Thermoanaerobium lactoethylicum spec. nov. a new anaerobic bacterium from a hot spring of Kamchatka

A new anaerobic thermophilic Gram-positive, nonsporeforming bacterium strain ZE-1 was isolated from a hot spring of Kamchatka (USSR). The cells are rod-shaped, (0.5–0.8 · 2.0–20 m), non-motile. The bacterium can grow between 42 and 75°C; the optimal temperature is 65°C. The growth is possible between pH values 5.0 and 8.5; optimal pH is 7.0. The cultures grow on the media containing peptone, yeast extract, or casein hydrolysate as nitrogen sources in the presence of glucose or some other sugars, mannitol or starch. The main fermentation products of glucose are ethanol, acetate, lactate, H₂, CO₂; byproducts are propionic, butyric and isovaleric acids. Glucose is metabolized via Embden-Meyerhoff-Parnas pathway. Molecular hydrogen does not inhibit growth. The bacterium does not reduce aceton to isopropanol, but is able to form H₂S from elemental sulfur. The bacterium contains a soluble hydrogenase. This enzyme catalyzes both evolution and uptake of H₂ and is active in the presence of methyl viologen. The DNA-base composition is 34.6 mol%; the genome size 2.08x10⁹ D. The name proposed for the isolated bacterium strain ZE-1 is Thermoanaerobium lactoethylicum spec. nov.     

Natural polyploidization of some cultured yeast Saccharomyces sensu stricto: auto- and allotetraploidy

Using genetic and flow cytometric analyses, we showed that wine strain S6U is an allotetraploid of S. cerevisiae x S. bayanus. Hybrid constitution of the strain and its meiotic segregants was confirmed by Southern hybridization analysis of their chromosomal DNAs using four S. cerevisiae cloned genes: LYS2 (chr. II), TRK1 (chr. X), ARG4 (chr. VIII), ACT1 (chr. VI) and PCR/RFLP analysis of the MET2 gene (chr. XIV). Monosporic progeny of strain S6U was highly viable in first generation but completely nonviable in the second one. According to the genetic analysis, sherry strain S. cerevisiae SBY 2592 was found to be an autotetraploid heterozygous for homo-heterothallism.     

UbiProt: a database of ubiquitylated proteins

Background  

Post-translational protein modification with ubiquitin, or ubiquitylation, is one of the hottest topics in a modern biology due to a dramatic impact on diverse metabolic pathways and involvement in pathogenesis of severe human diseases. A great number of eukaryotic proteins was found to be ubiquitylated. However, data about particular ubiquitylated proteins are rather disembodied.     

Cloning, purification, and characterization of galactomannan-degrading enzymes from Myceliophthora thermophila

Genes of β-mannosidase 97 kDa, GH family 2 (bMann9), β-mannanase 48 kDa, GH family 5 (bMan2), and α-galactosidase 60 kDa, GH family 27 (aGal1) encoding galactomannan-degrading glycoside hydrolases of Myceliophthora thermophila C1 were successfully cloned, and the recombinant enzymes were purified to homogeneity and characterized. bMann9 displays only exo-mannosidase activity, the K _m and k _cat values are 0.4 mM and 15 sec^?1 for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-mannopyranoside, and the optimal pH and temperature are 5.3 and 40°C, respectively. bMann2 is active towards galac-tomannans (GM) of various structures. The K _m and k _cat values are 1.3 mg/ml and 67 sec^?1 for GM carob, and the optimal pH and temperature are 5.2 and 69°C, respectively. aGal1 is active towards p-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside (PNPG) as well as GM of various structures. The K _m and k _cat values are 0.08 mM and 35 sec^?1 for PNPG, and the optimal pH and temperature are 5.0 and 60°C, respectively.     

Temporal Variation in Seed Predation by Insects in a Population of Syagrus romanzoffiana (Arecaceae) in Santa Catarina Island, SC, Brazil

Insect seed predation may vary depending on seed production. The present study considers the hypothesis that the rates of seed predation tend to be smaller in years of higher fruit production. Thus, we monitored the production of fruits and predation of seeds of the palm Syagrus romanzoffiana over 2?years in the Atlantic Forest (Parque Municipal da Lagoa do Peri, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil), between July 2006 and June 2008. Plots of 0.25?m² were fitted under 20 mother plants and fruits were monthly collected for assessment of abundance and seed predation. There was variation in fruit production between the 2?years and among reproductive plants. Predation rates were high and occurred in the predispersal phase by the Curculionidae Revena rubiginosa Boheman, Anchylorhynchus aegrotus Fahraeus, and Anchylorhynchus variabilis Gyllenhal. Seed predation by these species of Anchylorhynchus is first registered in the present study. In average, about 60% of the seeds monthly produced in the population tend to escape insect predation in year of high or low production, becoming available for recruitment. The predation rate was not related to the amount of fruits produced per reproductive plant. Also, different than expected, there was a positive relation between the rates of seed predation and the total of fruits produced monthly on the plots. Thus, no evidence for the satiation of insect seed predators was found in this study with S. romanzoffiana.     

Mycobacterium avium-triggered diseases: pathogenomics

The species Mycobacterium avium includes several subspecies representing highly specialized avian and mammalian pathogens, non-obligatory pathogens of immune compromised humans and saprophitic organisms. Recently obtained information concerning the diversity of M. avium genomic structures not only clarified phylogenic relationships within this species, but began to shed light on the question of how such closely related microorganisms adapt to the occupation of distinct ecological niches. In this review we discuss specific features of M. avium genetic composition, as well as genetic and molecular aspects of M. avium hominissuis (MAH)-triggered disease pathogenesis, including virulence, penetration, immune response manipulation and host genetic control.     

Effect of antibiotics on immunophysiological status and their taste attractiveness for rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Parasalmo</Emphasis> (=<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus</Emphasis>) <Emphasis Type="Italic">mykiss</Emphasis> (Salmoniformes,Salmonidae)

Effect of three- and fivefold intramuscular injections of antibiotics oxytetracyclin hydrochloride and benzylpenicillin sodium (20 mg/kg) on immunophysiological status of juveniles of rainbow trout Parasalmo (=Oncorhynchus) mykiss (pathomorphological evaluation of internal organs, determination of the number of different types of leucocytes in the blood, and electrophoretic investigation of protein profile of the blood serum) was investigated. It was determined that both antibiotics cause neutropenia, removal of albumin fraction in the blood serum, and appearance of lipoid assemblages and different pathologies of internal organs. Taste attractiveness of oxytetracyclin hydrochloride, benzylpenicillin sodium, cefazolin-akos, and neomycin sulfate at the concentration in artificial food pellets of 1, 10, and 100 mg/ml was evaluated. It was determined that neomycin sulfate has more preferable taste for fishes, cefazolin-akos is less attractive, and reaction of fishes to oxytetracyclin hydrochloride and benzylpenicillin sodium depends on their concentration. The presence of two strongly different behavioral stereotypes of testing of food taste was confirmed.     

Ammonia inhibition of nitrogenase activity in purple and green bacteria

Ammonia reversibly inhibits the nitrogenase activity not only in purple nonsulfur bacteria but in purple (Thiocapsa roseopersicina) and green (Chlorobium limicola forma thiosulfatophilum) sulfur bacteria as well.The complete inhibition of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) is observed about 30 s after addition of NH ₄ ⁺ (2.5×10^-6 M) to cell suspensions. The pattern of ammonia inhibition of acetylene reduction in T. roseopersicina does not differ from the action of tetrabutylammonium and tetraphenylphosphonium (3 · 10^-6-5·10^-5 M) on nitrogenase activity of this bacterium.Simultaneously with the switch-off effect of NH ₄ ⁺ a considerable increase of ATP in cells of Rhodobacter sphaeroides and C. limicola f. thiosulphatophilum was observed.