Involvement of P1 adhesin in gliding motility of Mycoplasma pneumoniae as revealed by the inhibitory effects of antibody under optimized gliding conditions

To examine the participation of P1 adhesin in gliding of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, we examined the effects of an anti-P1 monoclonal antibody on individual gliding mycoplasmas. The antibody reduced the gliding speed and removed the gliding cells from the glass over time in a concentration-dependent manner but had only a slight effect on nongliding cells, suggesting that the conformational changes of P1 adhesin and its displacement are involved in the gliding mechanism.     

Stereoselective reduction of ketones by various vegetables

Reduction of (+)-and (−)-camphorquinones (1a, 1b) by various vegetables (carrot, potato, sweet potato, apple, Japanese radish, cucumber, burdock and onion) gave -hydroxycamphor selectively. Using burdock, (+)-camphorquinone was reduced to give (−)-3S-exo-hydroxycamphor (4a) as major product in high stereoselectivity with high yield. Moreover, 1,2-cyclohexanedione (1c) and 2-methylcyclohexanone (1d) with various vegetables afford enantiomerically pure trans- and/or cis-alcohol, respectively. Various vegetable reduction gave a new idea of a biotechnological process.     

Biofuel cell system employing thermostable glucose dehydrogenase

Enzyme biofuel cells utilizing glucose dehydrogenase as an anode enzyme were constructed. The glucose dehydrogenase is composed of a catalytic subunit, an electron transfer subunit, and a chaperon-like subunit. Cells, constructed using either a glucose dehydrogenase catalytic subunit or a glucose dehydrogenase complex, displayed power outputs that were dependent on the glucose concentration. The catalytic subunit in the anode maintained its catalytic activity for 24 h of operation. The biofuel cell which composed of glucose dehydrogenase complex functioned successfully even in the absence of an electron mediator at the anode cell. These results indicate the potential application of this thermostable glucose dehydrogenase for the construction of a compartment-less biofuel cell.     

A new IFN-like cytokine, limitin, modulates the immune response without influencing thymocyte development.

A novel IFN-like molecule, limitin, was recently identified and revealed to suppress B lymphopoiesis through the IFN-alphabeta receptor, although it lacked growth suppression on myeloid and erythroid progenitors. Here we have studied diverse effects of limitin on T lymphocytes and compared limitin with previously known IFNs. Like IFN-alpha and -beta, limitin modified immunity in the following responses. It suppressed mitogen- and Ag-induced T cell proliferation through inhibiting the responsiveness to exogenous IL-2 rather than suppressing the production of IL-2. In contrast, limitin enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity associated with the perforin-granzyme pathway. To evaluate the effect of limitin in vivo, a lethal graft-versus-host disease assay was established. Limitin-treatment of host mice resulted in the enhancement of graft-versus-host disease. Limitin did not influence thymocyte development either in fetal thymus organ cultures or in newborn mice injected with limitin-Ig, suggesting that limitin is distinguishable from IFN-alpha and -beta. From these findings, it can be speculated that the human homolog of limitin may be applicable for clinical usage because of its IFN-like activities with low adverse effects on, for example, T lymphopoiesis, erythropoiesis, and myelopoiesis.     

Identification of proteins encoded in Escherichia coli hydA, hydB and analysis of the hydA locus

The hydB gene of Escherichia coli, which is related with the expression of hydrogenase activity, was cloned into the plasmid (pES1). Using the maxicell protein-labeling method, the molecular weight of hydB gene product was estimated. Comparing between the gene products from the mutant strains and that of the hydB genes cloned strains, the molecular weight of the gene product was 35,000 Mr. Similarly, the molecular weight of the gene product of hydA, which had been previously cloned, was determined by maxicell analysis. The molecular weight of hydA gene product was estimated to be 80,000 Mr. Using deletion analysis and Tn1000 insertional inactivation of hydA's function, the hydA coding region was estimated between 2.2 kb and 2.8 kb in a 3.1 kb EcoRI-MluI fragment on the recombinant plasmid pEH3.     

Biodegradation of Alkylbenzene Sulfonates (ABS) by Microorganisms in a Private Cesspool

In occidental countries, the biodegradation of synthetic detergents has become one of the important problems in relation to the water quality protection programs. Their detergent industries are going to change active ingredient in detergent formulation from the non-biodegradable tetrapropylene-derived ABS (TBS) to the biodegradable Linear Alkylate Sulfonates (LAS). In our country, cesspools are served as domestic sewage disposal systems in very many homes, so that, it is necessary to observe the biodegradability of LAS in the cesspool.