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Biomedical subjects

R L Weiss

Publications and source records attributed to R L Weiss.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Membrane particle arrays associated with the basal body and with contractile vacuole secretion in Chlamydomonas.

Freeze-fracture replicas reveal that five distinct types of intramembranous particle arrays coexist within a small sector of the C. reinhardtii cell flagellar membrane. Of these, three are newly described in this report. (a) Flagellar bracelets, which encircle the flagellar bases, appear to be intrinsically ordered strands of particles of unknown function. (b) Strut arrays, representing nine sites where the basal body attaches to the membrane, appear to serve a mechanical function. (c) Contractile vacuole arrays, which develop into circular plaques of particles, appear to serve as "membrane gates" through which water is discharged from the cell.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1977

Membrane differentiations at sites specialized for cell fusion.

Fusion of plasma membranes between Chlamydomonas reinhardtii gametes has been studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy of unfixed cells. The putative site of cell fusion developes during gametic differentiation and is recognized in thin sections of unmated gametes as a plaque of dense material subjacent to a sector of the anterior plasma membrane (Goodenough, U.W., and R.L. Weiss. 1975.J. Cell Biol. 67:623-637). The overlying membrane proves to be readily recognized in replicas of unmated gametes as a circular region roughly 500 nm in diameter which is relatively free of "regular" plasma membrane particles on both the P and E fracture faces. The morphology of this region is different for mating-type plus (mt+) and mt- gametes: the few particles present in the center of the mt+ region are distributed asymmetrically and restricted to the P face, while the few particles present in the center of the mt- region are distributed symmetrically in the E face. Each gamete type can be activated for cell fusion by presenting to it isolated flagella of opposite mt. The activated mt+ gamete generates large expanses of particle-cleared membrane as it forms a long fertilization tubule from the mating structure region. In the activated mt- gamete, the E face of the mating structure region is transformed into a central dome of densely clustered particles surrounded by a particle-cleared zone. When mt+ and mt- gametes are mixed together, flagellar agglutination triggeeeds to fuse with an activated mt- region. The fusion lip is seen to develop within the particle-dense central dome. We conclude that these mt- particles play an active role in membrane fusion.

Cell Fusion↗
PubMed1977

Site-specific membrane particle arrays in magnesium-depleted Escherichia coli.

The ultrastructure and polypeptide composition of a novel membrane junction in magnesium-starved Escherichia coli are described in this report. Freeze-fracture replicas reveal the junction as a site-specific membrane particle array with four fracture faces. Each junction consists of a cell membrane, a midline zone and a coupled membrane. Membrane particles associated with the junction extend from the hydrophobic region of the cell membrane across the hydrophilic midline zone and into the hydrophobic region of the coupled membrane. After negative staining or after rotary shadowing of freeze-fractured specimens, these particles were seen to consist of two similar but slightly offset bracket-shaped subunits separated by a small space. Optical analysis confirms this structure. Since the apposing membranes are bracketed or linked by their component particles, the name "bracket junction" is proposed for the complex. Methods are described for isolating a membrane fraction enriched in these junctional complexes; the fraction contains a prominent glycoprotein (mol wt 90,000) as well as a number of other components. The bracket junction is compared with the vertebrate gap junction in terms of both structure and possible roles in facilitating the permeation of the cell by small molecules.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1977

Control of arginine utilization in Neurospora.

The response of Neurospora to changes in the availibility of exogenous arginine was investigated. Upon addition of arginine to the growth medium, catabolism is initiated within minutes. This occurs prior to expansion of the arginine pool or augmentation of catabolic enzyme levels. (Basal levels are approximately 25% of those found during growth in arginine-supplemented medium.) Catabolism of arginine is independent of protein synthesis, indicating that the catabolic enzymes are active but that arginine is not available for catabolism unless present in the medium. Upon exhaustion of the supply of exogenous arginine, catabolism ceases abruptly, despite an expanded arginine pool and induced levels of the catabolic enzymes. The arginine pool supports protein synthesis until the cells regain their normal capacity for endogenous arginine synthesis. These observations, combined with the known small level of induction of arginine catabolic enzymes, non-repressibility of most biosynthetic enzymes, and vesicular localization of the bulk of the arginine pool, suggest that compartmentation plays a significant role in controlling arginine metabolism in Neurospora.

Arginase↗
PubMed1976

Compartmentation and control of arginine metabolism in Neurospora.

The fate of [14-C]arginine derived from the medium or from biosynthesis has been examined in Neurospora growing in arginine-supplemented medium. In both cases the label enters the cytosol, where it is used efficiently for both protein synthesis and catabolism before mixing with the majority of the endogenous [12C]arginine pool. Both metabolic processes appear to use the same cytosolic arginine pool. It is calculated that the nonorganellar cytoplasm contains approximately 20% of the intracellular arginine pool when the cells are growing in arginine-supplemented medium. The results suggest that compartmentation of arginine is a significant factor in controlling arginine metabolism in Neurospora. The significance of these results for studies of amino acid metabolism in other eukaryotic systems is discussed.

Arginine↗
PubMed1976

Protoplast formation in Escherichia coli.

A procedure for protoplast formation in Escherichia coli is described. Removal of the cell wall was confirmed by examination of cells in thin-section preparations.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1975

The relationship between enzyme activity, cell geometry, and fitness in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The relationship between enzyme activity, cell geometry, and the ploidy levels has been investigated in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Diploid cells have 1.57 times the volume of haploid cells under nonlimiting growth conditions (minimal medium). However, when diploid cells are grown under conditions of carbon limitation, they have the same volume as haploid cells. Thus, by altering the environmental conditions, cell size can be varied independently of the degree of ploidy. The results indicate that the basic biochemical parameters of the cell are primarily determined by cell geometry rather than ploidy level. RNA content, protein content, and ornithine transcarbamylase (carbamoylphosphate: L-ornithine carbamoyltransferase, EC 2.1.3.3), tryptophan synthetase [L-serine hydro-lyase (adding indole), EC 4.2.1.20], and invertase (alpha-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, Ec 3.2.1.20) activity are related to cell volume, whereas acid phosphatase (orthophosphoric-monoester phosphohydrolase, EC 3.1.3.2) activity, a cell surface enzyme, is related to the surface area of the cells. Fitness is determined by the activity of certain cell surface enzymes, such as acid phosphatase, diploids would be expected to have a lower fitness than haploids because of the lower surface area/volume ratio. However, when fitness is determined by the activity of an internal enzyme, diploids would be expected to have the same fitness as haploids. Results from competition experiments between haploids and diploids are consistent with these predictions. The significance of these results to the evolution of diploidy as the predominant phase of the life cycle of higher plants and animals is discussed.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1975

Gametic differentiation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. III. Cell wall lysis and microfilament-associated mating structure activation in wild-type and mutant strains.

Cell fusion between mating type plus (mt+) and minus (mt-) gametes of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is analyzed structurally and subjected to experimental manipulation. Cell wall lysis, a necessary prelude to fusion, is shown to require flagellar agglutination between competent gametes; glutaraldehyde-fixed gametes ("corpses") of one mating type will elicit both agglutination and cell wall lysis in the opposite mating type, whereas nonagglutinating impotent (imp) mutant strains are without effect. The fusion process is mediated by a narrow fertilization tubule which extends from the mt+ gamete and establishes contact with the mt- gamete. Formation of the tubule requires the "activation" of a specialized mating structure associated with the ml+ cell membrane; activation causes microfilaments to polymerize from the mating structure into the growing fertilization tubule. Mating structure activation is shown to depend on gametic flagellar agglutination; isoagglutination mediated by the lectin concanavalin A has no effect. Gametes carrying the imp-l mt+ mutation are able to agglutinate but not fuse with mt- cells; the imp-l gametes are shown to have structurally defective mating structures that do not generate microfilaments in response to gametic agglutination.

Agglutination↗
PubMed1974

Subunit cell wall of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

The cell wall of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius has been isolated. Cells were mechanically disrupted with a French press, and the cytoplasmic membrane was removed by extracting cell-envelope fragments with Triton X-100. The Triton-insoluble cell wall material retained the characteristic subunit structure when examined in the electron microscope. Isolated cell wall fragments formed in open sheets that were easily separated from cytoplasmic contamination. Chemical studies showed that the Triton-insoluble cell wall fragments consisted of lipoprotein with small amounts of carbohydrate and hexosamine. The amino acid composition indicated a highly charged hydrophobic cell surface. The presence of diaminopimelic acid with only traces of muramic acid indicates that the cell envelope does not have a rigid peptidoglycan layer. The results of chemical analyses and electron microscopy suggest a wall-membrane interaction stabilizing the cell envelope. The chemical and physical properties of this type of cell envelope would appear to form the basis for a new major division of bacteria with the definitive characteristics of a morphologically distinct subunit cell wall devoid of peptidoglycan.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1973

Surface structure of intact cells and spheroplasts of pseudomonas aeruginosa.

This report describes the ultrastructural features of Pseudomonas aeruginosa after freeze-etching of intact cells and enzymatically prepared spheroplasts. Freeze-etching of intact cells revealed two convex layers of the cell wall and particles within the hydrophobic interior of the cell membrane. Areas of the membrane free of particles were sometimes elevated in the form of rather large dome-shaped structures. Spheroplasts were formed from intact cells by the addition of trypsin to a reaction mixture of lysozyme and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Spheroplasts contained the outer lipoid layer of the cell wall. It was possible to observe this cell wall layer in freeze-etch preparations of spheroplasts. The spheroplast membrane like that of intact cells was cleaved along a central plane to expose particles and particle-free areas.

Cell Membrane↗