Mouse soleus muscle Na-K pump activity: direct correlation with in vitro and in vivo oxygen consumption

To evaluate the contribution of active sodium-potassium transport to energy utilization, measurements of sodium-potassium pump activity in isolated soleus muscles of normal mice were carried out and related to measurements of oxygen consumption by the tissue. A highly significant positive correlation (r = 0.89, p less than 0.001) was found between these two parameters. In addition, both the in vitro oxygen consumption and Na-K pump activity of the muscles were found to correlate with whole body oxygen utilization by the experimental animals. The results support a role for the sodium-potassium pump in the determination of energy turnover.     

The Pleistocene lake deposits of the NE Baza Basin (Spain): salinity variations and ostracod succession

The Guadix-Baza Basin in Spain covers an area of approximately 3000 km² and yields a sedimentary sequence ranging from Lower Miocene to Pleistocene. Twenty five meters of Lower Pleistocene lacustrine sediments have been located in the NE part of the Basin at about 1000 meters in altitude. This sequence which overlies dolomitic mud flat deposits consists of limestones, calcareous and dolomitic mudstones, dolostones, silty clays, sands and gravels. Salinity fluctuations and short dry episodes, related to lake level oscillations, have been recorded by textural, mineralogical and faunal changes throughout the sequence. Ostracods, which are the most commonly encountered fossils, permit to detect recurrent changes in water salinity and regime, and solute composition. The faunal changes indicate an alternation of slightly saline and bicarbonate-rich water (when ostracods and gastropods occur) with a saline NaCl-dominant water (in which ostracods, Cerastoderma bivalves and non-marine foraminifers are found).The frequent and recurrent hydrochemical changes in the Baza Basin in the Early Pleistocene point to a climate of high contrast like in the Mediterranean region today but with a greater availability of water within the system compared to the present situation in the area.     

Internal structure of the postcapillary high-endothelial venules of rodent lymph nodes and Peyer's patches and the transendothelial lymphocyte passage

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the postcapillary high-endothelial venules of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches consist of two segments each with a different surface relief: a proximal segment with a cobblestone surface pattern and a distal segment of interlacing cytoplasmic plates. Both segments have deep adluminal crevices in which lymphocytes are lodged. The internal structural configuration of this endothelium has been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of serial sections of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches of mice, rats, and guinea pigs. The serial sections revealed that the endothelial cell bodies and their cytoplasmic extensions were disposed in a direction generally lateral to the luminal surface and intruded into the intercellular spaces of similarly disposed neighboring endothelial cells, resulting in a complex interlacing cellular pattern. Lymphocytes penetrated the endothelial cell body and secondarily followed an intracellular pathway through which they entered the extravascular compartment. At the exposed surfaces of the adluminal venule wall, recirculating lymphocytes were seen in SEM images to enter the endothelium by penetrating the endothelial cell body. The mode of migration of lymphocytes lodged in the endothelial crevices could be determined by SEM and has been examined by TEM of serial sections. At these locations as at the exposed surfaces, lymphocytes also entered the venule by penetrating the endothelial cell body. At both sites this transcellular pathway was followed by lymphocyte entry into the intercellular spaces from which they migrated into the extravascular compartment.     

In vivo exocytosis of lysosomes by the endothelium of the venous sinuses of bone marrow and liver: visualization at normal and low body temperature

We have visualized the exocytosis of lysosomes into the peripheral circulation by the phagocytic endothelia of the venous sinuses of liver and bone marrow of rats. Perfusion fixation at normal body temperature produced images of the earliest stages of lysosomal exocytosis. After fixation at low body temperatures (7-12 degrees C), advanced stages of this process became evident, showing extrusion of lysosomes and their contents into the circulation. It is postulated that this form of exocytosis has escaped structural detection because of its rapidity and relative infrequency as compared to merocrine secretory exocytosis, and that fixation at low body temperatures arrests or slows down these exocytic events in sufficient measure for ultrastructural visualization. The possibility that this lysosomal exocytosis contributes to the presence of lysosomal enzymes detected in the peripheral blood should be considered. In addition, it is likely that lysosomal degradation products may be discharged by exocytosis into the circulation.     

Comparative study of expression of hemagglutinins, hemolysins, and enterotoxins by clinical and environmental isolates of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae in relation to their enteropathogenicity.

A comparative study was undertaken of clinical and environmental isolates of non-O1 Vibrio cholerae with respect to their hemagglutinating, hemolytic, enterotoxigenic, and enteropathogenic activities. Cell-associated hemagglutinin titers of the clinical and environmental isolates did not differ much, although the clinical isolates displayed higher cell-free hemagglutinin titers compared with those of environmental isolates. Culture supernatants of 61.5% (24 of 39) of clinical isolates showed hemolytic activity (greater than or equal to 10% lysis of rabbit erythrocytes), while only 33.3% (10 to 30) of the environmental group had such activity. Furthermore, hemolytic activities of the clinical isolates showed a good correlation with their cell-associated hemagglutinin titers which was not true for the environmental group. Culture supernatants of 45.8% (11 of 25) of the clinical and 20% (2 of 10) of the environmental isolates exhibited enterotoxigenic activity in the rabbit ileal loop assay. Such activity was mediated mainly by cholera toxin-like substances, although some of the isolates produced fluid-accumulating factors unrelated to cholera toxin. Experimental animal studies demonstrated that the enteropathogenic potential of the environmental isolates was significantly lower than that of the clinical group. Further analysis of our data showed that phenotypic expression of cholera toxin-like products by the non-O1 V. cholerae isolates was accompanied by their enteropathogenicity. The latter effect was also noted with some of the cholera toxin-negative isolates, particularly in those having high hemagglutinating and hemolytic titers.     

Magnesium and Manganese Content of Halophilic Bacteria

Magnesium and manganese contents were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in bacteria of several halophilic levels, in Vibrio costicola, a moderately halophilic eubacterium growing in 1 M NaCl, Halobacterium volcanii, a halophilic archaebacterium growing in 2.5 M NaCl, Halobacterium cutirubrum, an extremely halophilic archaebacterium growing in 4 M NaCl, and Escherichia coli, a nonhalophilic eubacterium growing in 0.17 M NaCl. Magnesium and manganese contents varied with the growth phase, being maximal at the early log phase. Magnesium and manganese molalities in cell water were shown to increase with the halophilic character of the logarithmically growing bacteria, from 30 mmol of Mg per kg of cell water and 0.37 mmol of Mn per kg of cell water for E. coli to 102 mmol of Mg per kg of cell water and 1.6 mmol of Mn per kg of cell water for H. cutirubrum. The intracellular concentrations of manganese were determined independently by a radioactive tracer technique in V. costicola and H. volcanii. The values obtained by ⁵⁴Mn loading represented about 70% of the values obtained by atomic absorption. The increase of magnesium and manganese contents associated with the halophilic character of the bacteria suggests that manganese and magnesium play a role in haloadaptation.     

Enzymatic characterization of oral and non-oral black-pigmented Bacteroides species

The purpose of this study was to investigate the production of various enzymes by oral and non-oral black-pigmented Bacteroides species using chromogenic substrates. The 19 substrates present in the API ZYM system did not differentiate between B. melaninogenicus, B. denticola, B. loescheii and B. levii. The asaccharolytic black-pigmented Bacteroides species showed each species specific enzyme activity, however, differences were based on one enzyme only as far as B. asaccharolyticus and B. endodontalis are concerned. An extended number of 40 chromogenic substrates were tested in order to find more species specific enzyme. With a set of 20 substrates it appeared to be possible to discriminate between all species tested. The possibility to use enzymes for the identification of black-pigmented Bacteroides is discussed.     

Degradation of 4-hydroxyphenylacetate by Xanthobacter 124X

Xanthobacter 124X when grom on 4-hydroxyphenylacetate was able to hydroxylate this compound yielding homogenisate. Ring fission of this latter compound gave maleylacetoacetate which was isomerized to fumarylacetoacetate. The isomerase involved resembled maleylacetoacetate isomerases in Gram-negative bacteria in that glutathione was required for activity. Fumarate and acetoacetate were both detected as products of the hydrolysis of fumarylacetoacetate.     

Oxidation of amines by yeasts grown on 1-aminoalkanes or putrescine as the sole source of carbon,nitrogen and energy

The maximum growth rate of Trichosporon cutaneum CBS 8111 in chemostat cultures was 0.185 h^-1 on ethylamine and 0.21 h^-1 on butylamine, that of Candida famata CBS 8109 was 0.32 h^-1 on putrescine.The amine oxidation pattern of the ascomycetous strains studied, viz. Candida famata CBS 8109, Stephanoascus ciferrii CBS 4856 and Trichosporon adeninovorans CBS 8244 was independent of the amine that had been used as the growth substrate. It resembled that of benzylamine/putrescine oxidase found in other ascomycetous yeasts. However, differences in pH optimum and substrate specificity were observed between the amine-oxidizing systems of these three species.The amine oxidation pattern of cell-free extracts of Trichosporon cutaneum CBS 8111 varied with the amine that was used as growth substrate. The enzyme system produced by Cryptococcus laurentii CBS 7140 failed to oxidize isobutylamine and benzylamine, and showed a high pH optimum.The synthesis of amine oxidase in the four yeast strains studied was not repressed by ammonium chloride and was weakly repressed by glucose but was strongly repressed if both compounds were present in the growth medium.     

Comparative biological activities of ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126) and the synthetic form of circulating ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126)

The biological activities of ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126) and of the circulating form, ANF (Ser 99-Tyr 126), were compared in the following assays: precontracted rabbit aortic strip and chick rectum, rat natriuresis, inhibition of aldosterone secretion and receptor affinity in bovine and rat adrenal zona glomerulosa cells, and receptor affinity in rabbit aorta and rat mesenteric artery cells. The results demonstrate that both peptides share the same biological activities. It is concluded that the addition of two amino acids to the N-terminal of ANF (Arg 101-Tyr 126) does not modify its biological characteristics, validating thus previous research employing this peptide.