Organellar segregation,rearrangement and recombination in protoplast fusion-derived Brassica oleracea calli

Summary Cauliflower protoplasts were fused to determine the effect of protoplast source and pretreatment on organellar segregation in fusion products. Mitochondrial and chloroplast type were determined for over 250 calli from eight fusions between iodoacetate-treated or -irradiated leaf or hypocotyl protoplasts with fertile or Ogura cytoplasms. Organelles in fusion-derived calli were identified with five mitochondrial probes and one chloroplast probe. Mitochondrial and chloroplast segregation were independent but biased. Most calli had B. oleracea chloroplasts, but more calli had Ogura mitochondria than B. oleracea ones. Neither protoplast source nor pretreatment alone affected organelle segregation. However, iodoacetate treatment of hypocotyl protoplasts reduced their mitochondrial contribution to the fusion products although it did not affect chloroplast segregation. Over half of the calli had mitochondrial genomes distinct from those of either fusion partner; many of these contained the complete mitochondrial genome of one partner along with some mitochondrial DNA from the other. Out of 258 calli, 83 showed evidence of mitochondrial recombination, most commonly by formation of a novel 11-kb PstI fragment near the atp9 region.     

DNA replication in bacteriophage-infected Staphylococcus aureus.

The synthesis of viral and host DNA in phage-infected Staphylococcus aureus was examined. Three intracellular forms of phage 52HJD DNA were demonstrated: covalently closed circular, open circular, and linear DNA species. It was noted that infection of S. aureus-propagating strains 81 and 52 with phage 52HJD inhibited the replication of the bacterial chromosome and a stringently controlled penicillinase plasmid. A small tetracycline plasmid, normally under relaxed replication control, continued to replicate in the postinfection period. No breakdown of the host chromosome into small-molecular-weight fragments or utilization of bacterial DNA material for the synthesis of viral DNA was observed.     

Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus plasmids introduced by transformation into Bacillus subtilis.

Covalently closed circular DNA from five Staphylococcus aureus plasmids has been introduced into Bacillus subtilis. Four of these plasmids (pUB110, pCM194, pSA2100, and pSA0501) have been selected for further study. These plasmids replicate as multicopy autonomous replicons in both Rec+ and Rec- B. subtilis strains. They may be transduced between B. subtilis strains or transformed at a frequency of 10(4) to 10(5) transformants per microgram of DNA. The molecular weights of these plasmids were estimated, and restriction endonuclease cleavage site maps are presented. Evidence is given that pSA2100, an in vivo recombinant of pSA0501 and pCM194 (S. Iord?nescu, J. Bacteriol. 124:597-601, 1975), arose by a fusion of the latter plasmids, possibly by insertion of one element into another as a translocatable element. Genetic information from three other S. aureus plasmids (pK545, pSH2, and pUB101) has also been introduced into B. subtilis, although no covalently closed circular plasmid DNA was recovered.     

DNA-mediated transformation in mutants of phage group 2 Staphylococcus aureus

A large pool of antibiotic resistant and auxotrophic mutants was isolated from the Staphylococcus aureus phage group 2 strains UT0002-19 and UT0017 by (1) antibiotic gradient plates, (2) trimethoprim selection, and (3) nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis, which sometimes was coupled by enrichment with either penicillin or methicillin. Strain UT0002-19 has a chromosomal determinant for exfoliative toxin (ET), which causes "scalded skin syndrome" in man. A few mutants were isolated from the phage group 1 strain UT0080, which also produces ET. Two transformation regimens, called the broth and plate methods, were devised for the phage group 2 strains. They employed 80 alpha as helper phage, and recipient cells were incubated with transforming DNA in the presence of Ca2+. Strain UT0080 was transformed using phage 55 as helper. Maximum competence of the phage group 2 strains occurred during early logarithmic growth in trypticase soy broth, but cells grown overnight on heart infusion agar were also competent. Transformation frequencies of all markers ranged from 10(-6) to 10(-8). For phage 80 alpha, a multiplicity of infection of 4 was optimal in transforming a mutant of strain UT0002-19. Transformation of gly, lin, met, ole, rif, and ser markers in S. aureus is reported for the first time. Ery and ole markers in all three strains exhibited cross-resistance. Mapping studies, similar to those performed by DNA-mediated transformation in the phage group 3 strain 8325, can now be commenced for phage group 2 strains of S. aureus in order to elucidate the molecular genetics of this medically important bacterium.     

Genetic transformation of plants by protoplast electroporation

This article describes an optimized protocol for the electroporation of tobacco mesophyll protoplasts together with notes and data on the effects of various parameters and suggestions for work with protoplasts of other species. In this protocol, electroporation is achieved by means of electrical pulses from a high-voltage, capacitive-discharge unit. Procedures are described for measurement of protoplast viability with Evan's blue, the detection of transient expression of CAT and GUS gene plasmid constructs, and for the recovery of stable transformants based on selection for kanamycin resistance.     

Impact of the stringency of cell selection on plastid segregation in protoplast fusion-derived Nicotiana regenerates

Summary Vegetative segregation of a mixed plastid population in protoplast fusion-derived cell lines can be directed by a selection favouring the multiplication of one of the parental plastid types. This report defines some of the critical conditions leading to a homogeneous plastid population in cybrid plants generated by protoplast fusion between Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and an albino and streptomycin-resistant N. tabacum plastid mutant. Light (1,500 lx) conferred a strong selective advantage to chloroplasts versus albino plastids, while the lack of this effect in dim light (300 lx) indicated that a sufficient light intensity is essential to the phenomenon. Selection on streptomycin-containing medium in the dark, however, led to the preferential multiplication of resistant plastids. Streptomycin selection of resistant chloroplasts in the light, consequently, results in a plastid selection of doubled stringency. In another experiment a definite, but leaky, selection for chloroplast recombination (selection for greening on streptomycin-containing medium in dim light) was used to reveal various recombination products. Protoplast fusion in fact resulted in cybrid plants showing only simple chimeric segregation of unchanged parental plastids. These results demonstrate the essential requirement for stringent plastid selection, as defined by cell culture conditions, to precede the formation of shoots expected to possess the desired plastid genetic composition.     

Rapid isolation of DNA from Staphylococcus aureus

We describe a Staphylococcus aureus bulk DNA isolation procedure which uses detergent and guanidine hydrochloride to free the nucleic acid from contaminants. The procedure is rapid and yields high-molecular-weight DNA suitable for molecular biological procedures.     

A vector for recombinant DNA in Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcal plasmids pS194 and pSC194 which confer streptomycin and streptomycin-chloramphenicol resistance respectively have been used as vectors for construction of recombinant DNA, since they each carry one single recipient site for endonuclease EcoRI. Hybrid DNA does not express streptomycin resistance, a marker which is present in both vectors, presumably because the marker gene is cleaved by EcoRI. A chloramphenicol marker present in pSC194 was used for positive hybrid selection. Hybrid plasmids generated by joining pSC194 with one or more of the four EcoRI fragments of the large (18.1-10(6) daltons) staphylococcal plasmid pI258 were constructed and permitted us to develop a physical map for pI258.     

Tomato protoplast DNA transformation: physical linkage and recombination of exogenous DNA sequences

Tomato protoplasts have been transformed with plasmid DNA's, containing a chimeric kanamycin resistance gene and putative tomato origins of replication. A calcium phosphate-DNA mediated transformation procedure was employed in combination with either polyethylene glycol or polyvinyl alcohol. There were no indications that the tomato DNA inserts conferred autonomous replication on the plasmids. Instead, Southern blot hybridization analysis of seven kanamycin resistant calli revealed the presence of at least one kanamycin resistance locus per transformant integrated in the tomato nuclear DNA. Generally one to three truncated plasmid copies were found integrated into the tomato nuclear DNA, often physically linked to each other. For one transformant we have been able to use the bacterial ampicillin resistance marker of the vector plasmid pUC9 to rescue a recombinant plasmid from the tomato genome. Analysis of the foreign sequences included in the rescued plasmid showed that integration had occurred in a non-repetitive DNA region. Calf-thymus DNA, used as a carrier in transformation procedure, was found to be covalently linked to plasmid DNA sequences in the genomic DNA of one transformant. A model is presented describing the fate of exogenously added DNA during the transformation of a plant cell. The results are discussed in reference to the possibility of isolating DNA sequences responsible for autonomous replication in tomato.     

Multiple transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae by protoplast fusion

A technique for the multiple transformation of yeast by protoplast fusion is described. This involved the PEG-induced fusion of protoplasts from cells which had been treated with chromosome-fragmenting agents (in this case cupferron and hydroxylamine) with protoplasts of triply auxotrophic cells. The recovery of transformants was increased significantly if one of the amino acid requirements of the recipient strain was included in the selection medium. Transformants isolated on supplemented media remained auxotrophic for that requirement. Prototrophic, uninucleate transformants had a DNA content and cellular volume similar to that of the parental strains. Possible mechanisms of gene transfer are discussed. This technique offers the possibility of transferring desirable characteristics from one yeast strain to another without altering the ploidy level of the recipient strain.     

Rapid isolation of DNA from Staphylococcus aureus.

We describe a Staphylococcus aureus bulk DNA isolation procedure which uses detergent and guanidine hydrochloride to free the nucleic acid from contaminants. The procedure is rapid and yields high-molecular-weight DNA suitable for molecular biological procedures.     

Molecular docking analysis of DNA ligase from Staphylococcus aureus with identical polysaccharides

Staphylococcus aureus has been recognized as an important human pathogen for more than 100 years. DNA ligase is the main protein responsible for the replication of S. aureus. DNA ligase was selected as successive target to control the replication mechanism. The antibacterial activity of polysaccharide is known. Therefore, it is of interest to study the activity of Polysaccharide analogues against DNA ligase in S. aureus using molecular docking analysis. We report ten analogues using scoring parameters with best two analogues as potential drug candidate for the combat of S. aureus infection.     

Carotenoid Formation by Staphylococcus aureus

The carotenoid pigments of Staphylococcus aureus U-71 were identified as phytoene; zeta-carotene; delta-carotene; phytofluenol; a phytofluenol-like carotenoid, rubixanthin; and three rubixanthin-like carotenoids after extraction, saponification, chromatographic separation, and determination of their absorption spectra. There was no evidence of carotenoid esters or glycoside ethers in the extract before saponification. During the aerobic growth cycle the total carotenoids increased from 45 to 1,000 nmoles per g (dry weight), with the greatest increases in the polar, hydroxylated carotenoids. During the anaerobic growth cycle, the total carotenoids increased from 20 nmoles per g (dry weight) to 80 nmoles per g (dry weight), and only traces of the polar carotenoids were formed. Light had no effect on carotenoid synthesis. About 0.14% of the mevalonate-2-(14)C added to the culture was incorporated into the carotenoids during each bacterial doubling. The total carotenoids did not lose radioactivity when grown in the absence of (14)C for 2.5 bacterial doublings. The total carotenoids did not lose radioactivity when grown in the absence of (14)C for 2.5 bacterial doublings. The incorporation and turnover of (14)C indicated the carotenes were sequentially desaturated and hydroxylated to form the polar carotenoids.     

Additional DNA in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and molecular cloning of mec-specific DNA.

Additional DNA was shown to be present in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by one- and two-dimensional restriction endonuclease analyses of the chromosomal DNA. A 3.5-kilobase Bg/II fragment, which was present in methicillin-resistant strains but not in the isogenic methicillin-sensitive parental strain, was cloned into newly constructed plasmid pWDB1 in Escherichia coli. Hybridization of this 3.5-kilobase Bg/II fragment with different methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant S. aureus clinical isolates indicated that the fragment represents part of the methicillin resistance determinant (mec). In addition, the fragment carries a sequence that is present in some large staphylococcal plasmids, as well as in penicillinase plasmid pI524.     

Novel non-nucleobase inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus DNA polymerase IIIC

The preparation and biological evaluation of 5-substituted-6-hydroxy-2-(anilino)pyrimidinones as a new class of DNA polymerase IIIC inhibitors, required for the replication of chromosomal DNA in Gram-positive bacteria, are described. These new dGTP competitive inhibitors displayed good levels of in vitro inhibition and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A new class of dATP competitive inhibitors, 6-substituted-2-amino-5-alkyl-pyrimidin-4-ones, whose antibacterial activity was unaffected by serum, were identified.