bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Release of Nitrogenous Substances by Brewer's Yeast IV. Energetics in Shock Excretion of Amino Acids
Authors: Lewis M. J. , Phaff H. J.
Published: January 2020

Lewis
, M. J. (University of California, Davis),
and H. J. Phaff
. Release of nitrogenous substances by brewer's yeast. IV. Energetics in shock excretion of amino acids. J. Bacteriol.
89:
960–966. 1965.—When suitably grown yeast cells are suspended in a solution of fermentable sugar, amino acids from the internal pool are rapidly released from the cells, a phenomenon referred to as shock excretion. After approximately 2 to 3 hr, in the presence of excess sugar, the amino acids are almost completely reabsorbed. This observation has been further studied with particular reference to the energy-yielding reactions of the cell. It has been established that amino acid release increases more rapidly with a rise in incubation temperature than does fermentation rate. Amino acid release cannot be inhibited by the common uncouplers of adenosine triphosphate synthesis (azide, arsenate, or 2,4-dinitrophenol) at concentrations adequate to prevent reabsorption of amino acids—an energy-requiring event. Inhibitors which completely inhibit the dissimilation of glucose (such as iodoacetate and fluoride) or those preventing entry of glucose into the cell (uranyl acetate) are effective in preventing amino acid release. It was concluded that shock excretion of amino acids is independent of energy-yielding reactions, but may be the result of changes in the state of the cell contingent upon the continuous flow of a fermentable sugar across the cell membrane.
Vitamin Requirements of Several Cellulolytic Rumen Bacteria
Authors: Scott H. W. , Dehority B. A.
Published: January 2020

Scott
, H. W. (Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station, Wooster),
and B. A. Dehority
. Vitamin requirements of several cellulolytic rumen bacteria. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1169–1175. 1965.—Four strains of cellulolytic bacteria recently isolated from in vitro rumen fermentations were used in this study. Nine water-soluble vitamins were tested in single-deletion and single-addition plus biotin experiments, each with and without charcoal-extracted casein hydrolysate.
Bacteroides succinogenes
A3C and B21a required only biotin under the above experimental conditions.
Ruminococcus flavefaciens
B34b showed an absolute requirement for biotin and was stimulated by
p
-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) in the single-deletion experiments. In the single-addition plus biotin experiments, PABA and, to a lesser extent, vitamin B
12
appeared to be required for maximal growth. The presence or absence of casein hydrolysate did not affect the vitamin requirements for the aforementioned three strains. In the single-deletion experiments,
R. flavefaciens
Cla showed an absolute requirement for biotin and, when casein hydrolysate was omitted, for B
12
. When casein hydrolysate was present, no requirement for B
12
could be observed. In the single-addition experiments where the basal medium contained biotin and casein hydrolysate or B
12
, PABA was required for maximal growth; however, the single deletion of PABA caused only slight retardation of growth. Investigation of the B
12
or casein hydrolysate requirement of Cla revealed that a mixture of purified amino acids simulating casein hydrolysate satisfied this requirement. Subsequent work indicated that this requirement could be satisfied by the amino acid methionine.
Turbidimetric Changes Accompanying the Interaction of Endotoxin and the α Chains of Human Hemoglobin
Authors: Setlow Peter , Levine Lawrence , Van Vunakis Helen
Published: January 2020

Setlow, Peter(Brandeis University, Waltham, Mass.),Lawrence Levine, and Helen Van Vunakis. Turbidimetric changes accompanying the interaction of endotoxin and the α chains of human hemoglobin. J. Bacteriol.89:1237–1243. 1965.—With the use of a turbidimetric assay, the effects ofpH, ionic strength, anions and cations, and varying concentrations of reactants on the interaction ofEscherichia coliendotoxin (prepared by the Boivin procedure) with the α chain of hemoglobin were studied. The reaction was found to be partially reversible by addition of NaCl or by addition of an excess of either reactant. The characteristics of the reaction indicated that complex formation between two multivalent molecules had taken place. The formation of the complex was inhibited by endotoxin (prepared by the Westphal procedure) and by the products which resulted from partial tryptic digestion of α chain.
Degradation of Inorganic Polyphosphate in Mutants ofAerobacter aerogenes
Authors: Harold F. M. , Harold Ruth L.
Published: January 2020

Harold, F. M. (National Jewish Hospital, Denver, Colo.),and Ruth L. Harold. Degradation of inorganic polyphosphate in mutants ofAerobacter aerogenes. J. Bacteriol.89:1262–1270. 1965.—Extracts ofAerobacter aerogenescontained two enzymes capable of degrading polyphosphate, polyphosphatase and polyphosphate kinase. By use of a suicide technique, a mutant (Pn-4) blocked in polyphosphate degradation was isolated; this mutant was found to lack polyphosphatase. The results indicate that polyphosphatase mediates the main pathway of polyphosphate degradation, and, therefore, that polyphosphate does not serve as a microbial phosphagen. A second mutant (Pn-3) exhibited transient accumulation of polyphosphate when cells were transferred to fresh growth medium. This strain was constitutive for elevated levels of polyphosphate kinase, polyphosphatase, and alkaline phosphatase; the transient accumulation of polyphosphate may be due to the shifting ratios of the biosynthetic and degradative enzymes during growth. These mutants were employed in studies on the competitive relationship between polyphosphate and nucleic acids. It was concluded that nucleic acid synthesis inhibits polyphosphate synthesis and also stimulates polyphosphate degradation.
Phenethyl Alcohol I. Effect on Macromolecular Synthesis of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Rosenkranz Herbert S. , Carr Howard S. , Rose Harry M.
Published: January 2020

Rosenkranz, Herbert
S. (Columbia University, New York, N.Y.),
Howard S. Carr, and Harry M. Rose
. Phenethyl alcohol. I. Effect on macromolecular synthesis of
Escherichia coli
. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1354–1369. 1965.—An investigation of the mode of action of phenethyl alcohol produced the following results. Phenethyl alcohol had no effect on the physicochemical properties of isolated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The DNA isolated from phenethyl alcohol-treated bacteria had physicochemical properties identical with those of DNA isolated from normal cells. The metabolic functions most sensitive to the inhibitory action of phenethyl alcohol appeared to be the process of enzyme induction and, possibly, the synthesis of messenger ribonucleic acid. Phenethyl alcohol did not affect the polyuridylic acid-mediated synthesis of polyphenylalanine in a cell-free amino acid-incorporating system.
Synthesis of Reserve Materials for Endogenous Metabolism in
Streptococcus faecalis
Authors: Forrest W. W. , Walker D. J.
Published: January 2020

Forrest
, W. W. (University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia),
and D. J. Walker
. Synthesis of reserve materials for endogenous metabolism in
Streptococcus faecalis
. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1448–1452. 1965.—The growth curve of
Streptococcus faecalis
in batch culture with limited energy source shows an initial portion of exponential growth where the growth yield coefficient
Y
glucose
is 32, followed by linear growth where
Y
glucose
is 21. Endogenous metabolism is correlated with maintenance of glycolytic activity, and there is a marked change in the glycolytic activity of cells harvested under these conditions; however, endogenous metabolism cannot be detected in either case by measurement of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) pool in the organisms. Cells harvested after growth with excess energy source exhibit endogenous metabolism, which is correlated with a much higher concentration of ATP in the organisms than occurs in the cells grown with limited energy source.
Nature of the Bactericidal Action of Antimycin A for
Bacillus megaterium
Authors: Marquis Robert E.
Published: January 2020

Marquis, Robert
E. (University of Rochester, Rochester, N.Y.). Nature of the bactericidal action of antimycin A for
Bacillus megaterium
. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1453–1459. 1965.—Antimycin A, a fungicidal antibiotic which specifically inhibits metabolic reduction of cytochrome
c
, was found to be lethal for
Bacillus megaterium
. However, the bactericidal action was correlated with a capacity of antimycin to hinder plasma-membrane functions other than cytochrome-mediated respiration. With conditions under which oxygen consumption was not appreciably depressed, antimycin almost completely inhibited concentrative uptake of both α-aminoisobutyrate and α-methylglucoside, and also caused death of cells. When present in amounts greater than those required for killing or for inhibition of nutrilite uptake, antimycin also induced extensive loss of inorganic phosphate and other substances from whole cells, inhibited aerobic respiration, and acted as a lytic agent for isolated protoplasts. The lytic potency of antimycin was greater, on a molar basis, than that of digitonin, hexachlorophene, polymyxin B, and all but one of a number of test detergents. Protoplasts concentrated antimycin primarily in or on the plasma membrane, and the refractive index of isolated protoplast membranes rose sharply as a result of antimycin binding. In all, antimycin-induced lysis appeared not to include dissolution of the protoplast membrane similar to that produced by dodecyl sulfate. Rather, the lytic process seemed more akin to that induced by cationic detergents or by polymyxin.
Increased Activity of Tryptophan Biosynthetic Enzymes in Histidine Mutants of
Neurospora crassa
Authors: Carsiotis M. , Lacy Ann M.
Published: January 2020

Carsiotis
, M. (University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio),
and Ann M. Lacy
. Increased activity of tryptophan biosynthetic enzymes in histidine mutants of
Neurospora crassa
. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1472–1477. 1965.—The activities of tryptophan synthetase and indoleglycerol phosphate synthetase, the last two enzymes in the tryptophan biosynthetic pathway, are elevated twofold or more in all histidine mutants of
Neurospora crassa
. The elevation occurs only when the mutants are grown in a histidine-limited medium. Several possible mechanisms for this elevation were disproved experimentally. The cause of the elevated enzyme activities remains unknown.
Photoreversible Ultraviolet Enhancement of Infectivity in
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Authors: Heberlein Gary T. , Lippincott James A.
Published: January 2020

Heberlein, Gary
T. (Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill.),
and James A. Lippincott
. Photoreversible ultraviolet enhancement of infectivity in
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1511–1514. 1965.—Irradiation of a virulent strain of
Agrobacterium tumefaciens
with short-wavelength ultraviolet light, which reduces viability 50 to 90%, increases its infectivity as measured by the number of tumors initiated per viable bacterial cell on primary pinto bean leaves. A dark treatment of 1.5 to 2 hr between irradiation and inoculation results in a further increase in specific infectivity of as much as fourfold. This increase in infectivity is inhibited by white fluorescent light and light of 402 mμ, but only slightly by 549- or 619-mμ light. These results imply that some change in the deoxyribonucleic acid of the bacterium is responsible for this effect.
Reoviruses II. Structure and Composition of the Virion
Authors: Mayor Heather D. , Jamison Richard M. , Jordan Liane E. , Mitchell M. Van
Published: January 2020

Mayor, Heather
D. (Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.),
Richard M. Jamison, Liane E. Jordan, and M. Van Mitchell
. Reoviruses. II. Structure and composition of the virion. J. Bacteriol.
89:
1548–1556. 1965.—Reovirus type 1 has been grown in green monkey kidney cells and harvested 24 hr after infection (“early” virus) and 96 hr after infection (“late” virus). A number of biological parameters have been determined on purified preparations of both “early” and “late” harvests of reovirus. There were no significant differences in values obtained for the molecular weight, RNA content, and buoyant density of virions prepared from early or late harvests. The size of the capsids and their morphology were also identical. Late harvests of reovirus were particularly rich in empty viral capsids (density, 1.28 in cesium chloride), and a significant number of empty inner capsid shells were routinely found. These shells could be prepared readily by controlled digestion of complete virus particles with trypsin. The inner shell appears to be composed of subunits packed with icosahedral symmetry to form a 45-mμ foundation on which the outer 92-subunit capsid is assembled. The inner shell is somewhat reminiscent in size and morphology of the capsid of papovaviruses. The fact that it can exist as a discrete entity has prompted us to propose some modifications to the current models for the reovirus capsid.
Growth and Division of Filamentous Forms of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Adler Howard I. , Hardigree Alice A.
Published: January 2020

Adler, Howard
I. (Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.),
and Alice A. Hardigree
. Growth and division of filamentous forms of
Escherichia coli
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
223–226. 1965.—Cells of certain mutant strains of
Escherichia coli
grow into long multinucleate filaments after exposure to radiation. Deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, and protein synthesis proceed, but cytokinesis does not occur. Cytokinesis (cross-septation) can be initiated by exposure of the filaments to pantoyl lactone or a temperature of 42 C. If growing filaments are treated with mitomycin C, nuclear division does not occur, and nuclear material is confined to the central region of the filament. Cytokinesis cannot be induced in mitomycin C-treated filaments by pantoyl lactone or treatment at 42 C.
Thiosulfate Oxidation and Electron Transport in
Thiobacillus novellus
Authors: Aleem M. I. H.
Published: January 2020

Aleem
, M. I. H. (Research Institute for Advanced Studies, Baltimore, Md.). Thiosulfate oxidation and electron transport in
Thiobacillus novellus
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
95–101. 1965.—A cell-free soluble enzyme system capable of oxidizing thiosulfate was obtained from
Thiobacillus novellus
adapted to grow autotrophically. The enzyme systems of autotrophically grown cells brought about the transfer of electrons from thiosulfate to molecular oxygen via cytochromes of the
c
and
a
types; the reactions were catalyzed jointly by thiosulfate oxidase and thiosulfate cytochrome
c
reductase. The levels of both of these enzymes were markedly reduced in the heterotrophically grown organism. Cell-free extracts from the autotrophically grown
T. novellus
catalyzed formate oxidation and enzymatically reduced cytochrome
c
with formate. Both formate oxidation and cytochrome
c
reduction activities were abolished under heterotrophic conditions. The thiosulfate-activating enzyme S
2
O
3
−2
-cytochrome
c
reductase, as well as thiosulfate oxidase, was localized chiefly in the soluble cell-free fractions, and the former enzyme was purified more than 200-fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation and calcium phosphate gel adsorption procedures. Optimal activity of the purified enzyme occurred at
p
H 8.0 in the presence of 1.67 × 10
−1
m
S
2
O
3
−2
and 2.5 × 10
−4
m
cytochrome
c
. The thiosulfate oxidase operated optimally at
p
H 7.5 and thiosulfate concentrations of 1.33 × 10
−3
to 3.33 × 10
−2
m
in the presence of added cytochrome
c
at a concentration of 5 × 10
−4
m
. Both enzymes were markedly sensitive to cyanide and to a lesser extent to some metal-binding agents. Although a 10
−3
m
concentration of
p
-hydroxymercuribenzoate had no effect on S
2
O
3
−2
-cytochrome
c
reductase, it caused a 50% inhibition of S
2
O
3
−2
oxidase, which was completely reversed in the presence of 10
−3
m
reduced glutathione. Carbon monoxide also inhibited S
2
O
3
−2
oxidase; the inhibition was completely reversed by light.
Properties of Newly Introduced Transforming Deoxyribonucleic Acid in
Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Venema G. , Pritchard R. H. , Venema-SchrÖder T.
Published: January 2020

Venema
, G. (Hammersmith Hospital, London, England), R. H.
Pritchard, and T. Venema-Schröder
. Properties of newly introduced transforming deoxyribonucleic acid in
Bacillus subtilis
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
343–346. 1965.—In these experiments, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with donor markers, re-extracted shortly after uptake by competent
Bacillus subtilis
cells, had abnormal physical properties as compared with DNA with resident markers. It was less sensitive to thermal denaturation, and its capacity to renaturation was reduced. DNA showing joint activity of donor and recipient markers (recombinant-type activity) had similar abnormal properties, revealing that, despite the appearance of recombinant-type activity, integration was not complete.
Intestinal Bacterial Flora and Transit Time of Three Neotropical Bat Species
Authors: Klite P. D.
Published: January 2020

Klite
, P. D. (Middle America Research Unit, Balboa Heights, Canal Zone). Intestinal bacterial flora and transit time of three neotropical bat species. J. Bacteriol.
90:
375–379. 1965.—Quantitative studies on the intestinal bacterial flora of three neotropical bat species revealed the following average bacterial populations:
Molossus major
, 10
4.8
bacteria per intestinal contents;
Carollia perspicillata
, 10
3.3
;
Chilonycteris rubiginosa
, 10
3.9
. In comparison, laboratory mice had an average of 10
9.7
bacteria per intestinal contents. Of 236 bacterial isolates obtained from 60 bats, bacteria of the
Klebsiella-Aerobacter-Serratia
group were found most frequently, followed by enterococci and
Proteus
spp. Bacteria of eight other groups were less frequently recovered. A large intestine, cecum, or appendix was absent in all three bat species, and the intestinal length was one-third to one-fifth of that in a mouse of comparable weight. The transit time through the short bat intestine was 15 min. The possible relationship of these unusual anatomical and physiological phenomena to the ability of
Histoplasma capsulatum
to survive in bat feces is discussed.
Control of Pyridoxine Biosynthesis in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Dempsey Walter B.
Published: January 2020

Dempsey, Walter
B. (University of Florida, Gainesville). Control of pyridoxine biosynthesis in
Escherichia coli
J. Bacteriol.
90:
431–437. 1965.—The total pyridoxine in a culture of exponentially growing
Escherichia coli
was 3.6 × 10
−10
moles per mg of dry cells. One-fourth of this total was present in the medium, and was at least 90% pyridoxal 5′-phosphate. Both pyridoxol and pyridoxal, when present initially at 6 × 10
−7
m
, substituted entirely for de novo synthesis of pyridoxine. The other four forms of the pyridoxine group were ineffective at this concentration. Pyridoxine biosynthesis in exponentially growing cultures of
E. coli
was immediately stopped by adding pyridoxol to the medium to a final concentration of 4 × 10
−7
m
. Amino acid auxotrophs of
E. coli
suspended in minimal medium without the required amino acid produced extracellular pyridoxine for several hours at an average rate of 1.3 × 10
−10
moles per hr per mg of dry cells. The rate of production of extracellular pyridoxine by a threonine-starved threonine auxotroph was not altered by growing the culture before starvation in media containing 6 × 10
−5
m
pyridoxol. The extracellular form of pyridoxine produced in these starvations required hydrolysis to be detected in the bioassay used in these measurements. The total findings suggest that pyridoxine biosynthesis is controlled by a rapidly acting mechanism but not by repression.
Role of Amino Acids in Postexponential Growth
Authors: Toennies Gerrit
Published: January 2020

Toennies, Gerrit
(Temple University, and The Institute for Cancer Research, Philadelphia, Pa.). Role of amino acids in postexponential growth. J. Bacteriol.
90:
438–442. 1965.—It was shown earlier that depletion of different essential amino acids from the medium of growing
Streptococcus faecalis
leads to the formation of cell types of different compositions in terms of cytoplasm, wall, and membrane. The findings presented now indicate that these postexponential effects can be induced by very low concentrations of incomplete amino acid complements, that cystine and methionine have major and separate effects, and that these effects may be modulated differentially by the presence of different combinations of other amino acids.
Nature and Interactions of the Genetic Elements Governing Penicillinase Synthesis in
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Novick Richard P. , Richmond Mark H.
Published: January 2020

Novick, Richard
P. (The Rockefeller Institute, New York, N.Y.),
and Mark H. Richmond
. Nature and interactions of the genetic elements governing penicillinase synthesis in
Staphylococcus aureus
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
467–480. 1965.—It has been found previously that penicillinase-producing strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
each harbor an extrachromosomal element, or plasmid, which apparently carries all the genetic information necessary for penicillinase synthesis. These plasmids behave in a manner consistent with their being small chromosomelike structures in that they comprise linkage groups containing several markers and in that they undergo such genetic events as mutation, segregation, and recombination. There is currently no evidence for conjugal cell-cell transfer of the plasmids or for a state of stable integration into the staphylococcal chromosome. A certain amount of variability has been encountered among the penicillinase plasmids harbored by different staphylococcal strains. It has been found that: (i) there are at least three molecular variants of the enzyme itself; (ii) most, but not all, of the penicillinase plasmids carry a genetic determinant of resistance to mercuric ion; (iii) plasmids carried by a very small number of the strains bear a determinant of resistance to erythromycin; (iv) the plasmids determine the fraction of penicillinase excreted into the medium during growth, and this also varies from strain to strain. The penicillinase plasmids appear to behave as integral genetic structures. The entire known linkage group is transduced intact, and is occasionally lost completely as a spontaneous occurrence during the growth of the organisms. Rarely, the plasmid markers dissociate during transduction, resulting in transduced clones which have inherited only a part of the plasmid linkage group. Similarly, dissociation occurs as a spontaneous event during normal growth, also resulting in rare clones which appear to have lost one or more but not all of the plasmid markers. When crosses are performed between two plasmid-harboring strains, a plasmid heterozygote is formed. In most cases, this persists for only one or a few cell divisions before segregating, with or without the formation of recombinant plasmids. In two instances thus far observed, the heterozygote persists as a stable plasmid heterodiploid, in which the continued presence of both plasmids can be readily demonstrated. The fate of the heterozygote, i.e., early segregation or persistence as a heterodiploid, depends upon which particular pair of plasmids is involved in the cross. This observation has led to the hypothesis of a plasmid-linked determinant of plasmid compatibility. A pair of plasmids is considered compatible if it can form a stable heterodiploid, incompatible if it cannot.
Factors Affecting Formation of Incomplete Vi Antibody in Mice
Authors: Gaines Sidney , Currie Julius A. , Tully Joseph G.
Published: January 2020

Gaines, Sidney(Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.),Julius A. Currie, and Joseph G. Tully. Factors affecting formation of incomplete Vi antibody in mice. J. Bacteriol.90:635–642. 1965.—Single immunizing doses of purified Vi antigen elicited complete and incomplete Vi antibodies in BALB/c mice, but only incomplete antibody in Cinnamon mice. Three of six other mouse strains tested responded like BALB/c mice; the remaining three, like Cinnamon mice. Varying the quantity of antigen injected or the route of administration failed to stimulate the production of detectable complete Vi antibody in Cinnamon mice. Such antibody was evoked in these animals by multiple injections of Vi antigen or by inoculating them with Vi-containing bacilli or Vi-coated erythrocytes. The early protection afforded by serum from Vi-immunized BALB/c mice coincided with the appearance of incomplete Vi antibody, 1 day prior to the advent of complete antibody. Persistence of incomplete as well as complete antibody in the serum of immunized mice was demonstrated for at least 56 days after injection of 10 μg of Vi antigen. Incomplete Vi antibody was shown to have blocking ability, in vitro bactericidal activity, and the capability of protecting mice against intracerebral as well as intraperitoneal challenge with virulent typhoid bacilli. Production of incomplete and complete Vi antibodies was adversely affected by immunization with partially depolymerized Vi antigens.
Cyanide Resistance in
Achromobacter
II. Mechanism of Cyanide Resistance
Authors: Oka Tetuo , Arima Kei
Published: January 2020

Oka, Tetuo
(University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan),
and Kei Arima
. Cyanide resistance in
Achromobacter
. II. Mechanism of cyanide resistance. J. Bacteriol.
90:
744–747. 1965.—Photochemical data showed that the only oxidase found in the cyanide-sensitive cells of
Achromobacter
was cytochrome
o
, and that cyanide-resistant cells contained at least two oxidases. The oxidase responsible for cyanide resistance was a pigment the CO compound of which had its absorption band at a wavelength longer than 580 mμ. In addition, kinetic data suggested that there were two oxidases having different affinities for cyanide. From the data presented, resistance to cyanide in
Achromobacter
strain D was attributed to the induced formation of cytochrome
a
2
, which has a very low affinity for cyanide. Several characteristics of cytochrome
a
2
as a cytochrome oxidase are summarized.
Adenosine Triphosphate Pool During the Growth Cycle in
Streptococcus faecalis
Authors: Forrest W. W.
Published: January 2020

Forrest
, W. W. (University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia). Adenosine triphosphate pool during the growth cycle in
Streptococcus faecalis
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1013–1018. 1965.—The adenosine triphosphate (ATP) pool has been studied throughout the growth cycle of
Streptococcus faecalis
. Normally, the pool is quantitatively related to the concentration of organisms and the growth rate, but deviations from these relationships can occur without affecting the growth rate of the organisms. A critical concentration of ATP seems necessary for exponential growth, and, at lower levels, only linear growth can occur. If no growth can take place, catabolism of added energy source gives rise to a large increase in the pool level. The pool level represents the balance between the demands of the organisms for energy and the supply of energy derived from catabolism of the substrate.
Biochemical and Cellular Changes Occurring During Conjugation in
Hansenula wingei
Authors: Brock Thomas D.
Published: January 2020

Brock, Thomas
D. (Indiana University, Bloomington). Biochemical and cellular changes occurring during conjugation in
Hansenula wingei
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1019–1025. 1954.—A technique has been devised for deagglutinating mixed populations of conjugating cells so as to be able to visualize microscopically early stages of the conjugation process. A cell can form a conjugation tube only when in contact with a cell of opposite mating type, but may do so even if the mate is unresponsive or ultraviolet-inactivated. Cell fusion occurs, however, only when both cells are able to form conjugation tubes in a region of contact. Fusion begins almost as soon as the two cells begin to form protuberances, and long before any dissolution of cell-wall material between the cells occurs. A cell which has conjugated in one region of its cell wall is still able to conjugate with another cell in another region, so that triply and quadruply conjugated cells are occasionally formed. There is no significant
net
increase in deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, protein, or carbohydrate which might be related to the conjugation process, because any minor changes that occur in these components are also detected when cells of only one mating type are incubated or when the conjugation process is inhibited with the antibiotic cycloheximide. Changes in activity of β-1,3-glucanase (with laminarin as substrate) and β-1,6-glucanase (with pustulan as substrate) have been measured during the conjugation process, in addition to changes in the activity of several control enzymes which would not be expected to be related to the conjugation process. Significant increases in invertase (sucrase), laminarinase, and pustulanase were detected, and minimal increases occurred in β-glucosidase and acid phosphatase. However, these same increases were also observed in controls involving only one mating type; thus, these increases are probably not related to the conjugation process, but may be a result of other processes which probably occur during incubation in the conjugation medium.
Loss of Activity of Transforming Deoxyribonucleic Acid After Uptake by
Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Voll Mary Jane , Goodgal Sol H.
Published: January 2020

Voll, Mary Jane
(University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia),
and Sol H. Goodgal
. Loss of activity of transforming deoxyribonucleic acid after uptake by
Haemophilus influenzae
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
873–883. 1965.—Transforming deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) which has been irreversibly removed from solution by competent cells undergoes a progressive loss in marker activity when tested by lysis of the cells and exposure to new recipient cells. The loss of activity is limited and marker-specific, with greater inactivation of those markers with lower efficiencies of transformation. Recipient factors or donor factors which have undergone recombination, as measured by the appearance of linked markers, do not undergo inactivation. The efficiency of transformation can be correlated with the sensitivity of a marker to inactivation after DNA uptake. A mutation which affects the efficiency of transformation is found to increase sensitivity to postuptake inactivation. The rate of inactivation is temperature-dependent. At temperatures of 20 and 45 C, marker inactivation can occur without concomitant recombination. During the uptake process, DNA is retained in an acid-insoluble form, indicating that the fate of
Haemophilus influenzae
DNA differs from the fate of transforming DNA in pneumococcus.
Synthesis of Reovirus Ribonucleic Acid in L Cells
Authors: Kudo Hajime , Graham A. F.
Published: January 2020

Kudo, Hajime
(The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology, Philadelphia, Pa.),
and A. F. Graham
. Synthesis of reovirus ribonucleic acid in L cells. J. Bacteriol.
90:
936–945. 1965.—There is no inhibition of protein or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis in L cells infected with reovirus until the time that new virus starts to form about 8 hr after infection. At this time, both protein synthesis and DNA synthesis commence to be inhibited. Neither the synthesis of ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) nor that of the rapidly labeled RNA of the cell nucleus is inhibited before 10 hr after infection. Actinomycin at a concentration of 0.5 μg/ml does not inhibit the formation of reovirus, although higher concentrations of the antibiotic do so. Pulse-labeling experiments with uridine-C
14
carried out in the presence of 0.5 μg/ml of actinomycin show that, at 6 to 8 hr after infection, two species of virus-specific RNA begin to form and increase in quantity as time goes on. One species is sensitive to ribonuclease action and the other is very resistant. The latter RNA is probably double-stranded viral progeny RNA, and it constitutes approximately 40% of the RNA formed up to 16 hr after infection. The function of the ribonuclease-sensitive RNA is not yet known. Synthesis of both species of RNA is inhibited by 5 μg/ml of actinomycin added at early times after infection. Added 6 to 8 hr after infection, when virus-specific RNA has already commenced to form, 5 μg/ml of actinomycin no longer inhibit the formation of either species of RNA.
Drug Resistance of Enteric Bacteria V. High Frequency of Transduction of R Factors with Bacteriophage Epsilon
Authors: Kameda Mitsuo , Harada Kenji , Suzuki Mitsue , Mitsuhashi Susumu
Published: January 2020

Kameda, Mitsuo
(Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan),
Kenji Harada, Mitsue Suzuki, and Susumu Mitsuhashi
. Drug resistance of enteric bacteria. V. High frequency of transduction of R factors with bacteriophage epsilon. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1174–1181. 1965.—In the transduction of R factors with phage ε
15
, a lysate capable of transducing the markers for (TC) or (CM.SM.SA) resistance at high frequency was obtained. The transducing agent is a defective element called ε
15
dR
23
which lacks certain functions of phage ε
15
. After lysogenization with normal ε
15
phage and ultraviolet (UV) induction, strains carrying the ε
15
dR
23
element produce lysates which have a high frequency of transduction (HFT) on group E
1
Salmonella
. Lytic lysates prepared on phage ε
15
sensitive strain with the ε
15
dR
23
element have a low frequency of transduction (LFT). Lytic growth of phage ε
34
on an ε
15
dR
23
strain or UV induction of an ε
34
lysogenic strain containing ε
15
dR
23
results in LFT lysates on group E
2
Salmonella
. On UV induction, group E
2
Salmonella
(ε
15
lysogens) with the ε
15
dR
23
element give lysates which are HFT on group E
1
Salmonella
but are LFT when tested on group E
2
Salmonella
. In all instances, the production of drug-resistant transductants requires infection of the cell with only a single ε
15
dR
23
element. It appears that the resistance region of the R factor has replaced that portion of phage genome which is essential for vegetative replication and superinfection immunity. The ε
15
dR
23
element does not contain the genetic determinants of the R factor responsible for transmissibility, inhibition of F mating, and interference between two R factors.
Nucleotide Composition of Nucleic Acids of Fungi I. Ribonucleic Acids
Authors: Storck Roger
Published: January 2020

Storck, Roger
(The University of Texas, Austin). Nucleotide composition of nucleic acids from fungi. I. Ribonucleic acids. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1260–1264. 1965.—The nucleotide composition of the ribonucleic acids (RNA) present in extracts of 26 species of fungi was determined. The results were analyzed, together with those in the literature. It was found that the content in moles per cent of guanine plus cytosine (GC content) varied from 44.1 to 60.5 in a distribution composed of 8 species of zygomycetes, 10 of ascomycetes, 11 of deuteromycetes, and 8 of basidiomycetes. The GC-content range and average were, respectively, 44.1 to 49.3 and 46.4 for the zygomycetes, 47.4 to 54.4 and 50.2 for the ascomycetes, 48.2 to 54.5 and 51.6 for the deuteromycetes, and 50.4 to 60.5 and 52.4 for the basidiomycetes. The GC content averaged 45.6 and ranged from 44.1 to 46.3 for four
Mucor
species. In addition, GC contents significantly lower than 50 were also encountered in some species of Hemiascomycetidae, suggesting that AT type RNA is not uncommon in fungi. It was proposed that the base composition of fungal RNA might have a taxonomic and phylogenetic significance.
Structure of Bacterial L Forms and Their Parent Bacteria
Authors: Weibull Claes
Published: January 2020

Weibull, Claes
(Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Mont.). Structure of bacterial L forms and their parent bacteria. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1467–1480. 1965.—Light and electron microscopic studies were done on normal cells and L forms of
Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus aureus
, and
Corynebacterium
sp. grown in liquid media. Under the prevailing growth conditions, the L forms studied were morphologically indistinguishable from one another. They appeared as approximately spherical elements occurring singly or more often connected with each other by thinner portions of cell material. In sections of large L forms, the following structures were seen: a peripheral, triple-layered (“unit”) membrane, a granular cytoplasm, nuclear regions, and vacuoles limited by membranes. Small bodies often were present inside the vacuoles. These bodies also contained a peripheral membrane and a granular cytoplasm but usually no nuclear regions. The normal bacteria from which the L forms were derived differed markedly in structure from one another, especially in the surface layers of the cells.
Variation in Density and Transformation Potential in Deoxyribonucleic Acid from
Neisseria meningitidis
Authors: Jyssum Kaare , Jyssum Sidsel
Published: January 2020

Jyssum, Kaare
(University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway),
and Sidsel Jyssum
. Variation in density and transformation potential in deoxyribonucleic acid from
Neisseria meningitidis
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1513–1519. 1965.—Three variants of
Neisseria meningitidis
have been examined with regard to competence. One is the genetically competent M1-12
his
−
cp
+
, the second is the genetically incompetent M1-12
his
−
cp
−
which does not revert to competence, and the third is the incompetent mutant M1-18
his
−
gly
−
(
cp
) which reverts to competence. An examination of the relation between the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein contents indicates the existence of more DNA in strain M1-12
his
−
cp
+
than in strain M1-12
his
−
cp
−
. DNA prepared from the three strains was examined by density gradient centrifugation. The distribution of DNA in the gradients was unimodal. No significant differences could be observed between the distribution curves obtained from the three test strains. When the distribution in the gradients of transformation potential corresponding to five biochemical markers was measured, a pronounced difference was found among the three test strains. The distribution of the markers in the gradient from strain M1-12
his
−
cp
−
was unimodal. In the DNA from strain M1-18
his
−
gly
−
(
cp
), all the markers examined showed bipartite distribution curves with low relative specific transforming activity, corresponding to an area near the middle of the DNA distribution. The strain M1-12
his
−
cp
+
showed a similar bipartite distribution of four biochemical markers, whereas the marker
pro
had a very high relative specific transforming activity in the area where the other markers tested had a reduced activity. The nature of the DNA with reduced transformation potential which seems to be present in strains M1-12
his
−
cp
+
and M1-18
his
−
gly
−
(
cp
) is discussed in relation to previous observations. The possibility has been presented that the
cp
factor in
N. meningitidis
may be a true episome.
Diabetes and Host Resistance I. Effect of Alloxan Diabetes Upon the Phagocytic and Bactericidal Efficiency of Rat Leukocytes for Pneumococcus
Authors: Briscoe H. Frances , Allison Fred
Published: January 2020

Briscoe, H. Frances(University Medical Center, Jackson, Miss.),and Fred Allison, Jr. Diabetes and host resistance. I. Effect of alloxan diabetes upon the phagocytic and bactericidal efficiency of rat leukocytes for pneumococcus. J. Bacteriol.90:1537–1541. 1965.—Chronic diabetes mellitus was induced in rats with alloxan monohydrate. Glycosuria persisted for the 6 weeks of study, but ketonuria was never encountered. The cellular composition of peritoneal exudate recovered from diabetic rats after starch aleuronat administration was the same as that obtained from normal rats. The quantity of exudate recovered from the diabetic rats was thought to be less than that obtained from normal rats subjected to the same irritant. Phagocytosis was found to be essentially the same for both diabetic and normal cells when suspended in normal saline. The killing efficiency of harvested peritoneal phagocytes suspended in saline from both diabetic and normal rats for type 1 pneumococcus was compared and no difference between the groups was found.
Role of Aminoacyl-Transfer Ribonucleic Acid in the Regulation of Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Morris D. W. , DeMoss J. A.
Published: January 2020

Morris
, D. W. (University of California, San Diego),
and J. A. DeMoss
. Role of aminoacyl-transfer ribonucleic acid in the regulation of ribonucleic acid synthesis in
Escherichia coli
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1624–1631. 1965.—A leucine auxotroph of
Escherichia coli
was examined for its rate of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis and the level of charged leucine-, arginine-, and valine-specific transfer RNA (tRNA) during the exponential growth period and when growth was limited by leucine starvation. During the logarithmic growth period, the leucine-specific tRNA was 70% charged, arginine-specific tRNA was 30% charged, and the valine-specific tRNA was 80% charged. When leucine became limiting, RNA synthesis was inhibited and the levels of charged arginine- and valine-specific tRNA remained constant, whereas the level of charged leucine-specific tRNA dropped to 40%. Examination of the leucyl-tRNA during the leucine starvation period showed that this 40% level is maintained by protein turnover. Addition of chloramphenicol or puromycin to a leucine-starved culture derepressed RNA synthesis. In the presence of chloramphenicol, the leucine-specific tRNA was fully charged; however, in the presence of puromycin the amount of charged leucine-specific tRNA remained at the starved level. Therefore, during leucine starvation the level of uncharged leucine-specific tRNA is not invariably correlated with the rate of RNA synthesis. We propose that it is the availability of charged tRNA and not the amount of uncharged tRNA which is the important factor in the amino acid control of RNA synthesis.
Characterization of
Bacillus subtilis
Bacteriophages
Authors: Brodetsky Anna M. , Romig W. R.
Published: January 2020

Brodetsky, Anna
M. (University of California, Los Angeles),
and W. R. Romig
. Characterization of
Bacillus subtilis
bacteriophages. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1655–1663. 1965.—A group of six phages, SP5, SP6, SP7, SP8, SP9, and SP13, which use the Marburg strain of
Bacillus subtilis
as host was characterized. These phages, referred to as group 1, were examined for the following properties: host range, plaque morphology, stability, adsorption kinetics, one-step growth characteristics, calcium requirements, serum neutralization, thermal inactivation, and inactivation by ultraviolet irradiation. Five unrelated
B. subtilis
phages, SP3, SP10, PBS1, SP alpha, and SP beta, were included in the studies. When first isolated, none of the group 1 phages was able to replicate efficiently on
B. subtilis
SB19, a mutant of the “transforming”
B. subtilis
168. Host range mutants capable of growth in SB19 were isolated for all of the group 1 phages except SP13, and are designated the “star” phages (SP5* through SP9*). For characterization, SB19 was used as host for the star phages, and another
B. subtilis
mutant, 168B, was host for SP13.
Polysaccharide-Lipid Complexes from
Veillonella parvula
Authors: Mergenhagen Stephan E.
Published: January 2020

Mergenhagen, Stephan
E. (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.). Polysaccharide-lipid complexes from
Veillonella parvula
. J. Bacteriol.
90:
1730–1734. 1965.—A strain of
Veillonella parvula
(V2) elaborates an extracellular slime when grown in a nutrient medium containing only dialyzable components. Deproteinization with chloroform-butanol of ethyl alcohol-precipitated material from the supernatant culture fluid leads to the isolation of a water-soluble lipopolysaccharide (LPS1). Another component (LPS2), showing similarity in biological and immunological properties to the endotoxic antigen (LPC) isolated from whole cells, was extracted with phenol from the insoluble emulsion remaining after chloroform-butanol extraction of slime. Analysis of polysaccharides by thin-layer chromatography demonstrated the presence of glucose and galactose in LPS1 and glucose, glucosamine, galactosamine, and a methyl pentose in LPC. LPS1 failed to give a positive epinephrine skin test after intravenous injection in rabbits and failed to kill pertussis-sensitized mice, whereas LPS2 and LPC were active in both of these bioassays. Both lipopolysaccharides (LPS1 and LPC) exhibited type-specific haptenic activity in hemagglutination tests with numerous anti-
Veillonella
rabbit sera. LPS1 was found in these tests to be unrelated to a heterologous strain of
Veillonella
possessing a related somatic antigen. These experiments reveal the presence of two chemically and immunologically distinguishable polysaccharide-lipid complexes in this strain of
V. parvula
.
Joint Transfer of Genetic Markers in
Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Takahashi I.
Published: January 2020

Takahashi
, I. (McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Joint transfer of genetic markers in
Bacillus subtilis
. J. Bacteriol.
91:
101–105. 1966.—To compare the processes of genetic incorporation in transduction and transformation in
Bacillus subtilis
, several groups of linked markers were selected and the degree of linkage was determined by the two means of genetic exchange. Bacteriophage PBS 1 was used in transduction experiments. In all cases, frequencies of joint transfer, as expressed by the cotransfer index or by percentage of joint transfer, were higher in transduction than in transformation. With a pair of closely linked markers, the frequency of joint transduction was only slightly higher than that of joint transformation. On the other hand, a considerably higher degree of linkage was obtained by transduction when loosely linked markers were examined. It appears that the size of donor chromosome transferred by transducing phage particles is much larger than that incorporated by recipient cells in transformation. It is suggested that transduction in
B. subtilis
may be a useful tool in extending further the linkage groups established by the transformation technique.
Interaction of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B with Cell Cultures of Human Embryonic Intestine
Authors: Schaeffer W. I. , Gabliks J. , Calitis R.
Published: January 2020

Schaeffer
, W. I. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge), J.
Gabliks, and R. Calitis
. Interaction of staphylococcal enterotoxin B with cell cultures of human embryonic intestine. J. Bacteriol.
91:
21–26. 1966.—The cytotoxic effect of staphylococcal enterotoxin B upon human embryonic intestine cell cultures is characterized by retraction of cells from the monolayer. This is followed by clumping of the retracted cells to form clear areas in the monolayer and finally by sloughing of the clumps from the glass surface. The 50% effective dose of the toxin, determined by protein analysis of the cultures used in titration studies, was found to be between 40 and 60 μg/ml. The cytotoxic property of the enterotoxin was completely neutralized by 3.9 × 10
−5
ml of specific antitoxin per μg of toxin. The cytotoxicity was found to be slightly enhanced by 2.2 g of bicarbonate per liter of Eagle's basal medium (Earle's salt solution level), the absence of serum, the absence of penicillin and streptomycin, and the presence of 2.8 mmoles of calcium in the medium. The cytotoxicity was profoundly influenced by the age of the culture. No cytotoxicity was evident until after 2 days of growth had taken place, when the cell number was approximately 4.0 × 10
5
cells per culture.