New mutations fts-36, lts-33, and ftsW clustered in the mra region of the Escherichia coli chromosome induce thermosensitive cell growth and division.

Three new mutants of Escherichia coli showing thermosensitive cell growth and division were isolated, and the mutations were mapped to the mra region at 2 min on the E. coli chromosome map distal to leuA. Two mutations were mapped closely upstream of ftsI (also called pbpB), in a region of 600 bases; the fts-36 mutant showed thermosensitive growth and formed filamentous cells at 42 degrees C, whereas the lts-33 mutant lysed at 42 degrees C without forming filamentous cells. The mutation in the third new thermosensitive, filament-forming mutant, named ftsW, was mapped between murF and murG. By isolation of these three mutants, about 90% of the 17-kilobase region from fts-36-lts-33 to envA could be filled with genes for cell division and growth, and the genes could be aligned.     

Molecular cloning of the gene of a penicillin-binding protein supposed to cause high resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus.

A novel penicillin-binding protein, PBP-2' (Mr about 75,000), is known to be induced in excessively large amount by most beta-lactam compounds in cells of a clinically isolated strain of Staphylococcus aureus, TK784, that is highly resistant to beta-lactams and also most other antibiotics. This protein has very low affinities to most beta-lactam compounds and has been supposed to be the cause of the resistance of the cells to beta-lactams. A 14-kilobase DNA fragment was isolated from the cells that carried the gene encoding this penicillin-binding protein and also a genetically linked marker that is responsible for the resistance to tobramycin. This DNA was cloned on plasmid pACYC184 and was shown to cause both production of PBP-2' and resistance to tobramycin in Escherichia coli cells. However, the formation of PBP-2' in E. coli was only moderate and was independent of normal inducer beta-lactams. The PBP-2' formed in the E. coli cells showed slow kinetics of binding to beta-lactams similar to that of PBP-2' formed in the original S. aureus cells and gave a similar pattern of peptides to the latter when digested with the proteolytic V8 enzyme of S. aureus.     

False positive reaction for carcinoembryonic antigen in paget cells

Virchows Archiv B Cell Pathology - Paget cells from cases of mammary and extramammary Paget’s disease were examined for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CEA-related antigens by the...     

Sulfated extracellular polysaccharide production by the halophilic cyanobacterium Aphanocapsa halophytia immobilized on light-diffusing optical fibers

 The cyanobacterium, Aphanocapsa halo-phytia MN-11, was immobilized in calcium alginate gel and coated on light-diffusing optical fibers (LDOF) for sulfated extracellular polysaccharide production. Results indicated that sulfated extracellular polysaccharide production depends on the number of immobilized cells and the light intensity. In addition, the production rate reached 116.0 mg (mg dry cells)^-1 day^-1 when the cells that were immobilized on LDOF were incubated under a light intensity of 1380 cd sr m^-2 at a cell concentration of 1.0×10⁸ cells/cm³ gel. Cells immobilized on LDOF produced about ten times more sulfated extracellular polysaccharide than those immobilized in calcium alginate beads only (11.7 mg(mg dry cells)^-1day^-1). Received: 31 March 1995/Revised last revision 12 June 1995/Accepted 26 July 1995     

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.     

Structure of the Gene for an Auxin-Binding Protein and a Gene for 7SL RNA from Arabidopsis thaliana

A genomic clone encoding an auxin-binding protein (ABP) fromthe endoplasmic reticulum was isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana.The ABP gene consisted of 5 exons and 4 introns and encodeda polypeptide of 198 residues. A gene encoding the 7SL RNA ofthe signal recognition particle was located downstream of theABP gene. ⁴Recipient of a scholarship from the National Education Commission,People's Republic of China.     

The 55-kilodalton protein in an oriC complex fraction is glycogen synthase.

Three proteins with molecular masses of 35, 55, and 75 kDa were found in an oriC complex fraction after purification through CsCl density gradient centrifugation (W. G. Hendrickson, T. Kusano, H. Yamaki, R. Balakrishnan, M. King, J. Murchie, and M. Schaechter, Cell 30:915-923, 1982). Of these three proteins, the 55-kDa protein was determined to be glycogen synthase on the basis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence and the molecular weight. The oriC complex was formed in glgA mutant cells, which produce no detectable glycogen, as well as in wild-type cells. None of the 35-, 55-, and 75-kDa proteins were detected in the fraction from this mutant. The results indicate that these proteins were not constituents of the oriC complex.     

ATPase activity of SopA, a protein essential for active partitioning of F plasmid

Summary The SopA, B, C genes of the F plasmid play an essential role in plasmid partitioning during cell division in Escherichia coli. In this paper, the products of the sopA and sopB genes were isolated and their biochemical activities studied. [-³²P]ATP was cross-linked to the SopA protein by UV irradiation; this cross-linking was observed only in the presence of magnesium ion, and was competitively inhibited in the presence of non-radioactive ATP, ADP and dATP, but not other NTPs or dNTPs. In contrast, no ATP binding activity was detected for the SopB protein. The SopA protein showed a modest magnesium ion-dependent ATPase activity and this activity was stimulated in the presence of DNA. The ATPase activity in the presence of DNA was further stimulated by addition of the SopB protein. However, the SopB protein alone failed to stimulate the ATPase activity.