Salmonella typhimurium HfrA, a mutant in which adenosine triphosphate can drive amino acid transport but not energy-dependent nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenation.

In contrast with wild-type Salmonella typhimurium LT2, strain HfrA did not have ATP-driven energy-dependent transhydrogenase activity, although ATP-dependent quenching of atebrin fluorescence was normal. Respiration-dependent and energy-independent transhydrogenase, and Ca2+-activated ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) activities were similar in both strains. Purified ATPases from the two strains had similar specific activities, similar subunit polypeptides, and were equally effective in restoring energy-dependent transhydrogenase activities to membrane particles of strain LT2 from which the ATPase had been stripped. The purified ATPases from both strains could restore respiration-dependent but not ATP-dependent transhydrogenation to stripped particles of strain HfrA. Both strains grew aerobically equally well on salts media containing glucose, malate, succinate, citrate, acetate, pyruvate, fumarate, lactate or aspartate as substrates. Growth on glucose under anaerobic conditions was similar. Strains LT2 and HfrA were equally effective in the accumulation under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions of the amino acids proline, phenylalanine, histidine, lysine, isoleucine and aspartic acid. Inhibition of amino acid accumulation by KCN and dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide occurred to the same extent in both strains. The complete inhibition by dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide of amino acid uptake under anaerobic conditions suggested that ATP could drive amino acid uptake in both strains. The ability of strain HfrA to carry out ATP-dependent transport or quenching of atebrin fluorescence but not ATP-dependent transhydrogenation is different from the wild-type strain and from any previously described energy-coupling mutant. It is difficult to reconcile the properties of this mutant with the chemiosmotic hypothesis.     

Crosslinking studies on the CA2+, MG2+-activated ATPase of escherichia coli

Crosslinking of membrane proteins of Escherichia coli with dithiobis (succinimidyl propionate) (DSP) resulted in loss of several enzyme activities including the Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺-activated ATPase. This enzyme was crosslinked by DSP to the membrane and was not released by dialysis at low ionic strength in the absence of dithiothreitol which could cleave the crosslinking group. DSP inactivated both phosphohydrolase and coupling activities of the solubilized ATPase. Loss of hydrolytic activity could be correlated with the extent of reaction of the α and/or β subunits of the enzyme. The loss of coupling activity appeared to be associated with modification of the γ and/or δ subunits.     

Conformational interactions between alpha and beta subunits in the F1 ATPase of Escherichia coli as shown by chemical modification of uncA401 and uncD412 mutant enzymes

In contrast to wild-type F1 adenosine triphosphatase, the beta subunits of soluble ATPase from Escherichia coli mutant strains AN120 (uncA401) and AN939 (uncD412) were not labeled by the fluorescent thiol-specific reagents 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein, 2-(4'-iodoacetamidoanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid or 4-[N-(iodoacetoxy)ethyl-N-methyl]amino-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. The mutation in the alpha subunit (uncA401) of F1 ATPase thus influences the accessibility of the single cysteinyl residue in the beta subunit. Following reaction of ATPase with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole or N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, the alpha and beta subunits of the uncA401, but not of the uncD412 mutant F1 ATPase were intensely labeled by a fluorescent thiol reagent. The mutation in the beta subunit (uncD412) thus influences the accessibility of the cysteinyl residues in the alpha subunit. In other work [Stan-Lotter, H. and Bragg, P.D. (1986) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 248] we have shown that 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole and 2-(4'-iodoacetamidoanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid react with a different beta subunit from that labeled by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. This asymmetry with respect to modification by 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide was seen in both mutant enzymes. In addition, the modification of one beta subunit of the uncA401 F1 ATPase induced the previously unreactive sulfhydryl group of another beta subunit to react with 2-(4'-iodoacetamidoanilino-naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid. These results provide evidence for at least three types of conformational interactions of the major subunits of F1 ATPase: from alpha to beta, from beta to alpha, and from beta to beta. As in wild-type ATPase, labeling of membrane-bound unc mutant ATPase by a fluorescent thiol reagent modified the alpha subunits. This suggests that a conformational change of yet a different type occurs when the enzyme binds to the membrane.     

A survey of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer substitution rates across angiosperms: an approximate molecular clock with life history effects

Background  

A full understanding of the patterns and processes of biological diversification requires the dating of evolutionary events, yet the fossil record is inadequate for most lineages under study. Alternatively, a molecular clock approach, in which DNA or amino acid substitution rates are calibrated with fossils or geological/climatic events, can provide indirect estimates of clade ages and diversification rates. The utility of this approach depends on the rate constancy of molecular evolution at a genetic locus across time and across lineages. Although the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region (nrITS) is increasingly being used to infer clade ages in plants, little is known about the sources or magnitude of variation in its substitution rate. Here, we systematically review the literature to assess substitution rate variation in nrITS among angiosperms, and we evaluate possible correlates of the variation.     

Septicaemia in the Neutropenic Patient

A total of 29 cases of septicaemia proved by blood culture in 22 severely neutropenic patients with acute leukaemia or aplastic anaemia have been studied. The recovery rate was 75% in the Gram-positive septicaemias and 60% in the Gram-negative septicaemias in which treatment response could be evaluated. Neutropenia predisposed to septicaemia and its degree seemed to be important. The underlying state of the bone marrow was an important prognostic factor; the neutrophil count at the time of diagnosis and the infecting organism were less important. Gentamicin was the single most useful antibiotic, and the infection was controlled largely with gentamicin and one other antibiotic, most often carbenicillin. Possibly a similar result could have been obtained with gentamicin alone, but since the bacterial flora in a given environment is changeable empirical antibiotic regimens should remain flexible.