Isolation of Bacteriophage for Caryophanon latum

Bacteriophage which produce either clear or turbid center plaques have been isolated for native isolates of Caryophanon latum.     

Effect of mammalian gonadotropins on testosterone secretion in male alligators

Male farm-reared alligators were injected with mammalian FSH, LH, hCG, prolactin, or saline. A blood sample was taken immediately prior to injection of hormone and at 24 h postinjection. Testosterone concentrations in the plasma were then determined by radioimmunoassay. Only the alligators injected with FSH showed a significant increase in plasma testosterone. In a second series of experiments male alligators were injected with ovine LH, ovine FSH, or saline and bled at 0, 2, 4, 16, and 24 h postinjection. Again, only the alligators injected with FSH showed significant increases in plasma testosterone at 16 and 24 h postinjection. Mammalian LH does not appear to stimulate testosterone secretion in male alligators.     

Behavioral responses of Diabrotica adults to plant-derived semiochemicals encapsulated in a starch borate matrix

The concept of encapsulating semiochemicals into a starch matrix is being studied for potential use in corn rootworm (CRW) management programs. During 1987, experiments were conducted to determine: 1) If volatile plant-derived Diabrotica spp. attractants could be encapsulated in a starch borate matrix (SBM), and 2) If various SBM-semiochemical formulations would attract Diabrotica species over time in field corn. Chemical analyses of fresh SBM formulations indicated that indole, estragole, veratrole, phenylacetaldehyde, and trans-anethole were not retained during formulation but trans-cinnamaldehyde, Beta-ionone, 1,2,4,-trimethoxybenzene, eugenol and isugenol were successfully encapsulated. Encapsulated semiochemical formulations were made into 20 mesh granules, placed in Pherocon ® 1C traps that were tied to corn plants, and sampled for CRW adults every 4 days from 11 July to 8 September. Field data indicated that encapsulated semiochemicals were retained in the SBM for varying lengths of time and were released at rates attractive to CRW adults. A two-component mixture of trans-cinnamaldehyde and 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene was the most effective formulation tested; however, no formulation was effective during corn silking and pollination. Although seasonal variation in CRW response could limit the usefulness of some plant-derived semiochemicals, the starch matrix concept may be useful as a delivery system for semiochemicals and may have potential as a tool that could be used in the development of new more biorational CRW management programs.

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Résumé Le programme expérimental de 1987 était destiné à déterminer: 1) si les substances dérivées de végétaux et attractives pour Diabrotica pouvaient être encapsulées dans de l'amidon additionné d'acide borique; 2) si différentes formules attireraient les différentes espèces de Diabrotica dans un champ de maïs.L'indol, l'estragol, le vératrol, le phénylacétaldéhyde et le trans-anéthol n'ont pas été retenus, tandis que le trans-cinnamaldéhyde, la \-ionone, le 1,2,4-triméthobenzène, l'eugénol et l'isugénol ont été encapsulés avec succès dans des pièges attachés à des pieds de maïs (les détails techniques sont fournis). Les pièges ont été relevés tous les 4 jours du 11 juillet au 8 septembre. Les résultats montrent que les substances allélochimiques sont conservées dans la capsule pendant des durées variables et libérées à des concentrations attractives pour les Diabrotica adultes. Un mélange de trans-cinnamaldéhyde et de 1,2,4,-triméthoxybenzène a été la formule la plus efficace, à l'exception des périodes de formation des barbes et du pollen, où aucune formule n'a été attractive. Bien que la variation saisonnière des réactions de Diabrotica limite l'utilisation des substances allélochimiques d'origine végétale, la capsule d'amidon peut être employée pour libérer des substances allélochimiques et constitue un outil potentiel pour la mise au point d'une méthode plus rationnelle de lutte contre Diabrotica.

     

Purification and Partial Characterization of Two Soluble NAD(P)H Dehydrogenases from Arum maculatum Mitochondria

Two enzyme systems carrying out the oxidation of NAD(P)H in the presence of various electron acceptors have been isolated and partially characterized from the supernatant of frozen-thawed mitochondria from Arum maculatum spadices. The two systems contain flavoproteins and differ by their ability to oxidize NADH or NADPH, optimum pH and pI values, sensitivity to Ca²⁺ and EGTA, denaturation by 4 molar urea, molecular mass, and number of subunits. These properties, together with methodological considerations, are compatible with the location of these enzyme activities on the outer surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane, and support the hypothesis of the existence of two separate dehydrogenases responsible for the mitochondrial oxidation of cytosolic NADH and NADPH.     

Stable length polymorphism of up to 260 kb at the tip of the short arm of human chromosome 16

We have completed a long-range restriction map of the terminal region of the short arm of human chromosome 16 (16p13.3) by physically linking a distal genetic locus (alpha-globin) with two recently isolated probes to telomere-associated repeats (TelBam3.4 and TelBam-11). Comparison of 47 chromosomes has revealed major polymorphic length variation in this region: we have identified three alleles in which the alpha-globin genes lie 170 kb, 350 kb, or 430 kb from the telemere. The two most common alleles contain different terminal segments, starting 145 kb distal to the alpha-globin genes. Beyond this boundary these alleles are nonhomologous, yet each contains sequences related to other (different) chromosome termini. This chromosome size polymorphism has probably arisen by occasional exchanges between the subtelomeric regions of nonhomologous chromosomes; analogous length variation is likely to be present at other human telomeres.     

Octapeptide analogs of somatostatin exhibiting greatly enhanced in vivo and in vitro inhibition of growth hormone secretion in the rat

Analogs of a superactive somatostatin (SRIF) octapeptide (code named SMS 201-995 (1)) were synthesized using solid-phase synthetic methodology and assayed for their ability to inhibit growth hormone release from cultured rat anterior pituitary cells and in sodium pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. One analog: (Formula: see text) exhibited greatly enhanced in vitro inhibitory activity (greater than 1,000x) relative to both the parent octapeptide molecule and to the 14 amino acid SRIF molecule. This analog which was also very potent in vivo contains a tyrosine residue and, given its high in vitro activity, may be of investigative importance as a radioiodinated ligand in receptor assays. An octapeptide retro-inverso analog also exhibited significant SRIF-like activity. Several very low activity octapeptide analogs were synthesized and were found to be devoid of SRIF-antagonist activity. A dodecapeptide analog previously shown to be superactive in vivo also demonstrated high in vitro activity.     

Desipramine Binding: Relationship to Central and Sympathetic Noradrenergic Activity

We examined the effects of treatments affecting norepinephrine release on the number of norepinephrine reuptake recognition sites as reflected by desipramine binding. To do this, we used manipulations having similar presynaptic but contrasting postsynaptic effects. Presynaptic inhibition by 6-hydroxydopamine lesion or by clonidine, and postsynaptic receptor stimulation by isoproterenol, reduced desipramine binding. Presynaptic stimulation by d-amphetamine and postsynaptic receptor blockade by prazosin increased desipramine binding. Similar effects and binding properties were seen in cerebral cortex, heart, and soleus muscle. After unilateral noradrenergic lesions, reduction in desipramine binding correlated with reduction in norepinephrine uptake. These results show that norepinephrine reuptake appears to be regulated by transmitter release regardless of effects on postsynaptic transmission, and that this regulation is analogous in the central and sympathetic nervous systems.