Glucose transport into the extremely halophilic archaebacteria

Penetration of glucose into cells of several extremely halophilic archaebacteria of the Halobacterium and Haloferax genera (Halobacterium saccharovorum and Halobacterium salinarium, Haloferax volcanii and Haloferax mediterranei) has been studied. Some characteristics of transport systems of carbohydrate-utilizing halobacteria Halobacterium saccharovorum, Haloferax mediterranei and Haloferax volcanii (pH and temperature optima, stereospecificity, kinetic parameters) have been determined. Inability of H. salinarium cells for active glucose transport has been shown. The dependence of glucose transport on the Na⁺ ions gradient (on the whole cells and membrane vesicles) has been demonstrated. Cells or membrane vesicles of carbohydrate-utilizing halobacteria grown in media containing this sugar indicated the activation of glucose transport, whereas cells grown in media without sugars did not. This fact has allowed us to conclude that corresponding transport systems are inducible.     

Physiological role of tyrosine transport systems in Halobacterium salinarium

The quantitative content of three transport systems for aromatic amino acids in cells of Halobacterium salinarium was measured: the common system (K _m is about 10^-6 M) and two tyrosine-specific systems with high and low affinity (K _m is about 10^-8 and 10^-5 M, respectively). To determine the activity of each of three systems separately, a method was developed based on the selective phenylalanine effect on these activities. When phenylalanine exeeds [¹⁴C]tyrosine by four to sixforld, it inhibits competitively the activity of the common system, and its 50- to 100-fold molar excess is inhibitory in a non-competitive way for the specific high affinity system (HAT system). The specific low affinity system (LAT system) is practically insensitive to phenylalanine. The activities of tyrosine-specific transport systems are slightly dependent on the culture age, and the observed decrease in transport activity during growth is due mainly to the decreased content of the common system. The HAT system formation is regulated by the repression type, and the effectors are aromatic amino acids especially tyrosine itself. The physiological sense of the tyrosine transport system's multiplicity in H. salinarium is discussed.     

Biocorrosion of Synthetic Plastics: Degradation Mechanisms and Methods of Protection

Microbiology - The mechanisms of microbial action on synthetic plastics are analyzed, with the focus on the most widespread polymers produced on an industrial scale. The effect of microbial enzymes...     

Influence of the degree of aeration on halotolerance of yeasts of the genera Candida,Rhodotorula, and Malassezia

The biochemical mechanisms were studied that determine different reactions of yeasts of different genera to two simultaneously imposed stressors, hypoxia and osmotic shock. For Candida lipolytica, these two stressors were antagonistic, which resulted in stimulation of yeast growth by NaCl (in a wide range of concentrations) under microaerobic conditions. The reaction of Malassezia sp. was different: the degree of halotolerance of this microorganism was lower under microaerobic conditions. An intervening reaction pattern was characteristic of Rhodotorula aurantiaca. These differences were found to be determined, above all, by the induction of a salt-resistant respiratory system (oxidase) in Candida lipolytica, which could not be induced in Malassezia sp. In addition, the synthesis of catalase was enhanced in Candida lipolytica, which provided for neutralization of the active forms of oxygen accumulating as a result of inhibition of other protective enzymes by salt.     

Absorption of 14C-dicarboxylic acids by bacteria of the family Halobacteriaceae

Cultures of the family Halobacteriaceae belonging to the species Halobacterium halobium, H. cutirubrum, H. vallismortis and Halococcus morrhuae were shown to be capable of assimilating 14C-succinate. Halobacterium salinarium lacked this ability. The transport systems of C4-dicarboxylates differed in Halobacterium halobium 996 and H. vallismortis 1398, on the one hand, and Halococcus morrhuae 1235, on the other. The differences involve the kinetic parameters and stereospecificity of transport systems, the ability to take up different labelled C4-dicarboxylates, the pH-dependence of transport, and the action of CCCP, a protonophorous uncoupling agent. Halobacteria are capable of labelled succinate uptake at a lower NaCl content in the incubation medium than it is necessary for their growth. The optimal temperature for 14C-succinate uptake by halobacteria is higher than the optimal temperature of their growth. For all of the studied cultures, the transport system of dicarboxylate was shown to differ from that of E. coli common for C4-dicarboxylates and aspartate.     

Comparative Investigation of the Composition and Structure of Microbial Biofilms Retrieved at Meat-Processing Plants Using Different Raw Materials

Microbiology - Localization and structural organization of microbial biofilms developing in anthropogenic ecological niches of meat-processing plants using different raw materials (poultry, pork,...