Analysis of the conjugation system of plasmid pBS1001 with a broad range of hosts]

Tn5-induced tra mutations were localized on the physical map of a broad host range plasmid pBS1001. Mutations were united into three clusters covering 25% of plasmid DNA. They were distributed in 7 groups by complementation analysis. It was shown that coexistence of tra mutants of pBS1001 and RP4 within the same cell did not restore conjugation properties of both plasmids. High frequency mobilization of some known vectors by pBS1001 was demonstrated.     

Expression of delta-endotoxin gene from Bacillus thuringiensis var. berliner 1715 in Escherichia coli and Bacillus megaterium cells

Effects of the structure of plasmids carrying the cloned delta-endotoxin gene (tox) ot Bacillus thuringiensis and of the culture media on the expression of the gene have been studied. The DNA region located upstream from the crystal protein gene promoter inhibited the expression of the tox gene in Escherichia coli cells, but enhanced the expression in Bacillus megaterium cells grown in LB medium. The upstream DNA region did not affect the tox gene expression when Bacillus megaterium cells were grown in SSM medium.     

Globin synthesis in friend-erythroleukemia mouse cells in protein- and lipid-free medium : Effects of dimethyl-sulfoxide, iron and erythropoietin

A cell clone of erythroleukemic mouse cells transformed by the spleen focus forming virus (SFFV) was adapted to growth in serum-free medium. The cells show induced erythroid differentiation if dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and iron are added to the serum-free medium. No serum constituents or macromolecules are required for induced differentiation. Serum enhances the capacity of the cells to differentiate. Erythropoietin is ineffective in promoting erythroid differentiation or an increased rate of cell division. Transferrin is not necessary for transport of iron into these cells.     

Protein synthesis in vitro in a system from plant mitochondria (Short Communication)

A mitochondrial system from 48h-germinating seeds of Vigna sinensis (Linn.) Savi is capable of incorporating l-[U-(14)C]valine into proteins and is practically insensitve to cycloheximide, but highly sensitive to chloramphenicol and fusidic acid, a potent inhibitor of peptide-chain elongation factor. A system consisting of mitochondrial S-100 fraction and ribosomes from the same source and other cofactors is capable of polyphenylalanine synthesis and behaves similarly with respect to these inhibitors.     

Manganese as a mutagenic agent during in vitro DNA synthesis.

The effect of Mn²⁺, a known mutagen, on the fidelity of DNA synthesis $\text{in vitro}$ by avian myeloblastosis DNA polymerase has been determined. Substitution of Mn²⁺ for Mg²⁺ leads to an enhanced incorporation of noncomplementary deoxynucleotides as well as complementary ribonucleotides with either poly (A) or poly (C) as templates. Since this polymerase lacks any detectable deoxyribonuclease activity, the $\text{in vitro}$ mutagenic effect of Mn²⁺ in promoting errors in base-pairing does not result from any diminished proof-reading function.     

On the association of reverse transcriptase with polynucleotide templates during catalysis.

The association of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) DNA polymerase with polynucleotide templates during catalysis has been studied. During the course of polymerization, different template-primer complexes were added and the ability of the enzyme to switch from one polynucleotide template to another was determined. At 37 degrees C as well as at 4 degrees C, the polymerase is able to switch from certain template-primer complexes to others. For example, the addition of poly(A)-oligo(dT) during the course of synthesis with poly(C)-oligo(dG) results in the immediate cessation of dGMP polymerization and the start of dTMP polymerization without any lag. Early during the course of polymerization, the size of the product, as determined by alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation, is, in part, a function of the ratio of the template-primer complex to the enzyme. These cumulative experiments indicate that catalysis on polynucleotide templates with avian myeloblastosis virus DNA polymerase under the conditions tested is not processive in a classical sense. Similar to cellular DNA polymerases the enzyme can shift from one template-primer to another. Using autoradiography after gel electrophoresis to estimate the product size, it can be calculated that the enzyme switches from one template to another within 0.25 min at 37 degrees C which corresponds to the incorporation of greater than 25 nucleotides. At 4 degrees C, switching can be calculated to occur in less than three nucleotide addition steps. Thus, with certain homopolymers, conditions can be found by which AMV DNA polymerase can switch from one template-primer complex to another, perhaps after each nucleotide addition step.     

Directed mutagenesis of chromosomal genes of Escherichia coli in vivo: construction of RecA- and HtpR- mutants

The deletions in Escherichia coli chromosomal genes recA and htpR were constructed using the site-directed mutagenesis techniques. The obtained RecA- mutants are UV-sensitive and have a phenotype defective for the homologous DNA recombination. HtpR- mutant is temperature sensitive for growth and deficient in intracellular proteolysis. As a result a HtpR- mutant seems to be a preferable candidate for attempting to synthesize efficiently any alien protein in Escherichia coli cells.