Glucosamine-6-phosphate degradation by Proteus vulgaris and isolation of phosphoglucosaminisomerase

Aron, H. (University of California, Santa Barbara), H. H. Yonenaka, and H. I. Nakada. Glucosamine-6-phosphate degradation by Proteus vulgaris and isolation of phosphoglucosaminisomerase. J. Bacteriol. 87:1123-1128. 1964.-The presence of the enzyme, phosphoglucosaminisomerase, was demonstrated in a strain of Proteus vulgaris. Fructose-6-phosphate and ammonia were shown to be the primary reaction products. The optimal pH was 7.2 with a broad peak. This differs from previously reported bacterial phosphoglucosaminisomerases which had a pH optimum of about 5.8. Other properties of the enzyme are presented.     

Changes in the lectin binding capacities of hepatoma cells after treatment with chondroitinase.

Binding capacities of cells of ascites hepatoma, AH 130 FN, towards lectins were examined before and after treatment with chondroitinase AC. Chondroitin sulfate A was removed from the cells by the enzyme treatment, and the binding capacity of the cells towards $\text{Ricinus communis}$ agglutinin (RCA) increased remarkably while the binding constant was unchanged, whereas that towards Concanavalin A (ConA) remained practically unchanged.     

Simple enzymatic detection method for urinary sulfated 7α-hydroxy bile acids in normal subjects and in patients with acute hepatitis

Urinary sulfated primary bile acids, 7α-hydroxy bile acids, are detected by an enzymatic method using 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.-, 7α-HSD) after chromatographic fractionation on Sephadex G-25. Urinary sulfated or glucuronated bile acids are hydrolyzed by β-glucuronidase/sulfatase (EC 3.2.1.31/EC 3.1.6.1) from Helix pomatia and then released 7α-hydroxy bile acids are detected with 7α-HSD in the presence of β-NAD⁺, diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2, from Clostridium kluyveri) and 2-p-iodophenyl-3-p-nitrophenyl-5-phenyltetrazolium chloride. The absorbance of formazan formed during the enzymic reaction is measured at 500 nm. Excretion values of 7α-hydroxy bile acids in normal subjects and in patients with acute hepatitis were compared. This enzymatic detection method for the excretion pattern of urinary 7α-hydroxy bile acids may be useful for clinical diagnosis.     

Phylogenetic position of a rare loricated green alga, Cephalomonas granulata N. L. Higinb. (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)

Cephalomonas ( Cp .) granulata N. L. Higinb. (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae), a rare volvocalean phytoflagellate, has recently been isolated from a paddy field in Japan and examined by light and fluorescence microscopy. The vegetative cells of Cp . granulata have granulate loricae and a characteristic mushroom-like shape with a hemispherical to spherical anterior part and narrower posterior part. Cp . granulata has been classified among the Phacotaceae along with other loricated genera. However, its phylogenetic position has not been investigated using molecular phylogeny. To evaluate the phylogenetic position of Cephalomonas , the 18S r RNA gene sequence of the Japanese strain was determined. The phylogenetic analyses revealed that Cp . granulata was not closely related to other loricated taxa with known phylogenetic affinities, such as Phacotaceae sensu stricto ( Phacotus , Pteromonas , and Wislouchiella ) and Dysmorphococcus globosus . This indicates at least three independent origins of loricae within the Volvocales.     

An Epidermal Growth Factor Motif from Del1 Protein Increases the Efficiency of In Vivo Gene Transfer with a Non-Viral Vector

Increasing the efficiency of gene transfer using non-viral vectors, which have the potential to be safe and economical, would improve upon available options for gene therapy. We previously reported that the third EGF motif of the extracellular matrix protein Del1 (E3) increases the transfection efficiency of non-viral vector methods. Here, we asked if E3 could increase the in vivo transfection efficiency of a polyplex-based approach. To test this, cDNA encoding a heat-stable alkaline phosphatase (AP) was first injected intravenously into mice along with recombinant E3. After 24 h, exogenous AP activity in serum was measured. We found that the introduction of E3 resulted in 50 % more AP activity as compared to the control. We next tested transfection into a tumour explant of SCCKN cells, an oral carcinoma-derived cell line. To do this, a cDNA encoding yellow fluorescent protein was locally injected into a tumour explant, followed by local injection of recombinant E3. Use of E3 increased the number of transfected cells to 2.5 times that of the control. Histochemical staining revealed that E3-induced apoptosis in a tumour explant. The data suggest that E3 might be a useful tool for cancer gene therapy using non-viral vectors.     

Calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate as root-knot-nematode attractants and possible trap materials to protect crop plants

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs, genus Meloidogyne) are a class of plant parasites that seek out and infect the roots of many plant species. The identification of RKN attractants can be used in agriculture in conjunction with nematode-trapping technology to redirect RKN movements and eventually reduce their prevalence in the field. Here, we discovered that some commercial silica gels can attract nematodes. Silica gels that attract nematodes contain calcium sulfate. Calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate showed strong nematode attraction properties. When plant seeds were surrounded by calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate, nematodes were not attracted to the plant seeds. We propose that calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate can be used in agriculture as a novel material to trap RKN.     

Expression of high activity of ornithine decarboxylase and occurrence of unusual chromophobic cells in anterior pituitary gland of a novel growth-retarded strain of mice, grm/grm

Extremely high activity of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) was detected in the pituitary gland of growth- retarded mice, grm/grm at 2 months after birth. The elevated enzyme activity gradually decreased to the control level in 14 months after birth. In the pituitary gland of the growth-retarded mice, unusual chromophobic cells were also present from the early stages after birth. The chromophobic cells showed conspicuous proliferations and resulted in a distinct hyperplasia of the tissue after 4 months after birth. These findings suggest that OCD is correlated to the progressive transformation of pituitary cells into the chromophobic cells.