Influence of amino acids,mammalian serum,and osmotic pressure on the proliferation of Drosophila cell lines

In the D22 medium of ECHALIER and OHANESSIAN for the culture of Drosophila cell lines lactalbumin hydrolysate could be replaced by a synthetic amino acids mixture. In spite of the presence of yeast extract and fetal calf serum the omission of any one of arginine, asparagine, cysteine, histidine, methionine, proline, serine, or threonine prevented cell proliferation. Of these eight amino acids cysteine had to be added in concentrations higher than 0.1 mM. Without much effect on cell proliferation foetal calf serum could be reduced from 10% to 2% or be replaced by 1% horse serum or 1% porcine serum. Cells could grow in media of osmolarities from 225 mOsm up to 400 mOsm depending on the osmotic agent used. Chloride concentrations up to 80 mM were compatible with proliferation as was a wide range of sodium/potassium ratios.     

Effects of 6-hydroxydopamine and 5-hydroxydopamine onlthe teleost melanophores innervation

Intraperitoneal injections of 6-OH-dopamine (80 mg kg^−l) promote, in toad fish, killifish, lsummer and winter flounders, a darkening of their colour and loss of capacity to adapt tolthe colour of the background. This condition persisted for three weeks after which thelanimals gradually returned to normal. The study of the skin of 6-hydroxydopamineltreated killifish showed degenerative lesions in the fine nerves and synapses of its melanophores, 124 h after the administration of the drug. These lesions progressed and 4 days later, lno synaptic structures could be detected in these cells. This condition persisted up to thel20th day. These results suggest that melanophores have a single monoaminergic innervaion.     

Carbon cycling in a loblolly pine plantation

Summary The carbon cycle of a loblolly pine plantation in North Carolina was examined during its 12th through 16th years from planting. Net primary production during the study period averaged 2056 g C m^-2 year^-1. With autotrophic respiration equal to 2068 g C, the calculated gross production was 4124 g C m^-2 year^-1. Heterotrophic respiration of 694 g C m^-2 year^-1 resulted in net ecosystem production of 1362 g C m^-2 year^-1. In carbon cycle comparisons between forest ecosystems, autotrophic respiration rates were found to be closely coupled to regional temperature.     

Effects of the transciption inhibitory protein, TF1, on phage SP01 promoter complex formation and stability.

The uptake of a homologous single-stranded fragment by superhelical DNA produces a complex that contains a stable displacement loop. When the circular DNA was relaxed by the random action of pancreatic DNAase, complexes dissociated by a process which requires that the single-stranded arm of the D-loop be intact. We attribute the dissociation to branch migration, the exchange of like strands at a branch point. The kinetics of dissociation were biphasic. A fraction of the nicked complexes dissociated in a few seconds, the rest dissociated much more slowly. The fraction of molecules that dissociated slowly was directly related to the length of the third strand, and inversely related to temperature. Salt also inhibited dissociation. Under physiological conditions, 37 °C and 0.15 m-NaCl, more than half of complexes containing a third strand of 1000-nucleotide residues survived for at least one minute. These observations provide a guide to handling certain natural or synthetic branched derivatives of DNA. Analyzing our data by the method of Thompson et al. (1976), we have estimated that the time for the exchange of one nucleotide for another at a single-stranded branch is 12 microseconds; but the calculated value depends strongly upon the assumption that single-strand branch migration occurs by a random walk.     

The anaerobic decomposition of benzoic acid during methane fermentation

Anaerobic rupture of the benzoic acid ring was investigated. Carbon 4 was converted primarily to carbon dioxide. Following ring rupture during methane fermentation, propanoic acid is an intermediate, and carbon 4 of benzoate becomes its carboxyl.Contribution No. 1285-j, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506. This work was supported in part by funds from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506. Paper II of this series is Fina and Fiskin (1960)