Appl Environ Microbiol, 1995 Oct, 61(10), 3521 - 9 Genetic diversity and geographical distribution of wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains from the wine-producing area of Charentes, France; Versavaud A et al.; Electrophoretic karyotyping, mitochondrial DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and PCR amplification of interspersed repeats were used to study the variability, phylogenetic affinities, and biogeographic distribution of wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae enological yeasts . The survey concentrated on 42 individual wine cellars in the Charentes area (Cognac region, France) . A limited number (35) of predominant S . cerevisiae strains responsible for the fermentation process have been identified by the above molecular methods of differentiation . One strain (ACI) was found to be distributed over the entire area surveyed . There seemed to be little correlation between geographic location and genetic affinity. Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 1995 Oct, 55(1), 5 - 15 Production of human insulin in an E . coli system with Met-Lys-human proinsulin as the expressed precursor; Chen JQ et al.; The construction of a gene encoding Lys-human proinsulin, its direct expression in E . coli, and the simple purification procedure are described here . The temperature inducible promotor was employed for induction in a very short time . The expression level could reach 20-30% . After simple downstream processing and only one step of Sephadex G50 purification, 150 mg recombinant Lys-human proinsulin with a purity of up to 90% could be obtained easily from 1 L of high density fermentation medium . The obtained product is in the form of Met-Lys-human proinsulin because of the failure of the bacterial host to remove the initiator methionine residue . The Lys-human proinsulin could be changed into human insulin by trypsin and carboxypeptidase B treatment in later steps . After separation with DEAE-Sephadex A25, human insulin with expected amino acid composition and full native biological activity could be obtained with a yield of 50 mg/L of fermentation medium. J Biol Chem, 1995 Sep 22, 270(38), 22321 - 8 Role of the evolutionarily conserved cytochrome b tryptophan 142 in the ubiquinol oxidation catalyzed by the bc1 complex in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Bruel C et al.; Trp-142 is a highly conserved residue of the cytochrome b subunit in the bc1 complexes . To study the importance of this residue in the quinol oxidation catalyzed by the bc1 complex, we characterized four yeast mutants with arginine, lysine, threonine, and serine at position 142 . The mutant W142R was isolated previously as a respiration-deficient mutant unable to grow on non-fermentable carbon sources (Lemesle-Meunier, D., Brivet-Chevillotte, P., di Rago, J.-P, Slonimski, P.P., Bruel, C., Tron, T., and Forget, N . (1993) J . Biol . Chem . 268, 15626-15632) . The mutants W142K, W142T, and W142S were obtained here as respiration-sufficient revertants from mutant W142R . Mutant W142R exhibited a decreased complex II turnover both in the presence and absence of antimycin A; this suggests that the structural effect of W142R in the bc1 complex probably interferes with the correct assembly of the succinate-ubiquinone reductase complex . The mutations resulted in a parallel decrease in turnover number and apparent Km, with the result that there was no significant change in the second-order rate constant for ubiquinol oxidation . Mutants W142K and W142T exhibited some resistance toward myxothiazol, whereas mutant W142R showed increased sensitivity . The cytochrome cc1 reduction kinetics were found to be severely affected in mutants W142R, W142K, and W142T . The respiratory activities and the amounts of reduced cytochrome b measured during steady state suggest that the W142S mutation also modified the quinol-cytochrome c1 electron transfer pathway . The cytochrome b reduction kinetics through center P were affected when Trp-142 was replaced with arginine or lysine, but not when it was replaced with threonine or serine . Of the four amino acids tested at position 142, only arginine resulted in a decrease in cytochrome b reduction through center N . These findings are discussed in terms of the structure and function of the quinol oxidation site and seem to indicate that Trp-142 is not critical to the kinetic interaction of ubiquinol with the reductase, but plays an important role in the electron transfer reactions that intervene between ubiquinol oxidation and cytochrome c1 reduction. Fiziol Zh, 1995 Sep-Dec, 41(5-6), 44 - 9 {The characteristics of tissue lipid peroxidation in the internal organs and the lipid metabolic indices of the blood plasma in a low geomagnetic field}; Babych VI; It was found in experiments on guinea-pigs and white rats that 100-time weakened magnetic field of the earth considerably increased the activity of peroxide oxidation of lipids (POL) in tissues of inner organs . In the lungs, liver, kidneys, small intestine under the influence of hypogeomagnetic field (HGMF) we have observed reduction of ferment antioxidizing activity and of non-ferment mechanisms in the heart . The process is accompanied by reduction of cholesterol, phospholipids and triglycerides in guinea-pigs and increase of this indices in white rats after 5-day-long stay of animals in the hypogeomagnetic chamber . The data of experiments on white rats underlie a conclusion that the 5-day-long influence of HGMF promotes the change of the carbohydrate metabolism for lipid metabolism . The reaction of guinea-pigs on the stay under the weakened magnetic field of the earth displays in reduction of the level of lipid metabolism indices in the blood serum. Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 1995 Sep, 48(2), 113 - 7 Effect of processing on nutrient composition and anti-nutritive substances of African locust bean (Parkia filicoidea) and baobab seed (Adansonia digitata); Addy EO et al.; The effects of various processing techniques on nutrient composition and anti-nutritional factors in baobab seeds (Adansonia digitata L.) and locust beans (Parkia filicoidea L.) were investigated . The methods used for processing include boiling in water, acid or alkali and fermentation . Using the water treated samples as controls, there were slight decreases in protein and carbohydrate contents of the fermented and alkali-treated meals . However, an increase in extractable oil content was observed in acid, alkali and fermented samples . The alkali treatment appeared to be the most effective method for reducing trypsin inhibitor and tannin contents and has the additional advantage of improving the protein digestibility. Nutrition, 1995 Sep-Oct, 11(5 Suppl), 568 - 72 Effects of bio-normalizer (a food supplementation) on free radical production by human blood neutrophils, erythrocytes, and rat peritoneal macrophages; Osato JA et al.; Bio-normalizer, a natural Japanese health food prepared by the fermentation of Carica papaya, exhibits therapeutic properties against various pathologies including tumors and immunodeficiency . To understand the mechanism of bio-normalizer's therapeutic effects, we studied its action on the production of active oxygen species in cell-free systems (the Fenton reaction, the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, and the hydrogen peroxide-hypochloride or hydrogen peroxide-horseradish peroxidase systems) and by human blood neutrophils and erythrocytes and rat peritoneal macrophages . Bio-normalizer efficiently inhibited the formation of oxygen radicals in cell-free systems and partly decreased spontaneous and menadione-stimulated superoxide production by erythrocytes, but manifested both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on oxygen radical release by dormant and activated phagocytes (neutrophils and macrophages) . We suggest that bio-normalizer is able to enhance the intracellular production of innocuous superoxide ion and, at the same time, to diminish the formation of reactive hydroxyl radicals, perhaps by the inactivation of ferrous ions, the catalysts of the superoxide-driven Fenton reaction . We also propose that the normalization of an organism's superoxide level is one of the molecular mechanisms of bio-normalizer activity. Mol Microbiol, 1995 Sep, 17(6), 1093 - 107 Characterization of AGT1 encoding a general alpha-glucoside transporter from Saccharomyces; Han EK et al.; Molecular genetic analysis is used to characterize the AGT1 gene encoding an alpha-glucoside transporter . AGT1 is found in many Saccharomyces cerevisiae laboratory strains and maps to a naturally occurring, partially functional allele of the MAL1 locus . Agt1p is a highly hydrophobic, postulated integral membrane protein . It is 57% identical to Mal61p, the maltose permease encoded at MAL6, and is also a member of the 12 transmembrane domain superfamily of sugar transporters . Like Mal61p, Agt1p is a high-affinity, maltose/proton symporter, but Mal61p is capable of transporting only maltose and turanose, while Agt1p transports these two alpha-glucosides as well as several others including isomaltose, alpha-methylglucoside, maltotriose, palatinose, trehalose and melezitose . AGT1 expression is maltose inducible and induction is mediated by the Mal-activator . The sequence of the upstream region of AGT1 is identical to that of the maltose-inducible MAL61 gene over a 469 bp region containing the UASMAL but the 315 bp sequence immediately upstream of AGT1 shows no significant homology to the sequence immediately upstream of MAL61 . The evolutionary origin of the MAL1 allele to which AGT1 maps and the relationship of AGT1 to other alpha-glucoside fermentation genes is discussed. Rev Sci Tech, 1995 Sep, 14(3), 865 - 71 Characterisation of mycoplasmas isolated from genital tract infections of sheep in Nigeria; Chima JC et al.; Four mycoplasma-like organisms isolated from ewes with mucopurulent vaginal discharge and swollen vulva were characterised . Biochemical tests showed three of the isolates to be negative for glucose fermentation and arginine hydrolysis, while the remaining isolate was negative for glucose fermentation but hydrolysed arginine . Serological identification using the growth inhibition, growth precipitation and indirect immunofluorescence tests indicated the three similar isolates as Mycoplasma bovigenitalium and the other isolate as Mycoplasma arginini . There are apparently no previous reports of the isolation of these organisms from the genital tract of sheep in Nigeria. Br Poult Sci, 1995 Sep, 36(4), 611 - 29 Contribution of oligosaccharide and polysaccharide digestion, and excreta losses of lactic acid and short chain fatty acids, to dietary metabolisable energy values in broiler chickens and adult cockerels; Carre B et al.; 1 . Two experiments were conducted, using both adult cockerels from a layer strain and 3-week-old broiler chickens . In the first experiment, one of the 2 diets investigated was composed mainly of maize and soyabean meals, the other one containing the latter ingredients diluted with 475 g/kg mature pea seeds . For these 2 diets, the apparent metabolisable energy values corrected to 0 nitrogen retention (AMEn) were derived, together with the apparent digestibilities of nitrogen, amino acids, total lipids, starch, individual oligosaccharides, and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) . Excretions of lactic acid and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were also determined . 2 . In the first experiment, the mean apparent digestibilities of starch, lipids, total amino acids, NSP, sucrose and alpha-galacto-oligosaccharides in adult cockerels were 0.946, 0.785, 0.835, 0.045, 0.99 and 0.99, respectively . In broiler chickens, they were 0.938, 0.675, 0.830, -0.016, 0.988 and 0.867, respectively . The bird type effects were significant (P < 0.05) for the digestibilities of starch, lipids, NSP (for the maize-soyabean meal diet, only) and alpha-galacto-oligosaccharides . Broiler chickens excreted a mean of 11.032 g organic acids/kg diet against 4.190 in adult cockerels (P < 0.001) . These digestibility measurements enabled the contribution made by each dietary component to the AMEn value of the diets to be calculated . AMEn values were lower in broiler chickens than in adult cockerels, with on average 0.8 MJ/kg dry matter difference resulting from bird type . This difference was accounted for by differences between bird types in energy supplied by lipids (34.0%), starch (7.5%), alpha-galacto-oligosaccharides (8.7%), NSP (14.2%), and in energy losses from lactic acid excretion (16.4% of the difference in AMEn between bird types) . 3 . In the second experiment 2 diets were studied, consisting of a basal and the basal diluted with 30 g/kg lactose (a fermentable sugar in chickens) and 12 g/kg of a water-soluble gel-forming component containing 50% polygalacturonic acids . Lactose digestibilities reached 0.928 and 0.712 in adult cockerels and chickens, respectively . The digestibilities of the water-soluble polygalacturonic acids were similar in cockerels and broiler chickens, with a mean value of 0.672 . Figures similar to those of the first experiment were found in the comparison between cockerels and broiler chickens, for the AMEn values of diets, the digestibilities of starch and lipids and the excretion of lactic acid . Broiler chickens excreted 4.580 g lactic acid/kg dry food intake, compared with 0.740 g in the adult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS) J Anim Sci, 1995 Sep, 73(9), 2820 - 33 Impact of changes in organic nutrient metabolism on feeding the transition dairy cow; Grummer RR; Pregnancy, decreased feed intake during late gestation, lactogenesis, and parturition have dramatic effects on metabolism in dairy cows during the transition period from 3 wk before calving to 3 wk after calving . Increases in plasma NEFA occur during the 10 d before calving and may precede the decrease in feed intake . Plasma NEFA concentrations are highest at calving and decrease rapidly after calving . Plasma glucose concentration decreases during the transition period except for a transient increase associated with calving . Hepatic glycogen is reduced and lipid is increased during the transition period . Feed intake is usually decreased 30 to 35% during the final 3 wk prepartum, but negative energy and protein balances are not as severe as during the week following parturition . Prepartum feed intake is positively correlated to postpartum feed intake; therefore, efforts to maximize feed intake should begin before calving . Overconditioned cows may be more susceptible to a prepartum decrease in feed intake . Increasing nutrient density of the diet during the transition period may enhance feed intake . Feeding more fermentable carbohydrate during the prepartum transition period may acclimate the microbial population to lactation diets, promote development of ruminal papillae, increase absorptive capacity of the rumen epithelium, and reduce lipolysis by delivering more glucogenic precursor to the liver and enhancing blood insulin . Supplementing fat to transition diets does not seem to alleviate health problems associated with negative energy balance . Enhancing amino acid absorption by the prepartum cow may improve lactation performance and health, although mechanisms of action have not been identified. J Anim Sci, 1995 Sep, 73(9), 2791 - 803 Feeding behavior and management factors during the transition period in dairy cattle; Grant RJ et al.; Little research has focused specifically on the relationships among feeding behavior, management strategy, and optimal intake by the transition cow . Most information must be extrapolated from studies of cattle at other stages of lactation . The transition period can be divided into two distinct phases: 5 to 7 d prepartum, characterized by a 30% reduction in DMI, and 0 to 21 d postpartum, during which time intake should increase rapidly . Feed restriction can reduce number of daily meals by 50%, but when feed is offered for ad libitum consumption, with consistent time of feeding, access can be limited to 8 h daily with no adverse effects on performance of midlactation cows . Sequence of offering feeds may affect intake, but relative degradabilities of dietary protein and starch need to be considered . During early lactation, increased feeding frequency of a total mixed diet may most improve intake when dietary fermentability is moderate to high and management quality is poor . High-producing dairy cows achieve greater intake by increasing meal size and spending less time eating and ruminating per unit of intake . Control of feed intake and meal patterns may differ by parity and should be considered when grouping cattle . Daily exercise of tied dairy cows may not affect intake . Grouping strategy and group feeding behavior influence cow productivity and profitability . Competition for feed and space can be reduced by fenceline feeding vs bunks . Optimum intake during the transition period will occur only if feeding management accommodates normal feeding behavior of dairy cows. J Anim Sci, 1995 Sep, 73(9), 2677 - 86 Influence of forage level and naloxone injection on feed intake, digestion, and plasma hormone and metabolite concentrations in dairy heifers; Burgwald-Balstad LA et al.; Four ruminally cannulated Holstein heifers (287 +/- 26 kg) in a 4 x 4 Latin square were used to evaluate the effects of naloxone injection and forage level on dietary intake, ruminal fermentation characteristics, digestibility, and plasma hormone and metabolite concentrations . Treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial with naloxone injection (0 vs .3 mg/kg; saline vs naloxone, respectively) and forage level (20 vs 100%; concentrate vs forage) as factors . Stanchioned heifers were allowed 21 d for adaptation before a 5-d collection period . Plasma samples were collected several times on d 1 and daily at 0730 . Concentrate-fed heifers consumed more feed (P < .10) than forage-fed heifers . Naloxone injection decreased (P < .10) feed intake (grams/kilogram BW) at 1 and 2 h after feeding on d 1 . On d 3 at 24 h after feeding, naloxone-injected heifers had increased DM (P < .10) intakes compared with control (saline-injected) heifers . Concentrate-fed heifers had decreased (P < .10) ruminal pH and increased total ruminal VFA concentration . Acetate proportion was decreased (P < .10) and propionate proportion increased in concentrate-fed heifers . Naloxone-injected heifers had decreased (P < .10) total VFA concentrations and increased propionate proportions . Concentrate-fed heifers had greater (P < .10) DM, OM, and CP digestibilities as well as increased plasma (P < .10) insulin, urea N, and glucose concentrations but decreased (P < .10) GH and NEFA concentrations . Naloxone injection increased (P < .10) plasma insulin concentration . Naloxone injection in dairy heifers reduces intake up to 2 h after injection, alters ruminal fermentation patterns, and increases plasma insulin concentration. Lipids, 1995 Sep, 30(9), 847 - 53 Resistant starch is more effective than cholestyramine as a lipid-lowering agent in the rat; Younes H et al.; Amylase-resistant starch (RS) represents a substrate for the bacterial flora of the colon, and the question arises as whether RS shares with soluble fibers common mechanisms for their lipid-lowering effects . It is uncertain whether a cholesterol-lowering effect depends basically on an enhanced rate of steroid excretion or whether colonic fermentations also play a role in this effect . In the present study, the effect of RS (25% raw potato starch), of a steroid sequestrant (0.8% cholestyramine), or both were compared on bile acid excretion and lipid metabolism in rats fed semipurified diets . RS diets led to a marked rise in cecal size and the cecal pool of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), as well as SCFA absorption; cholestyramine did not noticeably affect cecal fermentation . Whereas cholestyramine was particularly effective at enhancing bile acid excretion, RS was more effective in lowering plasma cholesterol (-32%) and triglycerides (-29%) . The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase was increased fivefold by cholestyramine and twofold by RS . This induction in rats fed RS diets was concomittant to a depressed fatty acid synthase activity . In rats fed the RS diet, there was a lower concentration of cholesterol in all lipoprotein fractions, especially the (d = 1.040-1.080) fraction high-density lipoprotein (HDL1), while those fed cholestyramine had only a significant reduction of HDL1 cholesterol . In contrast to cholestyramine, RS also depressed the concentration of triglycerides in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 1995 Sep, 35(5), 431 - 53 Value-added products from underutilized fish species; Venugopal V et al.; Fish is a rich source of easily digestible protein that also provides polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for human nutrition . Nonetheless, a large proportion of total landed fish remains unused due to inherent problems related to unattractive color, flavor, texture, small size, and high fat content . Most of these underutilized fish belong to the abundantly available pelagic species, which are landed as bycatch, and some are unconventional species such as krill . Although some species are used industrially for fish meal manufacture, a need for their conservation and utilization for human consumption has been recognized in order to prevent post-harvest fishery losses . Recovery of flesh by mechanical deboning and development of value-added products are probably the most promising approaches . This article discusses various possibilities for product development using mince from low-cost fishery resources . These include surimi and surimi-based products, sausages, fermented products, protein concentrates and hydrolysates, extruded products, and biotechnological possibilities . The dual advantages of this approach, namely, finding ways for better utilization of low-value fish species and providing protein- rich convenience foods, have been pointed out . However, the key to the success of this approach depends largely on the market strategies utilized. J Dairy Sci, 1995 Sep, 78(9), 1999 - 2007 Effects of ruminal versus duodenal dosing of fish meal on ruminal fermentation and milk composition; Calsamiglia S et al.; Three midlactation Holstein cows with ruminal and duodenal cannulas were used in a 3 x 3 Latin square design to determine whether ruminal or postruminal alterations in metabolism were responsible for the changes in milk composition that frequently are associated with dietary fish meal . Cows were offered a diet of 60:40 forage to concentrate (aliquots at 6-h intervals) that was supplemented with isonitrogenous amounts of soybean meal (1.3 kg of DM/d) dosed into the rumen or fish meal (1.0 kg DM/d) dosed either into the rumen or into the duodenum . The DMI, ruminal NDF digestion, and flows of total N and microbial N to the duodenum decreased for cows receiving fish meal . Dietary N flow increased when fish meal was dosed into the rumen . Total concentration of ruminal VFA was greater for cows receiving the soybean meal treatment; however, treatment had no effect on the ratio of ruminal acetate plus butyrate to propionate . Milk and FCM yields were unaffected by treatment, but milk fat content decreased, and milk protein content increased when cows were supplemented with fish meal . The difference in mammary arteriovenous glucose difference decreased when cows were dosed with fish meal . Changes in plasma NEFA and triglycerides were small and inconsistent . Results from this experiment suggest that effects of fish meal on milk composition are due to postruminal alterations in metabolism. J Dairy Sci, 1995 Sep, 78(9), 1981 - 98 Ruminal fermentation and passage of nutrients to the duodenum of lactating cows fed mixtures of corn and barley; Overton TR et al.; Five Holstein cows were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square design and fed diets containing five different ratios of starch from ground shelled corn and steam-rolled barley . The DMI decreased and both the proportions of OM and starch digested in the rumen increased as barley starch increased in the diet . Corn and barley starches fed in a ratio of 75:25 maximized the proportions of ADF and NDF digested in the rumen . Replacement of 25% of the corn starch with barley starch resulted in the largest increase in the molar percentage of propionate and the largest decrease in the molar percentage of acetate in ruminal fluid . Passage of NAN to the duodenum was not affected by treatment; however, the percentage of nonammonia nonmicrobial N in NAN decreased as barley starch increased . Passage of AA to the duodenum was largest when corn and barley starches were fed in ratios of 100: 0 and 0:100 because of the influence of DMI and microbial protein synthesis . Production of Milk, CP, and SNF was similar when cows were fed diets containing corn and barley starches in ratios of 100:0, 75:25, and 50:50 but was decreased when the ratios were 25:75 and 0:100 . Increased production responses of cows when diets contained larger amounts of starch from ground shelled corn were probably due to increased DMI. Biotechnol Prog, 1995 Sep-Oct, 11(5), 558 - 64 Mathematical model for analysis of mass transfer for immobilized cells in lactic acid fermentation; Wang H et al.; A new mathematical model is proposed to analyze the mass transfer behavior in lactic acid fermentation using immobilized cells entrapped in calcium alginate . The model is comprised of material balance equations for glucose, free lactic acid, and several ions . The dissociation rate of lactic acid (rdiss) is involved in the proposed equations . To solve the equations numerically, a modified calculating method is proposed . Through model analysis, the possible mass transfer behavior in the gel bead was discussed . The model is validated by comparisons with the experimental results obtained from batch and continuous fermentation . The simulations using the model were made to investigate the mass transfer limitation in the gel beads . The results showed that the cell density gradient was formed in the gel beads and it was caused by the accumulation of the inhibitory product (free lactic acid), not by substrate starvation . Moreover, unusual mass transfer behavior of lactate ion in the immobilization support was pointed out. Int J Pept Protein Res, 1995 Sep-Oct, 46(3-4), 205 - 8 Novel microbial inhibitors of ACE . Isolation and characterization; Bauer K et al.; Two novel microbial ACE-inhibitors BAY o 6997 and BAY q 1313 were detected in the fermentation broths of streptomyces spec . WS 464 and spec . WS 1065, respectively . Both were isolated and purified by ion exchange chromatography as initial steps, and final purification was achieved by HPLC or additional chromatography of the Cu-chelate (BAY q 1313) . Both inhibitors are reversibly inactivated on chelation with Cu2+ or Zn2+ . Irreversible inactivation occurs on standing in aqueous and acidic solution or in ammonium hydroxide at room temperature and more rapidly on heating . In 4 M sodium hydroxide solutions BAY o 6997 is completely stable, and BAY q 1313 still remarkably stable even on longer heating to 80 degrees C . Thus, BAY o 6997 was alternatively and advantageously isolated after heating of its solution in 4 M sodium hydroxide to 37 degrees C for 2 days and subsequent fractional precipitation with ethanol in a relatively pure state . Total hydrolysis yielded His, 2-methylamino-4-amino-butyric acid and alpha-keto butyric acid (BAY o 6997) and pyruvic acid (BAY q 1313) respectively . The unusual stability of both inhibitors in sodium hydroxide solution on the one hand and their instability on heating and storage in aqueous or acidic solutions on the other hand clearly prove that the constituents are not linked by amide bonds. Nippon Yakurigaku Zasshi, 1995 Sep, 106(3), 193 - 204 {Discovery and pharmacological properties of selective neurokinin-receptor antagonists, FK224 and FK888}; Fujii T; In order to create a new drug for the treatment of respiratory diseases, such as asthma and chronic bronchitis, having a novel therapeutic mechanism, we have been trying to develop new compounds with neurokinin (NK)-receptor antagonistic effects . We used {3H}-substance P binding to guinea pig lung membrane for the first screening system and successfully discovered FK224 from a fermentation product and FK888 from chemical design studies using an octapeptide antagonist (D-Pro4,D-Trp7,9,10) SP4-11 as the parent compound . FK224 and FK888 showed different selectivities against the NK-receptor subtypes (NK1, NK2, NK3); FK888 was a highly potent NK1-selective antagonist, and FK224 was a NK1 + NK2 dual receptor antagonist . Neither compound had any activity on the NK3 receptor . In the in vivo experiments, FK224 and FK888 significantly inhibited the constriction and plasma extravasation in the airway induced by agonist injection . These compounds also showed inhibitory effects on the airway response induced by capsaicin and antidromic stimulation of vagus nerves . Furthermore, FK224 and FK888 were effective on the mucus secretion in the airway and the cough reflex induced by citric acid challenge . There were some differences in the effects of FK224 and FK888 in the in vivo experiments, and it was suggested that the NK1 receptor and NK2 receptor were mainly involved in neurogenic inflammation and airway constriction, respectively . FK224 and FK888 are now undergoing clinical studies to test the effectiveness of a NK antagonist in human respiratory diseases. Br J Biomed Sci, 1995 Sep, 52(3), 173 - 7 Biotyping of Escherichia coli in microwell plates; Crichton PB et al.; A simple, inexpensive scheme of eight tests for biotyping strains of Escherichia coli in microwell plates is described . The tests comprise primary tests for the fermentation of raffinose, sorbose, ornithine, dulcitol and 2-deoxy-D-ribose, and secondary tests for rhamnose fermentation, lysine decarboxylation and motility . Among a collection of 75 clinical isolates of Esch . coli from 12 patients, 18 full biotypes designated according to their positive and negative reactions in the eight tests were distinguished . These biotypes gave an indication of the natural history of patients' infections . Because it provides excellent and reliable type discrimination, biotyping can be used in a combination with other typing techniques to resolve local epidemiological problems involving Esch . coli. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1995 Sep-Oct, (5), 3 - 8 {The characteristics of new species of pathogenic microorganisms in the genus Francisella}; Meshcheriakova IS et al.; The comparative study of newly discovered pathogenic bacteria of the genus Francisella was carried out with the use of a complex of microbiological and serological methods . While having great similarity to the causative agent of tularemia, F . novicida, F . novicida-like bacteria and F . philomiragia had lesser growth requirements, some specific morphological and structural features, were capable of fermenting sucrose and exhibited low pathogenicity to experimental animals . The strains under study proved to be virulent with regard to golden hamsters, who were for this reason proposed as an adequate model for the isolation of these bacteria from environmental objects and pathological material obtained from patients . The use of immunoblotting made it possible to find out that all Francisella species had protein antigens, similar to their electrophoretic mobility and serological activity. Nutr Hosp, 1995 Sep-Oct, 10(5), 279 - 85 {Cytometric study of colonic tumors in a model of experimental colonic cancer . Impact of the diet}; Afonso Rodriguez JJ et al.; Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid, made up of four carbon atoms . Along with acetate and propionate, they are the main volatile fatty acids formed by the microbial fermentation of the carbohydrates of dietary fibre in the colon, mainly in the caecum . Additionally, they acidify the intracolonic pH, and they play an important role in the regulation of the absorption of water and sodium . On the other hand, they are, especially butyrate, preferred by the colon cell, as sources of energy alternative to glucose . Besides this, butyrate, in cellular cultures, is a known antineoplasic agent which is characterized by doubling the cellular duplication time for cells in the G1 phase, it increases the activity of certain enzymes, it stimulates the effects of interferon, it modifies the morphology of the cells, which in some cases leads to the reversion of the characteristic transformations of the cancerous cells, and it produces alterations in the chromatin, the nucleoli, elements of the cytoskeleton and the Golgi apparatus . Even though it is not known how it causes these actions, it is thought that the acetylization of histones which it produces, may be an important mechanism . We analyzed the effect of this substance in a colonic carcinogenesis model in Sprague-Dawley rats, in which the tumors were induced with the alkylating agent 1,2-dimethylhydrazide, observing the cytometric pattern of the tumors, and the possible differences between both groups . In one of them, sodium butyrate was continuously infused by means of a intrathecal catheter at a rhythm of 1.5 ml/hour during the tumoral induction which lasted four weeks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) Am J Gastroenterol, 1995 Sep, 90(9), 1455 - 60 Factors influencing the 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test for bacterial overgrowth; Riordan SM et al.; OBJECTIVES: To document the sensitivity of the 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test for bacterial overgrowth and to investigate luminal and nonluminal factors that may influence breath 14CO2 levels and impact on the clinical utility of this test . METHODS: Thirty-five adult subjects were investigated for bacterial overgrowth by culture of gastric and small intestinal aspirates and by a 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test . Body weight, gastroduodenal pH and the in vitro capability of overgrowth flora to ferment D-xylose were assessed . Serial breath 14CO2 levels were also recorded before and after the resolution of malabsorption in a subject with celiac disease to determine the importance of postabsorptive metabolism of this substrate . RESULTS: Gastric and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth were present in 19/35 (54.3%) and 21/35 (60.0%) subjects, respectively . The positivity rate of culture of aspirate exceeded that of the 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test . Endogenous CO2 production independently influenced breath 14CO2 levels . After excluding this influence, sensitivity of the 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test for gastric bacterial overgrowth or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth was poor, even when overgrowth with specific "marker organisms" was considered . Poor sensitivity could not be explained by unfavorable luminal pH . Overgrowth flora were proven capable of in vitro D-xylose fermentation in 81.8% of subjects . Systemic and/or colonic metabolism of 1-g 14C-D-xylose appear to be important factors influencing results of the 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test, especially in partial gastrectomy subjects . CONCLUSIONS: The 1-g 14C-D-xylose breath test is not a suitable alternative to culture of aspirate for the investigation of subjects for bacterial overgrowth. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Sep, 48(9), 990 - 6 Structure of the new spiroketal-macrolide A82548A; Kirst HA et al.; A new member of the spiroketal-containing macrolide class of fermentation-derived natural products was isolated from mycelial extracts of Streptomyces diastatochromogenes . The principal component, A82548A, was shown to possess a 22-membered macrolide ring system onto which was incorporated both a spiroketal and a hemiketal moiety . Relative stereochemistry was established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies . Absolute stereochemistry was determined via hydrolysis of the amino sugar glycosidically linked to the aglycone, which was identified as L-kedarosamine . The overall three-dimensional structure is closely related to that of the macrolides cytovaricin, rutamycin, and ossamycin. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Sep, 48(9), 973 - 6 Ratjadon: a new antifungal compound from Sorangium cellulosum (myxobacteria) production, physio-chemical and biological properties; Gerth K et al.; An antifungal activity, ratjadon, was detected in the culture broth of Sorangium cellulosum (Myxococcales) strain So ce360 . The metabolite was quantitatively bound to the adsorber resin XAD-16, which was added to the medium at the beginning of the fermentation . The antibiotic spectrum was narrow, but some important phytopathogenic fungi, especially species of Oomycetes, were inhibited at very low concentrations. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Sep, 48(9), 937 - 41 Amidepsines, inhibitors of diacylglycerol acyltransferase produced by Humicola sp . FO-2942 . I . Production, isolation and biological properties; Tomoda H et al.; Humicola sp . FO-2942, a soil isolate, was found to produce a series of new inhibitors of diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) . Three active compounds, designated amidepsines A, B and C, were isolated from the fermentation broth of the producing strain by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography, ODS column chromatography and HPLC . Amidepsines inhibit DGAT activity with IC50 values of 10.2 approximately 51.6 microM in an enzyme assay system using rat liver microsomes . Amidepsines also showed specific inhibition of triacylglycerol formation in intact Raji cells, indicating that they inhibit DGAT activity in living cells. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Sep, 48(9), 913 - 23 Azaphilones with endothelin receptor binding activity produced by Penicillium sclerotiorum: taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, structure elucidation and biological activity; Pairet L et al.; A series of azaphilones produced by Penicillium sclerotiorum (Xenova culture collection number X11853) active in assays for the detection of antagonists of the endothelin-A (ETA) and endothelin-B (ETB) receptors has been identified . The series includes two novel sclerotiorin analogues, (8S,8 alpha-R)-7-deacetyl-1,O8,8,8a-tetrahydro-7-epi-sclerotiorin, 1, and its 5-dechloro analogue, 2 . It also includes 5-chloroisorotiorin, 6, previously unreported as a natural product, in addition to the major product of these fermentations, (+)-sclerotiorin, 5 . Data for the inhibition of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin-3 (ET-3) binding in the ETA and ETB receptor assays respectively are reported for this series . Compounds 1 and 2 were more selective for the rabbit ETA receptor than for the rat ETB receptor . The IC50 values for 1 and 2 were 9 and 28 microM respectively in an assay based on binding of ET-1 to rabbit ETA receptors . In an assay based on the binding of ET-3 to the rat ETB receptor compounds 1 and 2 exhibited IC50's of 77 and 172 microM . Members of this series of compounds demonstrated antagonist behavior in a secondary assay based on blockade of ET-1 stimulated arachidonic acid release from rabbit renal artery smooth muscle cells, when present at concentrations of > or = 30 microM. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1995 Sep, 61(9), 3293 - 8 Isolation and characterization of an anaerobic ruminal bacterium capable of degrading hydrolyzable tannins; Nelson KE et al.; An anaerobic diplococcoid bacterium able to degrade hydrolyzable tannins was isolated from the ruminal fluid of a goat fed desmodium (Desmodium ovalifolium), a tropical legume which contains levels as high as 17% condensed tannins . This strain grew under anaerobic conditions in the presence of up to 30 g of tannic acid per liter and tolerated a range of phenolic monomers, including gallic, ferulic, and p-coumaric acids . The predominant fermentation product from tannic acid breakdown was pyrogallol, as detected by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry . Tannic acid degradation was dependent on the presence of a sugar such as glucose, fructose, arabinose, sucrose, galactose, cellobiose, or soluble starch as an added carbon and energy source . The strain also demonstrated resistance to condensed tannins up to a level of 4 g/liter. Br J Nutr, 1995 Sep, 74(3), 303 - 22 Estimation of the fermentability of dietary fibre in vitro: a European interlaboratory study; Barry JL et al.; Five European laboratories tested a simple in vitro batch system for dietary fibre fermentation studies . The inoculum was composed of fresh human faeces mixed with a carbonate-phosphate buffer complex supplemented with trace elements and urea . Five dietary fibre sources (cellulose, sugarbeet fibre, soyabean fibre, maize bran and pectin) were used by each laboratory on three occasions to determine pH, residual non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and short-chain fatty acid production during fermentation . Cellulose and maize bran degradabilities were very low (7.2(SE 10.8) and 6.2 (SE 9.1)% respectively after 24 h), whereas pectin and soyabean fibre were highly degraded (97.4 (SE 4.4) and 91.1 (SE 3.4)% respectively after 24 h) . Sugarbeet fibre exhibited an intermediate level of degradability (59.5 (SE 14.9)%) . Short-chain fatty acid production was closely related to NSP degradation (r 0.99) . Although each variable was ranked similarly by all laboratories, some differences occurred with respect to absolute values . However, the adaptation of donors to the experimental substrates was not an influential factor . Interlaboratory differences could be reduced either by adding less substrate during incubations or using less-diluted inocula . In vitro fermentations with inocula made from human faeces and from rat caecal contents gave similar results . There was a close correspondence between the data obtained in the present experiment and those previously published in in vivo studies in the rat using the same fibres . The in vitro batch system tested during the present study provides a rapid means of obtaining quantitative estimates of the fermentation and the estimation of the energy content of new sources of dietary fibre. Br J Nutr, 1995 Sep, 74(3), 289 - 302 Determination of digestible energy values and fermentabilities of dietary fibre supplements: a European interlaboratory study in vivo; Livesey G et al.; The performance of methods to determine energy conversion factors for dietary fibre (DF) supplements and fermentability (D) values of their non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) was investigated . Heats of combustion, digestible energy (DE) and D values were determined on five DF supplements in five European laboratories on five separate occasions . In each instance the DF supplements were fed to juvenile male Wistar rats at two doses, 50 and 100 g/kg basal diet, for 3 weeks with food and faeces collected in the 3rd week . Among-laboratory variations in heats of combustion (delta Hc) were < 2% . DE values (kJ/g dry weight) at the upper and lower doses respectively were: 10.4 and 9.9 for a high-methoxyl apple pectin, 9.5 and 9.4 for a sugar-beet DF supplement, 12.2 and 12.7 for soyabean DF supplement, 3.8 and 4.0 for maize bran, and 0.3 and 0.3 for Solka-floc cellulose . Variations among laboratories, among occasions and among animals were < 1, < 2 and < 2.5 kJ/g respectively . The among-occasion: among-laboratory variance ratio for DE was 0.5, suggesting the method performed equally well in all laboratories . There was no evidence of learning of fatigue or fatigue in the performance of the method . D values were also independent of dose and at the high and lower doses were: pectin 0.92 and 0.95, sugar-beet NSP 0.68 and 0.68, soyabean NSP 0.86 and 0.88, maize bran 0.17 and 0.18, cellulose 0.07 and 0.06 . Among-laboratory variance tended to increase with decreasing fermentability and ranged from 0.03 to 0.18 . The DE and D data were not significantly different from a previously proposed relationship DE = 0.7 x delta Hc x D, where delta Hc is the heat of combustion of the supplement . We conclude that while the among-laboratory variation in the D of difficult-to-ferment NSP is too large for the reliable prediction of energy value the method for the direction determination of DE is both reproducible and repeatable, that DE is independent of dosage of DF supplement up to 100 g/kg diet, and that it is safe to discriminate between energy values with a precision of 3 kJ/g . The conversion of both DE and D to net metabolizable energy for the purpose of food labelling, tables and databases is described. Trends Biotechnol, 1995 Sep, 13(9), 388 - 92 Transgenic plants as vaccine production systems; Mason HS et al.; Transgenic plants that express foreign proteins with industrial or pharmaceutical value represent an economical alternative to fermentation-based production systems . Specific vaccines have been produced in plants as a result of the transient or stable expression of foreign genes . It has recently been shown that genes encoding antigens of bacterial and viral pathogens can be expressed in plants in a form in which they retain native immunogenic properties . Transgenic potato tubers expressing a bacterial antigen stimulated humoral and mucosal immune responses when they were provided as food . These results provide 'proof of concept' for the use of plants as a vehicle to produce vaccines. Mol Cell Biol, 1995 Sep, 15(9), 4763 - 70 RPM2, independently of its mitochondrial RNase P function, suppresses an ISP42 mutant defective in mitochondrial import and is essential for normal growth; Kassenbrock CK et al.; RPM2 is identified here as a high-copy suppressor of isp42-3, a temperature-sensitive mutant allele of the mitochondrial protein import channel component, Isp42p . RPM2 already has an established role as a protein component of yeast mitochondrial RNase P, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme required for the 5' processing of mitochondrial precursor tRNAs . A relationship between mitochondrial tRNA processing and protein import is not readily apparent, and, indeed, the two functions can be separated . Truncation mutants lacking detectable RNase P activity still suppress the isp42-3 growth defect . Moreover, RPM2 is required for normal fermentative yeast growth, even though mitochondrial RNase P activity is not . The portion of RPM2 required for normal growth and suppression of isp42-3 is the same . We conclude that RPM2 is a multifunctional gene . We find Rpm2p to be a soluble protein of the mitochondrial matrix and discuss models to explain its suppression of isp42-3. Gene, 1995 Aug 8, 161(1), 75 - 9 Carbon source-dependent regulation of the acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase-encoding gene ACS1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Kratzer S et al.; The yeast ACS1 gene, encoding acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase (ACS), was cloned using colony hybridization and a facA probe from Aspergillus nidulans . The complete sequence of 1.5 kb of the ACS1 upstream region was determined . Northern hybridization revealed a strong depression of ACS1 transcripts in a strain grown on the nonfermentable carbon sources, acetate or ethanol . In contrast to a previous report, delta acs1 null mutants did not exhibit a growth defect on acetate medium . Indeed, enzyme assays showed the presence of an additional constitutively expressed ACS activity in delta acs1 mutants . The carbon source-dependent expression was further investigated by the use of an ACS1::lacZ fusion gene, showing complete repression on easily fermentable sugars such as glucose, maltose, sucrose or galactose . Binding sites for the yeast general regulatory factors, Abf1p and Reb1p, together with a sequence reminiscent of the recently identified carbon source-responsive element (CSRE), could be detected in the ACS1 upstream region, presumably mediating the observed regulatory phenotype of this ACS isoenzyme. J Dairy Sci, 1995 Aug, 78(8), 1837 - 42 Effect of forage to concentrate ratio on disappearance of vitamins A and E during in vitro ruminal fermentation; Weiss WP et al.; The effects of forage to concentrate ratio and the commercial form of vitamins A and E on in vitro ruminal disappearance of retinol and alpha-tocopherol were studied . Ruminally fistulated cows were fed diets with either 80 or 50% forage . In vitro substrates that were similar to those fed to the donor cows were incubated with buffered ruminal fluid for 24 h . Different commercial forms of vitamin E (spray-dried, silicic acid adsorbate, and lipid-encased forms) and vitamin A (gelatin beadlet and lipid-encased forms) were added to the flasks . The vitamin E was all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, and the vitamin A was all-trans-retinyl acetate . The amount of alpha-tocopherol in the flasks was not affected by diet or form of vitamin E and did not change over the 24-h incubation . Retinol disappearance was not affected by form of vitamin A but was substantially higher for the 50% forage diet than for the 80% forage diet (72 vs . 20% at 24 h) . These data suggest that ruminal metabolism of vitamin E is minimal and not affected by forage to concentrate ratio . Additionally, vitamin A destruction in the rumen was much higher when cows were fed a typical lactation diet than when fed a typical dry cow diet. J Dairy Sci, 1995 Aug, 78(8), 1815 - 23 Steady-state rates of linoleic acid biohydrogenation by ruminal bacteria in continuous culture; Fellner V et al.; Ruminal biohydrogenation of linoleic acid was determined in fermenters with a continuous culture of microorganisms . Rates of biohydrogenation and changes of fatty acids in culture were measured during steady-state concentration of linoleic acid that was achieved by continuous infusion of linoleic acid into the fermenters . A number of trans and cis isomers were identified using a GLC equipped with an infrared detector . The infusion of linoleic acid resulted in a substantial increase in the content of trans-C18:1 and a lesser increase in cis-C18:1 . the major trans peak consisted of a mixture of n-9 and n-7 isomers . Biohydrogenation of infused linoleic acid averaged 77% . There was evidence of fatty acid loss, as determined by a decrease in the recovery of linoleic acid after 8 h of infusion . Addition of C18:2n-6 had no major effect on the VFA production by ruminal microorganisms . The results were similar to those measured in vivo, indicating that artificial fermenters were reliable predictors of fatty acid metabolism in vivo. J Dairy Sci, 1995 Aug, 78(8), 1755 - 65 Effects of inoculation and wilting on the preservation and utilization of wheat forage; Williams CC et al.; Wheat forage was harvested at an early head stage of maturity and ensiled in 12 900-kg experimental silos at three percentages of DM (20.8% for direct-cut forage and 27.9 or 39.3% for wilted forage) either with or without application of a lactic acid bacterial inoculant . The objective was to test the efficacy of the inoculant to alter silage fermentation, preservation, and nutritive value of wheat forage ensiled at different moisture percentages because of wilting . Wilting enhanced DM preservation and decreased fermentation end products . Inoculation made the fermentation more homolactic but did not enhance DM preservation . Silage rations (80% DM as silage) were fed at 1.8% of BW/d to six ruminally and abomasally fistulated steers (350 kg) in an experiment with a Latin-square design and a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments . Digestive responses to silage diets were not influenced by inoculation . Intake was depressed with direct-cut silage rations . Wilting improved fiber digestibility and was associated with changes in ruminal contents and fermentation end products . Wilting appears to be more effective than inoculation as a postharvest management tool to improve small grain silage. Sci China B, 1995 Aug, 38(8), 954 - 62 Analysis of heterogeneity of gene products (interferon) expressed in yeast; Wang H et al.; FPLC, SDS-PAGE and Western blot techniques are used to analyse the heterogeneity of interferon alpha A (IFN-alpha A) expressed in yeast . The heterogeneity consists of (i) the presence of IFN polymer, (ii) partial processing of signal leader peptide and (iii) internal degradation . The reasons for heterogeneity of gene products in expression system of yeast are analysed . The methods of avoiding heterogeneity, such as depolymerization, adding inhibitors of protease to the culture supernatant, the oligonucleotide-directed deletion mutagenesis and improvements of fermentation, are discussed. J Bioenerg Biomembr, 1995 Aug, 27(4), 379 - 85 Regulation of alternative oxidase activity in higher plants; Day DA et al.; Plant mitochondria contain two terminal oxidases: cytochrome oxidase and the cyanide-insensitive alternative oxidase . Electron partioning between the two pathways is regulated by the redox poise of the ubiquinone pool and the activation state of the alternative oxidase . The alternative oxidase appears to exist as a dimer which is active in the reduced, noncovalently linked form and inactive when in the oxidized, covalently linked form . Reduction of the oxidase in isolated tobacco mitochondria occurs upon oxidation of isocitrate or malate and may be mediated by matrix NAD(P)H . The activity of the reduced oxidase is governed by certain other organic acids, notably pyruvate, which appear to interact directly with the enzyme . Pyruvate alters the interaction between the alternative oxidase and ubiquinol so that the oxidase becomes active at much lower levels of ubiquinol and competes with the cytochrome pathway for electrons . These requirements for activation of the alternative oxidase constitute a sophisticated feed-forward control mechanism which determines the extent to which electrons are directed away from the energy-conserving cytochrome pathway to the non-energy conserving alternative oxidase . Such a mechanism fits well with the proposed role of the alternative oxidase as a protective enzyme which prevents over-reduction of the cytochrome chain and fermentation of accumulated pyruvate. J Anim Sci, 1995 Aug, 73(8), 2483 - 92 Methane emissions from cattle; Johnson KA et al.; Increasing atmospheric concentrations of methane have led scientists to examine its sources of origin . Ruminant livestock can produce 250 to 500 L of methane per day . This level of production results in estimates of the contribution by cattle to global warming that may occur in the next 50 to 100 yr to be a little less than 2% . Many factors influence methane emissions from cattle and include the following: level of feed intake, type of carbohydrate in the diet, feed processing, addition of lipids or ionophores to the diet, and alterations in the ruminal microflora . Manipulation of these factors can reduce methane emissions from cattle . Many techniques exist to quantify methane emissions from individual or groups of animals . Enclosure techniques are precise but require trained animals and may limit animal movement . Isotopic and nonisotopic tracer techniques may also be used effectively . Prediction equations based on fermentation balance or feed characteristics have been used to estimate methane production . These equations are useful, but the assumptions and conditions that must be met for each equation limit their ability to accurately predict methane production . Methane production from groups of animals can be measured by mass balance, micrometeorological, or tracer methods . These techniques can measure methane emissions from animals in either indoor or outdoor enclosures . Use of these techniques and knowledge of the factors that impact methane production can result in the development of mitigation strategies to reduce methane losses by cattle . Implementation of these strategies should result in enhanced animal productivity and decreased contributions by cattle to the atmospheric methane budget. J Anim Sci, 1995 Aug, 73(8), 2458 - 68 Effects of forage level and canola seed supplementation on site and extent of digestion of organic matter, carbohydrates, and energy by steers; Hussein HS et al.; The objective of this study was to determine the effects of fat supplementation from canola seed (CS) on ruminal fermentation and postruminal digestion of OM, carbohydrates, and energy of diets containing different levels of forage . Six ruminally and duodenally cannulated beef steers (354 kg +/- 18) were given ad libitum access to six isonitrogenous diets that were offered twice daily in a 6 x 6 Latin square design . Treatments were arranged as a 2 x 3 factorial with two forage levels (70 vs 30% of dietary DM as corn silage) and three forms of CS supplementation including no CS or CS added at 10% of dietary DM as whole CS treated with alkaline hydrogen peroxide or untreated crushed CS . Fat from CS provided 5% of dietary DM . The remaining dietary ingredients were corn, canola meal, molasses, and urea . No interactions (P > .05) between dietary forage level and CS supplementation were observed for ruminal characteristics or digestion of OM, carbohydrates, and energy in the rumen, postruminally, or in the total tract . Fat supplementation from CS did not affect (P > .05) DMI . With few exceptions, fat supplementation did not affect (P > .05) ruminal, postruminal, or total tract digestibilities of OM, structural and nonstructural carbohydrates, and GE . Ruminal disappearance of GE was decreased (P < .05) when diets were supplemented with fat from whole treated CS, and total tract digestibilities of OM and GE were decreased (P < .05) when diets were supplemented with fat from CS in either form . Ruminal pH, concentrations of NH3 N and total VFA, and molar proportions of acetate, propionate, and butyrate were not affected (P > .05) by fat supplementation . Results suggest that fat supplementation from CS (at 5% of dietary DM) as whole treated or untreated crushed had no negative effects on ruminal fermentation of OM, carbohydrates, or energy when steers were given ad libitum access to diets containing high or low forage. J Anim Sci, 1995 Aug, 73(8), 2428 - 37 Influence of altering ruminal degradation of soybean meal protein on in situ ruminal fiber disappearance of forages and fibrous byproducts; Hussein HS et al.; The objective was to determine the effects of altering ruminal CP degradation of soybean meal (SBM) by roasting (Exp . 1) on ruminal characteristics and extents of in situ disappearance of DM, OM, and fiber components (Exp . 2) . A control diet (8.2% CP) containing oat hulls, corn silage, starch grits, ammoniated corn cobs, and molasses was supplemented to 17.1% CP with unroasted SBM (SBM-0) or SBM roasted at 165 degrees C for 75, 150, or 210 min (SBM-75, SBM-150, and SBM-210, respectively) . In Exp . 1, SBM was incubated for 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 24 h in the rumen of two steers that were fed the SBM-0 diet . Extents of ruminal CP degradation and rates of N disappearance decreased (P < .05) linearly with increasing roasting time of SBM . In Exp . 2, five ruminally cannulated steers were used in a 5 x 5 Latin square design and were fed the five diets listed above during five 11-d periods . On d 11, five substrates (alfalfa hay, orchardgrass hay, corn silage, soy hulls, and wheat straw) were incubated in the rumen for 24 h . Extents of in situ disappearance of DM, OM, and fiber (NDF, ADF, cellulose, hemicellulose, and total dietary fiber) were analyzed as a split-plot design . No substrate x diet interaction (P > .05) was observed for any of the measurements evaluated . Extents of in situ disappearance (24 h) of DM, OM, and fiber were highest (P < .05) when the control diet was fed and were lowest (P < .05) when the SBM-0 diet was fed . Decreasing the availability of SBM protein in the diet by roasting increased (P < or = .10) extents of in situ disappearance of DM, OM, and fiber linearly . These extents were similar for steers fed the control diet or the diet containing SBM-210 . Ruminal concentrations of NH3 N, branched-chain VFA, and valerate were highest (P < .05) and ruminal pH lowest (P < .05) when the SBM-0 diet was fed . Results indicated a rapid ruminal fermentation of both protein and readily available carbohydrates of SBM (resulting in pH below 6.0) during the first 4.5 h after feeding the SBM-0 diet . Making both protein and readily available carbohydrates of SBM more slowly fermentable by roasting slowed early fermentation processes, maintained higher ruminal pH, and encouraged earlier and faster ruminal fiber digestion. J Clin Pharm Ther, 1995 Aug, 20(4), 235 - 41 Dental properties of antiseptic throat lozenges formulated with sugars or Lycasin; Grenby TH; Thirteen different formulations of throat lozenges were examined for their acidity, demineralizing action on hydroxylapatite, and fermentability by human dental plaque micro-organisms . Their flavouring acids gave them low pH values in the range 2.6-3.7, leading to the dissolution of calcium and phosphorus from hydroxylapatite . The combination of antiseptics and flavouring acids in the lozenges inhibited microbial growth and metabolism . In the absence of any antiseptics and flavouring acids, the growth and metabolic activity of cultures of plaque micro-organisms were significantly greater on sucrose+glucose lozenges than on a new Lycasin formulation. Clin Invest Med, 1995 Aug, 18(4), 296 - 302 Implications of altering the rate of carbohydrate absorption from the gastrointestinal tract; Jenkins DJ et al.; The rate of absorption of carbohydrate from the small intestine plays a major role in determining the metabolic effects of dietary carbohydrate . Factors which reduce the rate of absorption include the nature of the starch and sugars, and the presence of vegetable proteins, fats, viscous fibre, and antinutrients, including lectins and phytates . The rate of absorption can also be manipulated by the use of specific enzyme inhibitors and by increasing the number and frequency of meals while holding caloric intake constant . All these factors contribute to the creation of what may be termed slow release or "lente carbohydrate" . The slowing of small intestinal absorption, as exemplified by increased meal frequency ("nibbling"), results in reduced postprandial insulin secretion and lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations . A further effect of some manipulations which reduce the rate of absorption is increased delivery of carbohydrate to the colon and its absorption after bacterial fermentation to short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) . These SCFA may have beneficial effects on colonic health(butyrate) or further inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver (propionate) . Thus the absorption of "lente carbohydrate" takes place along the full length of the gastrointestinal tract with a wide variety of physiological consequences. Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek, 1995 Aug, 68(2), 165 - 71 Taxonomy of Penicillium nalgiovense isolates from mould-fermented sausages; Andersen SJ; A large number of Penicillium nalgiovense isolates from mould fermented sausages and the ex type culture were examined for characters of morphology, physiology and production of secondary metabolites . To separate biotypes within the P . nalgiovense species, the data obtained were evaluated using multivariate statistical methods . The macromorphological characters of the ex type culture and isolates from meat products appeared to be distinctive . The ex type culture is characterized by a brown reverse on both Czapek yeast extract and malt extract agar while the isolates from meat products have a yellow to orange reverse . Proteolytic and/or lipolytic activity was demonstrated by 75% of the examined cultures and all of them demonstrated ability to utilize lactate as sole carbon source . Growth on creatine sucrose agar was very inhibited and acid production was absent or very weak . TLC analysis showed production of three unknown secondary metabolites that constituted the characteristic profile . HPLC analysis showed production of only three known secondary metabolites; chrysogine (96%), nalgiolaxin and nalgiovensin (9%) . The ex type culture produced nalgiolaxin and nalgiovensin but not chrysogine . The chemometric evaluation showed that P . nalgiovense isolates from meat products from a homogenous species, which can not be divided into biotypes . The only indication of grouping, beside a separation of the ex type culture, was related to the conidium colour (white, turquoise or grey green) . The examined P . nalgiovense isolates showed some resemblance (morphologically and chemically) to P . chrysogenum. Biochem Mol Biol Int, 1995 Aug, 36(6), 1263 - 8 Bio-Catalyzer alpha . rho No . 11 (Bio-Normalizer) supplementation: effect on oxidative stress to isolated rat hearts; Haramaki N et al.; Bio-Catalyzer alpha . rho No . 11 (Bio-Normalizer), a natural health food product prepared by yeast fermentation of medicinal plants, has been recently reported to possess antioxidant properties . To better define its antioxidant action, we investigated the effects of orally supplemented Bio-Normalizer on oxidative damage in the rat heart . Hearts were isolated from control or Bio-Normalizer supplemented animals and 1) exposed to ischemia-reperfusion using the Langendorff technique, or 2) homogenized and exposed to peroxyl radicals generated from (2,2'-azobis (2,4'-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) . During reperfusion following 40 minutes of ischemia, leakage of lactate dehydrogenase from hearts isolated from Bio-Normalizer supplemented rats was significantly lower than from hearts of control animals . Furthermore, lower levels of AMVN-induced accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and of protein carbonyl derivatives were measured in homogenates prepared from hearts isolated from Bio-Normalizer supplemented rats than in samples from control animals . Our findings confirm an antioxidant action of Bio-Normalizer and show that it protects the heart against ischemia-reperfusion induced damage. Protein Expr Purif, 1995 Aug, 6(4), 512 - 8 Large-scale production of HIV-1 protease from Escherichia coli using selective extraction and membrane fractionation; Gustafson ME et al.; Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with the N-terminal sequence of IGF-2 . The protein accumulated in inclusion bodies as a 40:60 mixture of unprocessed fusion protein and processed protein . A simple purification procedure was developed that yielded 30-40 mg of active protease per liter of fermentation broth with a recovery of 30-40% . The purification process involved the selective extraction of HIV-1 protease from E . coli inclusion bodies with 50% acetic acid and fractional diafiltration to remove impurities and low-molecular-weight protease-related fragments . No chromatographic steps were employed, yet the HIV-1 protease produced by this procedure was greater than 95% pure by SDS-PAGE, reverse-phase HPLC, and N-terminal sequence analysis. Analyst, 1995 Aug, 120(8), 2101 - 5 Automated determination of microbial peroxidase activity in fermentation samples using hydrogen peroxide as the substrate and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) as the electron donor in a flow injection system; Holm KA; An automated flow injection method has been developed for the determination of microbial peroxidase activity . The substrate used was hydrogen peroxide and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) was used as the electron donor . In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, peroxidase catalyses the dehydrogenation of ABTS, resulting in the formation of a resonance-stabilized radical cation of ABTS . The green-blue colour formed, recorded at 418 nm, is taken as a measure of the peroxidase activity . The general technical conditions and the general enzymic kinetics have been optimized . Conditions for activation and stabilization of the enzyme were found, e.g., ammonium sulfate acts as a peroxidase activator . The resulting method has a good precision, sensitivity and speed. J Bacteriol, 1995 Aug, 177(16), 4757 - 64 Purification, characterization, and metabolic function of tungsten-containing aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase from the hyperthermophilic and proteolytic archaeon Thermococcus strain ES-1; Heider J et al.; Thermococcus strain ES-1 is a strictly anaerobic, hyperthermophilic archaeon that grows at temperatures up to 91 degrees C by the fermentation of peptides . It is obligately dependent upon elemental sulfur (S(o)) for growth, which it reduces to H2S . Cell extracts contain high aldehyde oxidation activity with viologen dyes as electron acceptors . The enzyme responsible, which we term aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase (AOR), has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity . AOR is a homodimeric protein with a subunit M(r) of approximately 67,000 . It contains molybdopterin and one W, four to five Fe, one Mg, and two P atoms per subunit . Electron paramagnetic resonance analyses of the reduced enzyme indicated the presence of a single {4Fe-4S}+ cluster with an S = 3/2 ground state . While AOR oxidized a wide range of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes, those with the highest apparent kcat/Km values (> 10 microM-1S-1) were acetaldehyde, isovalerylaldehyde, and phenylacetaldehyde (Km values of < 100 microM) . The apparent Km value for Thermococcus strain ES-1 ferredoxin was 10 microM (with crotonaldehyde as the substrate) . Thermococcus strain ES-1 AOR also catalyzed the reduction of acetate (apparent Km of 1.8 mM) below pH 6.0 (with reduced methyl viologen as the electron donor) but at much less than 1% of the rate of the oxidative reaction (with benzyl viologen as the electron acceptor at pH 6.0 to 10.0) . The properties of Thermococcus strain ES-1 AOR are very similar to those of AOR previously purified from the saccharolytic hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus, in which AOR was proposed to oxidize glyceraldehyde as part of a novel glycolytic pathway (S . Mukund and M . W . W . Adams, J . Biol . Chem . 266:14208-14216, 1991) . However, Thermococcus strain ES-1 is not known to metabolize carbohydrates, and glyceraldehyde was a very poor substrate (kcat/Km of < 0.2 microM-1S-1) for its AOR . The most efficient substrates for Thermococcus strain ES-1 AOR were the aldehyde derivatives of transaminated amino acids . This suggests that the enzyme functions to oxidize aldehydes generated during amino acid catabolism, although the possibility that AOR generates aldehydes from organic acids produced by fermentation cannot be ruled out. J Bacteriol, 1995 Aug, 177(16), 4748 - 56 Effects of elemental sulfur on the metabolism of the deep-sea hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus strain ES-1: characterization of a sulfur-regulated, non-heme iron alcohol dehydrogenase; Ma K et al.; The strictly anaerobic archaeon Thermococcus strain ES-1 was recently isolated from near a deep-sea hydrothermal vent . It grows at temperatures up to 91 degrees C by the fermentation of peptides and reduces elemental sulfur (S(o)) to H2S . It is shown here that the growth rates and cell yields of strain ES-1 are dependent upon the concentration of S(o) in the medium, and no growth was observed in the absence of S(o) . The activities of various catabolic enzymes in cells grown under conditions of sufficient and limiting S(o) concentrations were investigated . These enzymes included alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH); formate benzyl viologen oxidoreductase; hydrogenase; glutamate dehydrogenase; alanine dehydrogenase; aldehyde ferredoxin (Fd) oxidoreductase; formaldehyde Fd oxidoreductase; and coenzyme A-dependent, Fd-linked oxidoreductases specific for pyruvate, indolepyruvate, 2-ketoglutarate, and 2-ketoisovalerate . Of these, changes were observed only with ADH, formate benzyl viologen oxidoreductase, and hydrogenase, the specific activities of which all dramatically increased in cells grown under S(o) limitation . This was accompanied by increased amounts of H2 and alcohol (ethanol and butanol) from cultures grown with limiting S(o) . Such cells were used to purify ADH to electrophoretic homogeneity . ADH is a homotetramer with a subunit M(r) of 46,000 and contains 1 g-atom of Fe per subunit, which, as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance analyses, is present as a mixture of ferrous and ferric forms . No other metals or acid-labile sulfide was detected by colorimetric and elemental analyses . ADH utilized NADP(H) as a cofactor and preferentially catalyzed aldehyde reduction . It is proposed that, under So limitation, ADH reduces to alcohols the aldehydes that are generated by fermentation, thereby serving to dispose of excess reductant. J Lab Clin Med, 1995 Aug, 126(2), 128 - 36 Dissociation between tissue iron concentrations and transferrin saturation among inbred mouse strains; Leboeuf RC et al.; Excessive absorption of dietary iron results in pathologic hepatic iron accumulation in the genetic disorder hemochromatosis . Genetic factors have also been suggested to play a role in African iron overload that is induced by the intake of iron-rich fermented beer . We have used inbred strains of mice to investigate previously unrecognized genetic factors controlling iron metabolism . Among different strains of mice fed a basal iron diet, serum iron levels varied twofold . In contrast, serum transferrin levels were remarkably constant . This indicates that transferrin saturation with iron, but not the serum level of transferrin, is likely to be genetically determined in mice . Hepatic iron stores also varied twofold among the different mouse strains . Remarkably, hepatic iron stores failed to reflect transferrin saturation, suggesting that different genetic factors control transferrin saturation and hepatic iron stores . When mice were challenged with a high-iron diet, the concentration of carbonyl iron required to completely saturate transferrin with iron was 10 times greater for C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice than for DBA/2 and AKR mice . These results are reminiscent of the iron-loading locus proposed to interact with dietary iron in African iron overload . Our studies with inbred strains of mice have revealed a number of novel control points in iron metabolism that may be genetically determined . The mouse model may thus be useful for understanding the molecular basis of hemochromatosis and African iron overload. Carcinogenesis, 1995 Aug, 16(8), 1711 - 6 The consequences of fruit and vegetable fibre fermentation on their binding capacity for MeIQx and the effects of soluble fibre sources on the binding affinity of wheat bran preparations; Ryden P et al.; Fruits and vegetables provide dietary fibre some of which is partly soluble in the upper gut; in the colon it is highly fermentable . Using alcohol-insoluble residues prepared from a range of fruits and vegetables the effects of fermentation on the changes in composition and binding capacity have been assessed for the hydrophobic mutagen 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo{4,5-f}quinoxaline (MeIQx) . Fermentation was extensive and resulted in destruction of most of the pectic polysaccharides . Of the unfermented vegetable fibre only cabbage had a measurable hydrophobic binding capacity . The binding capacities of unfermented apple, carrot and sugar beet were negligible . After fermentation, binding capacities, (per mg of fermented residue), increased . Although fermented cabbage was found to have the highest capacity of the fruit and vegetable fibres this remained less than the least effective of unfermented wheat bran samples which had a relatively high affinity for MeIQx . Mucin inhibited the binding of MeIQx to wheat bran fibre but apple fibre did not . The results show that the contribution of fruit and vegetable fibre to a hydrophobic binding matrix in the colon is insignificant and the suggested harmful effect of fruit and vegetable fibre, maintaining hydrophobic mutagens in solution, can be prevented by the presence of wheat bran fibre. Am J Clin Nutr, 1995 Aug, 62(2), 403 - 11 Ileal recovery of starch from whole diets containing resistant starch measured in vitro and fermentation of ileal effluent; Silvester KR et al.; Six subjects with ileostomies consumed five diets containing 61-164 g starch/d of which 0.4-34.8 g was resistant starch (RS) . Ileal excretion of starch was 97% of that measured as dietary RS in vitro with no significant difference between RS fed and starch recovered on any of the test diets . Variation in starch excretion between subjects was partly due to differences in mouth-to-stoma transit time . In vitro fermentation of ileal effluent from RS-supplemented diets produced significantly more short-chain fatty acids, a higher molar proportion of butyrate (17% compared with 12%), and a lower concentration of ammonia compared with control subjects . These results indicate that the amount of starch that reaches the large intestine can be predicted from measurements in vitro for a wide range of RS intakes under normal eating conditions . They also support the hypothesis that RS, through fermentation, has distinctive influences on the colonic environment. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Aug, 48(8), 768 - 72 The clecarmycins, new antitumor antibiotics produced by Streptomyces: fermentation, isolation and biological properties; Fujii N et al.; In the course of screening for microbial products with antitumor activity, new antitumor agents, clecarmycins, were isolated from culture broth of Streptomyces sp . DO-114 . The antibiotics were produced in a fermentation medium supplemented with a highly porous polymer resin which adsorbs antibiotics and results in a increase of titer . Active materials were separated from the polymer resin by solvent extraction procedure and two components named clecarmycin A1 and C were isolated by silica gel column chromatography . These were active against bacteria, and showed antiproliferative activities against human HeLa S3 cells . Clecarmycins exhibited antitumor activity against leukemia P388 and sarcoma 180 in mice. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 1995 Aug, 46(3), 241 - 6 The effects of processing on the availability of lysine in kenkey, a Ghanaian fermented maize food; Nche PF et al.; The effects of processing steps such as soaking, fermentation, cooking and drying on the availability of lysine in kenkey were investigated . Soaking increased lysine availability by 21% and 22% for maize and maize-cowpea mixtures, respectively . Cooking of soaked samples further improved lysine availability by 68% and 31% for maize and maize-cowpea mixtures, respectively . Further significant improvements in lysine availability were effected by fermentation and cooking and values of 3.42 and 4.43 g/16 g N were recorded, respectively for maize and maize-cowpea doughs fermented for 4 days and cooked for 3 h . Cabinet drying had no significant effect on lysine availability, but drum drying of fermented maize and maize-cowpea doughs significantly lowered lysine availability in the resulting kenkey . A 1:1 mixture of cabinet and drum dried flours gave a product with higher available lysine content than the drum dried flour. Int J Food Sci Nutr, 1995 Aug, 46(3), 189 - 93 Effect of amylase treatment on the consistency of cooked, fermented oat bran porridge; Raheem D; Oat bran porridges were cooked and fermented at 5, 10, 15, and 20% solids (as is basis) . Cooking was carried out on gas stove and viscograph . Supplementation with malt flour at 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1% . Cooked oat bran porridge was inoculated with fresh yoghurt and fermented 18 h overnight in an incubator at 42 degrees C . Falling number values were made to estimate the effects of amylase treatments by addition of malt flour on oat bran slurry when heated in an aqueous suspension . Pasting properties were observed with the viscograph and consistency measurements were made with Bostwick consistometer . The falling number method was not suitable for consistency measurements due to wide variations in values obtained . Enzymatic additions reduced the consistency of porridge with an increase in flowability during measurements . The peak heights obtained from the viscograms reduced proportionally with an increase in malt flour supplementation . The desirability of a product with higher energy values and a sufficiently low consistency that is spoonable was possible with cooked, fermented oat bran porridge. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Aug, 15(2), 94 - 102 Industrial yeast strain improvement: construction of a highly flocculent yeast with a killer character by protoplast fusion; Javadekar VS et al.; Conditions were optimized for rapid release and improved regeneration of protoplasts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCIM 3458 . Rapid protoplast release was also obtained with representatives of several other yeast genera under the modified conditions of treatment . The application of the procedure in construction of a highly flocculent Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a killer character is described . Fusion was effected between UV-killed protoplasts of S . cerevisiae NCIM 3578 with a killer character and live protoplasts of the highly flocculent S . cerevisiae NCIM 3528 in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 . Fusants were selected using benomyl resistance as marker, the killer toxin producer rather than the highly flocculent yeast being resistant to the fungicide at a concentration of 100 micrograms ml-1 . Fusants were also characterized by their DNA contents, capacity for ethanolic fermentation of molasses sugar and levels of invertase, alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvate decarboxylase activities. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Aug, 15(2), 80 - 4 Rapid identification of elaiophylin and geldanamycin in Streptomyces fermentation broths using CPC coupled with a photodiode array detector and LC-MS methodologies; Alvi KA et al.; During the course of screening microbial broth extracts in various high through-put bioassays (eg receptor binding or enzyme inhibition), several actinomycete cultures were discovered to produce active metabolites . The natural products elaiophylin and/or geldanamycin are produced by several Streptomyces violaceusniger strains, and the bioactivity of the extracts from these cultures was frequently associated with the fractions containing these metabolites . CPC coupled to a photodiode array detector and LC-MS techniques were applied to these broth extracts to ascertain rapidly when these natural products were present . These methodologies allowed us to identify the metabolites quickly in the crude extract, and the application demonstrated further the utility of CPC-photodiode array detection and LC-MS as powerful, initial analytical tools in analyses of the complex metabolite profiles produced by microorganisms. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Aug, 15(2), 75 - 9 Effect of pH, aeration and sucrose feeding on the invertase activity of intact S . cerevisiae cells grown in sugarcane blackstrap molasses; Vitolo M et al.; S . cerevisiae was grown in a blackstrap molasses containing medium in batch and fed-batch cultures . The following parameters were varied: pH (from 4.0 to 6.5), dissolved oxygen (DO) (from 0 to 5.0 mg O2 L-1) and sucrose feeding rate . When glucose concentration (S) was higher than 0.5 g L-1 a reduction in the specific invertase activity of intact cells (v) and an oscillatory behavior of v values during fermentation were observed . Both the invertase reduction and the oscillatory behavior of v values could be related to the glucose inhibitory effect on invertase biosynthesis . The best culture conditions for attaining S . cerevisiae cells suitable for invertase production were: temperature = 30 degrees C; pH = 5.0; DO = 3.3 mg O2 L-1; (S) = 0.5 g L-1 and sucrose added into the fermenter according to the equations: (V-Vo) = t2/16 or (V - Vo) = (Vf - Vo).(e0.6t-1)/10. Gut, 1995 Aug, 37(2), 256 - 9 Breath hydrogen analysis in patients with ileoanal pouch anastomosis; Bruun E et al.; The possible influence on functional outcomes of hydrogen production in the ileoanal pouch after restorative proctocolectomy was investigated by means of lactulose H2 breath tests . Eight of 15 patients had significant increases in breath hydrogen after 10 g lactulose . One patient declined to participate in further investigations, the remaining seven responders had no evidence of small bowel bacterial overgrowth after glucose H2 breath tests . The ability to produce hydrogen by anaerobic fermentation of lactulose in the pouch was unrelated to the age of the patients or of the pouch . Seven of eight responders had successive breath tests after ingestion of lactulose 20 g and wheat starch 100 g . Five of seven had significant increases after lactulose but none after wheat starch . The overall function of the pouch continence, spontaneity of defecation, and 24 hour stool frequency was significantly better in responders than in non-responders . The absence of H2 production of 100 g wheat starch may indicate either increased absorption or defective fermentation. Br J Nutr, 1995 Aug, 74(2), 251 - 60 Exogenous and endogenous nitrogen flow rates and level of protein hydrolysis in the human jejunum after {15N}milk and {15N}yoghurt ingestion; Gaudichon C et al.; Milk and yoghurt proteins were 15N-labelled in order to measure the flow rate of exogenous N during digestion in the human intestine . After fasting overnight, sixteen healthy volunteers, each with a naso-jejunal tube, ingested either {15N}milk (n 7) or {15N}yoghurt (n 9) . Jejunal samples were collected every 20 min for 4 h . A significant stimulation of endogenous N secretion was observed during the 20-60 min period after yoghurt ingestion and the 20-40 min period after milk ingestion . The endogenous N flows over a 4 h period did not differ between the groups (44.3(SEM 6.5) mmol for milk and 63.5(SEM 5.9) mmol for yoghurt) . The flow rates of exogenous N indicated a delayed gastric emptying of the yoghurt N compared with N from milk . The jejunal non-protein N (NPN) flow rate increased significantly after milk and yoghurt ingestion due to an increase in the exogenous NPN flow rate . The NPN fraction of exogenous N ranged between 40 and 80% . The net gastro-jejunal absorption of exogenous N did not differ significantly between milk (56.7(SEM 8.5)%) and yoghurt (50.9(SEM 7)%) . The high level of exogenous N hydrolysis is in accordance with the good digestibility of milk products . Fermentation modifies only the gastric emptying rate of N and does not affect the level of diet hydrolysis, the endogenous N stimulation or the digestibility rate. Br J Nutr, 1995 Aug, 74(2), 209 - 19 Effect of propionate on fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis and on acetate metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes; Demigne C et al.; In the present study the actual role of propionic acid in the control of fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis was investigated in isolated liver cells from fed rats maintained in the presence of near-physiological concentrations of glucose, glutamine and acetate . Using 3H2O for lipid labelling, propionate appears as an effective inhibitor of fatty acid synthesis and to a lesser extent of cholesterol synthesis, even at the lowest concentration used (0.6 mmol/l) . Butyrate is a potent activator of both synthetic pathways, and the activating effect was not counteracted by propionate . Using 1-{14C}acetate, it was observed that propionate at a moderate concentration, or 1 mmol oleate/l, are both very effective inhibitors of 14C incorporation into fatty acid and cholesterol . This incorporation was drastically inhibited when propionate and oleate were present together in the incubation medium . The net utilization of acetate by rat hepatocytes was impaired by propionate, in contrast to oleate . 1-{14C}butyrate was utilized at a high rate for fatty acid synthesis, but to a lesser extent for cholesterol synthesis; both processes were unaffected by propionate . Intracellular citrate concentration was not markedly depressed by propionate, whereas it was strongly elevated by butyrate . In conclusion, propionate may represent an effective inhibitor of lipid synthesis when acetate is a major source of acetyl-CoA, a situation which is encountered with diets rich in readily-fermentable fibres . The present findings also suggest that propionate may be effective at concentrations close to values measured in vivo in the portal vein. Arch Oral Biol, 1995 Aug, 40(8), 743 - 52 A comparative study of glucose and galactose uptake in pure cultures of human oral bacteria, salivary sediment and dental plaque; Ryan CS et al.; The ability to utilize glucose and the weaker sugar acidogen, galactose, was surveyed in salivary sediment, pooled dental plaque, and in pure cultures of the bacteria that numerically comprise most of the bacteria in these mixed microbial systems . Except for a veillonella isolate, which showed no uptake of either sugar, glucose was utilized more rapidly than galactose by the 27 pure cultures tested and by both sediment and plaque . This sugar difference was also seen for two other measures of glycolysis, formation of acid and previously studied ability to produce an acidic pH . Rates of uptake of the two sugars by individual pure cultures varied considerably . Generally, the Gram-positive bacteria utilized glucose and galactose at rates similar to those seen with salivary sediment and dental plaque, whereas the Gram-negative cultures tested showed much slower uptakes . Bacteria previously identified as arginolytic had lower glucose and galactose uptake rates than similar non-arginolytic micro-organisms . This, together with the ability to produce base from arginine, would explain their tendency to produce a less acidic pH . In pure culture mixtures, uptakes were generally predictable and indicated an averaging effect . When the microbial compositions of salivary sediment or dental plaque were altered by mixing with pure cultures of high glucolytic activity, such as many of the Gram-positives, glucose uptake was enhanced . The opposite was observed when the less glucolytic Gram-negative bacteria were similarly incorporated . As well as determining the glucose and galactose uptake rates of the various bacteria that collectively comprise the bulk of the salivary sediment and supragingival plaque microfloras, this study has shown how variation in microbial composition affects sugar uptake rates and has indicated how microbial composition could be manipulated to produce dental plaques with different capacities to ferment sugars and presumably different cariogenicities. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids, 1995 Aug, 53(2), 87 - 93 Prostaglandin synthesis in human cancer cells: influence of fatty acids and butyrate; Awad AB et al.; Previous research has suggested that prostaglandins (PGs) may play a role in the development of colon cancer since tumor cells produce more PGs than normal cells . However, the exact mechanism by which PGs play a role in the development of cancer is not known . In addition, factors that influence PG synthesis are not known since they are complicated by the presence of homeostatic mechanisms . To avoid the homeostatic mechanisms, the present research was designed to examine factors that may influence PG synthesis in an in vitro system, i.e., a tissue culture . We have chosen two human colon cancer cell lines that differ in their ability to metabolize long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs), LS174T cells and HT-29 cells . We examined the effect of LCFAs on their membrane fatty acid composition, growth, and ability to release the main PGs (PGE2 and PGI) . The LCFAs used were those most common in the colonic lumen {18:0, 18:2 (n-6), and 18:3 (n-3)} . In addition, we examined the effect of butyrate on the above mentioned parameters . Butyrate is produced in the colon through fermentation of dietary fibers . The data obtained suggest that although both of these tumor cell lines are of human colonic origin, they differ in their response to LCFAs and butyrate in some of the characteristics studied, such as growth, composition of membranes, and the relationship between membrane FA composition and PG synthesis . Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation stimulated the growth of HT-29 cells but not of LS174T cells when compared with growth in media supplemented with 18:0.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) J Pediatr Surg, 1995 Aug, 30(8), 1138 - 42 An intraluminal model of necrotizing enterocolitis in the developing neonatal piglet; Di Lorenzo M et al.; The most common risk factors for the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are prematurity and enteral feeding . Most models of NEC involve ischemic insult resulting in generalized necrosis, different from the classical ileocecal predilection of NEC . This anatomic predisposition is explained by dysmotility of immature gut, leading to bacterial overgrowth in the terminal ileum and colon . Infant formula containing lactose as the sole carbohydrate source overwhelms partially developed lactase activity, allowing enteric bacteria to ferment excess carbohydrate to short-chain fatty acids, decreasing intraluminal gut pH and predisposing to mucosal injury . Impaired clearance of intraluminal contents exacerbates this effect . In the present study the authors used a model of NEC, originally developed in rabbits and based on analysis of intestinal contents of NEC babies, modified and adapted here to neonatal piglets, the gastrointestinal tract of which more closely resembles the human neonate . METHOD: Piglets < 3 days old and 2 weeks old were laparotomized . Loops created from the distal ileum to the proximal colon were injected with isoosmolar acidified casein solution or 0.9% saline . Segments were harvested 3 hours later, sectioned for H&E, and graded from 0 (intact villi) to 4 (transmural necrosis) . RESULTS: Acidified casein-induced damage included areas of necrosis, submucosal edema, inflammatory cell infiltrate, and lymphatic distension . In younger animals, lesions were more pronounced (3.25 +/- 0.13 for the < 3-day-old v 2.43 +/- 0.14 for the 2-week-old piglets; P < .005) . CONCLUSION: The authors believe that this piglet NEC model most closely approximates human NEC because it incorporates two of the most common risk factors: dysmotility (by creating intestinal loops) and enteral feeding (by intraluminal injection of acidified casein). EMBO J, 1995 Jul 17, 14(14), 3480 - 6 The membrane of peroxisomes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is impermeable to NAD(H) and acetyl-CoA under in vivo conditions; van Roermund CW et al.; We investigated how NADH generated during peroxisomal beta-oxidation is reoxidized to NAD+ and how the end product of beta-oxidation, acetyl-CoA, is transported from peroxisomes to mitochondria in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Disruption of the peroxisomal malate dehydrogenase 3 gene (MDH3) resulted in impaired beta-oxidation capacity as measured in intact cells, whereas beta-oxidation was perfectly normal in cell lysates . In addition, mdh3-disrupted cells were unable to grow on oleate whereas growth on other non-fermentable carbon sources was normal, suggesting that MDH3 is involved in the reoxidation of NADH generated during fatty acid beta-oxidation rather than functioning as part of the glyoxylate cycle . To study the transport of acetyl units from peroxisomes, we disrupted the peroxisomal citrate synthase gene (CIT2) . The lack of phenotype of the cit2 mutant indicated the presence of an alternative pathway for transport of acetyl units, formed by the carnitine acetyltransferase protein (YCAT) . Disruption of both the CIT2 and YCAT gene blocked the beta-oxidation in intact cells, but not in lysates . Our data strongly suggest that the peroxisomal membrane is impermeable to NAD(H) and acetyl-CoA in vivo, and predict the existence of metabolite carriers in the peroxisomal membrane to shuttle metabolites from peroxisomes to cytoplasm and vice versa. J Biol Chem, 1995 Jul 7, 270(27), 16023 - 9 Site-specific isotope fractionation in the characterization of biochemical mechanisms . The glycolytic pathway; Zhang BL et al.; For a given biochemical transformation, such as the fermentation reaction, the redistribution coefficients, which relate the natural site-specific isotope contents in end products to those of their precursors, are a source of mechanistic information . These coefficients characterize the traceability of specific hydrogens in the products (ethanol and water) to their parent hydrogens in the starting materials (glucose and water) . In conditions of complete transformation, they also enable intermolecular exchanges with the water medium to be estimated . Thus it is directly confirmed that hydrogens 1, 2, 6, and 6' of glucose are strongly connected to the methyl site I of ethanol obtained by fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae . However, whereas hydrogens 6 and 6' are transferred to a great extent, transfer is only partial for hydrogen 2, and it is even less for hydrogen 1 . Because the two moieties of glucose corresponding to carbons 1-2-3 and 4-5-6 are scrambled by the aldolase and triosephosphate isomerase reactions, additional exchange of hydrogens at positions 1 and 2 must have occurred before these steps . The value of the coefficient that relates site 2 of glucose to site I of ethanol in particular can be used to quantify the contribution of intermolecular exchange occurring in the course of the transfer from site 2 of glucose 6-phosphate to site 1 of fructose 6-phosphate mediated by phosphoglucoisomerase . The average hydrogen isotope effects associated with the transfer of hydrogen from the water pool to the methyl or methylene site of ethanol are estimated . In contrast to conventional experiments carried out in strongly deuterium-enriched media where metabolic switching may occur, the NMR investigation of site-specific natural isotope fractionation, which operates at tracer isotopic abundance, faithfully describes the unperturbed metabolic pathways. Gene, 1995 Jul 4, 160(1), 135 - 6 A Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene essential for viability has been conserved in evolution; Rinaldi T et al.; To identify the gene coding for the endonuclease which processes the 3' end of mitochondrial (mt) tRNA transcripts in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nuclear mutations able to complement a mt mutant (Ts932) defective for this process were isolated and analyzed . One of these mutants exhibited a growth defect both on respiratory and fermentable media . Complementation of this phenotype with a S . cerevisiae centrometric wild-type genomic library has allowed us to identify a new essential S . cerevisiae gene strongly conserved in various eukaryotic organisms. Plant Foods Hum Nutr, 1995 Jul, 48(1), 31 - 8 The effect of solvent treatment on the chemical composition and organoleptic acceptability of traditional condiments from Nigeria; Arogba SS et al.; Three Nigerian condiments from locust bean, melon, and soya bean were prepared by the traditional technique of uncontrolled fermentation and then partly defatted by hexane and di-ethyl ether extraction respectively . Proximate analysis and consumer preference tests were conducted . Results showed that while crude protein, ash and fibre contents remained virtually unchanged, the carbohydrate contents of the treated condiments (derived by difference) increased remarkably . The increase was associated with the significant reduction of about 50% (p = 0.05) in lipid contents of the three condiments . The observed solvent effect correlated positively with panelists' preference rating for the treated locust bean and melon condiments . Except with the soya bean condiment, higher mean scores were observed after the solvent treatment for the four sensory attributes assessed . However, condiment-type and treatment notwithstanding, colour and odour appear to critically determine the level of acceptability of condiments. Antibiot Khimioter, 1995 Jul, 40(7), 3 - 7 {Effect of nitrogen-containing compounds on the biosynthesis of avermectins}; Sergeev AV et al.; The influence of complex nitrogen-containing substrates (Difko yeast extract, EKD nutrient yeast extract, soy bean flour and cotton seed meal), ammonium salts and some amino acids (alanine, methionine, valine, isoleucine and threonine) on the biosynthesis of avermectins in the cultures of two mutants of Streptomyces avermitilis was studied . It was shown that an excess of the nitrogen compounds in the fermentation medium induced a decrease in the antibiotic biosynthesis and the relative content of the group B avermectins. Int J Syst Bacteriol, 1995 Jul, 45(3), 560 - 4 Taxonomy of the feline mycoplasmas Mycoplasma felifaucium, Mycoplasma feliminutum, Mycoplasma felis, Mycoplasma gateae, Mycoplasma leocaptivus, Mycoplasma leopharyngis, and Mycoplasma simbae by 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons; Brown DR et al.; The nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of eight mycoplasmas isolated from felids was determined and used for taxonomic comparisons . A signature nucleotide sequence motif and overall sequence similarity to other mollicutes positioned Mycoplasma felifaucium, Mycoplasma felis, Mycoplasma leocaptivus, Mycoplasma leopharyngis, and Mycoplasma simbae in the Mycoplasma fermentans phylogenetic group of mollicutes . Mycoplasma arginini and Mycoplasma gateae were positioned in the Mycoplasma hominis phylogenetic group of mollicutes, and Mycoplasma feliminutum was positioned in the phylogenetically distant Acholeplasma group of mollicutes, showing that host family preference does not necessarily derive from bacterial phylogenetic closeness. Curr Genet, 1995 Jul, 28(2), 184 - 9 Detection of a protein which binds specifically to the upstream region of the pcbAB gene in Penicillium chrysogenum; Chu YW et al.; The upstream region of the pcbAB gene from Penicillium chrysogenum was screened for protein-binding sites using an electromobility shift assay . A specific protein/DNA interaction was detected within a fragment covering the region -387 to -242 relative to the pcbAB translational start codon . The appearance of this protein and pcbAB mRNA in culture extracts occurred at the same time point in fermentations, suggesting that the protein might be a transcription activator . The putative upstream activating sequence was located more precisely using cross-competition assays . These indicated the involvement of the 7-bp motif TGCCAAG in the binding of the protein. Mol Biochem Parasitol, 1995 Jul, 73(1-2), 91 - 101 Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase from Trypanosoma cruzi . Purification and physicochemical and kinetic properties; Cymeryng C et al.; Phospho enolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) has been purified to homogeneity from epimastigotes of the Tul 0 strain of Trypanosoma cruzi . The physicochemical parameters determined allowed the calculation of an average molecular mass of 120 kDa; the subunit molecular mass, about 61 kDa, is in good agreement with the value of 58.6 kDa recently determined from the sequence by Sommer et al . (FEBS Lett . 359 (1994) 125-129) . The PEPCK from T . cruzi presented, in addition to its molecular mass, typical properties of other ATP-linked PEPCKs, namely strict specificity for ADP in the carboxylation reaction and lower specificity in the decarboxylation and exchange reactions, and synergistic activation by CdCl2 or MgCl2 when added in addition to MnCl2 . The enzyme presented hysteretic behaviour, shown by a lag period in the carboxylation reaction, which was affected by dilution and preincubation . The decarboxylation reaction catalyzed by the T . cruzi PEPCK was not inhibited by excess of ATP-Mn . The apparent Km values for the carboxylation reaction, including the low value for PEP (0.035 mM) are compatible with an important role of PEPCK, as suggested by previous NMR experiments, on the CO2 fixation in vivo which leads to succinate excretion during aerobic fermentation of glucose. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 1995 Jul, 21(1), 73 - 81 Improved energy intakes using amylase-digested weaning foods in Tanzanian children with acute diarrhea; Darling JC et al.; Amylase from germinating cereal grains enables the preparation of porridge with a higher energy density than conventional weaning foods . This food can be combined with fermentation, which inhibits pathogen growth . These food technologies are inexpensive, can be implemented at the household level, and are therefore particularly appropriate for use in developing countries . In a controlled clinical trial, 75 children aged 6-25 months admitted to hospital with acute diarrhea were rehydrated and then randomly allocated to three corn porridge dietary groups: conventional, amylase-digested (AMD), and fermented and amylase-digested (FAD) . The study diets were given ad libitum five times daily, and all intakes except breast milk were weighed . Mean daily energy intakes over 4 days in the conventional AMD, and FAD groups, respectively, were 32.4 (95% CI 28.7-36.6), 46.0 (CI 39.6-53.4), and 37.3 (CI 31.8-43.9) kcal/kg/day . The energy intake in the AMD group was 42% higher than the conventional group (p = 0.003) . There were no significant differences between the groups for duration of diarrhea, frequency of stooling, or vomiting . Starch digestion using amylase from germination is an effective way of improving energy intake in children with acute diarrhea. Ukr Biokhim Zh, 1995 Jul-Aug, 67(4), 107 - 10 Stoichiometry of pectin and glucose fermentation in Prevotella ruminicola; Marounek M et al.; Prevotella ruminicola is an important rumen pectinolytic bacterium . Strain 659 was grown anaerobically at pH 6.5 and temperature 39 degrees C in LF2 fermenters on media containing glucose or pectin (4 g/l) in order to determine its fermentation stoichiometry and growth parameters . Both substrates were utilized almost completely (> 90%) . The growth on pectin was more rapid than on glucose . Pectin and glucose differed considerably in composition of fermentation end-products . Production of acetate was significantly higher when P . ruminicola 659 was grown on pectin, while production of other metabolites (formate, succinate, lactate) was lower than on glucose . Production of dry cell matter was significantly higher in cultures supplied with glucose . An increase in dry matter and protein yields calculated per carbon was not verified. Mikrobiol Z, 1995 Jul-Aug, 57(4), 89 - 105 Molecular biological bases of resistance to HIV/AIDS (the hypothesis with elements of the theory); Skripal IG; Proceeding from the structure and function of the shell glycoprotein gp120 of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and receptor glycoprotein CD4 on target cells for this virus, the author assumes that in nature there is genetically determined human resistance to the HIV infection and AIDS . This resistance manifests itself indirectly via products of the glycosylation system and via the composition and order of amino-acid residues in receptor CD4 sites responsible for interaction between the receptor and glycoprotein gp120 . The author thinks that people in whom the glycosylation system determines either B(III) or AB(IV) blood groups are potential subjects of the HIV infection . But development of AIDS necessitates some conditions more, one of them is susceptibility of the human organism to be infected with mollicute Mycoplasma fermentans . This mycoplasma is able to recognize terminal NeuAc alpha 2-3 Gal in the composition of oligosaccharides of gp120, which permits it to adhere HIV virions on itself and then to transport them directly to the cells expressing receptor CD4 and having oligosaccharides of the same terminal structure . Oligosaccharides of glycocalyx of the mycoplasma protect it from the action of the human immune system and the mycoplasma, having "transported" HIV virions to target cells combines with membranes of the latter, stimulates formation by them of interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor, the known effectors of this virus reproduction . On the basis of all these factors the author identifies four types of human resistance to HIV/AIDS. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Jul, 15(1), 60 - 5 Korkormicins, novel depsipeptide antitumor antibiotics from Micromonospora sp C39500: fermentation, precursor directed biosynthesis and biological activities; Lam KS et al.; Micromonospora sp C39500, isolated in our laboratory from a soil sample, produced a complex of seven novel depsipeptide antitumor antibiotics, designated korkormicins . The major component of the complex, korkormicin A, has a MW of 1452 and a molecular formula of C66H84N16O22 . Korkormicin A exhibits potent in vivo antitumor activity against P388 leukemia and M109 lung carcinoma implanted intraperitoneally (ip) in mice, with effective doses of 0.05-0.20 mg kg-1 injection-1, for five or three ip injections, respectively . It is also active against Gram-positive bacteria but inactive against Gram-negative bacteria . The production of korkormicin A was enhanced by 3-fold when 0.1% L-valine was added to the production culture at 48 h . A titer of 401.0 micrograms ml-1 was achieved in the fermenter culture supplemented with 0.1% L-valine. J Ind Microbiol, 1995 Jul, 15(1), 5 - 9 Production of brefeldin-A; McCloud TG et al.; Fermentation conditions are described for the production of the antitumor antibiotic 7-(S)-brefeldin-A (brefeldin-A) in liquid culture by Eupenicillium brefeldianum, (B.Dodge) Stolk and Scott, ATCC 58665 . An analytical hplc method was developed which allowed rapid quantitation of the compound during fermentation . A kilogram of brefeldin-A was isolated from a fermentation at the 6800-liter scale. Biotechnol Prog, 1995 Jul-Aug, 11(4), 386 - 92 Effects of varying media, temperature, and growth rates on the intracellular concentrations of yeast amino acids; Martinez-Force E et al.; Variations of the yeast free amino acid pool under different culture conditions were studied in two Saccharomyces strains, the laboratory haploid strain S288C and the industrial fermentative yeast IFI256 . The internal amino acid pool of both strains was measured when grown in laboratory (minimal and complete) versus semiindustrial (molasses with or without added biotin and/or diammonium phosphate) media, in fermentable (glucose, fructose, sucrose) versus respirable (glycerol) carbon sources, in different temperatures (22, 30, and 37 degrees C), pHs (2.0-4.75), and growth rates (0.018-0.24 h-1) in continuous culture, and at different phases of the growth curve in batch culture (lag, exponential, early and late stationary) . Results indicated that environmental conditions, particularly the presence of amino acids in the media, enormously influenced the intracellular amino acid concentration . Higher values were detected in molasses than in laboratory media and in fermentable carbon sources (glucose, fructose, sucrose) than in glycerol . Variations in the amino acid pool along the growth curve were greater at 37 degrees C than at other temperatures; in all cases, the highest values were measured at the beginning of the exponential phase . In continuous culture and at different growth rates, intracellular free amino acid concentrations increased by 3-10-fold when the growth rate was lower than 0.05 h-1, representing 20-35% of the total (free plus protein) amino acid content and indicating that amino acid yield was a partly growth-linked parameter. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Jul, 48(7), 714 - 9 New antibiotics phthoxazolins B, C and D produced by Streptomyces sp . KO-7888; Shiomi K et al.; New antibiotics, phthoxazolins B, C and D were isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp . KO-7888 . They are geometrical isomers of 10-hydroxyphthoxazolin A . They showed selective antifungal activity against Phytophthora parasitica in vitro and modest herbicidal activity in a laboratory test, but the potencies were different among isomers. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Jul, 48(7), 703 - 7 Isochromophilones I and II, novel inhibitors against gp120-CD4 binding produced by Penicillium multicolor FO-2338 . I . Screening, taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and biological activity; Matsuzaki K et al.; Isochromophilones I and II, the first novel gp120-CD4 binding inhibitors of microbial origin, were isolated from a cultured broth of a soil fungus designated as Penicillium multicolor FO-2338 . These compounds were obtained as yellow powders from the cultured broth together with the known related compounds sclerotiorin, ochrephilone and rubrorotiorin . Isochromophilones I and II (C23H25O5Cl and C22H27O4Cl, respectively) have an azaphilone skeleton and a chlorine atom . Isochromophilones strongly inhibited gp120-CD4 binding (IC50: 6.6 and 3.9 microM, respectively), but the other related compounds did not . Isochromophilone II inhibited significantly HIV replication in peripheral human lymphocytes at 25 microM. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1995 Jul, 48(7), 568 - 73 Xenovulene A, a novel GABA-benzodiazepine receptor binding compound produced by Acremonium strictum; Ainsworth AM et al.; Xenovulene A, a novel inhibitor of benzodiazepine bi