Behavioral characteristics of old female Japanese monkeys in a free-ranging group

Fourteen female Japanese monkeys of the Arashiyama-B group ranging in age from 11 to 29 years were observed to elucidate the behavioral characteristics of aging monkeys. A positive significant correlation was found between the occurrences of rest and age, and a negative significant correlation between the occurrences of auto-grooming and age. Younger female monkeys tended to be in contact with or in proximity to group members, while older female monkeys tended to spend much more time alone. As for the grooming interactions, younger female monkeys more often groomed others than did older female monkeys. Also, the former engaged in grooming more frequently than in being groomed, while the latter spent more time in being groomed than in grooming. The old female monkeys showed no marked decline in rank, but some of them were surpassed by their adult daughters.     

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe cdc6 gene encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase δ

The cdc6 mutants of Schizosaccharomyces pombe have been classified as being defective in progression through the G2 phase of the cell cycle. We cloned an S. pombe gene that could complement the temperature-sensitive growth of the cdc6-23 mutant. Unexpectedly, the cloned gene was allelic to pol3, which encodes the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase δ. Integration mapping confirmed that cdc6 and pol3 are identical. The cdc6-23 mutant carries one amino acid substitution in the conserved N3 region of Pol3. Received: 17 October 1996 / Accepted: 19 November 1996     

Monoclonal antibodies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase: a neutralizing antibody which recognizes a conformational epitope related to an active site of elastase.

We have established seven murine hybridoma cell lines which produce monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase. The seven mAbs recognized at least six different epitopes on the elastase molecule. All mAbs inhibited both enzymatic activities of elastase and protease, in which elastin fluorescein and hide powder azure were used as substrates, respectively. One of them, mAb E-4D3, strongly neutralized enzymatic activities of peptidase in which furylacryloyl-glycyl-leucinamide was used as a substrate, as well as of elastase and protease. In contrast, the other six mAbs did not neutralize peptidase activity at all. The Ki value for furylacryloyl-glycl-leucinamide of E-4D3, as well as its Fab fragment, was comparable to those for metalloprotease inhibitors such as phosphoramidon and Zincov inhibitor. The binding of mAb E-4D3 was inhibited by phosphoramidon and Zincov inhibitor, but not by metal chelators such as EDTA and o-phenanthroline. A line of evidence suggests that mAb E-4D3 directly interacts with active site and highly neutralizes enzymatic activity of P. aeruginosa elastase. Data of Western blotting and ELISA suggest that mAb E-4D3 is likely to recognize an elastase molecule in a conformation-dependent manner as an epitope. In contrast, the neutralizing activity of the other mAbs against elastase and protease seems to be caused by a low accessibility of an enzyme to insoluble and high-molecular-mass substrates through the binding and steric hindrance of the mAbs to an enzyme.     

Partial purification and characterization of a factor which stimulates an increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity in the liver from tumor cell-free ascites fluid

A factor responsible for stimulating an increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity in the liver of mice was found in tumor cell-free ascites fluid of mice 3 days after inoculation of tumor cells. The factor was purified about 70-fold in 25% yield from tumor cell-free ascites fluid. As little as 1 μg of protein of purified fraction, injected intraperitoneally into normal mice, significantly increased the activity of ornithine decarboxylase in the liver. The most active preparation of the factor formed two major protein bands on analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and both these bands stained with periodic acid-Schiff's reagent. The factor was a heat-labile, alkaline-stable, acidic protein with a molecular weight of more than 300 000. It was inactivated by treatment with 10 mM dithiothreitol, 5M urea, pronase or mixed glycosidase, but was stable on treatment with DNAase, RNAase or neuraminidase.     

Physiological evaluation of temperature effect on the growth processes of the mysid, Neomysis intermedia Czerniawsky

Ingestion, respiration, and molting loss rates were measuredover the 3 – 29°C range in Neomysis intermedia. Weightspecific rates of these physiological processes ranged from2 to 140% body C day^–1 for ingestion, from 2 to 15% bodyC day^–1 for respiration, and from 0.1 to 5% body C day^–1for molting loss. All weight-specific rates showed a logarithmicdecrease with a logarithmic increase in body weight, and a logarithmicincrease with a linear increase in temperature below 20 or 25°C.The effect of temperature, however, was different between thephysiological rates, with a large temperature dependency foringestion (Q₁₀ = 2.6 –3.9) and molting loss (Q¹⁰ = 2.9– 3.6) and a moderate temperature dependency for respiration(Q₁₀ = 1.9 – 2.1). Calculated assimilation efficiencychanged with body size, but was constant over the temperaturerange examined. Allocation of assimilated materials varied witha change in temperature, reflecting the different temperaturedependence between physiological processes. It was deduced thatthe strong temperature dependency of the growth rate in N. intermediaobserved in the previous studies resulted from the large temperatureeffect on ingestion and assimilation rates, superimposed bythe different allocation of assimilated materials. ¹Present address: Department of Botany, University of Tokyo,Hongo, Tokyo 113, Japan     

Influence of cadmium on the distribution of the essential trace elements zinc and copper in the liver and kidneys of rats

Cd induced changes of Zn and Cd distribution in the liver and kidneys were studied in relation to Cd metallothionein (MT) synthesis. Wistar male rats were given CdCl₂ by sc injection of .8, 1.5, and 3.0 mg Cd/kg three times a week for three weeks. Cd levels of liver and kidneys increased with the increment of Cd dosage and 80–90% of Cd was found in the cytosol. The MT fractions contained 80–89% cytosolic Cd in the liver and 55–75% Cd in the kidneys. Zn concentrations in the liver increased following Cd administration, But Zn in the kidneys showed only slight increase. There was a distinct decrease of Cu concentration in the liver of the 3.0 mg group. In contrast, Cu concentrations in the kidneys increased about three times in the .8 and 1.5 mg Cd groups, but Cu in the 3.0 mg group showed only 1.5 times increase. The changes of these metal concentrations were observed mainly in the cytosol. Non-MT-Cd in the kidneys was maximum in the 1.5 mg group, but the 3.0 mg group showed significant decrease. In parallel with this decrease of Cd, Cu and Zn in the kidneys showed similar decrease. When the kidneys are injured, Zn and Cu appear to leak from this organ.     

Cd-Binding Complexes from the Root Tissues of Various Higher Plants Cultivated in Cd2+-Containing Medium

Stone parsley, soybean, sunflower, sweet potato, potato, andadlay cultivated in a Cd²⁺-containing medium had Cd-bindingcomplexes with molecular weights of about 4,000 in the roottissues. The complexes were similar to the complex previouslyfound in water hyacinth roots in their absorption and CD spectraand their amino acid compositions. The results indicate thewidespread existence of complexes similar to fission yeast Cd-BPlin roots of various plants. (Received June 30, 1986; Accepted December 18, 1986)     

Resting spore formation ofLeptocylindrus danicus (Bacillariophyceae) during short time-scale upwelling and its significance as predicted by a simple model

Resting spore formation during short time-scale upwelling and its significance were investigated in the field and by a simple theoretical model. Field observations of spore formation ofLeptocylindrus danicus were made off Izu Peninsula, Japan. A rapid increase in ratio of resting spore to vegetative cell numbers indicated thatL. danicus formed resting spores quickly as a response to nutrient depletion in the upwelled water, although only a very low number of resting spores was found in the upwelling. A simple model was constructed to investigate the possible advantages of spore formation during short time-scale upwelling. This showed that there is a critical time-scale for resting spore formation to be advantageous. The nutrient depletion period of the upwelling off Izu was shorter than the critical time-scale determined by the model. Rapid-sinking of resting spores may increase further the critical time-scale, unless spores return with upwelling water. For short time-scale upwelling, the vegetative cell may be better suited than the resting spore for enduring a short period of nutrient depletion. Contribution from Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, No. 475.     

Factors controlling induction of commitment of murine erythroleukemia (TSA8) cells to CFU-E (colony forming unit-erythroid)

On addition of DMSO, the MEL cell line TSA8 becomes committed into erythroid progenitor cells (CFU-E) which can form differentiated colonies in the presence of erythropoietin. To understand the mechanism of cellular commitment, the number and the affinity of the receptors for erythropoietin were estimated. The affinity of the receptors did not change before or after induction. The number of receptors changed depending on the growth phase, but was not dependent on the addition of the inducer. Thus, the presence of the receptors for erythropoietin may be required, but are not essential for responsiveness to erythropoietin. Further examination of the optimum conditions for commitment suggests that the concomitant actions of induced factor(s) with the receptors may control commitment of TSA8 cells to CFU-E.