A study of the surface-active properties of the Mg2+-activated ATPase from cytoplasmic membranes of Streptococcus faecalis

The surface activity and enzymic properties of the factor F₁, the catalytic moiety of Streptococcus faecalis H⁺-ATPase, has been studied at the air-water and phospholipid-water interfaces. F₁ does not interact with the monolayer phospholipids, hence its adsorption on a biological membrane must be due mainly to its recognition of proteins of the hydrophobic complex. The dimensions of the F₁ molecule at the air-water interface have been estimated. In the presence of Mg²⁺, base area is $\text{S = 1.8 · 10}{}^4\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$, height $\text{h = 27}\text{A}\text{?}$. Bearing in mind the size of a globular subunit, it follows from the measurements that the major F₁ subunits should all lie in the same plane. The ATPase activity of F₁ at the interface is inversely proportional to the monolayer density. With low density monolayer, the specific ATPase activity is higher at the interface than in the bulk of the solution.Adsorption of F₁ at the interface shifts the isoelectric point of the protein, apparently due to changes in its conformation. The findings are discussed relative to the proton-active transport mechanism.     

Trichinella spiralis: Genetics of worm expulsion in inbred and F1 mice infected with different worm doses

The nematode Trichinella spiralis is rejected from the intestine at a time that is characteristic for each inbred strain of mouse. Previous work (R. G. Bell et al. 1982a) had empirically identified strong, intermediate, and weak phenotypes (NFR, $\text{C}\text{H}\text{He}$, and $\text{C57}\text{10}$ mice, respectively) in mice infected with 400 muscle larvae. It is shown that this classification applies to another eight inbred strains: SWR, $\text{DBA}\text{2}$, $\text{DBA}\text{1}$, LP, $\text{Bub}\text{Bn}$—all intermediate, and $\text{NZB}\text{BIN}$, C57L, A, and Mus molossinus—all weak. This phenotypic classification consistently applies with infections of 400–800 muscle larvae. Below doses of 300 muscle larvae, the strain designation of phenotype does not consistently apply. By this it is meant that the relative rejection rate changes for certain strains so that eventually some strains that were strong (NFR) or intermediate (AKR) responders to 400 muscle larvae become weak responders to 50 muscle larvae. Other strains increase their relative rejection time (B10 · BR, B10 · Q) while many do not change (NFS, $\text{C}\text{3}\text{Heb}\text{Fe}$, $\text{DBA}\text{2}$, $\text{DBA}\text{1}$). The phenomenon is most apparent in inbred parental strains rather than in F₁ crosses, and it represents a phenotypic variation in rejection time that is dependent on dose. It is also demonstrated that time of rejection is directly proportional to dose in all inbred and F₁ mouse strains that we have examined. Analysis of F₁ crosses shows that most have the rejection time of the strongest responding parental line, suggesting simple genetic control of strong, intermediate, and weak responses. Two F₁ crosses invalidated this theory. The $\text{DBA}\text{1}\text{×}\text{C3}\text{H}\text{He}$ (intermediate × intermediate) showed a strong response. The additive effects of parental rejection phenotype indicated that these lines could not be genetically identical for intermediate responsiveness. Similarly, the NFR (strong) × B10 · BR (weak) F₁ showed intermediate rejection, indicating partial dominance of $\text{C}\text{57}\text{B}\text{1}\text{10}$ genes over the strong responder NFR strain. Neither the primary expulsion time phenotype, phenotypic variation to low doses, or the rejection characteristics of F₁ crosses could be ascribed to genes linked to the major histocompatibility complex.     

Anatomical and enzymic studies of leaves of a C3 × C4Flaveria F1 hybrid exhibiting reduced photorespiration

Flaveria pringlei exhibits C₃ CO₂ compensation concentration (Г) values averaging 53 μl CO₂/l at 21% (v/v) O₂ and 25 ± 2°C. When this species is hybridized with the C₄ species, F. brownii (male) ($\text{Г = 6 μ}\text{l CO}{}_2\text{/}\text{l}$), the F₁ hybrid plants exhibit an average Г value of 31 μl CO₂/l at 21% O₂.Although light micrographs of leaf cross-sections show that the leaves of the hybrid plants possess the mesophyll arrangement characteristic of F. pringlei leaves, the hybrid plants have some bundle-sheath chloroplasts. However, the numbers of these organelles do not appear to be intermediate with respect to the numbers in the parents and are closest to the small number present in the bundle-sheath cells of F. pringlei leaves. The activities of key C₄ enzymes (in μmol · mg Chl^?1 · h^?1) are: phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase, 121; pyruvate, orthophosphate (P_i) dikinase, 26; NADP-malate dehydrogenase, 2529; and NADP-malic enzyme, 82. All of these activities are substantially higher than in F. pringlei, but are only 7–10% of those in F. brownii (with the exception of the NADP-malate dehydrogenase activity). These data suggest that a C₄ cycle might be operating to a limited extent in the hybrid plants resulting in reduced photorespiration.Whether or not C₄ photosynthesis occurs in these hybrid plants, they represent the first reported C₃ × C₄ F₁ hybrids to exhibit reduced Γ-values. This cross and its reciprocal should be useful models for studying the anatomical and biochemical factors determining the development of limited C₄ photosynthesis in C₃ species.     

Impairment of primary in vitro response of New Zealand mouse spleen cells to a thymic-dependent antigen.

New Zealand Black (NZB) and NZB by New Zealand White (NZW) F₁ hybrid ($\text{B}\text{W}$) mice develop clinical signs of autoimmune disease between 6 and 10 months of age but spleen cells from these strains have a greatly reduced in vitro response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) as early as 5–6 weeks of age. This hyporesponsiveness can be only partially restored with 2-mercaptoethanol, allogeneic macrophages or spleen cells, or allogeneic factor. The response of NZB and $\text{B}\text{W}$ spleen cells to the thymic independent antigen DNP-Ficoll is nearly normal. The reduced in vitro SRBC response was found to be attributable to splenic T and B cells rather than macrophages. Macrophages from NZB mice were found to function normally. The in vitro behavior of NZB lymphocytes is very similar to non-autoimmune mice infected with common murine viral pathogens. NZB and $\text{B}\text{W}$ mice may be making an active immune response as early as 5 weeks of age.     

Meiotic studies of the F1 hybrid between rice bean (Vigna umbellata) and its wild relative V. minima

The interspecific F₁ hybrid V. umbellata x V. minima, together with the parental species was investigated cytogenetically. Both parents showed normal meiosis, with 11 bivalents at diakinesis. The hybrid was completely pollen sterile. The cytological causes underlying sterility in the hybrid include an array of meiotic abnormalities ranging from non-pairing of chromosomes through the presence of univalents, chain and ring multivalents and anaphase bridges to the formation of micronuclei, during microsporogenesis. The presence of chain and ring multivalents at diakinesis not only demonstrates the structural hybridity of the F₁ hybrid, but also suggests that small interchanges and inversions played a significant role in the speciation within the genus Vigna.     

The association between pollen size and Renner complex in Oenothera villaricae and O. picensis ssp. picensis and their hybrids: evidence for preanthesis pollen competition

In both Oenothera villaricae Dietrich and O. picensis ssp. picensis, chromosomes are transmitted as two Renner complexes. Reciprocal combinations of the Renner complexes produce eight different F₁ hybrids, but only seven are viable. Each species, and each F₁ hybrid, produces three sizes of pollen, approximately 50% small sterile grains, 15% medium-sized viable grains and 35% large viable grains. Medium- and large-sized grains were separated manually and subjected to random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) analysis. A pattern of RAPD amplifications was obtained which indicates that, for each species and F₁ hybrid, one specific Renner complex characterizes the medium- and another the large-sized viable pollen. The results indicate that pollen size is determined in part by the pollen genotype and in part by the genotype of the other pollen grains developing within the same anther.     

Unidirectional hybridization and reproductive barriers between two heterostylous primrose species in north-west Yunnan,China

Background and Aims

Heteromorphy in flowers has a profound effect on breeding patterns within a species, but little is known about how it affects reproductive barriers between species. The heterostylous genus Primula is very diverse in the Himalaya region, but hybrids there have been little researched. This study examines in detail a natural hybrid zone between P. beesiana and P. bulleyana.

Methods

Chloroplast sequencing, AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) markers and morphological comparisons were employed to characterize putative hybrids in the field, using synthetic F₁s from hand pollination as controls. Pollinator visits to parent species and hybrids were observed in the field. Hand pollinations were conducted to compare pollen tube growth, seed production and seed viability for crosses involving different morphs, species and directions of crossing.

Key Results

Molecular data revealed all hybrid derivatives examined to be backcrosses of first or later generations towards P. bulleyana: all had the chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) of this species. Some individuals had morphological traits suggesting they were hybrids, but they were genetically similar to P. bulleyana; they might have been advanced generation backcrosses. Viable F₁s could not be produced with P. bulleyana pollen on P. beesiana females, irrespective of the flower morphs used. Within-morph crosses for each species had very low (<10 %) seed viability, whereas crosses between pin P. bulleyana (female) and pin P. beesiana had a higher seed viability of 30 %. Thus genetic incompatibility mechanisms back up mechanical barriers to within-morph crosses in each species, but are not the same between the two species. The two species share their main pollinators, and pollinators were observed to fly between P. bulleyana and hybrids, suggesting that pollinator behaviour may not be an important isolating factor.

Conclusions

Hybridization is strongly asymmetric, with P. bulleyana the only possible mother and all detected hybrids being backcrosses in this direction. Partial ecological isolation and inhibition of heterospecific pollen, and possibly complete barriers to F₁ formation on P. beesiana, may be enough to make F₁ formation very rare in these species. Therefore, with no F₁ detected, this hybrid zone may have a finite life span as successive generations become more similar to P. bulleyana.     

Comparative studies on mitochondrial coupling factor B and FB.

Beef heart mitochondrial protein factor F_B [Higashiyama $\text{et}\text{al}$, Biochemistry $\text{14}$, 4117–4121 (1975)] was purified and its properties were compared with those of coupling factor B. Both proteins stimulated ATP-driven NAD⁺ reduction in ammonia and EDTA-treated (AE-) submitochondrial particles, but the extent of stimulation (maximum activity of particles) was very low with F_B. F_B was found to be ineffective in stimulating P_i-ATP exchange in either AE-particles or reconstituted oligomycin-sensitive ATPase vesicles. Furthermore, F_B failed to stimulate ATP-driven NAD⁺ reduction activity of AE-particles in the presence of saturating amounts of dithiothreitol (DTT). DTT alone stimulates the particle activity extensively as reported earlier. Rabbit antiserum to F_B did not show a precipitin band with purified Factor B, nor did the antibody inhibit Factor B stimulated activity of the AE-particles. The data suggest that F_B and Factor B are two different molecular species with different functions and fail to provide evidence that F_B is a coupling factor.     

Synthesis and antitumor activity of platinum complexes of protonated diamines

Complexes of the formula cis-[Pt(H$\text{N}\text{+}$^～N)(L)Cl₂], where (H$\text{N}\text{+}$^～N) are the protonated diamines including 3-aminoquinuclidine, N-aminopiperidine, piperazine, N-methylpiperazine, 1,1,4-trimethylpiperazine, and N-methyl-1,4-diazabicyclo [2,2,2] octane (N-methyl-dabco) and L = SCN^?, NO₂^?, Br^?, and F^?, were synthesized from the protonated diamine complexes, [Pt(H$\text{N}\text{+}$^～N)Cl₃]. The antitumor activities of the complexes were evaluated in vitro against L1210 murine leukemia cells, and ID₅₀ values for the L-substituted complexes were compared to values of the parent complexes. In each case it was found that replacement of a chloride ion by SCN^?, NO₂^?, Br^?, or F^?, either reduced or completely eliminated antitumor activity. This effect is explained in terms of the trans-directing ability of the ligand, L, compared to chloride. The NO₂-substituted complex of 3- aminoquinuclidine was tested in vivo and found to exhibit little or no antitumor activity.     

Analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves in the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea as a function of magnesium concentration and NADPH-activated light-harvesting chlorophyll ab-protein phosphorylation

The effect of Mg²⁺ concentration and phosphorylation of light-harvesting chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{b-}\text{protein}$ on various chlorophyll fluorescence induction parameters of isolated pea thylakoids has been studied. (1) Lowering the Mg²⁺ concentration from 3 to 0.4 mM decreases only the variable fluorescence (F_v) and the area above the induction curve while at the same time increasing the slow exponential component of the rise (β_max). (2) A further decrease in Mg²⁺ concentration from 0.4 to 0 mM decreases the initial (F₀) fluorescence level such that the ratio $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>v</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ increases slightly as does the area above the induction curve and β_max. (3) Thylakoid membranes, phosphorylated at 5 mM Mg²⁺, show an equal decrease in F_v and F₀, no change in the area above the induction curve and an increase in β_max. At 2 mM Mg²⁺, however, phosphorylation induced a more extensive quenching of F_v so that the $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>v</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ ratio was lowered and the area above the induction curve decreased while β_max increased. (4) When phosphorylated membranes were subsequently suspended in an Mg²⁺-free medium the effect on F₀ due to phosphorylation was found to be additive to that due to the absence of Mg²⁺. The effect of membrane phosphorylation on fluorescence is discussed in relation to the control of excitation energy distribution and shows that different mechanisms operate depending on the background Mg²⁺ levels. At high Mg²⁺ the phosphorylation seems to affect the absorption cross-section of Photosystem II while at lower Mg²⁺ levels there is an additional effect of increased spillover from Photosystem II to I.     

Bovine fibrinogens: Reversible polymer formation

Reversible flbrinogen polymer formation was examined at pH 6.6 and Γ/2 0.3. The equilibrium fraction of fibrinogen present as polymer, (P_mf)_e, was determined by gel filtration for fibrinogen concentrations, F_O, from 48 to 166 μm. Using F_O in molarity, the experimental relation is ln [F_O(P_mf)_e] = 3.53 ln[F_O(1 ? (P_mf)_e)] + 23.73. This relation and attendant confidence limits are examined assuming, during filtration, that the original polymer population is either stable or selected polymer species dissociate to monomer. The possibility that all polymers are open is excluded since the calculated microscopic association constant would then increase with F_O. Acceptable models are based on the assumptions that polymers are open, with association constant K_a, until restricted by closure, with association constant K_r, at an integral degree of polymerization, n. Values are selected on the basis that interaction parameters are independent of F_O and that the required molar decrease in free energy is a minimum. Assuming polymer stability, the experimental relation at 273 °K gives $\text{n = 4,}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{= 1.2 m,}\text{and}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ = 736 m^?1. Temperature dependence gives $\text{ΔH= ?16.9 kcal/mol}\text{and}\text{ΔS}{}^{\mathrm{O}}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ = ?48.8 e.u. $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ indicates a relation between changes in entropy. The probability is >0.90 that $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{r}}\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}\text{? 56 m}$, which indicates a greater loss of degrees of freedom on closure than on association. Conclusions are not altered by the assumption that only the closed polymer species is stable. As ionic strength is decreased at pH 6.6, K_a increases. The clotting time of an otherwise constant system decreases as system P_mf is increased.     

Quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence and primary photochemistry in chloroplasts by dibromothymoquinone

The quenching action of dibromothymoquinone on fluorescence and on primary photochemistry was examined in chloroplasts at ?196 °C. Both the initial (F₀) and final (F_M) levels of fluorescence as well as the fluorescence of variable yield (F_v = F_M ? F₀) were quenched at ?196 °C to a degree which depended on the concentration of dibromothymoquinone added prior to freezing. The initial rate of photoreduction of C-550 at — 196 °C, which was assumed to be proportional to maximum yield for primary photochemistry, ?_Po, was also decreased in the presence of dibromothymoquinone. Simple theory predicts that the ratio $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>V</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$ should equal ?_Po. Excellent agreement was found in a comparison of relative values of ?_Po with relative values of $\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>V</mtext>}}\text{F}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$ at various degrees of quenching by dibromothymoquinone. These results are taken to indicate that F₀ and F_V are the same type of fluorescence, both emanating from the bulk chlorophyll of Photosystem II.Dibromothymoquinone appears to create quenching centers in the bulk chlorophyll of Photosystem II which compete with the reaction centers for excitation energy. The rate constant for the quenching of excitation energy by dibromothymoquinone is directly proportional to the concentration of the quencher. Rate constants for the de-excitation of excited chlorophyll molecules by fluorescence, k_F, by nonradiative decay processes, k_D, by photochemistry, k_P, and by the specific quenching of dibromothymoquinone, k_Q, were calculated assuming the absolute yield of fluorescence at F₀ to be either 0.02 or 0.05.     

Rapid selective stimulation by growth factors of the incorporation by BALB/C 3T3 cells of [35S]methionine into a glycoprotein and five superinducible proteins

Within four hours of adding fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, prostaglandin F_2α, or serum to quiescent $\text{Balb}\text{c}$ 3T3 cells we observe selective increases in the incorporation of [³⁵S]methionine into six proteins; “major excreted protein” (MEP) and five “superinducible proteins” (SIPs). The mechanisms regulating the extracellular expression of MEP and the SIPs differ. 1) The levels of MEP but not SIPs are increased by NH₄Cl; and 2) Cycloheximide increase SIP and decreases MEP production. These results suggest that production of MEP and the SIPs are controlled by other proteins; MEP by a positive, and the SIPs by a negative effector.     

X-ray diffraction analysis of crystals of bovine platelet factor 4

Bovine platelet factor 4 has been crystallized by “vapor dilution” in space group P2₁2₁2₁, $\text{a = 63.7}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 66.7}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 80.5}\text{A}\text{?}$, with four molecules, each 9505 M_r, in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract X-rays to better than 2.8 Å resolution.     

C-Glycosylflavones and xanthones in leaves of Rigidella,sessilanthera and Fosteria

Four New World genera are included in the tribe tigrideae of the Iridaceae. These genera, which have been the subject of recent systematic treatments [1–4], share many characteristics; e.g. a haploid complement of two large and 12 small chromosomes and bisulcate pollen grains. However, the taxonomic and phyletic relationships within and between these genera have been based strictly on floral morphology and may simply reflect the primary pollinators of these genera [4,5].The flavonoid chemistry of eight species in three of the four genera, Rigidella, Sessilanthera and Fosteria, was investigated as part of a systematic study of Tigrideae. Our results are summarized in Table 1 nad Fig. 1. Although a recurrent pattern of $\text{C-}\text{glycosylflavones}$ and xanthones characterize the leaves of these taxa, each species exhibits a distinctive array of compounds. The same classes of compounds occur in other tribes of the Iridaceae: $\text{C-}\text{glycosylflavones}$ occur in the Irideae [6,7], Cipureae, and Mariceae and xanthones in Irideae [6] and Sisyrinchieae [6].     

Studies of the nucleotide-binding sites on the mitochondrial F1-ATPase through the use of a photoactivable derivative of adenylyl imidodiphosphate

(1) $\text{N-4-}\text{Azido}\text{-2-}\text{nitrophenyl}\text{-γ-[}{}^3\text{H]aminobutyryl-Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P(}\text{NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P)}$ a photoactivable derivative of 5-adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AdoPP[NH]P), was synthesized. (2) Binding of ³H]NAP₄-AdoPP[NH]P to soluble ATPase from beef heart mitochrondria (F₁) was studied in the absence of photoirradiation, and compared to that of $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$. The photoactivable derivative of AdoPP[NH]P was found to bind to F₁ with high affinity, like AdoPP[NH]P. Once $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$ had bound to F₁ in the dark, it could be released by AdoPP[NH]P, ADP and ATP, but not at all by NAP₄ or AMP. Furthermore, preincubation of F₁ with unlabeled AdoPP[NH]P, ADP, or ATP prevented the covalent labeling of the enzyme by $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$ upon photoirradiation. (3) Photoirradiation of F₁ by $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$ resulted in covalent photolabeling and concomitant inactivation of the enzyme. Full inactivation corresponded to the binding of about 2 mol $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}\text{mol F}{}_1$. Photolabeling by NAP₄-AdoPP[NH]P was much more efficient in the presence than in the absence of MgCl₂. (4) Bound $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$ was localized on the α- and β-subunits of F₁. At low concentrations (less than 10 μM), bound $\text{[}{}^3\text{H]NAP}{}_4\text{-}\text{Ado}\text{PP[}\text{NH}\text{]P}$ was predominantly localized on the α-subunit; at concentrations equal to, or greater than 75 μM, both α- and β-subunits were equally labeled. (5) The extent of inactivation was independent of the nature of the photolabeled subunit (α or β), suggesting that each of the two subunits, α and β, is required for the activity of F₁. (6) The covalently photolabeled F₁ was able to form a complex with aurovertin, as does native F₁. The ADP-induced fluorescence enhancement was more severely inhibited than the fluorescence quenching caused by ATP. The percentage of inactivation of F₁ was virtually the same as the percentage of inhibition of the ATP-induced fluorescence quenching, suggesting that fluorescence quenching is related to the binding of ATP to the catalytic site of F₁.     

Purification and crystallization of a protein complex from Bacillus stearothermophilus ribosomes

A complex of ribosomal proteins B-L8 and B-L13 from Bacillus stearothermophilus has been isolated and crystallized. The cell dimensions are $\text{a = b = 108}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 242}\text{A}\text{?}$ with the space group P4₁2₁2 (or P4₃2₁2). The asymmetric unit probably contains two complexes with a 4:1 stoichiometry of the proteins.     

On the origin of telocentric chromosomes in mammals

The origin of mammalian telocentric chromosomes is considered under the classical (fusion) and fission hypotheses using both theoretical analyses of the mechanisms proposed under the two hypotheses, and the published chromosomal data for 723 mammal species. Telocentrics are defined on the basis of short arm size (S_w) as chromosomes with S_w < 0·1(Imai, 1976). The fusion hypothesis lacks adequate models for producing these telocentrics, but their origin is readily understood under the fission hypothesis. Based on these analyses, I propose a cyclical model of chromosome change, symbolized:

in which T, A, and $\text{M}$ are, respectively, telocentric, acrocentric, and meta-, submeta- and subtelocentric chromosomes. The chief elements of this model are centric fission $\text{(}\text{M}\text{→ T + T)}$, tandem growth of constitutive heterochromatin (T → A), and pericentric inversion $\text{(A →}\text{M}\text{)}$. Under this model, therefore, mammalian karyotypes have an overall tendency, with occasional reversals, to evolve higher numbers of both chromosomes and chromosome arms.     

Preliminary studies of crystals of poliovirus type I

Poliovirus contains 60 copies each of four coat protein subunits arranged on a T = 1 icosahedral surface. Crystals of the Mahoney and the Sabin strains of the type I serotype of polio have been obtained. Crystals of the Mahoney strain belong to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2 with $\text{a = 324}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, b = 359}\text{A}\text{?}\text{, c = 381}\text{A}\text{?}$, contain $\text{1}\text{2}$ virus particle in the asymmetric unit, and diffract to at least 2.5 Å resolution. The crystals are apparently identical to those characterized by Finch & Klug (1959). Collection of three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data to 2.9 Å resolution is in progress.     

Crystallography of Bacillus subtilis levansucrase

Levansucrase, an exocellular enzyme, has been isolated from a high producer mutant, the BS5C4 constitutive strain, of Bacillus subtilis. Three crystalline forms have been obtained, all three belonging to the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁. The most suitable form for a three-dimensional structure investigation has cell dimensions, $\text{a = 68}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{b = 125}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{c = 54}\text{A}\text{?}$. There is one molecule in the asymmetric unit.