H107, a new aminoglycoside anti-Pseudomonas antibiotic produced by a new strain of Spirillospora

Spirillospora spp. (strain 719) has been the source of several antibiotics. One of these designated H107 is produced as a trace. Compared with other antibiotics produced by the same strain, it was obtained only from the broth filtrate after precipitation with acetic acid followed by extraction with n-butanol. It was a water soluble metabolite active against Gram-negative bacteria and especially Pseudomonas spp., and was identified as an aminoglycoside compound. This is the first report of aminoglycoside anti-Pseudomonas production by Spirillospora.     

HM17, a new polyene antifungal antibiotic produced by a new strain of Spirillospora

H. HACÈNE, K. KEBIR, D. SID OTHMANE AND G. LEFEBVRE. 1994. An antifungal antibiotic (HM17) was obtained from a new isolate classified to the genus Spirillospora on the basis of its chemical and morphological properties. On solid media this antibiotic strongly inhibited the growth of strians of Fusarium oxysporum formae speciales albedinis, Botrytis cinerea, Gaeumaniomyces graminis and several other fungi known to be plant and human pathogens. Antifungal activity in culture collection strains of Spirillospora has not so far been reported. The u.v. absorption spectrum and physico-chemical characteristics place HM17 in the methylpentaene sub-group of polyene macrolides. HM17 is different from other known methylpentaenes. This is the first report of polyene production by a Spirillospora.     

4-Hydroxyretinal, a new visual pigment chromophore found in the bioluminescent squid, Watasenia scintillans

The bioluminescent squid, Watasenia scintillans has three visual pigments. The major pigment, based on retinal (lambda max 484 nm), is distributed over the whole retina. Another pigment based on 3-dehydroretinal (lambda max approximately 500 nm) and the third pigment (lambda max approximately 470 nm) are localized in the specific area of the ventral retina just receiving the downwelling light. Visual pigment was extracted and purified from the dissected retina. The chromophores were then extracted and analyzed with HPLC, NMR, infrared and mass spectroscopy, being compared with the synthetic 4-hydroxyretinal. A new retinal derivative, 11-cis-4-hydroxyretinal, is identified as the chromophore of the third visual pigment of the squid.     

pyewacket, a new zebrafish fin pigment pattern mutant

Many mutants that disrupt zebrafish embryonic pigment pattern have been isolated, and subsequent cloning of the mutated genes causing these phenotypes has contributed to our understanding of pigment cell development. However, few mutants have been identified that specifically affect development of the adult pigment pattern. Through a mutant screen for adult pigment pattern phenotypes, we identified pyewacket (pye), a novel zebrafish mutant in which development of the adult caudal fin pigment pattern is aberrant. Specifically, pye mutants have fin melanocyte pigment pattern defects and fewer xanthophores than wild-type fins. We mapped pye to an interval where a single gene, the zebrafish ortholog of the human gene DHRSX, is present. pye will be an informative mutant for understanding how xanthophores and melanocytes interact to form the pigment pattern of the adult zebrafish fin.     

IM2, a new inducer of blue pigment production in Streptomyces sp. MAFF 10-06015

A new autoregulator designated as IM2, which induces blue pigment production in Streptomyces sp. MAFF 10-06015, was discovered. The culture conditions developed here for the production of the pigment by the strain did not require the addition of an artificial inducer such as γ-nonalactone or the autoregulator of S. virginiae MAFF 10-06014, IM, which induces the production of virginiamycin by this microorganism. The major improvements in the culture conditions for spontaneous pigment production included the inoculation conditions and the dilution of the medium. The method of IM2 assay was established and the time courses of IM2 production were followed in the cultures using flasks and a jar fermentor. It was confirmed that IM2 released once into the culture filtrate from the cells was taken up into the cells again. The concentration of IM required to induce pigment production in Streptomyces sp. MAFF 10-06015 was 50 u·ml⁻¹. However a concentration of 200 u·ml⁻¹ of IM2 was unable to induce the production of virginiamycin in S. virginiae MAFF 10-06014.     

Endozoic algae in shelled gastropods — a new symbiotic association in coral reefs?

Endozoic microalgae were found in most snails collected from coral reefs and beachrock communities in the Red Sea. Algae were identified microscopically as well as by chromatography and spectrophotometry of pigment extracts. The algae were located in the hepatopancreas and the gonads, organs which are permanently concealed within the shell. According to pigment analysis, most of the endozoic algae belong the Chromophyta, perhaps dinoflagellates, except for a few chlorophytes.     

Draculone,a new anthraquinone pigment from the tropical lichen Melanotheca cruenta

A new red anthraquinone, draculone, has been isolated from the corticolous tropical lichen Melanotheca cruenta (= Trypethelium cruentum = Pyrenula cruenta) together with minor quantities of the known anthraquinone pigment haematommone. The structure of draculone was determined as 2-acetyl-1,3,4,6,8-pentahydroxyanthraquinone by spectroscopic methods.     

A new strain ofRhodotorula rubra isolated from yogurt

Summary A new strain ofRhodotorula rubra has been isolated from yogurt which shows promise as a source for pigment and protein feed for aquacultured animals. The pigment was extracted by rupturing the cells with the French press followed by extraction with acetone and purification of the acetone extract using petroleum ether and cold 10% NaCl. The absorption spectrum indicated that the pigment was a carotenoid, the chemistry of which was examined using nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy and resonance Raman spectroscopy. A reverse-phase HPLC equipped with octadecylsilylated (ODS) silica column showed nearly 80-times more pigment production under similar cultural conditions thatPhaffia rhodozyma. The isolate grows optimally at 20°C when grown on a variety of media. Its morphology has been studied using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and phase contrast microscopy. From the results of the API system, the isolate was identified asRhodotorula rubra.     

A red pigment synthesized by an Aspergillus parasiticus mutant as a possible new intermediate in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway

M.-E. GARCÍA, M.D. HERCE, J.L. BLANCO AND G. SUÁREZ. 1994. The isolation of a red pigment from an Aspergillus parasiticus mutant obtained by 366 nm u.v. light treatment of A. parasiticus NRRL 2999 is described. Studies of conversion in aflatoxin B₁ and G₁ suggest that the red pigment could be a possible new intermediate in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway not described to date, and this has been verified by studies in gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The solubility and stability characteristics under refrigeration storage, and the influence of the temperature and the pH on its production by the A. parasiticus mutant were also studied. It grew best at 30C and pH 6. The red pigment was most soluble in ethyl acetate. The results obtained in water are emphasized where there was high stability.     

A new photosensitive pigment of the euryhaline teleost,Gillichthys mirabilis

Retinal extracts have been prepared from dark-adapted mudsuckers by treatment of retinal tissue or of isolated outer segments of the visual cells with digitonin solution. The extracts were examined spectrophotometrically and found to absorb light maximally between the wave lengths of 488 and 510 mµ, depending on the proportion of yellow impurities and light-sensitive pigment present. This photosensitive pigment was shown to be homogeneous by partial bleaching of the extracts with monochromatic light of various wave lengths from 390 to 660 mµ. The mudsucker pigment was specifically demonstrated not to be a mixture of rhodopsin and porphyropsin; the adequacy of the method used to analyze such mixtures was shown by performing a control experiment with an artificial mixture of bullfrog rhodopsin and carp porphyropsin. Comparison of the hydroxylamine difference spectrum and of the absorption maximum of the purest retinal extract located the mudsucker photosensitive pigment maximum at 512 ± 1 mµ. Extraction of retinal tissue with a fat solvent after exposure to white light gave a preparation which after the addition of antimony chloride reagent developed the absorption band maximal near 664 mµ, which is characteristic of retinene₁. If an hour intervened between exposure of the retinal tissue to light and extraction of the carotenoid, the antimony trichloride test gave a color band maximal at 620 mµ, characteristic of vitamin A₁. No evidence of retinene₂ or vitamin A₂ was obtained. The euryhaline mudsucker has, therefore, a photosensitive retinal pigment with an absorption maximum halfway between the peaks of rhodopsins and of porphyropsins and belonging to the retinene₁ system characteristic of rhodopsins. The pigment is therefore named a retinene₁ pigment 512 of the mudsucker, Gillichthys mirabilis. It is uncertain whether this type of photosensitive pigment will be found in other euryhaline fishes.     

Reassociation of Deoxyribonucleic Acids from Actinoplanes and Other Actinomycetes

The ability of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolated from a number of actinomycetes to reassociate with reference DNA from Actinoplanes philippinensis or Streptomyces venezuelae has been measured. All of the DNA preparations except for those from Nocardia erythropolis and Thermomonospora viridis contained 70 to 73 moles per cent guanine and cytosine. DNA from two species of Actinoplanes, two species of Dactylosporangium, and Ampullariella digitata formed extensive thermally stable duplexes with the Actinoplanes philippinensis reference. DNA from streptomycetes formed duplexes with the A. philippinensis reference, but these duplexes possessed low thermal stability. DNA from N. erythropolis and T. viridis did not bind significant amounts of this reference DNA. Only DNA from Streptomyces albus, Streptoverticillium baldaccii, and Microellobosporia flavea appreciably bound the Streptomyces venezuelae reference. Our results separate the actinomycetes forming sporangia into two groups: the first group contained Actinoplanes, Dactylosporangium, and Ampullariella; the second group contained Planomonospora, Spirillospora, and Streptosporangium.     

Overproduction of a potential red pigment by a specific self-immobilization biomembrane-surface liquid culture of Penicillium novae-zeelandiae

A specific self-immobilization biomembrane-surface liquid culture (SIBSLC) was developed to overproduce a potential penicillium red pigment. Statistic analysis shows that both glucose concentration and membrane diameter are important factors influencing the yield of red pigment. After the optimization using central composite experimental design, the maximum yield of red pigment in shake flask reaches 4.25?g/l. The growth of strain HSD07B consists of three phases, and the pigment secreted in the decelerated phase, is originated from the interior of biomembrane where glucose exhaustion occurs. In addition, the batch and continuous SIBSLC were conducted for production of the pigment, and the latter was more competitive in consideration of the fact that it not only increased 61.5?% of pigment productivity, but also simplified the production process. Moreover, the pigment produced by SIBSLC is potentially acceptable for food applications although it is distinguished from the co-cultured red pigment we reported previously in components.     

Stimulating effect of the low dose laser - a new hypothesis

Increase in the amount of secretary material (interreceptor matrix) surrounding the visual cells was observed after laser treatment. At the same time, an increase in labelled uridine uptake by the pigment epithelium was detected. The increase uptake was highest 4 h after laser treatment.     

Red yeast rice: a new hypolipidemic drug

Red yeast rice is a source of fermented pigment with possible bioactive effect. Evidence shows that fermented red yeast rice lowers cholesterol levels moderately compared to other statin drugs, but with the added advantage of underscores its potential as a new alternative to lipid level control. It is concluded from the present evidence that other types of pigmented rice possess opportunities for development as new functional foods.     

A new process for red pigment production by submerged culture of Monascus purpureus

Formation of red pigment by Monascus purpureus via diauxic growth on glucose and ethanol in submerged culture was optimized based on inoculum preparation and culture medium. A vegetative inoculum was prepared from spores grown on ethanol. The optimized culture medium was low in phosphates, and had an initial pH?of 5.5. The characteristics of Monascus purpureus grown on glucose and on ethanol were compared: the specific consumption rate of glucose (q_G) was higher than the specific consumption rate of ethanol (q_E), whereas the specific growth rate was greatest with ethanol. The specific production rate of red pigment (p_OD) and pigment yield (Y_OD/s) with glucose was twice that with ethanol. A novel fermentation process was developed with M. purpureus initially grown with controlled ethanol formation, and consumption of the latter during pigment formation.     

Construction of a new cloning vector utilizing a cryptic plasmid and the highly expressed melanin-synthesizing gene operon from Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus

Streptomyces castaneoglobisporus HUT6202 overproduces a diffusible melanin pigment and harbors a cryptic 7.4-kb plasmid, pHY6202. We constructed a Streptomyces cloning vector, pSY10CMM, consisting of the HUT6202 rep gene, the thiostrepton resistance gene and an operon encoding the synthesis of melanin pigment, abbreviated mel, from S. castaneoglobisporus. The vector, which has SphI and BamHI sites as cloning sites with insertional inactivation of the mel, is a more convenient cloning vector than commonly used pIJ702, because of its broad host range for antibiotic-producing Streptomyces strains and its much greater production of diffusible melanin pigment.     

Sandy: a new mouse model for platelet storage pool deficiency

Sandy (sdy) is a mouse mutant with diluted pigmentation which recently arose in the DBA/2J strain. Genetic tests indicate it is caused by an autosomal recessive mutation on mouse Chromosome 13 near the cr and Xt genetic loci. This mutation is different genetically and hematologically from previously described mouse pigment mutations with storage pool deficiency (SPD). The sandy mutant has diluted pigmentation in both eyes and fur, is fully viable and has prolonged bleeding times. Platelet serotonin levels are extremely low although ATP dependent acidification activity of platelet organelles appears normal. Also, platelet dense granules are extremely reduced in number when analysed by electron microscopy of unfixed platelets. Platelets have abnormal uptake and flashing of the fluorescent dye mepacrine. Secretion of lysosomal enzymes from kidney and from thrombin-stimulated platelets is depressed 2- and 3-fold, and ceroid pigment is present in kidney. Sandy platelets have a reduced rate of aggregation induced by collagen. The sandy mutant has an unusually severe dense granule defect and thus may be an appropriate model for cases of human Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome with similarly extreme types of SPD. It represents the tenth example of a mouse mutant with simultaneous defects in melanosomes, lysosomes and/or platelet dense granules.     

Isolation from urine of two Serratia marcescens strains excreting a diffusible yellow pigment

Two bacterial strains excreting a yellow pigment were isolated from human urine and identified as Serratia marcescens. The pigment was produced in the late exponential and early stationary phases of growth. Minimal media supplemented with tyrosine, phenylalanine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate or tryptophan, as well as complex media, induced pigment production. UV-visible spectra of the extracted pigment had peaks characteristic of 2-hydroxy-5-carboxymethylmuconate semialdehyde, produced from meta-cleavage of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate by the enzyme 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.15). This enzyme was active when the bacteria were grown under conditions promoting pigment production. The kinetics and factors affecting pigment production are also reported.     

A new cytochrome b-like pigment with a peak at 567 nm and a low redox potential in denitrifying bacteria

Dithionite reduced difference spectra of extracts of denitrifying pseudomonads revealed small absorption maxima at 567 and 539 nm, suggestive of α and β bands of a new b type cytochrome. The new pigment was present in cells grown both aerobically and anaerobically and was located in the particulate fraction of extracts. These extracts also contained, in much higher concentrations, additional pigments resembling cytochromes c₅₅₃ and b₅₅₉, which were readily reduced by NADH or endogenous substrates, although a small proportion of the b₅₅₉ required dithionite for complete reduction. In contrast, most of the new 567 pigment was not readily reduced by NADH, succinate, or endogenous substrates, and it was most easily visualized with dithionite in the sample cuvette, and either endogenous substrates or NADH in the reference cuvette. Dyes of low redox potential such as benzyl viologen (E_m,7 = ?359 mV), phenosafranine (E_m,7 = ?250 mV) and reduced janus green (E_m,7 = ?225 mV) could substitute for dithionite as reductant for the new 567 pigment. Cresyl violet (E_m,7 = ?160 mV) caused partial reduction. However, redox compounds of higher potential such as reduced indigo carmine, (E_m,7 = ?125 mV) reduced methylene blue (E_m,7 = ?11 mV), ferrooxalate and ascorbate could not replace dithionite as reductant. Most of the cytochrome b₅₅₉ and the c₅₅₃ were reduced by ascorbate. Thus the new 567 pigment appears to have a mid-point potential between ?225 and ?125 mV, well below most of the cytochrome b₅₅₉. The new 567-nm pigment was rapidly oxidized by brief but vigorous aeration and was also slowly and partially re-reduced when concentrated extracts were allowed to stand without aeration. A more complete reduction of the 567 pigment was readily obtained by the addition of a mixture of NADH and FAD. The 567 pigment was observed in several denitrifying pseudomonads, P. fluorescens, P. stutzeri and also in Micrococcus denitrificans, but was not detectable in the non-denitrifiers Escherichia coli or Aerobacter aerogenes.     

A new mechanism in blue cone monochromatism

Blue cone monochromatism (BCM) is a rare X-linked colour vision disorder characterized by the absence of both red and green cone sensitivity. Most mutations leading to BCM fall into two classes of alterations in the red and green pigment gene array at Xq28. In one class the red and green pigment genes are inactivated by deletion in the locus control region. In the second class genetic rearrangements have created an isolated pigment gene that carries an inactivating point mutation. Here we describe a clinical case of BCM caused by a new mutation where exon 4 of an isolated red pigment gene has been deleted. The finding represents the first intragenic deletion yet described among red and green pigment genes. Received: 29 December 1995 / Revised: 30 May 1996