Trypsin-like activity and thromboxane release in adult respiratory distress syndrome

Plasmatic immunoreactive trypsin (IRT), thromboxane and trypsin-like enzymatic activity were measured in 117 patients at risk of developing adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (53 multiple injury, 30 abdominal surgery, 17 acute pancreatitis, 12 burnt and 5 disseminated intravascular coagulation patients). 69 of these patients developed ARDS.Immunoreactive trypsin and thromboxane were measured by radio-immuno-assay and trypsin-like enzymatic activity by spectrophotometry, using a specific chromogenic substrate.Mean IRT value was 675 ng/ml in ARDS and 265 ng/ml in non ARDS patients (p < 0.05). Mean IRT value was 685 ng/ml in sepatic and 170 ng/ml in non septic patients (p < 0.01). An abnormal trypsin-like enzymatic activity was measured in 26 ARDS patients. In 60 patients (37 ARDS and 23 non ARDS), thromboxane appeared in plasma simultaneously or about 24 hours after the beginning of IRT release. The importance of thromboxane release parallels the intensity of IRT. Originating from pancreas, trypsin can appear in plasma either by absortion from gastrointestinal tract or after pancreatic ischemia.     

Analysis of outer membrane proteins which are associated with growth of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on chondroitin sulfate.

By analyzing outer membrane proteins of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels, we were able to identify 10 protein spots that were associated with growth on chondroitin sulfate but not with growth on glucuronic acid or other monosaccharides. These proteins were distinct from the outer membrane polypeptides that were associated with growth on two other negatively charged polysaccharides, polygalacturonic acid and heparin. Of the 10 protein spots that were associated with growth on chondroitin sulfate, 4 could be detected on immunoblots with antiserum that had been raised against outer membranes from bacteria grown on chondroitin sulfate and then cross-adsorbed with membranes from bacteria grown on glucose. Synthesis of these four proteins appeared to be regulated coordinately with synthesis of the two enzymes that degrade chondroitin sulfate, chondroitin lyase I and II. Although one of the four proteins (Mr 110,000) was similar in molecular weight to the chondroitin lyases, the cross-adsorbed antiserum which detected this outer membrane protein did not cross-react with either of these two enzymes.     

Identification and genetic mapping of a herpes simplex virus capsid protein that binds DNA

Herpes simplex virus virion protein 19C (VP19C) is a constituent of both unenveloped (nuclear) and enveloped (cytoplasmic) capsids. In this paper we report that 32P-labeled DNA, either supercoiled or linear double stranded, efficiently bound to VP19C electrically transferred from denaturing polyacrylamide gels containing electrophoretically separated proteins from purified capsids. Analyses of the polypeptides specified by herpes simplex virus type 1 X herpes simplex type 2 recombinants with respect to electrophoretic mobility and binding of 32P-labeled DNA indicate that VP19C maps at the same location as infected cell polypeptide 32 and is derived from it.     

The structural gene for the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase maps to human chromosome 12

Summary A cloned 850 bp cDNA fragment corresponding to the 3-coding part of human ALDHI-mRNA was used as a probe for the chromosomal assignment of the ALDHI gene. Southern blot analysis of human-rodent somatic cell hybrids indicates that the human ALDHI gene resides on chromosome 12.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H. Holzer on the occasion of his 65. birthday     

Inhibition of microbial growth by interference with siderophore biosynthesis. Oxidation of primary amino groups in aerobactin synthesis by Escherichia coli

Abstract The first step of aerobactin biosynthesis, oxidation of an aliphatic primary amino group to an N -hydroxy-amino compound seems to be involved in the biosynthesis of most of the hydroxamatetype siderophores which are widely distributed among bacteria and fungi. Therefore, the first step of aerobactin biosynthesis, oxidation of lysine to N ⁶-hydroxylysine was studied as a model reaction using a strain of Escherichia coli that contains the first gene aerA of aerobactin synthesis on a multi-copy plasmid and which is lacking the gene for the subsequent step in the pathway. In addition, culture conditions are described which lead to the secretion of N ⁶-hydroxylysine into the medium in amounts that can easily be quantitatively determined by a simple, reliable chemical assay. This assay can be used for screening inhibitors of the oxidation of α-amino groups, which should interfere with the biosynthesis of siderophore hydroxamates and thus should create bacteriostatic conditions.     

Molecular characterization of the gene coding for major outer membrane protein OmpA from Enterobacter aerogenes

The ompA gene from Enterobacter aerogenes was subcloned into a low-copy-number plasmid vector and the resultant plasmid, pTU7En, used to study its expression in Escherichia coli K12. Although the gene was strongly expressed and large amounts of OmpA protein were present in the outer membrane its product was not functionally identical to the E. coli polypeptide. In particular, the E. aerogenes OmpA protein was unable to confer sensitivity to OmpA-specific phages of E. coli. When the primary structure of the protein was deduced from the nucleotide sequence of its gene it was found that three domains differed extensively from the corresponding regions of the E. coli protein. As two of these are known to be exposed on the cell surface we inferred that these alterations are responsible for differences in the biological activity of the two proteins.     

Activity of organophosphorus insecticides in bacterial tests for mutagenicity and DNA repair--direct alkylation versus metabolic activation and breakdown. II. O,O-dimethyl-O-(1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl)-phosphate and two O-ether derivatives of trichlorfon

The following organophosphates were tested for their ability to induce DNA damage in a rec-type repair test with Proteus mirabilis strains PG713 (rec- hcr-) and PG273 (wild-type) and point mutations in the his- strain TA100 of Salmonella typhimurium: O,O-dimethyl-O-(1,2-dibromo-2,2-dichloroethyl)-phosphate (NALED); trichlorfon-O-methyl ether (TCP-O-ME), O,O-dimethyl-(1-methoxy-2,2,2-trichlorethyl)-phosphonate; trichlorfon-O-methyl ether vinyl derivative (TCP-O-MEVD), O,O-dimethyl-(1-methoxy-2,2-dichlorovinyl)-phosphonate. All compounds were negative in the repair test but induced base pair substitutions in S. typhimurium. The mutagenicity of NALED is due to the direct alkylating ability of the parental molecule and to mutagenic metabolites generated by enzymatic splitting of the side chain. Glutathion-dependent enzymes in the S9-mix eliminate the mutagenic activity of NALED completely. Mutation induction by TCP-O-ME and TCP-O-MEVD is predominantly caused by the reactive O-methyl ether configuration of the side chain and is resistant to metabolic inactivation by NADPH- or glutathion-dependent enzymatic pathways in the S9-mix of mice.     

A new isotype sequence (V kappa 27) of the variable region of kappa-light chains from a mouse hybridoma-derived anti-(streptococcal group A polysaccharide) antibody containing an additional cysteine residue. Application of the dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate technique for the isolation of peptides.

The first complete sequence of the variable region of a kappa-light chain (V kappa) from a mouse anti-(streptococcal group A polysaccharide) antibody (immunoglobulin 7S34.1) is reported. Immunoglobulin 7S34.1 was isolated from the ascitic fluid of hybridoma 7S34.1 previously cloned in vitro. A newly developed technique for the isolation of peptides by using pre-column formation of peptide derivatives with dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate also served to complete the sequence. The sequence of the variable region of the kappa-light chain of immunoglobulin 7S34.1 defines a new mouse V kappa isotype (V kappa 27) and is the first mouse immunoglobulin light-chain variable region to be shown to have an extra cysteine residue at position 48.