Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Thermophilic, Freshwater Methanogen

A novel thermophilic, coccoid methanogen isolated from nonthermal freshwater sediments is described. Hydrogen plus carbon dioxide and formate were substrates for methanogenesis, and methane production was stimulated by yeast extract, Casamino Acids, and tryptose. Growth also occurred autotrophically. Elevated levels of sodium chloride were not required for maximum growth and were inhibitory above 2%. The minimum doubling time occurred at 57°C, and the upper and lower limits for methane production were 62 and 26°C, respectively. The optimum pH for growth was between 7.0 and 7.5. Inhibitory antibiotics included metronidazole, anisomycin, chloramphenicol, and lasalocid. Colonies were circular, dark yellow, shiny, and convex with entire edges. Cells were 1 to 2.5 μm in diameter, nonmotile, occurring singly or in pairs, and fimbriated. Cells were lysed by pronase or trypsin digestion, glass-distilled water, and 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Electron micrographs of thin sections showed a monolayered cell wall ca. 20 nm thick. The DNA base ratio was 49.2 mol% guanine plus cytosine. The whole cell protein pattern differed from that of other named coccoid methanogens.     

Further purification and characterization of human 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase Evidence for broad specificity

Further purification of a human placental 3-methyladenine-DNA glycosylase by phosphocellulose column chromatography yielded a 6000-fold increase in specific activity with greater than 5% recovery. Although 3-methyladenine was the predominant base released from double-stranded methylated DNA by this enzyme, minor releasing activities for 7-methylguanine and 3-methylguanine were also observed. During purification, the three DNA glycosylase activities consistently copurified with constant ratios of specific activity. Moreover, all the activities were heat-inactivated at 50°C at the same rate, required double-stranded methylated DNA as substrate, were inhibited by spermine and spermidine, and were not subject to product inhibition. These data strengthen the likelihood that the three activities are associated with a single DNA glycosylase.     

In vitro transformation of petunia cells by an improved method of co-cultivation with A. tumefaciens strains

Summary A method (termed co-cultivation) for transforming plant cells in vitro with A. tumefaciens strains, which was originally developed by Marton et al. (1978) Nature 277: 129–131, has been modified by the incorporation of a novel feeder plate culture system and been extended to use with petunia protoplasts. Using efficient cell plating and selection conditions for phytohormone-independent growth, large numbers of independent transformed calli can be obtained efficiently (10^-1) and in less than 3 weeks following protoplast isolation. Southern hybridization analysis has confirmed that the majority of the resulting in vitro transformants contain a single copy of full length T-DNA.The high efficiency of this procedure allows simple screening to identify plant cells transformed by Ti plasmids attenuated by deletion of internal T-DNA regions. Results are presented that demonstrate the co-cultivation method can be used in conjunction with short term assays for monitoring plant gene expression.     

Measurement of the inorganic pyrophosphate in tissues of Pisum sativum L.

Purified pyrophosphate: fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase (EC 2.7.1.90) was used to measure the inorganic pyrophosphate in unfractionated extracts of tissues of Pisum sativum L. The fructose 1,6-bisphosphate produced by the above enzyme was measured by coupling to NADH oxidation via aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13), triosephosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.1) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.8). Amounts of pyrophosphate as low as 1 nmol could be measured. The contents of pyrophosphate in the developing embryo of pea, and in the apical 2 cm of the roots, were appreciable; 9.4 and 8.9 nmol g^-1 fresh weight, respectively. The possibility that pyrophosphate acts in vivo as an energy source for pyrophosphate: fructose 6-phosphate 1-phosphotransferase and for UDPglucose pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.9) is considered.     

Arachnoid mater of the bullfrog,Rana catesbeiana

Summary In the bullfrog, the meninges surrounding the central nervous system include an arachnoid mater that contains layers of cells with abundant intermediate filaments (IFs) having unique organizational characteristics. This membrane contains an inner lamina of cells that resemble fibroblasts and an outer lamina of flattened cells that are almost filled with IFs. The IFs of the outer arachnoid are arranged in compact, arching bundles that lie parallel to the outer surface of the central nervous system. Thus, sections cut tangentially to the membrane reveal bending of filament bundles, whereas transverse sections do not. In some cells bordering the subdural space, bundles of filaments are organized into highly-ordered spiral arrays. Attachments to the numerous desmosomes and, apparently, to the nuclear envelope suggest anchoring of cytoplasmic structures by the IF system. Microtubules occur primarily near the plasma membrane and the nucleus. Numerous caveolae also are associated with the plasma membrane.The unusual abundance, organization, and cytoplasmic relations of IFs in the bullfrog arachnoid suggest that this membrane may serve as an important model for study of fundamental cytoskeletal relations and function.     

Autoradiographic localization of ornithine decarboxylase in mouse kidney by use of radiolabeled α-difluoromethylornithine

Summary Ornithine decarboxylase, a key enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis and cell growth, has been localized in mouse kidney by autoradiography after administration of radiolabeled -difluoromethylornithine. This drug is an enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase and forms a covalent bond with the enzyme. It was found that ornithine decarboxylase is present in all cell types studied but that the highest content occurs in the proximal convoluted tubules followed by the distal convoluted tubules and the collecting tubules. The majority of the enzyme is located in the cytoplasm but about 10–15% is present in the nuclei (often associated with nucleolus-like components) of the cells of the proximal and distal convoluted tubules. The labeled ornithine decarboxylase was lost rapidly from both nucleus and cytoplasm of all the cell types examined, and labeling by radioactive -difluoromethylornithine was greatly reduced if the mice were pretreated for 5 h with cycloheximide to block protein synthesis. These results indicate that ornithine decarboxylase turns over rapidly in all of the cells.     

Inversions and other unusual heteromorphisms detected by C-banding

Summary Sixteen patients with unusual heteromorphisms involving alterations of the length and/or position of centromeric heterochromatin are described. Family studies showed that the heteromorphisms were present in other relatives and segregated in the expected 1:1 ratio. There was a significantly greater frequency of unusual heteromorphisms among Orientals than in other races studied.     

Immunological effects of cancer chemotherapy in malignant melanoma

Summary The effects on the immune system of highdose cyclical combination chemotherapy were studied in nine patients with advanced malignant melanoma. Chemotherapy consisted of monthly cycles of dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide 150 mg/m² i.v. daily from days 1–5, cyclophosphamide 1000 mg/m² i.v. on day 5, and vincristine 1.4 mg/m² i.v. on day 5.Immunological testing was carried out prior to treatment and at weekly intervals during the first month.B, T and non-B, non-T cell numbers all tended to fall early in the cycle as did the phytohaemagglutinin(PHA)-induced transformation and PHA-induced cytotoxicity to chicken red cells. Although PHA-induced transformation and cytotoxicity usually returned to normal by day 29, B and T cell numbers often remained subnormal. In contrast, levels for antibody-dependent, cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) were relatively stable throughout the cycle. Two patients with subsequent tumour response to therapy had rebound supranormal PHA transformations between weeks 1 and 3 of the first cycle. No other changes correlated with prognosis in individual patients.Analysis of the temporal relationships between PHA transformation, PHA-induced cytotoxicity, and ADCC supported the concept that the three assays reflect the function of separate mononuclear cell subpopulations.The stability of ADCC is of particular interest in view of other work suggesting that this function may be important in immune responses to tumours, including melanoma.Work was supported by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Western Australian Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation, and the Cancer Council of Western Australia