Benzylpenicillin-induced filament formation of Clostridium perfringens

Growth of Clostridium perfringens with low concentrations of benzylpenicillin inhibited septum formation and division of the organisms. This resulted in continued growth of the organisms as aseptate filaments. The effect was reversed on removal of the antibiotic. The composition of walls isolated from organisms grown with the antibiotic was similar to that of walls from untreated bacteria. In addition, both contained non-N-acetylated glucosamine residues in their peptidoglycan. No differences were detected in the degree of cross-linkage of peptidoglycan. Clostridium perfringens contains six membrane-associated penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) which have different affinities for [3H]benzylpenicillin. Concentrations of the antibiotic which were sufficient to cause filamentation of apparently all organisms in a culture caused almost complete saturation of PBPs 3, 4, 5 and 6. At these concentrations there was no measurable interaction with PBPs 1 and 2. Thus interaction of the antibiotic with the lower molecular weight PBPs is correlated with the inhibition of septum formation in C. perfringens.     

X-ray diffraction and time-resolved fluorescence analyses of Aequorea green fluorescent protein crystals

The energy transfer protein, green fluorescent protein, from the hydromedusan jellyfish Aequorea victoria has been crystallized in two morphologies suitable for x-ray diffraction analysis. Hexagonal plates have been obtained in the P6122 or P6522 space group with a = b = 77.5, c = 370 A, and no more than three molecules per asymmetric unit. Monoclinic parallel-epipeds have been obtained in the C2 space group with a = 93.3, b = 66.5, c = 45.5 A, beta = 108 degrees, and one molecule per asymmetric unit. The monoclinic form is better suited for use in a structure determination, and a data set was collected from the native crystal. Time-resolved fluorescence measurements of large single crystals are possible due to the unique, covalently bound chromophore present in this molecule. Fluorescence emission spectra of Aequorea green fluorescent protein in solution and from either the hexagonal or monoclinic single crystal show similar profiles suggesting that the conformations of protein in solution and in the crystal are similar. Multifrequency phase fluorimetric data obtained from a single crystal were best fit by a single fluorescence lifetime very close to that exhibited by the protein in solution. The complementary structural data obtained from fluorescence spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction crystallography will aid in the elucidation of this novel protein's structure-function relationship.     

Genetic comparisons of New and Old World coregonid fishes*

The genetic relationships among New and Old World coregonid fishes were studied by electrophoresis. The genetic composition of 60 populations, representing perhaps nine commonly recognized species of Coregonus and Stenodus from Europe and North America was determined for 37 genetic loci. Six distinct genetic groups were evident. The first contained only populations of the inconnu, Stenodus leucichthys (Güldenstadt). The Nei genetic distance between Stenodus and Coregonus was 0.305, a relatively small value as compared to other salmonid inter-generic comparisons. The second genetic grouping contained the Arctic cisco, C. autumnalis (Pallas), the N. American lake cisco, C. artedii Lesueur, and the Irish pollan, C. autumnalis pollan Thompson. These three taxa appear to be conspecific on the basis of genetic distances. The third genetic grouping contained the European whitefish, C. lavaretus (L.), and the N. American lake whitefish, C. clupeaformis (Mitchill). European and lake whitefish may be conspecific. Lake whitefish from northwestern N. America were more closely related to European whitefish (genetic distance 0.038) than to lake whitefish from central N. America (genetic distance 0.098). The fourth group contained the broad whitefish, C. nasus (Pallas), which is perhaps more closely related to the European/lake whitefish groups than other coregonids. The fifth genetic grouping contained only the Asian endemic, C. peled (Gmelin), and the sixth contained the least cisco, C. sardinella Valenciennes, and vendace, C. albula (L.), which also appear to be conspecific. The widespread genetic groupings obtained for ciscoes indicate that they do not constitute a single closely related group within the genus Coregonus.     

Latitudinal variation in population structure of wintering Pacific Black Brant

ABSTRACT.   Latitudinal variation in population structure during the winter has been reported in many migratory birds, but has been documented in few species of waterfowl. Variation in environmental and social conditions at wintering sites can potentially influence the population dynamics of differential migrants. We examined latitudinal variation in sex and age classes of wintering Pacific Black Brant ( Branta bernicla nigricans ). Brant are distributed along a wide latitudinal gradient from Alaska to Mexico during the winter. Accordingly, migration distances for brant using different wintering locations are highly variable and winter settlement patterns are likely associated with a spatially variable food resource. We used resightings of brant banded in southwestern Alaska to examine sex and age ratios of birds wintering at Boundary Bay in British Columbia, and at San Quintin Bay, Ojo de Liebre Lagoon, and San Ignacio Lagoon in Baja California from 1998 to 2000. Sex ratios were similar among wintering locations for adults and were consistent with the mating strategy of geese. The distribution of juveniles varied among wintering areas, with greater proportions of juveniles observed at northern (San Quintin Bay and Ojo de Liebre Lagoon) than at southern (San Ignacio Lagoon) locations in Baja California. We suggest that age-related variation in the winter distribution of Pacific Black Brant is mediated by variation in productivity among individuals at different wintering locations and by social interactions among wintering family groups.     

Purification of the parasporal crystals ofBacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis and development of a novel bioassay technique

Summary A spore-free parasporal crystal suspension was prepared fromBacillus thuringiensis subsp.israelensis by an aqueous biphasic separation technique and the waste fractions quantified with regard to spore numbers and insecticidal potencies. The technique proved efficient in selectively removing spores from the spore-crystal mixture. The final crystal suspension was used to develop a novel bioassay system which allowed rapid determination of crystal effectiveness in 1/8 to 1/6 of the time required in the conventional mortality versus concentration bioassay.