Purification of the Neisseria meningitidis transferrin binding protein-2 (TBP2) to homogeneity using column chromatography

Abstract A method for purifying TBP2 from N. meningitidis has been developed using affirnity chromatography on Tf-agarose followed by ion exchange chromatography; the Tf-binding activity of fractions was evaluated by a dot-blot technique. This method allowed the purification of the TBP2 in milder conditions than those used previously and to a high degree of homogeneity as was demonstrated by Coomassie brilliant blue or Silver training after SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The SDS-PAGE profile of the material obtained in the Tf-agarose affinity chromatography step shows only two detectable proteins, identified as the TBP1 and the TBP2, with a small amount of contamination. Passage through a MonoQ HR anion exchange column, allowed the isolation of TBP2 in the absence of TBP1. Our results demonstrate the conservation of the antigenic reactivity of this protein, which produces monospecific serum with the antibodies elicited reacting exclusively with the TBP2 in whole outer membrane vesicles.     

Surface free energy and interaction of Staphylococcus epidermidis with biomaterials

The adhesion of twenty nine Staphylococcus epidermidis strains to teflon, polyethylene, polycarbonate and bovine pericardium was studied in vitro and examined in relation to the surface free energies of both bacteria and biomaterials. All S. epidermidis strains had similar surface free energies, close to that of water, and adhered better to the materials with analogous surface free energies. There was a significant correlation (Kendall's Tau B = 1000) of biomaterial's surface free energy with the number of adhering bacteria. This correlation is inverse (Kendall's Tau B = -1000) when surface hydrophobicity is considered instead of surface free energy. This indicates that in Staphylococcus epidermidis adherence to biomaterials is inversely correlated to the surface hydrophobicity of the last, being so just the opposite of that occurring with other bacteria.     

Cytotoxic granules from killer cells: specificity of granules and insertion of channels of defined size into target membranes

The channel-forming polyperforins P1 and P2 are thought to be formed from the contents of dense core vesicles of cytolytic effector cells. To test this hypothesis, granules from various cytotoxic effector cells were assayed for cytolytic activity on nucleated or unnucleated targets. The results show that in general, granules from cytolytic effector cells are cytolytic, whereas granules from noncytotoxic cells are not. Cytotoxicity of granules is not specific, but there appears to be a preference in that nucleated targets are lysed better than are erythrocytes by granules from T killer or natural killer cells. Granules from CTLL-2, however, preferentially lyse erythrocyte targets. This cell line has been in culture for a long period of time and has lost its cytotoxicity. We tested whether granules from CTLL-2 caused formation of transmembrane pores in erythrocyte target membranes. We found that granule- and complement-induced lesions have similar pore sizes. They are big enough to allow the total release of alpha-bungarotoxin, an 8000 Mr polypeptide with dimensions of 4 X 2.5 nm. Larger molecules are released partially or not at all. Under acidic conditions (pH 5.4) granules do not permeabilize target membranes. This may suggest a pH-dependent control mechanism in the formation, insertion, or function of polyperforin channels, in addition to a previously recognized Ca2+-dependent mechanism. Permeabilization of lipid vesicles by granules was studied to explore what the molecular requirements for channel insertion into membranes may be. Release of alpha-bungarotoxin induced by granules was observed in liposomes made of soybean lipid with or without cholesterol, suggesting that no membrane component other than lipid is required for the insertion of polyperforins, and that the action of polyperforins does not require other mechanisms in the target cell. When pure lecithin from soybean and egg, or synthetic phosphatidylcholines were used, slower release or no release of macromolecules was observed. We suggest that some kind of lipid specificity is required for perforin action. This may be related to the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayer rather than to the polar portion, because different lecithins with varying fatty acid composition gave similar results.     

Interaction between prostanoids and nitric oxide in the control of tubular function in rats with chronic bile duct ligation.

Recent work indicates that both nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase products play an important role in the renal alterations of liver cirrhosis, although the interactions between them have not been completely established. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of simultaneous blockade of nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase in rats with chronic bile duct ligation and in control, sham-operated rats. Compared with control rats, chronic bile duct ligation rats, 23-25 days after surgery, showed a decreased mean arterial pressure, natriuresis, and kaliuresis, without differences in glomerular filtration rate, and an increased urinary nitrite excretion. Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition by administration of N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester induced, in control rats, an increase in mean arterial pressure, without significant changes in natriuresis or glomerular filtration rate. In chronic bile duct ligation rats, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester induced an increase in mean arterial pressure, natriuresis, and kaliuresis, together with a reduction in urinary nitrite excretion and an increase in prostaglandin E2 excretion. Cyclooxygenase inhibition with indomethacin induced in both experimental groups a marked inhibition in urinary prostaglandin E2 excretion without significant changes in Na+ or K+ excretion, and a significant increase in urinary nitrite excretion in control rats. N(G)-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in addition to indomethacin prevented the indomethacin-induced increase in nitrite excretion and dramatically reduced sodium excretion in both experimental groups. Thus, the present study suggests that both nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase products interact in the control of urinary sodium excretion and that each system is activated in the absence of the other one.     

The use of p-toluene sulfonate to dissolve synaptosomal membrane proteins into organic solvents

A method is described by which a large proportion of membrane proteins may be dissolved in organic solvents by the use of p-toluene sulfonate. Synaptosomal membrane fractions from rat cerebral cortex were used as test material. Chloroform-methanol extraction dissolved 7% of proteins, 89% of lipid phosphorus, and 35% of reducing sugars. Further extraction of the residue with 2.5 mm p-toluene sulfonate in chloroform-methanol allowed the dissolution of 45% of the proteins. The final residue contained the rest of the protein and 60% of reducing sugars. The polypeptides in the three fractions showed marked differences in molecular weight and several glycoprotein bands were found in the final residue. The amino acid content of these three protein fractions was also different. It is concluded that p-toluene sulfonate, by lowering the pH and binding to the positive charges in the protein, is able to transfer about half of the synaptosomal membrane proteins into a hydrophobic medium.     

The Delipidation of Brain Proteolipid Protein by Ultrafiltration

It has been very difficult to prepare the apoprotein moiety of brain white matter proteolipid so that it is completely devoid of complex lipids, without suffering aggregation and protein denaturation. The reason is that complex lipids are tightly bound to the proteolipid apoprotein. Using a new ultrafiltration method, we obtained, in a gradual way and in a relatively short time, more than 99% delipidation in water-saturated n-butanol, with and without 0.1 M acetic acid, and recovered up to 86% of the protein with no detectable reducing sugars remaining. The delipidated protein remained in solution and in a relatively nondenatured state for several days. In 2% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-aqueous media, 90% of the lipids were removed and the yield of recovered protein in solution was near 90%; nearly 6% of the reducing sugars remained in the apoprotein. A higher delipidation was obtained by washing with 0.1 M NaOH. The content of reducing sugars was greater but the protein was less stable. When 10% SDS was employed to dissociate lipid-protein interaction, an almost complete delipidation was obtained and reducing sugars disappeared.     

Distribution of Gc subtypes in Aragon (north-east Spain)

Group-specific component (Gc) polymorphism was investigated in 559 individuals from Aragon. The gene frequencies were compared to those reported for other European populations.     

Toxicity of an algal mucopolysaccharide for Escherichia coli and Neisseria meningitidis strains

Several bacterial strains of clinical significance have been tested to assess the toxic effect of a lectin-like algal mucopolysaccharide from Fucus vesiculosus on their growth. The toxic effect of the mucopolysaccharide has been found to be exerted only on Escherichia coli and Neisseria meningitidis strains. The degree of toxicity, measured by the effect on the growth of the bacteria, is variable depending on the strains of E. coli tested, whereas with N. meningitidis the results obtained indicate homogeneity between the strains, without significative variations among different serotypes even in the same serogroup.