Comparative Grouping of Mastitis Streptococci by Means of Co-Agglutination and Precipitation

Two hundred bovine mastitis streptococcal strains belonging to groups B, C, E, G and L were tested comparatively by means of the co-agglutination and precipitation technique. Identical results were obtained with the two tests in 191, or 95.5 %, of the strains. Six strains, which could not be grouped by co-agglutination, proved to belong to group B when grouped by precipitation. On the other hand, one strain which proved to belong to group G and two strains to group L when grouped by co-agglutination, could not be grouped by precipitation. Some cross-reactivity was observed between groups A and C, B and G, B and L. Only a few L strains showed marked cross-reactivity which was not easily distinguished from specific reactions. However, the cross-reactivity ought to be eliminated by dilution or adsorption. Using the precipitation test as a supplementary method, the easy and rapid co-agglutination test was found to be a suitable procedure for routine grouping of mastitis streptococci.     

Wild Animal Mycobacterial Isolates

Thirteen strains of mycobacteria isolated from deer and various species of wild birds were analysed by gas chromatography (GG) for cellular fatty acids and by thin-layer chromatography (TLG) for polar lipids. These strains were compared to reference strains of Mycobacterium avium, M. para tuberculosis and M. mal-moense. All the examined strains exhibited a generally similar fatty acid pattern characterized by relatively large amounts of hexadenca-noate (16:0), octadecenoate (18:1), octadecanoate (18:0) and 10-me-thyl-octadecanoate (tuberculostearic acid, 10-Me-18:0). Several additional acids were also generally present but in smaller amounts. By means of small but distinct differences in fatty acid composition, the wild animal isolates could be distinguished from both M. paratuber-culosis and M. malmoense but not from M. avium. The TLG polar lipid patterns on the other hand separated the wild animal isolates into 2 distinct groups of complex and simple polar lipid composition which corresponded to the morphologically smooth and rough types, respectively. The complex patterns of the smooth strains were comparable to those of the M. avium serovars whereas both the rough wild animal isolates and all the M. paratuber-culosis strains showed a simple pattern of polar lipids. Both fatty acid profiles and TLG polar lipid patterns support allocation of the wild animal isolates to the MAIS complex. Moreover, the 2 chemical techniques, particularly the GC procedure, are very useful for a more rapid and precise identification of the slow-growing wild animal mycobacterial isolates which have hitherto been characterized on basis of vague criteria.     

Protein kinase C gamma expression mimics phorbol ester-induced transcriptional activation of a murine VL30 enhancer element

Protein kinase C (PKC), a critical component in the regulation of cell growth, is thought to participate in transmitting the signals of certain cell surface receptor activation events to the nucleus. We have previously shown that stable expression of the PKC gamma isoenzyme in NIH 3T3 cells causes altered growth and enhanced tumorigenicity. In this report, we show that transient expression of the PKC gamma isoenzyme can trans-activate a murine VL30 enhancer element in a pattern similar to that of the phorbol ester tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. In contrast, ras activation of this element is distinct both quantitatively and qualitatively from PKC gamma and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate activation. These results provide direct evidence that PKC is the cellular mediator in the activation of phorbol ester-responsive genes and suggest a mechanism by which abnormal PKC expression might lead to altered growth control by changing the pattern of cellular gene expression.     

Control of respiration in proteoliposomes containing cytochrome aa3. I. Stimulation by valinomycin and uncoupler

1. Both valinomycin and p-trifluoromethoxy carbonyl cyanide phenylhydrazone (FCCP) are required for full release of respiration by cytochrome c oxidase-containing proteoliposomes (prepared by sonicating beef heart cytochrome aa₃ in salt solution with 4 parts phosphatidylcholine, 4 parts phosphatidylethanolamine and 2 parts cardiolipin) in the presence of external ascorbate and cytochrome c. In the absence of valinomycin the response to FCCP is rather sluggish, as reported by Wrigglesworth et al. (1976) (Abstracts, 10th Int. Congr. Biochem., No. 06-6-230).2. The K_m for cytochrome c in 67 mM, pH 7.4, phosphate buffer with ascorbate as substrate, was 9 μM in both absence and presence of valinomycin and FCCP. Energization thus acts non-competitively towards cytochrome c oxidation.3. The apparent K_m for oxygen is greater in the energized than in the deenergized state; double reciprocal plots of respiration rate versus oxygen concentration are concave downward in the absence of uncouplers, as found with intact mitochondria. Energization thus acts “competitively” towards oxygen.4. Despite the lack of a functional ATPase system, all the kinetic features of energization found in intact mitochondria can be mimicked in the reconstituted liposomes. This supports the chemiosmotic idea that electrical and perhaps H⁺ gradients modify the oxidase activity in reconstituted vesicles.     

Selective chemical changes of gonadotropic hormones by means of neuraminidase from Vibrio cholerae.

Experiments indicate that Neuraminidase from Vibrio Cholerae selectively cleaves sialic acid derivate from FSH, but leaves the LH sialic acid derivative. By performing a specific test for LH - the OAAD test - we found that the LH activity is not influenced by the presence of Neuraminidase. The FSH activity is destroyed by Neuraminidase but the enzyme itself influences the ovarian weight, resulting in a weight decrease observed 48 hours after injection. Before or after this "critical time" no decrease is observed.     

Electrical properties of the cellular transepithelial pathway in Necturus gallbladder. II. Ionic permeability of the apical cell membrane.

Microelectrode techniques were employed to study the ionic permeability of the apical cell membrane of Necturus gallbladder epithelium. Results obtained from continuous records in single cells, and from several cellular impalements shortly after a change in solution, were similar and indicate that both the apical membrane equivalent electromotive force (Va) and electrical resistance (Ra) strongly depend on external [K]. Cl substitutions produced smaller effects, while the effects of Na substitutions with N-methyl-D-glucamine on both Va and Ra were minimal. These results indicate that the permeability sequence of the apical membrane is PKgreater thanPClgreater than PNa. From the calculated absolute value of PNa it is possible to estimate the diffusional Na flux from the mucosal solution into the cells (from the cell potential and an assumed intracellular Na concentration). The calculated flux is roughly three orders of magnitude smaller than the measured net transepithelial flux in this tissue and in gallbladders of other species. Thus, only a minimal portion of Na entry can be attributed to independent diffusion. From estimations of the electrochemical potential gradient across the apical membrane, Cl transport at that site must be active. At the serosal cell membrane, Na transport takes place against both chemical and electrical potentials, while a significant portion of the Cl flux can be passive, if this membrane has a significant Cl conductance. The changes in shunt electromotive force and in transepithelial potential after mucosal substitutions were very similar, indicating that transepithelial bi-ionic potentials yield appropriate results on the properties of shunt pathway.     

Mechanism of Rh prophylaxis: an experimental study on specificity of immunosuppression.

The mechanism by which Rh immunization is prevented by IgG anti-D was investigated by studying the specificity of immunosuppression. 62 D-negative Kell(K)-negative male volunteers were given two successive stimuli of 1 ml D-positive K-positive red cells. Thirty-one of the volunteers were also given 13-14 mug of IgG anti-K immediately after each stimulus, the others acting as controls. Anti-D developed in 11 of the 31 controls and in one of the 31 volunteers who had received anti-K. This marked suppression of the anti-D response by IgG anti-K was accompanied by the rapid clearance of the injected red cells to the spleen. This shows that the predominant mechanism that must be operating when IgG anti-D prevents Rh immunization is not antigen specific but is one that must involve the whole red cell, probably through destruction within splenic macrophages.     

Single-Stranded Annealing Induced by Re-Initiation of Replication Origins Provides a Novel and Efficient Mechanism for Generating Copy Number Expansion via Non-Allelic Homologous Recombination

Copy number expansions such as amplifications and duplications contribute to human phenotypic variation, promote molecular diversification during evolution, and drive the initiation and/or progression of various cancers. The mechanisms underlying these copy number changes are still incompletely understood, however. We recently demonstrated that transient, limited re-replication from a single origin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae efficiently induces segmental amplification of the re-replicated region. Structural analyses of such re-replication induced gene amplifications (RRIGA) suggested that RRIGA could provide a new mechanism for generating copy number variation by non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR). Here we elucidate this new mechanism and provide insight into why it is so efficient. We establish that sequence homology is both necessary and sufficient for repetitive elements to participate in RRIGA and show that their recombination occurs by a single-strand annealing (SSA) mechanism. We also find that re-replication forks are prone to breakage, accounting for the widespread DNA damage associated with deregulation of replication proteins. These breaks appear to stimulate NAHR between re-replicated repeat sequences flanking a re-initiating replication origin. Our results support a RRIGA model where the expansion of a re-replication bubble beyond flanking homologous sequences followed by breakage at both forks in trans provides an ideal structural context for SSA–mediated NAHR to form a head-to-tail duplication. Given the remarkable efficiency of RRIGA, we suggest it may be an unappreciated contributor to copy number expansions in both disease and evolution.