The p53 isoforms are differentially modified by Mdm2

The discovery that the single p53 gene encodes several different p53 protein isoforms has initiated a flurry of research into the function and regulation of these novel p53 proteins. Full-length p53 protein level is primarily regulated by the E3-ligase Mdm2, which promotes p53 ubiquitination and degradation. Here, we report that all of the novel p53 isoforms are ubiquitinated and degraded to varying degrees in an Mdm2-dependent and -independent manner, and that high-risk human papillomavirus can degrade some but not all of the novel isoforms, demonstrating that full-length p53 and the p53 isoforms are differentially regulated. In addition, we provide the first evidence that Mdm2 promotes the NEDDylation of p53β. Altogether, our data indicates that Mdm2 can distinguish between the p53 isoforms and modify them differently.     

Iron-sulfur centers in the photosynthetic reaction center complex fromChlorobium vibrioforme. Differences from and similarities to the iron-sulfur centers in Photosystem I

The photosynthetic reaction center complex from the green sulfur bacteriumChlorobium vibrioforme has been isolated under anaerobic conditions. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis reveals polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 80, 40, 30, 18, 15, and 9 kDa. The 80- and 18-kDa polypeptides are identified as the reaction center polypeptide and the secondary donor cytochromec ₅₅₁ encoded by thepscA andpscC genes, respectively. N-terminal amino acid sequences identify the 40-kDa polypeptide as the bacteriochlorophylla-protein of the baseplate (the Fenna-Matthews-Olson protein) and the 30-kDa polypeptide as the putative 2[4Fe-4S] protein encoded bypscB. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis shows the presence of an iron-sulfur cluster which is irreversibly photoreduced at 9K. Photoaccumulation at higher temperature shows the presence of an additional photoreduced cluster. The EPR spectra of the two iron-sulfur clusters resemble those of F_A and F_B of Photosystem I, but also show significantly differentg-values, lineshapes, and temperature and power dependencies. We suggest that the two centers are designated Center I (with calculatedg-values of 2.085, 1.898, 1.841), and Center II (with calculatedg-values of 2.083, 1.941, 1.878). The data suggest that Centers I and II are bound to thepscB polypeptide.     

Sterilization of Plants for Phytoremediation Studies by Bleach Treatment

Bleach treatment of plants was studied as a simple alternative to axenic tissue cultures for demonstrating phytodegradation of aqueous and gas-phase environmental contaminants. Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were exposed to 0.525% NaC10 solutions for 15 s, then rinsed in deionized water. Plate counts indicated that 97 to 100% of viable bacteria were removed from parrotfeather and spinach. Transformation rates for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by bleached and untreated parrotfeather were virtually identical. Similarly, treated and untreated spinach, wheat heads, and wheat leaves removed methyl bromide (MeBr) from air at the same rates. However, wheat root with attendant adhering soil was rendered inactive by bleach treatment. Parrotfeather roots examined by dissecting microscope and by electron microscope showed no significant damage caused by bleach treatment.     

Respiratory components in acidophilic bacteria that respire on iron

Abstract

Microorganisms capable of aerobic respiration on ferrous ions are spread throughout eubacterial and archaebacterial phyla. Phylogenetically distinct organisms were shown to express spectrally distinct redox‐active biomolecules during autotrophic growth on soluble iron. A new iron‐oxidizing eubacterium, designated as strain Funis, was investigated. Strain Funis was judged to be different from other known iron‐oxidizing bacteria on the bases of comparative lipid analyses, 16S rRNA sequence analyses, and cytochrome composition studies. When grown autotrophically on ferrous ions, Funis produced conspicuous levels of a novel acid‐stable, acid‐soluble yellow cytochrome with a distinctive absorbance peak at 579 nm in the reduced state.

Stopped‐flow spectrophotometric kinetic studies were conducted on respiratory chain components isolated from cell‐free extracts of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans. Experimental results were consistent with a model where the primary oxidant of ferrous ions is a highly aggregated c‐type cytochrome that then reduces the periplasmic rusticyanin. The Fe(II)‐dependent, cytochrome c‐catalyzed reduction of the rusticyanin possessed three kinetic properties in common with corresponding intact cells that respire on iron: the same anion specificity, a similar dependence of the rate on the concentration of ferrous ions, and similar rates at saturating concentrations of ferrous ions     

Estimates of protozoan- and viral-mediated mortality of bacterioplankton in Lake Bourget (France)

1. We performed three, 1‐week in situ experiments in March‐April (expt 1), May (expt 2) and August (expt 3) 2003 in order to assess protozoan and virus‐induced mortality of heterotrophic bacteria in a French lake. Viral and bacterial abundances were obtained using flow cytometry (FCM) while protozoa were counted using epifluorescence microscopy (EFM). 2. A dilution approach, applied to pretreated grazer‐free samples, allowed us to estimate that viral lysis could be responsible for 60% (expt 1), 35% (expt 2) and 52% (expt 3) of daily heterotrophic bacterial mortality. Flagellate (both mixotrophic and heterotrophic) grazing in untreated samples, was responsible for 56% (expt 1), 63% (expt 2) and 18% (expt 3) of daily heterotrophic bacteria removal. 3. These results therefore suggest that both viral lysis and flagellate grazing had a strong impact on bacterial mortality, and this impact varied seasonally. 4. From parallel transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, we found that the burst size (i.e. the number of viruses potentially released per lysed cell) ranged from nine to 25 (expt 1), 10 to 35 (expt 2) and eight to 25 (expt 3). The percentage of infected heterotrophic bacteria was 5.7% (expt 1), 3.4% (expt 2) and 5.7% (expt 3) so that the calculated percentage of bacterial mortality induced by viruses was 6.3% (expt 1), 3.7% (expt 2) and 6.3% (expt 3). 5. It is clear that the dilution‐FCM and TEM methods yielded different estimates of viral impact, although both methods revealed an increased impact of viruses during summer.     

Environmental needs and social justice

Despite the growth in awareness and practical action to maintain biodiversity, environmental degradation and ecosystem destruction has continued at a high rate over the last 20 years. The roots of this lie in the predominant international economic order, underpinned by lifestyle demands for increased material consumption. Net flow of wealth from South (less developed) to North (more developed) nations has exacerbated a spiral of increased poverty and environmental degradation in the former. Global environmental conservation depends upon a radical change of direction with the principle of equity as the starting point. Notwithstanding the importance of continuing to add to local and small-scale conservation achievements, the prospect of radical change happening seems small, despite it being in the long-term self-interest of the North. The concept of equity is, apparently, unacceptable to Northern electorates.     

Sulfide induces phosphate release from polyphosphate in cultures of a marine Beggiatoa strain

Sulfur bacteria such as Beggiatoa or Thiomargarita have a particularly high capacity for storage because of their large size. In addition to sulfur and nitrate, these bacteria also store phosphorus in the form of polyphosphate. Thiomargarita namibiensis has been shown to release phosphate from internally stored polyphosphate in pulses creating steep peaks of phosphate in the sediment and thereby inducing the precipitation of phosphorus-rich minerals. Large sulfur bacteria populate sediments at the sites of recent phosphorite formation and are found as fossils in ancient phosphorite deposits. Therefore, it can be assumed that this physiology contributes to the removal of bioavailable phosphorus from the marine system and thus is important for the global phosphorus cycle. We investigated under defined laboratory conditions which parameters stimulate the decomposition of polyphosphate and the release of phosphate in a marine Beggiatoa strain. Initially, we tested phosphate release in response to anoxia and high concentrations of acetate, because acetate is described as the relevant stimulus for phosphate release in activated sludge. To our surprise, the Beggiatoa strain did not release phosphate in response to this treatment. Instead, we could clearly show that increasing sulfide concentrations and anoxia resulted in a decomposition of polyphosphate. This physiological reaction is a yet unknown mode of bacterial polyphosphate usage and provides a new explanation for high phosphate concentrations in sulfidic marine sediments.     

Influence of concentration and structure of quaternary ammonium salts on their antifouling efficiency tested against a community of marine bacteria

With the view of incorporating quaternary ammonium salts (QAs) in marine paints, nineteen of these were tested against a community of marine bacteria, at a temperature and salinity close to those of seawater. The concentration of QAs and the length of the main substituting chain are the main parameters affecting the growth and adhesion of bacteria, but the nature of (i) the other chains, (ii) the counter‐ion and (iii) the rings when inserted in the QA molecule also influenced the bacteria. Increasing the concentration of the QAs decreased the growth rate of the bacteria, the maximum cell density at the plateau and the rate of adhesion. The effect of increasing the length of the main chain depended on the range of carbon numbers. Below 7 carbon atoms, the growth rate was not significantly modified, but the numbers of cells at the plateau increased in contrast with the adhesion rate which decreased rapidly. Increasing the length of the chain to between 7 and 16 carbon atoms resulted in a decrease in the growth rate, a decrease and then a stabilisation in the numbers of cells at the plateau and no further change in the adhesion rate. Possibly an increase in growth rate, adhesion rate and in the numbers of cells at the plateau may occur above 16 carbon atoms. In contrast, the length of the other chains influenced positively the cell concentration at the plateau, and more generally the efficiency of QAs decreased substantially when these chains had the same numbers of carbon atoms. QAs with iodide as counter‐ion were more effective than those with chloride or bromide and phenyl was more effective than benzyl as rings inserted in QAs. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were often very high if compared to standard methods with laboratory strains, and this can be tentatively explained by the dominance of Gram— bacteria in the community assayed, the development of resistant strains in the cultures used with time and the presence of organic matter in the culture medium.