Yeast species utilizing uric acid,adenine,n-alkylamines or diamines as sole source of carbon and energy

Yeast strains utilizing uric acid, adenine, monoamines or diamines as sole source of carbon and energy were isolated from several soil samples by the enrichment culture method. The most common species wasTrichosporon cutaneum. Strains ofCandida catenulata, C. famata, C. parapsilosis, C. rugosa, Cryptococcus laurentii, Stephanoascus ciferrii andTr. adeninovorans were also isolated. All strains utilizing uric acid as sole carbon source utilized some primaryn-alkyl-l-amines hydroxyamines or diamines as well. The ascomycetous yeast strains showing these characteristics all belonged to species known to assimilate hydrocarbons. Type strains of hydrocarbon-positive yeast species which were not found in the enrichment cultures generally assimilated putrescine, some type strains also butylamine or pentylamine, but none assimilated uric acid. Methanol-positive species were not isolated. Type strains of methanol-positive and of hydrocarbon-negative species did not assimilate uric acid, butylamine or putrescine. Assimilation of putrescine as sole source of carbon and energy may be a valuable diagnostic criterion in yeast taxonomy.     

Sodium arsenite enhances the cytotoxicity, clastogenicity, and 6-thioguanine-resistant mutagenicity of ultraviolet light in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Cytotoxicity, chromosome aberrations, and mutations to 6-thioguanine resistance were synergistically increased by incubating the ultraviolet light (UV)-irradiated Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in medium containing sodium arsenite. However, the frequencies of sister-chromatid exchanges and mutations to ouabain resistance induced by UV were not synergistically increased by sodium arsenite. The synergistic effect of sodium arsenite on UV-induced chromosome aberrations varied with cell-harvesting time and decreased with increasing time intervals between UV and sodium arsenite treatments.     

A high-affinity folate binding protein in normal human leukocytes: Ligand binding characteristics,ionic charge and molecular size

High-affinity binding of [³H]folate to supernatant from homogenized human leukocytes containing large amounts of binding protein displayed apparent positive cooperativity. The DEAE-Sepharose^® CL-6B chromatographic profile of the supernatant at pH 6.3 contained a major peak of folate binding (M_r approx. 25 000) in the front effluent and a smaller more acidic peak (M_r approx. 25 000) that emerged after a rise in NaCl from 30 mmol/l to 1 mol/l. Triton X-100 solubilized ceil sediment from the leukocyte homogenate contained some high-affinity folate binding activity (M_r approx 25 000), typically 5–10% of the total binding activity.     

The influence of proteases on the activity of glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger C

Summary Two proteases from Aspergillus niger C post-culture medium were isolated by fractionation on a DEAE-sepharose column and ultrafiltration. The four fractions of glucoamylase activity (GA1, GA2, GA3 and GA4) present in the medium showed different susceptibility to the influence of proteases. The effects of proteases on the different glucoamylase fractions during the growth of the fungus are demonstrated. The activity was found to decrease at the beginning of the culture, but by its end there was a stimulation of GA4 glucoamylase. After treating GA2 and GA3 with protease II, a new additional fraction of glucoamylase was detected.     

An immunocytochemical study of the optic ganglia of the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Nordmann 1842) with antisera against biologically active peptides of vertebrates and invertebrates

Summary The peptidergic system in the optic ganglia of Astacus leptodactylus is characterized by the immunocytochemical application of 15 antisera raised against biologically active peptides of vertebrates and invertebrates. Positive reactions were found with anti-FMRFamide, antiMSH, anti-vasotocin, anti-gastrin, anti-CCK, anti-oxytocin, anti-secretin, anti-glucagon and anti-GIP. Based on immunochemical reaction and localization it is possible to distinguish 30 cell groups. Only part of these cell groups is found in the known classical neurosecretory cell regions. This observation demonstrates a more extensive peptidergic system than formerly recognized. The morphology of this peptidergic system suggests that one part is neurohormonal and the other part neurotransmitter-like or neuromodulatory.     

Implementation of periodic acid-thiosemicarbazide-silver proteinate staining for ultrastructural assessment of muscle glycogen utilization during exercise

Summary Distribution of glycogen particles in semithin and ultrathin sections of biopsy samples from human muscles subjected to either short- or long-term running were investigated using PAS and Periodic Acid-ThioSemiCarbazide-Silver Proteinate (PA-TSC-SP) staining methods. Glycogen particles were predominantly found immediately under the sarcolemma or aligned along the myofibrillar Iband. After long-term exhaustive exercise type-1 fibers with a few or no glycogen particles in the core of the fibers were frequently observed. The subsarcolemmal glycogen stores of these depleted type-1 fibers were about three times as large as after exhaustive short-time exercise. Another indication of utilization of subsarcolemmal glycogen stores during anaerobic exercise was that many particles displayed a pale, rudimentary shape. This observation suggests fragmental metabolization of glycogen. Thus, depending on type of exercise and type of fiber differential and sequential glycogen utilization patterns can be observed.     

Peptostreptococcus barnesae sp. nov., a Gram-positive,anaerobic, obligately purine utilizing coccus from chicken feces

Anaerobic, Gram-positive cocci were obtained from chicken feces by direct isolation, which grew on the purines uric acid, xanthine, 6,8-dihydroxypurine, guanine, and hypoxanthine. Adenine and glycine were fermented, but not as readily. Acetate, formate, ammonia, and CO₂ were products. The isolated strains were nutritionally non-fastidious, however, they required selenite, molybdate, and tungstate as micronutrients. The cells were spherical and 0.5–0.9 m in diameter. The addition of bile salts enhanced the growth rate in most cases. The organisms proved to be quite resistant to lysis. The guanosine-plus-cytosine (G+C) content of their deoxyribonucleic acid was 33.6 to 34.8 mol%. The peptidoglycan was of the same structure (Gly-Lys-d-Asp) as reported for the anaerobic cocci of Hare group IX. However, the latter strains could only utilize glycine, not purines. Therefore, it is proposed to form a new species, Peptostreptococcus barnesae sp. nov.This paper is dedicated to Prof. Dr. Norbert Pfennig on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Animal community structure as a function of stream size

The species-area relationship of the island biogeography theory was calculated for macroinvertebrates in 22 coastal, adjacent streams. A z-value of 0.19 was obtained. The low z-value was probably a consequence of the short distances between streams as well as high dispersal rates. In addition, a cluster analysis based on the dissimilarity of species assemblages showed that stream size was of prime importance in categorizing the streams. To a smaller extent water quality affected the community structure in the streams.     

2-Bromoethyl glycosides in glycoside synthesis: preparation of glycoproteins containing alpha-L-Fuc-(1----2)-D-Gal and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-GlcNAc

The applicability of 2-bromoethyl glycosides in carbohydrate synthesis is demonstrated by the synthesis of glycosides of alpha-L-Fuc-(1----2)-D-Gal and beta-D-Gal-(1----4)-D-GlcNAc. The bromoethyl aglycon was transformed into the methoxycarbonylethylthioethyl spacer, which allowed coupling of the sugars to proteins (BSA and KLH).