Fatty Acid Hydroxamate Formation and Ester Hydrolysis by Cell-free Extracts of Micrococcus sp.

When Micrococcus sp. which was isolated from soil assimilated azelaic acid as a sole carbon source, cell-free extract of the organism catalyzed enzymic fatty acid hydroxamate formation. The enzyme was effective only for mono-carboxylic acid, but not for di-carboxylic acids such as azelaic acid. The activity was high with higher fatty acid such as oleic acid. Some of the properties of higher fatty acid hydroxamate formation were investigated.

Olelylhydroxamate was formed with the high concentration of hydroxylamine. The reaction was inhibited by PCMB, but recovered by the addition of SH-compounds (such as cysteine).

On the other hand, when methylacetate was used as a sole carbon source and cell-free extract of Micrococcus sp. hydrolyzed several fatty acid esters. The fatty acid hydroxamate degradation by esterolysis are also discussed.     

Saturated Fatty Acid Mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with an Intact Fatty Acid Synthetase

To determine directly the effects of streptomycin on translational fidelity in intact cells, we studied the synthesis of beta-galactosidase and of the coat protein of bacteriophage R17 in an Escherichia coli mutant in which the bactericidal effects of streptomycin are delayed. After the addition of streptomycin to exponentially growing mutant cells, protein synthesis continues at an undiminished rate for approximately an hour; however, as measured by enzyme assays, little functional protein is produced. Serological assays designed to detect beta-galactosidase and bacteriophage R17 coat protein show that substantial amounts of the protein synthesized can react with antisera prepared against active beta-galactosidase and phage R17, indicating the aberrance of the protein produced in the presence of the antibiotic. The polypeptides synthesized in the presence of streptomycin are degraded in the cell to a much greater extent than protein synthesized in the absence of the antibiotic. The proteolytic attack on this protein is not affected by inhibitors of serine proteases, suggesting that enzymes other than those involved in "normal turnover" of cellular protein are responsible. In this strain, certain of the multiple effects of streptomycin are separated in time and the production of abnormal protein (enzymatically inactive and susceptible to proteolytic attack) could be studied in the absence of the lethal effect of the drug.     

Induction of Antibiotic Formation in Streptomyces sp. No. 362 by the Change of Cellular Fatty Acid Spectrum

Microorganisms which require oleic acid for the formation of antibiotics were screened. Streptomyces sp. No. 362, one of the selected organisms, produced antimicrobial substances only when oleic acid, palmitic acid or the high concentration of l-glutamic acid (or l-glutamine) was supplemented to the medium. The cellular fatty acid composition was changed by the supplement of these fatty acids, but not by l-glutamic acid (or l-glutamine). Antibiotic-producing cells had about 4 to 10 times larger amino acid pools, especially l-glutamic acid pool, and hexosamine pools. The ability for l-glutamate uptake of cells grown in the oleic or palmitic acid supplemented medium was markedly enhanced and the efflux of the accumulated l-glutamate was reduced. The antibiotic produced by this strain was identified as one of the streptothricin-group antibiotics and the role of these additives in the antibiotic formation is discussed.     

Biotin-vitamer Formation from Salicylic Acid by Pseudomonas sp.

Biotin-vitamer formation from salicylic acid was investigated. Strains of Pseudomonas sp., No. 102 and No. 362, isolated from soil samples utilized well salicylic acid as a sole source of carbon, and formed biotin-vitamers in culture broth. The metabolites were partially purified by the methods of active carbon adsorption and anion-exchange column chromatography, and clarified as desthiobiotin, bisnordesthiobiotin and 7-keto-8-aminopelargonic acid.     

Bioconversion of 7-Aminocephalosporanic Acid by Intact Rhodotorula glutinis Cells

When 7-aminocephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) was used as a single carbon source in the enrichment culture medium for screening 7-ACA-degrading microorganisms, pink yeast colonies appeared frequently, and these were identified as Rhodotorula glutinis. These intact R. glutinis cells converted (i) 7-ACA to deacetyl-7-ACA (7-ADACA) and (ii) monochloroacetyl-7-ACA to monochloroacetyl-7-ADACA at sufficiently high levels to be of commercial interest. Acetylation of 7-ADACA to 7-ACA, the reverse reaction of hydrolysis in an organic medium with methyl acetate as an acetyl donor, was also demonstrated.     

Formation of Desthiobiotin from Oleic Acid by Brevibacterium sp.

Microbial formation of biotin-vitamers from oleic acid was investigated. Many strains of bacteria which were able to utilize oleic acid as a sole carbon source were isolated from soils and other natural materials. Among these bacteria, some strains formed a biotin-vitamer from oleic acid in the culture broth during the cultivation. The vitamer was purified from the culture broth of strain No. 23, and identified as desthiobiotin by chromatographical and biological methods.

From the results of investigation on the taxonomical characteristics, the bacterial strain No. 23 was assumed to be Brevibacterium sp.     

Taxonomical Study of Glutamic Acid Accumulating Bacteria,Micrococcus glutamicus nov. sp.

Taxonomical studies of a new group of strains of glutamics acid accumulating bacteria isolated in our laboratory were carried out. It was found that these strains belong to Genus Micrococcus because they are gram-positive, none-sporulating, and catalase possessing cocci. They are also pale yellowish, aerobic, and capable to reduce nitrate. Moreover, they neither utilize ammonium salt as a sole source of nitrogen in Hucker’s medium nor liquefy gelatin. From these observations, it seems that they are related to M. aurantiacus and M. epidermidis. However, our strains are different from them in the manner of acid production in milk and lactose media, and also in pigmentation, serological reactions and glutamic acid accumation.

The name of Micrococcus glutamicus nov. sp. was, therefore proposed to these strains.

The phenomenon of cell elongation and characteristics of the pigments of these strains was also investigated.     

Metabolism of dimethylphthalate by Micrococcus sp. strain 12B.

During growth of Micrococcus sp. strain 12B with dimethylphthalate, 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate lactone (CHML, X) and 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate-2-methyl ester (XI) were isolated from culture filtrates. CHML is the lactone of intermediate 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate (IX). Accumulation of XI which is not a substrate for 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate-2-decarboxylase in strain 12B afforded an easy access to the preparation of 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate.     

Biotransformation of 3-methylphthalate by Micrococcus sp. strain 12B

When Micrococcus strain 12B grown on o-phthalate was incubated with 3-methylphthalate, three compounds accumulated. These were shown to be 2-pyrone-3-methyl-4,6-dicarboxylic acid, 3,4-dihydroxy-6-methylphthalic acid, and 5-hydroxy-3-methyphthalic acid, all previously undescribed. A pathway for the formation of these compounds is proposed.     

Light-Induced Proton Gradient Formation in Intact Cells of Dunaliella salina

A light-induced proton gradient (ΔpH) increase as exhibited by an increase of 9-aminoacridine fluorescence quenching is demonstrated between the external medium and the interior of the halophytic green alga Dunaliella salina. The formation and maintenance of the ΔpH is sensitive to electron transport inhibitors and to uncouplers. It is inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (50% inhibition at 3 micromolar), which does not affect photosynthetic O₂ evolution. It is concluded that the observed ΔpH is located across the plasmalemma or the chloroplast envelope. The formation and maintenance of the light-induced proton gradient requires the presence of Na⁺. Substitution of NaCl by KCl or glycerol results in inhibition of the ΔpH formation. The proton gradient is also sensitive to ATPase and energy transfer inhibitors. It is suggested that a Na⁺/H⁺ pump mechanism may be involved in the formation of the proton gradient in intact Dunaliella cells.     

Metabolism of dibutylphthalate and phthalate by Micrococcus sp. strain 12B.

Micrococcus sp. strain 12B was isolated by enriching for growth with dibutylphthalate as the sole carbon and energy source. A pathway for the metabolism of dibutylphthalate and phthalate by micrococcus sp. strain 12B is proposed: dibutylphthalate leads to monobutylphthalate leads to phthalate leads to 3,4-dihydro-3,4-dihydroxyphthalate leads to 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate leads to protocatechuate (3,4-dihdroxybenzoate). Protocatechuate is metabolized both by the meta-cleavage pathway through 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconic semialdehyde and 4-carboxy-2-hydroxymuconate to pyruvate and oxaloacetate and by the ortho-cleavage pathway to beta-ketoadipate. Dibutylphthalate- and phthalate-grown cells readily oxidized dibutylphthalate, phthalate, 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate, and protocatechuate. Extracts of cells grown with dibutylphthalate or phthalate contained the 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate decarboxylase and the enzymes of the protocatechuater 4,5-meta-cleavage pathway. Extracts of dibutylphthalate-grown cells also contained the protocatechuate ortho-cleavage pathway enzymes. The dibutylphthalate-hydrolyzing esterase and 3,4-dihydroxyphthalate decarboxylase were constitutively synthesized; phthalate-3,4-dioxygenase (and possibly the "dihydrodiol" dehydrogenase) was inducible by phthalate or a metabolite occurring before protocatechuate in the pathway; two protocatechuate oxygenases and subsequent enzymes were inducible by protocatechuate or a subsequent metabolic product. During growth at 37 degrees C, strain 12B gave clones at high frequency that had lost the ability to grow with phthalate esters. One of these nonrevertible mutants, strain 12B-Cl, lacked all of the enzymes required for the metabolism of dibutylphthalate through the protocatechuate meta-cleavage pathway. Enzymes for the metabolism of protocatechuate by the ortho-cleavage pathway were present in this strain grown with p-hydroxybenzoate or protocatechuate.     

Coupling of Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Uptake to Oxidative Flux in the Intact Heart

The coordination of long chain fatty acid (LCFA) transport across the mitochondrial membrane (V_PAL) with subsequent oxidation rate through β-oxidation and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (V_tca) has been difficult to characterize in the intact heart. Kinetic analysis of dynamic ¹³C-NMR distinguished these flux rates in isolated rabbit hearts. Hearts were perfused in a 9.4 T magnet with either 0.5 mM [2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16-¹³C₈] palmitate (n = 4), or 0.5 mM ¹³C-labeled palmitate plus 0.08 mM unlabeled butyrate (n = 4). Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that bypasses the LCFA transporters of mitochondria. In hearts oxidizing palmitate alone, the ratio of V_TCA to V_PAL was 8:1. This is consistent with one molecule of palmitate yielding eight molecules of acetyl-CoA for the subsequent oxidation through the TCA cycle. Addition of butyrate elevated this ratio; V_TCA/V_PAL = 12:1 due to an SCFA-induced increase in V_TCA of 43% (p < 0.05). However, SCFA oxidation did not significantly reduce palmitate transport into the mitochondria: V_PAL = 1.0 ± 0.2 μmol/min/g dw with palmitate alone versus 0.9 ± 0.1 with palmitate plus butyrate. Thus, the products of β-oxidation are preferentially channeled to the TCA cycle, away from mitochondrial efflux via carnitine acetyltransferase.     

Hydroxamate production by Aquaspirillum magnetotacticum.

Spent culture fluids from Aquaspirillum magnetotacticum MS-1 grown at high (20 microM) but not low (5 microM) iron concentration contained material yielding a positive hydroxamate test. Cells possessed six major outer membrane proteins. Three outer membrane proteins ranging from 72,000 to 85,000 daltons were coordinately produced at iron concentrations conducive to hydroxamate production. A 55,000-dalton iron-repressible outer membrane protein was also present in strain MS-1 cultured at low but not high ferric quinate concentration. Culture fluids from strain MS-1 which were hydroxamate positive augmented growth of a Salmonella typhimurium siderophore-deficient (enb-7) mutant in low-iron medium, suggesting a role of hydroxamate in uptake of iron by the cell.     

The utilization of aconate and itaconate by Micrococcus sp

1. An organism, identified as Micrococcus sp., was isolated by elective culture on aconate; it also grew on itaconate. 2. Washed suspensions of the aconate-grown organism readily oxidized intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, aconate and succinic semialdehyde, but not itaconate. Itaconate-grown cells oxidized tricarboxylic acid-cycle intermediates, succinic semialdehyde and itaconate, but not aconate. Succinate-grown cells oxidized neither itaconate nor aconate. 3. Extracts of aconate-grown cells catalysed the formation of succinic semialdehyde and carbon dioxide, in equimolar amounts, from aconate. In the presence of NAD or NADP, succinic semialdehyde was oxidized to succinate with concomitant reduction of the coenzyme. 4. Extracts of itaconate-grown cells catalysed the formation of pyruvate and acetyl-CoA from itaconyl-CoA. 5. Key enzymes involved in the formation of succinate from aconate, and of pyruvate and acetyl-CoA from itaconate, were distinct and inducible: their formation preceded growth on the appropriate substrate.     

Physico-chemical characteristics of catalases from Micrococcus sp. n

The physico-chemical properties of heme-containing and non-heme catalases isolated from the cell culture of Micrococcus sp. n. grown under intensive aeration were studied. The enzyme preparations were homogenous during polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis. The spectral and functional properties of the enzymes (e. g. specific activity, subunit molecular weight, quaternary structure, amino acid composition, immunoprecipitability, N-terminal amino acid sequences) were investigated. Monocrystals of non-heme catalase applicable for an X-ray analysis were grown and examined by X-ray spectroscopy. Both enzymes were stable upon storage in 40% ammonium sulfate for 2 months and resistant to lyophylization without any significant loss of their activity. Non-heme catalase is apparently an independent enzyme which is not derived from heme-containing catalase via dissociation, limited proteolysis or heme cleavage.     

电穿孔法转化完整酵母的研究

本文用酿酒酵母（Ｓａｃｃｈａｒｏｍｙｃｅｓ ｃｅｒｅｖｉｓｉａｅ）作材料,探讨了电穿孔转化完整酵母的几个条件。其中电场强度及脉冲时间是两个最重要的参数。在２ｋｖ／ｃｍ,９ｍｓ时获得１０＾４转化子／ｕｇＤＮＡ的转化率。转化率还与所采用的菌株与质粒等条件有关。此技术简便迅速。     

Measurement of Binding of Chloramphenicol by Intact Cells

The binding of chloramphenicol to intracellular components of intact cells was measured by procedures based on a silicone-wash technique. The number of stereospecifically bound molecules of chloramphenicol increased with external concentration to a saturation value equal to the number of ribosomes per cell. Chloramphenicol is therefore believed to be attached stereospecifically by a weak bond, most probably to a single site on the 50S ribosome. This bond was found to be temperature-dependent and appeared to be responsible for inhibition of protein synthesis.