein inhibited 3H-flunitrazepam binding in in vivo experiments. Proglumide, an antagonist of cholecystokinin receptors, in low dose (5 mg/kg) potentiated the effects of caerulein (100 micrograms/kg), whereas the administration of proglumide in high dose (25 mg/kg) reduced the action of caerulein on 3H-flunitrazepam binding and picrotoxin seizures. Caerulein (5-1000 nM) decreased 3H-flunitrazepam binding in in vitro experiments only after supplementation of the binding medium with 120 mM NaCl and 5mM KCl. The results suggest the possible interaction of caerulein with chloride ionophor. It seems probable that the direct interaction of caerulein with chloride ionophor in involved in the inhibitory effect of caerulein on picrotoxin seizures and 3H-flunitrazepam binding.     

Analogs of oxytocin containing a modified peptide bond

Analogs of deamino-oxytocin and deamino-oxypressin containing a CH2-NH group instead of an amide bond between positions 8 and 9 were synthesized. All tested compounds exhibit significantly lowered biological activities.     

Segregation Distortion of Marker Nuclear Genes in Alloplasmic and Isoplasmic Lines of Barley

Inheritance of barley nuclear genes responsible for various morphological marker traits was studied in hybrid populations F₂ and F_a. Nine marker genes showed deviation from Mendelian monogenic inheritance depending on the cross direction and maternal cytoplasm. Segregation biases to both recessive mutant and dominant normal phenotypes were observed. Mechanisms of the segregation bias related to cytoplasm substitution in iso- and alloplasmic lines are discussed.     

The phospholipid-bound fatty acids of fowl and turkey spermatozoa

The composition of the phospholipid-bound fatty acids in the spermatozoa of the turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, and fowl, Gallus domesticus, was studied. The types of fatty acids were similar in the two birds. The ratio of polyunsaturated : saturated fatty acids was generally low but slightly higher in the turkey than in the fowl. The significance of the findings in relation to the origin of the semen collected in these gallinaceous birds and the greater difficulty of freezing turkey spermatozoa was discussed.     

Distribution of calcareous nannoplankton in surface sediments from intertidal and shallow marine regimes of a marginal sea: Jason Bay,South China Sea

The surface sediments collected from the intertidal and shallow marine (0–20 m) regimes of Jason Bay, South China Sea contain calcareous nannoplankton assemblages in whichGephyrocapsa oceanica comprises 99% of the assemblage. The calcareous nannoplankton diversity is very low and the abundance of species tends to increase with both depth and distance offshore and becomes abundant in samples from water depths of 18 m and 20 m.Emiliania huxleyi is absent from all studied samples. The sediments from the intertidal regime contained rare calcareous nannoplankton.