Carbohydrate composition of the isolated cell walls of dermatophytes

In an attempt to evaluate taxonomic character of sugar composition of dermatophytes, the purified cell walls from 13 species are analyzed on neutral sugar composition by gas liquid chromatography. The results were principally compatible with those obtained by conventional morphological examination. Neutral sugar components of dermatophytes cell walls were mannose and glucose in the ratio of 1∶2.7 for Epidermophyton and 1∶1.4 for Microsporum. There were two types in Trichophyton, in which the ratios of mannose to glucose were 1∶1.6 and 1∶3.8. The cases of Trichophyton ferrugineum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes were exceptional. The ratio of the former was 1∶1.4, which implied the relation to Microsporum group, and the ratio of the latter was 1∶2.3, which was supposed to be the intermediate of two types of Trichophyton group. Albino type cell wall of Epidermophyton floccosum was more rich in glucose than pigmented type one.     

Comparison of object manipulation among 74 species of non-human primates

Seventy-four primates species (24 genera of six families) were presented with a nylon rope and a wooden cube, and their subsequent manipulations were recorded in detail. Five hundreds and six manipulation patterns were distinguished on the basis of the actions performed, body-parts used and relations to other objects. Inter-specific comparisons revealed three groups: (1) lemurs, marmosets, spider monkeys and leaf-eaters; (2) Old World monkeys except leaf-eaters; and (3) cebus monkeys and apes. The first group had the smallest repertoire of manipulations, in which only a few types of actions and body-parts were involved. The second and third groups had more varied modes of manipulation. Actions such as Roll, Rub and Slide, and use of fingers characterized these groups. Except for the lesser ape, their manipulations were frequently related with other objects. Moreover, actions such as Drape, Drop, Strike, Swing and Throw were typical of the third group. The factors producing such inter-specific differences in manipulations and the relations to tool use are discussed.     

Lagenidium myophilum infection in the coonstripe shrimp,Pandalus hypsinotus

A fungal infection occurred in juvenile coonstripe shrimps,Pandalus hypsinotus, cultured at Hokkaido Institute of Mariculture, Hokkaido, Japan. The fungus was identified asLagenidium myophilum, the same fungus that had previously been isolated from the abdominal muscle of adult northern shrimps,Pandalus borealis, and larvae of the coonstripe shrimp. Histopathologically, numerous nonseptate hyphae were observed in the lesions, and melanized hemocytes were present within the blackened areas. The optimum temperature for growth of the present strain was 25–30°C, and the optimum NaCl concentration for growth was 0.5–1.0%. Its biological characteristics were compared with those ofLagenidium myophilum isolated from diseased larval coonstripe shrimp and adult northern shrimp. The fungus was pathogenic toward shrimps of the genusPandalus, which live in deep sea areas. The fungus could infect shrimps at various stages, from larva to adult.     

Synergistic effects of TAL1 over-expression and PHO13 deletion on the weak acid inhibition of xylose fermentation by industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain

In the industrial production of bioethanol from lignocellulosic biomass, a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that can ferment xylose in the presence of inhibitors is of utmost importance. The recombinant, industrial-flocculating S. cerevisiae strain NAPX37, which can ferment xylose, was used as the parent to delete the gene encoding p-nitrophenylphosphatase (PHO13) and overexpress the gene encoding transaldolase (TAL1) to evaluate the synergistic effects of these two genes on xylose fermentation in the presence of weak acid inhibitors, including formic, acetic, or levulinic acids. TAL1 over-expression or PHO13 deletion improved xylose fermentation as well as the tolerance of NAPX37 to all three weak acids. The simultaneous deletion of PHO13 and the over-expression of TAL1 had synergistic effects and improved ethanol production and reduction of xylitol accumulation in the absence and presence of weak acid inhibitors.     

Identification of two metabolites induced by a butyrolactone autoregulator IM-2 in Streptomyces sp. FRI-5

Abstract In order to determine whether non-elastase-producing strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa such as N-10, PA103 and IFO3080 can express foreign elastase genes, we introduced elastase genes from P. aeruginosa IFO3455 (elastase-producing) as well as from PA103 and N-10 into non-elastase-producing P. aeruginosa strains. Results suggested that gene expression, secretion, and precursor processing systems of elastase were essentially normal in P. aeruginosa N-10 and IFO3080. Our studies using various elastase genes showed that both the elastase structural gene and 5'-upstream regions of P. aeruginosa PA103 were also normal. This was confirmed by the finding that P. aeruginosa N-10 and IFO3080 which carry the PA103 elastase gene produced elastase. Several deleted or chimeric genes were constructed using the 5'-upstream regions of elastase genes from P. aeruginosa N-10 or PA103 and studies of expression revealed that two individual DNA bases seem to be important in suppressing P. aeruginosa N-10 elastase gene expression. Possible reasons for the lack of elastase in these non-elastase-producing strains are discussed.