Respiratory components in acidophilic bacteria that respire on iron

Abstract

Microorganisms capable of aerobic respiration on ferrous ions are spread throughout eubacterial and archaebacterial phyla. Phylogenetically distinct organisms were shown to express spectrally distinct redox‐active biomolecules during autotrophic growth on soluble iron. A new iron‐oxidizing eubacterium, designated as strain Funis, was investigated. Strain Funis was judged to be different from other known iron‐oxidizing bacteria on the bases of comparative lipid analyses, 16S rRNA sequence analyses, and cytochrome composition studies. When grown autotrophically on ferrous ions, Funis produced conspicuous levels of a novel acid‐stable, acid‐soluble yellow cytochrome with a distinctive absorbance peak at 579 nm in the reduced state.

Stopped‐flow spectrophotometric kinetic studies were conducted on respiratory chain components isolated from cell‐free extracts of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Experimental results were consistent with a model where the primary oxidant of ferrous ions is a highly aggregated c‐type cytochrome that then reduces the periplasmic rusticyanin. The Fe(II)‐dependent, cytochrome c‐catalyzed reduction of the rusticyanin possessed three kinetic properties in common with corresponding intact cells that respire on iron: the same anion specificity, a similar dependence of the rate on the concentration of ferrous ions, and similar rates at saturating concentrations of ferrous ions     

Fluorometric, Chromatographic, and Spectronic Evidence for the Non-indolic Nature of Citrus Auxin

Evidence for the non-indolic nature of the new citrus auxinis presented on the basis of fluorometric properties, thin-layerchromatography, Ehrlich's colour reaction, paper electrophoresis,and the infra-red spectra determinations. Citrus auxin had alower Rf in TLC than IAA, did not give the typical indole reactionwith Ehrlich's reagent, and behaved differently in electrophoresis.The infra-red spectra also provided preliminary informationconcerning chemical structure. The hypothesis that indolic compoundsconstitute the only natural auxins in higher plants should berevised in view of this evidence that a non-indole auxin existsin higher plants.     

Cadmium-induced insulin release does not involve changes in intracellular handling of calcium

A possible interaction between Cd2+ and Ca2+ as a component in Cd2+-induced insulin release was investigated in beta cells isolated from obese hyperglycemic mice. The glucose stimulated Cd2+ uptake was dependent on the concentration of sugar. This uptake was sigmoidal with a Km for glucose of about 5 mM and was suppressed by both 50 microM of the voltage-activated Ca2+ channel blocker D-600 and 12 mM Mg2+. In the presence of 8 mM glucose 5 microM Cd2+ evoked a prompt and sustained stimulatory response, corresponding to about 3-fold of the insulin release obtained in the absence of the ion. Whereas 5 microM Cd2+ was without effect on the glucose-stimulated 45Ca efflux in the presence of extracellular Ca2+, 40 microM inhibited it. At a concentration of 5 microM, Cd2+ had no effect on the resting membrane potential or the depolarization evoked by either glucose or K+. In the absence of extracellular Ca2+ there was only a modest stimulation of 45Ca efflux by 5 microM Cd2+. Studies of the ambient free Ca2+ concentration maintained by permeabilized cells also indicate that 5 microM Cd2+ do not mobilize intracellularly bound Ca2+ to any great extent. On the contrary, at this concentration, Cd2+ even suppressed inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-induced Ca2+ release. The present study suggests that Cd2+ stimulates insulin release by a direct mechanism which does not involve an increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration.     

Characterization of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced Ca2+ release in pancreatic beta-cells.

Pancreatic beta-cells isolated from obese-hyperglycaemic mice released intracellular Ca2+ in response to carbamoylcholine, an effect dependent on the presence of glucose. The effective Ca2+ concentration reached was sufficient to evoke a transient release of insulin. When the cells were deficient in Ca2+, the Ca2+ pool sensitive to carbamoylcholine stimulation was equivalent to that released by ionomycin. Unlike intact cells, cells permeabilized by high-voltage discharges failed to generate either inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (InsP3) or to release Ca2+ after exposure to carbamoylcholine. However, the permeabilized cells released insulin sigmoidally in response to increasing concentrations of Ca2+. Also in the absence of functional mitochondria these cells exhibited a large ATP-dependent buffering of Ca2+, enabling the maintenance of an ambient Ca2+ concentration corresponding to about 150 nM even after several additional pulses of Ca2+. InsP3, maximally effective at 6 microM, promoted a rapid and pronounced release of Ca2+. The InsP3-sensitive Ca2+ pool was rapidly filled and lost its Ca2+ late after ATP depletion. The transient nature of the Ca2+ signal was not overcome by repetitive additions of InsP3. It was possible to restore the response to InsP3 after a delay of approx. 20 min, an effect which had less latency after the addition of Ca2+. These latter findings argue against degradation and/or desensitization as factors responsible for the transiency in InsP3 response. It is suggested that Ca2+ released by InsP3 is taken up by a part of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) not sensitive to InsP3. On metabolism of InsP3, Ca2+ recycles to the InsP3-sensitive pool, implying that this pool indeed has a very high affinity for the ion. The presence of functional mitochondria did not interfere with the recycling process. The ER in pancreatic beta-cells is of major importance in buffering Ca2+, but InsP3 only modulates Ca2+ transport for a restricted period of time following immediately upon its formation. Thereafter the non-sensitive part of the ER takes over the continuous regulation of Ca2+ cycling.     

Major histocompatibility (B) complex and sex effects on the phytohaemagglutinin wattle response

The influence of the major histocompatibility (B) complex and sex on the phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) wattle response was studied in 136 segregants (B2/B2, B2/B5 and B5/B5) of a fourth generation cross between inbred lines 6(1) and 15(1). At 6 weeks of age, chickens were injected with 100 micrograms purified PHA-P. Wattle thickness measurements were taken 4, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after injection. Analysis of variance showed that 4 h after injection, males had a significantly higher response than females but the sex-genotype interaction was also significant. Females had higher responses than males 24 and 48 h after injection as a consequence of more rapid development and earlier resolution of the reaction in males. B2/B2 chickens had significantly lower responses than B5/B5 chickens 72 and 96 h after injection, signifying a faster late resolution phase in the B2/B2 genotype. The developmental and early resolution phases of the PHA wattle response were influenced by sex while the late resolution phase was influenced by B genotype.     

Allometric Root/Shoot Relationships and Predicted Water Uptake for Desert Succulents

Root morphology, shoot morphology, and water uptake for Agavedeserti and Ferocactus acanthodes of various sizes were studiedusing allometric relationships (y = ax^b) and a previously developedwater uptake model. Shoot surface area increased with shootvolume with an exponent b of 0.75 for both species. Root lengthand the ground area explored by the roots increased with shootsurface area with b's of 0.72 for A. deserti and 0.92 for F.acanthodes. Various sized individuals had about the same ratioof root length to explored ground area, with higher values occurringfor A. deserti. Predicted water uptake averaged over the exploredground area was approximately constant over a 10⁴-fold rangein shoot surface area, suggesting that shoot size confers nointraspecific competitive advantage for water uptake. For theroot lengths per explored ground area observed in the field,water uptake was predicted to be 85 per cent of maximal; wateruptake could be increased by the production of more rain roots.When differences in shoot volume were accounted for by allometry,small plants had relatively less shoot surface area and relativelymore root length per shoot volume than did large plants, whichmay be important for the water relations of seedling establishment. Agave deserti, Ferocactus acanthodes, allometry, desert succulents, root distribution, root length, seedling growth, seedling establishment, shoot surface area, shoot volume, water uptake     

Glucose-stimulated efflux of fura-2 in pancreatic beta-cells is prevented by probenecid

Fura-2 loaded pancreatic beta-cells, isolated from obese hyperglycemic mice, were studied with respect to cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), insulin release and efflux of indicator. In the absence of glucose there was a continuous efflux of fura-2, which was markedly increased by stimulation with a high concentration of the sugar. Probenecid both reduced basal efflux of fura-2 and prevented that promoted by glucose. There was no interference of the drug with glucose-induced either insulin release or rise in [Ca2+]i. When applying fura-2 in pancreatic beta-cells, the use of probenecid markedly improves the measurements of [Ca2+]i.     

Determination of the intracellular protein thiol distribution of hepatocytes using monobromobimane derivatisation of intact cells and isolated subcellular fractions

The derivatisation of intact rat hepatocytes with monobromobimane resulted in rapid labelling of accessible protein thiols in several subcellular fractions. The derivatisation procedure did not cause acute cytotoxicity, nor did it alter the buoyant densities of the fractions or their gross protein compositions. Quantitation of the fluorescence irreversibly associated with the fractions demonstrated considerable intracellular heterogeneity in this pool of thiols. Values were highest in cytosol (ca. 90 nmol/mg protein), intermediate in microsomes (ca. 65 nmol/mg protein) and mitochondria (ca. 45 nmol/mg protein) and lowest in a crude fraction containing both nuclei and plasma membrane (ca. 35 nmol/mg protein). Similar values were obtained from microsomes and cytosol derivatised after fractionation but there were significant increases of ca. 100% in corresponding values from isolated mitochondria and the nuclear/plasma membrane fraction. These results are discussed in terms of the dynamic fluxes in monobromobimane protein thiols during fractionation and the applicability of this noninvasive method to studies of the mechanism(s) of toxicity of reactive xenobiotics and the role(s) of protein thiols in normal cellular function.     

Gibberellic Acid Sensitivity Determines the Length of the Extension Zone in Wheat Leaves

To test the hypothesis that gibberellic acid (GA) sensitivityaffects the length of the extension zone (LEZ) of leaf No. 1of wheat seedlings, we performed a gene dosage experiment usingRht dwarfing genes that condition GA insensitivity. We utilizednearly isogenic lines, at Rht-dosage levels of 0, 2 and 4 alleles.Anatomical markers (distances between successive stomates) wereused to infer the distribution of growth along the axis of theleaf. Interstomatal distance (ISD) and LEZ were inverse linearfunctions of Rht-dosage. The number of stomates matured perhour was independent of Rht-dosage. The relationship betweenISD and distance along the axis within the extension zone (EZ)was indistinguishable from linear. Rht-dosage did not affectthe slope of the regression of ISD against distance along theEZ. A-REST (AR; ancymidol, a potent GA synthesis inhibitor)reduced LEZ. Wild type was more sensitive to AR than doubledwarf. AR affected growth of leaf No. 1 more than length ofthe coleoptile, regardless of Rht-dosage. AR-dosage affectedcell division, whereas Rht-dosage did not. Extension zone, elongation, gibberellic acid, Rht, wheat, Triticum aesiivum L.