Transport protein synthesis in non-growing yeast cells

Addition of a metabolizable substrate (glucose, ethanol and, to a degree, trehalose) to non-growing baker's yeast cells causes a boost of protein synthesis, reaching maximum rate 20 min after addition of glucose and 40–50 min after ethanol or trehalose addition. The synthesis involves that of transport proteins for various solutes which appear in the following sequence: H⁺, l-proline, sulfate, l-leucine, phosphate, α-methyl-d-glucoside, 2-aminoisobutyrate. With the exception of the phosphate transport system, the K_t of the synthesized systems is the same as before stimulation. Glucose is usually the best stimulant, but ethanol matches it in the case of sulfate and exceeds it in the case of proline. This may be connected with ethanol's stimulating the synthesis of transport proteins both in mitochondria and in the cytosol while glucose acts on cytosolic synthesis alone. The stimulation is often repressed by ammonium ions (leucine, proline, sulfate, H⁺), by antimycin (proline, trehalose, sulfate, H⁺), by iodoacetamide (all systems tested), and by anaerobic preincubation (leucine, proline, trehalose, sulfate). It is practically absent in a respiration-deficient petite mutant, only little depressed in the op₁ mutant lacking ADP/ATP exchange in mitochondria, but totally suppressed (with the exception of transport of phosphate) in a low-phosphorus strain. The addition of glucose causes a drop in intracellular inorganic monophosphate by 30%, diphosphate by 45%, ATP by 70%, in total amino acids by nearly 50%, in transmembrane potential (absolute value) by about 50%, an increase of high-molecular-weight polyphosphate by 65%, of total cAMP by more than 100%, in the endogenous respiration rate by more than 100%, and a change of intracellular pH from 6.80 to 7.05. Ethanol caused practically no change in ATP, total amino acids, endogenous respiration, intracellular pH or transmembrane potential; a slight decrease in inorganic monophosphate and diphosphate and a sizeable increase in high-molecular-weight polyphosphate. The synthesis of the various transport proteins thus appears to draw its energy from different sources and with different susceptibility to inhibitors. It is much more stimulated in facultatively aerobic species (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Endomyces magnusii) than in strictly aerobic ones (Rhodotorula glutinis, Candida parapsilosis) where an inhibition of transport activity is often observed after preincubation with metabolizable substrates.     

Zweiter Beitrag zur Flora Montenegro's

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Endorphinergic and alpha-noradrenergic systems in the paraventricular nucleus: effects on eating behavior

Brain cannulated rats were injected with the opioid peptide beta-endorphin (beta-EP) directly into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) where norepinephrine (NE) is most effective in stimulating eating behavior. Beta-Endorphin (1.0 nmole) reliably increased food intake in satiated animals, and this response was blocked by local administration of the selective opiate antagonist naloxone. The eating induced by beta-EP was positively correlated in magnitude with the NE response and, like NE, was antagonized by PVN injection of the alpha-noradrenergic blocker phentolamine. Naloxone had no effect on NE-induced eating, and the dopaminergic blocker fluphenazine failed to alter either beta-EP or NE eating. When injected simultaneously, at maximally effective doses, beta-EP and NE produced an eating response which was significantly larger than either of the responses elicited separately by beta-EP or NE and was essentially equal to the sum of these two responses. The evidence obtained in this study suggests that beta-EP and NE stimulate food ingestion through their action on PVN opiate and alpha-noradrenergic receptors, respectively, and that beta-EP's action is closely related to, and in part may be dependent upon, the PVN alpha-noradrenergic system for feeding control.     

Eurotium (Aspergillus) repens metabolites and their biological activity

Eurotium repens mycelium cultivated under static conditions was used to isolate and identify metabolities—echinulin, physcion, erythroglaucin, flavoglaucin and asperentin; the filtrate of the culture yielded asperentin 8-methylether. The broadest biological activity spectrum was displayed by asperentin which had antibacterial and antifungal effects and, at a concentration of 86 ώg/ml, caused 50 % mor7 tality inArtemia saline larvae. The highest cytotoxicity towards HeLa cells was found in physcion which caused 50 % growth inhibition at a concentration of 0.1 ώg/ml.     

Experience with a naphthylmedetomidine – ketamine – hyaluronidase combination in inducing immobilization in anthropoid apes

Background The aim of the study was to compare the effect of naphthylmedetomidine to medetomidine on the behavior of orangutans and chimpanzees. Methods The immobilization was performed as part of a medical examination in five chimpanzees and three orangutans. Following pre‐medication with midazolam (0.70–1.20 mg/kg p.o.), naphthylmedetomidine (50–70 μg/kg), or medetomidine (20–30 μg/kg) was given with ketamine (3 mg/kg) and hyaluronidase (150 M.U.) into musculus deltoideus. Results We observed the distinct anti‐aggressive effect of naphthylmedetomidine. The immobilization with naphthylmedetomidine was shallower and the influence on cardiac frequency less substantial compared to medetomidine. The overall sedative effect of naphthylmedetomidine lasted for less time, and its effect was incompletely antagonized with atipamezole in comparison to medetomidine. Conclusions Naphthylmedetomidine could replace medetomidine for inducing immobilization and sedation. A combination of naphthylmedetomidine–ketamine is suitable for relocating animals to other cages or for painless medical examinations.     

Posterior hypothalamic region in Ovis aries L. I. Mammilary body nucleus

In the present study, the cytoarchitectonic structure of the nuclei of the mamillary body has been studied on 4 age groups of Merino sheep and the following has been found: There is a significant intraspecific variability in the construction of mamillary body. Some of the animals studied have odd others paired mamillary bodies. Variability has been stated in the formation of the medial mamillary nucleus. The topographical relation of the mamillary nuclei to other hypothalamic structures during postnatal development did not change. Only the rostro-caudal length of the nuclei could be examined as changed. The quantity of Nissl substance increased in the cells of both mamillary nuclei studied which is related to maturation of the animals. Increased amounts of glial cells were observed during the postnatal period.     

Activity pattern, smoking habits, and somatometric variables of the Czechoslovakian population

A total of 3762 subjects of both sexes, natives of Czechoslovakia, ranging in age from 12--55 years, were examined. Both anamnestic data and selected anthropometric variables were evaluated. The proportion of non-smokers for adult males was 47--56%, and for adult females was 54--74% of the population. The proportion of subjects not engaged in any type of physical activity decreases in boys between 12 and 18 years from 28 to 16%, in girls between 12 and 15 years from 25 to 22%; from then on the trend reverses and the percentages rises up to 42% in men and 65% in women. The number of subjects participating in competitive sporting activity reaches its peak at 18 years, when 46% of boys annd 43% of girls compete, but then decreases quickly. 12 year old girls are taller and heavier than boys but at 15 years the relationship is reversed. The LBM at the age of 12 is equal in boys and girls, but from then till 18 years the increase is larger in boys. The LBM weight in adults remains steady, women attaining 77% of the value found in men. The skinfold increases with age similarly in both sexes, except for an interval between 12 and 18 years, when girls show a steeper increase. Adult women attain 121--160% of the values characteristic for men. The grip strength of the right hand equals about 50 kp in adult men and 30 kp in adult women. Within the age range followed, it remains unaffected by age.     

From Mesolithic hunters to Iron Age herders: a unique record of woodland use from eastern central Europe (Czech Republic)

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - In a continuous, perfectly stratified sedimentary sequence which was discovered under a large sandstone overhang in northern Bohemia, Czech Republic, we...