Untersuchungen zur Photoautotrophie mit molekularem Wasserstoff bei neuisolierten schwefelfreien Purpurbakterien

Zusammenfassung In einer Mineralsalzlösung mit 0,1% NH₄Cl und 0,01% Hefeextrakt wurden aus Schlammproben unter einer Atmosphäre aus 90% H₂ und 10% CO₂ im Licht acht verschiedene Stämme von schwefelfreien Purpurbakterien angereichert und isoliert, die zum photoautotrophen Wachstum mit H₂-CO₂ befähigt sind. Die neuisolierten Stämme wurden aufgrund ihrer mikroskopischen Merkmale und ihrer Fähigkeit zur Verwertung verschiedener organischer C-Verbindungen bestimmt. Drei Rps. capsulata-Stämme benötigen Thiamin als Wachstumsfaktor, zwei R. rubrum-Stämme Biotin und ein Rps. gelatinosa-Stamm benötigt Thiamin und Nicotinsäure. Ein Rps. palustris-Stamm wächst langsam in einem Medium ohne Vitaminzusatz. Der Wachstumsfaktor-Bedarf eines zweiten Rps. palustris-Stammes kann nur durch Hefeextrakt gedeckt werden. Bei allen Stämmen wird das Wachstum durch kleine Mengen (0,01%) Casaminosäuren bzw. Hefeextrakt merklich beschleunigt. Die kürzesten Verdoppelungszeiten beim photoautotrophen Wachstum mit H₂ weisen die drei Rps. capsulata-Stämme auf (17 bis 23 h in einem Mineralmedium mit Thiamin, 10,5–11 h in einem Mineralmedium mit 0,01% Hefeextrakt). Die Hydrogenase-Aktivitäten der Stämme sind in starkem Maße abhängig von der Anzucht der Zellen. Die niedrigsten Aktivitäten werden nach photoheterotropher Anzucht in einem Medium mit NH₄Cl als N-Quelle gemessen, mittlere Aktivitäten nach photoheterotropher Anzucht in einem Medium mit Glutamat als N-Quelle und die höchsten Aktivitäten nach photoautotropher Anzucht mit H₂-CO₂. Die höchsten Raten der H₂-abhängigen CO₂-Fixierung werden ebenfalls nach photoautotropher Anzucht gemessen.

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Studies on the photoautotrophic growth of new isolated nonsulfur purple bacteria at the expense of molecular hydrogen

Summary By incubating samples of mud in a mineral salt medium containing 0.1% NH₄Cl and 0.01% yeast extract under an atmosphere of 90% H₂ and 10% CO₂ in the light, eight strains of nonsulfur purple bacteria capable of photoautotrophic growth at the expense of H₂-CO₂ were enriched and isolated. The bacteria were characterized by their microscopical features and their ability to use various organic compounds for growth. Three strains of Rps. capsulata need thiamine as a growth factor and two strains of R. rubrum biotin. The Rps. gelatinosa strain is dependent on thiamine and nicotinic acid. One of two Rps. palustris strains grows slowly in a medium completely free of growth factors, the other strain is dependent on the presence of 0.01% yeast extract. The growth of all strains is markedly stimulated by small amounts (0.01%) of amino acids or yeast extract. The three Rps. capsulata strains differ significantly from the other strains with regards to their fast photoautotrophic growth (doubling time: 17–23 h in a mineral salt medium with thiamine, 10.5–11 h in a medium with 0.01% yeast extract). The hydrogenase activities of all strains are strongly dependent on the culture conditions. The lowest activities are obtained after photoheterotrophic growth in a medium with NH₄Cl as the nitrogen source, moderate activities after photoheterotrophic growth in a medium with glutamate as the nitrogen source and maximum activities after photoautotrophic growth at the expense of H₂-CO₂. Maximum rates of CO₂-fixation are also obtained after photoautotrophic growth.

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Abkürzungen MB Methylenblau - PHBS Poly--hydroxybuttersäure - R. Rhodospirillum - Rps. Rhodopseudomonas Meinem Vater gewidmet.     

Untersuchungen zum Cytochrom-Oxydase-System aus anaerob im Licht und aerob im Dunkeln gewachsenen Zellen von Rhodopseudomonas capsulata

Zusammenfassung Das aerobe Oxydase-System aus aerob im Dunkeln und anaerob im Licht gewachsenen Zellen von Rps. capsulata wurde untersucht. Die aus Ultraschallextrakten durch 140 000 g-Zentrifugation gewonnen Partikelfraktion katalysiert die Oxydation von NADH, Succinat und reduziertem Cytochrom c (aus Pferdeherz). Die Oxydase-Aktivitäten der Partikel aus aerob im Dunkeln gewachsenen Zellen variieren von 0,10–0,38 mole O₂/min · mg Protein und sind im Durchschnitt 10mal höher als die Oxydase-Aktivitäten der Partikel aus anaerob im Licht gewachsenen Zellen. Die Partikel enthalten Cytochrom vom b-Typ und c-Typ. Cytochrom a konnte weder in den Partikeln aus anaerob im Licht noch in den Partikeln aus aerob im Dunkeln gewachsenen Zellen nachgewiesen werden. In den Partikeln aus aerob gewachsenen Zellen ist das Verhältnis Cytochrom b:Cytochrom c größer als in den Partikeln aus anaerob im Licht gewachsenen Zellen. Die Cytochromoxydase reagiert mit Cytochrom c (aus Pferdeherz), DCPIP und TMPD. Die entsprechenden k _m -Werte betragen 5 · 10^-5 m, 1,5 · 10^-4 m und 2 · 10^-4 m. Die Cytochromoxydase hat ein breites pH-Optimum zwischen pH 8,5 und 9,5. Sättigung der Oxydase mit O₂ tritt erst bei einem Partialdruck von 15 bis 20% O₂ ein. Die Oxydase wird durch KCN und NaN₃ (50% Hemmung bei 10^-5 m), nicht aber durch CO gehemmt. Die Partikel aus aerob im Dunkeln und anaerob im Licht gewachsenen Zellen katalysieren eine mit der Succinat-Oxydation einhergehende Phosphorylierung von ADP mit P/O-Werten von maximal 0,3.

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Studies on the cytochrome oxidase system of ligh-anaerobically and dark-aerobically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas capsulata

Summary The aerobic oxidase-system from dark-aerobically and light-anaerobically grown Rps. capsulata was investigated. The particulate fraction sedimented from ultrasonic extracts by 140,000 g-centrifugation, catalyzed the oxidation of NADH, succinate and reduced cytochrome c (horse heart). The oxidase activities of the particles from dark-aerobically grown cells were in the range of 0.10–0.38 moles O₂/min x mg protein and were usually ten times as high as the oxidase activities from light-grown cells. The particles contain cytochromes of b-type and c-type. Cytochrome of a-type could be detected neither in the particles from light-grown nor in the particles from dark-grown cells. The highest values of the relation between cytochrome b and cytochrome c were found in the particles from darkaerobically grown cells. The cytochrome oxidase reacts with cytochrome c (horse heart), DCPIP and TMPD. The k _m -values are 5×10^-5 m, 1.5×10^-4 m, or 2×10^-4 m, respectively. The cytochrome oxidase exhibits a broad pH-optimum in the range of pH 8.5–9.5. Saturation of the oxidase with O₂ is observed at a partial pressure of 15–20% O₂. The oxidase is inhibited by KCN and NaN₃ (half inhibition at 10^-5 m), but not by CO. The particles from dark-aerobically and light-anaerobically grown cells catalyze phosphorylation of ADP in the dark coupled to the oxidation of succinate with maximum P/O-values of 0.3.

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Abkürzungen ADP Adenosindiphosphat - ATP Adenosintriphosphat - BChl Bacteriochlorophyll - CCCP Carbonylcyanid-m-chlorphenylhydrazon - DCPIP 2,6-Dichlorphenolindophenol - DNP 2,4-Dinitrophenol - NAD(P) Nicotinamid-Adenin-Dinucleotid(phosphat) - NAD(P)H reduziertes NAD(P) - R. Rhodospirillum - Rps. Rhodopseudomonas - TMPD N-Tetramethyl-p-phenylendiamin     

Choline acetyltransferase activity of spinal cord cell cultures increased by co-culture with muscle and by muscle-conditioned medium

Activity of the enzyme choline acetyltransferase (CAT), which mediates the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, was increased up to 20- fold in spinal cord (SC) cells grown in culture with muscle cells for 2 wk. This increase was directly related to the duration of co-culture as well as to the cell density of both the SC and muscle involved and was not affected by the presence of the acetylcholine receptor blocking agent, α-bungarotoxin. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity was often markedly decreased in SC-muscle cultures while the activities of acetylcholinesterase and several other enzymes were little changed. Increased CAT activity was also observed when SC cultures were maintained in medium which had been conditioned by muscle cells or by undifferentiated cells from embryonic muscle. Muscle-conditioned medium (CM) did not affect the activities of SC cell GAD or acetylcholinesterase. Dilution or concentration of the CM directly affected its ability to increase SC CAT activity , as did the duration and timing of exposure of the SC cells to the CM. The medium could be conditioned by muscle cells in the presence or absence of serum, and remained effective after dialysis or heating to 58 degrees C. Membrane filtration data were consistent with the conclusion that the active material(s) in CM had a molecular weight in excess of 50,000 daltons. We conclude that large molecular weight material that is released by muscle cells is capable of producing a specific increase in CAT activity of SC cells.     

Stable expression of mammalian beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase extends the N-glycosylation pathway in insect cells

An established lepidopteran insect cell line (Sf9) was cotransfected with expression plasmids encoding neomycin phosphotransferase and bovine beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase. Neomycin-resistant transformants were selected, assayed for beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase activity, and the transformant with the highest level of enzymatic activity was characterized. Southern blots indicated that this transformed Sf9 cell derivative contained multiple copies of the galactosyltransferase- encoding expression plasmid integrated at a single site in its genome. One-step growth curves showed that these cells supported normal levels of baculovirus replication. Baculovirus infection of the transformed cells stimulated beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase activity almost 5-fold by 12 h postinfection. This was followed by a gradual decline in activity, but the infected cells still had about as much activity as uninfected controls as late as 48 h after infection and they were able to produce a beta 1,4-galactosylated virion glycoprotein during infection. Infection of the transformed cells with a conventional recombinant baculovirus expression vector encoding human tissue plasminogen activator also resulted in the production of a galactosylated end-product. These results demonstrate that stable transformation can be used to add a functional mammalian glycosyltransferase to lepidopteran insect cells and extend their N- glycosylation pathway. Furthermore, stably-transformed insect cells can be used as modified hosts for conventional baculovirus expression vectors to produce foreign glycoproteins with "mammalianized" glycans which more closely resemble those produced by higher eucaryotes.      

Organic nitrogen metabolism of phototrophic bacteria

Recent reviews dealing with phototrophic bacteria are concerned with bioenergetics, nitrogen fixation and hydrogen metabolism, synthesis of the photosynthetic apparatus and phylogeny/taxonomy. The organic N-metabolism of these phylogenetically diverse bacteria has last been reviewed in 1978. However, amino acid utilization and biosynthesis, ammonia assimilation, purine and pyrimidine metabolism and biosynthesis of -aminolevulinic acid as precursor of bacteriochlorophylls and hemes are topics of vital importance. This review focusses on utilization of amino acids as N- and C/N-sources, the pathways of purine and pyrimidine degradation, novel aspects of amino acid biosynthesis (with emphasis on branched-chain amino acids and -aminole-vulinic acid) and some aspects of ammonia assimilation and glutamate synthesis by purple bacteria, green sulfur bacteria and Chloroflexus aurantiacus.Abbreviations R Rhodospirillum - Rhb Rhodobacter - Rc Rhodocyclus - Rp Rhodopila - Rps Rhodopseudomonas     

长春市儿童医院1998～2001年婴幼儿杯状病毒腹泻流行病学研究

人类杯状病毒(human calicivirus,HuCV)是引起儿童和成人非菌性胃肠炎的主要病原之一.为了掌握HuCV在我国的流行情况,1998年7月至2001年6月,从长春市儿童医院2343例5岁以下腹泻患儿中共收集粪便标本1264份,其中1056份来自2135例住院患儿.对轮状病毒检测为阴性的588份标本,经多价酶免疫试验(EIA)和两组引物反转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测HuCV,202份为阳性,其中住院患儿标本178份,HuCV检出率为16.9%.HuCV腹泻以2岁以下儿童为主(占96%),流行高峰季节为11月至次年3月.选择17株HuCV进行分子鉴定,15株属GⅡ-4群,1株属GⅡ-3群,另1株属GⅠ-2群,表明GⅡ-4群HuCV是我国流行的优势株.根据HuCV住院患儿的监测资料初步估计,HuCV腹泻住院率约为0.5‰～2.4‰.讨论了长春地区HuCV的流行趋势和疾病负担.以上结果为我国HuCV腹泻的预防和控制提供了科学依据.     

Tritaenia Maegdefrau et Rudolf, Mesozoic 'Sciadopitys-like' leaves in mass accumulations

The Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous genus Tritaenia Maegdefrau et Rudolf 1969 is problematic because of: (1) missing authentic material of its type species, T. linkii (Roemer 1839) Maegdefrau et Rudolf; and (2) Watson and Harrison's (1998) synonymization of T. linkii with Pseudotorellia heterophylla Watson. This paper: (1) rectifies the status of T. linkii on the basis of newly recovered specimens carrying the original author's authentication; and (2) gives the basis for rejecting Watson and Harrison's claim that T. linkii and T. crassa (Seward) Bose et Manum 1991 represent linear leaves of the heterophyllous taxon Pseudotorellia heterophylla. The three species of Tritaenia known to date (T. crassa, T. linkii, T. scotica) are reviewed, and the genus is compared with other Mesozoic so-called 'Sciadopitys-like' hypostomatic leaves with a median stomatal zone, many of which occur in mass accumulations such as T. linkii. Deciduousness is indicated for T. linkii and T. crassa by their occurrence in mass accumulations and the possession of well-developed abscission scars. Known mass accumulations of fossil foliage are reviewed and their implications for palaeoenvironmental interpretations discussed.