Calcium binding to the subunit c ofE. coli ATP-synthase and possible functional implications in energy coupling

The 8-kDa subunit c of theE. coli F₀ ATP-synthase proton channel was tested for Ca⁺⁺ binding activity using a⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ ligand blot assay after transferring the protein from SDS-PAGE gels onto polyvinyl difluoride membranes. The purified subunit c binds⁴⁵Ca⁺⁺ strongly with Ca⁺⁺ binding properties very similar to those of the 8-kDa CF₀ subunit III of choloroplast thylakoid membranes. The N-terminal f-Met carbonyl group seems necessary for Ca⁺⁺ binding capacity, shown by loss of Ca⁺⁺ binding following removal of the formyl group by mild acid treatment. The dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-reactive Asp-61 is not involved in the Ca⁺⁺ binding, shown by Ca⁺⁺ binding being retained in twoE. coli mutants, Asp61Asn and Asp61Gly. The Ca⁺⁺ binding is pH dependent in both theE. coli and thylakoid 8-kDa proteins, being absent at pH 5.0 and rising to a maximum near pH 9.0. A treatment predicted to increase the Ca⁺⁺ binding affinity to its F₀ binding site (chlorpromazine photoaffinity attachment) caused an inhibition of ATP formation driven by a base-to-acid pH jump in whole cells. Inhibition was not observed when the Ca⁺⁺ chelator EGTA was present with the cells during the chlorpromazine photoaffinity treatment. An apparent Ca⁺⁺ binding constant on the site responsible for the UV plus chlorpromazine effect of near 80–100 nM was obtained using an EGTA-Ca⁺⁺ buffer system to control free Ca⁺⁺ concentration during the UV plus chlorpromazine treatment. The data are consistent with the notion that Ca⁺⁺ bound to the periplasimic side of theE. coli F₀ proton channel can block H⁺ entry into the channel. A similar effect occurs in thylakoid membranes, but the Ca⁺⁺ binding site is on the lumen side of the thylakoid, where Ca⁺⁺ binding can modulate acid-base jump ATP formation. The Ca⁺⁺ binding to the F₀ and CF₀ complexes is consistent with a pH-dependent gating mechanism for control of H⁺ ion flux across the opening of the H⁺ channel.This work was supported in part by grants from the Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.On leave from the Institute of Soil Science and Photosynthesis, Russian Academy of Science, Pushchino, Russia.     

Immunohistochemical characteristics of the constituents of senile plaques and amyloid angiopathy in aged cynomolgus monkeys

Abstract: In this study, we immunohistochemically examined the several constituents of senile plaques (SPs) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in aged cynomolgus monkeys. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) deposited in all mature plaques and CAA, and in half of the diffuse plaques. Alpha-1-antichymotripsin (αACT) deposited in half of the mature plaques and in one third of the CAA. Amyloid precursor protein (APP), ubiquitin (Ub), and microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2) accumulated in the swollen neurites of mature plaques. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was detected in the astrocytes and their processes surrounding the mature plaques. Tau was detected in neither the SPs nor CAA. Therefore, mature plaques involved extracellular Aβ, apoE, and αACT, and also astrocytes and swollen neurites. However, diffuse plaques involved only extracellular Aβ and apoE. Since these features, except for tau, were consistent with those in humans, this animal model will be useful for studying the pathogenesis of cerebral amyloid deposition.     

Increase in heart glutathione redox ratio and total antioxidant capacity and decrease in lipid peroxidation after vitamin e dietary supplementation in guinea pigs

Dietary treatment with three diets differing in vitamin E, Low E (15 mg of vitamin E/kg diet), Medium E (150 mg/kg), or High E (1,500 mg/kg), resulted in guinea pigs with low (but nondeficient), intermediate, or high heart a-tocopherol concentration. Neither the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and reductase, nor the nonenzymatic antioxidants, GSH, ascorbate, and uric acid were homeostatically depressed by increases in heart a-tocopherol. Protection from both enzymatic (NADPH dependent) and nonenzymatic (ascorbate-Fe²⁺) lipid peroxidation was strongly increased by vitamin E supplementation from Low to Medium E Whereas no additional gain was obtained from the Medium E to the High E group. The GSH/GSSG and GSH/total glutathione ratios increased as a function of the vitamin E dietary concentration closely resembling the shape of the dependence of heart a-tocopherol on dietary vitamin E. The results show the capacity of dietary vitamin E to increase the global antioxidant capacity of the heart and to improve the heart redox status in both the lipid and water-soluble compartments. This capacity occurred at levels six times higher than the minimum daily requirement of vitamin E, even in the presence of optimum dietary vitamin C concentrations and basal unstressed conditions. The need for vitamin E dietary supplementation seems specially important in this tissue due to the low constitutive levels of endogenous enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants present of the mammalian heart in comparison with those of other internal organs.     

Colonization factors of diarrheagenicE. coli and their intestinal receptors

WhileEscherichia coli is common as a commensal organism in the distal ileum and colon, the presence of colonization factors (CF) on pathogenic strains ofE. coli facilitates attachment of the organism to intestinal receptor molecules in a species- and tissue-specific fashion. After the initial adherence, colonization occurs, and the involvement of additional virulence determinants leads to illness. EnterotoxigenicE. coli (ETEC) is the most extensively studied of the five categories ofE. coli that cause diarrheal disease, and has the greatest impact on health worldwide. ETEC can be isolated from domestic animals and humans. The biochemistry, genetics, epidemiology, antigenic characteristics, and cell and receptor binding properties of ETEC have been extensively described. Another major category, enteropathogenicE. coli (EPEC), has virulence mechanisms, primarily effacement and cytoskeletal rearrangement of intestinal brush borders, that are distinct from ETEC. An EPEC CF receptor has been purified and characterized as a sialidated transmembrane glycoprotein complex directly attached to actin, thereby associating CF-binding with host-cell response. Three, additional categories ofE. coli diarrheal disease, their colonization factors and their host cell receptors are discussed. It appears that biofilms exist in the intestine in a manner similar to oral bacterial biofilms, and thatE. coli is part of these biofilms as both commensals and pathogens.Abbreviations CF colonization factor - CFA Colonization Factor Antigen - CS coli-surface-associated antigen - EAggEC enteroaggregativeE. coli - ECDD E. coli diarrheal disease - EHEC enterohemorrhagicE. coli - EIEC enteroinvasiveE. coli - EPEC enteropathogenicE. coli - ETEC enterotoxigenicE. coli - Gal galactose - GalNAc N-acetyl galactosamine - LT heat-labile toxin - NeuAc N-acetyl neuraminic acid - PCF Putative colonization factor - RBC red blood cells - SLT Shiga-like toxin - ST heat-stable toxin     

大肠杆菌亮氨酰－tRNA合成酶LeuRS67R的纯化及其动力学研究

本实验室已得到的亮氨酰－ｔＲＮＡ合成酶（ＬｅｕＲＳ）基因,与文献相比,６７位氨基酸残基由Ｈｉｓ变为Ａｒｇ,此酶被定名为ＬｅｕＲＳ６７Ｒ。我们从该基因与ｐＵＣ１９重组质粒的大肠杆菌ＴＧ１转化子ＴＧ１－９１中得到ＬｅｕＲＳ的高表达,粗抽液中ＬｅｕＲＳ的表达量在转化子中比在宿主菌ＴＧ１中高２０倍以上。用三步拉层析得到电泳一条带的酶,其比活为１７８９单位／毫克。测定其动力学常数,氨酰化活力对Ｌｅｕ、ＡＴＰ的Ｋｍ值分别为０．０２７ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ、０．４７ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ,Ｋｃａｔ值分别为３．５～５．１ｓ－１。ＡＴＰ－ＰＰｉ交换活力对Ｌｅｕ、ＡＴＰ的Ｋｍ值分别为０．０３ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ、１．０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ,Ｌｃａｔ值分别为１４０～１５５ｓ－１。此结果与从野生型大肠杆菌Ｋ－１２中提纯的ＬｅｕＲＳ的动力学常数差别很小,６７位氨基酸残基在与活性中心无直接关系的域可能是大肠杆菌的种间差异。     

戊肝病毒活性肽的选择,合成与应用

对戊型肝炎病毒（ＨＥＶ）编码蛋白序列进行了亲水性分析及二级结构预测,选择亲水性强、具有β－转角与β－折叠的区段,采用多肽固相合成法合成了ＨＥＶ基因组３个开读框架（ＯＲＦ１,ＯＲＦ２和ＯＲＦ３）中可能的抗原表位,以免疫学方法进行鉴定并选出了分别来自ＨＥＶ３个ＯＲＦ的、具有重要生物活性与应用前景的３段肽（ＥＨ１７４、ＥＨ２６５、ＥＨ３６２）。在此基础上,进行了抗ＨＥＶＥＬＩＳＡ新型检测试剂盒的实验室研究及临床试用。结果表明,所研究的戊肝抗体检测试剂盒特异性高、临床符合性好、具有可重复性,在戊肝辅助诊断及流行病学调查中具有重要意义。     

使用MUG培养基定量检测植物药中大肠杆菌时荧光猝灭现象的发生与克服方法

实验中观察到,用ＭＵＧ培养基对植物药中的大肠杆菌定量时多发生荧光猝灭现象,影响检测结果。本文对此现象产生的原因与克服方法进行了系统的考察,发现以一种简便的转接方法可排除植物药介质对菌检的干扰。该方法由两组检验系列构成,当怀疑正常稀释系列（第一系列）４０ｈ培养液的荧光结果可能因猝灭现象呈假阴性时,立即分别将该系列的１—３号管培养液以０．５ｍｌ的接种量转接入新鲜的ＭＵＧ培养基（第二系列）,重新培养２４ｈ,荧光猝灭现象即可克服。综合两系列的荧光、产气和吲哚三项生化特征得出检品中大肠杆菌含量。实际应用表明,此法能显著提高使用该培养基时菌检结果的可靠性。     

人白介素6受体功能区片段在E．coli中的表达

通过ＤＮＡ体外重组技术,以ｐＥＴ－３ｂ为表达载体,构建了重组表达质粒ｐＥＴ－６Ｒ（Ｂ）和ＰＥＴ－６Ｒ（Ｂ）４,分别编码２８ｋＤ的ｈＩＬ－６Ｒ配基结合区片段及其５３ｋＤ的二联体蛋白,并为酶切分析和ＤＮＡ序列分析所证实。ＳＤＳ－ＰＡＧＥ分析表明,含有重组表达质粒的菌株可分别表达出２８ｋＤ的蛋白ｒＩＬ６Ｒ－２８和５３ｋＤ的ｒＩＬ６Ｒ－５３。重组蛋白分别占菌体总蛋白的４５％和２９％左右。重组蛋白主要以包涵体形式存在,Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ印迹表明重组蛋白具有ＩＬ－６Ｒ的抗原性。     

昆虫杆状病毒晚期启动子在大肠杆菌中启动CAT基因表达

将油桐尺蠖（Ｂｕｚｕｒａｓｕｐｐｒｅｓｓａｒｉａ）核多角体病毒晚期基因──多角体蛋白基因启动子及５′端编码区,以两种不同方式置于缺乏启动子的氯霉素乙酰基转移酶（ＣＡＴ）基因上游,使其分别终止在不同翻译终止位点,其宿主菌具有明显不同的氯霉素抗性,最高达２００ｍｇ／Ｌ　ＬＢ培养基以上,表明昆虫病毒启动子能启动原核基因表达。对多角体蛋白基因启动子能在大肠杆菌中有效工作的原因进行了讨论。