Role of Lipopolysaccharide and Nonspecific Porins of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in the Reception of Pseudotuberculous Diagnostic Bacteriophage

Applied Biochemistry and Microbiology - The role of the outer membrane components of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and Yersinia pestis in the adsorption of pseudotuberculous diagnostic bacteriophage...     

Activity of 22 antibacterials against O1 and O139 serogroup Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from humans within 1927-2005 in various regions of the world]

Analysis of antibioticograms of 390 O1 and O139 serogroup Vibrio cholerae strains isolated from humans within 1927-2005 in various regions of the world showed that the strains of V. cholerae isolated within 1927-1966 were susceptible to 22 antibacterials, the strains isolated within 1938-1993 possessed 1-3 resistance markers and the strains isolated within 1994-2005 had 3-8 resistance markers including resistance to fluoroquinolones. All the strains of O139 serogroup V. cholerae isolated in 1993 and 1994 possessed 3 resistance markers. Studies on albino mice with generalized experimental cholera due to the V. cholerae eltor 1 strain (P-18826, 2005) isolated from a cholera patient, which was highly resistant to nalidixic acid, streptomycin, ampicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and showed cross resistance to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin and norfloxacin) and moderate resistance to ceftriaxone and cefotaxime, revealed that the only efficient antibiotics were tetracyclines and aminoglycosides (except streptomycin). The investigation demonstrated an extension of the antibiotic resistance spectra of the epidemically significant strains of the cholera pathogen and the necessity of using antibacterial drugs in strict accordance with the antibioticograms in emergent prophylaxis and therapy of cholera and immediate replacement of the drug by a more active one.     

Study of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis surface antigen epitopes using monoclonal antibodies

A study of the influence of exogenous factors on the immunochemical activity of the bacterium Yersinia pseudotuberculosis and lipopolysaccharide preparations isolated from bacteria was performed using monoclonal antibodies. It was shown that the hybridomas that were obtained in this work produce antibodies against different and, most likely, species-specific epitopes associated with lipopolysaccharide O-side chains. The concentration of these epitopes increased with a decrease in the temperature, at which the bacteria were cultivated. An inhibitory effect of proteinase K, pepsin, and trypsin on the immunochemical activity of bacterial cells, determined using a solid-phase enzyme immunoassay, was demonstrated. Treatment with sodium periodate showed no uniform effect on the reactions between monoclonal antibodies and antigens (lipopolysaccharides and microbial cells), as adjudged by an immunoassay, which is most likely a consequence of the different localization of lipopolysaccharide epitopes recognized by the antibodies from four hybridomas.     

Neurogliaform cells: neurochemistry, spatial arrangement, and their role in the neocortical inhibitory system

The neurogliaform cells (NGFC) localized in area 4 of the human motor cortex were found to express choline acetyl transferase (ChAT), GABA, and calbindin. ChAT-positive neurons were located in cortical layer II. Their dendrites lay in a close proximity to those of pyramid cells, neighbouring neurogliaform cells, and bodies and dendrites of other cortical neurons. The NGFCs revealed by Golgi staining fell into two groups. Cells of the first group had locally (within cortical layer II) spreading axons, while those of the second group had axons extending into the adjacent layers. Neurochemical heterogeneity of NGFCs is discussed in the context of information processing in cortical modules and interaction of excitatory and inhibitory interneurons.     

Nuclear ultrastructure of the oocytes from human antral follicles. Formation of the karyosphere

The organization of the nucleus in the oocytes from human antral follicles was examined at the electron microscopic level. At this time all the chromosomes are aggregated around an inactivated nucleolus forming a karyosphere 5-7 micron in diameter. The nucleolus bears no granular component and consists of densely packed delicate fibrillar material. The peripheral zone resembling a ring 0.5 micron thick is separated in the nucleolus. Nucleolus-like bodies (NLB), consisting of granules 20 nm in diameter embedded in finely fibrillar material, are constantly observed in contact with the chromatin. The eventually formed karyosphere is a complex of intimately interconnecting structures--the nucleolus, chromosomes and NLB. However, the chromatin surrounding the nucleolus does not form a continuous (compact) mass as it is observed at the light microscopic level. It is determined that the human karyosphere is formed during the preovulatory period when the connection between oocyte and follicular cells of cumulus oophorus is lost. The duration of karyosphere existence in the human oocytes, and relation of the karyosphere to the processes of antral follicle atresia are discussed.     

Dynamics of the isolation and biological properties of Vibrio cholerae cultures,serogroups 01 and 0139, isolated from water reservoirs and sewage water on the territory of the city of Rostov-on-Don

The dynamics of the isolation of V. cholerae cultures from various water objects on the territory of Rostov-on-Don during the period of 1994-2001 was analyzed and biological properties of 14 such cultures were studied. In the absence of epidemic complications during the above-mentioned period, a growth in the amount of V. cholerae isolates, serogroups 01 and 0139, including toxigenic V. cholerae 01, was registered. The microbiological and epidemiological aspects of the monitoring of surface reservoirs and sewage were considered and the expediency of the profound and systematic study of its results for epidemiological surveillance on cholera was emphasized.     

NO-Ergic transmission and NO as a volume transmitter. Effect of NO on mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and epileptogenesis

Nitric oxide (NO) is a universal intercellular messenger and the only molecule known so far, which satisfies all requirements of the volume (extrasynaptic) neurotransmitter. The effect of NO on target cells is so read in the four-dimensional coordinate system by combining both the spatial and the temporal components of the nervous activity. In this review, the authors, based on literature data and own studies, present a detailed analysis of properties of NO as a volume neurotransmitter at formation of phenomena of synaptic plasticity in norm and pathology. An evaluation is given of cytotoxic and neuroprotective effects of NO under conditions of the brain tissue ischemia and phenomena of hyperexcitability in foci of epileptiform activity. It is emphasized that the long-term potentiation and long-term depression, phenomena of physiological plasticity, can be transformed into pathological plasticity at disturbances of equilibrium between neuroprotective and neurotoxic effects of NO.     

Mechanism of Hansenula polymorpha reaction to the pulsed addition of a limiting substrate

As was shown in experiments with a Hansenula polymorpha culture, a temporary drop in the pH of the medium in response to a pulse addition of a limiting substrate (organic or mineral) is not related to NH4+ uptake from the medium. The response is similar in media with NH4+ and in distilled water without NH4+. The pH drop caused by a pulse addition of certain substrates appears to result from the extrusion of H+ ions in the process of antiport: K+/H+ and Mg2+/H+. It is likely that the response to a substrate pulse is the extrusion of H+ ions for maintaining the membrane potential decreased owing to the uniport of either NH4+ or K+. Protons may be extruded in response to a substrate pulse during glycolysis of respiration. It is possible that an addition of organic substrates activates the metabolism; inorganic ions may also have a stimulating action. The lag time from the moment of substrate addition to the beginning of a decrease in the pH of the medium seems to include transport to the cytoplasmic membrane, transport into the cell and, possibly, the first steps of metabolism of the added substrate.     

Pneumococcal serotypes in various diseases of children

The serotyping of pneumococci isolated from different material obtained from children aged 0 to 11 years was carried out. Out of 156 patients with different diseases, hospitalized in two clinics in Moscow during February-May 1983, pneumococci were isolated from 67 patients (43%). The isolated pneumococcal strains belonged to 11 serotypes. Pneumococci of serotypes 3, 6, 9 and 19 were shown to occur most frequently in different diseases and constituted 50% of the isolated strains. The inoculation of the material by the quantitative method permitted the authors to find out the role of pneumococci as the etiological factor in the pathogenesis of some diseases. A certain dependence of diversity in the types of isolated pneumococci on the age of sick children was noted. Almost all isolated strains were found to be sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin and benzylpenicillin. But a few individual strains were sensitive only to one of these antibiotics. The data on some biological properties of pneumococci cultivated on solid culture media are presented.     

Latrophilin, neurexin, and their signaling-deficient mutants facilitate alpha -latrotoxin insertion into membranes but are not involved in pore formation

Pure alpha-latrotoxin is very inefficient at forming channels/pores in artificial lipid bilayers or in the plasma membrane of non-secretory cells. However, the toxin induces pores efficiently in COS-7 cells transfected with the heptahelical receptor latrophilin or the monotopic receptor neurexin. Signaling-deficient (truncated) mutants of latrophilin and latrophilin-neurexin hybrids also facilitate pore induction, which correlates with toxin binding irrespective of receptor structure. This rules out the involvement of signaling in pore formation. With any receptor, the alpha-latrotoxin pores are permeable to Ca(2+) and small molecules including fluorescein isothiocyanate and norepinephrine. Bound alpha-latrotoxin remains on the cell surface without penetrating completely into the cytosol. Higher temperatures facilitate insertion of the toxin into the plasma membrane, where it co-localizes with latrophilin (under all conditions) and with neurexin (in the presence of Ca(2+)). Interestingly, on subsequent removal of Ca(2+), alpha-latrotoxin dissociates from neurexin but remains in the membrane and continues to form pores. These receptor-independent pores are inhibited by anti-alpha-latrotoxin antibodies. Our results indicate that (i) alpha-latrotoxin is a pore-forming toxin, (ii) receptors that bind alpha-latrotoxin facilitate its insertion into the membrane, (iii) the receptors are not physically involved in the pore structure, (iv) alpha-latrotoxin pores may be independent of the receptors, and (v) pore formation does not require alpha-latrotoxin interaction with other neuronal proteins.