Cellular Lipid and Fatty Acid Compositions of Burkholderia pseudomallei Strains Isolated from Human and Environment in Viet Nam

Viet nam is known as an endemic area of melioidosis but its etiologic agent originated in Viet nam was not extensively studied. For the first time, we analyzed the cellular lipid and fatty acid compositions of 15 Vietnamese isolates of Burkholderia pseudomallei, 10 from humans and 5 from the environment. Cellular lipid compositions were analyzed by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography on silica gel G plates. Cellular fatty acid methyl esters were analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The major lipids in all the isolates were phosphatidylglycerol (PG), two forms of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE-1 and PE-2), and two forms of ornithine-containing lipid (OL-1 and OL-2). PE-1 contained non-hydroxy fatty acids at both sn-1 and ?2 positions, while PE-2 possessed 2-hydroxy fatty acids and non-hydroxy fatty acids in a ratio of 1: 1. Since snake venom phospholipase A₂ digestion of PE-2 liberated 2-hydroxy fatty acids, it was confirmed that these acids are at the sn-2 position of glycerol moiety. In both OL-1 and OL-2, amide-linked fatty acid was 3-hydroxy palmitic acid (3-OH-C16: 0), while ester-linked fatty acids were non-hydroxy acids in OL-1 and 2-hydroxy acids in OL-2. The total cellular fatty acid compositions of the test strains were characterized by the presence of 2-hydroxy palmitic (2-OH-C16: 0), 2-hydroxy hexadecenoic (2-OH-C16: 1), 2-hydroxy octadecenoic (2-OH-C18: 1), 2-hydroxy methylene octadecanoic (2-OH-C19CPA), 3-hydroxy myristic (3-OH-C14: 0) and 3-hydroxy palmitic (3-OH-C16: 0) acids. There were significant differences in the concentration of hexadecenoic (C16: 1), methylene hexadecanoic (C17CPA), octadecenoic (C18: 1) and methylene octadecanoic (C19CPA) acids among the Vietnamese isolates of B. pseudomallei. However, no significant difference was observed in cellular lipid and fatty acid components between strains of human and environmental origins.     

Adventitious regeneration of Juglans nigra L. (eastern black walnut)

Somatic embryos and adventitious shoots were initiated from immature cotyledons 10–14 weeks after anthesis. Maximum embryogenesis occurred 12 weeks after anthesis and maximum shoot organogenesis occurred 14 weeks after anthesis. The best treatment for induction of somatic embryos and adventitious shoots from immature cotyledon explants was on agar-solidified WPM supplemented with 0.1 M 2,4-D and 5.0 M TDZ and incubated in light for the first four weeks. Rooting of adventitious shoots was best if they were quickdipped in 2.5 mM IBA and 1.25 mM NAA in 1% dimethyl formamide and 3.9% ethanol (120 Wood's Rooting Compound: water, by volume). Plantlets from rooted adventitious shoots were acclimatized to the greenhouse.Abbreviations BA Benzyladenine - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid - DKW Driver and Kuniyuki (1984) walnut medium - IBA indolebutyric acid - LP Long and Preece medium described herein - NAA naphthaleneacetic acid - PPF photosynthetic photon flux - TDZ thidiazuron - WPM Woody Plant Medium of Lloyd and McCown (1980)     

In vivo analyses of the internal control region in the 5S rRNA gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The internal control region of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 5S rRNA gene has been characterized in vivo by genomic DNase I footprinting and by mutational analyses using base substitutions, deletions or insertions. A high copy shuttle vector was used to efficiently express mutant 5S rRNA genes in vivo and isotope labelling kinetics were used to distinguish impeded gene expression from nascent RNA degradation. In contrast to mutational studies in reconstituted systems, the analyses describe promoter elements which closely resemble the three distinct sequence elements that have been observed in Xenopus laevis 5S rRNA. The results indicate a more highly conserved structure than previously reported with reconstituted systems and suggest that the saturated conditions which are used in reconstitution studies mask sequence dependence which may be physiologically significant. Footprint analyses support the extended region of protein interaction which has recently been observed in some reconstituted systems, but mutational analyses indicate that these interactions are not sequence specific. Periodicity in the footprint provides further detail regarding the in vivo topology of the interacting protein.     

An acyclic 5-nitroindazole nucleoside analogue as ambiguous nucleoside.

Acyclic nucleoside analogues with carboxamido- or nitro-substituted heterocyclic bases have been evaluated for their possible use as universal bases in oligodeoxynucleotides. The acyclic moiety endows the constructs with enough flexibility to allow good base stacking. The 5-nitroindazole analogue afforded the most stable duplexes among the acyclic derivatives with the least spread in Tm versus the four natural bases. In spite of the acyclic moiety, stabilities are comparable with those of duplexes incorporating the recently described 5-nitroindole nucleoside analogue, but considerably exceed those for the 3-nitropyrrole analogue.     

Molecular basis and PCR-DNA typing of the Fya/fyb blood group polymorphism

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda (SEDL) is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized in affected males by short stature resulting from a growth defect of the vertebral bodies. We have extended our earlier studies by analyzing 15 families with newly identified microsatellite DNA markers; analysis of recombination events with these markers indicates that the gene responsible for SEDL is located in Xp22 between DXS 16 and DXS 987 on an interval spanning approximately 2 Mb.     

Somatic expansion of the (CAG) n repeat in Huntington disease brains

The mutation causing Huntington disease (HD) has been identified as an expansion of a polymorphic (CAG) _n repeat in the 5 part of the huntingtin gene. The specific neuropathology of HD, viz. selective neuronal loss in the caudate nucleus and putamen, cannot be explained by the widespread expression of the gene. Since somatic expansion is observed in affected tissue in myotonic dystrophy, we have studied the length of the (CAG) _n repeat in various regions of the brain. Although we have not found clear differences when comparing severely and mildly affected regions, we have observed a minor increase in repeat length upon comparison of affected brain samples with cerebellum or peripheral blood. Hence, although further somatic amplification seems to occur in affected areas of the brain, the differences between affected and unaffected regions are too small to make this mechanism an obvious candidate for the cause of differential neuronal degeneration in HD.     

A High-Resolution Interval Map of the q21 Region of the Human X Chromosome

In a previous study, we have developed a panel of chromosomal rearrangements for the physical mapping of the q13-q21 region of the human X chromosome (Philippe et al., Genomics 17: 147-152, 1993). Here, we report the physical localization of 36 additional polymorphic markers by polymerase chain reaction analysis. The high density of chromosomal breakpoints in Xq21 allows us to map 58 DNA loci in 22 intervals. As a result, this segment of the X chromosome is saturated with approximately three sequence tagged sites per megabase of DNA, which will facilitate the construction of a YAC contig of this region.     

Serum IgG response to Burkholderia cepacia outer membrane antigens in cystic fibrosis: Assessment of cross-reactivity with Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Abstract Burkholderia cepacia (Pseudomonas cepacia) is now recognised as an important pathogen in cystic fibrosis patients, and several reports have suggested that sputum-culture-proven colonisation occurs despite the presence of specific antibody. In an attempt to establish the use of antibody studies as diagnostic and prognostic indicators of B. cepacia infection, we have examined the IgG response to B. cepacia outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharide in patients also colonised with P. aeruginosa . The B. cepacia strains were grown in a modified iron-depleted chemically defined medium and outer membrane components examined by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting. IgG antibodies were detected against B. cepacia outer membrane antigens, which were not diminished by extensive preadsorption with P. aeruginosa . The response to B. cepacia O-antigen could be readily removed by adsorption of serum either with B. cepacia whole cells or purified LPS, whereas we were unable to adsorb anti-outer membrane protein antibodies using B. cepacia whole cells. The inability to adsorb anti-outer membrane protein antibodies using B. cepacia whole cells maybe due to non-exposed surface epitopes. Several B. cepacia sputum-culture negative patients colonised with P. aeruginosa had antibodies directed against B. cepacia outer membrane protein. This study suggests that there is a specific anti- B. cepacia LPS IgG response, which is not due to antibodies cross-reactive with P. aeruginosa . Our studies indicate that much of the B. cepacia anti-outer membrane protein response is specific and not attributable to reactivity against co-migrating LPS.     

Complement resistance is a virulence factor of Branhamella (Moraxella) catarrhalis

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate complement resistance in Branhamella (Moraxella) catarrhalis isolated from healthy schoolchildren or sputum-producing adult patients. Two techniques were used: a serum bactericidal assay as the gold standard and an easier ‘culture and spot’ test. Children (age 4–13; n = 303) and patients ( n = 1047) showed high colonization/infection rates with B. catarrhalis (31% and 19%, respectively). Complement resistance or intermediate sensitivity occurred frequently in patient isolates (62% and 27%, respectively) and less often in children (33% and 8.5%, respectively; P ⪡ 0.0001). In young children (age 4–5 years), the proportion of complement-resistant strains was around 50%. Complement resistance in B. catarrhalis is associated with illness and may hence be considered a virulence factor.     

Biological and serological characterization of Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides with deviating core and lipid A structures

Abstract Lipopolysaccharides from Campylobacter jejuni were tested for their ability to induce toxic lethality in galactosamine-sensitized mice, pyrogenicity in rabbits and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) secretion from mouse peritoneal macrophages. Compared with those of Salmonella LPS, lethal toxicity was 50% lower, pyrogenicity was 30- to 50-fold lower, and ability to induce TNF was 100-fold lower. C. jejuni LPS and lipid A exhibited higher phase-transition temperatures than those of Salmonella preparations, and thus the former have lower fluidity at 37°C. This lower fluidity of acyl chains may influence the biological activities of C. jejuni LPS, but acyl chain characteristics and diaminoglucose replacing glucosamine in the hydrophilic lipid A backbone may also influence the supramolecular structure of lipid A, thereby affecting biological activities. Although diaminoglucose is present in the backbone of C. jejuni lipid A, antigenically the latter resembled classical lipid A of the Enterobacteriaceae when tested with anti-lipid A antibodies. Chemical investigations suggested the presence of glucuronic acid in an acid labile linkage in the inner core region, thus producing a structurally unusual region in C. jejuni LPS.