Expression of the core antigen gene of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in Acetobacter methanolicus using broad-host-range vectors

Summary Using the broad-host-range promoter probe vector pRS201 for cloning of phage Acm1 promoters, we established a convenient vector system for expression of heterologous genes in different Gram-negative bacteria. The usefulness of this system was demonstrated by expression of the HBV core gene in Acetobacter methanolicus. Plasmids carrying the HBV core gene downstream of different Acm1-phage promoters were transferred to A. methanolicus, a new potential host for recombinant DNA expression. Using enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot techniques, the amount and composition of core antigen produced in A. methanolicus were compared with that derived from Escherichia coli. The expression of immunoreactive core antigen in A. methanolicus exceeds by sevenfold that in E. coli using an expression system with tandemly arranged promoters. Morphological observations by electron microscopy show that the HBV core gene products isolated from both hosts are assembled into regular spherical particles with a diameter of about 28 nm that are comparable to original viral nucleocapsids. Offprint requests to: R. Schröder     

Isolation and characterization of a methyl chloride utilizing,strictly anaerobic bacterium

From sludge obtained from the sewage digester plant in Stuttgart-Möhringen a strictly anaerobic bacterium was enriched and isolated with methyl chloride as the energy source. The isolate, which was tentatively called strain MC, was nonmotile, gram-positive, and occurred as elongated cocci arranged in chains. Cells of strain MC formed about 3 mol of acetate per 4 mol of CH₃Cl consumed, indicating that the organism was a homoacetogenic bacterium fermenting methyl chloride plus CO₂ according to: The organism grew with 2–3% methyl chloride in the gas phase at a doubling time of near 30 h. Dichloromethane was not utilized. The bacterium also grew on carbon monoxide, H₂ plus CO₂, and methoxylated aromatic compounds. Optimal growth with methyl chloride was observed at 25°C and pH 7.3–7.7. The G+C-content of the DNA was 47.5±1.5%. The methyl chloride conversion appeared to be inducible, since H₂ plus CO₂-grown cells lacked this ability. From the morphological and physiological characteristics, the isolate could not be affiliated to a known species.     

Lymphocyte activation and serine-esterase induction following recombinant interleukin-2 infusion for lymphomas and acute leukaemias

Summary C57BL mice inoculated with radiation leukemia virus (RadLV) develop preleukemic cells long before the onset of leukemia. These cells are potentially immunogenic but fail to elicit an immune response in the host because of the appearance of virus-specific suppressor T cells. We have studied the effect of polysaccharide K (PSK) on the generation of RadLV-specific cell-mediated immune responses in vitro. Long-term exposure to PSK in culture potentiated the ability of immunized T cells to respond to a RadLV-induced lymphoma. It also abrogated the suppressive activity of suppressor T cells and simultaneously boosted the ability of reactive T cells to respond. The dual immunostimulating activity of PSK resulted in the generation of T cytotoxic lymphocytes that could lyse lymphoma cells in vitro. The results suggest that PSK could be used as a prophylactic immune response modifier in preleukemia.     

Reaction of pyruvate kinase with the new nucleotide affinity labels 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate

Two new reactive nucleotides have been synthesized and characterized: 8-[(4-bromo-2,3-dioxobutyl)thio]adenosine 5'-diphosphate and 5'-triphosphate (8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP). ADP or ATP was converted to 8-thio-ADP (-ATP) via 8-bromo-ADP (-ATP), followed by condensation with 1,4-dibromobutanedione. Rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase is inactivated by both reagents in a biphasic manner with an initial rapid loss of 75% activity, followed by a slow total inactivation. The initial fast reaction with both compounds exhibits nonlinear dependence on reagent concentration, indicating formation of a reversible enzyme-reagent complex prior to covalent attachment. The presence of the gamma-phosphoryl group improves the performance of the affinity label: KI values for the fast phase are similar (about 100 microM), whereas kmax for 8-BDB-TATP is about three times greater than that of 8-BDB-TADP (0.286 min-1 vs 0.0835 min-1). After an 80-min incubation with 175 microM of either reagent, about 2 mol/mol of subunit is incorporated with 76% inactivation caused by 8-BDB-TADP and 97% inactivation by 8-BDB-TATP. Loss of activity is prevented by substrates, with the best protection afforded by a combination of ATP, Mn2+, K+, and phosphoenolpyruvate. Reaction of pyruvate kinase with either compound in the presence of protecting ligands leads to incorporation of about 1 mol of reagent/mol of subunit with only about 15% loss of activity. These results suggest that 8-BDB-TADP and 8-BDB-TATP react with two groups on the enzyme, one of which is at or near the active site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Induction and elimination of oscillations in continuous cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Continuous cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are known to exhibit oscillatory behavior in the oxidative region. Important findings of a series of experiments conducted to identify the causes for initiation of and the means for elimination of oscillations in these cultures are reported in this paper. These oscillations are seen to be connected to the growth kinetics of the microorganism and are induced at very low glucose concentrations and at dissolved oxygen (DO) levels that are neither high nor low (DO values between 20 and 78% air saturation at a dilution rate of 0.2 h(-1) and pH of 5.5 at 30 degrees C). The oscillatory behavior is encountered over a range of dilution rates (0.09-0.25 h(-1) at 30 degrees C for pH = 5.5 and DO = 50% air saturation). The oscillations can be eliminated by raising the DO level above a critical value or by lowering the DO level below a critical value.     

Preliminary X-ray crystallographic study of amicyanin from Paracoccus denitrificans

Single crystals have been prepared of Paracoccus denitrificans amicyanin, a blue copper protein that serves as an electron acceptor for methylamine dehydrogenase. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space group P2(1), and have unit cell parameters a = 20.90 A, b = 56.61 A, c = 27.55 A and beta = 96.41. There is one molecule in the asymmetric unit. The crystals diffract to beyond 1.5 A resolution.     

Cloning, expression, and characterization of the Anabaena thioredoxin gene in Escherichia coli.

The gene encoding thioredoxin in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7119 was cloned in Escherichia coli based on the strategy that similarity between the two thioredoxins would be reflected both in the gene sequence and in functional cross-reactivity. DNA restriction fragments containing the Anabaena thioredoxin gene were identified by heterologous hybridization to the E. coli thioredoxin gene following Southern transfer, ligated with pUC13, and used to transform an E. coli strain lacking functional thioredoxin. Transformants that complemented the trxA mutation in E. coli were identified by increased colony size and confirmed by enzyme assay. Expression of the cloned Anabaena thioredoxin gene in E. coli was substantiated by subsequent purification and characterization of the algal protein from E. coli. The amino acid sequence derived from the DNA sequence of the Anabaena gene was identical to the known amino acid sequence of Anabaena thioredoxin. The E. coli strains which expressed Anabaena thioredoxin complemented the TrxA- phenotype in every respect except that they did not support bacteriophage T7 growth and had somewhat decreased ability to support bacteriophages M13 and f1.     

Structure of the capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella serotype K79

The structure of the capsular polysaccharide from Klebsiella K79 was determined by the techniques of methylation, periodate oxidation, beta-elimination, chromic acid oxidation, and partial hydrolysis. N.m.r. spectroscopy (1H and 13C) was used extensively to establish the nature of the anomeric linkages of the polysaccharide and of oligosaccharides derived through degradative procedures. The polysaccharide was found to have the heptasaccharide, "5 + 2" repeating unit: (Formula: see text).