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Biomedical subjects

I W Sutherland

Publications and source records attributed to I W Sutherland.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Xanthan lyases--novel enzymes found in various bacterial species.

Xanthan lyases, cleaving the terminal beta-mannosidic linkage of the side-chain of the exopolysaccharide xanthan from Xanthomonas campestris, have been obtained from several sources. These include a Bacillus species, a Corynebacterium species and a mixed culture. The lyases were initially associated with endo-beta-glucanases cleaving the main chain of xanthan. Partial purification of the enzymes was achieved and the Bacillus preparation was separated by FPLC into material free of endoglucanase and glycosidase activities. The lyase was active on polysaccharides with and without acetate and pyruvate. The optimal size of the substrate appeared to be in the range of degree of polymerization (DP) 25-35, i.e. 5-7 repeat units of the polysaccharide. No activity was found against xanthan modified by reduction of the carboxyl groups or by the addition of amine or hydroxyethyl groups. The combined action of the lyase and the endoglucanase yielded a series of oligosaccharides, each with a side-chain terminating in an unsaturated uronic acid and containing the molar ratio of D-glucose to D-mannose, 2:1.

Bacillus↗

Analysis of bacterial exopolysaccharides.

Extracellular polysaccharides have been isolated from cultures of freshwater and marine bacteria originally isolated from material adhering to surfaces and underivatized hydrolysates have been analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography methods. A scheme has been developed whereby the uronic acids can be identified on strong anion-exchange columns, while neutral monosaccharides can be separated and identified using aminobonded columns or cation-exchange adsorbent loaded with a heavy metal ion. The methods permit rapid and accurate comparison of polysaccharides with differing chemotype. The strains studied show a range of different chemotypes, all containing a uronic acid and several neutral monosaccharides. Some of the polysaccharides isolated from marine bacteria possessed a very high acetyl content.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Structure of the extracellular gelling polysaccharide produced by Enterobacter (NCIB 11870) species.

The gelling polysaccharide produced by a species of Enterobacter (NCIB 11870) contains L-fucose, D-glucose, and D-glucuronic acid in the ratios 1:2:1. Analysis of the methylated and methylated, carboxyl-reduced polysaccharide revealed terminal non-reducing glucose, (1----3)-linked fucose, (1----3,1----4)-linked glucose, and (1----4)-linked glucuronic acid in the ratios 1:1:1.2:0.8. From the results of Smith degradation of the polysaccharide and spectroscopic studies of the acidic tetra- and octa-saccharides produced by bacteriophage-induced enzymic depolymerization of the polysaccharide, the following tetrasaccharide repeating-unit is proposed. (Formula: see text). This repeating-unit is identical to that of the capsular polysaccharide produced by Klebsiella aerogenes serotype K54 except for the absence of O-acetyl groups. The effects of the O-acetyl groups on the secondary structure and rheological properties of these polysaccharides are discussed.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗

Comparison of bacterial lipopolysaccharides by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A comparison of lipid-free polysaccharides from gram-negative bacteria was rapidly accomplished by using high-performance liquid chromatography of underivatized hydrolysates. Examination of a number of such products revealed that, contrary to earlier reports, Xanthomonas campestris lipopolysaccharide contained heptose, together with rhamnose and galactose, but not mannose. The polymers from the methanotrophs "Methylomonas albus" and "Methylosinus trichosporium" contained heptose and glucose, and that from a "Klebsiella aerogenes" strain contained heptose, glucose, and galactose. The absence of heptose from the lipopolysaccharide of Myxococcus xanthus was confirmed.

Journal Article↗

Industrially useful microbial polysaccharides.

A number of microbial exopolysaccharides possess properties of industrial importance, especially as viscosifiers and gelling agents. This group of biopolymers is diverse in its chemical composition and structure; it includes both anionic and neutral polysaccharides, most of which are of bacterial origin.

Bacteria↗

The role of cell wall carbohydrates in binding of microorganisms to mouse peritoneal exudate macrophages.

The recognition by macrophages of unopsonized bacteria was studied, employing a binding assay, performed at 4 degrees C. Various Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria were shown to bind to glass-adherent mouse peritoneal exudate cells under these conditions, Str. pneumoniae being the only exception. The binding could be inhibited by pretreatment of the macrophage monolayers with various monosaccharides. The role of particular components of the bacterial cell wall in binding was examined further using different strains of K. aerogenes and S. typhimurium with a known cell wall composition and mutant strains deficient in certain sugars. The ability of a particular constituent to inhibit binding was found to correlate closely with its presence in the bacterial cell wall. It is concluded, that this form of binding, mediated by cell wall carbohydrates represents a primitive recognition mechanism enabling phagocytes to bind microorganisms.

Animals↗

An alginate lysate from Azotobacter vinelandii phage.

The alginate depolymerase associated with bacteriophage infection of Azotobacter vinelandii has been used in the analysis of sodium alginate. The enzyme degraded the polysaccharide to a series of oligouronides each containing a terminal 4-deoxy-alpha-L-erythro-hex-4-enopyranuronosyl residue. Analysis of these oligouronides, together with kinetic information, indicated that the enzyme was specific for mannuronic acid-containing regions of the polyuronide. The specificity of the enzyme made it possible to determine the primary structure of the macro-molecule. The phage-induced enzyme was shown to be distinct from the alginate lyase elaborated by the host organisms by its pH optimum, molecular weight, Michaelis constant and stability.

Alginates↗

Glucan common to the microcyst walls of cyst-forming bacteria.

Chemical analysis indicated that D-glucose is tha major neutral monosaccharide present in the microcysts of a range of gram-negative bacteria. Varying amounts of other neutral sugars were found. The glucose was mainly present as a glucan that could be extracted from microcysts of representative strains with alkali or mild acid treatment. The glucan could be identified as an alpha-1,3-linked polymer on the basis of (i) periodate resistance of the extracted polymer and the material present in microcysts; (ii) lectin agglutination of the microcysts; (iii) lectin precipitation of the extracted glucans; and (iv) susceptibility of the glucan either in the walls or after extraction to a specific alpha-1,3-glucanase from Aspergillus nidulans, yielding glucose as the sole hydrolysis product. The galactosamine found in microcysts of Myxococcus xanthus by other workers is clearly a component of another polymer, distinct from the glucan. The presence of an alpha 1,3-linked glucan, common to microcyst walls of various bacterial genera, probably contributes to the rigidity of the walls of these forms and, inter alia, to their resistance to ultrasonic treatment. Preliminary experiments indicate that the gulcan is discarded on germination of the microcysts rather than being broken down by specific enzymes.

Agglutination Tests↗

Purification and properties of an alginate lyase from a marine bacterium.

An unidentified pseudomonad isolated by enrichment procedures from decomposing seaweed was grown in defined medium containing sodium alginate as the sole carbon source. The alginate lyase recovered from disrupted bacterial cells was purified by a procedure of (NH4)2SO4 precipitation, gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography. From sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel-electrophoresis experiments a mol.wt. of about 50 000 was determined. The enzyme was active against both algal and bacterial alginate preparations. Kinetic studies together with analysis of the unsaturated oligouronide products of alginate lyase action indicated the enzyme was specific for guluronic acid-containing regions of the macromolecular substrate. The specificity of the enzyme can be used to give information about the primary composition of alginate samples.

Alginates↗

Highly specific bacteriophage-associated polysaccharide hydrolases for Klebsiella aerogenes type 8.

Two phage-bound polysaccharide hydrolases specific for Klebsiella aerogenes type 8 exopolysaccharides were isolated. Each enzyme was specific for the polysaccharide produced by the host strain. One enzyme hydrolysed a pyruvylated and acetylated polymer, while the other only acted on the substrate lacking these substituents. Both enzymes were endogalactosidases releasing tetrasaccharides from their substrates which were only hydrolysed to a limited extent.

Acetates↗

Isolation of rough mutants of Klebsiella aerogenes and their synthesis of polysaccharides.

Two mutants which lacked both capsular and lipopolysaccharide O-antigen polysaccharides were isolated from Klebsiella aerogenes serotype 2 by phage selection; these were designated rough mutants. The polysaccharide fractions solubilized by partial acid hydrolysis of the lipopolysaccharide from both the wild type and mutants were chromatographed on Sephadex G-50. Analysis of the fractions obtained confirmed that the rough mutants lacked the galactan portion of the molecule, which is analogous to the Salmonella O-antigen polysaccharide. Membranes prepared from wild-type K. aerogenes, from a non-mucoid strain (lacking capsule only), and from one of the rough mutants were used in incubation mixtures to compare the biosynthesis of polysaccharides by these organisms. The incorporation of sugar nucleotides into both lipid intermediates and polymer was followed. Results show that the transferases were apparently present in all membranes, while the polymerases were absent in both the non-mucoid and rough mutants.

Klebsiella pneumoniae↗