Isotope and thermal effects in chemiosmotic coupling to the flagellar motor of Streptococcus

The torque generated by the flagellar motor of Streptococcus strain V4051 has been determined from rates of rotation of cells tethered by a single flagellum in media of different isotopic composition and temperature. Starved cells were energized artificially with either a potassium diffusion potential or a pH gradient. The torque increased linearly with protonmotive force. Identical results were obtained in media made with D2O or H2O; there was no solvent isotope effect. At a fixed protonmotive force, the torque was approximately constant over a temperature range of 4 degrees -38 degrees C. In cells chemotactically inert to changes in cytoplasmic pH, the motor turned counterclockwise when protons moved inward and clockwise when they moved outward. We conclude that the motor is a reversible engine driven by simple acid-base dissociation. A detailed model is discussed.     

Fluorescence polarization as a tool to study lectin-sugar interaction

The binding ofRicinus communis agglutinin andAbrus agglutinin to 4-methylumbelliferyl β-D-galactopyranoside was studied by equilibrium dialysis, fluo-rescence quenching and fluorescence polarization. The number of binding sites and the association constant value obtained by fluorescence polarization for bothRicinus communis agglutinin andAbrus agglutinin are in close agreement with those obtained by the other methods. This indicates the potential of ligand-fluorescence polarization measurements in the investigation of lectin-sugar interactions.     

Partial characterization of the phosphotransferase system of human central-nervous-system myelin.

The phosphotransferase system of human central-nervous-system myelin was investigated. Evidence obtained indicated the presence of at least two different phosphotransferase systems (cyclic nucleotide-dependent and -independent) in myelin, which were found to be firmly associated with the membrane. The cyclic AMP-dependent kinase of myelin and white-matter cytosol preferentially phosphorylated certain histone fractions and displayed only modest activity with basic protein as substrate. On the other hand, the cyclic nucleotide-independent system showed specificity toward basic protein. Its activity was not only dependent on Mg2+ but it was greatly enhanced by this bivalent cation. Whereas the cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinase could be extracted with buffers containing Triton X-100, the bivalent cation-regulated kinase resisted solubilization from myelin under these conditions.     

Complex chromosome homologies between the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) and man

The chromosome localization and gene synteny of soluble malate dehydrogenase (MDH1), soluble isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1), mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD2), phosphoglucomutase-3 (PGM3), mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (MDH2), beta-glucuronidase (GUSB), nucleoside phosphorylase (NP), pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), hexosaminidase A (HEXA), inosine triphosphatase (ITPA), and N-acetyl-alpha-D-galactosaminidase (NAGA) were determined in the rhesus monkey using somatic cell hybrids. Comparison with the human and Pongidae syntenic groups shows that chromosome banding homologies do not always correlate with gene mapping data.     

Fluorouracil and the isolation of mutants lacking uridine phosphorylase in Escherichia coli: location of the gene

Summary A selective technique is described for the isolation of mutants of Escherichia coli lacking uridine phosphorylase and the location of the gene specifying this enzyme on the bacterial chromosome is determined. Using strains with appropriate lesions it is shown that there are three routes via which 5-fluorouracil can be converted to compounds which inhibit cell growth.     

On the carbohydrate—protein linkage group in vitreous humor hyaluronate

Fractional molar ratios of serine, threonine and aspartic acid to neutral sugars in the purified bovine vitreous humor hyaluronate, and a 4–5-fold increase in the percentage of these amino acids and the absence of sugar alditols in hyaluronate reduced with NaBH₄---PdCl₂ after alkali treatment indicated the absence of a carbohydrate—protein linkage. Gel filtration behavior, a decrease in intrinsic viscosity of reduced hyaluronate to about one-half and a significant decrease in its specific rotation suggested that the two antiparallel chains of the hyaluronate double helix may come apart upo reduction. The vitreous humor hyaluronate contained 109.2 ppm of “bound” silicon. It is suggested that the bound silicon may bridge the two antiparallel chains through the neutral sugars and/or through the hydroxyl group of the uronic acid moiety.