Analysis of the morphological variants arising during S <--> R dissociation in Bacillus thuringiensis

Physiological, biochemical, and serologic characteristics of 24 clones of R variants spontaneously emerging from the wild type strain of Bacillus thuringiensis biotype dendrolimus and of 25 clones of S revertants resulting from the plating of one of the R variants are investigated. It is shown that the efficiency of spore formation is the only characteristic among those investigated which correlated with colony morphology of the S or R type. All R variants were oligo- or asporogenous; they usually differed in characteristics of adaptive importance. The process of spore formation was restored in the S revertants, but they differed both from the wild type and from each other. In contrast to the initial forms, R variants and S revertants most commonly exhibited the capability to ferment sucrose. Based on the data obtained, an assumption was made concerning the nature of dissociation in the strain under investigation.     

Biosynthesis of the antibiotic, grizin, by prototrophic revertants of Streptomyces griseus biochemical mutants

Spontaneous and nitrosomethylbiuret-induced prototrophic revertants of various biochemical mutants of Str. griseus producing grisin, a streptothricin antibiotic, were isolated. The antibiotic production level of the revertants was studied. It was found that most of the prototrophic revertants synthesized much higher amounts of grisin than the initial biochemical mutants. It was also shown that a number of the prototrophic revertants of the methionine- and arginine-dependent mutants synthesized 20-23% higher amounts of grisin as compared to the control.     

Auxotrophic mutants in the selection of the rubomycin producer, Actinomyces coeruleorubidus

A total of 351 auxotrophic mutants with different antibiotic activity, including several mutants with activity higher than that of the parent prototrophic strains were obtained under the effect of gamma-rays from 3 prototrophic strains of Act. coeruleorubidus. It was shown that most of the auxotrophic mutants did not preserve the property of biochemical insufficiency on passages on complete media. A mutant strain 1059-32 with activity 2 times higher than that of the prototrophic strain 2-39 and the parent auxotrophic culture was obtained from the revertants. Requirements in 29 growth factors including 17 amino acids, 4 nitrous bases, 8 vitamins and coenzymes were determined in 46 stable auxotrophic mutants isolated. The effect of the specific and non-specific growth factors on the culture antibiotic production was studied.     

The role of the carotenoid pigments of staphylococcus in the response of cells to temperature changes]

A study was made of the reaction of the membranous apparatus of the pigmented strains of staphylococcus 209-P and its four apigmented variants to the action of various temperatures measured by the exit from the cells of the low molecular components. Permeability of the cell membranes in case of the action of the extreme temperatures of the 209-P strain altered much more than that of the apigment variants. It is supposed that the carotinoid pigments of the apathogenic staphylococci took part in the formation of functional lability of the bacterial membranes.     

Nuclear pea mutants deficient in chlorophyll b and the major polypeptide of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein of photosystem II

Eight chlorophyll b deficient nuclear mutants of pea (Pisum sativum L.) have been characterized by low temperature fluorescence emission spectra of their leaves and by the ultrastructure, photochemical activities and polypeptide compositions of the thylakoid membranes. The room temperature fluorescence induction kinetics of leaves and isolated thylakoids have also been recorded. In addition, the effects of Mg²⁺ on the fluorescence kinetics of the membranes have been investigated. The mutants are all deficient in the major polypeptide of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein of photosystem II. The low temperature fluorescence emission spectra of aurea-5106, xantha-5371 and –5820 show little or no fluorescence around 730 nm (photosystem I fluorescence), but possess maxima at 685 and 695 nm (photosystem II fluorescence). These three mutants have low photosystem II activities, but significant photosystem I activities. The long-wavelength fluorescence maximum is reduced for three other mutants. The Mg²⁺ effect on the variable component of the room temperature fluorescence (685 nm) induction kinetics is reduced in all mutants, and completely absent in aurea-5106 and xantha-5820. The thylakoid membranes of these 2 mutants are appressed pairwise in 2-disc grana of large diameter. Chlorotica-1-206A and–130A have significant long-wavelength maxima in the fluorescence spectra and show the largest Mg²⁺ enhancement of the variable part of the fluorescence kinetics. These two mutants have rather normally structured chloroplast membranes, though the stroma regions are reduced. The four remaining mutants are in several respects of an intermediate type.Abbreviations Chl chlorophyll - CPI Chi-protein complex I, F_o, F_v - F_m parameters of room temperature chlorophyll fluorescence induction kinetics - F685, F695 and F-1 components of low temperature chlorophyll emission with maximum at 685, 695 and ca 735 nm, respectively - PSI photosystem I - PSII photosystem II - LHCI and LHCII light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b complexes associated with PSI and PSII, respectively - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate     

Altered glucose 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-biphosphate levels in low-frequency stimulated rabbit fast-twitch muscle

Glucose 1,6-bisphosphate (Glc-1,6-P2) and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) concentrations display pronounced increases in rabbit fast-twitch muscle during chronic low-frequency stimulation. These increases are first seen after stimulation periods exceeding 3 h and reach maxima after 12-24 h of stimulation (approximately 3-fold for Glc-1,6-P2 and 5-fold for Fru-2,6-P2). Both metabolites regress to normal values after stimulation periods longer than 4 days. The fact that their increases coincide with the replenishment of glycogen after its initial depletion, could point to a role of Glc-1,6-P2 and Fru-2,6-P2 in glycogen metabolism.     

The bovine mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor. Localization of mannose 6-phosphate binding sites to domains 1-3 and 7-11 of the extracytoplasmic region.

The extracytoplasmic region of the 270-kDa mannose 6-phosphate/IGF-II receptor is composed of 15 repeating domains and is capable of binding 2 mol of mannose 6-phosphate (Man-6-P). To localize the Man-6-P binding domains, bovine receptor was subjected to partial proteolysis with subtilisin followed by affinity chromatography on pentamannosyl phosphate-agarose. Eleven proteolytic fragments ranging in apparent molecular mass from 53 to 206 kDa were isolated. Sequence analysis of six of the fragments localized their amino termini to either the beginning of domain 1 at the amino terminus of the molecule or the beginning of domain 7, according to the alignment of Lobel et al. (Lobel, P., Dahms, N. M., and Kornfeld, S. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2563-2570). The smallest fragment, with an apparent molecular mass of 53 kDa, is predicted to encompass domains 1-3. Another fragment, with an apparent molecular mass of 82 kDa, is predicted to encompass domains 7-10 or 7-11. The Man-6-P binding site contained within domains 1-3 was further defined by expressing truncated forms of the receptor in Xenopus laevis oocytes and assaying their ability to bind phosphomannosyl residues. A soluble polypeptide containing domains 1-3 exhibited binding activity, whereas a polypeptide containing domains 1 and 2 did not. This indicates that domain 3 is a necessary component of one of the Man-6-P binding sites of the receptor.     

Effect of protoplasting on antibiotic activity and resistance in the strain Streptomyces hygroscopicus 155]

The influence of protoplasting and protoplast regeneration in the presence of polyethylene glycol on antibiotic activity, components of antibiotic complexes and antibiotic resistance in Streptomyces hygroscopicus 155 was studied. It was shown that the protoplasting and protoplast regeneration influenced the antibiotic activity. The protoplast fusion resulted in increased isolation of variants with higher antibiotic activity. The processes also affected the components of the antibiotic complexes but had no effect on the strain resistance to some antibiotics.     

Analysis of the morphological variants arising during S↔R dissociation in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus thuringiensis</Emphasis>

Physiological, biochemical, and serologic characteristics of 24 clones of R variants spontaneously emerging from the wild type strain of Bacillus thuringiensis biotype dendrolimus and of 25 clones of S revertants resulting from the plating of one of the R variants are investigated. It is shown that the efficiency of spore formation is the only characteristic among those investigated which correlated with colony morphology of the S or R type. All R variants were oligo-or asporogenous; they usually differed in characteristics of adaptive importance. The process of spore formation was restored in the S revertants, but they differed both from the wild type and from each other. In contrast to the initial forms, R variants and S revertants most commonly exhibited the capability to ferment sucrose. Based on the data obtained, an assumption was made concerning the nature of dissociation in the strain under investigation.     

抗生素2,4-二乙酰基间苯三酚作为荧光假单胞菌2P24菌株生防功能因子的实证分析

荧光假单胞杆菌2P24菌株分离自小麦全蚀病自然衰退土壤,它是酚类抗生素2,4-二乙酰基间苯三酚(2,4-DAPG)的高产菌,对多种土传病害具有较好的防治能力。利用同源重组构建2,4-DAPG合成基因的定位突变体,并对突变体进行基因互补,通过检测突变菌株和恢复突变菌株抗生素产量和生防效果确定2,4-DAPG在菌株2P24生防功能中的作用。实验中,定位突变体丧失产生抗生素和拮抗病原菌的能力,而恢复突变体的抗生素产量和拮抗能力均恢复至野生菌水平。在对番茄青枯病的防病试验中,2,4-DAPG突变体的防效低且下降快,而恢复突变体的生防能力与野生菌相当,且效果稳定。由此可确定2,4-DAPG是菌株2P24防治番茄青枯病的主要因子,在防效上起关键作用。     

Phenotypic switching of antibiotic resistance circumvents permanent costs in Staphylococcus aureus.

Bacterial antibiotic resistance is often associated with a fitness cost in the absence of the antibiotic [1,2]. We have examined a resistance mechanism in Staphylococcus aureus that negates these costs. Exposure to gentamicin both in vitro and in vivo has been reported to result in the emergence of a gentamicin-resistant small colony variant (SCV)[3-8]. We show that the emergence of SCVs following exposure to gentamicin results from a rapid switch and that bacteria exposed to cycles of gentamicin followed by antibiotic-free medium repeatedly switched between a resistant SCV and a sensitive parental phenotype (revertants). The fitness of revertants relative to S. aureus with stable gentamicin resistance was greater in drug-free media, which suggests that S. aureus has evolved an inducible and reversible resistance mechanism that circumvents a permanent cost to fitness.     

Residues surrounding Arg336 and Arg562 contribute to the disparate rates of proteolysis of factor VIIIa catalyzed by activated protein C

Activated Protein C (APC) inactivates factor VIIIa by cleavage at Arg(336) and Arg(562) within the A1 and A2 subunits, respectively, with reaction at the former site occurring at a rate approximately 25-fold faster than the latter. Recombinant factor VIII variants possessing mutations within the P4-P3' sequences were used to determine the contributions of these residues to the disparate cleavage rates at the two P1 sites. Specific activity values for 336(P4-P3')562, 336(P4-P2)562, and 336(P1'-P3')562 mutants, where indicated residues surrounding the Arg(336) site were replaced with those surrounding Arg(562), were similar to wild type (WT) factor VIII; whereas 562(P4-P3')336 and 562(P4-P2)336 mutants showed specific activity values <1% the WT value. Inactivation rates for the 336 site mutants were reduced approximately 6-11-fold compared with WT factor VIIIa, and approached values attributed to cleavage at Arg(562). Cleavage rates at Arg(336) were reduced approximately 100-fold for 336(P4-P3')562, and approximately 9-16-fold for 336(P4-P2)562 and 336(P1'-P3')562 mutants. Inhibition kinetics revealed similar affinities of APC for WT factor VIIIa and 336(P4-P3')562 variant. Alternatively, the 562(P4-P3')336 variant showed a modest increase in cleavage rate ( approximately 4-fold) at Arg(562) compared with WT, whereas these rates were increased by approximately 27- and 6-fold for 562(P4-P3')336 and 562(P4-P2)336, respectively, using the factor VIII procofactor form as substrate. Thus the P4-P3' residues surrounding Arg(336) and Arg(562) make significant contributions to proteolysis rates at each site, apparently independent of binding affinity. Efficient cleavage at Arg(336) by APC is attributed to favorable P4-P3' residues at this site, whereas cleavage at Arg(562) can be accelerated following replacement with more optimal P4-P3' residues.     

Isolation and NMR spectroscopic characterization of sialic acid compounds and hemofiltrate of chronic uremia patients

Eight sialyloligosaccharides have been isolated from the hemofiltrate of a patient with end stage renal disease using reverse osmosis, gel filtration, ion-exchange and high-performance liquid chromatography. The structures were predominantly elucidated by one- and two-dimensional 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy: 1 NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4Glc; 2 NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4Glc; 3 NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc; 4 NeuAc-alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc; 5 NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4-GlcNAc alpha 1-P; 6 NeuAc alpha 2-6Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc alpha 1-P; 7 NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-3GalNAc alpha 1-P; 8 NeuAc alpha 2-8NeuAc. While compounds 1-7 are also components of normal human urine, di-N-acetyl-D-neuraminic acid (8) could be isolated for the first time from biological material. The origin and possible clinical relevance of these compounds have to be proved in further investigations.     

Ca2+-mediated generation of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate in pancreatic islets. Studies with K+, glucose, and carbamylcholine

The role of Ca2+ in the generation of inositol phosphates was investigated using rat pancreatic islets after steady state labeling with myo-[2-3H]inositol. Depolarizing K+ concentrations (24 mM) evoked early (2 s) increases in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P3) and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (Ins-1,3,4,5-P4) as measured by high performance anion-exchange chromatography. The increase in Ins-1,4,5-P3 was transient and was followed by a more pronounced rise in Ins-1,3,4-P3. These effects were dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ but were not secondary to release of either neurotransmitters or metabolites of arachidonic acid. K+ also promoted the breakdown of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns-4,5-P2) and of the other phosphoinositides. Glucose (16.7 mM) was less marked in its effects but still promoted rapid increases in Ins-1,3,4,5-P4 (2 s) and Ins-1,4,5-P3 (10 s) and a slower rise in Ins-1,3,4-P3 (30 s). The levels of all three metabolites rose steadily over 10 min stimulation. These responses to glucose could be largely, although not entirely, inhibited by depletion of extracellular Ca2+ or by Ca2+ channel blockade with verapamil (20 microM). Carbamylcholine (0.5 mM) was the most potent stimulus used evoking early rises in Ins-1,4,5-P3 and Ins-1,3,4,5-P4 (2 s) followed by Ins-1,3,4-P3 (10 s), effects which were only partially dependent on extracellular Ca2+. The results suggest that a Ca2+-mediated PtdIns-4,5-P2 hydrolysis accounts for most of the Ins-1,4,5-P3 generated in response to glucose but not carbamylcholine. In addition, glucose may exert effects on inositol phosphate metabolism which are Ca2+ independent.     

Changes in the level of bacitracin synthesis in autolysin-resistant strains of Bacillus licheniformis

Production of bacitracin by Bac. licheniformis 1001 and its spontaneous autolysin resistant variants was studied. It was found that the antibiotic activity of some variants was 1.5--2 times higher than that of the initial strain. No differences in the activity of serine exoprotease in the initial strain and resistant variants were observed. The latter variants lost their resistance to autolysis in 2--3 subcultures on solid and liquid nutrient media. their antibiotic activity in these cases decreased to the control level. The study indicates that there is a phenomenologic relation between the autolytic and antibiotic activities of Bac. licheniformis. The nature of the relation is not known yet. Possibly, it is due to changes in the specific metabolic steps connected with regulation of bacitracin synthesis.     

Regulation of epidermal growth factor-stimulated formation of inositol phosphates in A-431 cells by calcium and protein kinase C

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) treatment of A-431 cells induces a biphasic increase in the levels of inositol phosphates. The growth factor produces an initial, rapid increase in the level of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P3) due to hydrolysis of phosphatidyl-inositol-4,5-bisphosphate (Wahl, M., Sweatt, J. D., and Carpenter, G. (1987) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 142, 688-695). The level of inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (Ins-1,3,4,5-P4) also rises rapidly in response to treatment with EGF. The initial formation (less than 1 min) of Ins-1,4,5-P3 and Ins-1,3,4,5-P4 does not require Ca2+ present in the culture medium. However, the addition of Ca2+ to the medium at levels of 100 microM or greater potentiates the growth factor-stimulated increases in the levels of all inositol phosphates at later times after EGF addition (1-60 min). The data suggest that EGF-receptor complexes initially stimulate the enzyme phospholipase C in a manner that is independent of an influx of extracellular Ca2+. The presence of Ca2+ in the medium allows prolonged growth factor activation of phospholipase C. Treatment of A-431 cells with Ca2+ ionophores (A23187 and ionomycin) did not mimic the activity of EGF in producing a rapid increase in the formation of the Dowex column fraction containing Ins-1,4,5-P3, Ins-1,3,4,5-P4, and inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate (InsP3). However, the initial EGF-stimulated formation of inositol phosphates was substantially diminished in cells loaded with the Ca2+ chelator Quin 2/AM. EGF receptor occupancy studies indicated that maximal stimulation of InsP3 accumulation by EGF requires nearly full (75%) occupancy of available EGF binding sites, while half-maximal stimulation requires 25% occupancy. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), an exogenous activator of Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C), causes a dramatic, but transient, inhibition of the EGF-stimulated formation of inositol phosphates. Tamoxifen and sphingosine, reported pharmacologic inhibitors of protein kinase C activity, potentiate the capacity of EGF to induce formation of inositol phosphates. Neither TPA nor tamoxifen significantly affects the 125I-EGF binding capacity of A-431 cells; however, TPA appeared to enhance internalization of the ligand. Ligand occupation of the EGF receptor on the A-431 cell appears to initiate a complex signaling mechanism involving production of intracellular messengers for Ca2+ mobilization and activation of protein kinase C.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Base-change analysis of revertants of the hisD3052 allele in Salmonella typhimurium

This report is an investigation of the specific sequence changes in the DNA of Salmonella hisD3052 revertants induced by a set of specific frameshift mutagens found in our diet. They include B[a]P, aflatoxin B1, and the cooked-food mutagens, IQ, MeIQ, and PhIP. The Salmonella DNA was cleaved with restriction enzymes Sau3A, EcoR1, and Alu1 to give a 620-bp fragment containing the hisD3052 site. The size-fractionated fragments were ligated to the bacteriophage vector M13mp8. After transformation into E. coli, the recombinants were screened with a nick-translated hisD+ gene probe, and the isolated single-stranded DNA was sequenced. All IQ (13), MeIQ (3), PhIP (5), and aflatoxin B1 (3) induced revertants isolated had a 2-base (-CG- dinucleotide) deletion situated 10 bases upstream from the original hisD3052 -C- deletion. In contrast, 9 of 24 revertants induced by B[a]P had extensive deletions varying from 8 to 26 nucleotides in length and located at various sites along a 45-base-pair sequence beginning at nucleotide 2085 of the his operon. The other 15 B[a]P-induced revertants had a -CG- deletion at the same location as the revertants induced by the other food mutagens. 7 spontaneous revertants were also analyzed; they showed 3 -CG- deletions, 1 insertion and 3 distinct deletions (varying from 2 to 11 bases in size). In total, 13 distinct base changes are described which lead to reversion of the hisD3052 mutation.     

Ca2+ regulates the inositol tris/tetrakisphosphate pathway in intact and broken preparations of insulin-secreting RINm5F cells

The two-step isomerization of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins-1,4,5-P3) to Ins-1,3,4-P3 via the intermediate inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate (Ins-P4) was studied in intact RINm5F cells and in subcellular fractions. Muscarinic stimulation with carbamylcholine leads to a rapid (2 s) rise in both Ins-1,4,5-P3 and Ins-P4, whereas Ins-1,3,4-P3 was produced only after a lag of at least 5 s. In cells with depleted Ca2+ stores, the rise in Ins-1,4,5-P3 was nearly tripled, and that of Ins-1,3,4-P3 markedly diminished as compared to control cells. Raising the free Ca2+ concentration from 10(-7) to 10(-5) M increased inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate-3-kinase activity in cytosolic fractions by 2 1/2-fold (EC50 for Ca2+ approximately 0.8 microM) but had no effect on the activity of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate-5-phosphomonoesterase. At 10(-7) M Ca2+ these two enzymes displayed comparable activity when assayed at concentrations of Ins-1,4,5-P3 occurring in stimulated cells; however, at 10(-5) M Ca2+, kinase activity predominates. These results suggest that Ins-1,4,5-P3 counter-regulates its own levels through the activity of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase and that the increase in [Ca2+]i may account for the transience of the rise in Ins-1,4,5-P3 seen during muscarinic stimulation of RINm5F cells.