EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli O157:H7 possesses somatic (O) antigen identical with that ofSalmonella O301

The O antigen of enterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli O157:H7 is identical with that ofSalmonella O30₁ and is also related toSalmonella O30₁30₂ in an a-a, b type of relationship.     

Proposal of Burkholderia gen. nov. and transfer of seven species of the genus Pseudomonas homology group II to the new genus, with the type species Burkholderia cepacia (Palleroni and Holmes 1981) comb. nov.

Based on the 16S rRNA sequences, DNA-DNA homology values, cellular lipid and fatty acid composition, and phenotypic characteristics, a new genus Burkholderia is proposed for the RNA homology group II of genus Pseudomonas. Seven species in this group were transferred to the new genus. Thus seven new combinations, Burkholderia cepacia (Palleroni and Holmes 1981), Burkholderia mallei (Zopf 1885), Burkholderia pseudomallei (Whitmore 1913), Burkholderia caryophylli (Burkholder 1942), Burkholderia gladioli (Severini 1913), Burkholderia pickettii (Ralston et al 1973) and Burkholderia solanacearum (Smith 1896) were proposed.     

Multiple roles of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in Xenopus laevis

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) was originally identified as a serine/threonine protein kinase that is rapidly activated in response to various growth factors and tumor promoters in mammalian cultured cells. The kinase cascade including MAPK and its direct activator, MAPK kinase (MAPKK), is now believed to transmit various extracellular signals into their intracellular targets in eukaryotic cells. It has been reported that activation of MAPKK and MAPK occurs during the meiotic maturation of oocytes in several species, including Xenopus laevis . Studies with neutralizing antibodies against MAPKK, MAPK phosphatases and constitutively active MAPKK or MAPK have revealed a crucial role of the MAPKK/MAPK cascade in a number of developmental processes in Xenopus oocytes and embryos.     

Enterobacter kobei sp. nov., a new species of the family Enterobacteriaceae resembling Enterobacter cloacae

The name Enterobacter kobei sp. nov. is proposed for a group of organisms referred to as NIH Group 21 at the National Institute of Health, Tokyo. The members of this species are Gram-negative, motile rods conforming to the definition of the family Enterobacteriaceae. The DNA relatedness of 23 strains of NIH Group 21 to the representative proposed as the type strain of this species averaged 82% at 70°C, whereas the relatedness to other species within the family Enterobacteriaceae was less than 42%. Because the phenotypic resemblance to Enterobacter cloacae is very close and the DNA relatedness (12–42%) is closer to species of the genus Enterobacter than to other species of the family, the members of NIH Group 21 were placed in the genus Enterobacter. Close phenotypic and genetic relationships were also found between NIH Group 21 and a member of a group of organisms referred to as Enteric Group 69 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia, USA. It is suggested that the latter could be regarded as a subspecific rank of E. kobei, though this is subject to study of further strains. The majority of strains of E. kobei were isolated from clinical specimens. A culture of the type strain (NIH 1485-79) has been deposited in the Japan Collection of Microorganisms as JCM 8580. Received: 22 March 1996 / Accepted: 19 April 1996     

Effect of Z-100, an immunomodulator extracted from human type tubercle bacilli,on the pulmonary metastases of lewis lung carcinoma in attempt to regulate suppressor T cells and suppressor factor,IL-4

In the present study, anti-metastatic effect of Z-100 on the spontaneous pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) was examined in an attempt to regulate suppressor T cells. When Z-100 (10 mg/kg) was daily injected i.p. after 3LL inoculation, survival rate of these mice was increased significantly (p<0.05). In addition, the number of pulmonary metastatic colonies of 3LL in Z-100-treated mice were significantly decreased by 38% at 21 days, as compared with that of control mice (p<0.05). Along with the decrease of pulmonary metastases, suppressor cell activity was also gradually reduced in these mice, as compared with that of control mice. When splenic suppressor cells (5×10⁷ cells) from 3LL-bearing mice were adoptively transferred into normal mice (recipients) just before inoculation of 3LL, the development of pulmonary metastases in recipients was significantly accelerated. However, splenocytes from 3LL-bearing mice treated with Z-100 did not affect the development of pulmonary metastasis. The potential to accelerate the metastasis of splenic mononuclear cells from 3LL-bearing mice was decreased significantly by the treatment with anti-Thy 1.2 monoclonal antibody (mAb), anti-Lyt 2.2 mAb or anti-CD11b mAb followed by complement. IL-4 activity in the sera of 3LL-bearing mice was detected 15 days after tumor inoculation (13 pg/ml) and gradually increased (18 pg/ml) 20 days after tumor inoculation. However, when Z-100 (10 mg/kg) was daily injected i.p., IL-4 activity in sera was decreased significantly, and the IL-4 activity was not detected in these mice on day 20. These results suggest that Z-100 could inhibit the pulmonary metastases in 3LL-bearing mice through the inhibition of suppressor T cell activity and a possible candidate of its effector molecule, IL-4.     

Acidiphilium aminolytica sp. nov.: An acidophilic chemoorganotrophic bacterium isolated from acidic mineral environment

Acidiphilium aminolytica is proposed for a species of the genusAcidiphilium. Acidiphilium aminolytica can be phenotypically differentiated from all other species of the genusAcidiphilium. The seven strains of this species that have been studied are Gram-negative, aerobic, mesophilic, non-sporeforming, motile, and rod-shaped bacteria. They grow between pH 3.0 and 6.0, but not at pH 6.5. They yield positive results in tests for hippuric acid hydrolysis, catalase and urease production. Oxidase, esculin hydrolysis, and -galactosidase tests are negative. They can used-glucose,d-galactose, inositol, sorbitol,l-lysine,l-glutamate,l-arginine, -alanine,dl-4-aminobutyrate,dl-5-aminovalerate, sperimine, or diaminobutane as a sole carbon source, but cannot use elemental sulfur and ferrous iron as an energy source. The DNA base composition is 58.7–59.2 G+C mol%. The major isoprenoid quinone is ubiquinone with ten isoprene unit (Q-10). The major fatty acid is the C_18:1 fatty acid. Two ornithine amide lipids, the C_18:1 fatty acid esters of -N-3-hydroxystearylornithyltaurine and -N-3-hydroxystearylornithine, are detected as the polar aminolipid. DNA relatedness between this species and the other species ofAcidiphilium, the generaAcidomonas, andAcidobacterium was 29 to 2%. These results indicate, that this new species should be placed in the genusAcidiphilium. The type strain (strain 101) ofA. aminolytica is JCM 8796.     

Intracellular hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein of suspension-cultured tobacco cells

Two soluble glycoproteins containing hydroxyproline were extractedfrom cultured tobacco cells (cell line XD-6S) and purified byion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography. On DEAR-cellulosecolumn chromatography in the final step of the purification,one was eluted at 90 mM NaCl and the other at 120 mM as singlepeak. Both purified glycoproteins were also sedimented as singlepeak with an ultracentrifugation. The S_20,w values were 6.1for the former and 7.0 for the latter. These glycoproteins were composed of 94% polysaccharide and6% protein in the former, and 87% polysaccharide and 13% proteinin the latter. The sugar moiety consisted of galactose, arabinose,rhamnose, and uronic acid in both. Hydroxyproline accountedfor 12% in the former and 20% in the latter amino acid composition.A high content of alanine in both (14 and 15%) was one of thedistinctive characteristics of these soluble glycoproteins. These intracellular soluble hydroxyproline-containing glycoproteinswere not labelled within 30 min of incubation with ₃H-proline,although the radioactivity was rapidly incorporated (within15 min) into the intracellular macromolecules. (Received February 21, 1978; )