Transferability of antibiotic resistance determinants in strains of Staphylococcus aureus belonging to different phage groups

A total of 107 donor strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from clinical material, with a high incidence of multiresistant strains belonging predominantly to phage group III, were tested for transmission of determinants of resistance to 6 antibiotics using mixed cultures of donor strains and the recipient Staphylococcus aureus strain 5849-fur-r, rif-r. The capability of strains to transfer resistance markers to the recipient was found to depend neither on phage group nor phage type to which the donor strain belonged, but strains possessing multiple resistance to antibiotics effectuated transfers at comparatively higher frequencies.     

Radiosensitivity and proliferative activity of vertebral CFU-S surviving in mice injected with oncogenic activities of 239Pu or 241Am

Survival, radiosensitivity and capability to produce differentiated progeny were followed in CFU-S from lumbar vertebrae of mice injected with 198.6 kBq 239Pu/kg or 208.6 kBq 241Am/kg. The CFU-S assay and 59Fe uptake into spleen colonies were used. The number of CFU-S from treated mice was significantly lower than in controls. Higher radiosensitivity of CFU-S from 239Pu- or 241Am-treated mice was demonstrated using additional exposure to 0.5 Gy X-rays 1, 24, 48, 72 hrs after cell transplantation and expressed more precisely by survival curves obtained 1 hr after the marrow cell injection. The effect of 239Pu on CFU-S was characterized by Do 0.58 Gy (n = 0.91) and that of 241Am by Do 0.64 Gy (n = 0.91); corresponding control values were Do 0.89 Gy, n = 1.11. Lower iron utilization due not only to the decreased CFU-S numbers, but also to the defective production of erythroid cells per one CFU-S was found. Complexity of radiation effect on hemopoietic stem cells was demonstrated by the present study.     

Idiotype shifts caused by neonatal tolerance to phosphorylcholine

The injection of as little as 0.5 microgram phosphorylcholine-(PC) conjugated mouse immunoglobulin into BALB/c neonates within 48 hr of birth results in complete unresponsiveness to PC for 3 to 4 wk. Thereafter, anti-PC responses can be detected in tolerized animals, but these responses differ significantly from those of normal BALB/c mice. First, the magnitude of responsiveness does not approach normal levels even 9 mo after birth. Second, although the initial responses as tolerance is broken can be T15+, idiotypic dominance is not established; instead, a heterogeneous T15- population eventually emerges, which includes clones with higher and with lower avidity than T15. Unirradiated unresponsive mice will help transplanted normal B cells to produce T15+ responses to thymus-dependent PC antigens. The responses of animals recovered from tolerance are stable upon adoptive transfer. We have, moreover, found no evidence of either loss of idiotype-specific T cell help or generation of suppression. Therefore, neonatal exposure to PC tolerogen can effect profound, permanent changes in the antigen-specific B cell compartment independent of any influence on conventional T cell regulatory mechanisms.     

Translation of poly(U) on ribosomes from Streptomyces aureofaciens

Slowly cooled cells of Streptomyces aureofaciens contained mainly tight-couple ribosomes. Maximum rate of polyphenylalanine synthesis on ribosomes of S. aureofaciens was observed at 40°C, while cultures grew optimally at 28°C. Ribosomes of S. aureofaciens differed from those of E. coli in the amount of poly(U) required for maximum synthetic activity. The polyphenylalanine-synthesizing activity of E. coli ribosomes was about 3-times higher than that of S. aureofaciens ribosomes. The addition of protein S1 of E. coli or the homologous protein from S. aureofaciens had no stimulatory effect on the translation of poly(U). In order to localize alteration(s) of S. aureofaciens ribosomes in the elongation step of polypeptide synthesis we developed an in vitro system derived from purified elongation factors and ribosomal subunits. The enzymatic binding of Phe-tRNA to ribosomes of S. aureofaciens was significantly lower than the binding to ribosomes of E. coli. This alteration was mainly connected with the function of S. aureofaciens 50 S subunits. These subunits were not deficient in their ability to associate with 30 S subunits or with protein SL5 which is homologous to L7/L12 of E. coli.     

Interstitial fluid pressure changes in pregnant rats

In pregnant rats significant interstitial fluid pressure changes could be detected by means of capsules chronically implanted into the subcutaneous tissue. The capsular pressure increased significantly from a control value of -4.3 +/- 0.5 mmHg to -0.7 +/- 0.5 mmHg during the first period of pregnancy. Immediately before parturition the capsular pressure returned to the control level. During lactation the pressure rose as high as + 0.5 +/- 0.9 mmHg. After lactation the pressure returned again to the control value. By determining the extracellular fluid and plasma volume, as well as protein concentration in plasma and capsular fluid, the hydrostatic and colloid osmotic forces operating in the extracellular space could be analysed. It has been concluded that the observed capsular pressure changes during pregnancy are not solely of volumetric or colloid osmotic origin.     

Selectivity of sodium channels in denervated tonic muscle fibre membrane of the frog

Ionic selectivity of sodium channels was examined under voltage clamp conditions in normal and denervated twitch fibres and denervated tonic fibres isolated from m. ileofibularis of the frog (R. temporaria). Membrane currents were recorded by means of the Hille-Campbell vaseline-gap voltage clamp method from muscle fibre segments exposed to a potassium-free artificial internal solution. Permeability ratio (PS/PNa) were determined from changes in the reversal potential after replacing all Na ions in the solution bathing the voltage clamped external membrane area with sodium substituting ions (S). The permeability sequence was: Na+ greater than Li+ greater than NH4+ greater than K+. No inward currents were observed for Ca2+. The permeability ratios were as follows. Denervated tonic fibres: 1:0.88:0.23:0.012; control twitch fibres: 1:0.94:0.22:0.076; denervated twitch fibres: 1:0.91:0.14:0.082. The permeability to Li+ ions deviates from independence to a greater extent in tonic than in phasic fibres. Our results are consistent with the Hille model of sodium channel selectivity, and they support the hypothesis that sodium channels formed in denervated tonic muscle fibres of the frog are of the same genetic origin as Na channels expressed under physiological conditions.     

A Hungarian twin study on hand clasping, arm folding and tongue curling

A twin study was performed in adult Hungarian monozygotic and dizygotic pairs for hand clasping, arm folding and tongue curling. Genetic background of these traits could not be confirmed, although there appears to be a positive correlation between hand clasping type and handedness.     

Steroid anaesthesia: alphadione depresses multiunit activity in the mesencephalic reticular formation

Cortical EEG and multiunit activity (MUA) of the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF), area hypothalami anterior (AH) and the nucleus amygdalae basalis (AMY) were studied before and after different doses of alphadione (Althesin) and hexobarbitone (Evipan-Natrium) given to cats with chronically implanted electrodes. Non-anaesthetic doses of alphadione (0.15 ml/kg; 0.3 ml/kg; 0.6 ml/kg and 1.2 ml/kg i.p.) had sedative effects decreasing selectively the MUA in the MRF. In doses of 2.0 ml/kg, 2.4 ml/kg and 3.0 ml/kg i.p., alphadione induced anaesthesia which was associated with a rapid decrease of MUA in the MRF and by a gradual decrease of activity in the AH and AMY. The i.p. dose of 3.0 ml/kg abolished MUA responses of the reticular formation to acoustic, visual and somatic stimulation but failed to block responses to pain. Deep anaesthesia with lasting analgesia could be maintained by i.v. infusion (0.075 ml/kg/min). This procedure blocked the responsiveness to painful stimulation while pharyngeal and laryngeal reflexes were maintained. Hexobarbitone in a dose of 20.0 mg/kg i.p. did not produce anaesthesia in the cat. Administration of 40.0 mg/kg i.p. resulted in a rapid decrease of MUA in the MRF, AH and AMY, MUA responses to each stimulation were abolished and the pharyngeal reflex was blocked.     

Tonic and phasic modifications of viscerosensory evoked potentials during sleep in cats

Modification of the viscerosensory evoked potentials (EPs) were studied during the sleep-wakefulness cycle of the rat. Electrical stimuli of various intensity were delivered either to the mucosal surface of a fistula of the small intestine or to the left splanchnic nerve during wakefulness (W), drowsiness (D), slow-wave-sleep (SWS), and paradoxical sleep (PS). The average EPs were recorded from the somatosensory (SI and SII) and associative (AS) areas of the cortex, the ventrobasal complex of the thalamus (VPL), the posterior hypothalamus (HPT) and the dorsal hippocampus (HPC). The amplitude of each component of the EPs in all explored structures were the largest in SWS and the smallest in W. A phasic increase in amplitude was observed in the EPs recorded immediately before the appearance of the spindles of SWS and during the REM episodes of PS. The peak latencies of the late components were the longest in SWS. These changes of the amplitudes and latencies were greater in the responses to weak stimulation than in EPs to strong ones. The possible synaptic events of the sleep-dependent control of viscerosensory activity are discussed.     

The nucleotide sequence of an Escherichia coli operon containing genes for the tRNA(m1G)methyltransferase, the ribosomal proteins S16 and L19 and a 21-K polypeptide.

The nucleotide sequence of a 4.6-kb SalI-EcoRI DNA fragment including the trmD operon, located at min 56 on the Escherichia coli K-12 chromosome, has been determined. The trmD operon encodes four polypeptides: ribosomal protein S16 (rpsP), 21-K polypeptide (unknown function), tRNA-(m1G)methyltransferase (trmD) and ribosomal protein L19 (rplS), in that order. In addition, the 4.6-kb DNA fragment encodes a 48-K and a 16-K polypeptide of unknown functions which are not part of the trmD operon. The mol. wt. of tRNA(m1G)methyltransferase determined from the DNA sequence is 28 424. The probable locations of promoter and terminator of the trmD operon are suggested. The translational start of the trmD gene was deduced from the known NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme. The intercistronic regions in the operon vary from 9 to 40 nucleotides, supporting the earlier conclusion that the four genes are co-transcribed, starting at the major promoter in front of the rpsP gene. Since it is known that ribosomal proteins are present at 8000 molecules/genome and the tRNA-(m1G)methyltransferase at only approximately 80 molecules/genome in a glucose minimal culture, some powerful regulatory device must exist in this operon to maintain this non-coordinate expression. The codon usage of the two ribosomal protein genes is similar to that of other ribosomal protein genes, i.e., high preference for the most abundant tRNA isoaccepting species. The trmD gene has a codon usage typical for a protein made in low amount in accordance with the low number of tRNA-(m1G)methyltransferase molecules found in the cell.