Mineral salt requirements of Bacillus globisporus subsp. marinus strains

The mineral salt requirements of four isolates of Bacillus globisporus subsp. marinus and of two terrestrial strains of B. globisporus were investigated. In contrast to the terrestrial reference strains the marine isolates showed an obligate requirement for sodium and potassium. The sodium ion could not be replaced by potassium or by osmotically equivalent concentrations of mannitol. None of the strains proved to be dependent upon Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺. The B. globisporus subsp. marinus strains are considered true marine bacteria. The criteria used to distinguish between marine and terrestrial Gram-negative bacteria can also be applied for Gram-positive bacteria.     

Metabolic products of microorganisms. 192. The anthraquinones of the Aspergillus glaucus group. II. Biological activity

From the mycelia of Aspergillus cristatus the following anthraquionic pigments were isolated: catenarin, emodin, erythroglaucin, rubrocristin, physcion, physcion-9-anthrone, questin, viocristin, and isoviocristin. The latter two do not belong to the 9, 10-anthraquinone series but to the 1,4-anthraquinones, and so far they have not been reported among naturally occurring quinones.Emodin, catenarin, viocristin, and isoviocristin snowed antibacterial activity with minimal inhibitory concentrations ranging from 1–10 g/ml. In Bacillus brevis catenarin and emodin inhibited the incorporation of uracil and leucine preferentially. At higher concentrations the incorporation of thymidine into the trichloroacetic acid-precipitable fraction of cells was also affected. In the presence of viocristin or isoviocristin all three macromolecular syntheses came to a halt. Rubrocristin, erythroglaucin, and physcion showed no significant inhibitory effects.In Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells catenarin, emodin, and viocristin inhibited the incorporation of uridine and thymidine. The incorporation of leucine was hardly affected.In vitro, inhibition of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Escherichia coli by catenarin and to a lesser extent by emodin was observed, whereas rubrocristin (catenarin-8-methyl ether), physcion, and erythroglaucin were not active.Abbreviations MIC minimal inhibitory concentration - TCA trichloroacetic acid - ECA Ehrlich ascites carcinoma Metabolic Products of Microorganisms. 191. W. Keller-Schierlein und B. Joos; Über das 4-Oxohomotyrosin, ein Abbauprodukt des Echinocandins. Helv. Chim. Acta (in press)     

Na+-driven Ca2+ transport in alkalophilic Bacillus

Ca²⁺ transport was studied in membrane vesicles of alkalophilic Bacillus. When Na⁺-loaded membrane vesicles were suspended in KHCO₃/KOH buffer (pH 10) containing Ca²⁺, rapid uptake of Ca²⁺ was observed. The apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ value for Ca²⁺ measured at pH 10 was about 7 μM, and the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ value shifted to 24 μM when measured at pH 7.4. The efflux of Ca²⁺ was studied with Ca²⁺-loaded vesicles. Ca²⁺ was released when Ca²⁺-loaded vesicles were suspended in medium containing 0.4 M Na⁺.Ca²⁺ was also transported in membrane vesicles driven by an artificial pH gradient and by a membrane potential generated by K⁺-valinomycin in the presence of Na⁺.These results indicate the presence of Ca²⁺/Na⁺ and H⁺/Na⁺ antiporters in the alkalophilic Bacillus A-007.     

Proton-motive force and the motile behavior of Bacillus subtilis

Changes in the proton-motive force cause a transient change in the motile behavior of Bacillus subtilis cells. Both an increase and a decrease in the proton-motive force cause transient tumbling. Simultaneous decrease of proton-motive force and increase of attractant concentration lessens the response toward the attractant. A simultaneous increase of proton-motive force and increase of attractant concentration prolonges the response toward attractant. A hypothesis explaining the various effects is given.Abbreviations KT medium potassium taxis medium - NaT medium sodium taxis medium - HT medium acidic taxis medium - OHT medium alkaline taxis medium - DNP 2,4-dinitrophenol     

Some physiological functions of the L-leucine dehydrogenase in Bacillus subtilis

Mutants of Bacillus subtilis constitutive for L-leucine dehydrogenase synthesis were selected. Using these mutants we could determine two functional roles for the L-leucine dehydrogenase. This enzyme liberates ammonium ions from branched chain amino acids when supplied as the sole nitrogen source. Another function is to synthesize from L-isoleucine, L-leucine, and L-valine the branched chain -keto acids which are precursors of branched chain fatty acid biosynthesis. These results together with the inducibility of the enzyme suggest that the L-leucine dehydrogenase has primarily a catabolic rather than an anabolic function in the metabolism of Bacillus subtilis.     

Cytokine gene polymorphisms are associated with risk of urinary bladder cancer and recurrence after BCG immunotherapy

The association of interleukin-1β (IL-1B) -511C?>?T and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RN) VNTR, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-B1) +28C?>?T and interferon-γ (IFN-G)?+?874T>A polymorphisms with bladder cancer (CaB) susceptibility and risk of recurrence in Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)-treated patients was analyzed in 287 controls and 213 CaB patients (73 BCG treated). Increased risk was observed with the IL-1RN*2 allele (odds ratio (OR) 5.01) and the IFN-G +874 A allele (OR 1.78). TGF-B TT and IFN-G +874 A carriers were associated with reduced (hazard ratio (HR) 0.37) and enhanced (HR 2.24) risk of recurrence after BCG immunotherapy, respectively. The study suggests that cytokine gene variants may modulate CaB susceptibility and risk of recurrence after BCG immunotherapy.     

Occurrence of two serologically distinct groups within Bacillus thuringiensis serotype 3 ab var. kurstaki

Two groups distinguishable on the basis of crystal serology have been identified within Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (serotype 3 ab). The toxicities of these two groups to Trichoplusia ni and Heliothis virescens expressed as $\text{T}\text{H}$ ratio also differed. It is suggested that serotype 3 ab be separated into two subgroups designated as K-1 and K-73.     

Inhibition of acid production in Streptococcus mutans R9: Inhibition constants and reversibility

Abstract The pac gene encoding the penicillin G acylase (PGA) of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 14945 has been cloned in Escherichia coli HB101 ( proA, leuB ) using a selective minimal medium containing phenylacetyl-L-leucine instead of L-leucine. The nucleotide sequence of this gene has been determined and contains an open reading frame of 2406 nucleotides. The deduced amino acid sequence shows significant similarity with other β-lactam acylases. Although the PGA of B. megaterium is extracellular, the enzyme produced in E. coli appears to have a cytoplasmic localization.