A STUDY ON THE MECHANISM OF INTERCELLULAR ADHESION : Effects of Neuraminidase, Calcium, and Trypsin on the Aggregation of Suspended HeLa Cells

Aggregation of suspended HeLa cells is increased on removal of cell surface sialic acid. Calcium ions promote aggregation whereas magnesium ions have no effect. The calcium effect is abolished by previous treatment of the cells with neuraminidase. Trypsinization of the HeLa cells followed by thorough washing diminishes the rate of mutual cell aggregation. Subsequent incubation with neuraminidase restores the aggregation rate to the original value before trypsin treatment. Cells which had acquired a greater tendency for aggregation after removal of peripheral sialic acid lose this property when subsequently treated with trypsin. Calcium ions have no aggregative effect on trypsinized cells. In contrast to HeLa cells, aggregation of human erythrocytes was not increased after treatment with neuraminidase or on addition of calcium. The results with HeLa cells are interpreted as follows: (a) Trypsin-releasable material confers adhesiveness upon the cells. (b) The adhesive property of this material is counteracted by the presence of cell surface sialic acids. (c) Calcium ions exert their effect by attenuating the adverse effect of sialic acid.     

Growth and Arginine Metabolism of the Wine Lactic Acid Bacteria Lactobacillus buchneri and Oenococcus oeni at Different pH Values and Arginine Concentrations

During malolactic fermentation (MLF) in grape must and wine, heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria may degrade arginine, leading to the formation of ammonia and citrulline, among other substances. This is of concern because ammonia increases the pH and thus the risk of growth by spoilage bacteria, and citrulline is a precursor to the formation of carcinogenic ethyl carbamate (EC). Arginine metabolism and growth of Lactobacillus buchneri CUC-3 and Oenococcus oeni strains MCW and Lo111 in wine were investigated. In contrast to L. buchneri CUC-3, both oenococci required a higher minimum pH for arginine degradation, and arginine utilization was delayed relative to the degradation of malic acid, the main aim of MLF. This allows the control of pH increase and citrulline formation from arginine metabolism by carrying out MLF with pure oenococcal cultures and inhibiting cell metabolism after malic acid depletion. MLF by arginine-degrading lactobacilli should be discouraged because arginine degradation may lead to the enhanced formation of acids from sugar degradation. A linear relationship was found between arginine degradation and citrulline excretion rates. From this data, strain-specific arginine-to-citrulline conversion ratios were calculated that ranged between 2.2 and 3.9% (wt/wt), and these ratios can be used to estimate the contribution of citrulline to the EC precursor pool from a given amount of initial arginine. Increasing arginine concentrations led to higher rates of growth of L. buchneri CUC-3 but did not increase the growth yield of either oenococcus. These results suggest the use of non-arginine-degrading oenococci for inducing MLF.     

Arginine metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an obligately halophilic bacterium

Dundas, Ian E. D. (University of Illinois, Urbana), and H. Orin Halvorson. Arginine metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an obligately halophilic bacterium. J. Bacteriol. 91:113-119. 1966.-Arginine was shown to be essential for growth of Halobacterium salinarium strain 1 in a chemically defined medium. Citrulline was the only compound which could substitute for arginine without affecting growth. Resting cells of H. salinarium converted arginine to citrulline and citrulline to ornithine. Cells grown in an arginine-free medium with C(14)-ureido-labeled citrulline incorporated the isotope mainly into the arginine of their proteins. The enzymes arginine desimidase and ornithine transcarbamylase were found and studied in cell-free extracts of H. salinarium. Experiments indicated that arginine was degraded in H. salinarium by arginine desimidase to citrulline, and that citrulline was further degraded by ornithine transcarbamylase to carbamyl phosphate and ornithine. Synthesis of arginine from citrulline seems to occur via the formation of argininosuccinic acid.     

Isolated epithelial cells of the toad bladder. Their preparation, oxygen consumption, and electrolyte content

Epithelial cells of the toad bladder were disaggregated with EDTA, trypsin, hyaluronidase, or collagenase and were then scraped free of the underlying connective tissue. In most experiments EDTA was complexed with a divalent cation before the tissue was scraped. Q _OO2, sucrose and inulin spaces, and electrolytes of the isolated cells were measured. Cells disaggregated by collagenase or hyaluronidase consumed O₂ at a rate of 4 µl hr^-1 dry wt^-1. Q _OO2 was increased 50% by ADH (100 U/liter) or by cyclic 3'',5''-AMP (10 mM/liter). Na⁺-free Ringer''s depressed the Q _OO2 by 40%. The Q _OO2 of cells prepared by trypsin treatment or by two EDTA methods was depressed by Na⁺-free Ringer''s but was stimulated relatively little by ADH. Two other EDTA protocols produced cells that did not respond to Na⁺ lack or ADH. The intracellular Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations of collagenase-disaggregated cells were 32 and 117 mEq/kg cell H₂O, respectively. Cation concentrations of hyaluronidase cells were similar, but cells that did not respond to ADH had higher intracellular Na⁺ concentrations. Cells unresponsive to ADH and Na⁺ lack had high sucrose spaces and low transcellular membrane gradients of Na⁺, K⁺, and Cl^-. The results suggest that trypsin and EDTA disaggregation damage the active Na⁺ transport system of the isolated cell. Certain EDTA techniques may also produce a general increase in permeability. Collagenase and hyaluronidase cells appear to function normally.     

Biogenesis of mitochondria 19 the effects of unsaturated fatty acid depletion on the lipid composition and energy metabolism of a fatty acid desaturase mutant of

1. The lipid composition of a mutant ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae which cannot synthesize unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) can be extensively manipulated by growing the organism in the presence of added fatty acids.
2. Growth of the mutant is supported by a wide range of unsaturated fatty acids including oleic, palmitoleic, petroselenic, 11-eicosaenoic, ricinoleic, arachidonic, clupanodonic, linoleic and linolenic acids; 9- and 10-hydroxystearic acids support growth less effectively, but erucic, nervonic, elaidic and saturated fatty acids (C_8∶0?C_20∶0)^* are ineffective. All the fatty acids which support growth are incorporated into cell lipids, apparently without further metabolism.
3. The effects of altered lipid composition on the energy metabolism of yeast cells were investigated. Cells containing less than approximately 20% of their fatty acids as UFA cannot grow on non-fermentable substrates, and their growth on glucose is restricted to that which can be supported by fermentation alone.
4. UFA-depleted cells contain mitochondria which are apparently normal in morphology, furthermore they have normal levels of cytochromesa+a ₃,b,c ₁ andc and respire at normal rates. This suggests that the lesion in energy metabolism produced by UFA-depletion may be the loss of the ability of the mitochondria to couple respiration to phosphorylation.
5. UFA-depleted cells incorporate added UFA into their cell lipids and subsequently regain the ability to grow on non-fermentable substrates, showing that the lesion in energy metabolism is fully reversible.

     

Impact of winemaking practices on arginine and citrulline metabolism during and after malolactic fermentation

AIMS: To study arginine degradation and carcinogenic ethyl carbamate precursor citrulline formation during and after malolactic fermentation (MLF). METHODS AND RESULTS: MLF was induced in white wine with two commercial Oenococcus oeni strains under different winemaking conditions regarding the type of alcoholic fermentation (spontaneous, induced) and the lees management (racked, on lees). Arginine degradation and citrulline formation did not occur during malic acid degradation in any treatment. In five of the six treatments in which arginine degradation took place, it occurred 3 weeks after malic acid depletion and significant amounts of citrulline were formed. Presence of yeast lees in wines led to increased citrulline formation. Conclusions: This study suggests that arginine metabolism is inhibited in oenococci at low pH values (< 3.5) and that in the postalcoholic fermentation phase, citrulline formation from arginine degradation can be avoided if MLF is induced by pure cultures of O. oeni with inhibition of the bacterial biomass after malic acid depletion. Residual yeast lees in the wine have been identified as a significant risk factor for increased citrulline formation. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Conclusions drawn from this study allow reducing the risk of carcinogenic ethyl carbamate formation from citrulline excretion by wine lactic acid bacteria.     

Influence of Cell Detachment on the Respiration Rate of Tumor and Endothelial Cells

Cell detachment is a procedure routinely performed in cell culture and a necessary step in many biochemical assays including the determination of oxygen consumption rates (OCR) in vitro. In vivo, cell detachment has been shown to exert profound metabolic influences notably in cancer but also in other pathologies, such as retinal detachment for example. In the present study, we developed and validated a new technique combining electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) oximetry and the use of cytodex 1 and collagen-coated cytodex 3 dextran microbeads, which allowed the unprecedented comparison of the OCR of adherent and detached cells with high sensitivity. Hence, we demonstrated that both B16F10 melanoma cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) experience strong OCR decrease upon trypsin or collagenase treatments. The reduction of cell oxygen consumption was more pronounced with a trypsin compared to a collagenase treatment. Cells remaining in suspension also encounter a marked intracellular ATP depletion and an increase in the lactate production/glucose uptake ratio. These findings highlight the important influence exerted by cell adhesion/detachment on cell respiration, which can be probed with the unprecedented experimental assay that was developed and validated in this study.     

Spontaneous and lectin-induced redistribution of cell surface receptors on embryonic chick neural retina cells.

The mobility of plant lectin receptors in the plane of the membrane is examined for cells prepared from embryonic chick neural retinas by a variety of procedures. Cells liberated from the intact tissue by trypsin treatment followed by mechanical dissociation are able to redistribute their receptors into 'caps' both spontaneously and in the presence of a multivalent lectin. These cells, dispersed by trypsinization, upon repair in culture for a suitable period of time lose their ability to redistribute lectin receptors. Cells dispersed by mechanical means without prior trypsin treatment are unable to undergo 'cap' formation. In addition, cells within intact tissues are also unable to redistribute their lectin receptors into 'caps.' Based on these observations we propose that within solid tissues which have assumed their characteristic architecture, cell surfaces are immobilized, and that this phenomenon may be a critical parameter in determining the potential of a cell to undergo morphogenetic rearrangements.     

Cell-density-dependent changes in cell-surface glycopeptides and in adhesion of cultured intestinal epithelial cells

We studied mannose-containing glycopeptides and glycoproteins of subconfluent and confluent intestinal epithelial cells in culture. Cells were labelled with d-[2-³H]mannose for 24h and treated with Pronase or trypsin to release cell-surface components. The cell-surface and cell-residue fractions were then exhaustively digested with Pronase and the resulting glycopeptides were fractionated on Bio-Gel P-6, before and after treatment with endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H to distinguish between high-mannose and complex oligosaccharides. The cell-surface glycopeptides were enriched in complex oligosaccharides as compared with residue glycopeptides, which contained predominantly high-mannose oligosaccharides. Cell-surface glycopeptides of confluent cells contained a much higher proportion of complex oligosaccharides than did glycopeptides from subconfluent cells. The ability of the cells to bind [³H]concanavalin A decreased linearly with increasing cell density up to 5 days in culture and then remained constant. When growth of the cells was completely inhibited by either retinoic acid or cortisol, no significant difference was observed in the ratio of complex to high-mannose oligosaccharides in the cell-surface glycopeptides of subconfluent cells. Only minor differences were found in total mannose-labelled glycoproteins between subconfluent and confluent cells by two-dimensional gel analysis. The adhesion of the cells to the substratum was measured at different stages of growth and cell density. Subconfluent cells displayed a relatively weak adhesion, which markedly increased with increased cell density up to 6 days in culture. It is suggested that alterations in the structure of the carbohydrates of the cell-surface glycoproteins are dependent on cell density rather than on cell growth. These changes in the glycopeptides are correlated with the changes in adhesion of the cells to the substratum.     

Effect of ornithine concentration on citrulline synthesis in mouse liver mitochondria

The rate of citrulline synthesis in mitochondria from OTC-deficient spf-ash mice (15% of the normal activity) was found to be the same as that in mitochondria from control mice. The amount of NAG in their mitochondria varied markedly according to whether they had received a high- or low-protein diet, and the rate of citrulline synthesis was found to be affected by the level of NAG. These results indicate that the CPS stage, not the OTC stage, is rate-limiting in the citrulline synthesis process. Kinetic studies on the effect of ornithine concentration on citrulline synthesis in mitochondria showed that the Km for ornithine was very low in the mitochondria from the mice given a low-protein diet. Kinetic studies on the effect of ornithine concentration on mouse OTC at various concentrations of carbamylphosphate showed that OTC has a ping-pong mechanism, i.e., that the Km for ornithine and Vmax decrease with the reduction in carbamylphosphate concentration. This may explain the low Km value observed in citrulline synthesis in the mitochondria. We conclude that in mitochondrial citrulline synthesis the rate of carbamylphosphate synthesis by CPS in the presence of NAG plays a key role in determining the rate of citrulline synthesis and ornithine dependency.     

Cellular adsorption function of the sialoglycoprotein of vesicular stomatitis virus and its neuraminic acid.

Exposure of vesicular stomatitis (VS) virions to neuraminidase resulted in loss of their ability to agglutinate goose erythrocytes and to attach to L cells concomitant with hydrolysis of sialic acid. These viral adsorptive functions were also destroyed by tryspsinization. Sialyl transferase resialylation in vitro of neuraminidase-treated VS virions restored their hamagglutinating and adsorptive functions almost to original levels. Erythrocyte and L cell receptors for attachment of VS virions were blocked by fully sialylated fetuin and by VS viral sialoglycopeptides. Smaller VS viral glycopeptides generated by extensive trypsinization were less effective inhibitors of hemagglutination than were larger glycopeptides; neuraminic acid and neuraminosyl lactose had no capacity to inhibit hamagglutination or adsorption of virus to L cells. These data suggest that cellular receptors for viral adsorption recognize sialoglycopeptides of a certain size. Neuraminidase desialylation did not significantly alter the isoelectric point of VS virions. Cells exposed to DEAE-dextran, trypsin, or neuraminidase showed significantly increased capacity to attach fully sialylated but not desialylated VS virions. Neuraminidase desialylation of L cells, Chinese hamster ovary cells, and Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells resulted in enhanced susceptibility to plaque formation by VS virus.     

Ethyl carbamate precursor citrulline formation from arginine degradation by malolactic wine lactic acid bacteria

Major commercially available strains for induction of malolactic fermentation in wine were examined for arginine metabolism in a resting cell system at wine pH with the aim of evaluating their ability to excrete and utilize citrulline, a precursor of carcinogenic ethyl carbamate (urethane). All strains tested excreted citrulline from arginine degradation. Citrulline was stored intracellularly during growth in arginine rich medium and was released upon lysis of the cells. All strains were found to degrade citrulline as a sole amino acid and some of them were able to reutilize previously excreted citrulline.     

Two distinct steps for spontaneous generation of subprotoplasts from a disintegrated bryopsis cell

The unusual nature of protoplasm to generate subprotoplasts spontaneously from disintegrated Bryopsis cells was examined. Protoplasm extruded from algal cells aggregated rapidly in cell sap which was derived mainly from huge central vacuoles of the cells. Electron microscopic observations revealed extensive agglutination of algal cellular membranes in the protoplasmic masses, suggesting that this is of primary importance for the wound-healing ability of the alga. Seawater caused spheration of the resultant protoplasmic aggregates. Gelatinous sheaths were formed temporarily surrounding the spherical protoplasmic masses before reformation of cell membrane. Staining with phosphotungstic and chromic acids suggested that new cell membrane was formed by fusion of the disintegrated original cell membrane with cytoplasmic vesicles on the surfaces of the protoplasmic masses. Both pH and salts were found to be essentially important at the two steps of subprotoplast generation. The newly formed cell membranes were responsible for subsequent notable plasmolysis of the wounded cells in seawater. Thus, it is suggested that unicellular marine algae Bryopsis spp. naturally contain effective materials for agglutinating and fusing particular cellular membranes through the sequential aid of acidic cell sap and alkaline seawater after disintegration of the giant cells.     

Adhesion of an Amylolytic Arthrobacter sp. to Starch-Containing Plastic Films

Cells of the amylolytic bacterium KB-1 (thought to be an Arthrobacter sp.) adhered (~70%) to the surface of plastic films composed of starch-poly (methylacrylate) graft copolymer (starch-PMA), but did not adhere (<10%) to films composed of polymethylacrylate (PMA), polyethylene (PE), carboxymethyl cellulose, or a mixture of PE plus poly (ethylene-coacrylic acid) (EAA), starch plus PE, or starch plus PE and EAA. About 30% of the cells adhered to gelatinized insoluble starch. Dithiothreitol (5 mM), EDTA (5 mM), and soluble starch (1%, wt/vol) had little effect on the adhesion of KB-1 cells to starch-PMA films. However, glutaraldehyde-fixed cells, azide-treated cells, and heat-killed cells did not bind to starch-PMA plastic, suggesting that the observed adhesion required cell viability. Culture supernatant from 5-day-old KB-1 cultures contained a proteolytic enzyme that inhibited cell adhesion to starch-PMA plastics. Trypsin-treated KB-1 cells also lost their ability to bind to starch-PMA plastic. When washed free of trypsin and suspended in fresh medium, trypsin-treated bacteria were able to recover adhesion activity in the absence, but not in the presence, of the protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol. These results suggested that adhesion of KB-1 to starch-PMA plastic may be mediated by a cell surface protein. Although KB-1 bacteria bound to starch-PMA plastic, they did not appear to degrade starch in these films. Evidence of starch degradation was observed for starch-PE-EAA plastics, where <10% of the bacteria was bound, suggesting that cell adhesion may not be a prerequisite for degradation of some starch-containing plastics.     

Acute effects of glucagon on citrulline biosynthesis.

Mitochondria isolated from livers of rats fed on different diets showed altered capacity to synthesize citrulline. Glucagon, 15 min after injection, increases citrulline biosynthesis, except after the high-protein diet. A significant correlation between citrulline biosynthesis and N-acetylglutamate content with and without glucagon treatment was shown when rats were fed on a standard or a carbohydrate diet. Different diets modified carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I (EC 6.3.4.16) and N-acetylglutamate synthase (acetyl-CoA:L-glutamate N-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.1) activities. Glucagon did not modify these activities.     

Permeabilization of yeast cells: Application to study on the regulation of AMP deaminase activity in situ

A permeabilization method which allows the assay of several intracellular enzymes within the boundaries of the yeast cell wall is described. Toluene treatment was found to make yeast cells completely permeable to exogenous substrates, and intracellular enzymes did not leak out of the treated cells. This method was also compared with the permeabilization techniques reported previously. Electron microscopic examination of toluene-treated cells indicated that they were essentially intact. The kinetic properties of AMP deaminase, examined in the permeabilized cells, including allosteric regulation by polyamine and Zn²⁺, suggest some differences in protein interactions for AMP deaminase in situ and in vitro.     

Selection, Isolation, and Characterization of Cadmium-Resistant Datura innoxia Suspension Cultures

Datura innoxia cells from suspension cultures were selected for their ability to grow and divide rapidly in normally lethal concentrations of cadmium. Cells resistant to 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 160, 200, and 250 micromolar cadmium chloride were isolated and utilized to initiate cell suspension cultures resistant to this toxic metal ion. Variant cell lines retained their ability to grow in cadmium after being grown in its absence for more than 400 generations. Resistance to cadmium was correlated with the synthesis of low molecular weight, cysteine-rich, cadium-binding proteins. Synthesis of these proteins was induced rapidly in cadmium-resistant cells in response to a challenge of cadmium. Induction was detectable within one hour after exposure of the cells to the metal ion. Accumulation of protein bound cadmium reached a maximum eight to twelve hours following exposure. Metal-binding proteins were not detectable in the cadmium sensitive D. innoxia cells from which resistant cells were derived.     

CELL PENETRATION BY ACIDS : VI. THE CHLOROACETIC ACIDS.

Measurements of the penetration of tissue from Chromodoris zebra are believed to show that a determining factor in penetration involves the establishment of a critical pH (near 3.5) in relation to superficial cell proteins. The rapidity with which this state is produced depends upon acid strength, and upon some property of the acid influencing the speed of absorption; hence it is necessary to compare acids within groups of chemical relationship. The actual speed of penetration observed with any acid is dependent upon two influences: preliminary chemical combination with the outer protoplasm, followed by diffusion. The variation of the temperature coefficient of penetration velocity with the concentration of acid, and the effect of size (age) of individual providing the tissue sample agree in demonstrating the significant part played by diffusion. In comparing different acids, however, their mode of chemical union with the protoplasm determines the general order of penetrating ability.     

Effects of differences in mitotic activity, stage of cell cycle, and degree of specialization of donor cells on nuclear transplantation in Xenopus laevis.

The ability of nuclei of two kinds of cells from the intestinal epithelium of adult X. laevis to support development of recipient oocytes was compared. Cells situated between the longitudinal folds of the gut wall (trough cells) are functionally and structurally unspecialized, divide asynchronously, and individual cells are therefore in different phases of the cell cycle. Cells from the tops of the folds (crest cells) are mitotically inactive, all in the same phase of the cell cycle, and are functionally and structurally specialized. Despite these differences, the patterns of development of recipient oocytes to which these nuclei were transplanted were identical. The development of primary and serial transplants of gut nuclei was compared with that of control blastula nuclei and fertilized eggs which had been irradiated and pricked to simulate transplantation. The comparison showed that the major factor restricting development of transplants was whether the cells had begun to differentiate. These restrictions were stable through serial transplantation. Their effect was to decrease the proportion of recipient oocytes which initiated cleavage and which continued to cleave normally and to increase the frequency of abnormalities after gastrula.     

Antibacterial action of lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide on Streptococcus agalactiae.

Antibacterial activity of lactoperoxidase (LP)-thiocyanate (SCN)-hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on Streptococcus agalactiae requires that the three reactants must be in contact with the cells simultaneously. Small but assayable amounts of LP adsorb to the cell surface and are not removed by washing. A diffusible antibacterial product of LP-SCN-H2O2 reaction was not found under our experimental conditions. Incubation of S. agalactiae cells with LP-H2O2 and 14C-labeled sodium SCN resulted in the incorporation of SCN into the bacterial protein. Most of the LP-catalyzed, incorporated SCN was released from the bacterial protein. Most of the LP-catalyzed, incorporated SCN was released from the bacterial protein with dithiothreitol. Cells that had their membrane permeability changed by treatment with Cetab or 80% ethanol incorporated more SCN than did untreated cells, i.e., approximately 1 mol of SCN for each mol of sulfhydryl group present in the reaction mixture. Alteration of membrane permeability caused protein sulfhydryls, normally protected by the cytoplasmic membrane, to become exposed to oxidation. The results suggest the LP-H2O2-catalyzed incorporation of SCN into the proteins of S. agalactiae by a mechanism similar to that reported for bovine serum albumin. Removal of reactive protein sulfhydryls from a functional role in membrane transport and in glucolysis in a likely cause of the antibacterial effect for S. agalactiae.