A propos des ≪chloride cells≫ dans l'épithélium des lamelles branchiales du poisson rouge

Résumé L'ultrastructure des lamelles branchiales et spécialement celle des chloride cells du poisson rouge (Carassius aureus) a été étudiée. Nous avons constaté que du matériel amorphe floconneux, faiblement adiélectronique était attaché aux endroits des creux apicaux. Afin de préciser la nature de ce matériel, nous avons étudié ces structures au microscope électronique avec les techniques suivantes: acide periodique méthènamine d'argent, colorations au fer colloïdal et au bleu d'alcian. Après la réaction à l'acide periodique méthènamine d'argent, de fines précipitations aux endroits des creux apicaux, correspondant au matériel floconneux visible après la fixation au glutaraldéhyde tétroxyde d'osmium, étaient visibles. La coloration au bleu d'alcian révélait des particules fortement colorées formant un film plus ou moins continu à la surface libre des lamelles, sauf aux endroits oò les chloride cells sont en contact avec la surface. Là et notamment dans les 2reux apicaux, du matériel légèrement granuleux, de faible densité, faisait une couche assez épaisse attachée à la membrane cellulaire. Tenant compte des résultats d'autres auteurs et de nos propres observations, nous considérons que la plus grande partie du matériel se trouvant à la surface des chloride cells, et particulièrement dans les creux apicaux, est de type glycoprotéique.

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The ultrastructure of the chloride cells in the gill epithelium of the goldfish

Summary The ultrastructure of the secondary lamellae of the gills and especially that of the chloride cells of Carassius aureus was studied. We found an amorphous, flakey, slightly adielectronic material in the areas of the apical pits. In order to determine the nature of this material, we studied these structures electronmicroscopically applying the periodic acid silver methenamine, colloidal iron and alcian blue methods. The periodic acid silver methenamine reaction, resulted in finely dispersed precipitations which were deposited in the areas of the apical pits and which correspond to the flakey material seen in the ordinary electron micrographs. The alcian blue method reveales strongly stained particles which form a more or less continuous film on the free surface of the lamellae, interrupted only at the level of the chloride cells. In these areas, notably within the apical pits, a rather thick layer of finely granular low-density material is attached to the plasma membrane. In taking into account other studies performed on this subject, as well as our own observations, we consider the material found on the surface of the chloride cells and particularly within their apical pits to be predominantly of glycoproteinous nature.

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Dédié à Monsieur le Professeur Dr Ernst Horstmann, Hambourg, à l'occasion de son soixantième anniversaire.     

Persistence of Salmonella typhimurium on Fabrics

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using airborne T3 coliphage as a viral tracer in microbial aerosols. Although T3 coliphage was relatively stable when stored either at temperatures ranging from 21 to 37 C or in the frozen state at -20 C, there was a 2-log loss in infectivity when stored for 72 days at 4 C. Either agitation of stored coliphage suspensions held at 31 C or wide fluctuations in storage temperature produced an increased loss of infectivity. In the airborne state, freshly prepared coliphage and stored coliphage behaved similarly, with survival diminishing as the relative humidity (RH) was lowered. The greatest loss occurred during the first five min following aerosolization. The results showed that only under certain conditions of temperature and relative humidity can T3 coliphage be used as a satisfactory aerosol tracer.     

Development of Competence in Thymine-starved Bacillus subtilis with Chromosomes Arrested at the Terminus

Tryptophan- and thymine-requiring cells of Bacillus subtilis, emerging from an amino acid starvation treatment which causes arrest of the chromosomes at the terminus, were not transformable. During subsequent incubation in a thymineless medium supplemented with amino acids, the cultures developed competence while retaining chromosome arrest. The competent subpopulation apparently shares the synchronous chromosome arrest of the bulk population. This was shown by different methods. The principal method was marker frequency analysis of the deoxyribonucleic acid extracted from a population enriched for competent cells by a column-chromatographic method. It is concluded that development of the competent state can occur in nondividing cells, and that the presence of a replication fork actively engaged in synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid is not required for the development of this state.     

Gelatin-induced Reversion of Protoplasts of Bacillus subtilis to the Bacillary Form: Biosynthesis of Macromolecules and Wall During Successive Steps

Protoplasts of Bacillus subtilis plated on SDG medium formed L colonies in quantative yield and propagated in the L-form indefinitely. Protoplasts or L bodies placed in 25% gelatin medium formed bacillary colonies. Details of the reversion of these naked bodies to the walled form are reported here. Protoplasts prepared in minimal medium reverted fairly synchronously 3 to 4 hr after inoculation into gelatin, but protoplasts preincubated in casein hydrolysate (CH)-enriched minimal medium were primed to revert within 1 hr in the gelatin. Preincubation for 1.5 hr in 0.44% CH was required for good priming. Cells must be subjected to this preincubation (step 1) in the naked state; it is effective for L bodies as well as protoplasts. Priming was blocked by chloramphenicol, puromycin, and actinomycin D but was not affected by penicillin, lysozyme, or inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis. It is concluded that protein and ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis are required during step 1, that DNA synthesis is not required, and that wall mucopeptide is not made. The reversion of well-primed protoplasts in the gelatin (step 2) proceeded undisturbed in thymine-starved cells with chromosomes arrested at the terminus. It was scarcely slowed by chloramphenicol in the gelatin but was delayed about 3 hr by both puromycin and actinomycin D. Escape from inhibition occurred while the inhibitors were still actively blocking growth. Penicillin and cycloserine inhibited and lysozyme reversed reversion. Momentary melting of the gelatin delayed reversion. It is concluded that mucopeptide synthesis occurs in step 2, that concomitant RNA, DNA, or protein synthesis is not essential, but that physical immobilization of excreted cell products at the protoplast surface is necessary early in step 2. Newly reverted cells were misshapen and osmotically sensitive. Processes which confer osmotic stability after reversion (step 3) did not occur in the presence of chloramphenicol or actinomycin D.     

Elektron-Spin-Resonanz-Untersuchungen der Reaktionskinetik strahleninduzierter freier Radikale des Cholesterins

Zusammenfassung Die Reaktionskinetik strahleninduzierter freier Radikale des Cholesterins wurde in flüssiger Phase bei Raumtemperatur mittels ESR-Spektroskopie untersucht. Mit Hilfe eines geeigneten photochemischen Initiationssystems ließen sich in Cyclohexanlösung unter UV-Bestrahlung (235 nm265 nm) genau dieselben freien Radikale des Cholesterins darstellen, die schon früher [9, 7] in röntgenbestrahltem Cholesterinpulver beobachtet worden waren. Bei ausreichendem O₂-Partialdruck (3·10⁴Torr) über der Probenlösung trat das ESR-Spektrum eines Peroxyradikals auf, das mittels der Analyse seiner Reaktionsprodukte (7-Hydroxy-Cholesterin und 7-Keto-Cholesterin) mit dem Cholesteryl-7-peroxyradikal identifiziert wurde. Die Kinetik sowohl der Bildung als auch des Zerfalls des Radikals entsprachen einer Reaktion von 2. Ordnung. Die Geschwindigkeitskonstante für den bimolekularen Zerfall, eine Disproportionierung in Alkohol und Keton unter Abgabe eines Moleküls O₂, wurde bei Raumtemperatur zuk ₂=(1,8 _–0,6 ^+0,9 )·10⁶ sec^–1M^–1·l bestimmt. Ferner wurde gezeigt, daß das Cholesteryl-7-peroxyradikal aus dem freien Radikal Cholesteryl-7 durch Anlagerung eines Moleküls O₂ entsteht. Für die Geschwindigkeitskonstante dieser Reaktion ergab sich eine untere Schranke vonk ₁=0,40·10¹⁰ sec^–1M^–1·l.

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Electron spin resonance investigations on radiation-induced free radicals of cholesterol in liquid phase

Summary The reaction kinetics of radiation-induced free radicals of cholesterol was studied in liquid phase at room temperature by means of e.s.r. spectroscopy on a solution of cholesterol in cyclohexane. Using a convenient photochemical initiation system, just those free radicals of cholesterol could be generated by the filtered u.v. radiation from a Xe high pressure lamp (235 nm265 nm) as were observed already a decade ago by Gordy [9] and by Ehrenberg, Löfroth [7] in X-irradiated cholesterol powder. At sufficiently high O₂-pressures (3·10^–4 Torr) over the sample solution a peroxy radical e.s.r. spectrum arose during u.v. irradiation which was identified by product analysis (7-hydroxy-cholesterol and 7-keto-cholesterol) to be dueto a cholesteryl-7-peroxyradical. The radical'sgeneration and decay kinetics was governed by a second order reaction. The velocity constant for bimolecular decay of the cholesteryl-7-peroxyradical was found to be k₂=(1.8 _–0,6 ^+0,9 )·10⁶sec^–1M^–1·l at room temperature. Furthermore it could be shown that the cholesteryl-7-peroxyradical was built up by the addition of one molecule of O₂ to a cholesteryl-7 free radical. For this reaction a value ofk ₁=0.4·10¹⁰ sec^–1 M^–1·l was estimated as a lower limit of the velocity constant.

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Die Arbeit stellt einen Auszug aus einer Dissertation an der Technischen Hochschule München dar.     

An Analytical Model of the Counter-Current Heat Exchange Phenomena

An analytical model for the counter-current heat exchange mechanism in animals has been formulated and a solution has been obtained. The nondimensional parameters that govern the mechanism have been determined in terms of the properties of the animal. The normalized temperatures are functions of normalized distance and, in general, three nondimensional heat transfer conductances. Graphical results are presented for two representative physiological systems. These results allow a delineation of those situations in which counter-current heat transfer is important, and also a quantitative prediction of the heat transfer and temperature distributions. The theory is compared to the available experimental results.     

In Vitro Studies on the Antiviral Activity of 1,3-Bis(2-Chloroethyl)-1-Nitrosourea

Chemotherapy experiments carried out in vitro demonstrated that 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) was active against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus and had an equivocal antiviral effect on Semliki Forest, herpes simplex, and vaccinia viruses. No antiviral effect was observed with BCNU against western equine encephalomyelitis, polio, and parainfluenza (HA-1) viruses. Activity of the drug was determined by inhibition of viral-induced cytopathogenic effect in KB or chick embryo cells and by reduction of virus titer in cell culture supernatant fluid. Maximal activity against the viruses was observed when drug and virus were incubated together for 30 min prior to addition to cells; essentially no activity could be demonstrated if BCNU and virus were added to cells with no prior incubation.     

CHROMOSOME NUMBERS IN COMPOSITAE V. ASTEREAE II.

Reports of 100 new chromosome counts are made for the tribe Astereae of Compositae, mostly based on determinations of meiotic material, including first counts for 9 genera and 53 species. Counts are now available for 58 of the approximately 100–120 genera and 431 of the approximately 2000 species in the tribe. Comparisons are made between chromosome number and habit and also between chromosome number and geographical distribution. Species and genera with a basic number of x = 9 are the most abundant. Within different phyletic lines x = 9 is also the most abundant number. On the other hand, many species with x = 4 and 5, belonging to a number of small, largely annual genera, are concentrated in southwestern North America. The low chromosome number in these plants is probably correlated with the dry habitat they occupy, and is most likely a specialized condition.     

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