bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacillus subtilis citB gene is regulated synergistically by glucose and glutamine
Authors: Rosenkrantz M S , Dingman D W , Sonenshein A L
Published: January 2020

The activity of aconitase in Bacillus subtilis is greatly reduced in cells cultured in media containing rapidly metabolized carbon sources (e.g., glucose). Thus, expression of this enzyme appears to be subject to a form of catabolite repression. Since the product of the citB gene of B. subtilis is required for aconitase activity, we cloned the wild-type allele of this gene and used this DNA as a probe for transcription of citB in cells grown in various media. The steady-state level of RNA that hybridized to this probe was about 10-fold higher in B. subtilis cells grown in citrate-glutamine medium than in cells grown in glucose-glutamine medium. This result correlates well with the steady-state levels of aconitase activity. Two transcripts were shown to initiate within the cloned DNA; the steady-state level of one of these transcripts varied in the same way as did aconitase activity when cells were grown in media containing different carbon sources. This is the first demonstration of regulation by the carbon source of the level of a vegatative-cell transcript in B. subtilis.
Maintenance of plasmid pSC101 in Escherichia coli requires the host primase
Authors: Ely S , Wright A
Published: January 2020

The abilities of three Escherichia coli strains with thermosensitive dnaG alleles to maintain plasmids pSC101 or pBR322 or an RP4 derivative were studied at elevated growth temperatures. Under these conditions, pSC101 segregated from cells to a greater extent than did pBR322. No segregation of the primase-encoding RP4 derivative was observed.
Pyrimidine-specific cleavage by an endoribonuclease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Stevens A
Published: January 2020

An endoribonuclease with pyrimidine cleavage site specificity was isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 6 to 7 and did not require a divalent cation. It was inhibited by 5 X 10(-5) M ethidium bromide, although it appeared to be single strand specific. The enzyme gave a limited cleavage of yeast mRNA and rRNA, yielding products that were terminated with pyrimidine nucleoside 2',3'-cyclic phosphate. The bonds between pyrimidine and A residues constituted more than 90% of the scission sites when the average product size was 50 nucleotides. Homopolyribonucleotides were cleaved poorly. Poly(A,U) was cleaved rapidly, and analysis of the products of poly(A,U) hydrolysis showed a very stringent cleavage of U-A bonds.
Gyrase activity and number of copies of the gyrase B subunit gene in Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Cabrera-Juárez E , Setlow J K
Published: January 2020

Gyrase activities in extracts of various strains of Haemophilus influenzae can differ by more than an order of magnitude (J. K. Setlow, E. Cabrera-Juárez, W. L. Albritton, D. Spikes, and A. Mutschler, J. Bacteriol. 164:525-534, 1985). Measurements of in vitro activity and copy number indicated that most of these differences arose from variations in the number of copies of the gene for the gyrase B subunit, with some strains containing multicopy plasmids coding for that subunit. The quantitative relationship between gyrase and copy number depended on the mutations in the plasmids and in the host. The gyrase and copy number were considerably lower in plasmid-bearing strains carrying the prophage HP1c1. Two mutations affecting gyrase that are apparently regulatory caused an increase in gyrase without a concomitant increase in copy number. The possibility that the in vivo gyrase activity did not reflect the in vitro data was explored by measurement of alkaline phosphatase and ATPase activity in the extracts. Alkaline phosphatase activity increased with increasing gyrase activity measured in vitro, but ATPase activity did not. We conclude that extra supercoiling enhanced transcription of the alkaline phosphatase gene but not the ATPase gene and that it is unlikely that there is much discrepancy between gyrase activity assayed in vitro and the activity in the cell.
Isolation and analysis of genes involved in siderophore biosynthesis in plant-growth-stimulating Pseudomonas putida WCS358
Authors: Marugg J D , van Spanje M , Hoekstra W P , Schippers B , Weisbeek P J
Published: January 2020

The plant-growth-stimulating Pseudomonas putida WCS358 was mutagenized with transposon Tn5. The resulting mutant colony bank was screened for mutants defective in the biosynthesis of the fluorescent siderophore. A total of 28 mutants, divided into six different classes, were isolated that were nonfluorescent or defective in iron acquisition or both. These different types of mutants together with the probable overall structure of the siderophore, i.e., a small peptide chain attached to a fluorescing group, suggest a biosynthetic pathway in which the synthesis of the fluorescing group is preceded by the synthesis of the peptide part. A gene colony bank of P. putida WCS358 was constructed with the broad-host-range cosmid vector pLAFR1. This genomic library, established in Escherichia coli, was mobilized into the 28 individual mutants, screening for transconjugants restored in fluorescence or growth under iron-limiting conditions or both. A total of 13 cosmids were found to complement 13 distinct mutants. The complementation analysis revealed that at least five gene clusters, with a minimum of seven genes, are needed for siderophore biosynthesis. Some of these genes seem to be arranged in an operon-like structure.
Properties of an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase catalytic activity
Authors: Coomes M W , Mitchell B K , Beezley A , Smith T E
Published: January 2020

A mutant Escherichia coli (Ppcc-) which was unable to grow on glucose as a sole carbon source was isolated. This mutant had very low levels of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity (approximately 5% of the wild type). Goat immunoglobulin G prepared against wild-type phosphoenolypyruvate carboxylase cross-reacted with the Ppcc- enzyme. The amount of enzyme protein in the mutant cells was similar to that found in wild-type cells, but it had greatly diminished specific activity. The catalytically less active mutant enzyme retained the ability to interact with fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, but did not exhibit stabilization of the tetrameric form by aspartate. The pI of the mutant protein was lower (4.9) than that of the wild-type protein (5.1). After electrophoresis and immunoblotting of the partially purified protein, several immunostaining bands were seen in addition to the main enzyme band. A novel method for showing that these bands represented proteolytic fragments of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase was developed.
Chloramphenicol-induced translation of cat-86 mRNA requires two cis-acting regulatory regions
Authors: Ambulos N P , Mongkolsuk S , Kaufman J D , Lovett P S
Published: January 2020

Sequences essential to the chloramphenicol-inducible expression of cat-86, a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, reside in a 144-base pair (bp) regulatory region that intervenes between the cat-86 coding sequence and its promoter. A key regulatory element within the 144-bp segment consists of a pair of inverted-repeat sequences that immediately precede the cat-86 coding region and span the ribosome-binding site for the gene. Because of the location of the inverted repeats, cat-86 transcripts are predicted to sequester the ribosome-binding site in a stable RNA stem-loop structure which should block translation of cat-86 mRNA. Chloramphenicol induction of gene expression is believed to result from ribosome-mediated destabilization of the RNA stem-loop structure, which frees the cat-86 ribosome-binding site, thereby allowing translation. In this study we demonstrated that deletion of 85 bp from the 5' end of the 144-bp regulatory region abolishes inducible expression of cat-86, although the gene is transcribed. This deletion leaves intact both the inverted repeats and the cat-86 coding sequence, and the deletion mutation is not complementable. Therefore, inducible regulation of cat-86 requires the inverted repeats plus an upstream, cis-acting regulatory region. The cis-acting region is believed to control translation of cat-86 mRNA by its essential participation in chloramphenicol-induced opening of the RNA stem-loop. cat-86 deleted for the 85-bp regulatory region and therefore virtually unexpressed was used to select for mutations that restore expression to the gene. An analysis of one mutant plasmid showed that the cat-86 gene is constitutively expressed and that this results from a duplication of the DNA sequence that spans the ribosome-binding site. The duplication provides cat-86 with two ribosome-binding sites. One of these sites is predicted to be sequestered in an RNA stem-loop, and the other is not involved in RNA secondary structure.
Complete nucleotide sequence of macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B-resistance transposon Tn917 in Streptococcus faecalis
Authors: Shaw J H , Clewell D B
Published: January 2020

Streptococcus faecalis transposon Tn917 was cloned in Escherichia coli on plasmid vector pBR325. The erythromycin resistance determinant of Tn917 was not expressed in the E. coli background. The nucleotide sequence of Tn917 was determined and found to be 5,257 base pairs in length. Six open reading frames (ORFs) were identified and designated 1 through 6 (5' to 3'); all were on the same DNA strand. A region exhibiting strong homology with known promoters was identified upstream from ORF1. ORFs 1 to 3 were virtually identical to the previously sequenced erythromycin resistance determinant on Streptococcus sanguis plasmid pAM77. At the 3' point, where the homology between Tn917 and pAM77 ends, was a 20-base-pair region about 80% homologous with a component of the res site of Tn3. The amino acid sequence of ORF4 showed homology with other site-specific recombination enzymes, including approximately 30% homology with the resolvase of Tn3. Contained within Tn917 was a directly oriented 73-base-pair duplication of the left terminus. The Tn917 sequence revealed that antibiotic-enhanced transposition might be due to extension of transcription from the resistance-related genes (in ORFs 1 to 3) into transposition genes (in ORFs 4 to 6). Transcription analyses resulted in data consistent with this interpretation.
Identification and genetic analysis of sbcC mutations in commonly used recBC sbcB strains of Escherichia coli K-12
Authors: Lloyd R G , Buckman C
Published: January 2020

Evidence is presented to show that Escherichia coli JC7618, JC7621, and JC7623, previously regarded as having a recB recC sbcB genotype, carry an additional mutation in a new gene designated sbcC at minute 9 on the standard genetic map. In the absence of the sbcC mutation these strains are sensitive to mitomycin C and have a reduced efficiency of recombination. Cultures of recBC sbcB (sbcC+) strains grow slowly, contain many inviable cells, and rapidly accumulate fast-growing variants due to mutation of sbcC. sbcC has been identified on recombinant plasmids and tentatively located by Tn1000 mutagenesis to a 0.9-kilobase DNA section between proC and phoR.
Involvement of the relA gene in the autolysis of Escherichia coli induced by inhibitors of peptidoglycan biosynthesis
Authors: Kusser W , Ishiguro E E
Published: January 2020

It is generally assumed that inhibitors of peptidoglycan biosynthesis do not kill nongrowing bacteria. An exceptional case is reported here. The addition of chloramphenicol to amino acid-deprived cultures of relA+ strains of Escherichia coli which were treated with beta-lactam antibiotics, D-cycloserine, or moenomycin resulted in lysis. This phenomenon is termed chloramphenicol-dependent lysis. To be effective, chloramphenicol had to be present at its minimum growth-inhibitory concentration (or higher). Analogs of chloramphenicol which did not bind to ribosomes were completely ineffective. Amino acid deprivation was actually not required to demonstrate chloramphenicol-dependent lysis, and cultures treated with growth-inhibitory levels of chloramphenicol alone were lysed when challenged with inhibitors of peptidoglycan synthesis. Peptidoglycan synthesis has been shown previously to be under stringent (relA+) control, and chloramphenicol is known to be an antagonist of stringent control. Thus, it is proposed that the mechanism of chloramphenicol-dependent lysis is based on the ability of chloramphenicol to relax peptidoglycan synthesis in nongrowing relA+ bacteria. This is also consistent with the observation that treatment of amino acid-deprived relA mutants with inhibitors of peptidoglycan synthesis resulted in lysis, i.e., without the mediation of chloramphenicol.
Identity of the quinone in Bacillus alcalophilus
Authors: Meganathan R , Coffell R
Published: January 2020

Every Bacillus species so far examined contains menaquinone as the sole quinone. In contrast, the alkalophilic Bacillus alcalophilus has been reported to be unusual in containing ubiquinone rather than menaquinone. In this communication, we demonstrate that B. alcalophilus, like all the other bacilli, contains menaquinone as the only quinone.
Export defect adjacent to the processing site of staphylococcal nuclease is suppressed by a prlA mutation
Authors: Liss L R , Johnson B L , Oliver D B
Published: January 2020

Plasmids have been constructed in which the Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase promoter and signal sequence have been fused to the staphylococcal nuclease gene to promote the high-level expression and secretion of this gene product in E. coli. We determined that the first amino acid residue after the signal sequence can determine whether this protein was processed and exported to the periplasmic space. Fractionation and protease accessibility studies were used to show that the export-defective, nuclease precursor is internal to the cytoplasmic membrane barrier of the cell. Furthermore, this export defect was suppressed in a strain containing a prlA mutation. These findings are novel in that this region of the polypeptide chain has been implicated in processing but not export and that prlA mutations have not been previously known to suppress such defects.
Nitrogen catabolite repression of the L-asparaginase of Bacillus licheniformis
Authors: Golden K J , Bernlohr R W
Published: January 2020

We report the presence of a single L-asparagine aminohydrolase activity (EC 3.5.1.1) in extracts of Bacillus licheniformis A5. The synthesis of the enzyme was apparently under nitrogen catabolite repression control.
Biosynthesis of the iron-molybdenum cofactor and the molybdenum cofactor in Klebsiella pneumoniae: effect of sulfur source
Authors: Ugalde R A , Imperial J , Shah V K , Brill W J
Published: January 2020

NifQ- and Mol- mutants of Klebsiella pneumoniae show an elevated molybdenum requirement for nitrogen fixation. Substitution of cystine for sulfate as the sulfur source in the medium reduced the molybdenum requirement of these mutants to levels required by the wild type. Cystine also increased the intracellular molybdenum accumulation of NifQ- and Mol- mutants. Cystine did not affect the molybdenum requirement or accumulation in wild-type K. pneumoniae. Sulfate transport and metabolism in K. pneumoniae were repressed by cystine. However, the effect of cystine on the molybdenum requirement could not be explained by an interaction between sulfate and molybdate at the transport level. Cystine increased the molybdenum requirement of Mol- mutants for nitrate reductase activity by at least 100-fold. Cystine had the same effect on the molybdenum requirement for nitrate reductase activity in Escherichia coli ChlD- mutants. This shows that cystine does not have a generalized effect on molybdenum metabolism. Millimolar concentrations of molybdate inhibited nitrogenase and nitrate reductase derepression with sulfate as the sulfur source, but not with cystine. The inhibition was the result of a specific antagonism of sulfate metabolism by molybdate. The effects of nifQ and mol mutations on nitrogenase could be suppressed either by the addition of cystine or by high concentrations of molybdate. This suggests that a sulfur donor and molybdenum interact at an early step in the biosynthesis of the iron-molybdenum cofactor. This interaction might occur nonenzymatically when the levels of the reactants are high.
Maintenance of D-alanine ester substitution of lipoteichoic acid by reesterification in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Koch H U , Döker R , Fischer W
Published: January 2020

Toluene-treated Staphylococcus aureus cells did not synthesize teichoic acid and lipoteichoic acid under the conditions used. The organism displayed, however, a high capacity of incorporating D-[14C]alanine into previously formed polymers. The reaction was dependent on ATP and enhanced by magnesium ions. The incorporation rate into lipoteichoic acid correlated with the rate of loss of alanine ester which occurred through transfer to teichoic acid and base-catalyzed hydrolysis. At pH 6.5 the loss (20% within 4 h) was completely compensated for by reesterification. At pH 7.5 the loss was 60%, but by accelerated incorporation it was reduced to 10%. Incorporation was also enhanced when the original substitution of lipoteichoic acid was lowered by previous growth of S. aureus at high salt concentration. The newly added alanine was randomly distributed along the poly(glycerophosphate) chain. The decreased alanine substitution of lipoteichoic acid after growth at high salt concentration was shown to result from a direct inhibition of alanine incorporation.
Structures of two different surface layers found in six Bacteroides strains
Authors: Sjögren A , Hovmöller S , Farrants G , Ranta H , Haapasalo M , Ranta K , Lounatmaa K
Published: January 2020

The structures of crystalline layers from six Bacteroides strains were studied by electron microscopy. Two different hexagonal crystalline surface layers were found, one with a unit cell spacing of 21.5 nm and another with a spacing of 7.7 nm. A three-dimensional structure of the 21.5-nm layer and a two-dimensional projection of the 7.7-nm layer were determined to 3.0- and 3.8-nm resolution, respectively, by computerized image processing of electron micrographs. Both of these two crystalline layers were found in all six strains studied: B. pentosaceus NP333T and WPH61, B. capillus ATCC 33690T and ATCC 33691, and B. buccae ATCC 33574T and ES57. This further supports the identity of B. pentosaceus, B. capillus, and B. buccae as suggested by M. Haapasalo, K. Lounatmaa, H. Ranta, H. Shah, and K. Ranta (Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 35:65-72, 1985). The surface layer with 21.5-nm spacing is an intricate network with two classes of pores through the layer.
Phenotypic variations in strain AB1157 cultivars of Escherichia coli from different sources
Authors: Verma M , Egan J B
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this note is to alert users of Escherichia coli AB1157 and its derivatives to a potentially significant difference in cultivars from various sources. The difference we find is in the ability to host an infection by coliphage 186 after UV irradiation of the host cell.
SMALL COLONY VARIANT IN
CANDIDA ALBICANS
Authors: Bianchi Donald E.
Published: January 2020

Bianchi, Donald
E. (San Fernando Valley State College, Northridge, Calif.). Small colony variant in
Candida albicans
. J. Bacteriol.
82:
101–105. 1961.—Various techniques were used to attempt to alter the frequency of wild-type and small-type colonies in growing cultures of
Candida albicans
. Ultraviolet light and heat shocks were found to temporarily increase the occurrence of small colonies and several benzazoles were found to increase the number of large colonies. The alteration by the benzazoles was found to be only temporary, and brought about by an increase in the rate of growth of the small type colonies. This benzazole action may be enhanced or inhibited by the addition of purines depending upon the applied concentration.
EFFECTS OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID PRODUCTS ON DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHESIS OF VIRULENT AND AVIRULENT PNEUMOCOCCI
Authors: Firshein W.
Published: January 2020

Firshein
, W. (Wesleyan University, Middletown, Conn.). Effects of deoxyribonucleic acid products on deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis of virulent and avirulent pneumococci. J. Bacteriol.
82:
169–180. 1961.—Cell suspensions of virulent pneumococci synthesize a greater amount of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) per cell in the presence of DNA + deoxyribonuclease + mixtures of deoxynucleosides and deoxynucleotides (supplement-1) than unsupplemented suspensions. Under identical conditions, avirulent and weakly virulent pneumococci do not respond to these DNA breakdown products. Glucose and casitone must be present for maximal effects to occur.

A DNA turnover occurs in virulent cells. This has been demonstrated by a decrease in specific activity of H
3
-DNA extracted from virulent (S) cells exposed to nonradioactive supplement-1.
METABOLIC CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GENUSBRUCELLAIII
Authors: Meyer Margaret E.
Published: January 2020

Meyer, MargaretE. (University of California, Davis). Metabolic characterization of the genusBrucella. III. Oxidative metabolism of strains that show anomalous characteristics by conventional determinative methods. J. Bacteriol.82:401–410. 1961.—The oxidative metabolic patterns were determined on 83 strains of brucellae that had been described as “atypical” because they differed in one or more characteristics or because they had been isolated from an abnormal host (other than the natural reservoir for that species).

Of the 83 strains examined, 44 displayed the metabolic pattern forBrucella melitensis. A comparison was then made between the results of identifying these strains metabolically and by the conventional methods. It was found that a few strains ofB. melitensisshowed a decreased tolerance to basic fuchsin and thionin, but none of the strains that was identified metabolically asB. melitensisproduced H2S or required CO2. No biotypes have been reported for this species, since only slight quantitative variation in dye tolerances occurs among strains ofB. melitensis, and no metabolic variants were found. It is concluded thatB. melitensisis a homogenous species and can be identified with certainty by its oxidative metabolic pattern, irrespective of its host or geographic source.

Of the remaining strains, 38 displayed the metabolic pattern singular forBrucella abortus. Evidence was presented to support the conclusion that in this species the characteristics of dye tolerance, H2S production, and CO2required for initial growth vary independently of each other, and strains that differ from the species description by these criteria can be identified correctly by their oxidative metabolic pattern.

Of the 83 atypical strains examined, 24 were strains ofBrucelladescribed as a new species,Brucella intermedia(Renoux). Of these 24 strains, 10 were identified asBrucella melitensis, 13 asBrucella abortus, and one asBrucella suis. Evidence was presented to support the conclusion thatB. intermedia(Renoux) cannot be considered as a new species.
LARGE CELL STAGE IN THE GENUS
BACILLUS
Authors: Johnson Roy M.
Published: January 2020

Johnson, Roy
M. (Arizona State University, Tempe). Large cell stage in the genus
Bacillus
. J. Bacteriol.
82:
418–424. 1961.—Synchronous cultures of
Bacillus polymyxa
and
Bacillus cereus
produced a transitory large cell stage with increased nuclear material concomitant with a drop in viable count during growth in a defined medium. A variant of
B. cereus
that required no organic nitrogen for growth and sporulation was inhibited by serine and this inhibition reversed by equimolar amounts of threonine. Serine inhibition occurred before the large cell stage but not after. The significance of this large cell stage as regards transformation studies, nucleic acid analysis, and sporulation was considered.
GROWTH OF VENEZUELAN EQUINE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS VIRUS IN L CELLS II
Authors: Hardy Frank M. , Brown Arthur
Published: January 2020

Hardy, FrankM. (U. S. Army Chemical Corps, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland),and Arthur Brown. Growth of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus in L cells. II. Growth in submerged culture. J. Bacteriol.82:449–457. 1961.—The detailed kinetics of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus multiplication and release and the progressive cell death due to the virus infection were studied in a uniformly susceptible L cell population. The adsorption phase was complete in approximately 15 min with multiplicities of 1, 10, and 100 MICLD50. An eclipse phase showing the disappearance of some of the infectious virus activity lasted between 3 and 4 hr. An exponential increase of cell-associated and free virus then occurred until peak titer was reached (16 to 18 hr). Relatively constant titers of cell-associated or free virus were obtained from the time peak titer was attained until the 52nd hour of incubation. At that time the cell-associated titer declined more rapidly than the free virus titer. These constant titers, however, masked a continued production and release of new infectious virus. By viable and nonviable cell counts, it was determined that cell death occurred relatively late in the phase of constant growth and release.
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL STUDIES ON MYCOBACTERIA
Authors: Fregnan G. B. , Smith D. W. , Randall H. M.
Published: January 2020

Fregnan, G. B. (University of Wisconsin, Madison), D. W.Smith, and H. M. Randall. Biological and chemical studies on mycobacteria. Relationship of colony morphology to mycoside content forMycobacterium kansasiiandMycobacterium fortuitum. J. Bacteriol.82:517–527. 1961.—Using a suitable technique and an adequate medium it was possible to show a unique and uniform type of colony characteristic forMycobacterium kansasii(photochromogen) and forMycobacterium fortuitumstrains freshly isolated either from patients, or from the soil, or kept in our stock culture collection for several years. New symbols have been proposed to represent these colony types. It was demonstrated that colony morphology is closely related to the specific mycoside present in a given strain; for example,M. kansasiistrains showed in each instance colony typeKand mycoside A, andM. fortuitumstrains showed colony typeFand mycoside F. Attention is called to the importance of the technique and the medium used.

No change in colony morphology resulted from incubation in the presence of air containing 5 to 10% CO2, although this improved growth. Better growth of mycobacteria occurred in the presence of glycerol, or lipids of a human strain of mycobacteria, or sodium bicarbonate, but the specificity of colony form was lost.
LARGE SCALE PURIFICATION OF PROTEINASES FROM
CLOSTRIDIUM HISTOLYTICUM
FILTRATES
Authors: Conklin David A. , Webster Marion E. , Altieri Patricia L. , Berman Sanford , Lowenthal Joseph P. , Gochenour Raymond B.
Published: January 2020

Conklin, David
A. (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D. C.),
Marion E. Webster, Patricia L. Altieri, Sanford Berman, Joseph P. Lowenthal, and Raymond B. Gochenour
. Large scale purification of proteinases from
Clostridium histolyticum
filtrates. J. Bacteriol.
82:
589–594. 1961.—A method for the large scale preparation and partial purification of
Clostridium histolyticum
proteinases by fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate is described. Conditions for adequate separation and purification of the δ-proteinase and the gelatinase were obtained. Collagenase, on the other hand, was found distributed in four to five fractions and little increase in purity was achieved as compared to the crude ammonium sulfate precipitates.
CHEMICAL STUDIES ON CELLULAR COMPONENTS OFBORDETELLA PERTUSSISI
Authors: Onoue Kaoru , Kitagawa Masayasu , Yamamura Yuichi
Published: January 2020

Onoue, Kaoru, (Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan),Masayasu Kitagawa, and Yuichi Yamamura. Chemical studies on cellular components ofBordetella pertussis. I. Purification and properties of agglutinogen. J. Bacteriol.82:648–656. 1961.—A method is described for the preparation of the agglutinogen ofHemophilus pertussisin phase I by methanol precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography.

High homogeneity of this agglutinogen was evidenced by chromatography, but a trace of impurity was detected by ultracentrifugal analysis and by an agar gel diffusion test.

The agglutinogen produced an allergic skin reaction in rabbits which had been immunized with whole phase I organisms.

Chemical studies indicate that the agglutinogen should be a simple protein in nature. The approximate molecular weight was determined to be 10,000 by Archibald's method.
PHTHIOCOL AND MENADIONE AS ACETATE-REPLACING FACTORS FOR
LACTOBACILLUS DELBRUECKII
Authors: MaciasR Frank M.
Published: January 2020

MaciasR, Frank
M. (Northrop Corporation, Hawthorne, Calif.). Phthiocol and menadione as acetate-replacing factors for
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
. J. Bacteriol.
82:
657–661. 1961.—
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
(ATCC 9649), when cultured under nitrogen, or in ferrous iron-containing media exposed to air, requires, for the initiation of growth, compounds that are known to behave as electron acceptors. The ferrous iron probably induces what amounts to anaerobic conditions; that is, it blocks access of the organism to oxygen. Several electron carriers, such as methylene blue and naphthoquinones, stimulate growth of the organism in acetate-free media exposed to air. The most active acetate-replacing agent found is phthiocol. Methylene blue does not stimulate growth under nitrogen. It is suggested that the naphthoquinones bring about the initial oxidations required for growth by transferring the electrons to some other constituent of the medium. Growth of the organism in acetate-free media under CO
2
indicates that CO
2
or its fixation product can behave also as an initial oxidant.
AN EXTRACELLULAR MATERIAL ELABORATED BY
MICROCOCCUS SODONENSIS
Authors: Campbell J. N. , Evans James B. , Perry Jerome J. , Niven C. F.
Published: January 2020

Campbell
, J. N. (American Meat Institute Foundation, Chicago, Ill.),
James B. Evans Jerome J. Perry, and C. F. Niven, Jr.
An extracellular material elaborated by
Micrococcus sodonensis
. J. Bacteriol.
82:
828–837. 1961.—When actively growing in a yeast extract-tryptone broth,
Micrococcus sodonensis
produced rather large quantities of an extracellular material. On a dry weight basis, this material consisted of approximately 80% deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), 6% ribonucleic acid, 13% protein, and a small quantity of a cell pigment which contained an associated iron porphyrinlike compound.

The extracellular material was not produced in other complex or synthetic media. Removal of cells from the appropriate growth medium and suspension in distilled water resulted in the prevention of formation of the material if it had not already begun, or its immediate cessation in those cells which had been actively producing the material.

Cells producing the extracellular material exhibited an increasingly higher concentration of intracellular DNA as incubation proceeded, whereas cells growing under conditions not supporting such production showed a decline in intracellular DNA as the culture aged. A similar increase of intracellular DNA, but not release of extracellular material, could be effected by addition of yeast extract or high levels of purine compounds to a medium which did not support the production of extracellular material.

The base composition and ratios of both extracellular and intracellular DNA produced under all conditions tested were compared and found to be similar or identical, and to correspond to the classical Watson-Crick structure for DNA.
IONIC REQUIREMENTS OF
TREPONEMA PALLIDUM
III
Authors: Doak G. O. , Freedman Leon D. , Clark John W.
Published: January 2020

Doak
, G. O. (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill),
Leon D. Freedman, and John W. Clark, Jr.
Ionic requirements of
Treponema pallidum
. III. Divalent ions. J. Bacteriol.
82:
909–912. 1961.—Suspensions of
Treponema pallidum
, prepared by extracting the testes of syphilitic rabbits with normal rabbit serum or with a culture medium, were shaken with Amberlite IRC-50 resin in the sodium ion form. This procedure did not noticeably reduce the number of motile organisms, but markedly decreased their ability to survive in vitro. The addition of calcium, strontium, or barium ions to the treated suspensions largely restored this loss of motility. These same ions, when added to suspensions of
T. pallidum
not treated with the ion exchange resin, were without effect. Magnesium ion also had a beneficial effect, but considerably less than that produced by calcium ion. Cobaltous, manganous, ferrous, and zinc ions gave no beneficial effect, and, except for manganous ion, were toxic to the organisms at 5 × 10
−3
m
.
STUDIES ON THERMOPHILIC SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA II
Authors: Akagi J. M. , Campbell L. Leon
Published: January 2020

Akagi
, J. M. (Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio)
and L. Leon Campbell
. Studies on thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria. II. Hydrogenase activity of
Clostridium nigrificans
. J. Bacteriol.
82:
927–932. 1961.—The hydrogenase of
Clostridium nigrificans
has been found to be associated with the cell-free particulate fraction which can be sedimented at 105,000 ×
g
in 1 hr. The specific activity of this fraction was increased 2 to 3 fold over that of the crude extract. It was not found possible to liberate the enzyme from the particulate fraction by methods of enzymatic digestion, chemical extraction, or physical disruption. The optimum temperature for H
2
utilization using benzyl viologen as an electron acceptor was found to be 55 C, and the optimum pH range was 7 to 8. Employing metal complexing agents it was found that the enzyme required Fe
++
ions for H
2
utilization. In contrast, Fe
++
ions were not required to catalyze the evolution of H
2
from reduced methyl viologen. The role of Fe
++
ions in the hydrogenase activity of this organism is discussed.
INTERACTION BETWEEN THE PARAMETERS OF HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE ON ASPARTASE OF
ESCHERICHIA COLI
Authors: Haight Roger D. , Morita Richard Y.
Published: January 2020

Haight, Roger D.
(University of Nebraska, Lincoln)
and Richard Y. Morita
. Interaction between the parameters of hydrostatic pressure and temperature on aspartase of
Escherichia coli
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
112–120. 1962.—The data obtained from studies of an aspartase preparation and aspartase in cells of
Escherichia coli
indicate that there is an interaction between the parameters of hydrostatic pressure and temperature. Pressure was found to decrease aspartase activity at 45 C and lower in vitro and below 53 C in vivo, thereby indicating that when the enzyme-substrate complex is formed there is an increase in molecular volume which is counteracted by pressure. Above 53 C in vivo and above 45 C in vitro, temperature probably starts the unfolding process of the enzyme to expose more reactive sites, while pressure then pushes the enzyme and substrate into closer proximity with each other. Thus, pressure stimulated activity and also prevents further unfolding of the enzyme. Since the enzyme preparation retains about the same level of activity after being subjected first to 1000 atm at 56 C, the aspartase probably refolds into its original configuration or one similar to it, when subjected to 1 atm at 37 C.

In all cases, the presence of the substrate was found necessary to protect aspartase from thermal inactivation or denaturation.
AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC BACTERIAL COUNTS OF NASAL WASHINGS: PRESENCE OF ORGANISMS RESEMBLING
CORYNEBACTERIUM ACNES
Authors: Watson Elinor D. , Hoffman Nanci J. , Simmers Richard W. , Rosebury Theodor
Published: January 2020

Watson, Elinor D.
(Washington University, St. Louis, Mo.),
Nanci J. Hoffman, Richard W. Simmers, and Theodor Rosebury
. Aerobic and anaerobic bacterial counts of nasal washings: Presence of organisms resembling
Corynebacterium acnes
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
144–148. 1962.—Aerobic and anaerobic colony counts in blood agar were made of 40 samples of nasal washings from five healthy adults. The anaerobic counts were consistently and significantly higher, in line with findings previously reported by others for skin, saliva, and feces. Catalase-forming diphtheroids utilizing lactate anaerobically, tentatively identified as members of the
Corynebacterium acnes
group, were conspicuous in the anaerobic cultures.
CONVERSION IN STRAINS OFHISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUM
Authors: Pine Leo , Webster Robert E.
Published: January 2020

Pine, Leo(Duke University, Durham, N. C.)and Robert E. Webster. Conversion in strains ofHistoplasma capsulatum. J. Bacteriol.83:149–157. 1962—Photographs of mycelial elements taken at various time intervals from a single strain ofHistoplasma capsulatumhave shown the direct conversion of microconidia to yeast cells by polar and nonpolar budding, the formation of yeast cells by budding of hyphal cells, and the probable conversion of hyphal cells to yeast phase by monilial chain formation. In addition, studies of fixed-slide preparations of a second strain have indicated the formation of stalked yeast cells arising in a manner similar to that observed for microconidia formation but, apparently, by-passing the microconidial stage. These observations are discussed briefly in regard to temperature-induced changes in cell-wall synthesis during conversion.
POSSIBLE UTILITY OF A FLUORESCENT ANTIBODY TECHNIQUE IN THE SEROLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF ANTAGONISTIC
STREPTOMYCES
Authors: Arai Tadashi , Kuroda Shyuko , Ito Michio
Published: January 2020

Arai, Tadashi
(Chiba University, Chiba, Japan),
Shyuko Kuroda, and Michio Ito
. Possible utility of a fluorescent antibody technique in the serological identification of antagonistic
Streptomyces
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
20–26. 1962.—The indirect fluorescent antibody technique was extended to the serological investigation of antagonistic
Streptomyces
. Serological relationship was studied among groups of antagonistic
Streptomyces
that are related in their ability to produce antibiotics or in their morphological and cultural characteristics. It was also demonstrated that spores and sporophores are as satisfactorily stained as shake-cultured vegetative mycelium.
FILAMENT FORMATION IN RADIORESISTANT MUTANTS OF
ESCHERICHIA COLI
S AFTER TREATMENT WITH ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT AND RADIOMIMETIC AGENTS
Authors: Curry Janet , Greenberg Joseph
Published: January 2020

Curry, Janet
(Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, Calif.)
and Joseph Greenberg
. Filament formation in radioresistant mutants of
Escherichia coli
S after treatment with ultraviolet light and radiomimetic agents. J. Bacteriol.
83:
38–42. 1962.—The effect of ultraviolet light and of five radiomimetic compounds on cell division, growth in liquid medium, and growth in solid medium of
Escherichia coli
S and four of its radioresistant mutants was examined. All of the agents, including ultraviolet light, induced filaments in the parent S and in at least one of its radioresistant mutants; two of the agents, azaserine and mitomycin C, induced filaments in three of the mutants; in only one mutant were no filaments induced by any agent. Growth in solid medium was more sensitive to the agents than was growth in liquid medium. The mutants differed among each other in their degree of resistance to most of the chemical agents, when inhibition of growth in agar was used as the criterion. There was no difference among the mutants in the dose of any agent required to inhibit overnight growth in liquid medium.
OXIDATIVE ASSIMILATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF GLUCOSE IN
BACILLUS CEREUS
Authors: Clifton C. E.
Published: January 2020

Clifton, C. E.
(Standford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif.). Oxidative assimilation and distribution of glucose in
Bacillus cereus
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
66–69. 1962—Exogenous C
14
-labeled glucose is taken up rapidly by washed cells of
Bacillus cereus
and apparently enters a metabolic pool soluble in cold 5% trichloroacetic acid. From this pool the label passes rapidly into other cellular fractions, primarily materials soluble and insoluble in hot 5% trichloroacetic acid, which may constitute endogenous reserves of the cells. There is a marked lag in the liberation of C
14
-labeled CO
2
; little or no lag is observed in the slightly enhanced rate of oxygen consumption noted in the presence of exogenous glucose. Assimilation, in part at least, appears to be at the expense of cellular reserves which appear to be replenished or replaced by the assimilated substrate.
NUTRITIONAL STUDIES ON THE YEAST PHASE OF
BLASTOMYCES DERMATITIDIS
AND
B. BRASILIENSIS
Authors: Gilardi Gerald L. , Laffer Norman C.
Published: January 2020

Gilardi, Gerald
L. (University of Maryland, College Park)
and Norman C. Laffer
. Nutritional studies on the yeast phase of
Blastomyces dermatitidis
and
B. brasiliensis
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
219–227. 1962.—Nutritional characteristics of the yeast phase of 22 cultures of the genus
Blastomyces
(9 of
B. brasiliensis
and 13 of
B. dermatitidis
) were examined to see if differences in nutritional behavior occurred which could serve as an aid in a more definitive classification. The studies included vitamin and amino acid requirements, carbon and nitrogen assimilation tests, and comparison of growth obtained with quiescent, agar slant, and shake cultures. Both species synthesized their own vitamins, utilized the same 21 carbon and 25 nitrogen substrates as the sole source of the respective element, and produced their most luxuriant growth in shake cultures in the presence of either ammonium salts or organic nitrogen. Sulfur-containing compounds, reducing agents, and Tween 80 were observed to retard or inhibit growth. Inhibition of yeast phase maintenance, and the conversion to the mold phase at 35 C, occurred in the presence of tyrosine. No difference was detected between the two species; variation occurred only at the culture level. On the basis of the similarity of nutritional characteristics, there appears to be no justification to separate the two species into separate genera, as proposed by some authors.
MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THE TOXIN OF
BACILLUS ANTHRACIS
II
Authors: Slein Milton W. , Logan Gerald F.
Published: January 2020

Slein, Milton
W. (Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.)
and Gerald F. Logan, Jr
. Mechanism of action of the toxin of
Bacillus anthracis
. II. Alkaline phosphatasemia produced by culture filtrates of various bacilli. J. Bacteriol.
83:
359–369. 1962.—A factor which produces hyperphosphatasemia after intravenous injection into animals has been found in culture filtrates of several bacilli. The factor appears not to be lecithinase, although it has been found only in culture filtrates of microorganisms, such as
Bacillus cereus
variants and
B. thuringiensis
, which are known to produce lecithinase. The factor has been shown to be different from the protective antigen fraction of the toxin of
B. anthracis
. The phosphatasemic response can be prevented by mixing the factor with antiserum before injection.

Immunological tests indicate that the centers of ossification may be a principal source of the excess alkaline phosphatase which is liberated into the bloodstream. However, moderate changes in bone alkaline phosphatase activity levels, brought about by the development of scurvy in guinea pigs or by treatment of scorbutic guinea pigs with ascorbic acid, did not seem to affect the phosphatasemic response of the animals. Marked release of alkaline phosphatase occurs when slices of rabbit epiphyseal bone or kidney cortex, or suspensions of leukocytes, are incubated with small amounts of the phosphatasemia factor.
PROPERTIES OF QUINOXALINE OXIDE-RESISTANT
RICKETTSIA TYPHI
Authors: Weiss Emilio , Dressler Harry R.
Published: January 2020

Weiss, Emilio
(Naval Medical Research Institute, Bethesda, Md.)
and Harry R. Dressler
. Properties of quinoxaline oxide-resistant
Rickettsia typhi
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
415–417. 1962.—An effort was made to apply to the Wilmington strain of
Rickettsia typhi
the observation that in certain strains of rickettsiae and viruses of the psittacosis group quinoxaline oxide resistance is easily obtained and is often accompanied by other changes. Resistance to quinoxaline oxide was obtained in
R. typhi
after 14 serial egg passages by a procedure somewhat more elaborate than the one used previously for
R. prowazekii
. Three limit-dilution isolates manifested an appreciable level of drug resistance (were unaffected by 0.5 mg/egg), but changes for unselected characteristics, such as “toxicity” for the mouse or growth or virulence for the chick embryo, were small and different in each case, and did not clearly resemble those obtained with the other microorganisms.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR
HYDROGENOMONAS EUTROPHA
Authors: Repaske Roy
Published: January 2020

Repaske, Roy
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Md.). Nutritional requirements for
Hydrogenomonas eutropha
. J. Bacteriol.
83:
418–422. 1962.—A simple apparatus for the autotrophic cultivation of
Hydrogenomonas eutropha
in 100-ml shake cultures is described. Nitrogen, in the form of ammonium, nitrate, or urea, was used for growth; nitrite could not be utilized. Optimal growth occurred at pH 6.4 to 6.8 at 30 C.
H. eutropha
grew best in an atmosphere containing 15 to 25% oxygen and 10% carbon dioxide. Below these concentrations each of the gases was limiting. Growth was shown to be dependent on iron, and the rate of growth was a function of iron concentration and its state of oxidation.
GROWTH AND LETHAL EFFECTS OF THE PSITTACOSIS AGENT IN CHICKEN EMBRYOS OF DIFFERENT AGES
Authors: Stewart Robert B.
Published: January 2020

Stewart, RobertB. (University of Rochester, Rochester, N. Y.). Growth and lethal effects of the psittacosis agent in chicken embryos of different ages. J. Bacteriol.83:423–428. 1962.—Inoculation of the psittacosis agent (strain 6BC) into the yolk sacs of chicken eggs in different stages of embryonic development resulted in a steady decrease inld50titer as the embryos increased in age from 7 to 10 days. Correlated with the decreasedld50titers in older eggs was the finding that the titers of the organism were lower in the yolk-sac tissues of the older eggs. The embryos themselves also gained appreciably in resistance with increase in age, since comparable titers of psittacosis organisms were found in embryonic tissues of differing ages at the time of inoculation but the mortality of older embryos was considerably less. This resistance of older embryos to the lethal effects of the psittacosis agent could not be demonstrated when the organism was introduced intravenously instead of into the yolk sac.
DEFINED MEDIUM FOR GROWTH OF FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE VIRUS
Authors: Pledger Richard A. , Polatnick Jerome
Published: January 2020

Pledger, Richard
A. (Plum Island Animal Disease Laboratory, Greenport, N. Y.)
and Jerome Polatnick
. Defined medium for growth of foot-and-mouth disease virus. J. Bacteriol.
83:
579–583. 1962.—Foot-and-mouth disease virus, grown in primary bovine calf-kidney cell layers with a defined medium containing glucose as the only organic substrate, produced virus titers equivalent to those obtained with complex media containing serum and lactalbumin hydrolyzate. Mannose was the only other substrate examined that could replace glucose. Krebscycle intermediates did not or only partially supported viral replication. Phosphate was also found essential for reproduction of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

The rate of heat inactivation of foot-and-mouth disease virus in defined medium was more than twice that in complex medium. This, however, did not interfere with the usefulness of the defined medium for short-term biochemical investigations.