Electron transport in a Park-Williams strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae

1. The electron-transport mechanism was examined in the ;particulate' and ;supernatant' fractions of disintegrated cells of a Park-Williams strain of Corynebacterium diphtheriae. 2. Succinate-oxidase activity was found mainly in the ;particulate' fraction, and NADH(2) oxidase mainly in the ;supernatant', which was devoid of cytochromes and menaquinone. 3. The sum of the activities of particles and supernatant fractions, with respect to both succinate oxidase and NADH(2) oxidase, was substantially less than that of the crude cell extract from which they were obtained. Full activity was restored on recombining ;particles' and ;supernatant'. The characteristics of this reassembled system were investigated. 4. The strain of organism (CN2000) examined contained cytochromes corresponding spectroscopically to ;a', ;b' and ;c' types. All three were reduced by succinate, lactate or NADH(2); but a portion of the cytochrome b, susceptible to reduction by dithionite, could not be reduced by the substrates. 5. Triton X-100 inhibits oxidation of succinate by particulate fraction; on adding succinate, the reduction of cytochrome b is not affected but that of cytochromes a and c is delayed. 6. Irradiation at 360mmu completely destroys menaquinone in the particle fraction. Succinate oxidation is severely decreased; succinate dehydrogenase and NADH(2) oxidation are little affected. Certain menaquinones will restore succinate oxidation in the irradiated material. 7. On adding succinate to irradiated particulate material cytochrome b is partially reduced at once, but reduction of cytochromes a and c is much delayed. A portion of the cytochrome b remains not reduced, but reduction occurs rapidly on the addition of menaquinone (MK-2).     

Corynebacterium diphtheriae nontoxigenic strain carrying the gene of diphtheria toxin

Among 828 C. diphtheriae nontoxigenic cultures isolated in different region of Russia in 1994-2002, 114 cultures (13.8%) had the gene of diphtheria toxin (gene tox) and were thus called nontoxigenic tox-carrying (NTTC) strains. All NTTC strains were found to belong to biovar mitis and formed neither normal, nor "defective" diphtheria toxin. The most of NTTC strains (94%) belonged to ribotype "Moskva", not occurring among C. diphtheriae toxigenic strains. The incapacity of NNTC strains of forming diphtheria toxin was caused by mutation: the deletion of one nucleotide which led to the shift of the open reading frame and to the formation of the stop codon. The results of these studies are indicative of the fact that a sufficiently homogeneous and isolated group of C. diphtheriae nontoxigenic strains is spread in Russia. These strains carry the nonexpressing gene of diphtheria toxin and are of no epidemic importance in diphtheria infection.     

Effects of iron limitation on adherence and cell surface carbohydrates of Corynebacterium diphtheriae strains

Iron limitation may cause bacterial pathogens to grow more slowly; however, it may also stimulate these microorganisms to produce greater tissue damage, given that many virulence factors are controlled by the iron supply in the environment. The present study investigated the influence of low iron availability on the expression of proteins and surface sugar residues of two toxigenic strains of Corynebacterium diphtheriae subsp. mitis and evaluated their adherence to human group B erythrocytes and HEp-2 cells. A comparison was made between bacteria grown in (i) Trypticase soy broth (TSB), (ii) TSB treated with dipyridyl to deplete free iron, and (iii) TSB enriched with FeCl(3). The effects of iron concentration on adhesive properties were different for strains 241 and CDC-E8392, of the sucrose-fermenting and non-sucrose-fermenting biotypes, respectively. Iron-limited conditions enhanced interaction of strain 241 with erythrocytes and HEp-2 cells. Inhibition assays suggested the involvement of nonfimbrial protein combination 67-72p on hemagglutination of diphtheria bacilli grown under iron-limited conditions. Conversely, iron limitation inhibited adherence to glass and expression of electron-dense material on the bacterial surface. Lectin binding assays demonstrated a reduction in the number of sialic acid residues and an increase in D-mannose and D-galactose residues on the surfaces of both strains. Thus, iron exerts a regulatory role on adhesive properties of diphtheria bacilli, and low iron availability modulates the expression of C. diphtheriae surface carbohydrate moieties. The significant changes in the degree of lectin binding specific for D-mannose, D-galactose and sialic acid residues may have an effect on binding of host cells. The expression of dissimilar microbial virulence determinants may be coordinately controlled by common regulatory systems. For C. diphtheriae, the present results imply regulation of adherence and slime production as part of a global response to iron-limited environmental conditions that includes derepression of genes for the synthesis of cytotoxin and siderophores and for transport of the Fe(III)-siderophore complexes.     

细胞壁缺陷对白喉棒状杆菌致病性影响的研究

检测白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型对动物的致病性,探讨细胞壁缺陷对白喉棒状杆菌致病性的影响及其可能的分子机制。采用氨苄青霉素在非高渗培养基内诱导并获得产毒性白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型纯培养物。收集白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型纯培养物及其代谢产物,将收集的高于细菌型10 000倍浓度的白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型纯培养物及其代谢产物皮内注射家兔,观察局部注射部位皮肤或全身的病理改变。分别采用对流免疫电泳(CIEP)和SDS-不连续聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)检测白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型可溶性代谢产物中的白喉毒素蛋白质。结果显示,白喉棒状杆菌稳定L型不能引起动物局部或全身发生异常表现,在其可溶性代谢产物中并未检测到白喉毒素蛋白质。提示细胞壁缺陷变异可影响白喉棒状杆菌产生白喉毒素蛋白质,从而使其丧失了产生外毒素致病的作用。     

Effect of oxygen limitation on cellular L-lysine pool and lipid spectrum of Corynebacterium glutamicum

Summary During submerged cultivation of L-lysine producing Corynebacterium glutamicum 9366, oxygen limitation caused a three-fold increase in the intracellular pool of L-lysine while its excretion into the medium cased. At the same time, the phospholipid content of cells increased markedly whereas the proportion of oleic acid in the fatty acids of phospholipids decreased.     

Initial characterization of the ferric iron transport system of Corynebacterium diphtheriae.

Transport of ferric iron into Corynebacterium diphtheriae C7(beta) was shown to occur by a high-affinity, active transport system. Optimal rates were at pH 6.8 and 40 degrees C. Strong inhibition of uptake by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone was consistent with the electrochemical proton gradient as the major energy source for iron transport, and inhibition by Hg2+ indicated that sulfhydryl groups were also important. Evidence was obtained for stimulation of iron uptake at pH 8.0 by a dialyzable, extracellular factor present in conditioned medium from low-iron cultures of C. diphtheriae.