One hundred twenty analogues of quisqualic acid were synthesized and assayed on the neuromuscular junction of larva of the rnealworrn, Tenebrio molifor. Two new agonists for amino acid receptors, L-glutamic acid Nthiocarboxyanhydride (L-GANTA) and DL-hydantoinpropionic acid (DL-HPA), were discovered in this study. L-GANTA and DL-HPA produced muscle membrane depolarization, accompanied by a reduction of the muscle input resistance. The amplitude of excitatory postsynaptic potentials was decreased in the presence of L-GANTA and DL-HPA. The apparent dissociation constants obtained from dose-depolarization plots were 7 x M for L-GANTA and 9 x M for DL-HPA. Some structural constraints imposed on agonists at amino acid receptors on insect muscle were discussed.

Electrophoretic screening of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49, G6PD) was conducted one sample of 9,260 children born to the atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima (Honshu) and Nagasaki (Kyushu). The prevalence of electrophoretic variants was 0.11% in males and 0.42% in females in Hiroshima, and 0.16% in males and 0.31% in females in Nagasaki. Enzymologic characteristics of 10 variants obtained from three males and seven hemizygous fathers of heterozygous females were examined. As a result, three new types of G6PD variants were identified among five variants detected in Hiroshima, and three new types among five variants in Nagasaki. All the variants except one belonged to Class 3, as defined by Yoshida et al. (1971).

A total of 15,387 individuals living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, of whom 10,864 are unrelated, were examined for erythrocyte triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) by starch gel electrophoresis using TEMM buffer, pH 7.4. Four kinds of new variants, one having a cathodal migration and three having anodal migrations, were encountered in this population. These variants were further characterized by starch gel electrophoresis using tris-EDTA buffer, pH 9.3, and isoelectric focusing. An anodally migrating allozyme TPI 2HR1 exhibited markedly decreased enzyme activity, as evaluated by the staining intensity of the variant bands. The level of TPI activity in erythrocytes from this individual with the phenotype TPI 1-2HR1 was about 60% of the normal mean. Family studies confirmed the genetic nature of all the variants.

SummaryStarch gel electrophoresis of erythrocyte phosphoglucomutase-1 (PGM1) of 17,126 Japanese from Hiroshima and Nagasaki was performed. Thirteen types of rare variants, 6 migrating anodally and 7 migrating cathodally to the a-band, were encountered in a total of 103 individuals. Family studies confirmed the genetic characteristics of most of them. The previous observation of the polymorphic occurrence of the PGMI*7 allele in the Hiroshima and the Nagasaki populations was confirmed. A significant difference in the frequencies of rare variants between Hiroshima and Nagasaki was observed. A stronger influence of the migrating stream from the south through the Ryukyu Archipelago to Nagasaki is postulated on the basis of the frequencies of PGMI*3NG1 and PGMI*3OKINA WA.