Structure and regulation of the anthranilate synthase genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: II. Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli

The genes for the large and small subunits of anthranilate synthase (trpE and trpG, respectively) have been cloned from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAC174 into E. coli by R-prime formation with the broad-host- range plasmid R68.44. Sequential subcloning into plasmid vectors reduced the active Pseudomonas DNA fragment to a length of 3.1 kb. We obtained evidence that this region contains the promoter for its own expression and retains a vestigial regulatory response to tryptophan scarcity or excess.      

Mycosin-1, a subtilisin-like serine protease of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is cell wall-associated and expressed during infection of macrophages

Background  

Exported proteases are commonly associated with virulence in bacterial pathogens, yet there is a paucity of information regarding their role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. There are five genes (mycP1-5) present within the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv that encode a family of secreted, subtilisin-like serine proteases (the mycosins). The gene mycP1 (encoding mycosin-1) was found to be situated 3700 bp (four ORF's) from the RD1 deletion region in the genome of the attenuated vaccine strain M. bovis BCG (bacille de Calmette et Guérin) and was selected for further analyses due to the absence of expression in this organism.     

Epigenetic reprogramming in the mammalian embryo: struggle of the clones

During preimplantation development in mammals, distinct epigenetic marks on oocyte and sperm DNA are remodeled to an embryonic pattern. A recent study examining global methylation of repetitive elements in various mammals showed that the reprogramming that occurs during normal preimplantation development is aberrant in cloned embryos.     

Evolution by leaps: gene duplication in bacteria

Background  

Sequence related families of genes and proteins are common in bacterial genomes. In Escherichia coli they constitute over half of the genome. The presence of families and superfamilies of proteins suggest a history of gene duplication and divergence during evolution. Genome encoded protein families, their size and functional composition, reflect metabolic potentials of the organisms they are found in. Comparing protein families of different organisms give insight into functional differences and similarities.     

MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF AORTA PLAQUE LIPIDS, LIPOPROTEINS AND RELATED SUBSTANCES

SUMMARY: This work is part of a project that is currently applying microbiology to certain aspects of the multiple sclerosis problem. The present comparative studies were carried out in connection with atherosclerosis because this disease, like multiple sclerosis, involves deranged lipid metabolism. Twenty-one soil actinomycetes and a bacterium were isolated from agar streak plates containing homogenized human aorta as the source of nitrogen, carbon, and energy. These organisms included forms capable of digesting and growing on the ether-extractable lipids from human atherosclerotic aorta plaques, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, glycerides, phospholipids, bovine white matter and other related materials. Two actinomycetes, isolated in other studies and capable of demyelinating bovine spinal cord in vitro , produced lipoproteinase(s) which hydrolyzed lipemic serum obtained from dogs after a fatty meal.     

Acoustic mimicry and disruptive alternative calling tactics in an Australian bushcricket (Caedicia; Phaneropterinae; Tettigoniidae; Orthoptera): does mating influence male calling tactic?

Abstract.  Male calling and searching tactics are described for a duetting Australian bushcricket, Caedicia sp. 12 (Phaneropterinae; Tettigoniidae; Orthoptera). The repertoire of Caedicia sp. 12 consists of the calling song and, by nonduetting males, a series of calling tactics that include short-click calling, disruptive over-singing and a call mimicking the entire duet. Nonduetting males respond to the production of a duet by another male and a female with short-click calls that mimic the female call at the conclusion of a duet. By manipulating the male's mating history, it is found that this form of calling behaviour is more likely to occur within the male's 6-day postmating refractory period; the low cost tactic allows males to re-mate during spermatophore replenishment. Males also produce disruptive calls in response to a duet, where the male may over-sing the duetting male's signal or produce a call that appears to mimic the entire duet; the male produces a calling song followed by a short signal that has the same latency as the female's reply within a duet. Males also over-sing crucial elements of the duetting-male's song that are normally critical for the female's conspecific recognition. There is no evidence that females search for the duetting male partner, but males unable to enter a duet will search for the call of a responding female. Searching by males is more common when these males are producing disruptive calls. Alternative male calling tactics are discussed as a set of conditional strategies for securing unmated females.