Rapid distinction between Leptonema and Leptospira by PCR amplification of 16S-23S ribosomal DNA spacer

Abstract The protein-D2 porin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is lacking in carbapenem or fluoroquinolone-resistant strains and hence was thought to facilitate the diffusion of these antibiotics. We examined the effect of several antibiotics on the single channel conductivity of protein-D2 in planar lipid bilayers and found that fluoroquinolones and carbapenems at concentrations of around 1 mM caused closure of the protein-D2 channel. Tetracycline, ampicillin, piperacillin, and latamoxef did not exert any detectable effect on the protein-D2 channel activity.     

A multidomain outer membrane protein from Pasteurella multocida: Modelling and simulation studies of PmOmpA

PmOmpA is a two-domain outer membrane protein from Pasteurella multocida. The N-terminal domain of PmOmpA is a homologue of the transmembrane β-barrel domain of OmpA from Escherichia coli, whilst the C-terminal domain of PmOmpA is a homologue of the extra-membrane Neisseria meningitidis RmpM C-terminal domain. This enables a model of a complete two domain PmOmpA to be constructed and its conformational dynamics explored via MD simulations of the protein embedded within two different phospholipid bilayers (DMPC and DMPE). The conformational stability of the transmembrane β-barrel is similar to that of a homology model of OprF from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in bilayer simulations. There is a degree of water penetration into the interior of the β-barrel, suggestive of a possible transmembrane pore. Although the PmOmpA model is stable over 20 ns simulations, retaining its secondary structure and fold integrity throughout, substantial flexibility is observed in a short linker region between the N- and the C-terminal domains. At low ionic strength, the C-terminal domain moves to interact electrostatically with the lipid bilayer headgroups. This study demonstrates that computational approaches may be applied to more complex, multi-domain outer membrane proteins, rather than just to transmembrane β-barrels, opening the possibility of in silico proteomics approaches to such proteins.     

The outer envelope protein OEP24 from pea chloroplasts can functionally replace the mitochondrial VDAC in yeast

The chloroplastic outer envelope protein OEP24 from pea forms a high-conductance low specificity solute channel as shown by in vitro studies. In order to establish its function also in an in vivo-like system, the gene encoding OEP24 was transformed into a yeast strain which lacks the general mitochondria solute channel porin, also known as voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC). Transformation of the yeast VDAC(-) strain with the OEP24 gene resulted in the recovery of a phenotype indistinguishable from the wild-type. The OEP24 polypeptide is targeted to the mitochondrial outer membrane in this heterologous system. We conclude that OEP24 forms a solute channel in pea chloroplasts in planta.     

水稻矮缩病毒最外层外壳蛋白基因(S_2)cDNA克隆、序列分析及其在大肠杆菌中的表达

从水稻矮缩病毒（Ｒｉｃｅｄｗａｒｆｖｉｒｕｓ,ＲＤＶ）中国福建分离物中克隆分离了最外层外壳蛋白基因（Ｓ２）全长ｃＤＮＡ,并对其进行了序列分析,结果表明ＲＤＶＳ２ｃＤＮＡ全长３５１２ｂｐ,仅含一个３３４８ｂｐ的阅读框架,编码一个含有１１１６个氨基酸的蛋白（Ｐ２）。与基因库中已知基因序列比较,发现它与日本ＲＤＶＨ株系相应片段的核苷酸和氨基酸同源率分别为９４６％和９５４％,与轮状病毒ＶＰ２氨基酸序列有一定的同源性。Ｓ２核苷酸序列二级结构预测结果表明,５’端５０个核苷酸的二级结构为一个发夹结构和一个茎环结构。Ｐ２有４个富含亮氨酸的区域,位于Ｎ端亲水区域的１０个氨基酸（ＡＡ６９～７８）残基形成一个α螺旋,这些特点均与轮状病毒ＶＰ２的结构特征相似。ＳＤＳＰＡＧＥ和Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ印迹分析表明在大肠杆菌中分段高效表达了Ｓ２编码蛋白的Ｎ端和Ｃ端。     

The major outer membrane protein, CD, extracted from Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis is a potential vaccine antigen that induces bactericidal antibodies

The major outer membrane protein of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, CD, was detergent-extracted from the bacterial cell wall and purified to homogeneity in high yields by a simple process. The purified protein appeared to exhibit immunogenic properties similar to those of native CD exposed on the surface of the bacterium. Antibodies to CD raised in mice specifically bound to intact B. catarrhalis, as determined by flow cytometry analysis. The IgG subclass distributions of anti-CD antibodies in sera from mice immunized with purified CD or with B. catarrhalis were also similar. CD was found to be antigenically conserved among a panel of B. catarrhalis isolates, as demonstrated by the consistent reactivities of mouse anti-CD antisera with a common 60 kDa protein on immunoblots. Furthermore, convalescent sera collected from patients with otitis media due to B. catarrhalis infection were found to be reactive with the CD protein by immunoblotting. Finally, the purified protein induced antibodies in guinea pigs and mice that exhibited in vitro bactericidal activity against the pathogen. Therefore, the native CD outer membrane protein represents a potentially useful antigen for inclusion in a vaccine against B. catarrhalis.     

Purification, properties and physiological regulation of a putative outer-membrane porin for methanol in Methylophilus methylotrophus

A major outer-membrane protein was purified and partially characterised from the methylotrophic bacterium Methylophilus methylotrophus. The protein had a subunit M_r of 38 000 and was similar in terms of its biochemical properties to the recently characterised amide-urea porin (FmdC) from the same organism. Expression of the protein, as determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting of cells grown in continuous culture under various nutrient limitations, varied in a similar manner to that of methanol dehydrogenase and was maximal under methanol limitation. It was concluded that the protein is probably an outer-membrane porin for methanol.     

长江口外赤潮频发海区水文分布特征分析

对长江口外赤潮频发区的水文特征的分析表明,在这个海区,春,夏季由于长江入海径流量大,长江冲淡水在西南-东北向流的作用下发生转向;上升流一般发生在从第一个转向点到长江口外深槽顶端的西侧斜坡上,春季这个转向点偏北,夏季偏南,秋季因长江入海径流量小,似无转向点存在,春,夏季余流的分布特点是羽状锋区附近是表,底层流辐合区,涌升区的表层余流呈现辐散的特征,底层余流具有顺槽进入长江口或向长江口辐合的特征.     

Centrosome attachment to the C. elegans male pronucleus is dependent on the surface area of the nuclear envelope

A close association must be maintained between the male pronucleus and the centrosomes during pronuclear migration. In C. elegans, simultaneous depletion of inner nuclear membrane LEM proteins EMR-1 and LEM-2, depletion of the nuclear lamina proteins LMN-1 or BAF-1, or the depletion of nuclear import components leads to embryonic lethality with small pronuclei. Here, a novel centrosome detachment phenotype in C. elegans zygotes is described. Zygotes with defects in the nuclear envelope had small pronuclei with a single centrosome detached from the male pronucleus. ZYG-12, SUN-1, and LIS-1, which function at the nuclear envelope with dynein to attach centrosomes, were observed at normal concentrations on the nuclear envelope of pronuclei with detached centrosomes. Analysis of time-lapse images showed that as mutant pronuclei grew in surface area, they captured detached centrosomes. Larger tetraploid or smaller histone::mCherry pronuclei suppressed or enhanced the centrosome detachment phenotype respectively. In embryos fertilized with anucleated sperm, only one centrosome was captured by small female pronuclei, suggesting the mechanism of capture is dependent on the surface area of the outer nuclear membrane available to interact with aster microtubules. We propose that the limiting factor for centrosome attachment to the surface of abnormally small pronuclei is dynein.