Is Geomagnetic Sensitivity Real? Replication of the Walker-Bitterman Magnetic Conditioning Experiment in Honey Bees

Although the presence of geomagnetic sensitivity has been suspectedfor a long time in a variety of marine and terrestrial animals,many responses reported in the literature have been based onextensive statistical analysis of orientation results or relyon obscure behavioral activities (like cetacean strandings orhoney bee waggle dances.) None of these reports have yet approachedthe level of clarity and simplicity displayed in experimentswith the magnetotactic bacteria, which is the best example ofgeomagnetic sensitivity in any living organism. Furthermore,claims of magnetic effects on living organisms pervade the literatureof biomagnetism, but many have failed subsequent attempts atreplication. We need to develop simple and easily replicatedexperiments for marine and terrestrial animals which can bemodified to answer basic questions concerning the psychophysicsof any geomagnetic sensory system which might be present. Inthis paper, we report the first replication of the Walker-Bittermanmagnetic anomaly conditioning experiment in honey bees, as wellas one of our attempts to slightly alter their basic protocol.We also report our attempts to condition honey bees to magneticdirection in simple maze experiments, and the initial resultsof a pulse-remagnetization experiment designed to test the ferromagnetictransduction hypothesis. We conclude honey bees are sensitiveto the geomagnetic field, that the signal processing for itis more complex than previously thought, and that a ferromagnetictransducer is compatible with all known behavioral data.     

WEITERE UNTERSUCHUNGEN UBER DIE WIRKUNG VON GIBBERELLIN-AHNLICHEN SUBSTANZEN AUF DIE BLUTENBILDUNG VON PHARBITIS NIL

Die wachstums- und blühfördernd wirksame Substanzvon Pharbitis wird aus zerkleinerten Samen und ebenso auch ausalkoholischern Diffusat mit Äther bei niedrigem pH leichterextrahiert. Sie ist in Säurefraktion vorhanden. Die Substanzhat eine starke Beständigkeit gegen Oxydation in der Luftund Erhitzen in der wässrigen Lösung. Durch Säureist die Substanz schwach und durch Base starker zersetzt. Bei Papierchromatographie von Substanzen aus unreifen Pharbitis,Phaseolus- und Sechzurn-Samen treten die wirksamen Substanzenim gleichen R_f-Bereich urn den des Gibberellins auf. Die Substanzenvon Lupinus, Secitium und Prunus zeigen aber mit einigen Entwicklungsflüssigkeitenein ganz anderes Chromatogramm als das des Gibberellins. Die beiden Wirkungen, wachstums- und blühfördernde,können wohl auf em und dieselbe Substanz zurückgeführtwerden. (Received July 13, 1961; )     

UBER DIE WIRKUNG DES GIBBERELLINS AUF DIE BLUTENBILDUNG VON PHARBITIS NILCHOIS

Die Blütenbildung der Pharbitis-Pñanzenwird durchBehandlung der Keimlingen mit Gibberellin vor der Dunkelperiodegefördert, und die Zufuhr auf dem Vegetationspunkt istebenso wirksam wie die auf Kotyledonen. Die Wirkung tritt bei der Zufuhr unmittelbar vor der Dunkelperiodebis zu 2 Stunden nach Anfang derselben am stärksten auf,ist aber sogar bei der Zufuhr unmittelbar nach der Dunkelperiodedeutlich bemerkbar. Die Blütenanlage kann in ununterbrochener Beleuchtung mitschwachem Licht ausgebildet werden; die kritische Intensitätwird durch Gibberellin deutlich gesteigert. Die Blühhemmung von Indolylessigsäure wird durch Gibberellinteilweise aufgehoben. Die Wirkungsreihe der einzelnen Gibberelline in der Strek-kungsförderungist A_s = A₁> A₄ = A₂. In derselben Reihe steht die Blühförderungdurch niedrige Konzentration (1 mg/l), bei höherer Konzentration(100mg/l)ist sie in der Reihe A₂=A₄>A₃ = A3. Mittlere Konzentration(100mg/l)zeigt eine Übergangsreihe zwischen den beiden. (Received April 21, 1961; )     

Genetic variants of phosvitin in egg yolk of the Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica

Summary. Phosvitin polymorphism in egg yolk of the Japanese quail was found by horizontal polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis. Six phenotypes of yolk phosvitin designated A, B, C, AB, AC, and BC were observed in a population of 281 birds. Analysis of family data revealed that the phenotypic variation of quail yolk phosvitins was controlled by an autosomal Pv locus with three codominant alleles, Pv^a, Pv^b and Pv^c. The gene frequencies of Pv^a, Pv^b and Pv^c were 0.064, 0.824 and 0.112, respectively.     

New Neplanocin Analogues. V. A Potent Adenosylhomocysteine Hydrolase Inhibitor Lacking Antiviral Activity. Synthesis And Antiviral Activity Of 6″-Carboxylic Acid Derivatives Of Neplanocin A 1

Abstract

The 6′-carboxylic acid derivative of neplanocin A 3 was synthesized from NPA, and was converted to the corresponding methyl ester 4 and amides 5 and 6. These were evaluated for their anti-RNA-virus activities. Of the derivatives synthesized, only 5 was active against RNA viruses within the concentration range of 0.14-4.88 μg/mL. Compounds 3 and 5 showed a potent inhibitory effect on S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase from rabbit erythrocytes. Although a close correlation between the inhibitory effect of adenosine analogues on AdoHcy hydrolase and their antiviral potency has been demonstrated, 3 did not show any anti-RNA-virus activities.

     

EINE NEUE METHODE F?R GIBBERELLIN-TEST BEI EINEM ZWERGMUTANTEN VON PHARBITIS NIL CHOIS.

"Kidachi", ein Zwergmutant von Pharbitis Nil, reagiert nichtgegen ß-Indolylessigs?ure, ist aber dagegen sehr empfindlichgegen Gibberellin. 0.0005 µg per Pflanze kann eine statistischgesicherte Streckungsfrderung hervorrufen. Die Reihenfolge f?rdie Wirkung der einzelnen Gibberelline ist A_s>A₁>A₄>A₂. Ein Testverfahren f?r Gibberellin wurde an dieser Pflanze ausgearbeitetund einige quantitative Bestimmungen von Gibberellin-?hnlichenSubstanzen in unreifen Samen wurden ausgef?hrt. Die Logarithmen f?r Wachstums?berschuss der Sprossachse oberhalbder Kotyledonen und die Logarithmen f?r Gibberellin-Konzentrationstehen in einem geradlinigen Verh?ltnis.     

CHANGES IN THE CONTENT OF GIBBERELLIN-LIKE SUBSTANCES IN RIPENING SEED AND POD OF LUPINUS LUTEUS

The amount of gibberellin-like substances in seed, pod, embryoand "endosperm" of Lupinus luteus in relation to their developmentwas studied by means of the rice seedling test. The amount of gibberellin-like substances per seed increasedremarkably at the first stage of development, when the growthof seed and pod was very slow, and attained its maximum at suchan early stage as the dry weight of seed reached a value ofonly 10 per cent and that of pod 28 per cent of their respectivemaximum levels. Changes in amount of gibberellin-like substancespresent in the pod were very closely related to the changesin growth of pod. Gibberellin-like substances equivalent to0.3 µg gibberellin A₃ per seed and 0.028 µg perpod were found at the 20th day after anthesis, and no activityin mature seed and 0.09 µg per pod at the 50th day. Noactivity was found in the embryo itself at all stages, indicatingthat the gibberellin-like substances in seed occur only in the"endosperm," i.e. in the tissues that will eventually form testain fully ripened stage. (Received December 18, 1962; )     

Isolation and Purification of Vitelline-Coat Lysin from Testis of Turbo cornutus (Mollusca)

A substance causing swelling of the vitelline coat (vitelline-coat lysin) was extracted from the testis of a sea snail, Turbo cornutus. Its activity was quantified by a volumetric method using a suspension of vitelline coat isolated from T. cornutus eggs. The lysin was purified 50-fold by hydroxyapatite and Bio-Gel P-10 column chromatographies and the final preparation appeared homogenous on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its molecular weight was estimated to be 18,500 by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and 18,000 by sedimentation equilibrium analysis. These results suggested that the lysin exists as a monomeric molecule. Its isoelectric point was p^H 6.4. The lysin contained residues of most common amino acids except cystine and cysteine, with relatively high proportions of lysine, aspartic acid and leucine. The N-terminal amino acid was identified as serine. The lysin loosened the fibrous structure of the vitelline coat without releasing any soluble product and seemed to act by a stoichiometric, nonenzymatic mechanism.     

Gene Regulation by Thyroid Hormone During Amphibian Metamorphosis: Implications on the Role of Cell-Cell and Cell-Extracellular Matrix Interactions

SYNOPSIS. Amphibian metamorphosis is the developmental processinitiated by thyroid hormone which transforms a tadpole intoa frog. This transformation requires extensive remodeling ofalmost every tissue in the animal. One of the more well-studiedtadpole tissues that undergoes remodeling is the small intestine.This tissue requires a shortening in length as well as internalanatomical restructuring to function in the adult frog. Briefly,the tadpole epithelial cells undergo programmed cell death (orapoptosis) and are replaced by a layer of newly formed adultepithelium. About 20 thyroid hormone-regulated genes participatingin this intestinal remodeling have been identified. These genescan be divided into several groups based on the proposed functionsof their products. One of these groups contains several secretedand/or signaling molecules. Most prominent among these are theXenopus homologs of the hedgehog and stromelysin-3 genes. Basedon the expression profiles and cellular localization, hedgehogappears to be involved in adult epithelial morphogenesis. Stromelysin-3may participate in basal lamina modification which is potentiallyinvolved in the apoptosis of the larval epithelium and developmentof the adult epithelium. Here we will review in detail the potentialroles for these secreted factors as well as the proposed molecularmechanisms responsible for their physiological functions. Furthermore,we will examine the effect of these proteins on the extracellularenvironment and how this impacts upon cellular processes involvedin intestinal remodeling.