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Biomedical subjects

A Newton

Publications and source records attributed to A Newton.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Gene transfer in Caulobacter crescentus: polarized inheritance of genetic markers.

Recombination frequencies were determined for 15 independently isolated auxotrophs of C. crescentus crossed pairwise in all possible combinations. The results indicate that the mutants may be grouped into at least two types: "fertile" strains, which recombine with all other mutants at frequencies ranging from less than 10-6 to 3 times 10-2, and "nonfertile" strains which recombine with fertile strains at high frequencies and with other nonfertile strains at low or negligible frequencies. Several lines of evidence indicate a polarized inheritance of markers. Two of these are (1) the preferential inheritance of unselected markers from the nonfertile parent in fertile times nonfertile crosses, and (2) the consistent ordering of markers based on the frequency at which the mutants recombine with each of the three fertile strains. Although the evidence is not conclusive at this point, the results are most consistent with conjugation at the mechanism of gene transfer in these bacteria.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1972

Role of transcription in the temporal control of development in Caulobacter crescentus (stalk-rifampin-RNA synthesis-DNA synthesis-motility).

The requirement for transcription during development of the stalked bacterium, Caulobacter crescentus, was studied with synchronous cultures of swarmer cells. The developmental pattern in these bacteria was first established by determination of the times at which specific changes in cell structure and function occurred. These changes could be divided into those characteristic of (a) development of the swarmer cell into the stalked cell: loss of motility and synthesis of the stalk, and (b) development of the stalked cell into the asymmetric dividing cell: chromosome replication, synthesis of the flagellum, motility, and division. The effect of rifampin in blocking several of these steps-loss of motility, initiation of chromosome replication, and cell division-indicates that RNA synthesis is required throughout the cell cycle for normal differentiation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1972

Dependence of cell division on the completion of chromosome replication in Caulobacter.

The relationship between chromosome replication and cell division in the stalked bacterium Caulobacter crescentus has been investigated. Two compounds, hydroxyurea and mitomycin C, were found to inhibit completely deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis while allowing continued cell growth and elongation. When these inhibitors were added to exponentially growing cultures, cell division stopped after 38 min when hydroxyurea was used and after 33 min when mitomycin C was used. The period of continued cell division corresponds closely to the period previously determined for the postsynthetic gap (G2) in the DNA cycle of this organism. These results indicate that cell division is coupled to the completion of chromosome replication in C. crescentus.

Adenine↗
PubMed1971

New polarity suppressors in Escherichia coli: suppression and messenger RNA stability.

Two new polarity suppressors (Su27 and Su78) have been isolated in Escherichia coli. Both suppress polarity in the trp and lac operons, and neither shows codon specificity for suppression. Extreme polar mutants of the lac z gene that contain either Su27 or Su78 make mRNA from the entire operon; however, no active beta-galactosidase is translated from the z-gene messenger, and the amount of distal messenger is greater than would be expected from corresponding enzyme activities. Puromycin treatment of lac(+) strains mimics the effect of polar chain-termination mutations in destabilizing lac mRNA. This effect is completely reversed by Su27, and it is partially reversed by Su78. The results suggest that these suppressors act by stabilizing mRNA after premature termination of protein synthesis.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1970

Operon coordination in different bacterial hosts.

Coordination of gene expression in the lac operon was compared in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium as an approach to detecting possible differences in protein synthesis or membrane structure between organisms. Either a wild-type F' lac pro(AB) episome or the same episome with a polar mutation in one of the lac genes was introduced into pro(-) derivatives of the two strains of bacteria. Activity assays showed that the beta-galactosidase levels were only slightly lower in the S. typhimurium cells than in E. coli cells, whereas the transacetylase levels were significantly higher in S. typhimurium for all of the lac markers tested. Galactoside transport activities were always comparable in the two strains of bacteria; this latter result indicates that the cell envelopes of E. coli and S. typhimurium do not differ sufficiently to affect the membrane-associated lac transport system. It was found, however, that the specific transport activity is very sensitive to culture age in both bacteria, and decreases rapidly in cultures past the mid-exponential phase of growth.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1969

Iron transport in Escherichia coli: relationship between chromium sensitivity and high iron requirement in mutants of Escherichia coli.

Utilization of iron (Fe(3+)) by Escherichia coli depends upon a system which is determined by at least two genetic loci. Mutants which carry a deletion of the tonB-trp region of the chromosome grow only when very high concentrations of iron are present in the medium. These strains are sensitive to chromic ion (Cr(3+)) and, unlike the parent strain, fail to grow on MnSO(4) when FeSO(4) is not added to the medium. A second type of mutant, Chr2, which was isolated on the basis of its sensitivity to chromic ion, also requires a high concentration of iron for growth. This mutant can be distinguished phenotypically from the deletion mutants since it grows normally on low concentrations of iron, provided citrate is added to the medium. The chromium sensitivity of both types of mutants can be reversed by high concentrations of exogenous iron. The data are interpreted to indicate that the E. coli mutants studied are defective in iron transport and that residual iron transport is in some way inhibited by chromic ion.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1969

Iron transport in Escherichia coli: roles of energy-dependent uptake and 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine.

Escherichia coli strains B/r and 2276 contain an active transport system for iron. The system is energy-dependent, repressed by excess iron in the growth medium, and capable of accumulating iron inside of the cells at concentrations 2,000-fold higher than those in the medium. Two tonB-trp deletion mutants, strains B/rlt and B/lt7, which are sensitive to chromic ion and require high levels of iron for normal growth, are deficient in this active transport system. A point mutant, strain Chr2, which is also sensitive to chromic ion and requires high levels of iron for growth, has the active uptake system but cannot synthesize a specific chelator for iron, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoylserine (DHBS). Evidence is presented to support the hypothesis that both the active uptake system and chelation of iron by DHBS play a role in iron uptake from iron-deficient medium. The chromium sensitivity of the mutants can be explained by inhibition of uptake of exogenous iron.

Biological Transport, Active↗