bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DITERMINAL OXIDATION OF LONG-CHAIN ALKANES BY BACTERIA
Authors: Kester A. S. , Foster J. W.
Published: January 2020

Kester
, A. S. (The University of Texas, Austin)
and J. W. Foster
. Diterminal oxidation of long-chain alkanes by bacteria. J. Bacteriol.
85:
859–869. 1963.—A corynebacterial organism capable of growing in mineral salts with individual pure alkanes as carbon sources produces a series of acids from the C
10
-C
14
alkanes. They have been isolated in pure form and identified as monoic, ω-hydroxy monoic, and dioic acids containing the same number of carbon atoms as the substrate alkane. Oxidation took place at both terminal methyl groups—“diterminal oxidation.” Appropriate labeling experiments indicate that omega oxidation of fatty acids occurs in this organism and that an oxygenation with O
2
occurs.
VALIDITY OF
PROPIONIBACTERIUM ACNES
(GILCHRIST) DOUGLAS AND GUNTER COMB. NOV
Authors: Moore W. E. C. , Cato Elizabeth P.
Published: January 2020

Moore
, W. E. C. (Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg)
and Elizabeth P. Cato
. Validity of
Propionibacterium acnes
(Gilchrist) Douglas and Gunter comb. nov. J. Bacteriol.
85:
870–874. 1963.—ATCC strains of
Corynebacterium acnes
11827, 6921, and 6922 were tested and consistently found to ferment lactate with the production of propionate, acetate, and succinate under strictly anaerobic conditions. ATCC strains of eight species of
Propionibacterium
fermented lactate under strictly anaerobic or under deep broth aerobic culture conditions. The ratios of fermentation products of each of the organisms were essentially identical, indicating that
C. acnes
should properly be classified in the genus
Propionibacterium
as suggested by Douglas and Gunter. Serological tests demonstrated that this organism shares antigens in common with several of the other species of
Propionibacterium
.
METHYL KETONE METABOLISM IN HYDROCARBON-UTILIZING MYCOBACTERIA
Authors: Lukins H. B. , Foster J. W.
Published: January 2020

Lukins, H. B. (University of Texas, Austin)and J. W. Foster. Methyl ketone metabolism in hydrocarbon-utilizing mycobacteria. J. Bacteriol.85:1074–1087. 1963.—Species ofMycobacteriumespeciallyM. smegmatis422, produced the homologous methyl ketones during the oxidation of propane,n-butane,n-pentane, orn-hexane. A carrier-trapping experiment demonstrated the formation of 2-undecanone, as well as 1,11-undecanedioic acid, during the oxidation of undecane-1-C14. Aliphatic alkane-utilizing mycobacteria were able to grow at the expense of several aliphatic methyl ketones as sole sources of carbon. Other ketones which did not support growth were oxidized by resting bacterial suspensions.M. smegmatis422 cells grown on propane or acetone were simultaneously adapted to oxidize both substrates, as well asn-propanol.n-Propanol cells were unadapted to propane or acetone. Acetone produced from propane in a medium enriched in D2O contained a negligible quantity of D, presumably eliminating propylene as an intermediate in the oxidation. Cells grown at the expense of alkanes or methyl ketones in the presence of O218had a higher content of O18than did cells grown on terminally oxidized compounds, e.g., primary alcohols or fatty acids. An oxygenase reaction is postulated for the attack on methyl ketones. Acetol was isolated and characterized as an oxidation product of acetone byM. smegmatis422. Acetol-grown cells had a higher O18content than didn-propanol cells, and its utilization appears to involve at least one oxygenase reaction. Acetol produced from acetone in the presence of O218was not enriched in the isotope, indicating the occurrence of exchange reactions or of oxygenation reactions at a later stage in the assimilation of acetone and acetol.
FREE RADICAL FORMATION AND SURVIVAL OF LYOPHILIZED MICROORGANISMS
Authors: Heckly Robert J. , Dimmick R. L. , Windle J. J.
Published: January 2020

Heckly, Robert
J. (University of California, Berkeley), R. L.
Dimmick, and J. J. Windle
. Free radical formation and survival of lyophilized microorganisms. J. Bacteriol.
85:
961–966. 1963.—A correlation between death and spontaneous free radical production, measured by an increase in the relative electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal, was shown to exist for several species of microorganisms stored in the freezedried state, but the relationship between the free radical concentration and number of dead cells was not a simple proportion. Lactose added to
Sarcina lutea
reduced radical production and increased stability when dry preparations were stored in air. Death and free radical formation were more extensive when lyophilized
Streptococcus lactis
cultures were stored in air than in vacuum. Free radicals were also produced by dry yeast. Few, if any, free radicals were produced by bacteria or yeast stored in vacuum. It was shown that the observed free radical production was not caused by exposure to light. The EPR signal produced by dry
Serratia marcescens
decreased rapidly when cells were exposed to a humid atmosphere but the EPR signal slowly increased after cells were redried and exposed to oxygen.
SEROLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PATHOGENIC FUNGI BY MEANS OF FLUORESCENT ANTIBODIES I
Authors: Kaufman Leo , Kaplan William
Published: January 2020

Kaufman, Leo
(Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, Ga.)
and William Kaplan
. Serological characterization of pathogenic fungi by means of fluorescent antibodies. I. Antigenic relationships between yeast and mycelial forms of
Histoplasma capsulatum
and
Blastomyces dermatitidis
. J. Bacteriol.
85:
986–991. 1963.—Four antiglobulins prepared against the yeast and mycelial forms of
Histoplasma capsulatum
and
Blastomyces dermatitidis
were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Cross-staining and adsorption techniques enabled the discernment of five antigenic factors in the fungi studied. The yeast-phase cells of
H. capsulatum
and
B. dermatitidis
contained the respective distinct antigens B and D, and a common factor E. In addition, the yeast-phase cells of these two species shared antigen C with the mycelial elements of
H. capsulatum
. The mycelial cells of
H. capsulatum
and
B. dermatitidis
shared antigen A with the yeast-phase cells of these two organisms and contained no distinct antigens.
ANTAGONISM OF
d
-CYCLOSERINE INHIBITION OF MYCOBACTERIAL GROWTH BY
d
-ALANINE
Authors: Zygmunt Walter A.
Published: January 2020

Zygmunt, Walter
A. (Mead Johnson & Co., Evansville, Ind.). Antagonism of
d
-cycloserine inhibition of mycobacterial growth by
d
-alanine. J. Bacteriol.
85:
1217–1220. 1963.—Reversal of the antimycobacterial activity of
d
-4-amino-3-isoxazolidinone (
d
-cycloserine) by alanine in two species of mycobacteria actively growing on chemically defined media was compared. In both instances,
d
-alanine was the most effective reversal agent. The specificity with which the
d
isomer reversed the antimycobacterial activity of
d
-cycloserine was more pronounced than that observed with other species of bacteria. Mycobactin, a growth factor for certain mycobacteria, showed no reversal activity.
l
-CYSTINE REQUIREMENT FOR PRODUCTION OF COXSACKIE B3 VIRUS IN CULTURED MONKEY HEART CELLS
Authors: Tyndall R. L. , Ludwig E. H.
Published: January 2020

Tyndall
, R. L. (The Pennsylvania State University, University Park)
and E. H. Ludwig
.
l
-Cystine requirement for production of Coxsackie B3 virus in cultured monkey heart cells. J. Bacteriol.
85:
1339–1345. 1963.—The requirement for
l
-cystine in both the production of Coxsackie B3 virus in cultured monkey heart cells and in prolonging the survival of the cultured monkey heart cells is demonstrated.
d
-Cystine,
dl
-homocystine,
dl
-allo-cystathionine,
dl
-homocysteine thiolactone, 2-mercaptoethlyamine, allylglycine, 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid, and
dl
-ethionine could not replace
l
-cystine in either supporting Coxsackie B3 virus production or prolonging monkey heart cell culture survival time. By their ineffectiveness, these compounds suggest the specificity of the
l
-cystine requirement. Allylglycine, 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid, and
dl
-ethionine were likewise incapable of inhibiting the
l
-cystine effect in supporting both virus production and cell survival. Prolonged starvation of cell cultures prior to virus inoculation failed to reveal any additional marked nutritional requirements, but rather tended to accentuate the
l
-cystine requirement for virus production. Increased cell starvation did, however, lead to the establishment of a latent Coxsackie B3 virus infection of cultured monkey heart cells, the activation of which is
l
-cystine–dependent.
GENE TRANSFER BY F′ STRAINS OF
ESCHERICHIA COLI
K-12 II
Authors: Pittard James , Adelberg Edward A.
Published: January 2020

Pittard, James
(Yale University, New Haven, Conn.)
and Edward A. Adelberg
. Gene transfer by F′ strains of
Escherichia coli
K-12. II. Interaction between F-merogenote and chromosome during transfer. J. Bacteriol.
85:
1402–1408. 1963.—When F′ strains harboring the F-merogenate F
14
are mated with female recipients, the transfer of the F-merogenote begins, in the majority of cases, before chromosome transfer. The markers on F
14
are transferred in the sequence
met-1, arg-1, ilva-16
, and sex-factor,
met-1
being transferred first and sex-factor being transferred last, 9 min after
met-1
. In the class of zygotes that have received both the F-merogenote marker
met-1
and the chromosomal marker
xyl
or
mal
, the gradient of recombination frequencies for the F-merogenote markers
arg-1
and
ilva-16
is much steeper than in the corresponding zygotes that have not received chromosomal markers. In F′ strains which exhibit an increased frequency of transfer of chromosome markers, this gradient of recombination frequencies for merogenote markers is much steeper. An analysis of experiments involving an F′ strain with a much shorter F-merogenote, F
16
, and of a triparental mating in which F-merogenote and chromosome were transferred from different donor cells reveals that the effect of chromosome transfer on the recovery of distal F-merogenote markers in the zygotes is not due to any form of postzygotic elimination. It is suggested that, when F′ strains which are transferring F-merogenote begin to transfer chromosome, the latter event causes breakage of the F-merogenote. A second consequence of this interaction is a delay of 8 to 10 min in the first appearance of chromosomal markers in the zygotes.
DEGRADATION OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID AND ALTERATION OF NUCLEIC ACID METABOLISM IN SUSPENSION CULTURES OF L-M CELLS INFECTED WITH EQUINE ABORTION VIRUS
Authors: Randall Charles C. , Walker Barbara M.
Published: January 2020

Randall, Charles
C. (University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Jackson)
and Barbara M. Walker
. Degradation of deoxyribonucleic acid and alteration of nucleic acid metabolism in suspension cultures of L-M cells infected with equine abortion virus. J. Bacteriol.
86:
138–146. 1963.—Metabolic alterations in log-phase suspension cultures infected with equine abortion virus (EAV) were determined in L-M cells simultaneously labeled or prelabeled with H
3
- or C
14
-thymidine. Although infection produced an early stimulation of the uptake of labeled thymidine (TdR) into the acid-soluble fraction of concurrently labeled cells, incorporation of the isotope into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was progressively inhibited. The specific activity of infected-cell DNA was 48% of the control at 24 hr. The rate of incorporation of isotope from 12 to 24 hr was 43 and 13 counts per min per μg of DNA per hr for control and infected cultures, respectively. Owing to degradation of DNA, synthesis could not be accurately determined with the concurrently labeled cells. On the other hand, with prelabeled cells, quantitative isotopic methods could be used to determine the amount of DNA synthesized by measuring dilution of specific activity, even though infection triggered degradation of DNA into acid-soluble components. With this method, the DNA synthesized in infected cultures for 24 hr was approximately five times greater than the slight net increase determined by the diphenylamine reaction. The specific activity of infected-cell DNA decreased and then remained fixed after 24 hr, with 53% of the radioactivity appearing in the medium by 48 hr. No radioactive CO
2
was detected as a consequence of DNA degradation. Infected cells lost ribonucleic acid (RNA) as well as DNA; RNA and DNA were reduced by 64 and 50%, respectively, at 48 hr. The degradation of DNA was effectively inhibited by chelating agents
in situ
and is thought to be due to a deoxyribonuclease. Preliminary experiments with extracts of infected cells support this observation. The relationship of deoxyribonuclease to the synthesis of viral DNA remains to be determined.
FAILURE OF ANIMAL PASSAGE TO INCREASE THE VIRULENCE OFLISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES
Authors: Silverman Sidney J. , Drawdy James F. , Kautter Donald A.
Published: January 2020

Silverman, SidneyJ. (U.S. Army Biological Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.),James F. Drawdy, and Donald A. Kautter. Failure of animal passage to increase the virulence ofListeria monocytogenes. J. Bacteriol.86:92–94. 1963.—Three strains ofListeria monocytogenes, JHH, A4413, and 53P380, were serially passed through mice, guinea pigs, or monkeys via the intracerebral, intraperitoneal, and intraspinal routes, respectively. The first two strains had been maintained on laboratory medium for some time; strain 53P380, received in the brain of a sheep that had died of listeriosis, was never inoculated into laboratory media. The virulence of the strains was tested by the intraperitoneal or respiratory route. An apparent increase in virulence for mice of strain JHH was observed after animal passage. However, if the same strain maintained on Tryptose Agar and Brain Heart Infusion broth was injected in a suspension of normal mouse brain or spleen and liver, there was no difference in the virulence of the strain between animal-passaged and media-grown cells. An adjuvant effect was noted also with brothgrown cells suspended in mineral oil (Bayol F) or in alcohol or acetone extracts of normal mouse brain. A decrease in virulence for guinea pigs occurred with strain 53P380 after a series of passages by the intraperitoneal route in the same animal.
APPLICATIONS OF THE PLASTIC FILM TECHNIQUE IN THE ISOLATION AND STUDY OF ANAEROBIC BACTERIA
Authors: Shank J. L.
Published: January 2020

Shank
, J. L. (Swift & Co., Chicago, Ill.). Applications of the plastic film technique in the isolation and study of anaerobic bacteria. J. Bacteriol.
86:
95–100. 1963.—The use of plastic films as oxygen barriers on the surface of agar pour plates, in conjunction with thioglycolate and other selective and differential agents, allows the primary isolation and enumeration of clostridia and other anaerobes. Quantitative studies reveal little if any inhibition of the test organisms under these conditions, and toxin production, where it occurs, is shown to be virtually unimpaired.
SEROLOGY OF AEROBIC AQUATIC ACTINOMYCETES II
Authors: Guthrie R. K. , Roach A. W. , Ferguson J. K.
Published: January 2020

Guthrie, R. K. (North Texas State University, Denton), A. W.Roach, and J. K. Ferguson. Serology of aerobic aquatic actinomycetes. II. Effects of growth medium and culture age on antigen levels. J. Bacteriol.86:173–178. 1963.—The levels of multiple antigenic components of individual isolates of aerobic actinomycetes were affected by the medium used for culture. The nutritive requirements, and the rate of growth of specific strains on a particular medium, appear to determine the number and titer of antigen components present. The antigenic components present in largest amount reached a peak titer in these organisms in 2 weeks of growth, regardless of medium. At that time, the antigenic components were present primarily in the mycelium. After 2 weeks of growth, additional components appeared in low titer, and those components in largest amount began to appear in the medium. With the appearance of antigenic components in the medium, titers of these antigens decreased in the mycelium. Standardization of conditions of growth medium and culture age served to increase the accuracy and specificity of serological grouping on the basis of reactions observed.
HEMOLYSIN-INHIBITING SUBSTANCE IN
STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
STRAINS
Authors: Çetin E. T.
Published: January 2020

Çetin
, E. T. (Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey). Hemolysin-inhibiting substance in
Staphylococcus aureus
strains. J. Bacteriol.
86:
407–413. 1963.—Of 144
Staphylococcus aureus
strains isolated from pathological specimens, 3.4% did not cause hemolysis on sheep blood agar; the remainder produced hemolytic and semihemolytic zones, most of which were surrounded by a dense red band. Most of the strains causing pronounced hemolysis and a large dense red band on sheep blood agar also produced a dense red band on human blood agar after incubation at 37 C for about 1 week. In the dense red band on human blood agar, circles of hemolysis were observed when petri dishes were kept at room temperature for approximately 1 more week. The dense red band inhibited delta hemolysis of some of the
S. aureus
strains growing nearby. Certain strains failing to produce the dense red band on human blood agar inhibited delta hemolysis of other strains grown near them. A hemolysis-inhibiting substance (HIS) was produced in broth and agar media, and could be extracted from agar cultures. HIS was stable for 1 hr at 56 C and for 15 min at 100 C. It lost 75% of its effect when heated for 30 min at 100 C and became ineffective when heated at the same temperature for 45 min. Conditioned hemolysis occurred when some saprophytic gram-positive bacteria grew near or within the dense red band. These organisms also produced conditioned hemolysis without the presence of a visible dense red band, when growing near the strains inhibiting delta hemolysis. When such strains were grown on human blood agar, a conditioned hemolysis also occurred after the border of the medium was flamed.
PATTERNS OF OXIDATIVE ASSIMILATION IN STRAINS OF
PSEUDOMONAS
AND
ACHROMOBACTER
Authors: Tomlinson Geraldine A. , Campbell J. J. R.
Published: January 2020

Tomlinson, Geraldine
A. (University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada)
and J. J. R. Campbell
. Patterns of oxidative assimilation in strains of
Pseudomonas
and
Achromobacter
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
434–444. 1963.—Oxidative assimilation of glucose-
U-C
14
in the absence of added nitrogen was studied by use of washed-cell suspensions of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. fluorescens, Achromobacter
strain B81, and
Achromobacter viscosus
(
Alcaligenes viscolactis
). The suggestion that oxidative assimilation in these organisms is the reincorporation of endogenously produced ammonia by way of α-ketoglutarate is tenable. Each of the four organisms accumulated intermediate compounds which acted as pacemakers for the oxidation of glucose. This phenomenon, partly because it ensured the availability of additional ammonia, undoubtedly increased the degree of oxidative assimilation. Products accumulating in the supernatant fluids during glucose oxidation were α-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, gluconate, a low molecular weight carbohydrate, and dicarboxylic acids. No two bacteria formed the same products. Assimilation of radioactivity into the cells, which accounted for 12 to 26% of the available C
14
, continued as long as an oxidizable substrate was present, and was paralleled by uptake of endogenously produced ammonia. During the early stages of glucose oxidation, compounds of the cold trichloroacetic acid-soluble pool constituted a major portion of the total radioactivity of the cells. The lipid fractions of
P. aeruginosa
and
Achromobacter
B81 were also of high relative activity during this time. The labeling of the nucleic acid fractions of all four bacteria increased with time, more radioactivity being found in fractions from the two
Achromobacter
species than in those from the pseudomonads. At the completion of the experiment, the largest percentage of incorporated radioactivity was present in the protein fractions. One of the organisms,
Achromobacter
B81, synthesized a high molecular weight carbohydrate material.
PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF STAPHYLOCOAGULASE
Authors: Zolli Zeno , Clemente Charles L. San
Published: January 2020

Zolli, Zeno, Jr.(Michigan State University, East Lansing),and Charles L. San Clemente. Purification and characterization of staphylocoagulase. J. Bacteriol.86:527–535. 1963.—Separation and extreme purification of coagulase fromStaphylococcus aureusstrain 70 was achieved by using three cycles of dialysis in ethanol-water mixtures under controlled conditions, followed by molecular sieving through a column of Sephadex G-200. By manipulation of five variables (pH, ionic strength, temperature, protein, and ethanol concentration), the final preparation showed an approximate 3700-fold increase in activity per mg of protein. The successfully isolated coagulase containing 15.0% nitrogen was characterized serologically and chemically. By use of agar diffusion techniques, one zone of precipitation was obtained with the highly purified material. Additional confirmation of purity was evidenced by the appearance of a single peak with cellulose acetate paper electrophoresis with a barbital buffer at pH 8.6. Progressive and eventual elimination of carbohydrate, deoxyribonuclease, lipase, and phosphatase was observed through the four stages of purification. Temperature studies showed that the stability of each fraction was inversely related to its purity.
CYTOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ANTIMICROBIAL ANTIBIOSIS III
Authors: Kaye Jeremy J. , Chapman George B.
Published: January 2020

Kaye, JeremyJ. (Cornell University Medical College, New York, N.Y.)and George B. Chapman. Cytological aspects of antimicrobial antibiosis. III. Cytologically distinguishable stages in antibiotic action of colistin sulfate onEscherichia coli. J. Bacteriol.86:536–543. 1963.—Broth cultures ofEscherichia coliwere subjected to a constant concentration of colistin sulfate for varying periods of time. Controls and treated cells were fixed, dehydrated, and embedded in methacrylate, and ultrathin sections were examined in an electron microscope. Three stages in the antibiotic process were discerned. Stage 1 was characterized by a disruption of the axial orientation of the nuclear material and by an invasion of nuclear areas by tufts of material presumably of cytoplasmic origin; no loss of cellular contents could be detected cytologically. Stage 2 was characterized by the loss of nuclear material and by a loss of typical cytoplasmic granularity, an increase in cytoplasmic electron density, and an agglomeration of the cytoplasm into packed tufts of material; in contrast to the nuclear material, there was no loss of cytoplasmic material in this stage. Stage 3 was characterized by the loss of the altered cytoplasmic material but with the persistence of mesosomes, plasma membrane, and cell wall. Speculation that each and all of these changes might have resulted from an altered intracellular milieu secondary to a primary effect of the antibiotic on the plasma membrane is presented.
INORGANIC PYROPHOSPHATASE OF
DESULFOVIBRIO DESULFURICANS
Authors: Akagi J. M. , Campbell L. Leon
Published: January 2020

Akagi
, J. M. (University of Illinois, Urbana)
and L. Leon Campbell
. Inorganic pyrophosphatase of
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
563–568. 1963.—The inorganic pyrophosphatase of
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans
was purified 136-fold by (NH
4
)
2
SO
4
and ethanol fractionation and diethylaminoethyl cellulose chromatography. Mg
++
or Mn
++
was required for optimal activity; Co
++
was only 65% as effective as Mg
++
. The optimal ratio of Mg
++
to pyrophosphate was 1.0 at pH 8.0. The
K
s
for the pyrophosphatase was found to be in the region of 1.9 × 10
−3
m
. Sulfhydryl inhibitors and sodium fluoride had no effect on enzyme activity at a concentration of 10
−3
m
. The purified enzyme did not hydrolyze adenosine triphosphate, glycerol phosphate, diphenyl phosphate, or
p
-nitrophenyl phosphate. Thermal stability studies showed that the enzyme is rapidly inactivated at temperatures above 40 C.
SPONTANEOUS LYSIS AND PHAGE-CARRIER STATE IN
BRUCELLA
CULTURES
Authors: Renoux Gerard , Suire Andree
Published: January 2020

Renoux, Gerard
(Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France),
and Andree Suire
. Spontaneous lysis and phage-carrier state in
Brucella
cultures. J. Bacteriol.
86:
642–647. 1963.—When broth or saline suspensions of 60 randomly chosen
Brucella
strains were directly poured onto plates of Albimi Agar, distinct plaques, indicative of phage activity, developed. Unselected
Brucella
cultures containing cell types that gave rise to several morphologically distinct colonial types all proved to be naturally phage-infected. Selection and study of some of these colonial types led to the following conclusions: (i) S or SI colonies do not carry the phage and are sensitive to it; (ii) pure R colonies are phage-resistant and do not carry the phage; (iii) butyrous or sticky white P (“Porteuses”) colonies develop from “carrier cells” resistant to phage; and (iv) the progeny of cells of the P colony type segregate into cells that give rise to P, S, or SI colonies. However, when plates were streaked with a cotton swab soaked in the
Brucella
suspension, no visible plaque developed. The phenotypic changes occurring after phage infection are believed to play a role also under natural conditions; they are able to explain most of the natural behavior of
Brucella
. Their occurrence, however, does not exclude other genetic mechanisms that may produce similar phenotypic effects.
INDUCTION OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL PENICILLINASE BY BENZYLPENICILLIN: EFFECT OF pH, CONCENTRATION OF FERROUS ION AND INDUCER, AND DURATION OF EXPOSURE OF CELLS TO INDUCER
Authors: Leitner Felix , Sweeney Helen M. , Martin T. F. , Cohen Sidney
Published: January 2020

Leitner, Felix
(Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, Ill.),
Helen M. Sweeney, T. F. Martin, and Sidney Cohen
. Induction of staphylococcal penicillinase by benzylpenicillin: effect of pH, concentration of ferrous ion and inducer, and duration of exposure of cells to inducer. J. Bacteriol.
86:
717–727. 1963.—The kinetics of induction of penicillinase by benzylpenicillin in exponentially multiplying
Staphylococcus aureus
strain 55-C-1 were shown to vary with the pH. At pH 7.3 in the absence of free inducer, the rate of increase of penicillinase activity rapidly declined and came to a halt. At pH 5.4 to 5.5 and in the presence of optimal concentrations of Fe
++
, the penicillinase activity of the induced culture increased linearly with time for 2.5 or more generations, but the rate of increase usually declined eventually. Evidence was advanced to support the concept that the acidic pH and optimal Fe
++
concentration maintain the induced formation of enzyme. The induced increase in penicillinase activity appeared 3 to 4 min after the addition of benzylpenicillin. The degree of induction of penicillinase varied with the duration of exposure of the staphylococci to the inducer and with the concentration of inducer. Maximal induction under our conditions was attained by exposure for 15 min to benzyl-penicillin at an initial concentration between 0.6 and 2 units/ml.
NUTRITIONAL STUDIES ON THE “AUTO-PLAQUE” PHENOMENON IN
PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA
Authors: Berk Richard S.
Published: January 2020

Berk, Richard
S. (Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.). Nutritional studies on the “auto-plaque” phenomenon in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
728–734. 1963.—Examination of 20 cultures of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
indicated that 18 cultures possessed the common property of spontaneously lysing to form “plaques” or erosions on themselves in the absence of a sensitive indicator strain. Maximal lysis and plaque production was found to occur on a medium with a Tryptone concentration of 2.0 to 2.5%. Reduction of the Tryptone concentration to 0.5% or less supported growth, but was usually inadequate for support of lysis. However, addition of
l
-asparagine or
l
-arginine to 0.5% Tryptone induced lysis. Examination of five strains of
Pseudomonas
, which routinely exhibited the autolytic phenomenon, indicated that all were both lysogenic and pyocinogenic when tested against other
Pseudomonas
strains on both 2 and 0.5% Tryptone. Culturing of autolytic strain Pa-1 on a simple medium composed of glucose and inorganic salts appeared to be inadequate for “auto-plaque” formation, although lysis occurred occasionally when a yeast extract concentration of 1% was incorporated into the medium. Suppression of auto-plaque formation was also effected by growing the culture on Technicon dialyzing membrane D3 overlaid on 2% Tryptone, although lysogenic lysis of an indicator strain was demonstrable on the membrane.
POLYSACCHARIDE STORAGE AND GROWTH EFFICIENCY IN
RUMINOCOCCUS ALBUS
Authors: Hungate R. E.
Published: January 2020

Hungate
, R. E. (University of California, Davis). Polysaccharide storage and growth efficiency in
Ruminococcus albus
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
848–854. 1963.—
Ruminococcus albus
strain RAM requires biotin,
p
-aminobenzoic acid, pyridoxamine, isovalerate, isobutyrate, 2-methylbutyrate, and either cysteine or sulfide. Rumen fluid and casein hydrolysate improve growth but are not essential. Up to 35% iodophilic polysaccharide is stored in cells from batch cultures and 17% in a continuous culture on a 10-hr cycle. The storage product is a polymer of glucose resembling starch. The yield of cells in continuous culture, corrected for stored starch, averaged 102 mg per mmole of cellobiose fermented to waste products. It is postulated that nine high-energy phosphates are derived from each cellobiose molecule. Conversions providing this number are discussed.
LOCALIZATION OF CAROTENOID PIGMENT IN THE CYTOPLASMIC MEMBRANE OF
XANTHOMONAS JUGLANDIS
Authors: Stephens William L. , Starr Mortimer P.
Published: January 2020

Stephens, William
L. (University of California, Davis),
and Mortimer P. Starr
. Localization of carotenoid pigment in the cytoplasmic membrane of
Xanthomonas juglandis
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
1070–1074. 1963.—The kinetics of release of carotenoid pigment from cells of
Xanthomonas juglandis
, disrupted by sonic or ballistic treatment, showed the pigment to be localized in the cell envelope. Cells subjected to ballistic disintegration released carotenoid at a rate identical to that of a membrane component (reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidase) and at a slightly higher rate than a wall component (hexosamine). Thus, the membrane portion of the cell envelope is the most probable locus of the unique carotenoid pigment of
X. juglandis
.
TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE HYDROGENASE AND HYDROGENASE SYNTHESIS IN A PSYCHROPHILIC BACTERIUM
Authors: Upadhyay J. , Stokes J. L.
Published: January 2020

Upadhyay, J. (Washington State University, Pullman)and J. L. Stokes. Temperature-sensitive hydrogenase and hydrogenase synthesis in a psychrophilic bacterium. J. Bacteriol.86:992–998. 1963.—Hydrogenase and its synthesis were more heat-sensitive in psychrophilic strain 82 than in mesophilicEscherichia coli. The enzyme was not formed above 20 C by the psychrophile, whereas it was formed byE. coliand other mesophiles at 45 C. Aerobically grown cells of strain 82 do not contain hydrogenase but could be induced to form the enzyme by incubation with glucose and amino acids. Hydrogenase adaptation proceeded best at pH 8.0. The psychrophile hydrogenase was destroyed 50% by exposure to 60 C for 2 hr compared with 25% destruction of mesophile hydrogenase under the same conditions. The psychrophile hydrogenase was most active at pH 9.0, and the mesophile hydrogenase was most active at pH 10.0 or higher.
INDUCED BIOSYNTHESIS OF α-AMYLASE BY GROWING CULTURES OF
BACILLUS STEAROTHERMOPHILUS
Authors: Welker N. E. , Campbell L. Leon
Published: January 2020

Welker
, N. E. (Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio),
and L. Leon Campbell
. Induced biosynthesis of α-amylase by growing cultures of
Bacillus stearothermophilus
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
1196–1201. 1963.—The maximal differential rate (
K
) of α-amylase synthesis was usually two to three times that of the sucrose control culture, over an inducer concentration range of 5 × 10
−4
to 1 × 10
−3
m
. With maltotetraose, higher concentrations decreased the
K
value, whereas higher concentrations of maltose were needed to obtain maximal
K
values. Glucose, in concentrations from 10
−5
to 10
−2
m
, had no effect on the differential rate of enzyme synthesis. Cultures growing on maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, and maltohexaose exhibited the same growth rate (
k
) and differential rate of α-amylase synthesis over a concentration range of 2.92 × 10
−4
to 1.46 × 10
−2
m
. Growth of cultures in various concentrations of pure maltose revealed that with concentrations of maltose ranging from 2.92 × 10
−3
to 1.46 × 10
−2
m
the
K
value for α-amylase production increased 18-fold. The amount of maltose utilized, during the growth period, at each concentration of maltose, was constant. Diauxic type growth was observed when maltose was used in addition to another carbon source (i.e., glucose, glycerol, fructose, or sucrose). Maltose was not utilized until the other carbon source had been metabolized. Phenyl-, methyl-, and ethyl-α-
d
-glucoside and methyl-β-
d
-maltoside were good inducers of α-amylase and would not serve as a carbon source in a chemically defined medium supplemented with 0.1% casein hydrolysate. These compounds were therefore gratuitous inducers of α-amylase. Isomaltose, panose, butyl-α-
d
-glucoside, and methyl-α-
d
-maltotetraoside were not effective as inducers of α-amylase. Fructose had an inhibitory effect on constitutive (41%) and inducible (55%) α-amylase formation; glucose had no effect.
STREPTOMYCIN FORMATION BY INTACT MYCELIUM OF
STREPTOMYCES GRISEUS
Authors: Nomi Ryosaku
Published: January 2020

Nomi, Ryosaku
(Rutgers, The State University, New Brunswick, N.J.). Streptomycin formation by intact mycelium of
Streptomyces griseus
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
1220–1230. 1963.—A study was made of streptomycin formation by intact mycelium of
Streptomyces griseus
107 grown in glucose-yeast extract medium. When mycelium harvested after 24, 48, and 72 hr was compared, the earliest growth showed the highest activity in producing streptomycin from glucose. The concentration of streptomycin in the mycelium was higher in the older growth. Calcium chloride had a remarkable effect in increasing streptomycin production from the precursors in the mycelium, especially when the mycelium was grown for 48 hr or longer. The effect of calcium chloride cannot be attributed to the precipitation of an excess of inorganic phosphate in the medium. Glucose, fructose, glycerol, lactic acid, glucosamine, streptidine, and inositol stimulated streptomycin formation, whereas gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, streptamine, and strepturea did not. When 24-hr-old mycelium was suspended and shaken in 0.5% glucose solution, the antibiotic precursors necessary to produce streptomycin were found mainly in the supernatant of the culture rather than in the mycelium. The supernatant included some substance which had a weak antibiotic activity. This substance was less basic than streptomycin and was transformed to streptomycin with a remarkable increase in antibiotic activity.
DEMONSTRATION OF LYSOGENY IN STABLE L FORMS OF
PROTEUS MIRABILIS
Authors: Taubeneck Udo
Published: January 2020

Taubeneck, Udo
(Institut für Mikrobiologie und Experimentelle Therapie, Jena, Germany). Demonstration of lysogeny in stable L forms of
Proteus mirabilis
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
1265–1269. 1963.—Stable L forms of eight different lysogenic
Proteus mirabilis
strains have proved to be lysogenic. In an additional strain, phage production was induced upon transfer into the stable L form. This demonstrates that the stable L forms, like their parent bacillary types, are capable of forming mature phage. Their phage resistance is not due to an inability to form mature phage but to a loss of phage receptors. In some instances, the transition into the stable L form is associated with altered phage production, usually with increased phage production, in comparison with the parental bacillary type.
ROLES OF CITRATE AND ACETOIN IN THE METABOLISM OF
STREPTOCOCCUS DIACETILACTIS
Authors: Harvey R. J. , Collins E. B.
Published: January 2020

Harvey
, R. J. (University of California, Davis),
and E. B. Collins
. Roles of citrate and acetoin in the metabolism of
Streptococcus diacetilactis
. J. Bacteriol.
86:
1301–1307. 1963.—
Streptococcus diacetilactis
was unable to use citrate as a source of energy for growth, but the addition of citrate to a lactose-containing medium increased the specific growth rate 35%. Besides serving as the precursor of acetoin, some of the pyruvate formed from citrate was incorporated into cell material, primarily into lipids. A constant fraction of the weight of new cells was synthesized from the pyruvate formed from citrate. The rate of entry of citrate into cells was independent of the growth rate, and the usual result was that more pyruvate was formed from citrate than was required for cell synthesis. All excess pyruvate was converted to acetoin. Thus, acetoin formation acts as a detoxification mechanism, a means of removing intracellular pyruvate not required for synthesis of cell material.
FLUORESCENT-ANTIBODY STUDIES OF THE MYCELIAL FORM OFHISTOPLASMA CAPSULATUMAND MORPHOLOGICALLY SIMILAR FUNGI
Authors: Kaufman Leo , Brandt Brenda
Published: January 2020

Kaufman, Leo(Communicable Disease Center, Atlanta, Ga.),and Brenda Brandt. Fluorescent-antibody studies of the mycelial form ofHistoplasma capsulatumand morphologically similar fungi. J. Bacteriol.87:120–126. 1964.—Fluorescent-antibody reagents were developed to differentiate the mycelial form of the pathogen,Histoplasma capsulatum, from several morphologically similar but saprophytic species of the generaSepedoniumandChrysosporium. Cross-staining and adsorption procedures revealed antigenic relationships among certain species of these three genera and other fungi. The significance of these observations to the diagnostician and taxonomist is discussed.
THE GENUSVEILLONELLAI
Authors: Rogosa M.
Published: January 2020

Rogosa, M. (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.). The genusVeillonella. I. General cultural, ecological, and biochemical considerations. J. Bacteriol.87:162–170. 1964.—Arguments are presented for excludingVeillonella discoides, V. reniformis, V. orbiculus, andV. vulvovaginitidisfrom the genus, and for restricting it to aerogenic organisms such asV. parvulaandV. alcalescens. The genusVeillonellathus would comprise species which are anaerobic and nonmotile; are small, spherical, gram-negative cocci appearing as pairs, masses, and short chains; and are cytochrome-oxidase- and benzidine-negative.Veillonellawould be further characterized in that glucose or any other carbohydrate is not fermented; indole is not produced; gelatin is not liquefied; nitrate is reduced; H2S is produced; propionic and acetic acids, CO2, and H2are produced from lactate during growth; and pyruvic, oxaloacetic, malic, fumaric, and succinic acids are metabolized by resting cells, but citric, isocitric, and malonic acids are not. In addition to the above, a number of cultural, ecological, and biochemical characteristics are described. At present,V. parvula(the type species) andV. alcalescenswould be retained as valid species. Errors in the descriptions ofV. parvulaandV. alcalescensare corrected by amended statements. These species are differentiated serologically. Also,V. alcalescensdiffers fromV. parvulain having an absolute requirement for putrescine or cadaverine and in decomposing H2O2.
TRANSFER OF EPISOMIC ELEMENTS TO
PROTEUS
I
Authors: Falkow Stanley , Wohlhieter J. A. , Citarella R. V. , Baron L. S.
Published: January 2020

Falkow, Stanley
(Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C.), J. A.
Wohlhieter, R. V. Citarella, and L. S. Baron
. Transfer of episomic elements to
Proteus
. I. Transfer of F-linked chromosomal determinants. J. Bacteriol.
87:
209–219. 1964.—F-linked
lac
+
genes may be transferred from
Escherichia coli
to several species of
Proteus
by conjugation. Usually the transferred genetic elements are markedly unstable in
Proteus
, but repeated plating permits the selection of relatively stable
Proteus lac
+
strains.
Proteus
strains carrying F-linked
lac
+
markers are heterogenotes and limited donors for
lac
+
. In addition, both the fertility and
lac
+
property may be eliminated from
Proteus
by treatment with acridine orange.
Escherichia
and
Proteus
possess very different overall deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base compositions. In CsCl density gradients of DNA extracted from
Proteus lac
+
strains, the acquisition of
Escherichia
genes by
Proteus
may be correlated with the addition of a physically recognizable high molecular weight, native DNA fraction of
Escherichia
base composition.
Proteus lac
+
strains synthesize a β-galactosidase which is indistinguishable from
E. coli
enzyme by several criteria. Despite this specificity, the regulatory functions of
Escherichia lac
+
genes appear to be impaired in
Proteus
.
INTERFERENCE INDUCED AGAINST VACCINIA IN AN ADENOVIRUS-RHF-1 SYSTEM
Authors: Khoobyarian Newton
Published: January 2020

Khoobyarian, Newton
(University of Illinois, Chicago). Interference induced against vaccinia in an adenovirus-RHF-1 system. J. Bacteriol.
87:
24–32. 1964.—It was observed that a continuous line of rabbit heart cell culture (strain RHF-1), when overlaid with growth medium after infection of cultures with adenovirus types 2, 3, 4, and 7, would develop resistance to vaccinia plaque formation. Data are presented to provide some information on the nature of such resistance observed specifically in an adenovirus 2-RHF-1 system. An analysis of this phenomenon indicated the following. (i) At least 6 hr were required before the start of vaccinia inhibition, and 15 to 18 hr were necessary for the maximal occurrence of inhibition; the degree of interference established varied with the concentration of adenovirus. (ii) The site of interference action was inside rather than outside the cells, since hardly any difference could be shown in the rate of vaccinia adsorption on resistant and susceptible cells. (iii) The interaction of adenovirus with RHF-1 cells not only would inhibit cell infection with vaccinia but would also suppress the 24- to 48-hr yield of virus. (iv) When RHF-1 cells were overlaid with maintenance medium after their infection with a low multiplicity of RHF-1 passaged adenovirus 2 (to establish sublethal infection), an inhibitory substance of varied activity could be detected daily over a period of at least 10 days which, when transferred to normal RHF-1 cultures, would render them resistant to vaccinia infection. (v) Although limited growth of virus appeared to be responsible for the production of the inhibitor, increase in inhibitory activity did not seem to coincide with increase in virus titer. (vi) The inhibitor seemed to resemble interferons in inhibiting virus plaque production, but its exact identity and the mode of action remain to be determined.
MUTATIONAL SYNERGISM BETWEEN RADIATIONS AND METHYLATED PURINES IN
ESCHERICHIA COLI
Authors: Doneson Ira N. , Shankel Delbert M.
Published: January 2020

Doneson, Ira
N. (University of Kansas, Lawrence),
and Delbert M. Shankel
. Mutational synergism between radiations and methylalted purines in
Escherichia coli
. J. Bacteriol.
87:
61–67. 1964.—A synergistic mutational effect was demonstrated between low doses of ultraviolet light and the methylated purines caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Caffeine produced the greatest effect and theobromine the least effect. The magnitude of the synergism was inversely related to the ultraviolet dosage. A large percentage of the synergistic effect could be “photoprevented” by exposure of the ultraviolet-treated cells to white light prior to exposure to the analogues. The consequence of the combined treatment occurred only when the chemical treatment followed the ultraviolet treatment. Furthermore, it was necessary to administer the chemical treatment soon after the ultraviolet treatment or the mutants were “lost.” When cells were treated with low dosages of ultraviolet light and of X irradiation (X ray), the result was merely additive, and combinations of X ray and chemical treatment yielded no synergism. Synchronous growth studies indicated that a particular growth stage of the organisms was most susceptible to the synergistic effect. The mutation studied was that of
Escherichia coli
B/r to high-level streptomycin resistance.
N
-METHYL GROUPS IN BACTERIAL LIPIDS
Authors: Goldfine Howard , Ellis Martha E.
Published: January 2020

Goldfine, Howard
(Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.),
and Martha E. Ellis
.
N
-methyl groups in bacterial lipids. J. Bacteriol.
87:
8–15. 1964.—The ability of bacteria to synthesize lecithin was examined by measuring the incorporation of the methyl group of methionine into the water-soluble moieties obtained on acid hydrolysis of bacterial lipids. Of 21 species examined, mostly of the order Eubacteriales, only 2,
Agrobacterium radiobacter
and
A. rhizogenes
, incorporated the methyl group of methionine into lipid-bound choline. Evidence was also obtained for the formation of lipid-bound
N
-methylethanolamine and
N,N
′-dimethylethanolamine in these two organisms. Two other species,
Clostridium butyricum
and
Proteus vulgaris
, incorporated the methyl group of methionine into lipid-bound
N
-methylethanolamine, but did not appear to be able to further methylate these lipids to form lecithin. The results of this study lend further strength to the generalization that bacteria, with the exception of the genus
Agrobacterium
, are unable to synthesize lecithin.
EXPERIMENTAL PRIMARY CUTANEOUS COCCIDIOIDOMYCOSIS IN THE MONKEY
Authors: Converse John L. , Pakes Steven P. , Snyder Ernest M. , Castleberry Merida W.
Published: January 2020

Converse, John
L. (U.S. Army Biological Laboratories, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Md.),
Steven P. Pakes, Ernest M. Snyder, and Merida W. Castleberry
. Experimental primary cutaneous coccidioidomycosis in the monkey. J. Bacteriol.
87:
81–85. 1964.—Primary cutaneous coccidioidomycosis was studied in the monkey (
Macaca mulatta
) to find a suitable strain of
Coccidioides immitis
for use as a viable vaccine. Intradermal inoculation (medial surface of the right forearm) produced more severe vaccination reactions (draining vaccination site and axillary lymph node hypertrophy) than did subcutaneous injection. A subcutaneous vaccine dose of 10 arthrospores resulted in less reaction than a 100-spore dose. Moreover, dissemination beyond the regional lymph nodes did not occur after injection of ten spores of even the most virulent strains of
C. immitis
. Two of the five strains tested (Silveira, M-11, D-76, Cash, and a colonial isolate from Cash designated CW1) exhibited very mild vaccination reactions and appeared to have been cleared from the tissues upon necropsy at 10 months postvaccination. These two strains (Cash and CW1) appear promising for further immunological studies with a viable vaccine.
IN VITRO PHAGOCYTOSIS OFSTAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUSWITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO A POSSIBLE ANTIPHAGOCYTIC FUNCTION OF COAGULASE
Authors: Borchardt Kenneth A. , Pierce William A.
Published: January 2020

Borchardt, KennethA. (Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, La.),and William A. Pierce, Jr.In vitro phagocytosis ofStaphylococcus aureuswith special reference to a possible antiphagocytic function of coagulase. J. Bacteriol.87:311–315. 1964.—Rabbit antisera were prepared toStaphylococcus aureusstrains of bacteriophage types 81 and 42D with vaccines consisting of washed, heat-killed cells grown in media which either did or did not support coagulase formation. Partially purified coagulases were prepared, and were used to produce rabbit anticoagulase antisera. In vitro phagocytic studies, with the two staphylococcal strains plus rabbit polymorphonuclear peritoneal exudate cells and the various types of rabbit antisera, did not yield evidence that coagulase per se contributes to staphylococcal resistance to either ingestion or intracellular killing. The role of coagulase, if any, in the virulence of these organisms for rabbits (and probably for man) must therefore be attributed to some other mechanism.