Effect of temporal fluctuation of selection coefficient on gene frequency in a population

The diffusion equations describing the change of gene frequencies are extended to indlude the effect of temporal fluctuation of selection coefficient that may persist for some generations. The equilibrium distribution of gene frequencies and the fixation probability of a mutant gene are obtained from the extended equations. Comparison is made with the experimental data on protein polymorphism. A possible bearing of the fluctuation of selection coefficient on the problem of molecular evolution is discussed in relation to the neutral theory.

Comments of Holmquist's theory for paleogenetics: the effect of multiple hits on nucleotide differences between homologous DNA's

The notion of the probability of back mutation is introduced and the method of probability generating functions is used in order to simplify and unify the Holmquist's (1972) investigation of the effect of multiple hits on nucleotide differences between homologous DNAs. We obtain explicit expressions for the distribution of the number of hit nucleotide sites, the number of altered sites, and the number of differences between two homologous DNAs, as functions of the total number of hits. For the case where the hit rate is a known function of time, we derive a formula for extending these results as functions of time.

Production of trichothecene mycotoxins by Fusarium species in shake culture

Twelve T-2 toxin-producing isolates and four fusarenon-X-producing isolates of Fusarium species were examined for their ability to produce trichothecene mycotoxins in shake culture and jar fermentation. T-2 toxin producers such as Fusarium solani, F. sporotrichiodes, and F. tricinctum produced T-2 toxin and neosolaniol in semisynthetic medium. F. solani M-1-1 produced the largest amount of the mycotoxins in a nutrient medium consisting of 5% glucose (or sucrose), 0.1% peptone, and 0.1% yeast extract in either shake culture or jar fermentation at 24 to 27 C for 5 days. None of the isolates produced significant amount of fusarenon-X in shake cultures.

[Spread of acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis virus in virgin soil (Hokkaido, Japan): observation with serological surveys (author's transl)]

Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC), a novel disease caused with a new type of enterovirus, occurred for the first time in Sapporo City and other areas of Hokkaido in October of 1971. During first 4 months, 1,000 or more cases of AHC were reported in Sapporo and 2,300 cases in other areas. Thereafter, there are no epidemic of AHC in any areas, though there are sporadic cases up to date. To know the spread of exogenous agent, AHC virus, in Hokkaido, the neutralizing antibody was measured with sera of healthy adults resident in 12 separated districts of Hokkaido in 1973 and 1974. It was revealed that the positive reactors to AHC virus were found in 5 to 35% in all districts but one in 1974, and AHC virus was distributed in almost all the areas of Hokkaido within a period of two and half years after invasion. In addition, a sequential sero-survey to detect the spread of AHC virus has been carried out in Sapporo. A rate of neutralizing antibody positives in healthy adults did not show a clear increase on sera withdrawn one year after epidemic of AHC in comparison with those before epidemic, but show a remarkable increase on sera withdrawn later in spite of non-epidemic. An increase of antibody positive rate in non-epidemic period was also obtained from sera of healthy adults resident in districts other than Sapporo. These findings made doubt the changes in transmission on mode and/or in clinical pictures, and the viral mutation in biological character, such as temperature for propagation, may be supposed.

Role of thiamine metabolism in the central nervous system. II. Effects of various agents on thiamine triphosphatase activity in rat brain

The effects of various agents on the activity of brain thiamine triphosphatase (TTPase) in vivo and in vitro were studied. Thiamine deficiency caused a significant increase in soluble TTPase activity and a decrease in membrane-associated TTPase activity. Insulin and a fasting state did not affect these enzyme activities. DL-Methamphetamine (10mg/kg i.p.) increased the activity of the soluble TTPase, whereas reserpine (2.5 mg/kg i.p.) caused no change in the enzyme activities. A single injection of chlopromazine (25 mg/kg s.c.) had no effect on the microsomal or soluble TTPase activities, but repeated injections reduced the activity of the microsomal enzyme. The effects of various neuroactive agents on microsomal TTPase activity were examined in vitro. Among the drugs tested, only chlorpromazine caused marked inhibition of the enzyme activity.

Distribution of zearalenone-producing Fusarium species in Japan

One hundred sixty-six isolates of Fusarium spp. from domestic cereal grains, feed, and other sources were examined for their ability to produce zearalenone on autoclaved moist rice grains. They belonged to the following species (number of producers/number tested): F. roseum (9/28), F. roseum (Culmorum) (3/4), F. roseum (Gibbosum) (2/5), F. roseum (Avenaceum) (1/2), F. roseum (Scirpi) (0/1), F. tricinctum (1/4), F. tricinctum (Sporotrichiella) (0/7), F. lateritium (1/1), F. episphaeria (0/2), F. moniliforme (0/3), F. oxysporum (0/12), F. rigidiusculum (0/4), F. solani (0/4), F. splendens (0/1), F. nivale (0/2), and Fusarium spp. (15/86). Zearalenone was isolated from molded rice by ethanol extraction and purified by column chromatography. Selected isolates of F. roseum M-3-2 and F. roseum (Gibbosum) A-O-2 produced 50 to 100 mg of zearalenone per kg of rice. Increased yields (250 to 407 mg/kg of rice) were obtained by F. roseum M-3-2 when the substrate was supplemented with 1% peptone.

Production of the hepatotoxic chlorine-containing peptide by Penicillium islandicum Sopp

Twenty-six strains of Penicillium islandicum Sopp were tested for production of a chlorine-containing peptide (Cl-peptide), which is a hepatotoxin. Highest levels of the mycotoxin were produced in a modification of Wickerham medium. The mycotoxin was isolated by adsorption on charcoal and, after washing the charcoal with acetone-water (1:1), was eluted into n-butanol. Further purification was accomplished by gel filtration. Maximum yields were 10 to 20 mg of toxin per liter of culture filtrate.

Lethality of adenosine for cultured mammalian cells by interference with pyrimidine biosynthesis

Adenosine at low concentration is toxic to mammalian cells in culture. This may escape notice because some sera (such as calf or human) commonly used in culture media, contain adenosine deaminase. In the absence of serum deaminase, adenosine produced inhibition of growth of a number of established cell lines at concentrations as low as 5 x 10-6 M, and killed at 2 x 10-5 M. This effect required the presence of cellular adenosine kinase, since a mutant line deficient in this enzyme was 70-fold less sensitive to adenosine. The toxic substance is therefore derived from adenosine by phosphorylation, and is probably one of the adenosine nucleotides.

The toxic effect of adenosine in concentrations up to 2 x 10-4 M was completely prevented by the addition of uridine or of pyrimidines potentially convertible to uridine, suggesting that the adenosine was interfering with endogenous synthesis of uridylate. In the presence of adenosine, the conversion of labelled aspartate to uridine nucleotides was reduced by 80-85%, and labelled orotate accumulated in both the cells and in the culture medium. The lethality of adenosine results from inhibition by one of its nucleotide products of the synthesis of uridylate at the stage of phosphoribosylation of orotate.