Two unusual pilin sequences from different isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The pilin genes of two Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from two different patients with cystic fibrosis were cloned and sequenced. The predicted protein sequences of these two pilins had several unusual features compared with other published P. aeruginosa pilin sequences.     

Two unusual human immunoglobulin V kappa genes

The V kappa genes A10 and A14 which have been previously localized within the human kappa locus were analysed now. A10 hybridizes under stringent conditions only weakly or not at all to probes characteristic for the four V kappa subgroups. According to their DNA sequences and the derived amino-acid sequences A10 and A14 do not fit well into the subgroup classification. They seem to be about as closely related to the subgroup I and III genes and less related to those of subgroups II and IV. Hybridization experiments indicate that A10 and A14 belong to a small V kappa gene family. After discussing the various features of the sequences we suggest neither to assign A10 and A14 to one of the existing subgroups nor to establish a new one but to apply to them the subgroup designation N which may be changed when all V kappa genes are known and can be classified together.     

Two unusual budding bacteria isolated from a swimming pool

S ly , L.I. & H argreaves , M.H. 1984. Two unusual budding bacteria isolated from a swimming pool. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 56 , 479–486.
Two unusual strains of budding bacteria were isolated on a Millipore Pseudomonas Count Water Tester during routine monitoring of Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts in a swimming pool. The first isolate has been identified as Blastobacter sp. It was a yellow-pigmented, Gram negative rod-shaped organism with a polar holdfast by which it attached to solid surfaces or other cells to form rosettes. The cells reproduced by asymmetric division or budding at the free pole of the cell, producing motile daughter cells with a single polar flagellum. The second isolate, which has not yet been identified, was a red-pigmented, Gram negative rod-shaped organism which produced one or more buds at each pole of the cell. Cell division appears to occur by both binary fission and by budding. Both organisms were strict aerobes, catalase and oxidase positive and did not produce acid from glucose in Hugh and Leifson medium.     

Two unusual budding bacteria isolated from a swimming pool

Two unusual strains of budding bacteria were isolated on a Millipore Pseudomonas Count Water Tester during routine monitoring of Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts in a swimming pool. The first isolate has been identified as Blastobacter sp. It was a yellow-pigmented, Gram negative rod-shaped organism with a polar holdfast by which it attached to solid surfaces or other cells to form rosettes. The cells reproduced by asymmetric division or budding at the free pole of the cell, producing motile daughter cells with a single polar flagellum. The second isolate, which has not yet been identified, was a red-pigmented, Gram negative rod-shaped organism which produced one or more buds at each pole of the cell. Cell division appears to occur by both binary fission and by budding. Both organisms were strict aerobes, catalase and oxidase positive and did not produce acid from glucose in Hugh and Leifson medium.     

Two unusual glycerophospholipids from a filamentous fungus, Absidia corymbifera

The chloroform-methanol extractable lipids of the soil filamentous fungus Absidia corymbifera VKMF-965 account for about 20% by weight of dry cells and are composed of low-polarity constituents (about 75% of the total lipids), such as triacylglycerols (mainly), diacylglycerols, sterols and free fatty acids, as well as of glycolipids (about 3%) and phospholipids. The last consist largely of components common to the fungal lipids, namely, phosphatidylethanolamine (38% of the total phospholipids), phosphatidyl-myo-inositol (16%), diphosphatidylglycerol (12%), phosphatidylcholine (7%), phosphatidic acid (6%) and phosphatidylglycerol (3%), and two unusual phospholipids, PL1 (6%) and PL2 (9%). Based on the infrared (IR), (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), (13)C-NMR and mass spectra along with the results of degradation experiment, these two phospholipids have been established to be 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(N-acetylethanolamine), or N-acetyl phosphatidylethanolamine, and 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho(N-ethoxycarbonyl-ethanolamine), respectively. These structures have been confirmed by preparing similar phospholipids from the phosphatidylethanolamine isolated from the same fungus and correlating their chromatographic behaviour, IR and (1)H-NMR spectra with those of PL1 and PL2. So far N-acetyl phosphatidylethanolamine has been detected only in cattle and human brains and a human placenta but its structure was not rigorously proved. PL2 is a novel lipid; to our knowledge no natural phospholipid with an urethane group has yet been found. The main fatty acids of both the phospholipids are n-hexadecanoic, octadecanoic and octadecadienoic ones; PL2 contains in addition a considerable amount of octadecatrienoic acid with its greater portion located at the sn-1 position.     

In situ hybridization and translocation breakpoint mapping. II. Two unusual t(21;22) translocations

Using a combination of banding techniques, we examined two atypical 21;22 translocations, 46,XX or XY,t(21;22)(p11;q11). In situ chromosomal hybridization of a probe for the constant region of the lambda light chain locus demonstrated that the 22q11 breakpoints of both rearrangements were proximal to the C lambda gene cluster. These studies permitted us to distinguish the 22q11 breakpoints of these translocations from the breakpoint of the 22q--chromosome of chronic myelogenous leukemia.     

Two very unusual macrocyclic flavonoids from the water lily Nymphaea lotus

Three novel flavonols, myricetin-3'-O-(6"-p-coumaroyl)glucoside and two epimeric macrocyclic derivatives, as well as the known myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside and pentagalloyl glucose, have been isolated from the wild water lily Nymphaea lotus L. and identified using 2D NMR. This is the first report of such a macrocycle from any source.     

An unusual two-tailed mouse.

A malformation that resulted in the formation of 2 complete tails is described in a mouse that was heterozygous for the sex-linked gene Bent-tail (Bn). One of the tails appeared normal and contained 29 vertebrae, whereas the other tail consisted of 27 vertebrae and had several bends or kinks in it and also had malformed vertebrae similar to those described for the Bn gene. A comparison of the malformation with previously described bifurcated tail conditions in the mouse is presented. It is possible that this 2-tailed mouse represents a special case of X-chromosome inactivation.     

An unusual beta-cell adenoma.

An unusual case of insulinoma in a 51-year-old man demonstrates the difficulties in diagnosing and treating hypoglycemia. From the many laboratory tests and procedures performed, the only findings typical of insulinoma were inappropriate values of plasma immunoreactive insulin in relation to the corresponding values of blood glucose, and these were sporadic. A small beta-cell adenoma in the pancreatic head was the cause of the hypoglycemia.