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P Gacesa

Publications and source records attributed to P Gacesa.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Heterologous expression of an alginate lyase gene in mucoid and non-mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

A 1.95 kb DNA fragment containing the aly gene from Klebsiella pneumoniae, which encodes an alginate lyase, has been ligated into the broad-host-range vector pLAFR3. Transfer of the resultant recombinant plasmid, pALY8, into mucoid and non-mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resulted in expression of the alginate lyase. The heterologously expressed alginate lyase, which had the same isoelectric point and substrate specificity as the native enzyme, altered the morphology of mucoid strains. Analysis of the extracellular material from mucoid strains revealed that lyase expression reduced the M(r) and overall yield of alginate produced. The mature form of the recombinant enzyme was the same as that produced extracellularly by Klebsiella pneumoniae; however, most of the alginate lyase was retained intracellularly by P. aeruginosa.

Alginates↗

Isolation of a mucoid alginate-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain from the equine guttural pouch.

The isolation and characterization of a mucoid, alginate-producing strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from a nonhuman host, namely, in chondroids from an equine guttural pouch, is reported for the first time. Pure cultures of P. aeruginosa 12534 were isolated from a 17-month-old pony mare with a history of chronic bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge from the right guttural pouch. Transmission electron microscopy of chondroids showed mucoid P. aeruginosa growing as microcolonies within a matrix of extracellular material. On the basis of expression of the mucoid phenotype under different growth conditions, P. aeruginosa 12534 belongs to group 1 and resembles other isolates carrying the muc-23 mutation. The bulk of the extracellular material was characterized as being alginate by chemical and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, which showed that it had a composition similar to that produced by isolates of P. aeruginosa from human patients with cystic fibrosis.

Alginates↗

The use of 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy to monitor alginate biosynthesis in mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The biosynthesis of alginate by a mucoid strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isolated from a cystic-fibrosis patient, was monitored by using 13C-n.m.r. spectroscopy of bacterial cultures incubated with 1-13C- or 2-13C-enriched fructose. When 1-13C- or 2-13C-enriched fructose was used as the precursor of alginate, enrichment with 13C in the constituent uronic acid monomers of the polysaccharide could only be detected in C-1 or C-2 respectively, indicating that alginate is synthesized in Ps. aeruginosa directly from fructose, with the hexose molecule being retained intact; this rules out the involvement of C3 intermediates, which occurs when glucose is the alginate precursor. The absence of detectable poly-L-gluluronate block sequences from the alginate of Ps. aeruginosa was confirmed, and it was shown that there is no modification of the arrangement of the constituent uronic acids between polymerization to form alginate and the appearance of the mature alginate in the extracellular medium. The 13C-n.m.r. data also provided independent evidence for acetylation on D-mannuronate residues and for the ratio of D-mannuronate to L-guluronate residues in newly synthesized alginate, which had previously been determined only for material secreted from bacteria into the extracellular medium.

Alginates↗

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of a Klebsiella pneumoniae gene encoding alginate lyase.

The alginate lyase (Aly; guluronate specific)-coding gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae was cloned using the cosmid vector pMMB33, transduced into Escherichia coli and expressed in this host. Four Aly-positive clones with unstable phenotypes were identified out of 700 kanamycin-resistant transductants. A stable derivative of one of the clones was studied further and contained 12.1-kb of insert DNA. The Aly-coding gene (aly), still partially under the control of its native promoter, was localised within a 1.95-kb HindIII fragment by transposon gamma delta mutagenesis and sub-cloning. Most of the Aly produced was secreted into the medium by both the original K. pneumoniae strain (71.7%) and the E. coli recombinant clones (85.1%). The enzyme from both K. pneumoniae and the E. coli clones had a pI of 8.9 and comprised a single 28-kDa polypeptide chain. Other minor bands were also observed on isoelectric focusing and these were attributed to processing intermediates of a single gene product. It is concluded that E. coli can recognise and process the signal peptide of Aly to produce a mature polypeptide that is identical to that synthesised by K. pneumoniae.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Isolation of mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from non-cystic-fibrosis patients and characterisation of the structure of their secreted alginate.

When the incubation period of primary isolation plates was extended to 48 h, mucoid strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were found in specimens from various infected sites in patients who did not have cystic fibrosis. The 17 mucoid isolates were characterised in terms of mucoid type, pyocin type, and their sensitivity or resistance to seven beta-lactam and two aminoglycoside antibiotics. The carbohydrate, uronic acid (alginate) and protein content of the water-soluble extracellular material of 15 strains was determined. This material was fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography, and the presence of alginate confirmed by the chemical assay of uronic acids and their quantitation by gas-liquid chromatography. Uronic acids were absent from a non-mucoid revertant of one strain. The strains produced alginate with a high content of mannuronic acid and substituted with O-acetyl groups. By proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-nmr) analysis the alginate from three strains was shown to lack polyguluronate blocks in its structure. These properties are also found in the alginate of mucoid P. aeruginosa strains from patients with cystic fibrosis.

Alginates↗

Radiolabelling patterns in alginate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa synthesized from specifically-labelled 14C-monosaccharide precursors.

Incorporations of radioactivity in alginate from specifically-radiolabelled glucose molecules by a parental strain and a gluconate-negative mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were compared. The gluconate-negative mutant, which was deficient in the Entner Doudoroff pathway enzymes, produced less alginate than did the parental strain. The ratio of incorporation of radiolabel from [6-14C] versus [1-14C] glucose was 9.7:1 in the parental strain, implying that the carbon skeleton is catabolised via the Entner Doudoroff pathway. In comparison, a ratio of 1.5:1 was obtained for the mutant. Analysis of the alginate produced after growth on [6-14C] glucose showed that in both strains less radiolabel was present in carbon-6 of the constituent uronic acids than would be predicted (parental strain 8.4% and mutant 38.3% of the expected values). These results imply that TCA cycle intermediates are probably the major precursors of alginate in P. aeruginosa.

Alginates↗

Chondroitin sulphate at the endothelial lumen of pig aorta: assay by radiolabelling and by X-ray microanalysis.

Trypsin-releasable glycosaminoglycans from the luminal surface of intact pig aorta were measured following metabolic labelling with [35S]sulphate. Chondroitin sulphate was found to be present at a surface density equal to that already established for heparan sulphate (5 X 10(11) chains per cm2). This result was confirmed by X-ray microanalysis of the luminal sulphur content before and after treatment with specific glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes. This result implies that approximately half of the luminal surface is occupied by sulphated glycosaminoglycans.

Animals↗

The fate of intravenously administered highly purified bovine testicular hyaluronidase (Hyalosidase) in the rat.

A highly purified commercial preparation of bovine testicular hyaluronidase (GL enzyme, Hyalosidase) was labelled with 125iodine without measurable loss of enzyme activity. The labelled preparation was administered intravenously into rats and the serum half-life of hyaluronidase was determined by measurement of both radioactivity and enzyme activity. The short half-life of the enzyme in plasma could not be accounted for by excretion in the urine and bile. Tissue distribution studies showed that the major site of uptake was the liver (59.7% of the recovered dpm). This rapid uptake by the liver could be reduced significantly by the pre-administration of yeast mannan or ovalbumin (a mannose-terminated glycoprotein). This suggests that the uptake of hyaluronidase by the liver is mediated by a mannose-specific receptor. Very little radioactivity was found in the heart (0.2% of the recovered dpm).

Animals↗