Chromosome 11q localization of one of the three expected genes for the human alpha-3-fucosyltransferases, by somatic hybridization.

Seventy-one human x mouse hybrid cell lines were used to map the locus of a human alpha-3-fucosyltransferase to 11q. The enzyme transfers fucose onto H type 2 more efficiently than onto sialyl-N-acetyllactosamine, suggesting that it is the myeloid type of alpha-3-fucosyltransferase (Mollicone et al., 1990), which makes the 3-fucosyllactosamine epitope on polymorphonuclear cells and monocytes. This epitope is also known as CD15 (Tetteroo et al., 1987).     

Antibiotic activity of isoxazolylnaphthoquinone imines on mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus

I. ALBESA, P. BOGDANOV, A. ERASO, N.R. SPERANDEO AND M.M. DE BERTORELLO. 1995. The antibiotic activity of new synthetic isoxazolylnaphthoquinone imines was studied. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 were resistant to the four compounds studied (MIC > 128 µg ml⁻¹), but Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, ATCC 29213 and 30 clinical isolates of Staph. aureus were inhibited by 2-hydroxy- N -(3,4-dimethyl-5-isoxazolyl)-1,4-naphthoquinone-4-imine (I). This compound diminished bloodstream infection of mice injected i.m. with Staph. aureus; septicaemia decayed significantly when I was applied at the beginning of the infection while when I was given 3 d after bacterial challenge, a significant protection was afforded. Bactericidal activity in serum increased during the 5 h after I was administered i.p.
The acetyl derivative of I had a high MIC but when inoculated orally in mice decreased the Staph. aureus counts in circulation. This protection occurred only when the schedule of administration started close to the bacterial challenge. Antibiotic activity in vivo may be associated with in vitro effects.     

Active papain renatured and processed from insoluble recombinant propapain expressed in Escherichia coli.

For the first time the pro-form of a recombinant cysteine proteinase has been expressed at a high level in Escherichia coli. This inactive precursor can subsequently be processed to yield active enzyme. Sufficient protein can be produced using this system for X-ray crystallographic structure studies of engineered proteinases. A cDNA clone encoding propapain, a precursor of the papaya proteinase, papain, was expressed in E. coli using a T7 polymerase expression system. Insoluble recombinant protein was solubilized in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride and 10 mM dithiothreitol, at pH 8.6. A protein-glutathione mixed disulphide was formed by dilution into oxidized glutathione and 6 M GuHCl, also at pH 8.6. Final refolding and disulphide bond formation was induced by dilution into 3 mM cysteine at pH 8.6. Renatured propapain was processed to active papain at pH 4.0 in the presence of excess cysteine. Final processing could be inhibited by the specific cysteine proteinase inhibitors E64 and leupeptin, but not by pepstatin, PMSF or EDTA. This indicates that final processing was due to a cysteine proteinase and suggests that an autocatalytic event is required for papain maturation.     

The effects of maturation on self-induced dynamic body sway frequencies of girls performing acrobatics or classical dance

We investigated the effects of maturation on the dynamic body sways of healthy girls. Prepubertal and postpubertal girls practising professional physical activities requiring a good ability to maintain equilibrium (acrobats and dancers) were asked to stand on a free seesaw platform and the results compared to those for untrained age-matched girls. This platform (stabilometer) allows self-induced body sways. Stabilograms were obtained by a double integration of the angular acceleration from the recordings of the platform sways made with an accelerometer. Fast Fourier transform processing of stabilograms allowed spectral frequency analysis. The total spectrum energy and the energies of three frequency bands (0–0.5 Hz, 0.5–2 Hz, 2–20 Hz) were determined. ANOVA showed that, for all groups of different equilibrium activity and independent of visual input, prepubertal girls had higher energy values than postpubertal girls in the 0- to 0.5-Hz band whereas the opposite was true for 0.5- to 2-Hz band. Ballet dancers were more dependent than acrobats on visual inputs for the regulation of their postural control but were less dependent than untrained girls at both ages. Maturation seemed to shift body sways towards higher frequencies and the utilization of the cues of postural control was different according to the type of equilibrium activity practised by the subjects. Accepted: 7 February 1997     

Biological activity of Burkholderia (Pseudomonas) cepacia lipopolysaccharide

Abstract Burkholderia cepacia has emerged as an important multiresistant pathogen in cystic fibrosis (CF), associated in 20% of colonised patients with a rapid and fatal decline in lung function. Although knowledge of B. cepacia epidemiology has improved, the mechanisms involved in pathogenesis remain obscure. In this study, B. cepacia lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was assessed for endotoxic potential and the capacity to induce tumour necrosis factor (TNF). LPS preparations from clinical and environmental isolates of B. cepacia and from the closely related species Burkholderia gladioli exhibited a higher endotoxic activity and more pronounced cytokine response in vitro compared to preparations from the major CF pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa . This study may help to explain the vicious host immune response observed during pulmonary exacerbations in CF patients colonised by B. cepacia and lead to therapeutic advances in clinical management.