Properties of the inactive ribosomal components in rat liver and hepatoma

1. The relative concentrations of the inactive ribosomal components were compared in normal and regenerating rat liver and in two transplantable rat hepatomas (hepatomas 7800 and 5123D). 2. The size of the ribosomal-subunit pools in normal liver was not significantly affected by partial hepatectomy or neoplasia although, as shown previously, significant changes do occur in the monomer pool. 3. Further, the subunit pools in both liver and hepatoma were not significantly influenced by several treatments that caused dramatic changes in the size of the ribosomal monomer (and dimer) pools. 4. The high concentration of inactive monomers and dimers in the hepatomas appears to arise from limitations at the translational level, since they can be incorporated into pre-existing polyribosomes under the influence of cycloheximide.     

Utilization of mixed sugars in continuous fermentation. II.

Batch growth characteristics of various organisms were determined on a number of pairs of sugars to find a stable system showing clear-cut classical diauxie. The system selected for further study was a strain of Klebsiella (Acrobacter) aerogenes, NCIB 8021 growing on a mixture of glucose and maltose in minimal salts medium at 30°C. This showed a specific growth rate (μ) of 1.19 ± 0.03 hr.^?1 on 0.01% (w/v) glucose, followed by a diauxie lag of 0.73 ± 0.04 hr and then further growth on 0.01% (w/v) maltose at μ = 0.60 ± 0.03 hr^?1. This system was applied to a two-stage continuous, stirred, aerated fermentor system, with working volumes of 1.85 and 2.77 liters, respectively, and growth was followed (mainly by optical density, referred to dry weights and viable counts) and also the concentrations of the sugars were measured. Except at the very highest flow rates, glucose was immediately and virtually completely consumed, but the utilization of maltose showed interesting variations: (a) At low feed rates between 0.09 and 0.4 vol./hr. exactly the same response was found with mixed sugars as with double concentration glucose, showing that the organism was able to metabolize maltose as well and as quickly as glucose. (b) At medium feed rates of 0.46 to 1.03 vol./hr. two deviations were observed, both of which increased as the dilution rate increased: the system showed a time lag on maltose before the cell population began to rise and the volume of medium used before the steady state was established was greater than predicted, (c) At fast feed rates, approaching “washout” condition of 1.055 to 1.135 vol./hr. the first culture vessel showed no reaction to a step change which included maltose, although, of course, with doubled glucose it responded immediately. The second vessel, however, quickly metabolized the overflow maltose, and showed a steady increase of cell population to the theoretical steady state. These results may have significance for industrial systems using complex commercial substrates.     

The reversal of phenylarsenoxide inhibition of keto acid oxidation in mitochondrial and bacterial suspensions by lipoic acid and other disulphides

1. Inhibition of pyruvate oxidation in suspensions of Aerobacter aerogenes cells and of isolated mitochondria from rat heart and liver by phenylarsenoxide is prevented by an excess of lipoic acid, whereas inhibition due to certain bivalent cations is not. 2. In both systems inhibition persists when the bacteria and mitochondria are recovered and resuspended in fresh media in the absence of the inhibitor. Persistent inhibition due to preincubation with phenylarsenoxide, but not with the metal ions, is reversed by lipoic acid and by certain other disulphides. 3. 2,3-Dimercaptopropan-1-ol prevents the inhibition of pyruvate oxidation by phenylarsenoxide and by bivalent cations in both mitochondria and bacterial cells. 4. In aerobic suspensions of mitochondria and bacteria disulphides such as lipoic acid are reduced rapidly to dithiols. Reduction is inhibited by Co(2+), Ni(2+), Cd(2+) and Zn(2+), but not by phenylarsenoxide. 5. It is concluded that the inability of lipoic acid to prevent the action of the metal ions on pyruvate oxidation is due to the inhibition of its reduction to the effective dithiol.     

Chemical Characterization of Wines Fermented with Various Malo-lactic Bacteria

Six malo-lactic strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from California wines and identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, L. buchneri, L. brevis, Leuconostoc citrovorum, and two strains of Pediococcus cerevisiae. Malo-lactic fermentation was induced in separate lots of wine by inoculation of each lot with one of the strains of bacteria. Malo-lactic fermentation had occurred in each inoculated wine within 2 months. The resultant wines were subjected to chemical analysis, including gas chromatographic examination of concentrated extracts of the wines. Only a few differences in composition were found when the malo-lactic wines were compared one with another. The differences that were found were in volatile acidity and in concentrations of acetoin (plus diacetyl) and probably diethyl succinate.     

The biological activity of atrial natriuretic factor cleaved by endoprotease 3.4.24.11.

Ring cleavage of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANF) between Cys7 and Phe8 by endoprotease 3.4.24.11 yields X-ANF. Since endoprotease 3.4.24.11 may contribute to ANF metabolism in vivo, the present study determined if X-ANF exhibits reduced biological activity in comparison to the parent molecule.