Effect of Phosphate on the Corrosion of Carbon Steel and on the Composition of Corrosion Products in Two-Stage Continuous Cultures of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

A field isolate of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was grown in defined medium in a two-stage continuous culture apparatus with different concentrations of phosphate in the feed medium. The first state (V1) was operated as a conventional chemostat (D = 0.045 h⁻¹) that was limited in energy source (lactate) or phosphate. The second stage (V2) received effluent from V1 but no additional nutrients, and contained a healthy population of transiently starved or resting cells. An increase in the concentration of phosphate in the medium fed to V1 resulted in increased corrosion rates of carbon steel in both V1 and V2. Despite the more rapid corrosion observed in growing cultures relative to that in resting cultures, corrosion products that were isolated under strictly anaerobic conditions from the two culture modes had similar bulk compositions which varied with the phosphate content of the medium. Crystalline mackinawite (Fe₉S₈), vivianite [Fe₃(PO₄)₂ · 8H₂O], and goethite [FeO(OH)] were detected in amounts which varied with the culture conditions. Chemical analyses indicated that the S in the corrosion product was almost exclusively in the form of sulfides, while the P was present both as phosphate and as unidentified components, possibly reduced P species. Some differential localization of S and P was observed in intact corrosion products. Cells from lactate-limited, but not from phosphate-limited, cultures contained intracellular granules that were enriched in P and Fe. The results are discussed in terms of several proposed mechanisms of microbiologically influenced corrosion.     

Relevance of the lariat model to the splicing of the H-2 gene family

We examined the splicing of the H-2 gene family, taking the H-2Kd as a prototype, in the framework of the lariat model. We mainly investigated the mechanism described by Konarska et al. [Nature (Lond.) 313, 552-557 (1985)] who propose a direct interaction between the 5' splicing site and the branching region. We also checked each of the H-2 introns for the presence of patterns resembling the published consensus for the branching region. The known splicing events in the H-2 gene family are not always consistent with the current models, and our results indicate that slightly different mechanisms govern the splicing of different introns. A tentative explanation of the alternative splicing of the first and last intron, previously described, is given. The removal of the large third intron is not easily rationalized unless new rules for an additional multistep processing are postulated.     

Zur Analyse der VitalfÄrbung in Gegenwart von HuminsÄure

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Protoporphyrin Treatment Modulates Susceptibility to Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in miR-155-Deficient Mice

We previously identified heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) as a specific target of miR-155, and inhibition of HO-1 activity restored the capacity of miR-155 ^-/- CD4⁺ T cells to promote antigen-driven inflammation after adoptive transfer in antigen-expressing recipients. Protoporphyrins are molecules recognized for their modulatory effect on HO-1 expression and function. In the present study, we investigated the effect of protoporphyrin treatment on the development of autoimmunity in miR-155-deficient mice. MiR-155-mediated control of HO-1 expression in promoting T cell-driven chronic autoimmunity was confirmed since HO-1 inhibition restored susceptibility to experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in miR-155-deficient mice. The increased severity of the disease was accompanied by an enhanced T cell infiltration into the brain. Taken together, these results underline the importance of miR-155-mediated control of HO-1 expression in regulating the function of chronically-stimulated T cells in EAE.     

Isolation and characterization of Zymomonas mobilis mutants resistant to octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride,a detergent acting on hopanoid-producing bacteria

Growth of the hopanoid-producing bacterium Zymomonas mobilis was inhibited at low concentrations of the cationic detergent octadecyltrimethylammoniumchloride (OTAC). A relationship between sensitivity of Zymomonas mobilis to OTAC, presence of hopanoids and ethanol tolerance was postulated. Mutants resistant to OTAC were isolated from strains ZM1 and ZM4. They did not present any alteration of the hopanoid content and their squalene cyclases showed the same sensitity to OTAC as the parent enzymes. Resistance to OTAC paralleled pleiotropic effects including, enhanced accessibility of the membrane-bound alkaline phosphatase, important release of proteins from cells by Tris/HCl treatment, increased resistance to antibiotics and increased sensitivity to ethanol. In addition, OTAC^R mutants were also characterized by the synthesis or the overproduction of an outer membrane protein (F53) not detected on 2D-PAGE maps of parent strains and by a normal heat shock response. The role of hopanoids, heat shock proteins, protein F53 and membrane organization in ethanol tolerance is discussed.Abbreviations OTAC octadecyltrimethylammoniumchloride - SLS sodium lauryl sarcosinate