Separation of the Polypeptides of Chlamydia and Its Cell Walls by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

The polypeptide composition of Chlamydia was examined by acrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the polypeptide patterns of purified infectious elementary bodies (EB) of C. psittaci meningopneumonitis strain, 6BC strain, and C. trachomatis T'ang strain were compared, no significant differences were observed. The polypeptide patterns of whole EB and reticulate bodies (RB) appeared to overlap, but differences were found. In EB cell walls, nine main and several minor bands of polypeptides were observed in gels containing sodium lauryl sulfate, and the eighth main band from the top of the gel stained positive with periodic acid-Schiff reagent. On the other hand, the polypeptides in bands 3, 6, and 8 in EB cell walls were missing or minor in RB cell walls, and the ninth band was clearly stained by PAS. Band 8 was also stained slightly. Purified subunits, which occur as a lattice structure on the inside layer of EB cell walls but are largely missing in RB cell walls, contained bands 4, 6, and 8, and band 8 was PAS positive. These results indicate that significant polypeptide synthesis or reorganization in the cell walls occurs during the growth cycle.     

Cytogenetics of ticks (Acari: Ixodoidea)

Chromosomes and sex determination of 9 species of Haemaphysalis assigned to 4 subgenera are described. H. (tAlloceraea) kitaokai possesses an XX∶XO sex chromosome system with 18 autosomes plus XX in females; 18 plus X in males. H. (Kaiseriana) hystricis has 18 +XX and 18 + XY in females and males, respectively, in most specimens, but a supernumerary chromosome is present in some individuals. A supernumerary chromosome was also observed in 1 male H. (Aborphysalis) formosensis. These two species are the second and third species of ticks reported to have supernumerary chromosomes. H. formosensis, H. (Kaiseriana) bispinosa, H. (Haemaphysalis) campanulata, H. (H.) flava, H. (H.) megaspinosa, H. (H.) japonica, and H. (H.) pentalagi possess 20 autosomes plus 2 sex chromosomes in females and 20+1 sex chromosomes in males. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Haemaphysalis are briefly discussed.     

Formation of cobalt-porphyrin by Corynebacterium simplex grown on hydrocarbon media

A vitamin B₁₂-producing and hydrocarbon-utilizing bacterium, Corynebacterium simplex, accumulated an appreciable amount of cobalt-porphyrin in cultural filtrates when grown on a n-hexadecane medium containing sufficient amounts of cobaltous sulfate and an appropriate detergent. When grown without the detergent, the cobalt-porphyrin was found only in the cells of the organism. In the latter case, the content of cobalt-porphyrin was comparable to that of vitamin B₁₂ and 7 times lower than that of iron-porphyrin. Though the organism required cobaltous sulfate for optimal growth, the requirement could be efficiently replaced by the supplementation of cobalt-porphyrin and partly of vitamin B₁₂. The porphyrin moieties of extra- and intracellular cobalt-porphyrin were identified as coproporphyrin III in both cases.