Localization pattern of conjugation machinery in a Gram-positive bacterium

Conjugation is an efficient way for transfer of genetic information between bacteria, even between highly diverged species, and a major cause for the spreading of resistance genes. We have investigated the subcellular localization of several conserved conjugation proteins carried on plasmid pLS20 found in Bacillus subtilis. We show that VirB1, VirB4, VirB11, VirD2, and VirD4 homologs assemble at a single cell pole, but also at other sites along the cell membrane, in cells during the lag phase of growth. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation analyses showed that VirB4 and VirD4 interact at the cell pole and, less frequently, at other sites along the membrane. VirB1 and VirB11 also colocalized at the cell pole. Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy showed that pLS20 is largely membrane associated and is frequently found at the cell pole, indicating that transfer takes place at the pole, which is a preferred site for the assembly of the active conjugation apparatus, but not the sole site. VirD2, VirB4, and VirD4 started to localize to the pole or the membrane in stationary-phase cells, and VirB1 and VirB11 were observed as foci in cells resuspended in fresh medium but no longer in cells that had entered exponential growth, although at least VirB4 was still expressed. These data reveal an unusual assembly/disassembly timing for the pLS20 conjugation machinery and suggest that specific localization of conjugation proteins in lag-phase cells and delocalization during growth are the reasons why pLS20 conjugation occurs only during early exponential phase.     

Fatty acid synthesis in Escherichia coli

1. Fatty acid formation by cells of a strain of Escherichia coli has been studied in the exponential, post-exponential and stationary phases of growth. 2. During the exponential phase of growth, the metabolic quotient (mmumoles of fatty acid synthesized/mg. dry wt. of cells/hr.) for each fatty acid in the extractable lipid was constant. 3. The newly synthesized fatty acid mixtures produced during this phase contained hexadecanoic acid (41%), hexadecenoic acid (31%), octadecenoic acid (21%) and the C(17)-cyclopropane acid, methylenehexadecanoic acid (4%). 4. As the proportion of newly synthesized material increased, changes in the fatty acid composition of the cells during this period were towards this constant composition. 5. Abrupt changes in fatty acid synthesis occurred when exponential growth ceased. 6. In media in which glycerol, or SO(4) (2-) or Mg(2+), was growth-limiting there was a small accumulation of C(17)-cyclopropane acid in cells growing in the post-exponential phase of growth. 7. Where either NH(4) (+) or PO(4) (3-) was growth-limiting and there were adequate supplies of glycerol, Mg(2+) and SO(4) (2-), there was a marked accumulation of C(17)-cyclopropane acid and C(19)-cyclopropane acid appeared. 8. Under appropriate conditions the metabolic quotient for C(17)-cyclopropane acid increased up to sevenfold at the end of exponential growth. Simultaneously the metabolic quotients of the other acids fell. 9. A mixture of glycerol, Mg(2+) and SO(4) (2-) stimulated cyclopropane acid formation in resting cells.     

MODIFICATION OF PHYTOPLANKTON GROWTH BY EXCRETED COMPOUNDS IN LOW-DENSITY POPULATIONS1

Conditioned seawater, removed by filtration from an exponentially growing mixed phytoplankton population, inhibited the growth of a small inoculum of cells from the same source without reducing the lag period. When the 2 populations, one in exponential growth and the other freshly inoculated, were separated by a filter membrane allowing passage of excreted compounds, the growth rate of the freshly inoculated cells was again depressed but the lag phase was reduced almost as effectively as by the addition of the chelator, EDTA. Thus both inhibitory and stimulatory compounds appear to be excreted by the cells during exponential growth, the stimulatory group, apparently involved with trace metal metabolism, being more labile to degradation. A test was made to determine if the population could be induced to utilize unconditioned water. Even after repeated transfers there was no reduction in the lag period, indicating that the initiation of exponential growth represents a response to excreted conditioning agents (possibly chelating compounds) rather than an adjustment by the population to use unconditioned water.     

Synthesis of α-amylase and α-glucosidase by membrane bound ribosomes from Bacilluslicheniformis

α-Glucosidase was membrane bound during exponential growth of $\text{Bacillus}\text{licheniformis}$ but was released into the medium during stationary phase. It could be partially removed from exponential phase cells by washing with NaCl (0.5 M). α-Amylase was exclusively extracellular and could not be detected in cells. Polysomes were prepared from exponential phase cells and separated into membrane bound and soluble fractions. $\text{In}\text{vitro}$ chain completion and immunoprecipitation showed that α-glucosidase and α-amylase were synthesized by membrane bound and not by soluble ribosomes.     

Inhibition of 5′-nucleotidase activity after growth of Dictyostelium discoideum

The specific activity of 5′-nucleotidase activity in cell-free extracts of Dictyostelium discoideum at both exponential and stationary growth phases was determined. The 5′-nucleotidase activity of both membrane and soluble fractions was determined. The results show that at exponential growth more activity is found in the soluble fraction. Furthermore, the results show that stationary phase cells contain about 10-fold less activity than cells at exponential growth. To determine if stationary phase cells contained an inhibitor of 5′-nucleotidase, purified membranes were incubated with a high speed supernatant (S-100) prepared from cells at this stage. The results showed not only a time and concentration dependent loss of membrane bound activity, but also that most of the lost activity could be recovered in a soluble form. This result suggested that the 5′-nucleotidase was being released by a factor in the S-100. Additional studies showed inactivation of the releasing factor by a protease and further, that this inactivation could be prevented by serine protease inhibitors. The specificity of releasing factor with respect to two other membrane bound activities was determined. The results indicated no loss of either 3′5′-cyclic phosphodiesterase or adenylate cyclase. In addition, the results of a comparison of the activity of the releasing factor at two stages of growth showed similar values at both exponential and stationary growth phase. This latter finding suggests that the loss of 5′-nucleotidase activity at stationary phase is not due to modulation of the releasing factor activity. An alternative mechanism is proposed.     

Measurements of net fluxes and extracellular changes of H+, Ca2+, K+, and NH4+ in Escherichia coli using ion-selective microelectrodes.

This study introduced the use of a non-invasive ion-selective microelectrode (MIFE) technique to study membrane-transport processes in bacteria. Net ion fluxes and changes in the extracellular concentrations of H+, Ca2+, K+ and NH4+ in adherent bacteria, isolated from cultures at different growth stages (exponential, late exponential, and stationary phases), were monitored. With the exception of Ca2+, a significant (P=0.05) difference was found in the magnitude of net fluxes of the ions measured from bacterial cells at different stages of the population growth curve. The magnitude of the H+ response was glucose-dependent with maximum changes occurring at the highest concentration. There was a progressive increase in H+ extrusion followed by a gradual return to zero at late stationary phase. Measurements of net ion fluxes crossing the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, demonstrated here for the first time, may offer insight into underlying mechanisms of ion transport kinetics. Applications of the non-invasive ion-selective microelectrode technique in microbiology are discussed.     

Changes in cell volume and internal sodium concentration in HeLa cells during exponential growth and following lonidamine treatment

Cell volumes decreased in HeLa cells as a function of time after seeding during exponential growth. Cell volume distributions revealed the presence of two cell populations in all stages of growth. When cells approached confluence, the ratio of the two populations abruptly shifted towards that characterised by the smallest volume. Percentages of G1-, S- and G2 + M-phase cells were also measured and it was found that G1 frequency increased as a function of cell density during exponential growth. Intracellular sodium concentration, [Na]i was monitored by 23Na NMR in the presence of 5 mM dysprosium (III) tripolyphosphate. [Na]i increased from 22.8 to 59.0 mM in cells from the second to the seventh day after seeding. Treatment with lonidamine, an antitumoral drug that it is known to slow down cell growth by affecting aerobic glycolysis, produced a complete block of cell progression after a few days of treatment. The progression of cell volume distributions towards smaller volumes and the increase in internal sodium concentration as a function of time after seeding were also affected by the drug. These phenomena were related to the existence of a subpopulation of mitotically inactive G1-phase cells during exponential growth, pointing out that a density-dependent cellular mechanism regulates the cell cycling in HeLa cells.     

The photosensitizing activity of haematoporphyrin on mollicutes

The photosensitizing activity of haematoporphyrin (HP) on Mycoplasma hominis and Acholeplasma laidlawii was studied as a function of the phase of growth and the amount of sterols in the cell membrane. Less HP was bound to cells when the membrane had a high sterol content. Both strains in the exponential but not in the stationary phase of growth were sensitive to HP treatment (above 1 microgram ml-1) in the dark. Visible light irradiation of HP-loaded cells caused in all cases a decrease of cell survival, with concomitant changes in the pattern of membrane proteins that suggested protein-protein cross-linking, and the appearance of ultrastructural alterations (rounded and lysed cells); the photosensitivity was indirectly related to the sterol content of the cell membrane. On the whole, our findings suggest that the cell membrane is a major target for HP photosensitization of mycoplasma cells.     

寡糖素对红花及三七培养细胞的生理作用

三种寡糖素,即来自人参(Panax ginseng)培养细胞的人参寡糖素、红花(Carthamus tinctorius)培养细胞的红花寡糖素、黑节草(Dendrobium candidum)植物的黑节草寡糖素对红花及三七 (Panax notoginseng)的培养细胞的生长及代谢产物的含量均有显著的促进作用。寡糖素可耐高温高压(121℃、1.2bs／cm2)灭菌15分钟而不失活,其对植物培养细胞的影响与利用过滤方法灭菌的效果相似。红花寡糖素对红花悬浮培养细胞作用的适宜浓度是5-10mg/L,而在愈伤组织中为15mg/L,在三七培养细胞进入生长旺盛(培养至22天)时加入黑节草寡糖素,再培养2天后其生长即提高。黑节草寡糖素均能缩短红花及三七培养细胞生长的延缓期,提前进入对数生长期及指数生长期。并且使红花培养细胞中a-生育酚在细胞生长最活跃的指数生长期大量积累,最终增加了培养细胞及代谢产物的产率。     

Synthesis of prostaglandins and cyclic AMP by cultured embryonic palate mesenchyme at various population densities

During embryonic development, facial and palate mesenchymal cells exhibit differential growth rates. Normal palatal growth is regulated in part by hormones and growth factors. Because hormonal responsiveness of some cells correlates with their cell density, we have investigated the relationship between embryonic palate mesenchymal cell population density and their ability to synthesize prostaglandins (PGs) and cyclic AMP. Primary cultures of palate mesenchymal cells exhibited typical lag, log, and stationary phases of growth with a doubling time of 32-34 hrs. The ability of cells to produce PGE2 in response to a calcium ionophore (A23187), an activator of phospholipase A2 (melittin), arachidonic acid, or serum was maximal during the period of early exponential growth. Prostaglandin F2 alpha synthesis in response to A23187 or arachidonic acid showed a similar transient increase also corresponding temporally to the period of early exponential growth. The ability to synthesize PGF2 alpha in response to melittin, however, failed to diminish after early exponential growth. The pattern of cAMP synthesis in response to isoproterenol and PGE1 was different from that seen for induced prostaglandin synthesis. A transient increase in sensitivity to isoproterenol and PGE1 was seen that corresponded temporally to the period of late exponential growth just prior to attainment of confluency. Decreased sensitivity to stimulation of either prostaglandin or cAMP production as the cells became confluent was shown to be a density-dependent phenomenon; confluent cultures that were subcultured to reestablish logarithmic growth exhibited density-dependent hormonal responses identical to those seen in primary cultures. The ability of palate mesenchymal cells to synthesize both prostaglandins and cAMP, thought to be critical for proper palatal development, might thus be related to local differential craniofacial growth rates.     

Age fractionation in bacteria by membrane elution: relation between age distribution and elution profile.

The theoretical relations between the age distribution of cells in an exponential culture, variation of division intervals, synchronous growth, and elution of cells from a nitrocellulose membrane-bound culture were derived.The theory can be used (1) to derive an expectation for a membrane elution curve with which the observed curves may compared, (2) to determine the age distribution from a synchronous growth curve, (3) to determine the frequency distribution of division intervals from the age distribution or from the synchronous growth curve. Examples of these applications are presented.     

Invasive and angiogenic phenotype of MCF-7 human breast tumor cells expressing human cyclooxygenase-2

To evaluate the direct effect of human cyclooxygenase-2 (hCox-2) on human breast tumor cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis, hCox-2 cDNA was transfected into slow growing, non-metastatic MCF-7 human breast tumor cells that express low levels of Cox-2. Two stable transfectant clones, designated MCF-7/hCox-2 clones 8 and 10, had significantly decreased (P < 0.05) doubling time, with two-fold greater number of cells during exponential growth compared to the MCF-7/vector control. Proliferation of both of the MCF-7/hCox-2 clones was significantly inhibited in a time- and dose-dependent manner by celecoxib. The MCF-7/hCox-2 clones 8 and 10 formed larger and greater numbers of colonies in soft agar than the MCF-7/vector control, with a corresponding increased invasion across an artificial Matrigel basement membrane in response to recombinant human epidermal growth factor (hEGF). The MCF-7/hCox-2 clones 8 and 10 had higher mRNA levels of two splice variants of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), V145 and V165. These results demonstrate that hCox-2 directly increases breast tumor cell proliferation, stimulates invasion across a basement membrane, and induces synthesis of specific heparin binding splice variants of VEGF.     

藻源污染物特性对高藻水微滤处理过程中膜污染的影响

采用不同生长时期的藻细胞、藻源型有机物(AOM)及原藻液进行过滤实验,研究不同生长时期的藻源污染物对膜污染的影响特性及机制。利用UMFI法分析不同生长时期的藻细胞、AOM及原藻液的污染程度;采用CRITIC分析法定量分析了不同生长时期的AOM和藻细胞在混合过滤过程中对膜污染的贡献率,同时采用混合污染堵塞模型分析了不同生长时期的原藻液不同过滤阶段的主要污染堵塞类型。结果表明, 3个生长时期的藻细胞及AOM的膜污染程度均为对数期最轻;值得注意的是,在原藻液过滤过程中藻细胞及AOM的膜污染贡献率随着生长时期的不同而有所变化,其中AOM的污染权重随着生长时期的延长不断减小,而藻细胞的污染权重随着生长时期的延长不断增大。不同生长时期的原藻液过滤过程中均呈现两段式污染堵塞类型,并且后段均为滤饼堵塞。研究不仅阐明了藻源型污染物特性对微滤处理高藻水膜污染的影响机制,同时也为改善膜污染的技术开发提供参考。     

Coordinate regulation by iron of the synthesis of phenolate compounds and three outer membrane proteins in Escherichia coli.

The biosynthesis of the low-molecular-weight iron carrier enterochelin and of three outer membrane polypeptides appears to be coordinately regulated by the amount of cell-associated iron in Escherichia coli K-12. Measurements of iron acquisition made throughout the growth cycle in iron-deficient media indicate that a very rapid accumulation of iron occurs in the first 2 h of growth; there is comparatively little iron uptake during exponential growth, which results in a gradual decrease in the cellular iron content with each generation. When this level falls below 400 ng of iron per mg (dry weight) of cells, there is a simultaneous onset of synthesis of the three outer membrane polypeptides and of enterochelin. This coordinate regulation was also observed in cells able to transport iron actively using only citrate as an iron-carrier.     

Carbon Dioxide Control of Lag Period and Growth of Streptococcus sanguis

A carbon dioxide requirement for growth of Streptococcus sanguis was readily demonstrated in a fermentor where the gas atmosphere could be controlled. Growth at a maximum rate occurred immediately in response to the appropriate CO(2) concentration; growth stopped when CO(2) was deleted. Washed inocula consisting of exponentially growing cells required a minimum of 2.4% CO(2), postexponential phase cells needed 1.2 to 1.8% CO(2) immediately and 2.4% CO(2) shortly thereafter, whereas stationary phase cells required three sequential increases in CO(2) from 0.3 to 1.8 to 2.4% within the first 90 min of growth. These CO(2) concentrations permitted each inoculum to initiate growth immediately at the same maximum rate. These results also showed that physiologically "old" cells had the same capacity for growth as "young" cells when the CO(2) concentrations were appropriate for the type of inoculum. Continued exponential growth of the culture at the same optimum rate required 2.4% CO(2). Lower concentrations of CO(2) were rate limiting and the resulting exponential rate was proportional to the CO(2) concentration. The "normal" lag period of S. sanguis appears to be an artifact induced by a CO(2) deficiency.     

Age-dependent modifications in membrane lipids: lipid composition, fluidity and palmitoyl-CoA desaturase in Tetrahymena membranes

The membrane lipid composition of Tetrahymena pyriformis NT-I was observed to change in a manner markedly dependent on the progress of culture age. The pellicular, mitochondrial and microsomal membranes were isolated from cell harvested at various growth phases (I, early exponential; II, mid-exponential; III, late exponential; IV, early stationary; V, late stationary) and their lipid composition was analyzed by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. Although the phospholipid composition varied somewhat among membrane fractions, the most general age-dependent alteration was a considerable decrease in the content of phosphatidylethanolamine accompanied by a small increase in phosphatidylcholine. The 2-aminoethylphosphonolipid, enriched in the surface membrane pellicle, did not undergo a consistent change. As for fatty acid composition the most notable variation occurred in unsaturated fatty acids; a great increase in oleic and linoleic acids and a compensatory decrease in palmitoleic acid. This resulted in an augmented unsaturation of the overall phospholipid fatty acid profile of the aged membranes. The age-associated drastic decline in the palmitoleic acid content in membrane phospholipids could be accounted for by the markedly lowered activity of palmitoyl-CoA desaturase. The microsomes from the early exponential phase cells possess a 4-fold higher activity of the desaturase as compared to that of the late stationary phase microsomes. The decreased desaturase activity associated with the culture age was also reflected in the corresponding decrease in the conversion rate of [14C]palmitate to [14C]palmitoleate in cells labelled in vivo. The ESR spectra of the spin-labeled phospholipids extracted from the pellicular and microsomal membranes have led to the suggestion that these types of membrane would become more fluid with the age of growth.     

Amiloride inhibits protein synthesis and lowers the intracellular pH in exponential growing Yoshida rat ascites hepatoma (AH 130) cells: evidence for a role of the Na+/H+ exchanger

We have previously demonstrated in a rat ascites hepatoma cell line (Yoshida AH 130) the presence of a glucose-activatable and amiloride sensitive Na+/H+ exchange (Cell Biol. Int. Rep., 1984, 8, 297-307). Amiloride is known to inhibit this exchange and to cause a cytoplasmic acidification, with inhibition of protein and DNA synthesis, in cells induced to grow. Amiloride appears also to penetrate the cells and to inhibit directly protein synthesis. In the present report we describe experiments in which the activity of amiloride (0.1, 0.4 and 3.0 mM) on protein synthesis and the internal pH of cells was compared in exponential growing and stationary phase Yoshida ascites cells. In phosphate buffered medium and Na+ out = 147 mM no inhibition of protein synthesis (3H-leu incorporation into total cell protein) and no internal acidification (14C-DMO distribution between intra- and extracellular volume) were produced by 0.1 and 0.4 mM amiloride in exponential growing cells. In stationary phase cells, on the contrary, 0.4 mM amiloride inhibited protein synthesis by 60% without decreasing the internal pH. When the Na+ out was lowered to 25 mM, to reduce competition with amiloride, and/or all Na+ out was substituted with choline, 0.1 and 0.4 mM amiloride markedly inhibited protein synthesis and decreased the internal pH in exponential growing cells. No apparent inhibition occurred in stationary phase cells under the same conditions, possibly due to a preexistent internal acidification, with severe decrease of protein synthesis. Fluorimetric studies of amiloride "binding" to ascites cells showed that a reduced number of amiloride receptor sites could exist in Yoshida hepatoma cells at the stationary phase of growth.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dehydroascorbate uptake activity correlates with cell growth and cell division of tobacco bright yellow-2 cell cultures

Recently, ascorbate (ASC) concentration and the activity of a number of enzymes from the ASC metabolism have been proven to correlate with differences in growth or cell cycle progression. Here, a possible correlation between growth and the activity of a plasma membrane dehydroascorbate (DHA) transporter was investigated. Protoplasts were isolated from a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Bright Yellow-2 cell culture at different intervals after inoculation and the activity of DHA transport was tested with (14)C-labeled ASC. Ferricyanide (1 mM) or dithiothreitol (1 mM) was included in the test to keep the external (14)C-ASC in its oxidized respectively reduced form. Differential uptake activity was observed, correlating with growth phases of the cell culture. Uptake of DHA in cells showed a peak in exponential growth phase, whereas uptake in the presence of dithiothreitol did not. The enhanced DHA uptake was not due to higher endogenous ASC levels that are normally present in exponential phase because preloading of protoplasts of different ages did not affect DHA uptake. Preloading was achieved by incubating cells before protoplastation for 4 h in a medium supplemented with 1 mM DHA. In addition to testing cells at different growth phases, uptake of DHA into the cells was also followed during the cell cycle. An increase in uptake activity was observed during M phase and the M/G1 transition. These experiments are the first to show that DHA transport activity into plant cells differs with cell growth. The relevance of the data to the action of DHA and ASC in cell growth will be discussed.