Effect of dissolved oxygen control on growth and antibiotic production in Streptomyces clavuligerus fermentations.

A proportional-integral control system was used to control dissolved oxygen in a fermentor at constant shear and mass transfer conditions. Growth and antibiotic production in Streptomyces clavuligerus were studied at different dissolved oxygen levels during the fermentation. Three protocols were employed: no-oxygen control to provide a base case, oxygen controlled to a preset saturation level throughout the fermentation, and oxygen controlled at a high level only during the growth phase. The last protocol was aimed at optimizing the consumption of oxygen. Lower specific growth rates and cephamycin C yields were obtained when dissolved oxygen was controlled at 50% throughout the fermentation, compared to the base case. A 2.4-fold increase in the final cephamycin yield was observed when dissolved oxygen was controlled at saturation levels during the growth phase, compared to the experiments without dissolved oxygen control. This enhancement in yield was independent of the dissolved oxygen (DO) level after exponential growth, in the range of 50-100% saturation. The most effective control strategy, therefore, was to control DO only during active growth when the biosynthetic enzymes were probably synthesized.     

Substrate inactivation of enzymes in vitro and in vivo

Some enzymes are inactivated by their natural substrates during catalytic turnover, limiting the ultimate extent of reaction. These enzymes can be separated into three broad classes, depending on the mechanism of the inactivation process. The first type is enzymes which use molecular oxygen as a substrate. The second type is inactivated by hydrogen peroxide, which is present either as a substrate or a product, and are stabilized by high catalase activity. The oxidation of both types of enzymes shares common features with oxidation of other enzymes and proteins. The third type of enzyme is inactivated by non-oxidative processes, mainly reversible loss of cofactors or attached groups. Sub classes are defined within each broad classification based on kinetics and stoichiometry. Reaction-inactivation is in part a regulatory mechanism in vivo, because specific proteolytic systems give rapid turnover of such labelled enzymes. The methods for enhancing the stability of these enzymes under reaction conditions depends on the enzyme type. The kinetics of these inactivation reactions can be used to optimize bioreactor design and operation.     

The Morgan Recharger: a new horn fly (Diptera: Muscidae) control device for beef cattle

A 20% diazinon formulation was evaluated for control efficacy against the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.), in the Morgan Recharger (Morgan International Products, College Grove, Tenn.). The Morgan Recharger releases insecticide with a wicking system from an insecticide reservoir and can be attached to an animal's ear or tail. This device was most effective against the horn fly when used as an ear tag with two per head; horn fly counts did not exceed five flies per side through 8 wk. The diazinon formulation tested was released from the Morgan Recharger at a decreasing rate. The problems and potential of the Morgan Recharger as an effective horn fly control device are discussed.     

Differential CD3/T cell antigen receptor-mediated IL-2 production in jurkat T cells. Dissociation of IL-2 response from total inositol phosphate and calcium responses

We used three anti-human anti-CD3 mAb each recognizing different surface CD3 epitopes to differentially perturb the CD3/TCR complex on the surface of Jurkat T cells. In the presence of phorbol ester, these anti-CD3 mAb triggered differential IL-2 production in Jurkat T cells, which could not be explained by differences in kinetics of IL-2 production, by differences in IL-2 adsorption caused by differential surface expression of p55 or p75 IL-2R, by effects on IL-2 secretion rather than actual synthesis, or by differential toxicities of the anti-CD3 mAb to Jurkat cells. In addition, this differential anti-CD3-induced IL-2 production could not be explained by differences in mAb isotype or in avidities of the anti-CD3 mAb for the Jurkat cells. Moreover, anti-CD3 mAb covalently immobilized onto beads also differentially induced IL-2 production in Jurkat cells, suggesting that the differential IL-2 response is not based on differential rates of anti-CD3-induced modulation of Jurkat cell surface CD3. Although differences among the anti-CD3 mAb in the initial rates of binding to Jurkat cell were observed, this was also believed unlikely to explain the differential IL-2 response. Regardless of the anti-CD3 mAb used, anti-CD3-induced total inositol phosphate (IP) production did not necessarily correlate with anti-CD3-induced IL-2 production. Nevertheless, despite the differences among the anti-CD3 mAb in inducing IL-2 production, the calcium responses were grossly similar. Taken together, these observations indicate that CD3/TCR-mediated IL-2 production in Jurkat cells can be dissociated from total IP generation, and the basis of differential CD3/TCR-mediated IL-2 production in these cells does not appear to be at the level of the initial activation-induced calcium response. These studies suggest that the nature of the CD3/TCR ligand (its physical form and/or the specific epitope it perturbs) can either directly influence intracellular events distal to the generation of IP and increase in intracellular free calcium leading to differential IL-2 production or can trigger IP-independent pathways that affect IL-2 production.     

Aspartate and asparagine tRNA genes in wheat mitochondrial DNA: a cautionary note on the isolation of tRNA genes from plants.

We have identified genes encoding a "native" tRNA(Asp) (trnD-GTC) and a "chloroplast-like" tRNA(Asn) (trnN-GTT) on opposite strands and 633 bp apart within a sequenced 1640 bp RsaI restriction fragment of wheat mtDNA. The trnD gene has been found previously at a different location in wheat mtDNA (P.B.M. Joyce et al. (1988) Piant Mol. Biol. 11, 833-843); the duplicate copies of this gene are identical within the coding and immediate flanking regions (9 bp downstream and at least 68 bp upstream), after which obvious sequence similarity abruptly disappears. The trnN gene is identical to its homolog in maize ctDNA; continuation of sequence similarity beyond the coding region suggests that this gene originated as promiscuous ctDNA that is now part of the wheat mitochondrial genome. In the course of this work, we have encountered some unexpected similarities between tRNA gene regions from wheat mitochondria and other sources. Detailed analysis of these similarities leads us to suggest that trnN genes reportedly from petunia nuclear DNA (N. Bawnik et al. (1983) Nucleic Acids Res. 11, 1117-1122) and lupine mtDNA (B. Karpińska and H. Augustyniak (1988) Nucleic Acids Res. 16, 6239) are, in fact, from petunia mtDNA and lupine ctDNA, respectively, whereas a putative wheat nuclear tRNA(Ser) (trnS-TGA) gene (Z. Szwekowska-Kulińska et al. (1989) Gene 77, 163-167) is actually from wheat mtDNA. In these instances, it seems probable that the DNA samples used for cloning contained trace amounts of DNA from another sub-cellular compartment, leading to the inadvertent selection of spurious clones.     

Adenylate cyclase toxin from Bordetella pertussis. Identification and purification of the holotoxin molecule

Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase (AC) toxin is a calmodulin-activated adenylate cyclase enzyme which has the capacity to enter eukaryotic target cells and catalyze the conversion of endogenous ATP into cyclic AMP. In this work, the AC holotoxin molecule is identified and isolated. It is a single polypeptide of apparent 216 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Monoclonal antibodies which immunoprecipitate AC activity from extracts of wild type B. pertussis (BP338) react with this 216-kDa band on Western blots, and it is absent from a transposon Tn5 mutant (BP348) specifically lacking AC toxin. Isolation of the 216-kDa protein to greater than 85% purity by hydrophobic chromatography, preparative sucrose gradient centrifugation, and affinity chromatography using either calmodulin-Sepharose or monoclonal antibody coupled to Sepharose 4B yields stepwise increases in AC toxin potency, to a maximum of 88.3 mumol of cAMP/mg of target cell protein/mg of toxin. Electroelution of the 216-kDa band following sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yields a preparation with both AC enzyme and toxin activities. These data indicate that this protein represents the AC holotoxin molecule.     

Immobilization of lipase from Candida cylindraceae and its use in the synthesis of menthol esters by transesterification.

Lipase (EC 3.1.1.3) from Candida cylindraceae has been immobilized by the cellulose-titanium chloride method, and on EP-400 polyethylene, with and without glutaraldehyde crosslinking, to give active preparations when assessed by their ability to catalyse the hydrolysis of tributyrin. In both cases, the use of glutaraldehyde crosslinking was shown to improve the stability of the preparations for repeated use. The lipase immobilized on EP-400 polyethylene was found to be effective in transesterification using tributyrin or triacetin as acyl donors with l-menthol as acceptor. The production of methyl butanoate and of methyl acetate using this immobilized preparation was in each case enhanced in the presence of Amberlite IR 47 Anion exchange resin (OH form).