Investigation of the Effect of Various Buffer Solutions Used for Microinjection of Gene-Engineering Constructs on Preimplantation Development of Mouse Embryos

We studied the effects of some buffer solutions used for microinjection in mammalian zygotes on preimplantation development of (CBA × C57BL) F₁ mouse embryos in vitro. The rate of embryo survival was estimated according to their capacity to develop to the stages of blastocyst and blastocyst hatched from zona pellucida. The results obtained suggested a reduced rate of survival of zygotes to the blastocyst stage after the injection into a pronucleus of the buffers Tris-HCl with EDTA, Tris-HCl with MgCl₂ and NaCl, and medium M2 (p < 0.05) and to the stage of blastocyst hatched from zone pellucida after injection of a Dulbecco solution, as compared to the control. No differences were found in the survival rate of zygotes injected with different buffer solutions.     

Accumulation of essential oils by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-transformed shoot cultures of Pimpinella anisum

Axenic transformed shoot cultures of Pimpinella anisum (anise) were established following inoculation of plant stems with the nopaline strain T37 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The stable incorporation of T-DNA in the transformed tissues was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction. Total essential oil accumulated by transformed shoot cultures grown under continuous light was found to be 18% lower (per unit fresh weight of tissue) than that produced by untransformed shoot cultures incubated under similar conditions, but more than 89% lower than the yield of oil from the intact plant. The relative amounts of the principal components of the essential oil of the transformed shoot cultures, namely geraniol, -bisabolene, trans-pseudoisoeugenol-2-methylbutyrate and transanethole, were similar to those present in the parent plant, but significantly different from those of the untransformed shoot cultures.Abbreviations T-DNA transfer-DNA - MS Murashige and Skoog medium - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - TY tryptone and yeast extract medium - t_D doubling time - GC-MS gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry - FID flame ionisation detector - PCR polymerase chain reaction - TE Tris-HCl, EDTA buffer - TBE Tris, borate, EDTA buffer     

Analysis of glycerol dehydrogenase activities present in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mucor circinelloides</Emphasis> YR-1

Two inducible NADP⁺-dependent glycerol dehydrogenase (GlcDH) activities were identified in Mucor circinelloides strain YR-1. One of these, denoted iGlcDH2, was specifically induced by n-decanol when it was used as sole carbon source in the culture medium, and the second, denoted iGlcDH1, was induced by alcohols and aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons when glycerol was used as the only substrate. iGlcDH2 was found to have a much broader substrate specificity than iGlcDH1, with a low activity as an ethanol dehydrogenase with NAD⁺ or NADP⁺ as cofactor. Both isozymes showed an optimum pH for activity of 9.0 in Tris-HCl buffer and are subject to carbon catabolite repression. In contrast, the constitutive NADP⁺-dependent glycerol dehydrogenases (GlcDHI, II, and III) were only present in cell extracts when the fungus was grown in glycolytic carbon sources or glycerol under oxygenation, and their optimum pH was 7.0 in Tris-HCl buffer. In addition to these five NADP⁺-dependent glycerol dehydrogenases, a NAD⁺-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase is also present in glycerol or n-decanol medium; this enzyme was found to have weak activity as a glycerol dehydrogenase.     

Detection of small cryptic plasmids in Salmonella typhimurium strain LT2

Small cryptic plasmids of molecular weights ranging from 1 to 3 Mdal were detected by electron microscopy in Salmonella typhimurium strain LT2 (ColIb). They were divided into different size classes. Two of the cryptic plasmids were transferred simultaneously with ColIb to Escherichia coli.List of Abbreviations TES buffer 0.05 M tris-HCl pH 8.0, 0.05 M NaCl, 0.005 M Na₂ EDTA - TCG medium tris-casamino acid-glucose medium - cpm counts per min     

In vitro stability of nitrate reductase from barley leaves

Barley seedling nitrate reductase was stabilized in vitro without the use of extraneous protein by optimizing the buffer components. The extraction buffer (NRT 8.5) consists of 0.25 M Tris-HCl, pH 8.5, 3 mM DTT, 5 μM FAD, 1 μ M sodium molybdate and 1 mM EDTA. This buffer stabilizes the extracted nitrate reductase at O° and 30°, whereas the addition of extraneous protein to standard extraction buffers stabilizes the enzyme only at 0°.     

Comparative study of the response ofAzotobacter vinelandii andAcetobacter diazotrophicus to changes in pH

Summary Curves were established for the pH response of respiration on eleven substrates byAzotobacter vinelandii andAcetobacter diazotrophicus. With every substrate the optimal pH forA. diazotrophicus was lower than forA. vinelandii. The optimal hydrogen ion concentration forA. diazotrophicus was 5 fold to 365 fold greater than forA. vinelandii depending upon the substrate. In general,A. diazotrophicus supports respiration over a wider pH range than doesA. vinelandii.Dedicated to the memory of Professor John G. Torrey     

Operation of the cbb3-type terminal oxidase in Azotobacter vinelandii

A part of the gene encoding cbb ₃-type cytochrome oxidase CcoN subunit was cloned from Azotobacter vinelandii and a mutant strain of this bacterium with disrupted ccoN gene was constructed. In contrast to the wild type strain, this one is unable to oxidize cytochromes c ₄ and c ₅. Thus, the A. vinelandii respiratory chain is shown to contain cbb ₃-type cytochrome c oxidase. It is also shown that the activity of this enzyme is not necessary for diazotrophic growth of A. vinelandii at high oxygen concentrations.     

Purification of Prephenate Dehydratase from Corynebacterium Glutamicum by Affinity Chromatography

Abstract

Prephenate dehydratase has been purified from the wild type strain Corynebacterium glutamicum by affinity chromatography. Three ligands, L-Trp, L-Tyr, and L-Phe have been tested as well as conditions for elution. L-Phe is the most specific ligand: it leads to a purification factor of 11 in one step using step gradients of NaCl in Tris-HCl buffer at pH 7.5.     

Effect of N-bromosuccinimide-modification of tyrosine side chains of cardiotoxin II of the Indian cobra on biological activity

The essential role of tyrosine residue(s) of cardiotoxin II in the biological activity of the toxin was evaluated using N-bromosuccinimide. N-bromosuccinimide effected oxidation of the tyrosine residues in cardiotoxin II with enhancement in absorbance at 260 nm. The influence of various solvent media such as acetate-formate buffer (pH 4.0), 0.01 N H₂SO₄ (pH 2.0) and Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.5) on oxidation of tyrosine residues was exa mined. In comparison with 0.01 N H₂S O₄, acetate-formate buffer could prevent secondary oxidations as revealed by lower consumption of oxidant, N-bromosuccinimide, to achieve oxidation. In Tris-HCl buffer oxidation of tyrosine did not take place effectively. N-iodo-succinimide caused only limited oxidation as evident from minor increase in absorbance at 260 nm. N-chlorosuccinimide was completely ineffective. Oxidation of cardiotoxin II with 3.75 equivalents of N-bromosuccinimide tyrosine residue led to complete loss of lethal activity. However, the derivative retained the ability to protect bacterial protoplasts from lysis in solutions of low tonicity. Unlike cardiotoxin II oxidized with N-chlorosuccinimide (50 equivalents/mol of toxin) which retained lethal activity as well as the ability to protect protoplasts from lysis, performic acid-oxidized toxin had lost both the activities.     

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase from Acetobacter aceti

In Acetobacter aceti growing on pyruvate as the only source of carbon and energy, oxaloacetate (OAA) is produced by a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31). The enzyme was purified 122-fold and a molecular weight of about 380,000 was estimated by gel filtration.The optimum pH was 7.5 and the K _m values for PEP and NaHCO₃ were 0.49 mM and about 3 mM, respectively. The enzyme needed a divalent cation; the K _m for Mn²⁺, Co²⁺ and Mg²⁺ were 0.12, 0.26 and 0.77 mM, respectively. Maximal activity was only obtained with Mg²⁺. Mn²⁺ and Co²⁺ became inhibitory at high concentrations.The activity was inhibited by succinate and, to a lesser extent, by fumarate, citrate, -ketoglutarate, aspartate and glutamate.As compared with the corresponding enzyme from A. xylinum, the PEP carboxylase of A. aceti showed the following differences: a) It had an absolute requirement for acetyl CoA (K _a 0.18 mM) or propionyl CoA (K _a 0.2 mM). b) It was not affected by ADP. c) It was sensitive to thiol blocking agents.Abbreviations PEP phosphoenolpyruvate - OAA oxaloacetate - MW molecular weight - TEMG buffer 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA, 5 mM MgCl₂, 1 mM glutathione - HEPES N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-ethanesulfonic acid     

Growth and nitrogenase activity of Azotobacter vinelandii in the presence of several phenolic acids

Growth and nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) of Azotobacter vinelandii in chemically defined N-free media were studied in the presence of p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids at concentrations from 0.01 to 1% (w/v). Growth and nitrogenase activity were only detected when the microorganism was cultured on p-hydroxybenzoic acid either as sole carbon source or mixed with other phenolic acids, suggesting that p-hydroxybenzoic acid could be utilized as a carbon source by A. vinelandii for growing under certain environmental conditions.     

The ORF encoding a putative ferredoxin-like protein downstream of the vnfH gene in Azotobacter vinelandii is involved in the vanadium-dependent alternative pathway of nitrogen fixation

Summary An open reading frame (ORF) in the same operon as, but downstream of, vnfH in Azotobacter vinelandii can code for a ferredoxin-like protein. The role this ORF may play in the vnf (vanadium-dependent alternative) pathway of nitrogen fixation was investigated. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to alter one base in each of the codons specifying amino acids 18 and 19 generating a unique BglII site. A kanamycin resistance cartridge was cloned into the BglII site. This construct was mobilized into A. vinelandii CA12 ( nifHDK) strain by conjugation and the mutation was introduced into the genome by marker exchange. The resulting mutant was unable to fix nitrogen under conditions in which the vnf pathway of nitrogen fixation operates. This suggests that this ORF is functional and is essential for the vanadium-dependent alternative pathway of nitrogen fixation in A. vinelandii.     

Mechanism of Cu2+-induced elevation of [3H]cimetidine binding to membranes in rat brain

The mechanism of increasing effect of CuCl₂ on specific [³H]cimetidine binding was examined in brain membranes of rats. CuCl₂-Induced elevation of [³H]cimetidine binding was high in Krebs-Ringer solution (pH 7.4) compared to those in 50 mM Na, K-phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and in 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4). CaCl₂ (5–50 mM) inhibited effect of CuCl₂, but NaCl (25–200 mM), KCl (5–100 mM) or MgCl₂ (5–50 mM) did not. CuCl₂ (50 μM) elevated 9.3- and 2.5-fold the binding in phosphate- and Tris—HCl buffer, respectively. EDTA-2Na decreased the binding elevated by 50 μM CuCl₂ in phosphate buffer to the similar level in Tris-HCl buffer, whereas it did not affect those in Tris-HCl buffer. The absorption spectra of cimetidine and CuCl₂ mixture showed a peak at 317 nm in phosphate buffer that was not observed in Tris-HCl buffer. It is suggested that cimetidine-Cu²⁺ chelate complex could be formed in phosphate buffer, resulting in higher amount of binding in phosphate buffer than in Tris-HCl buffer. PdCl₂ also caused a marked elevation in [³H]cimetidine binding, seeming to be due to formation of cimetidine-Pd²⁺ chelate complex. There were two types of [³H]cimetidine binding in the presence of 20 nM PdCl₂: high affinity binding with K_d = 0.7 ± 0.1 nM and low affinity binding with K_d = 44.3 ± 3.0 nM. It is suggested that cimetidine-Cu²⁺ complex binds to cimetidine binding sites in brain with higher affinity than cimetidine alone.     

Effect of O2 limitation on growth and respiration of the wild type and an ascorbate-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine-oxidase-negative mutant strain ofAzotobacter vinelandii

Azotobacter vinelandii strain AVOP (wild type) and an ascorbate-N,N,N,N-tetramethylene-p-phenylenediamine oxidase-negative mutant (AV11) were each grown in O₂-limited chemostat cultures. The results showed that the mutant strain grew and used O₂ less efficiently than the wild-type strain. Respiration rates of membrane particles with NADH or malate as the substrate were similar for each strain. Succinate oxidase activity was about fourfold lower in membrane particles prepared from mutant than from wild-type strain. Cyanide at a concentration that completely inhibited ascorbate-TMPD oxidase activity resulted in a 50% inhibition of NADH oxidase activity in membrane particles of AVOP. These data suggest that the cytochromeo,a ₁, oxidase branch of the respiratory chain may be important in the physiology ofA. vinelandii under O₂-limiting growth conditions.     

Azotobacter vinelandii strains of disparate origin produce azotobactin siderophores with identical structures

Summary The yellow green fluorescent siderophore, azotobactin, was purified from cultures of twoAzotobacter vinelandii strains. Structural analysis of azotobactin from the North AmericanA. vinelandii strains O and its capsule negative variant UW (also called OP) revealed that both strains produced azotobactins with identical structures. Moreover, azotobactin produced by these two strains was structurally identical to azotobactin D, the fluorescent siderophore previously isolated from the EuropeanA. vinelandii strain D (CCM 289). Unlike strains of fluorescentPseudomonas which produce structurally diverse pyoverdins, strains ofA. vinelandii of disparate origin produced azotobactins of identical structure. Lactonization of azotobactin did not interfere with the ability of this compound to function as a siderophore.     

Bacterial Degradation of EDTA

Degradation of EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) or metal–EDTA complexes by cell suspensions of the bacterial strain DSM 9103 was studied. The activity of EDTA degradation was the highest in the phase of active cell growth and decreased considerably in the stationary phase, after substrate depletion in the medium. Exponential-phase cells were incubated in HEPES buffer (pH 7.0) with 1 mM of uncomplexed EDTA or EDTA complexes with Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, Pb²⁺, Co²⁺, Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, or Fe³⁺. The metal–EDTA complexes (Me–EDTA) studied could be divided into three groups according to their degradability. EDTA complexes with stability constants K below 10¹⁶ (log K < 16), such as Mg–EDTA, Ca–EDTA, and Mn–EDTA, as well as uncomplexed EDTA, were degraded by the cell suspensions at a constant rate to completion within 5–10 h of incubation. Me–EDTA complexes with log K above 16 (Zn–EDTA, Co–EDTA, Pb–EDTA, and Cu–EDTA) were not completely degraded during a 24-h incubation, which was possibly due to the toxic effect of the metal ions released. No degradation of Cd–EDTA or Fe(III)–EDTA by cell suspensions of strain DSM 9103 was observed under the conditions studied.     

Bacterial action of fertilization envelope extract from eggs of the fish Cyprinus carpio and Plecoglossus altivelis

The vitelline envelope (VE) and fertilization envelope (FE) in eggs of the fish Cyprinus carpio and Plecoglossus altivelis were purified by homogenization of eggs or embryos in 5 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.0, containing 2 mM ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA), except for processing of VEs in Plecoglossus eggs, and by repeated washing wih the same buffer. To extract the outermost layer material, the purified VEs and FEs were processed overnight at 4 degrees C in 5 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.0, containing 8 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 2 mM EDTA, 0.3 M alpha-lactose, 0.3 M glucose, and 0.9% NaCl. Since extraction of the outermost layer of the VEs of Cyprinus eggs in this solution was found to be ultrastructurally incomplete, further sonication in the same buffer was necessary. The solution extracted from purified VEs or FEs was dialyzed against 5 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.0, followed by lyophilization. The extracts from the FEs from both fish species contained two kinds of lectins, one agglutinated human B-type erythrocytes and the other nonspecifically agglutinated fish spermatozoa, and both extracts had a strong bactericidal effect on Vibrio anguillarum that was isolated from diseased cultured fish, but not on Aeromonas hydrophila and Escherichia coli. The extracts of purified VEs from eggs of both fish had no bactericidal effect on the bacteria examined, nor any agglutination effect on human erythrocytes and fish spermatozoa.     

Effect of Simazine on the production of lysine and methionine byAzotobacter chroococcum andAzotobacter vinelandii

Summary Production of lysine and methionine byAzotobacter chroococcum strain H23 andA. vinelandii strain ATCC 12837 was studied in chemically-defined medium and dialysed-soil medium, amended with different concentrations of Simazine. Responses on production due to Simazine were different for each strain and were fairly conditioned by culture media composition. Quantitative production of amino acids was significantly affected by the xenobiotic only at higher doses (50–100,g/ml). The effect of Simazine on methionine production by strain H23 was very pronounced when bacteria were grown in dialysed-soil medium, which was specially formulated to reproduce the natural habitat of the organisms.     

Linkage of silver to antibodies through 2-imino thiolane

Earlier studies described the linkage of silver to antibodies using SH groups generated by the reduction of the SS groups using ascorbic acid (1) analogous to the Thakur and DeFulvio technique for linking technetium to antibodies. This work describes the linkage of silver to IgG after introducing SH groups by coupling the IgG to 2-imino thiolane. The protein was dissolved in sodium acetate buffer pH 4.5 containing 1 mM EDTA by dialysis/gel chromatography in a concentration of 20 mg/mL. 2-Imino thiolane dissolved in Tris-HCl acetate buffer, pH 8.2, 0.2M was added to give a final dilution of 0.2 mM 2-imino thiolane. The excess of 2-imino thiolane was removed by dialysis or G-25 Sephadex gel chromatography and then the protein was reacted with silver nitrate 0.1 mM. The unreacted SH groups were blocked by adding iodoacetamide to a concentration of 5 mM. The nonprotein reagents again were removed by dialysis or gel chromatography. The thiol groups were titrated using 1.5 mM 2 2-Py-SS-Py prior to and after addition of silver. It was observed that depending on the concentration of silver, 50–80% of the SH groups were coupled to silver. Higher concentrations of silver led to insoluble precipitates and should be avoided.     

Effect of pH on competition for nodule occupancy by type I and type II strains ofRhizobium leguminosarum bv.phaseoli

The effect of soil pH on the competitive abilities of twoRhizobium leuminosarum bv.phaseoli type I and one type II strains was examined in a nonsterile soil system.Phaseolus vulgaris seedlings, grown in unlimed (pH 5.2) or limed (pH 7.6) soil, were inoculated with a single-strain inoculum containing 1 × 10⁶ cells mL^–1 of one of the three test strains or with a mixed inoculum (1:1, type I vs. type II) containing the type II strain CIAT 899 plus one type I strain (TAL 182 or CIAT 895). At harvest, nodule occupants were determined. In a separate experiment, a mixed suspension (1:1, type I vs. type II) of CIAT 899 paired with either TAL 182 or CIAT 895 was used to inoculateP. vulgaris seedlings grown in sterile, limed or unlimed soil. The numbers of each strain in the rhizosphere were monitored for 10 days following inoculation. The majority of nodules (> 60%) formed on plants grown in acidic soil were occupied by CIAT 899, the type II strain. This pattern of nodule occupancy changed in limed soil. When CIAT 899 was paired with TAL 182, the type I strain formed 78% of the nodules. The number of nodules formed by CIAT 899 and CIAT 895 (56% and 44%, respectively) were not significantly different. The observed patterns of nodule occupancy were not related to the relative numbers or specific growth rates of competing strains in the host rhizosphere prior to nodulation. The results indicate that soil pH can influence which symbiotype ofR. leguminosarum bv.phaseoli will competitively nodulateP. vulgaris.