G6PD Ube, a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase variant found in four unrelated Japanese families.

A total of 6,120 Japanese males were screened for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD). Five cases with the deficiency were discovered. Two of them and an additional two cases have the same variant, G6PD Ube, characterized by moderate enzyme deficiency, fast moving enzyme activity on electrophoresis, high Ki Nadph, utilization of substrate analogues, kinetics, pH optima, and stability. This variant was distinguished for G6PD A- and from other Oriental variants by biochemical parameters. Differences in the frequency and type of the variants between southern Asia and Japan, suggest that the Japanese who have been isolated on islands where malaria is not endemic, may have developed their own variant traits.     

Effect of High-intensity Light Given Prior to Low-temperature Treatment on the Long-day Flowering of Pharbitis nil

Pharbitis nil, strain Violet which had been exposed to high-intensitylight (18,000 lux at 23?C) for 7 days followed by a low-temperaturetreatment (13–14?C) for 7 days initiated flower buds evenunder continuous light, but plants given these treatments inreverse order failed to bud. Three days of high-intensity lightat 23?C was most effective in promoting the flower-inducingeffect of the subsequent low-temperature period. Six days oflow temperature following the 3-day high-intensity light periodinduced near-maximum flowering response. DCMU (5?10^–6M) given during the high-intensity light period inhibited flowering,but when given during or after the low-temperature period itwas ineffective. DCMU at the same concentration given before,during or after an inductive 16-hr dark period at 26?C did notinhibit flowering. Sucrose, ATP, NADPH and some other reducingagents tested did not nullify the DCMU effect nor substitutefor the effect of high-intensity light. But, the high-intensitylight effect could be substituted, at least partly, by 5-chlorosalicylicacid, 3,4-dichlorobenzoic acid and some other benzoic acid derivatives,which are highly effective in inducing long-day flowering inthe short-day plant, Lemna paucicostata. (Received October 20, 1981; Accepted February 3, 1982)     

Spiral growth in the radially-expanding piloboloid mutants ofPhycomyces blakesleeanus

The growth zone of the sporangiophore of a piloboloid mutant,pil, ofPhycomyces expands radially at an increased rate until the growth zone becomes nearly spherical, in sharp contrast to that of the wild-type sporangiophore which exhibits longitudinal elongation only and is conical. The rotation of thepil sporangiophore reverses its direction from clockwise (CW) to counterclockwise (CCW) during the period of increased radial expansion, and the CCW rotation continues as long as does the radial expansion. The direction of rotation and the time of reversal are correlated with the relative rates of cell-wall expansion in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The CCW rotation of the sporangiophore of this mutant can be explained by the behavior of the microfibrils, as previously proposed to explain the rotation of the wild-type sporangiophore.Abbreviations CW clockwise - CCW counterclockwise — both as viewed from above     

Immunological responses of hamsters in the acquired immune state to Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection

Protective effects of vaccination of hamsters against Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, evaluated according to the recovery of mycoplasmas and histopathological changes in the respiratory tract after challenge infection, persisted for at least 6 months after the final vaccination. Serum antibody levels reached a maximum in the second week after the last vaccination and decreased markedly between the first and the third months, but increased again in sera obtained from animals given booster injections. Metabolism-inhibiting antibodies were detected in bronchial washings of animals showing high resistance obtained by vaccinal or passive immunization. Antiserum transfer was also effective for protection but cell-mediated immune responses were not demonstrated in any animals up to 6 months after the vaccination. Even after 10 months, suppression of both mycoplasmal proliferation and lung lesions was apparent, and a single dose of the vaccine induced a significant booster effect. These findings suggest that (1) humoral immunity is more important than cell-mediated immunity in resistance of hamsters to M. pneumoniae pneumonia, and (2) the antibody secreted in the respiratory tract may be involved in the local defense mechanisms.     

The synthesis and chromatography of peptide nitriles

Di- and tripeptide nitriles, glycylaminoacetonitrile (Gly-AAN), diglycylaminoacetonitrile (Gly-Gly-AAN), alanyl--aminopropionitrile (Ala-APN), and dialanyl--aminopropionitrile (Ala-Ala-APN) were synthesized first.These peptide nitriles and related peptides and peptide amides were analyzed by means of ion-exchange chromatography. The every two diastereomers of dialanine, dialanine amide, and Ala-APN were separated into two peaks by using a pH 3.25 buffer as an eluent. The four isomers of trialanine, trialanine amide, and Ala-Ala-APN gave four, two, and one peak, respectively under the same conditions.The trimethylsilyl derivatives of alanyl peptides and related compounds were analyzed by means of gas chromatography combined with mass-spectrometry. The parent (M⁺ and/or M⁺-15) and other mass numbers observed in their mass-spectra supported the introduction of various numbers of trimethylsilyl groups.     

Three rare G-6-PD variants from Porto Alegre,Brazil

Summary Studies in 772 children and their mothers living in Porto Alegre, Brazil, disclosed three rare G-6-PD phenotypes. The first, observed in a dark mulatto, is probably identical to a variant previously found in Northeastern Brazil and was named Gd Minas Gerais-like; a white boy of German ancestry showed what seems to be Seattle-like; and a white man of Portuguese ancestry presented a previously undescribed variant that is being called Gd Porto Alegre. The allele responsible for Gd Minas Gerais may be more prevalent in Brazilian populations than was previously thought. Its estimated frequency in 214 black males from Porto Alegre is 0.005.     

Genetic polymorphisms of blood proteins in the troops of Japanese macaques,Macaca fuscata: V. Erythrocyte phosphohexose isomerase polymorphism

The electrophoretic variations of erythrocyte phosphohexose isomerase (PHI) were examined in 1433 blood samples from 37 troops of Japanese macaques in order to clarify the gene dynamics of this species. The genetic polymorphisms were observed in several troops. The troops showing the variation of PHI were Fukushima, Shiga A, Shiga C, Ryozenyama, Mikata I and II, Kawara, Takasakiyama A, B, and C, Itsuki, Koshima and Kushima. The variant alleles found in these troops were PHI ₂ ^mac , PHI ₇ ^mac , PHI ₈ ^mac , and PHI ₁₀ ^mac alleles, and the PHI ₁₀ ^mac allele was newly found in the present work.     

Mutagenic activity of amino acid pyrolyzates in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98.

Pyrolyzates of 25 amino acids and 5 indole derivatives were tested for mutagenicity in the histidine-requiring mutant Salmonella typhimurium TA 98. Significant mutagenic activity was detected with pyrolyzates of most of the amino acids. These pyrolyzates required a liver microsomal fraction, as representative of mammalian metabolism, to be detected as mutagens. Among the pyrolyzates tested, the highest mutagenic activity was observed with that of L-tryptophan. As little as 10 microgram of the pyrolyzate of L-tryptophan had detectable mutagenic activity toward TA 98. The optimal pyrolysis temperatures for the formation of mutagenic products were shown to be 500 degrees C for L-tryptophan and 600 degrees C for the other amino acids. The results from pyrolyses of some indole derivatives suggest that an amino group at the alpha-position to the carboxyl group of L-tryptophan plays an important role in the formation of mutagens.