Deposition of pectin/poly-L-lysine multilayers with pectins of varying degrees of esterification

The effect of pectin esterification on the assembly of multilayers consisting of poly-L-lysine (PLL) and pectin was studied using surface plasmon resonance (SPR), Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflection spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), and a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCMD). With each layer deposited, there was a progressive increase in mass. The net charge of the multilayers was positive and increased with increasing degree of esterification of the pectin. Multilayer fabrication involved a limited fractionation of the pectin preparations, with the more highly esterified pectins having a weaker affinity for PLL. The multilayers were relatively hydrated structures with estimates of solids content in the range 10-32% w/w. The more highly esterified pectins had a tendency to form more hydrated structures, which showed a strong deswelling when PLL was added to a freshly deposited pectin layer.     

A new ethanolamine phosphate-containing variant of the O-antigen of Shigella flexneri type 4a

The O-specific polysaccharide (O-antigen) structure of a Shigella flexneri type 4a strain from the Dysentery Reference Laboratory (London, UK) was elucidated in 1978 and its characteristic feature was found to be α-d-glucosylation of GlcNAc at position 6, which defines O-factor IV. Our NMR spectroscopic studies of the O-specific polysaccharides of two other strains belonging to S. flexneri type 4a (G1668 from Adelaide, Australia, and 1359 from Moscow, Russia) confirmed the carbohydrate backbone structure but revealed in both strains an additional component, ethanolamine phosphate (EtnP), attached at position 3 of one of the rhamnose residues:

Full-size image (5K)

Phosphorylation has not been hitherto reported in any S. flexneri O-antigen. Reinvestigation of the O-specific polysaccharide of S. flexneri type 4b showed that it is not phosphorylated and confirmed its structure established earlier.     

First evidence of Wolbachia infection in populations of grasshopper Podisma sapporensis (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

The brachypterous grasshopper Podisma sapporensis (Orthoptera: Acrididae) is distributed throughout the Sakhalin, Kunashir and Hokkaido Islands. Karyotypes of this species consist of two major chromosomal races with different sex chromosome systems, XO/XX and XY/XX. Molecular phylogeographic analysis of the chromosome races and subraces confirms the genetic divergence of the races and subraces in P. sapporensis. Here we first report that P. sapporensis is infected with Wolbachia consisting of three variants on wsp locus, while gatB locus was monomorphic. Furthermore, observation of cell tissue of P. sapporensis using electron microscopy confirmed the infection of Wolbachia that was inferred from polymerase chain reaction and revealed the distribution of the bacteria in the head, thorax and abdomen of P. sapporensis embryos. Our finding may shed new light on Wolbachia as a possible agent causing hybrid dysfunction resulting from experimental crosses between chromosome races or subraces of P. sapporensis.     

Potential role of transforming growth factor beta1 in drug resistance of tumor cells

Acquired drug resistance of tumor cells is frequently observed in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. We studied murine leukemia L1210 cells sensitive and resistant to the cytotoxic action of cisplatin and showed that cisplatin-resistant leukemia cells were also refractory to TGF beta1-dependent growth inhibition and apoptosis. Addressing the question about the mechanisms responsible for the cross-resistance to cisplatin and TGF beta1, we found that cisplatin- and TGF beta1-resistant L1210 cells possessed a decreased expression of type I TGF beta1 receptor, while the expression of type II TGF beta1 receptor was not affected. Western blot analysis of Smad proteins 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, which participate in signal transduction pathway down-stream of the TGF beta1 receptors, revealed an increased expression of Smad 6, inhibiting TGF beta1 action, only in cisplatin- and TGF beta1-resistant L1210 cells. TGF beta1 and especially the cytotoxic mistletoe agglutinin increased Smad 6 expression in TGF beta1-sensitive but not in TGF beta1-resistant L1210 cells. TGF beta1-resistant L1210 cells also differed from TGF beta1-sensitive cells by the lack of expression of the pro-apoptotic p53 protein and higher level of expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Thus, the described co-expression of tumor cell refractoriness to an anti-cancer drug and to the inhibitory cytokine TGF beta1 is accompanied by multiple changes in the TGF beta1 signal transduction pathway and in other regulatory systems of the target cells. Besides, we found that various anti-tumor drugs and cytotoxic plant lectins increased the level of TGF beta1 expression in both TGFbeta1-sensitive and -resistant L1210 cells. A hypothesis is proposed that TGFbeta1 can at least partly mediate the effect of cell-stressing agents and, thus, the development of TGF beta1 resistance may be responsible for the appearance of tumor cell refractoriness to the action of some anti-cancer drugs.     

Pectin-chitosan multilayer formation

The deposition of alternating layers of pectin and chitosan at a solid surface was studied using surface plasmon resonance. The binding of biopolymer to the surface was irreversible over the time scales examined. The deposition was dependent on the flow rate through the measurement cell with mass transport limitation at lower flow rates. The thickness of the deposited layer was dependent on the biopolymer concentration and was particularly marked for pectin. This was consistent with a process of initial attachment, followed by a slower structural rearrangement, which was inhibited at high initial surface concentrations of adsorbed biopolymer. Sequential deposition resulted in the formation of multilayers with an essentially linear growth rate.     

The virulent Wolbachia strain wMelPop increases the frequency of apoptosis in the female germline cells of Drosophila melanogaster

Background

Wolbachia are bacterial endosymbionts of many arthropod species in which they manipulate reproductive functions. The distribution of these bacteria in the Drosophila ovarian cells at different stages of oogenesis has been amply described. The pathways along which Wolbachia influences Drosophila oogenesis have been, so far, little studied. It is known that Wolbachia are abundant in the somatic stem cell niche of the Drosophila germarium. A checkpoint, where programmed cell death, or apoptosis, can occur, is located in region 2a/2b of the germarium, which comprises niche cells. Here we address the question whether or not the presence of Wolbachia in germarium cells can affect the frequency of cyst apoptosis in the checkpoint.

Results

Our current fluorescent microscopic observations showed that the wMel and wMelPop strains had different effects on female germline cells of D. melanogaster. The Wolbachia strain wMel did not affect the frequency of apoptosis in cells of the germarium. The presence of the Wolbachia strain wMelPop in the D. melanogaster^w1118 ovaries increased the number of germaria where cells underwent apoptosis in the checkpoint. Based on the appearance in the electron microscope, there was no difference in morphological features of apoptotic cystocytes between Wolbachia-infected and uninfected flies. Bacteria with normal ultrastructure and large numbers of degenerating bacteria were found in the dying cyst cells.

Conclusions

Our current study demonstrated that the Wolbachia strain wMelPop affects the egg chamber formation in the D. melanogaster ovaries. This led to an increase in the number of germaria containing apoptotic cells. It is suggested that Wolbachia can adversely interfere either with the cystocyte differentiation into the oocyte or with the division of somatic stem cells giving rise to follicle cells and, as a consequence, to improper ratio of germline cells to follicle cells and, ultimately, to apoptosis of cysts. There was no similar adverse effect in D. melanogaster Canton S infected with the Wolbachia strain wMel. This was taken to mean that the observed increase in frequency of apoptosis was not the general effect of Wolbachia on germline cells of D. melanogaster, it was rather induced by the virulent Wolbachia strain wMelPop.

     

The geometry of diphtheria toxoid CRM197 channel assessed by thiazolium salts and nonelectrolytes

The geometry of the channel formed by nontoxic derivative of diphtheria toxin CRM197 in lipid bilayer was determined using the dependence of single-channel conductance upon the hydrodynamic radii of different nonelectrolytes. It was found that the cis entrance of CRM197 channel on the side of membrane to which the toxoid was added at pH 4.8 and the trans entrance on the opposite side at pH 6.0 had effective radii of 3.90 and 3.48 Å, respectively. The 3-alkyloxycarbonylmethyl-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1,3-thiazolium salts reversibly reduced current via CRM197 channels. The potency of the blockers increased with increasing length of alkyl chain at symmetric pH 6.0 and remained high and stable at pH 4.8 on the cis side. Comparative analysis of CRM197 and amphotericin B pore size with the inhibitory action of thiazolium salts revealed a significant increase in CRM197 pore dimension at pH 6.0. Addition of thiazolium salt with nine carbons alkyl tail increased by ～30% the viability of human carcinoma cells A431 treated with diphtheria toxin.     

Mechanism and diversity of the erythromycin esterase family of enzymes

Macrolide antibiotics such as azithromycin and erythromycin are mainstays of modern antibacterial chemotherapy, and like all antibiotics, they are vulnerable to resistance. One mechanism of macrolide resistance is via drug inactivation: enzymatic hydrolysis of the macrolactone ring catalyzed by erythromycin esterases, EreA and EreB. A genomic enzymology approach was taken to gain insight into the catalytic mechanisms and origins of Ere enzymes. Our analysis reveals that erythromycin esterases comprise a separate group in the hydrolase superfamily, which includes homologues of uncharacterized function found on the chromosome of Bacillus cereus, Bcr135 and Bcr136, whose three-dimensional structures have been determined. Biochemical characterization of Bcr136 confirms that it is an esterase that is, however, unable to inactivate macrolides. Using steady-state kinetics, homology-based structure modeling, site-directed mutagenesis, solvent isotope effect studies, pH, and inhibitor profiling performed in various combinations for EreA, EreB, and Bcr136 enzymes, we identified the active site and gained insight into some catalytic features of this novel enzyme superfamily. We rule out the possibility of a Ser/Thr nucleophile and show that one histidine, H46 (EreB numbering), is essential for catalytic function. This residue is proposed to serve as a general base in activation of a water molecule as the reaction nucleophile. Furthermore, we show that EreA, EreB, and Bcr136 are distinct, with only EreA inhibited by chelating agents and hypothesized to contain a noncatalytic metal. Detailed characterization of these esterases allows for a direct comparison of the resistance determinants, EreA and EreB, with their prototype, Bcr136, and for the discussion of their potential connections.     

Effects of cor15a-IPT gene expression on leaf senescence in transgenic Petunia x hybrida and Dendranthema x grandiflorum

To prevent leaf senescence of young transplants or excised shoots during storage under dark and cold conditions, the cytokinin biosynthetic gene isopentenyl transferase (ipt) was placed under the control of a cold-inducible promoter cor15a from Arabidopsis thaliana and introduced into Petunia x hybrida 'Marco Polo Odyssey' and Dendranthema x grandiflorum (chrysanthemum) 'Iridon'. Transgenic cor15a-ipt petunia and chrysanthemum plants and excised leaves remained green and healthy during prolonged dark storage (4 weeks at 25 degrees C) after an initial exposure to a brief cold-induction period (4 degrees C for 72 h). However, cor15a-ipt chrysanthemum plants and excised leaves that were not exposed to a cold-induction period, senesced under the same dark storage conditions. Regardless of cold-induction treatment, leaves and plants of non-transformed plants senesced under prolonged dark storage. Analysis of ipt expression indicated a marked increase in gene expression in intact transgenic plants as well as in isolated transgenic leaves exposed to a short cold-induction treatment prior to dark storage. These changes correlated with elevated concentrations of cytokinins in transgenic leaves after cold treatment. Cor15a-ipt transgenic plants showed a normal phenotype when grown at 25 degrees C.