Abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster females from natural Indian populations

Females of Drosophila melanogaster collected from five geographically distant populations in India were analysed for the intensity of pigmentation in the 5th, 6th and 7th segments of the abdomen. In all three segments, this intensity was found to vary among individuals of any given population, and, furthermore, different populations differ with respect to this phenotypic trait. Statistical analysis revealed significant intra- and interpopulational variation. A clinical pattern was detected: females from populations closer to the equator tended to have lighter cuticle, in which case differences between the three segments could not be detected and all three segments responded both independently and jointly to latitudinal variation, as indicated by a statistically significant positive correlation between latitude and pigmentation score. This is the first report on abdominal pigmentation analysis in natural populations of D. melanogaster that provides evidence that phenotypic flexibility reflects temperature differences, as a result of which abdominal pigmentation shows geographic differentiation.     

Evidence that neutral spingomyelinase of cultured murine neuroblastoma cells is oriented externally on the plasma membrane

The activity of the neutral, Mg²⁺-stimulated sphingomyelinase of cultured neuroblastoma cells (N1E-115) is enriched in the plasma membrane fraction and is reduced following treatment of intact or broken cells with trypsin, α-chymotrypsin, papain, and protease. Two protease-sensitive enzymes of the cell interior (lactate dehydrogenase and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase) are not affected by protease treatment of intact cells. These results indicate that the neutral, Mg²⁺-stimulated sphingomyelinase is oriented externally on the plasma membrane of the cultured neuroblastoma cell.     

Effects of a placental hormone, human chorionic somatomammotropin on normal and malignant cells

Studies were made on the effects of human chorionic somatomammotropin (HCS) on normal and malignant cells and tissues in Swiss mice. HCS was found to produce a significant increase in the fresh weight of normal liver, kidney, spleen, testis, ovary and uterus. Total cell counts of leukocytes and erythrocytes were elevated. The percentage of granulocytes in blood was found to be increased and the percentage of lymphocytes was decreased following HCS treatment. HCS stimulated the growth of ascitic Ehrlich's carcinoma and Sarcoma 180, and nucleic acid synthesis by these tumor cells. A depression in the mitogen induced blastogenesis of lymphocytes was also noted following HCS treatment.     

Aerotolerant growth inAzospirillum brasilense induced by dihydroxyphenyl iron-binding compound

High concentrations of phosphate drastically inhibited the aerobic growth ofAzospirillum brasilense in liquid medium having a limiting concentration of combined nitrogen. No growth inhibition occurred if a high concentration of combined nitrogen was present. Aerobic growth occurred only in the presence of a very low amount of phosphate and this could be enhanced by adding norepinephrine. Addition of norepinephrine enhanced the O₂ uptake by cell suspensions by almost a factor of 3. All of the intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid metabolic cycle were actively oxidized in cell-free extracts and their rate of oxidation increased in the presence of norepinephrine.     

Further studies on the structural requirements of agents for immunotherapy of the guinea pig line-10 tumor

Summary We made a comparative study of the in vivo binding of immunoglobulins (Ig) to a polyoma virus-induced ascitic tumor propagated in syngeneic or allogeneic mice. The Ig coat was found to appear more rapidly and to be denser in H 2-incompatible than in H 2-compatible mice. This suggests that antibodies were fixed specifically on strong normal transplantation antigens (H-2) recognized as non-self by allogeneic mice. Experiments with mice in which immunosuppression had been achieved by means of X-irradiation confirmed that the Ig fixed on SEWA cells are actively bound antibodies. The only mice that could fix Ig on tumor cells were those that had been specifically immunized against cell surface antigens shared by SEWA cells before irradiation, while mice hyperimmunized against nonrelated antigens could not.In partial fulfilment of doctorate thesis requirements     

Mechanism of T5-induced DNA polymerase. II. Characterization of the dead-end complex.

We have shown that bacteriophage T5-induced DNA polymerase replicates short primer-templates (400 to 600 nucleotides long) at a rapid rate initially, followed by a slower rate sustained for much longer periods (Das, S. K., and Fujimura, R. K. (1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 8700-8707). In order to explain the slower steady rate and the results of polymer-challenge experiments, we conjectured the presence of a "dead-end complex" formed by the enzyme with the primer-template at the end of the primer elongation process. In this communication we present evidence which indicates that the presumed complex shows a first order kinetics of decay with a half-life of 3.5 min at 37 degrees. Energies of activation for the steady phase of synthesis and the decay of the dead-end complex were both found to be about 23 kcal/mol. This indicates that the dissociation of the aforesaid complex might be the rate-limiting step during the steady phase of synthesis. Correlation between the salt-induced reduction in the half-life of the complex and the increase in the steady rate of synthesis is in agreement with the above mentioned possibility.     

Mechanism of T5-induced DNA polymerase. I. Replication of short primer templates.

Bacteriophage T5-induced DNA polymerase shows an initial phase of rapid synthesis, followed by a slower steady rate for much longer periods, with short DNA primer-templates (400 to 600 nucleotides long), in vitro. On extrapolating the line of steady rate back to 0 min, an intercept is obtained on the ordinate. With large DNA primer-templates, such as denatured T5 DNA (average chain length approximately 50,000 bases), the rate of synthesis remains constant and is equal to the initial rate obtained with short primer-templates. The zero time intercept was proportional to the amount of enzyme used and independent of temperature. Polymer challenge experiments indicate that the initial phase of rapid synthesis can be attributed to the processive mode of synthesis by T5 DNA polymerase. After synthesizing a stretch of DNA processively for about 200 nucleotide residues, the enzyme apparently forms a "dead-end complex" with the primer-templates used and must dissociate from the primer-template in order to resume synthesis. The average size of the product made processively, during various phase of synthesis, remains invariant and is in good agreement with the size of the zero time intercept per enzyme molecule.     

Lack of repair of ultraviolet light damage in Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Molecules with single-stranded tails (rolling circles) were isolated as replicating intermediates in G4 progeny single-stranded DNA synthesis. Lysates from infected cells harvested late in infection during single-stranded DNA synthesis were not deproteinised but analysed directly in caesium chloride and propidium diiodide gradients. The gradient fractionated them on the basis of tail length. If the lysates were first deproteinised however, the tailed replicative intermediates banded as a peak at a density just greater than that of replicative form II DNA (RFII) and did not spread down the gradient. The origin of synthesis of the viral strand tail was mapped by electron microscopy as 55 to 60% away from the single EcoRI cleavage site. Termination molecules finishing a round of viral strand DNA synthesis have been identified as molecules consisting of a closed single-stranded DNA circle attached by a very small region to the parent double-stranded DNA circle.