Inhibitory Effect of Calmodulin Antagonists and Calcium Antagonists on Fertilization-Induced Cyanide-Insensitive Respiration in Sea Urchin Eggs

During initial several minutes after fertilization, sea urchin eggs exhibited high rate of respiration which was only slightly inhibited by cyanide. This cyanide-insensitive respiration was inhibited by calcium antagonists, diltiazem and verapamil, and calmodulin antagonists, N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalensulfonamide hydrochloride (W-7), N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide hydrochloride (W-5) and chlorpromazine, which were added within 1 min after insemination. The inhibitory effect of W-7 on cyanide-insensitive respiration was higher than that of W-5. Cyanide-sensitive respiration of fertilized eggs observed after this initial period was not inhibited by these compounds. Ca²⁺ influx in eggs just after fertilization was inhibited by calcium antagonists but was rather enhanced by calmodulin antagonists. Fertilization-induced stimulation of cyanide-insensitive respiration probably results from calmodulin-dependent reactions which are activated by Ca²⁺ influx.     

Development of microsatellite markers for the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum

We isolated nine polymorphic microsatellites from the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum. These loci provide one class of highly variable genetic marker as the number of alleles ranged from six to 22, and the observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.136 to 0.909 and from 0.553 to 0.954, respectively. We consider that these loci are potentially useful for detailing the genetic structure and gene flow among R. philippinarum populations.     

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN RETRACTEDDevelopment of microsatellite markers in the noxious red tide‐causing dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama (Dinophyceae)

We isolated 15 polymorphic microsatellites from one of the most noxious red tide‐causing dinoflagellate species, Heterocapsa circularisquama. These loci provide one class of highly variable genetic markers, as the number of alleles ranged from two to six, and the estimate of gene diversity was from 0.205 to 0.684 across the 15 microsatellites. These loci have the potential to reveal genetic structure and gene flow among H. circularisquama populations.     

Development of compound microsatellite markers in the harmful dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides (Dinophyceae)

We isolated 15 polymorphic microsatellites from Cochlodinium polykrikoides. These loci provide a class of highly variable genetic markers, as the number of alleles ranged from two to 15, and the estimate of gene diversity was from 0.083 to 0.880 across the 15 microsatellites. We consider that these loci have a potential to reveal the genetic structure and gene flow among C. polykrikoides populations.     

A METABOLIC PATHWAY OF ISOCITRIC ACID IN COTYLEDONS OF A BEAN, VIGNA SESQUIPEDALIS

1. It has been established that the absence of isocitric dehydrogenaseactivity in cotyledons of Vigna sesquipedalisin the germinationstage is due to the lack of endogenous TPN. It is unlikely thatthe TCA cycle in the cotyledon is operative.
2. The activitiesof enzymes of the glyoxylate cycle, a modifiedTCA cycle, weremeasured through the germination stage. Theiractivities wereconsiderably higher in the cotyledon tissuethan in the hypocotyl.A dominant metabolic pathway of isocitricacid in the cotyledonmay be the glyoxylate cycle.
3. DPN kinase which produces TPNfrom DPN, ATP and Mg⁺⁺ was localizedin the supernatant portionof cell components in the cotyledon.Its activity was low. DPNkinase serves as a control factorfor the cotyledon metabolism.

(Received April 17, 1961; )     

PLASMALEMMA POTENTIAL IN NITELLA

A considerable part of the response of the vacuolar potentialof Nitella flexilis to the change of external KCl, NaCl, RbCl,LiCl, or CaCl₂ concentration is caused by the response of thecell wall (a cation exchanger) to the external medium. The potentialswere measured on the internodes whose cell sap was exchangedfor simple salt solutions. The potential difference across theplasmalemma which is the internal potential measured againstthe cell wall phase changes largely with the change in concentrationof the external KCl, but also more or less with that of theexternal NaCl, LiCl or RbCl. CaCl₂ depolarizes the plasmalemmapotential by about 50 mv when the concentration is increasedfrom 10^–5 M to 10^–3 M, and hyperpolarizes it againby about 40 mv from 10^–3 M to 10^–1 M leaving thelevel of the peak of the action potential almost unchanged. ¹This work was supported by Research Grants from the Ministryof Education of Japan     

Development of microsatellite markers for the crown‐of‐thorns starfish Acanthaster planci

We isolated nine polymorphic microsatellites from the crown‐of‐thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci. These loci provide one class of highly variable genetic marker as the number of alleles ranged from three to 12 and the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.130 to 0.783 and from 0.163 to 0.862, respectively. We consider that these loci are potentially useful for detailing the genetic structure and gene flow among A. planci populations.