Protection of Mice against Lethal Coxsackievirus B3 Infection by Using DNA Immunization

Vaccination with DNA and recombinant vaccinia viruses (rec.VV) has been studied with the coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) model system. Plasmids encoding all structural proteins of CVB3, when injected intramuscularly, induced only low levels of virus-specific antibodies. However, DNA vaccination with the major structural protein VP1 protected 72.2% of mice from lethal challenge, whereas VP1 expressed by rec.VV was much less efficient.     

Monthly variations in drug-induced gastric ulcers in rats

Clinical evidence suggests that there may be some relationship between the occurrence of peptic ulcers and the season of the year. As little experimental work has been carried out on this subject, three drugs commonly used to induce experimental ulcers in rats (acetylsalicylic acid, 300 mg/kg; phenylbutazone, 200 mg/kg; reserpine, 10 mg/kg) were tested every month for one year under standardised experimental conditions (T_a, RH, LD 12:12). In rats given phenylbutazone the maximum area of ulceration was found in October and December, and in rats given acetylsalicylic acid in February and March. In rats given reserpine, there were no significant monthly variations. An influence of climatic factors on ulcer induction cannot be completely excluded. Endogenous conditions might also account for the monthly differences in ulceration.     

Differentiation of vocalizations in bushbabies (Galaginae, Prosimiae, Primates) and the significance for assessing phylogenetic relationships

A comparative bioacustic analysis of vocalizations of the prosimian subfamily Galaginae revealed that morphologically similar sibling taxa within the main groups of the lesser galagos and the greater galagos can be reliably identified phenotypically on the basis of the acoustic structure of their loud call or advertisement call. Results confirm the separation of two distinct species of greater galagos, Galago crassicaudatus and Galago garnettii, and strongly suggest the discrimination of three distinct species from the senegalensis lesser bushbaby group, Galago senegalensis, Galago moholi and Galao zanzibaricus. An investigation of the ontogenetic development of the loud call indicated that it is derived from the infant's isolation call, displaying in all studied bushbaby taxa a fairly similar acoustic pattern. Shared acoustic characters of the loud call among the different taxa as well as the infant's isolation call were used to propose a hypothesis about the phylogenetic affinities in bushbabies. The results seem to be supported by recent fossil records.     

44-amino-acid E5 transforming protein of bovine papillomavirus requires a hydrophobic core and specific carboxyl-terminal amino acids.

The 44-amino-acid E5 protein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 is the shortest known protein with transforming activity. To identify the specific amino acids required for in vitro focus formation in mouse C127 cells, we used oligonucleotide-directed saturation mutagenesis to construct an extensive collection of mutants with missense mutations in the E5 gene. Characterization of mutants with amino acid substitutions in the hydrophobic middle third of the E5 protein indicated that efficient transformation requires a stretch of hydrophobic amino acids but not a specific amino acid sequence in this portion of the protein. Many amino acids in the carboxyl-terminal third of the protein can also undergo substitution without impairment of focus-forming activity, but the amino acids at seven positions, including two cysteine residues that mediate dimer formation, appear essential for efficient transforming activity. These essential amino acids are the most well conserved among related fibropapillomaviruses. The small size of the E5 protein, its lack of similarity to other transforming proteins, and its ability to tolerate many amino acid substitutions implies that it transforms cells via a novel mechanism.     

Big ‘antlers’ are favoured: female choice in stalk-eyed flies (Diptera,Insecta), field collected harems and laboratory experiments

Summary Cyrtodiopsis whitei (Diopsidae) from Malaysia is one of the stalk-eyed flies which show a marked sexual dimorphism ofeye spans. The particularly long eye stalks of male flies are to be regarded as an epigamic feature. Field observations show the males' eye spans to be correlated with the possession of a harem and with that harem's size. The question whether such a harem is acquired by male competition only, or whether female choice plays a part, is solved in female preference tests, offering dummy males of different eye spans for choice. Optical clues are found to be the relevant stimuli.     

Limited Tryptic Proteolysis of the Benzodiazepine Binding Proteins in Different Species Reveals Structural Homologies

Peptide mapping can be used to elucidate further the structural similarities of the benzodiazepine binding proteins in different vertebrate species. Crude synaptic membrane preparations were photoaffinity-labeled with [3H]flunitrazepam and subsequently degraded with various concentrations of trypsin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by fluorography allowed a comparison of the molecular weights of photolabeled peptides in different species. Tryptic degradation led to a common peptide of 40K in all species investigated, a finding indicating that the benzodiazepine binding proteins are structurally homologous in higher bony fishes and tetrapods.     

Novel compound for identifying Escherichia coli.

A new chromogenic compound, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoxyl-beta-D-glucuronide, was found to be useful for the rapid, specific, differential identification of Escherichia coli in the sanitary analysis of shellfish and wastewater. Of 1,025 presumptively positive colonies (blue) and 583 presumptively negative colonies (nonblue), only 1% false-negative and 5% false-positive results were found.