Reexamination of the reality or artifacts of the microtrabeculae

The polyethylene glycol (PEG) method revealed that model systems such as erythrocytes and protein solutions, which are supposed to lack structured components, exhibit lattice structures not unlike the microtrabeculae. The compactness of the lattice was dependent on the concentration of proteins. The gelated state of gelatin exhibited lattices more compact than those of the solated state at any given concentration. Comparison of images by PEG and rapid-freezing, deep-etching replica methods showed no basic differences in the ultrastructure of the intestinal epithelial cell. This indicates that the PEG method, including chemical fixation, produces little, if any, disorganization of the cytoskeleton. All of the present findings suggest that cytoplasmic protein, nonstructure-bound or structure-forming, might be present in intact cells which could form microtrabecular structures when specimens are fixed by chemical fixatives without any extractions. Therefore, the microtrabeculae should generally be regarded as a simple marker for the presence of proteinaceous macromolecules. It is also suggested that the microtrabecular lattice, as a whole, might represent a gelated state in a given compartment when another, looser lattice is simultaneously present in the same compartment, i.e., within a single cell.     

Seasonal changes in ovarian state in a eusocial halictine bee,Lasioglossum duplex,based on stages of the oldest oocytes in each ovariole (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Summary The changes in ovarian activity in the life cycle of the eusocial halictine beeLasioglossum (Evylaeus) duplex (Dalla Torre) was studied in both queens and workers by examining the stages of the terminal follicle in each of the six ovarioles. By this method, ovarian activities of both queens and workers were more quantitatively determined than by observation of gross ovarian features as usually conducted. Queen ovaries clearly exhibited two active periods, corresponding to the spring solitary phase and the summer eusocial phase, with distinctly greater activity in the latter. In ovaries of overwintering queens oosorption of young follicle was observed. Worker ovaries were found more active in orphan than in queenright colonies. The order of ovarian activity obtained from pooled data, summer queens>spring queens>orphan workers>queenright workers, was also recognized by comparison of individual females. Bionomics of the eusocial halictine beeLasioglossum duplex IX. Contribution No. 3107 from the Inst. Low Temp. Sci.     

Binding of cobalamin analogs to intrinsic factor-cobalamin receptor and its prevention by R binder

It is now known that nonphysiological cobalamin analogs exist in the gastrointestinal tract, but their metabolic behavior is unclear. In this study, [57Co]cobinamide was used to study its affinity to hog intrinsic factor-cobalamin (IF-Cbl) receptor which has no species specificity against human IF-Cbl receptor, and its relation to human saliva R binder. Cobinamide was prepared from [57Co]cyanocobalamin and separated by paper chromatography. Human IF-Cbl complex was bound to IF-Cbl receptor but free cyanocobalamin was not. Although R binder-cobinamide was not bound to the IF-Cbl receptor, free cobinamide was bound to the IF-Cbl receptor to a significant extent (about one-half of IF-cyanocobalamin binding to the IF-Cbl receptor). We then investigated the binding of cobinamide to R binder and trypsin-treated R binder. Association constant of cobinamide binding to the IF-Cbl receptor was 1.0 X 10(9) M-1 which was much lower than that of cobinamide binding to trypsin-treated R binder and to untreated R binder. Further study indicated that cobinamide binding to the IF-Cbl receptor was blocked by the addition of R binder and also by trypsin-treated R binder. We conclude that one of the roles of R binder is to prevent binding of free cobalamin analogs to the IF-Cbl receptor in the gut.     

Behavior of Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata) mothers and neonates at parturition

Parturitional behavior in 12 caged Macaca fuscatawas analyzed. Wild-caught mothers showed adequate maternal behaviors immediately following the neonate’s expulsion. Parity differences existed in the behaviors; primiparae were more idiosyncratic than were multiparae. Among multiparae, those with two or more offspring were uniformly adequate, but those with a single birth experience varied in the adequacy of the maternal care they provided at parturition. Mothers embraced and licked their neonates and had ventroventral contact with them frequently immediately after parturition but decreased these behaviors after expulsion of the placenta. In contrast, mothers showed allogrooming after consuming the placenta. Placentophagy was correlated with the level of orality represented by maternal licking behaviors. An isolation-reared primipara reacted to her newborn in a basically negative manner, although she showed little actual aggression. She showed a rapid shift in her negative behavior during the immediate postpartum period. This mother’s newborn sought contact with her, indicating the neonate’s active role in establishing a stable mother-neonate bond.     

Comparison of promoter activities of heterologous and homologous promoters in Bacillus subtilis

Summary We have constructed promoter probe vectors with the Escherichia coli galactokinase monitoring system that can be used in Bacillus subtilis. In vivo studies with these vectors demonstrated that the E. coli trp and tac(trp::lac) promoter regions could be utilized in B. subtilis. These promoter regions and the promoter region for the erythromycin resistance gene originating from Staphylococcus aureus were preferentially utilized during the stationary growth phase of B. subtilis, whereas the B. subtilis P21K and P29K promoters were utilized during the exponential growth phase and decreased rapidly during the stationary phase. The apparent strength of these promoters of E. coli in B. subtilis, in terms of galactokinase units, was comparable with those of the B. subtilis promoters.     

Persistent Calcium Inward Current in Internally Perfused Snail Neuron

The inactivation process of the calcium current (ICa) was investigated in a molluscan neuron which was perfused intracellularly and voltage-clamped using a suction pipette technique. The decay phase of the ICa contained a very slowly inactivated component (persistent inward current; PIC). The decay time constant of this component was over 10 sec. An increase in the amplitude of the ICa or the intracellular Ca2+ concentration caused a decrease in the decay time constant of the PIC. Replacing Ba2+ with extracellular Ca2+ increased the decay time constant of the PIC. The differences in the amplitude and the decay kinetics between the ICa and the IBa resulted from changes in the amplitude and the decay time constant of the PIC. These observations support the conclusion that the inactivation of the PIC is calcium dependent [Chad, J., Eckert, R., and Ewald, D. (1984). J. Physiol. (Lond.) 347:279-300].     

Long-term cultivation of amphibian melanophores. In vitro ageing and spontaneous transformation to a continuous cell line

Pure melanophore populations isolated from the tail skin of the tadpole, Rana catesbeiana, were mass cultured for a period of 2-3 years. All cell lines of amphibian melanophores studied exhibited growth crisis (in vitro ageing) followed by spontaneous transformation to a continuous cell line, as shown by changes in growth characteristics in mass culture and in clone culture, by the appearance of the cells, and by measurements of cell volumes. Even after becoming a continuous cell line, amphibian melanophores continued to have a diploid chromosome number (2n = 26) in three of four cell lines examined. The chromosome mode in one cell line, however, changed to thirty. Measurement of melanin dispersion after the addition of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone suggested that the mechanism for melanin dispersion in melanophores changed during in vitro ageing.     

Identification of Cytokinins in Root Exudate of the Rice Plant

Cytokinins, cis-zeatin and cis- and (trans-ribosylzeatin, wereidentified in the root exudate of the rice plant (Oryza sativa,indica cultivar IR-24) after several chromatographic separationsand combined gas-liquid chromatography-selected ion monitoring(GC-SIM) analysis. The presence of trans-zeatin ribotide wassuggested by enzyme hydrolysis, subsequent chromatographic separationand GC-SIM. The comparatively high content of the ribotide inthe root exudate suggests the form of cytokinins to be transportedfrom roots to other parts in the rice plant. (Received July 22, 1982; Accepted November 25, 1982)     

Mapping of the human gene for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) on the p13 leads to q22 region of chromosome 7

We previously reported that the structural gene for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) can be mapped to the p22 leads to qter region of human chromosome 7 (Shimizu et al., 1979, 1980). In the present study, we produced two series of human-mouse cell hybrids by fusing mouse A9 cells that are deficient in EGFR with the human diploid fibroblast lines GM1356, 46,XX,t(1;7)(p34;p13), and GM2068, 46,XX,t(6;7)(q27;q22), both of which possess EGF receptors. Expression of EGF binding ability in the former series of cell hybrids was correlated with the retention of the human translocation chromosome containing the 7p13 leads to qter region, and in the latter series of cell hybrid it was correlated with the retention of the human translocation chromosome containing the 7pter leads to q22 region. Therefore, the EGFR gene can be localized in the p13 leads to q22 region of chromosome 7.