西瓜柱头乳突细胞分泌活动期间ATP酶活性超微结构定位

研究了西瓜柱头乳突细胞ＡＴＰ酶活性的超微结构定位。分泌活动旺盛的细胞中,质膜、内质网、质体的内部片层、胞间连丝以及多数大液泡的膜上面都有大量ＡＴＰ酶活性反应产物,线粒体和小泡上只有少量酶活性反应产物。分泌活动停止后处于解体状态的细胞内,反应产物主要定位于液泡膜上。分泌旺盛的乳突细胞质膜具有高的ＡＴＰ酶活性表明分泌物运出需要大量能量,内质网ＡＴＰ酶活性强可能意味着该细胞参与分泌物合成。     

Role of the Apt1 Protein in Polysaccharide Secretion by Cryptococcus neoformans

Flippases are key regulators of membrane asymmetry and secretory mechanisms. Vesicular polysaccharide secretion is essential for the pathogenic mechanisms of Cryptococcus neoformans. On the basis of the observations that flippases are required for polysaccharide secretion in plants and the putative Apt1 flippase is required for cryptococcal virulence, we analyzed the role of this enzyme in polysaccharide release by C. neoformans, using a previously characterized apt1Δ mutant. Mutant and wild-type (WT) cells shared important phenotypic characteristics, including capsule morphology and dimensions, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) composition, molecular size, and serological properties. The apt1Δ mutant, however, produced extracellular vesicles (EVs) with a lower GXM content and different size distribution in comparison with those of WT cells. Our data also suggested a defective intracellular GXM synthesis in mutant cells, in addition to changes in the architecture of the Golgi apparatus. These findings were correlated with diminished GXM production during in vitro growth, macrophage infection, and lung colonization. This phenotype was associated with decreased survival of the mutant in the lungs of infected mice, reduced induction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine levels, and inefficacy in colonization of the brain. Taken together, our results indicate that the lack of APT1 caused defects in both GXM synthesis and vesicular export to the extracellular milieu by C. neoformans via processes that are apparently related to the pathogenic mechanisms used by this fungus during animal infection.     

Production and Secretion of the Polysaccharide Biodispersan of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus A2 in Protein Secretion Mutants

Biodispersan is an extracellular anionic polysaccharide produced by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus A2 that changes the surface properties of limestone and acts both as a dispersant and as a grinding aid (E. Rosenberg, C. Rubinovitz, A. Gottlieb, S. Rosenhak, and E. Z. Ron, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:317-322, 1988; E. Rosenberg, C. Rubinovitz, R. Legmann, and E. Z. Ron, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 54:323-326, 1988; E. Rosenberg, Z. Schwartz, A. Tenenbaum, C. Rubinovitz, R. Legmann, and E. Z. Ron, J. Dispersion Sci. Technol. 10:241-250, 1989). Extracellular fluid also contains a high concentration of secreted proteins that create problems in the purification and application of biodispersan. In order to obtain preparations of biodispersan that contained smaller amounts of protein, we selected mutants of strain A2 that were defective in protein secretion. These mutants produced equal, or even higher, levels of total biodispersan compared with those of the parental strain. Moreover, although there was a significant drop in the concentration of extracellular proteins in the medium, the secretion of biodispersan was unaffected. These results suggest that secretion mutants are potentially useful for the production of extracellular polysaccharides.     

EDTA Inhibits Biofilm Formation,Extracellular Vesicular Secretion,and Shedding of the Capsular Polysaccharide Glucuronoxylomannan by Cryptococcus neoformans

The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans can grow as a biofilm on a range of synthetic and prosthetic materials. Cryptococcal biofilm formation can complicate the placement of shunts used to relieve increased intracranial pressure in cryptococcal meningitis and can serve as a nidus for chronic infection. Biofilms are generally advantageous to pathogens in vivo, as they can confer resistance to antimicrobial compounds, including fluconazole and voriconazole in the case of C. neoformans. EDTA can inhibit biofilm formation by several microbes and enhances the susceptibility of biofilms to antifungal drugs. In this study, we evaluated the effect of sublethal concentrations of EDTA on the growth of cryptococcal biofilms. EDTA inhibited biofilm growth by C. neoformans, and the inhibition could be reversed by the addition of magnesium or calcium, implying that the inhibitory effect was by divalent cation starvation. EDTA also reduced the amount of the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan shed into the biofilm matrix and decreased vesicular secretion from the cell, thus providing a potential mechanism for the inhibitory effect of this cation-chelating compound. Our data imply that the growth of C. neoformans biofilms requires the presence of divalent metals in the growth medium and suggest that cations are required for the export of materials needed for biofilm formation, possibly including extracellular vesicles.     

Pollen-stigma Interaction in the Leguminosae: Constituents of the Stylar Fluid and Stigma Secretion of Trifolium pratense L.

The style of T. pratense is hollow, and the canal contains awatery secretion which forms the medium through which the pollentubes grow after penetrating the stigma head. In self-incompatiblegenotypes, incompatible pollen germinates freely and the tubespenetrate the stigma, but they are arrested in the canal afterpassing an inflated zone (entasis) proximal to the stigma head.The stylar fluid contains sucrose, glucose and traces of galactoseand arabinose, as well as a range of proteins. Comparison ofthe proteins in the stigma eluate and stylar fluid by microgradientgel electrophoresis shows that the spectra are broadly similar;but in addition to various minor differences, two major glycoproteinsare present in the stigma secretion which are absent from thestyle, while one in the stylar fluid is not represented in thestigma. Six esterase isoenzymes are present in the stylar fluid,and three of these also in the stigma eluate; there are alsodifferences in acid phosphatase isoenzymes. Leguminosae, Trifolium pratense L., pollen-stigma interaction, self-incompatibility, stigma eluate secretion, stylar secretion     

Golgi Apparatus Mediated Polysaccharide Secretion by Outer Root Cap Cells of Zea mays. III. Control by Exogenous Sugars

Sugars supplied to germinating seedlings of maize (Zea mays L.) regulate the secretion of polysaccharides by the outer cells of the root cap. The polysaccharide secreted by these cells adheres to the root tip as a droplet and the size of the droplet was used to quantitate polysaccharide secretion. The polysaccharide contains glucose, galacrose, and galacturonic acid residues with smaller quantities of mannose, arabinose, xylose, fucose and rhamnose. These sugars supplied to maize seedlings had marked effects on the rate of polysaccharide secretion by root tips. The effects on secretion were independent of the growth rates of the roots. Glucose, fucose and xylose increased droplet size 1.5–2 fold (as did sucrose, maltose, lacrose, fructose and ribose) whereas galactose, arabinose and galacturonic acid were inhibitory. Mannose increased dropler size 5–7 fold. The marked effect of mannose on polysaccharide secretion was due to an increased rate of secretion combined with a longer phase of extrusion of polysaccharide into the forming droplet. The effect of mannose was partially reversed by inorganic phosphate and other sugars (except for fucose which had no effect or promoted secretion in the presence of mannose). In contrast to sucrose, mannose stimulated secretion in a maize variety having a high sugar endosperm (high endogenous sugar). The results suggest that regulation of secretion by mannose is due to an alteration of normal sugar metabolism; whereas stimulation of secretion by sucrose and other sugars may be due to an increased availability of sugars for metabolism.     

西瓜花叶病毒HC-Pro基因在毕赤酵母中的分泌表达与功能研究

利用RT-PCR方法扩增出西瓜花叶病毒HC-Pro的基因,长度为1371bp,并构建了真核表达质粒pPIC9K-WHC。将重组质粒经SalⅠ单酶切后电转化Pichia pastoris GS115菌株,经PCR鉴定与G418、MD和MM培养基筛选,获得Mut /His 表型高拷贝转化子。经1%甲醇诱导5d后,SDS-PAGE检测发酵液上清,在66kD处有一特异蛋白条带表达。Western blot鉴定表明,表达蛋白可以和HC-Pro蛋白抗血清发生结合反应。Far-Western blot证明该蛋白能与西瓜花叶病毒CP蛋白结合,支持了HC-Pro蛋白协助传毒的"桥梁"学说。     

Apparent Inhibition of beta-Fructosidase Secretion by Tunicamycin May Be Explained by Breakdown of the Unglycosylated Protein during Secretion

Suspension-cultured carrot (Daucus carota) cells synthesize and secrete β-fructosidase, a glycoprotein with asparagine-linked glycans. Treatment of the cells with tunicamycin completely inhibits the apparent secretion of β-fructosidase as measured by the accumulation of the radioactive protein in the cell wall or the culture medium. In the past, such a result has been interpreted as an inhibition of secretion by tunicamycin, but we suggest another explanation based on the following results. In the presence of tunicamycin, unglycosylated β-fructosidase is synthesized and is associated with an endoplasmic-reticulum-rich microsomal fraction. Pulse-chase experiments show that the unglycosylated β-fructosidase does not remain in the cells and appears to be secreted in the same way as glycosylated β-fructosidase; however, no radioactive, unglycosylated β-fructosidase accumulates extracellularly (cell wall or medium). Protoplasts obtained from carrot cells secrete β-fructosidase protein and activity, and treatment of the protoplasts with tunicamycin results in the synthesis of unglycosylated β-fructosidase. In the presence of tunicamycin, there is no accumulation of β-fructosidase activity or unglycosylated β-fructosidase polypeptide in the protoplast incubation medium. These results are consistent with the interpretation that the glycans of β-fructosidase are necessary for its stability, and that in these suspension-cultured cells, the unglycosylated enzyme is degraded during the last stage(s) of secretion, or immediately after its arrival in the wall.     

Secretion of the Pasteurella leukotoxin by Escherichia coli

Nucleic acid sequence analysis has indicated that the leukotoxin determinant from Pasteurella haemolytica is related to the hemolysin determinant from E. coli. The cloning and expression in E. coli of the lktCA genes has been previously reported, but the existence of leukotoxin secretory genes equivalent to hlyBD has not been documented. In this report we demonstrate that a 4.0 kb segment of P. haemolytica genomic DNA distal to the lktA gene, when expressed in trans to the previous cloned lktCA genes, allow the synthesis and secretion of active leukotoxin from E. coli. Complementation analysis using the cloned hlyB and hlyD genes indicates that this secretory locus derived from P. haemolytica contains two genes which we designate, by analogy, lktB and lktD.     

Secretion of the Pasteurella leukotoxin by Escherichia coli

Abstract Nucleic acid sequence analysis has indicated that the leukotoxin determinant from Pasteurella haemolytica is related to the hemolysin determinant from E. coli . The cloning and expression in E. coli of the lktCA genes has been previously reported, but the existence of leukotoxin secretory genes equivalent to hlyBD has not been documented. In this report we demonstrate that a 4.0 kb segment of P. haemolytica genomic DNA distal to the lktA gene, when expressed in trans to the previous cloned lktCA genes, allow the synthesis and secretion of active leukotoxin from E. coli . Complementation analysis using the cloned hlyB and hlyD genes indicates that this secretory locus derived from P. haemolytica contains two genes which we designate, by analogy, lktB and lktD .     

Polysaccharide processing and presentation by the MHCII pathway

The adaptive immune system functions through the combined action of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells. Specifically, class I major histocompatibility complex antigen presentation to CD8(+) T cells is limited to proteosome-generated peptides from intracellular pathogens while the class II (MHCII) endocytic pathway presents only proteolytic peptides from extracellular pathogens to CD4(+) T cells. Carbohydrates have been thought to stimulate immune responses independently of T cells; however, zwitterionic polysaccharides (ZPSs) from the capsules of some bacteria can activate CD4(+) T cells. Here we show that ZPSs are processed to low molecular weight carbohydrates by a nitric oxide-mediated mechanism and presented to T cells through the MHCII endocytic pathway. Furthermore, these carbohydrates bind to MHCII inside APCs for presentation to T cells. Our observations begin to elucidate the mechanisms by which some carbohydrates induce important immunologic responses through T cell activation, suggesting a fundamental shift in the MHCII presentation paradigm.     

Secretion of proteins by the fertilized mouse ovum

Fertilized one-cell mouse ova were injected with messenger RNA (mRNA) for chicken ovalbumin or rat albumin. The ova were labeled with [³H]amino acids, and endogenous proteins as well as proteins in the culture medium were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Following injection of either message, ova were able to synthesize and secrete the appropriate protein. However, when the message for globin was injected, globin appeared only among the endogenous ovum proteins but was not secreted into the culture medium. The location of the secreted proteins, albumin and ovalbumin, on two-dimensional gels suggests that ova process the proteins before secretion by removing the amino-terminal signal sequence from rat albumin and glycosylating ovalbumin. Rat albumin may be exported into the culture medium more rapidly than ovalbumin. In addition, at least one endogenous ovum protein was secreted at the one-cell stage. The studies establish the ability of the newly fertilized mouse ovum to synthesize and secrete proteins from injected as well as endogenous messages.     

Secretion of Sucrase by Leishmania donovani

ABSTRACT. Leishmania donovani promastigotes were collected, washed, resuspended in buffer, and assayed for sucrase activity. No activity was observed in the intact washed cells, but activity was measurable when the cells were permeabilized with Triton X-100. Intracellular sucrase activity was highest in promastigotes grown at pH 7.4, somewhat lower in promastigotes grown at pH 5.5, and significantly lower in "amastigotes" grown at pH 5.5. No trehalase, lactase, or maltase activities were observed. Assay of the medium in which the cells had grown showed that most the sucrase activity was extracellular, i.e. was secreted into the medium during growth.     

Vasopressin and Oxytocin Secretion by Microorganisms

Microbiology - The ability of Lactobacillus plantarum strain 8RA-3 to secrete neurohormones arginine vasopressin and oxytocin when grown on solid and in liquid nutrient media was established. An...     

Extracellular Enzyme Secretion by Pseudomonas lemoignei

The ability of succinate to repress the secretion of Pseudomonas lemoignei poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate depolymerase was a function of pH. Repression only occurred when the pH of the medium was 7.0 or less. At a higher pH, lack of sensitivity to succinate concentration may have been due to a limited ability to transport succinate. Actively secreting cultures (at pH 7.4) continued to secrete enzyme for approximately 30 min after the pH was rapidly decreased to pH 6.8, even though sufficient succinate was present to repress enzyme synthesis. Similarly, after the addition of rifampin to secreting cultures, there was a 30-min delay before secretion was inhibited. Evidence is presented which suggests that continued secretion may be the result of depolymerase messenger ribonucleic acid accumulation within the cells. Studies with chloramphenicol indicated that de novo protein synthesis is necessary for the secretion of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate depolymerase and that exoenzyme is not released from a preformed pool. Studies with various inhibitors of protein synthesis indicated that synthesis of exoenzyme is 5 to 10 times more susceptible to inhibition than is the synthesis of cell-associated proteins.     

Watermelon breeding

The application of breeding technique to improving watermelons has been directed toward obtaining disease-resistant varieties and not toward improving other qualities.