Thiosulphate improves yield of hydrogen production from glucose by the immobilized formate hydrogenlyase system of Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli cells with formate hydrogenlyase activity that were immobilized in agar beads produced hydrogen from glucose at the approximate yield of 0.6 mole of hydrogen per mole. Succinate or thiosulphate added to glucose increased hydrogen production two-fold. Thiosulphate did not increase the rate of hydrogen production but reduced the consumption of glucose for the same amount of hydrogen produced compared to control. Oxaloacetate and traces of pyruvate instead of succinate accumulated at the end when thiosulphate was present.     

Entrapment of l-tryptophan producing Escherichia coli in different matrices: activity of immobilized cells

Cells of Escherichia coli induced for l-tryptophan synthase [l-serine hydro-lyase (adding indole-glycerol-phosphate), EC 4.2.1.20] have been assayed in DMF and DMSO aqueous solvents as reaction medium. Up to 20% DMF/water, cells retained 90% of their tryptophan synthase activity. Concentrations of 20 mM indole, which did not inhibit this reactivity, could be reached with 5% DMF/water. Four matrices were compared for cell immobilization: polyacrylamide, foam particles of bovine seum albumin, alginate and κ-carrageenan. The best activity was retained with the latter matrix, and the preparations thus obtained allowed high productivity of l-tryptophan. Various systems of production of l-tryptophan with κ-carrageenan and DMF/water were studied.     

Recombinant Escherichia coli cells immobilized in Ca-alginate beads for metabolite production

Milligram amounts of metabolites of drug candidates are required to identify toxic products. Human drug metabolites are currently produced selectively in a time- and cost-efficient manner in bioreactor systems containing recombinant Escherichia coli co-expressing a human cytochrome P450 isoenzyme/NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase (hCYP/HR) complex. For further optimization, immobilization of the catalytic system in Ca-alginate microbeads was considered. This new concept was designed for CYP3A4 with testosterone as substrate. Immobilized E. coli cells had a high maximal and homogeneously distributed biomass. Viability was stable over at least 1 week of culture and even longer during storage. Gene expression was ideally initiated 6 h after immobilization. Although immobilized E. coli cells expressed a highly functional enzyme system after 2 days, they did not metabolize testosterone, probably due to cell permeability problems resulting from immobilization. Therefore, immobilized cell membranes displaying testosterone bioconversion activity, even after long-term storage, will be used in bioreactors with high organic solvent content.     

Hydrogenase 3 but not hydrogenase 4 is major in hydrogen gas production by Escherichia coli formate hydrogenlyase at acidic pH and in the presence of external formate

Fermenting Escherichia coli is able to produce formate and molecular hydrogen (H₂) when grown on glucose. H₂ formation is possessed by two hydrogenases, 3 (Hyd-3) and 4 (Hyd-4), those, in conjunction with formate dehydrogenase H (Fdh-H), constitute distinct membrane-associated formate hydrogenylases. At slightly alkaline pH (pH 7.5), the production of H₂ was found to be dependent on Hyd-4 and the F₀F₁-adenosine triphosphate (ATPase), whereas external formate increased the activity of Hyd-3. In this study with cells grown without and with external formate H₂ production dependent on pH was investigated. In both types of cells, H₂ production was increased after lowering of pH. At acidic pH (pH 5.5), this production became insensitive either to N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or to osmotic shock and it became largely dependent on Fdh-H and Hyd-3 but not Hyd-4 and the F₀F₁-ATPase. The results indicate that Hyd-3 has a major role in H₂ production at acidic pH independently on the F₀F₁-ATPase.     

Molecular cloning of the fdhF gene of Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract The fdhF gene of Escherichia coli , coding for at least one component of benzyl viologen-linked formate dehydrogenase (FDH-BV) activity, was isolated on a ColE1- fdhF hybrid plasmid from the Clarke and Carbon colony bank.
Endonuclease restriction maps of this plasmid and its pBR322-subcloned derivative, pLW06, were constructed. Various hybrid plasmids were further obtained by deletion of endonuclease-cleaved fragments from pLW06 DNA. Their complementation pattern was analyzed after introduction into different fdhF mutant strains. The fdhF gene was shown to be located on a 5.5 kb Bam HI- Pvu II-DNA fragment, which restored FDH-BV activity to the wild-type level.     

A reassessment of the range of c-type cytochromes synthesized by Escherichia coli K-12

Abstract Five different c -type cytochromes have been detected during anaerobic growth of various Escherichia coli strains in different media. None of these cytochromes was detectable in aerobically-grown cultures. Only a single, 43 kDa cytochrome was synthesized in response to the presence of trimethylamine-N-oxide: synthesis of this cytochrome was unaffected by the presence of nitrate or nitrite, was repressed by oxygen, but was dependent upon a funtional tor operon located at minute 22 (coordinate 1070 kb) on the E. coli chromosome. The other four cytochromes, masses 16, 18, 24 and 50 kDa, were induced by nitrite coordinately with formate-dependent nitrite reductase activity, but repressed by oxygen and nitrate. As only the 18 kDa and 50 kDa cytochromes are encoded by the nrf operon located at minute 92 (coordinate 4366 kb), there must be other loci, possibly essential for formate-dependent nitrite reduction, encoding the 16 kDa and 24 kDa cytochromes. No other c -type cytochrome was detected under any growth condition tested.     

Synthesis of unusual thick pili by Escherichia coli of EPEC serogroup O119

Unique very thick pili were found in varying numbers on cells of five out of 11 clinical isolates of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli belonging to the classic EPEC serogroup O119. They were approximately 12.5 nm in diameter, which is thicker than any other known E. coli pilus type. Analysis of the plasmid profiles of the O119 isolates showed that one strain was plasmid-free while the remainder contained numerous plasmids with a wide range of sizes. The thick pilus determinants were located on a 140-kb non-transferrable plasmid. They were not associated with adherence or a putative 90-kb enteroadherence factor plasmid.     

Alkaline phosphatase isozyme conversion by cell-free extract of Escherichia coli

Isozyme type 1 of alkaline phosphatase in Escherichia coli K-12 was converted to types 2 and 3 after incubation of type 1 isozyme with the supernatant of a sonicated cell-free extract prepared from the cells carrying the cloned iap+ gene on a multi-copy plasmid. By comparison, the lysate prepared from cells carrying the iap+ gene only on the chromosome showed much less isozyme-converting activity. The reaction was promoted by Mg2+ at concentrations of 10 to 50 mM. Protease inhibitors, antipain and leupeptin which inhibit the isozyme conversion in vivo, also inhibited the isozyme conversion in vitro. These results suggest that cells carrying the multiple copy iap+ plasmid overproduce a kind of proteolytic enzyme which removes the amino-terminal arginine residues from isozymes 1 and 2.     

Unexpected distribution of immobilized microorganisms within alginate beads

Immobilization refers to the prevention of free cell movement by natural or artificial means. It has always been assumed that immediately after an immobilization procedure is performed, cells are distributed homogeneously in the beads that entrap them. However, in this study, Escherichia coli and Trichoderma asperellum distribution in alginate-gel beads was found to be nonhomogeneous. In fact, there was a greater presence of cells on the surface of the alginate beads than in their cores.     

A comparison of HEp-2 cell invasion by enteropathogenic and enteroinvasive Escherichia coli

In order to further characterize cellular invasion by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), we compared invasion of HEp-2 cells by EPEC and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC). We used a gentamicin HEp-2 cell assay and measured bacterial recovery under conditions of varying incubation time and temperature, and in the presence or absence of inhibitors of cellular microfilaments and microtubules. We found that, unlike EIEC, EPEC did not rapidly multiply within HEp-2 cell but invaded well at 32 degrees C. While microfilament inhibitors reduced invasion by both EIEC and EPEC, microtubule inhibitors reduced invasion by EPEC only. These results suggest that EPEC and EIEC differ in their mechanisms of epithelial cell invasion.     

大肠杆菌感染后家蝇幼虫的细胞免疫反应

目的探讨家蝇3龄幼虫被大肠杆菌感染后的细胞免疫反应.方法 (1)观察家蝇3龄幼虫感染大肠杆菌后不同时间血淋巴细胞总数(THC)、各类血细胞比例及形态的变化.(2)用比色法分别测定感染后不同时间家蝇3龄幼虫血清中酸性磷酸酶(ACP)及过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性的变化.(3)用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法测定感染后不同时间家蝇3龄幼虫血清中二酚氧化酶(DPO)活性的变化.结果 (1)感染后4 h、8 h、16 h、24 h THC均有显著增加(P<0.01),(2)感染后4 h、8 h、16 h组的浆血胞和粒血胞的比例明显增加(P<0.01),而珠血胞在感染后各时间组的比例均明显减少(P<0.01),各时间组原血胞和类绛血胞的比例均无明显变化(P>0.05).(3)浆血胞出现细胞变形、空泡等形态变化.(4)大肠杆菌感染后各时间组血清中ACP及CAT活性显著高于对照组(P<0.01),活性分别在感染后8 h、16 h达高峰后逐渐下降.(5)家蝇幼虫血清中二酚氧化酶(DPO)活性在感染后4 h上升,16 h达高峰后下降.结论家蝇幼虫感染大肠杆菌后诱发体内细胞免疫反应,不仅出现血淋巴细胞形态和数量的变化,而且还有血细胞合成、释放多种参与微生物杀灭、清除的酶.     

重组大肠杆菌产普鲁兰酶的高密度发酵工艺研究

以表达普鲁兰酶的重组大肠杆菌作为出发菌株,在摇瓶培养的基础上,建立了大肠杆菌工程菌产普鲁兰酶的高密度发酵工艺。通过测定细胞密度、细胞干重、分离菌体可溶性成分与不溶性成分及SDS-PAGE电泳,分析重组大肠杆菌的生长和普鲁兰酶的表达情况。摇瓶试验使用合成培养基和LB培养基,重组大肠杆菌在合成培养基生长较慢,诱导5 h的普鲁兰酶表达量高于LB培养基,包涵体比例低于LB培养基。重组大肠杆菌的高密度发酵使用合成培养基,补料阶段采用指数流加的工艺,在设定细胞的比生长速率为0.12的前提下,限制补料中碳源的供应,以阻止乙酸的产生。当细胞密度OD600达到70.0开始诱导,最终细胞密度为每升53.3 g细胞干重,细胞内可溶性普鲁兰酶为每升1.35 g。     

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in healthy goats in India: occurrence and virulence properties

AIMS: To describe the occurrence and virulence gene pattern of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) in healthy goats of Jammu and Kashmir, India. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 220 E. coli strains belonging to 60 different 'O' serogroups was isolated from 206 local (nonmigratory) and 69 migratory goats. All the 220 strains were screened for the presence of stx(1), stx(2), eaeA and hlyA genes. Twenty-eight E. coli (75.6%) strains from local and nine (24.3%) strains from migratory goats belonging to 18 different serogroups showed at least presence of one virulence gene studied. Twenty-eight strains (16.47%) (belonging to 13 different serogroups) from local goats carried stx(1) gene alone or in combination with stx(2) gene, while as only one strain (2%) from migratory goats possessed stx(2) gene alone. Interestingly in the present study none of the STEC strains carried eaeA gene. Similarly, none of the strains from local goats possessed eaeA and none of the migratory goats possessed stx(1) gene. Eight strains (16%) (belonging to four different serogroups) from migratory goats carried eaeA gene. Twenty-five (14.7%) and seven (14%) strains from local and migratory goats harboured hlyA gene respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy goats of Jammu and Kashmir state serve as a reservoir of STEC and EPEC. Further studies in this direction are needed to work out whether or not they are transmitted to humans in this part of world. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study is the first report of isolation of STEC and EPEC strains from healthy goats in Jammu and Kashmir State of India, which could be a source of infection to humans.