A new lamin in Xenopus somatic tissues displays strong homology to human lamin A

The nuclear lamina of vertebrates is composed of several major polypeptides that range in mol. wt from 60 to 80 kd. In mammals, the three major lamin proteins are designated A, B and C. Two major lamins have been described in Xenopus somatic tissues; two other lamins are expressed primarily in germ cells. We have analysed a cDNA clone encoding a Xenopus lamin that is highly homologous to human lamins A and C. The predicted protein has the carboxy-terminal domain characteristic of human lamin A and is thus a lamin A homologue. Surprisingly, the lamin encoded by the cDNA clone is not one of the known Xenopus lamins. The encoded protein is distinct in size from the oocyte lamin LIII and the two somatic lamins LI and LII. Monoclonal antibodies specific for LII, LIII and LIV (the lamin of male germ cells) do not recognize the protein encoded by the cDNA clone; conversely, a polyclonal antibody against the encoded protein does not recognize any of the known Xenopus lamins. This lamin is expressed late in embryonic development, and is present in all adult somatic cells examined, except erythrocytes. Thus frogs and mammals are similar in having three major somatic lamins that fall into distinct structural classes.     

Stability of Methanobrevibacter smithii Populations in the Microbial Flora Excreted from the Human Large Bowel

Total anaerobic bacteria and Methanobrevibacter smithii populations were enumerated in fecal specimens from two individuals over 10- and 13-month periods. The ratio of M. smithii to total anaerobic count varied between the individuals, but it was a relatively constant proportion of the large-bowel microbial flora within each individual. Neither a barium enema examination of one subject nor a radical change in the diet of the other had any long-term effect on the methanogen populations.     

Genes for two small cytoplasmic Ro RNAs are adjacent and appear to be single-copy in the human genome

Anti-Ro autoantibodies precipitate several small cytoplasmic ribonucleoproteins from mammalian cells. The RNA components of these particles, designated hY1-hY5 in human cells and mY1 and mY2 in mouse cells, are about 100 nucleotides long. We have analyzed a genomic clone that appears to contain true RNA-coding regions for two of the human Ro RNAs, hY1 and hY3. These RNAs exhibit many sequence and secondary structure homologies, both with each other and with the recently sequenced hY5 RNA. The hY2 RNA is a slightly truncated form of hY1; several shorter versions of hY3 are also detected in cell extracts and immunoprecipitates. The human hY1 and hY3 genes cross-hybridize with the mouse Ro RNAs, mY1 and mY2, respectively; we show that the mouse Ro RNAs are exclusively contained in Ro particles. The genes for hY1 and hY3 are transcribed in vitro by RNA polymerase III. In contrast with all other mammalian class III genes described, they appear to be present as single copies in the human genome.     

Chemical Constituents and Hydrogenase Binding in Cell Envelopes of Vibrio succinogenes

The particulate hydrogenase of Vibrio succinogenes is solubilized during treatment of cell envelopes at pH 11.0. Alkali-solubilized enzyme requires sulfhydryl compounds for activity. At neutral pH, soluble enzyme is reincorporated into alkalitreated cell envelopes and no longer requires an additional activator. In the present study, cell envelopes prepared by lysing cells with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid plus lysozyme (EDTA-lysozyme) were used to determine the chemical composition of cell envelopes and derived pH 11.0 soluble and insoluble fractions and to investigate some properties of the binding and activation of alkali-solubilized hydrogenase. Lysis with EDTA-lysozyme resulted in the formation of spheroplast ghosts. The derived cell envelopes contained 61% protein, 3% ash, 23% lipid, and 1% phosphorus. The alkali-treated cell envelopes contained 50% protein, 2% ash, 24% lipid, and 1% phosphorus. The ash from cell envelopes and alkali-treated cell envelopes was rich in iron and phosphorus and also contained calcium, copper, magnesium, sodium, and zinc. Virtually all of the weight of the ashed samples was accounted for by the oxides of these metals. Since the reconstitution of particulate hydrogenase was achieved with pH 11.0 supernatant solution and precipitate, intact mucopeptide is not essential for hydrogenase binding. Release of hydrogenase during EDTA-lysozyme lysis was found to depend upon an apparent structural change which occurs in the membranes during extended storage at −20 C.     

Copper Sulfate-induced Fermentation Changes in Continuous Cultures of the Rumen Microbial Ecosystem

The effect of CuSO(4) on fermentation was studied in a continuously cultured rumen ecosystem. CuSO(4), introduced at a level of 50 mg/500 ml of culture volume twice daily, caused a marked inhibition of fermentation of concentrates. Fermentation of alfalfa hay was not inhibited by the same CuSO(4) concentration when the inoculum for the culture was obtained from a cow maintained on a normal concentrate ration. When the inoculum was from a cow on a high concentrate ration, hay fermentation was partially inhibited by CuSO(4). Concentrations of CuSO(4) that did not inhibit the fermentation of alfalfa hay or hay-concentrate mixtures caused preferential production of propionic acid and decreased production of methane.     

Lysis of Vibrio succinogenes by ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid or lysozyme

Wolin, M. J. (University of Illinois, Urbana). Lysis of Vibrio succinogenes by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or lysozyme. J. Bacteriol. 91:1781-1786. 1966.-Cell suspensions of Vibrio succinogenes are lysed by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or lysozyme. Lysis occurs at alkaline pH and is prevented by 0.15 m NaCl or KCl or 0.3 m sucrose. The addition of 10(-3)m Mg(++), 10(-3)m spermine, or 10(-2)m Ca(++) prevents lysozyme lysis, and 10(-4)m spermine prevents EDTA lysis. EDTA lysis leads to the formation of a cell ghost, and lysozyme lysis leads to the formation of an empty round body. Freezing and thawing of cells permits lysozyme attack which is not prevented by the protective agents mentioned above. Much of the cell protein, and almost all of the nucleic acids, are released from the cells during EDTA lysis. Treatment of frozen-thawed cells with lysozyme at neutral pH does not cause release of more than 50% of the cell protein and 60% of the nucleic acids of the cells.     

A misfolded form of 5S rRNA is complexed with the Ro and La autoantigens.

In both vertebrate and invertebrate cells, the 60-kDa Ro autoantigen is bound to small cytoplasmic RNAs known as Y RNAs. In Xenopus oocytes, the 60-kDa Ro protein is also complexed with a class of 5S rRNA precursors that contain internal mutations. Because these 5S rRNA precursors are processed inefficiently and degraded eventually, the Ro protein may function in a quality control pathway for 5S rRNA biosynthesis. We have investigated the sequence and secondary structure determinants in the mutant 5S rRNAs that confer binding by the 60-kDa Ro protein. The mutant 5S rRNAs fold to form an alternative helix that is required for recognition by the 60-kDa Ro protein. Mutations that disrupt the alternative helix eliminate Ro protein binding, whereas compensatory changes that restore the helix are bound efficiently by the Ro protein. When the structure of the mutant RNA was probed using dimethylsulfate and oligonucleotide-directed RNase H cleavage, the results were consistent with the formation of the alternative structure. The La protein, which is also complexed with the mutant 5S rRNA precursors, protects similar sequences from nuclease digestion as does the 60-kDa Ro protein. Thus, the binding sites for these two proteins are either nearby on the RNA, or the two proteins may be complexed through protein-protein interactions. When the human Ro protein is expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the protein binds wild-type 5S rRNA precursors, suggesting that a population of wild-type precursors also folds into the alternative structure.     

Bioconversion of Cellulose to Acetate with Pure Cultures of Ruminococcus albus and a Hydrogen-Using Acetogen

Bioconversion of cellulose to acetate was accomplished with cocultures of two organisms. One was the cellulolytic species Ruminococcus albus. It ferments crystalline cellulose (Avicel) to acetate, ethanol, CO(inf2), and H(inf2). The other organism (HA) obtains energy for growth by using H(inf2) to reduce CO(inf2) to acetate. HA is a gram-negative coccobacillus that was isolated from horse feces. Coculture of R. albus with HA in batch or continuous culture alters the fermentation products formed from crystalline cellulose by the ruminococcus via interspecies H(inf2) transfer. The major product of the fermentation by R. albus and HA coculture is acetate. High concentrations of acetate (333 mM) were obtained when batch cocultures grown on 5% cellulose were neutralized with Ca(OH)(inf2). Continuous cocultures grown at retention times of 2 and 3.1 days produced 109 and 102 mM acetate, respectively, when fed 1% cellulose with utilization of 84% of the substrate.     

Methanogens and anaerobes in a colon segment isolated from the normal fecal stream.

Methanogens were in the isolated sigmoid colon but not in the colostomy bag of a woman with a left hemicolectomy with end colostomy and mucous fistula. The predominant methanogen was Methanobrevibacter smithii. An anaerobic bacterial community supported by nondietary substrates was present in the isolated sigmoid colon.     

Partial purification of ferredoxin from Ruminococcus albus and its role in pyruvate metabolism and reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide by H2.

Extracts of Ruminococcus albus were not able to convert pyruvate to acetyl phosphate, CO2, and H2 after passage through a diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose column. Activity was restored by a brown protein fraction eluted from the column with 0.4 M Cl-. The protein was partially purified and shown to have the spectral and biological characteristics of ferredoxin. R. albus ferredoxin, Clostridium pasteurianum ferredoxin, and methyl viologen restored activity for pyruvate decomposition by DEAE-cellulose-treated R. albus extracts. R. albus or C. pasteurianum ferredoxin restored the ability of DEAE-cellulose-treated C. pasteurianum extracts to form H2 and acetyl phosphate from pyruvate. Ferredoxin-free extracts of R. albus reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) when supplemented with R. albus or C. pasteurianum ferredoxin or with methyl viologen. These extracts reduced NADP with H2 poorly unless both ferredoxin and NAD were added, which indicates the presence of an NADH:NADP transhydrogenase. Flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide were rapidly reduced by H2 by ferredoxin-free extracts in the absence of ferredoxin.