Light inhibits the production of alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether in Alternaria alternata.

Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, grown in drop culture, produced alternariol and alternariol monomethyl ether in late growth phase. Production was almost completely inhibited when the fungal cultures were exposed to white light (180 W/m2), although mycelial dry weight was not significantly affected. The fungus was most sensitive to light during the exponential growth phase. Twelve hours of light exposure was sufficient to decrease significantly the production of the secondary metabolites. In light the fungus produced a red-brown pigment of unknown nature.

2'-O-methylation of adenosine, guanosine, uridine, and cytidine in RNA of isolated rat liver nuclei.

Nuclei isolated from rat liver, when incubated with methyl-labeled S-adenosylmethionine, incorporated label into 2'-O-methyladenosine, 2'-O-methylguanosine, 2'-O-methyluridine, and 2'-O-methylcytidine of endogenous nuclear RNA. Addition of ribosomal RNA from wheat germ to the reaction markedly stimulated 2'-O-methylation of total RNA. The relative incorporation of label into the four different 2'-O-methyl ribonucleosides was greatly changed by the addition of wheat germ RNA. There was much more 2'-O-methylation of the purine ribonucleosides, relative to the pyrimidine ribonucleosides, in the reaction stimulated by wheat germ RNA.

Detection of a cephalosporin C acetyl esterase in the carbamate cephalosporin antibiotic-producing culture, Streptomyces clavuligerus.

The possible role of a cephalosporin C acetyl esterase in the formation of the beta-lactam antibiotic A16886A, 7-(5-amino-5-carboxyvaleramido)-3-carbamoyloxy-methyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid, by Streptomyces clavuligerus was studied. Addition of dl-valine-(14)C-1 to a fermentation of Cephalosporium acremonium gave cephalosporin C-(14)C-9 (I). The formation of deacetylcephalosporin C-(14)C-9 from I occurred at a greater rate in broths of S. clavuligerus than in the broths of C. acremonium, or in the autoclaved broths of S. clavuligerus. Diisopropylfluorophosphate partially inhibited the deacetylation of I in S. clavuligerus broth. An intracellular cephalosporin C esterase in S. clavuligerus could not be demonstrated. Although A16886A has been chemically synthesized from deacetylcephalosporin C, this reaction could not be demonstrated with S. clavuligerus.