Melittin lysis of red cells

Summary This paper describes experiments designed to explore interactions between human red blood cell membranes and melittin, the main component of bee venom. We found that melittin binds to human red cell membranes suspended in isotonic NaCl at room temperature, with an apparent dissociation constant of 3×10^–8 m and maximum binding capacity of 1.8×10⁷ molecules/cell. When about 1% of the melittin binding sites are occupied, cell lysis can be observed, and progressive, further increases in the fraction of the total sites occupied lead to progressively greater lysis in a graded manner. 50% lysis occurs when there are about 2×10⁶ molecules bound to the cell membrane. For any particular extent of melittin binding, lysis proceeds rapidly during the first few minutes but then slows and stops so that no further lysis occurs after one hour of exposure of cells to melittin. The graded lysis of erythrocytes by melittin is due to complete lysis of some of the cells, since both the density and the hemoglobin content of surviving, intact cells in a suspension that has undergone graded melittin lysis are similar to the values observed in the same cells prior to the addition of melittin. The cells surviving graded melittin lysis have an increased Na and reduced K, proportional to the extent of occupation of the melittin binding sites. Like lysis, Na accumulation and K loss proceed rapidly during the first few minutes of exposure to melittin but then stops so that Na, K and hemoglobin content of the cells remain constant after the first hour. These kinetic characteristics of both lysis and cation movements suggest that melittin modifies the permeability of the red cell membrane only for the first few minutes after the start of the interaction. Direct observation of cells by Nomarsky optics revealed that they crenate, become swollen and lyse within 10 to 30 sec after these changes in morphology are first seen. Taken together, these results are consistent with the idea that melittin produces lysis of human red cells at room temperature by a colloid osmotic mechanism.     

Spiroplasma membrane lipids.

Membranes of six spiroplasma strains belonging to different Spiroplasma species and subgroups were isolated by a combination of osmotic lysis and sonication in the presence of EDTA to block endogenous phospholipase activity. Analysis of membrane lipids showed that in addition to free and esterified cholesterol the spiroplasmas incorporated exogenous phospholipids from the growth medium. Sphingomyelin was preferentially incorporated from phosphatidylcholine-sphingomyelin vesicles or from the serum used to supplement the growth medium. Palmitate was incorporated better than oleate into membrane lipids synthesized by the organisms during growth. The major phospholipid synthesized by the spiroplasmas was phosphatidylglycerol. The positional distribution of the fatty acids in phosphatidylglycerol of Spiroplasma floricola resembled that found in Mycoplasma species, in which the saturated fatty acids prefer position 2 in the glycerol backbone and not position 1 as found in Acholeplasma species and elsewhere in nature. Electron paramagnetic resonance analysis of spin-labeled fatty acids incorporated into S. floricola membranes exhibited homogeneous single-component spectra without immobilized regions. The S. floricola membranes were more rigid than those of Acholeplasma laidlawii and less rigid than those of Mycoplasma gallisepticum.     

Sequence and substrate specificity of isolated DNA methylases from Escherichia coli C

Two DNA methylase activities of Escherichia coli C, the mec (designates DNA-cytosine-methylase gene, which is also designated dcm) and dam gene products, were physically separated by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The sequence and substrate specificity of the two enzymes were studied in vitro. The experiments revealed that both enzymes show their expected sequence specificity under in vitro conditions, methylating symmetrically on both DNA strands. The mec enzyme methylates exclusively the internal cytosine residue of CCATGG sequences, and the dam enzyme methylates adenine residues at GATC sites. Substrate specificity experiments revealed that both enzymes methylate in vitro unmethylated duplex DNA as efficiently as hemimethylated DNA. The results of these experiments suggest that the methylation at a specific site takes place by two independent events. A methyl group in a site on one strand of the DNA does not facilitate the methylation of the same site on the opposite strand. With the dam methylase it was found that the enzyme is incapable of methylating GATC sites located at the ends of DNA molecules.     

Sugar transport in Mycoplasma gallisepticum

Mycoplasma gallisepticum cells were found to contain two different sugar transport systems, one for d-glucose and alpha-methyl-d-glucoside (alpha-MG) and the other for d-mannose and d-fructose. Both systems were noninducible, stereospecific, dependent on temperature and pH, and sensitive to sulfhydryl-blocking reagents. The rate of sugar uptake depended on its external concentration, obeying Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The sugar accumulated in the cells against a concentration gradient, and an energy requirement for accumulation was demonstrated with alpha-MG. Both transport systems thus meet the criteria of active transport. The exit of alpha-MG from the cells, like its entry, depended on temperature and was accelerated by energy supplied by the oxidizable d-mannose. d-Glucose accelerated alpha-MG exit, apparently by an exchange reaction. A method for measuring the intercellular space and intracellular free-water volume of Mycoplasma was devised, and several of its applications are described.     

Adenosine triphosphatase activity of mycoplasma membranes

Rottem, Shlomo (Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel), and Shmuel Razin. Adenosine triphosphatase activity of mycoplasma membranes. J. Bacteriol. 92:714-722. 1966.-Adenosine triphosphatase activity of Mycoplasma laidlawii, M. gallisepticum, and Mycoplasma sp. strain 14 was confined to the cell membrane. The enzymatic activity was dependent on magnesium, but was not activated by sodium and potassium. Ouabain did not inhibit the adenosine triphosphatase activity of the mycoplasmas, and did not interfere with the active accumulation of potassium by M. laidlawii cells. Sulfhydryl-blocking reagents and fluoride inhibited the enzymatic activity, whereas 2,4-dinitrophenol was without any effect. Membranes of M. laidlawii hydrolyzed other nucleotide triphosphates and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), but at a lower rate than adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Nucleoside-2'-(3')-phosphates, ribose-5-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, and pyrophosphate were not hydrolyzed by the membrane preparations. It seems that the enzyme(s) involved in ATP hydrolysis by M. laidlawii membranes is strongly bound to the membrane subunits, which would account for the failure to purify the enzyme by protein fractionation techniques. The adenosine triphosphatase activity of mycoplasma membranes resembles in its properties that of similar enzymes studied in bacteria. The mycoplasma enzyme(s) seems to differ from the adenosine triphosphatase associated with ion transport in mammalian cell membranes and from mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase.     

Thromboxane and Prostacyclin Levels in Fetal Rabbit Brain and Placenta After Intrauterine Partial Ischemic Episodes

The appearance of arachidonic acid (AA) oxidation products in fetal rabbit brain and placenta under normal or partial short-term ischemic episodes induced by placental blood vessel restriction was examined. Intracerebral administration of [3H]AA into close-to-term rabbit fetuses gave rise to radioactively labeled prostaglandin (PG) E2, thromboxane B2, and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha metabolites as detected by HPLC analysis. A significant increase of 20-30% of [3H]AA precursor into eicosanoids was detected in brain of fetuses after 2-h restriction. The thromboxane B2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels were determined by radioimmunoassay technique over a period of 48 h following ischemic episodes. Thromboxane B2 content in affected animals was higher by five- and twofold at 3 h over control fetal brain and placental tissue values, respectively, and remained significantly higher for 24 h. 6-Keto-PGF1 alpha levels reached a peak value that was greater by 2.5- and 1.5-fold at 6 h for the ischemic brain and placental tissue, respectively, compared with control fetuses. PGE2 levels were less affected, attaining a maximum of 1.9- and 1.1-fold in brain and placenta correspondingly. The thromboxane/prostacyclin ratio reached a maximum in the brain after approximately 3 h, while that in the placenta continued to rise even after 20 h. Persisting high levels of thromboxane are indicative of cerebral vasoconstriction and may suggest possible damaging effects.     

Specific localization and quantification of biotin transport components in yeast by use of a biotin-conjugated,impermeant, electron-dense label

Summary Two approaches are described for the localization and quantification of biotin transport components in yeast cells. One approach is based on tracing the fate of a radioactive affinity label for the biotin transport system, [¹⁴C]-biotinyl-p-nitrophenyl ester (pBNP), through various stages of subcellular fractionations. A complementary method involves the use of a biotinderivatized, impermeant, electron-dense, affinity-cytochemical label (ferritin-biotin conjugates) for subsequent visualization by electron microscopy. Values of approximately 8,000 and 4,000 sites/cell, respectively, were achieved by the two methods. Complicating factors, future perspectives and the relevance of the two methods to the isolation of transport components are discussed.     

DNA adjacent to attachment points of deoxyribonucleoprotein fibril to chromosomal axial structure is enriched in reiterated base sequences.

Mitotic chromosomes of L cells (metaphase plates) were dehistonized by centrifugation through a layer of 2 M NaCl and then treated with restriction endonuclease Bam HI. Alternatively, they were pretreated with EcoRI endonuclease, dehistonized, and additionally digested with EcoRI or HindIII. The DNA remaining attached to the axial structure of the chromosomes was isolated and investigated in renaturation experiments. It was found to be enriched in reiterated base sequences belonging to the satellite and to abundant intermediate repeats. The CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation of this DNA separated the satellite from the fraction containing intermediate repeats.     

Morphology of Ureaplasma urealyticum (T-mycoplasma) organisms and colonies.

The morphology of Ureaplasm urealyticum in broth cultures was studied by phase-contrast microscopy. Most organisms appeared singly or in pairs. Long filaments and long chains of cocci, common in classical mycoplasma cultures, were not observed. On solid medium, U. urealyticum produced "fried-egg" colonies which developed according to the scheme suggested by Razin and Oliver (J. Gen. Microbiol., 1961) for the morphogenesis of the classical mycoplasma colonies. The formation of the peripheral zone of the colonies followed that of the central zone only when growth conditions were adequate, Hence, the appearance of peripheral zones, and consequently the larger colony size, can be taken as an indicator of improved growth conditions. Incubation in an atmosphere of 100% CO2 resulted in significantly larger colonies than in an atmosphere of N2, O2, or air. CO2 acts as a buffer, keeping the pH at the optimal range for Ureaplasma growth (pH 6.0 to 6.5) in the presence of the ammonia produced from the urea hydrolyzed by the organisms. The addition to the medium of 0.01 M urea together with 0.01 M putrescine enabled better growth than with urea alone. Small amounts of phosphate improved growth in an atmosphere of CO2, apparently fulfilling a nutritional role. Under nitrogen, higher phosphate concentrations were required for good growth, apparently serving as a buffer as well as a nutrient. Sodium chloride and sucrose which had been added to increase the tonicity of the medium inhibited growth above 0.1 M. An increase in the agar concentration above 2% resulted in decreased colony size. Likewise, prolonged drying of the agar plates caused a marked decrease in colony size, mostly affecting the peripheral zone. The addition of both urea and putrescine to the growth medium and incubation in a humidified CO2 atmosphere are recommended for improved growth and formation of fried-egg colonies of U. ureaplyticum on agar. It must be emphasized that these experiments were carried out with a laboratory-adapted strain.     

Spatial organization and conformational mobility of DNA complexed with nucleoproteins]

The importance of spatial organization of DNA for the regulation of genome activity is discussed. The main problem reviewed in this paper includes cooperative interactions of proteins with DNA, formation of DNA loops in the regulatory domains of the genome and conformational mobility of DNA in chromatin.