Relationship between ion requirements for respiration and membrane transport in a marine bacterium.

Intact cells of the marine bacterium Alteromonas haloplanktis 214 oxidized NADH, added to the suspending medium, by a process which was stimulated by Na+ or Li+ but not K+. Toluene-treated cells oxidized NADH at three times the rate of untreated cells by a mechanism activated by Na+ but not by Li+ or K+. In the latter reaction, K+ spared the requirement for Na+. Intact cells of A. haloplanktis oxidized ethanol by a mechanism stimulated by either Na+ or Li+. The uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid by intact cells of A. haloplanktis in the presence of either NADH or ethanol as an oxidizable substrate required Na+, and neither Li+ nor K+ could replace it. The results indicate that exogenous and endogenous NADH and ethanol are oxidized by A. haloplanktis by processes distinguishable from one another by their requirements for alkali metal ions and from the ion requirements for membrane transport. Intact cells of Vibrio natriegens and Photobacterium phosphoreum oxidized NADH, added externally, by an Na+-activated process, and intact cells of Vibrio fischeri oxidized NADH, added externally, by a K+-activated process. Toluene treatment caused the cells of all three organisms to oxidize NADH at much faster rates than untreated cells by mechanisms which were activated by Na+ and spared by K+.     

Combined use of COSY and double quantum two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy for elucidation of spin systems in polymyxin B

Two-dimensional single quantum correlation NMR spectroscopy (COSY) and two-dimensional double quantum NMR spectroscopy (2QT) are used to study spin systems in the 1H NMR spectrum of polymyxin B. Because of different frequency relationships, the two types of two-dimensional NMR experiments are found to be highly complementary. This is demonstrated by combined use of COSY and 2QT spectroscopy to obtain a complete analysis of the complicated spectral overlap which occurs in the 1H NMR spectrum of polymyxin B.     

Differentiation properties of pure populations of human dystrophic muscle cells

The interpretation of the majority of studies of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has been complicated by the heterogeneous composition of the cultures used. In addition to muscle cells, muscle tissue contains adipocytes and fibroblasts and the proportion of these cell types varies, especially in disease states. To overcome this problem we developed culture conditions which permitted isolation and characterization of pure populations of clonally derived human muscle cells [1, 2]. Here we report the successful application of these methods to muscle cells from biopsies of individuals with diagnosed DMD. The normal and mutant human muscle cells were used in experiments of muscle differentiation in the same manner as cell lines. Frozen-stored cells were thawed, plated in a series of replicate plates, and allowed to differentiate under similar culture conditions. Yet, in contrast with cell lines, the cells were karyotypically normal, not altered by adaptation to long-term culture, and had a finite lifespan. We have systematically analysed specific properties of the normal and DMD muscle cells which differentiated in culture. The kinetics and extent of myoblast fusion, myotube morphology, and the accumulation and distribution of membrane acetylcholine receptors were monitored. In addition, the isozyme composition of creatine kinase and its intracellular and extracellular distribution were determined. Our results indicate that DMD muscle cells are fully capable of initiating myogenesis in culture and do not differ from normal muscle in several important parameters of differentiation.     

Insertion mutations in the dam gene of Escherichia coli K-12

The dam gene of E. coli can be inactivated by insertion of Tn9 or Mud phage. Strains bearing these mutations are viable indicating that the dam gene product is dispensable.     

Comparison of Surgery and Prolonged Spironolactone Therapy in Patients with Hypertension,Aldosterone Excess,and Low Plasma Renin

The effect of prolonged preoperative treatment with spironolactone has been studied in a series of 67 patients with hypertension, aldosterone excess, and low plasma renin. In the series as a whole a highly significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic pressures was achieved, with no evidence of escape from control during therapy lasting several years in some cases. The drug was equally effective in controlling blood pressure in patients with and without adrenocortical adenomata. Occasional unresponsive patients were encountered in both groups; pretreatment blood urea levels in these were significantly higher than in the responsive patients. The hypotensive effect of spironolactone usually predicted the subsequent response to adrenal surgery.Spironolactone in all cases corrected plasma electrolyte abnormalities; significant increases in total exchangeable (or total body) potassium and significant reductions in total exchangeable sodium, total body water, extracellular fluid, and plasma volumes were seen. Plasma urea rose during treatment and there was a slight fall in mean body weight. Significant increases in peripheral venous plasma renin and angiotensin II concentrations occurred during treatment.In two patients no increase in aldosterone secretion rate was found during treatment, although plasma aldosterone rose in three of four subjects studied.Severe side effects were rare; in only two of the 67 patients did the drug have to be stopped.In addition to its routine preoperative use, spironolactone can now be advised as long-term therapy in selected patients.     

Effects of hyperoxia on composition and rate of synthesis of fatty acids in Escherichia coli

Growth of and fatty acid synthesis in Escherichia coli were inhibited by oxygen at partial pressures above 1 atm and were prevented by exposure to oxygen at 4.2 atm on membranes incubated on a minimal medium. Growth and fatty acid synthesis returned to control rates when cells were removed from hyperoxia to air. The spectrum of fatty acids produced was unchanged by oxygen at pressures which reduced the rate of synthesis. In situ fatty acids were stable to oxygen at pressures which prevented growth and synthesis. Reinitiation of synthesis after complete inhibition in hyperoxia occurred without production of aberrant fatty acids. Fatty acid synthetase specific activity was virtually unchanged, compared with air controls, in cells exposed either to 3.2 or to 15.2 atm of oxygen. The spectrum of fatty acids synthesized by cell-free extracts during incubation in 4.2 atm of oxygen was not different from air-incubated controls. Synthetase assays included added NADPH, acyl carrier protein, mercaptoethanol, and malonyl coenzyme A; hence, damage, other than reversible sulfhydryl oxidation, to the apoenzymes of synthetase was ruled out.