Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “ALCALIGENES”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Occurrence of deletion plasmids at high rates after conjugative transfer of the plasmids RP4 and RK2 from Escherichia coli to Alcaligenes eutrophus H16.

The broad host-range IncP-1 plasmids RP4 and RK2 were transferred by conjugation from Escherichia coli to Alcaligenes eutrophus H16. Among the transconjugants selected on media containing tetracycline, a considerable number did not express kanamycin resistance. By comparing restriction patterns of plasmids isolated from a large number of transconjugants a variety of different deletion derivatives were found. All of these possess more or less extended deletions always including parts of the tra 1-region. The plasmids RP4 and RK2, once established in A. eutrophus H16 showed a high stability and it can be concluded that deletion formation is connected with the conjugation process. Evidence is given that degradation of DNA entering an A. eutrophus recipient cell during the conjugative transfer process may be involved in deletion formation. Furthermore, the finding of a small deletion derivative of RP4 lacking the transacting replication function trfB and the entire kil-kor-system may allow the assumption that these gene functions are not essential for replication and maintenance of RP4 in A. eutrophus hosts.

Alcaligenes↗

Mutagenesis of Alcaligenes eutrophus by insertion of the drug-resistance transposon Tn5.

Drug-resistance element Tn5 coding for kanamycin resistance was used for mutagenesis of Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H16. The vehicle for introducing Tn5 into A. eutrophus was plasmid pJB4JI harboured by Escherichia coli. Kanamycin-resistant transconjugants occurred at a frequency of approximately 5 x 10(-8). One third of the transconjugants exhibited other plasmid-coded resistances such as gentamycin and spectinomycin. However, the latter markers were not stably maintained in the new host. Among the kanamycin-resistant transconjugants three classes of mutants were found: (i) Auxotrophic mutants occurred at a frequency of 0.8% and showed requirements for histidine, methionine, aspartate or isoleucine. Out of eleven auxotrophic mutants examined eight reverted to prototrophy. However, none of the revertants was kanamycin-sensitive. (ii) Mutants unable to grow with fructose as the carbon source occurred at a frequency of almost 10%. (iii) Mutants which had lost the ability to grow autotrophically with hydrogen and carbon dioxide were found at a frequency of 1%. Further analyses revealed that this class of mutants was either defective in carbon dioxide fixation or impaired in hydrogen metabolism.

Alcaligenes↗

Alpha-Isopropylmalate synthase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 I. Purification and general properties.

alpha-Isopropylmalate (IPM) synthase, the first enzyme in the biosynthesis of L-leucine, was purified to a specific activity of 12 micronmole/min x mg protein from the valine-isoleucine double auxotrophic mutant A-81 of the hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus H16. The activity in crude extracts of derepressed cells was 0.106 micronmoles of isopropylmalate formed per min and per mg protein. Gel electrophoresis and regel electrophoresis of the isolated main band resulted in several distinct bands, which were not altered by the additions of substrate alpha-ketoisovalerate, feedback inhibitor leucine or other effectors. The isoelectric points of the enzyme protein was between 3.9 and 4.0. The molecular weight was 114 500 daltons and 100 000 respectively in the absence and presence of the feedback inhibitor leucine. The enzyme activity depended strongly on the pH, the optimum is at pH 8.2. The enzyme was could labile and exhibits temperature anomalies.

2-Isopropylmalate Synthase↗

alpha-Isopropylmalate synthase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16. II. Substrate specificity and kinetics.

The purified isopropylmalate synthase of Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 reacted with the following alpha-keto acids and acyl-coenzyme A derivatives (in the sequence of decreasing affinities): alpha-ketoisovalerate, alpha-keto-n-valerate, alpha-ketobutyrate and pyruvate; acetyl-CoA, propionyl-CoA, butyryl-CoA, malonyl-CoA, valeryl-CoA, and crotonyl0CoA. alpha-Ketoisocaproate, however, is a strong inhibitor of the enzyme. All reactions catalyzed by isopropylmalate synthase were inhibited to the same extent by the endproduct L-leucine. The substrate saturation curves of alpha-ketoisovalerate or other alpha-keto acids and of acetyl-coenzyme A or other acyl-CoA derivatives had intermediary plateau regions; the Hill coefficient alternated between nH-values higher and lower than 1.0, indicating changes from positive to negative and from negative to positive cooperativity for the substrates. The products, isopropylmalate and free coenzyme A, showed competitive inhibition patterns against both substrates (alpha-ketoisovalerate and acetyl-CoA). Free coenzyme A (1 micronM) inactivated the enzyme irreversibly. The 3'-phosphate of coenzyme A and the free carboxyl group of alpha-ketoisovalerate were involved in optimal binding of these substrates, but 3'-dephospho-acetyl-coenzyme A and the methylester of alpha-keto-isovalerate were also converted by this enzyme. A CH3--CH2-grouping of the alpha-keto acids seemed to be necessary for binding this substrate.

2-Isopropylmalate Synthase↗

[Energy-dependent 63Ni-uptake by Alcaligenes eutrophus strains H1 and H16 (author's transl)].

Kinetic studies of the uptake of 63Ni were undertaken with two strains of Alcaligenes eutrophus, known to require nickel ions for chemolithotrophic growth. Using carbon dioxide as sole carbon source, growth is stimulated by low concentrations of nickel with optimum concentration for growth stimulation at about 0.3 micron nickel. Higher nickel concentrations were inhibitory. Heterotrophic growth on fructose was not stimulated by nickel ions.--Upon transfer into phosphate buffer freed of heavy metal ions, autotrophically grown cells exhibited rapid uptake of 63Ni which was dependent upon the presence of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Within 60 min nickel was accumulated from the medium, reaching 280-fold concentration in the cells. The observed uptake exhibited a temperature optimum at about 29 degrees C and was markedly inhibited by metabolic inhibitors such as arsenite, iodoacetate, methylene-blue, sodium azide and sodium cyanide. Other heavy metal ions (Zn, Co, Mn and Cu) only slightly inhibited 63Ni-uptake. The efflux of 63Ni from the cells was stimulated by 58NiCl2 and by toluene. These data indicate that nickel ions are accumulated by an energy dependent mechanism in chemolithotrophically grown cells of these strains.

Alcaligenes↗

Pathways of D-fructose and D-glucose catabolism in marine species of Alcaligenes, Pseudomonas marina, and Alteromonas communis.

Cell-free extracts of D-fructose grown cells of marine species of Alcaligenes as well as Pseudomonas marina contained an activity which catalyzed a P-enolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation of D-fructose in the 1-position as well as activities of the following enzymes: 1-P-fructokinase, fructose-1,6-P2 aldolase, PPi-dependent 6-P-fructokinase, fructokinase, glucokinase, P-hexose isomerase, glucose-6-P dehydrogenase, 6-P-gluconate dehydrase, and 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-P-gluconate aldolase. The presence of these enzyme activites would allow D-fructose to be degraded by the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and/or the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. In cell-free extracts of D-glucose grown cells, the activity catalyzing a P-enolpyruvate-dependent phosphorylation of D-fructose as well as 1-P-fructokinase activity were reduced or absent while the remaining enzymes were present at levels similar to those found in D-fructose grown cells. Radiolabeling experiments suggested that both D-fructose and D-glucose were utilized primarily via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. Alteromonas communis, a marine species lacking 1-P-fructokinase and the PPi-dependent 6-P-fructokinase, contained all the enzyme activites necessary for the catabolism of D-fructose and D-glucose by the Entner-Doudoroff pathway; the involvement of this pathway was also consitent with the results of the radiolabeling experiments.

Alcaligenes↗

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus H16. I. Properties and regulation of 3-deoxy-d-arabino heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase.

Properties and regulation of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAHP-synthase), EC4.1.2.15, from Alcaligenes eutrophus H16 were investigated. DAHP synthase was unstable during manipulations such as dialysis, dilution, ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose or Sephadex G-200. For kinetic measurements Sephadex G-25 treated crude extracts were used. The enzyme was not affected by thiol reagents, EDTA or divalent metal ions. The activation energy, deltaH, amounted to 16100 cal/mole. Between pH 7.2 and pH 8.2 there was little change of enzyme activity. The Km-values for the two substrates were found to be 0.043 mM phosphoenolpyruvate and 0.055 mM erythrose-4-phosphate. DAHP-synthase was inhibited by 0.5 mM phenylalanine for 60% and by 0.5 mM tyrosine for 20%. In the presence of both amino acids cumulative inhibition occurred amounting to about 70%. No other amino acid exerted inhibitory effects. A repression of DAHP-synthase by the aromatic amino acids was not observed. Some other strains of hydrogen bacteria were included in this study. The DAHP synthase from strain 12/60/X and Corynebacterium autotrophicum 7C was unregulated. The enzyme from strain 33/X was subject to retro-tyrosine inhibition and from strain 3/2, H1 and H20 were subject to cumulative inhibition.

3-Deoxy-7-Phosphoheptulonate Synthase↗

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus H16. II. The isolation and characterization of mutants auxotrophic for phenylalanine and tyrosine.

1. Mutants derived from the hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H 16 auxotrophic for phenylalanine and tyrosine were isolated employing mutagenic agents (EMS, nitrite), the colistine counterselection technique and the "pin-point" isolation method. Three different types of mutants were found: (1) Mutants, requiring phenylalanine or phenylpyruvate for growth, were affected in chorismate mutase as well as prephenate dehydratase. Both activities were regained by reversion to prototrophy. The auxotrophic strains accumulated chorismic acid. (2) Strains with a growth response similar to that of the first group lacked only prephenate dehydratase activity which was partially regained by reversion. Chorismate mutase and prephenate dehydrogenase were derepressed up to two-fold. Mutants grown in minimal medium excreted prephenic acid. (3) The third type of mutants required phenylalanine or phenylpyruvate and grew slowly when supplemented with chorismate or prephenate. The enzymes involved in the specific pathway of phenylalanine and tyrosine were found to be present. Some of them were even more active than in the wild-type. 2. Mutants accumulating chorismic acid or prepheric acid were able to grow on minimal medium when incubated long enough. The chemical instability of the excretion products resulted in their nonenzymatic conversion to subsequent intermediates which were taken up by the cells, allowing growth. 3. A method is described for preparing barium prephenate using the auxotrophic mutant 6B-1 derived from A.eutrophus H 16. Prephenic acid, excreted by this strain, was obtained from the culture filtrate with a purity of at least 70% and a yield of approximately 180 mg per 21 of medium.

Alcaligenes↗

Aromatic amino acid biosynthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 III. Properites and regulation of anthranilate synthase.

Properties and regulation of anthranilate synthase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 were investigated. Anthranilate synthase was partially purified from crude extracts by affinity chromatography on tryptophan-substituted Sepharose, and was used for kinetic measurements. During the purification procedure the enzyme was stabilized by 50 mM L-glutamine or during chromatography on DEAE- cellulose and Sephadex G-200 with 30% glucerol, respectively.

Alcaligenes↗

Alpha-isopropylmalate synthase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16. III. Endproduct inhibition and its relief by valine and isoleucine.

The alpha-isopropylmalate synthase (EC 4.1.3.12) from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 was inhibited by L-leucine and alpha-ketoisocaproate. The extent of inhibition was influenced by substrate- and inhibitor concentrations as well as by the pH. Intermediary plateaus, which always appeared in the inhibition curves, suggested cooperative effects. The maximal Hill coefficient was found to be two. At low concentrations of leucine the inhibition mechanism was of the competitive type with respect to substrate acetyl coenzyme A and of the noncompetitive type with respect to substrate alpha-ketoisovalerate. The inhibition was specifically relieved by the addition of valine or isoleucine. The anomalous effect of temperature on enzyme activity was diminished by leucine. The Arrhenius energy of the reaction increased from about 11 kcal/mole in the absence of leucine to about 18 kcal/mole in the presence of leucine. The further addition of valine reversed this effect. The physiological relevance of the alpha-ketoisocaproate-mediated inhibition is discussed.

2-Isopropylmalate Synthase↗

Regulation of the pyruvate kinase from Alcaligenes eutrophus H 16 in vitro and in vivo.

The biosynthesis of the enzyme pyruvate kinase (E.C. 2.7.1.40) of Alcaligenes eutrophus (Hydrogenomonas eutropha) H 16 was influenced by the carbon and energy source. After growth on gluconate the specific enzyme activity was high while acetate grown cells exhibited lower activities (340 and 55 mumoles/min-g protein, respectively). The pyruvate kinase from autotrophically grown cells was purified 110-fold. The enzyme was characterized by homotropic cooperative interactions with the substrate phosphoenolpyruvate, the activators AMP, ribose 5-phosphate, glucose-6-phosphate and the inhibitor ortho-phosphate. In addition to phosphate ATP caused inhibition but in this case nonsigmoidal kinetics was obtained. The half maximal substrate saturation constant S0.5 for phosphoenolpyruvate in the absence of any effectors was 0.12 mM, in the presence of 1 mM ribose-5-phosphate 0.07 mM, and with 9 mM phosphate 0.67 mM. The corresponding Hill values were 0.96, 1.1 and 2.75. The ADP saturation curve was hyperbolic even in the presence of the effectors, the Km value was 0.14 mM ADP. When the known intracellular metabolite concentrations in A. eutrophus H 16 were compared with the regulatory sensitivity of the enzyme, it appeared that under the conditions in vivo the inhibition by ATP was more important than the regulation by the allosteric effectors.

Acetates↗

In vivo inactivation of soluble hydrogenase of Alcaligenes eutrophus.

The soluble, NAD+-reducing hydrogenase in intact cells of Alcaligenes eutrophus was inactivated by oxygen when electron donors such as hydrogen or pyruvate were available. The sole presence of either oxygen or oxidizable substrates did not lead to inactivation of the enzyme. Inactivation occurred similarly under autotrophic growth conditions with hydrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide. The inactivation followed first order reaction kinetics, and the half-life of the enzyme in cells exposed to a gas atmosphere of hydrogen and oxygen (8:2, v/v) at 30 degrees C was 1.5h. The process of inactivation did not require ATP-synthesis. There was no experimental evidence that the inactivation is a reversible process catalyzed by a regulatory protein. The possibility is discussed that the inactivation is due to superoxide radical anions (O2-) produced by the hydrogenase itself.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Production of poly-D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate and poly-D(-)-3-hydroxyvalerate by strains of Alcaligenes latus.

Alcaligenes latus strains can accumulate poly-D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) up to about 85% of cell dry weight. The abilities to store poly-D(-)-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHV) of three strains of A. latus were investigated. With Na-propionate as PHV precursor, strain A. latusDSM 1122 had better PHV accumulation ability than strains A. latus DSM 1123 and 1124. Strain A. latus DSM 1123 could store PHV when Na-valerate but not Na-propionate served as the PHV precursor. PHB and PHV accumulation by A. latus DSM 1124 rapidly increased when propionic acid and acetic acid were together added to the fermentor. This increase was not obtained in the culture shaker flask and fermentor growing the same strain when Na-propionate alone served as a PHV precursor.

Acetates↗

Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification in Alcaligenes faecalis strain TUD.

Heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic and anaerobic denitrification by Alcaligenes faecalis strain TUD were studied in continuous cultures under various environmental conditions. Both nitrification and denitrification activities increased with the dilution rate. At dissolved oxygen concentrations above 46% air saturation, hydroxylamine, nitrite and nitrate accumulated, indicating that both the nitrification and denitrification were less efficient. The overall nitrification activity was, however, essentially unaffected by the oxygen concentration. The nitrification rate increased with increasing ammonia concentration, but was lower in the presence of nitrate or nitrite. When present, hydroxylamine, was nitrified preferentially. Relatively low concentrations of acetate caused substrate inhibition (KI = 109 microM acetate). Denitrifying or assimilatory nitrate reductase were not detected, and the copper nitrite reductase, rather than cytochrome cd, was present. Thiosulphate (a potential inhibitor of heterotrophic nitrification) was oxidized by A. faecalis strain TUD, with a maximum oxygen uptake rate of 140-170 nmol O2.min-1.mg prot-1. Comparison of the behaviour of A. faecalis TUD with that of other bacteria capable of heterotrophic nitrification and aerobic denitrification established that the response of these organisms to environmental parameters is not uniform. Similarities were found in their responses to dissolved oxygen concentrations, growth rate and ammonia concentration. However, they differed in their responses to externally supplied nitrite and nitrate.

Aerobiosis↗

Purification, some properties and quaternary structure of the D-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase of Alcaligenes eutrophus.

D-Ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase has been purified from autotrophically grown cells of the facultative chemolithotrophic hydrogen bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus. The enzyme was homogeneous by the criteria of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 505000 determined by gel filtration and sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and a sedimentation coefficient of 18.2 S was obtained. It was demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis that the enzyme consists of two types of subunits of molecular weight 52000 and 13000. Electron microscopy on the intact and the partially dissociated enzyme lead to the construction of a model for the quaternary structure of the enzyme which is composed of 8 large and 8 small subunits. The most probable symmetry of the enzyme molecule is 4:2:2. Michaelis constant (Km) values for ribulose 1,5-diphosphate, Mg2+, and CO2 were 0.59 mM, 0.33 mM, and 0.066 mM measured under air. Oxygen was a competitive inhibitor with respect to CO2 suggesting that the enzyme also exhibits an oxygenase activity. The oxygenolytic cleavage of ribulose 1,5-diphosphate was shown and a 1:1 stoichiometry between oxygen consumption and 3-phosphoglycerate formation observed.

Alcaligenes↗

Glycollate production and excretion by Alcaligenes eutrophus.

Autotrophic cultures of the facultative chemolithotroph Alcaligenes eutrophus have been found to excrete glycollate. This excretion was greatly stimulated by the incorporation of up to 20% (v/v) oxygen in the hydrogen used for gassing. The stimulatory effect of oxygen was prevented by the addition of 10% (v/v) CO2 to the gassing mixture. Glycollate excretion only in the presence of oxygen was increased by the addition of 2-pyridyl-hydroxymethane sulphonic acid (HPMS), an inhibitor of glycollate oxidation, indicating that glycollate formation itself was stimulated by oxygen. No glycollate excretion by cultures grown heterotrophically on pyruvate was detected, either in the absence or presence of HPMS, under heterotrophic or autotrophic cells showed phosphoglycollate phosphatase and glycollate oxidoreductase activities, which were considerably lower in extracts prepared from pyruvate- or fructose-grown (heterotrophic) cells. The increase in activity of both enzymes upon cell transfer from heterotrophic to autotrophic growth was prevented by chloramphenicol and resembled the induction of D-ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase under the same conditions.

Alcaligenes↗

Susceptibility of Alcaligenes denitrificans subspecies xylosoxydans to beta-lactam antibiotics.

The susceptibility of 56 clinical isolates and two reference strains of Alcaligenes denitrificans subsp. xylosoxydans to beta-lactam agents was tested and related to beta-lactamase activity of the strains. The MICs of 12 beta-lactams determined by an agar dilution method showed that all the strains were sensitive to imipenem and moxalactam. Forty-one cloxacillin-sensitive beta-lactamase producing strains were highly susceptible to azlocillin, piperacillin and ticarcillin, and less susceptible to several cephalosporins (cefamandole, cefoperazone, ceftazidime). The 17 remaining beta-lactamase-producing strains, which were sensitive to clavulanic acid and to a lesser extent cloxacillin, had variable resistance to the penicillins tested and synergy was obtained when these penicillins were combined with clavulanic acid or tazobactam. The choice of agents for treatment of infections with this organism must take into account the susceptibility phenotype of clinical isolates.

Alcaligenes↗

Identification of a partition and replication region in the Alcaligenes eutrophus megaplasmid pMOL28.

A 4.64 kb region of the 180 kb heavy metal resistance plasmid pMOL28 of Alcaligenes eutrophus CH34, previously shown to be able to replicate autonomously, was sequenced and analyzed. Three genes involved in plasmid maintenance were identified: parA28 and parB28 are involved in plasmid partitioning and stability, while repA28 encodes a protein required for replication. In addition to the par AB28 genes, a third locus, parS28, required in cis active partitioning was identified. The parABS28 locus of pMOL28 shows strong similarity in organization to the sop, par and rep regions, respectively, of the Escherichia coli F-factor, the E.coli P1 and P7 prophages and the Agrobacterium pTiB6S3 and pRiA4b plasmids. The ParAB28 proteins of pMOL28 also show similarity to the proteins encoded by two conserved open reading frames present in the replication regions of the Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis chromosomes. The functionality of the pMOL28 par region was examined by performing stability and incompatibility tests between pMOL28 and pMOL846 or pMOL850 which contain the 4.64 EcoRI replicon fragment of pMOL28, cloned in opposite orientations into pSUP202, which is itself unable to replicate in A. eutrophus. The RepA2 8 replication protein showed similarity to the RepL protein of P1, which is required for lytic replication of this E. coli phage. The replication origin of pMOL28, oriV28, seems to be located within the repA28 coding region, and pMOL28 replication may depend on transcriptional activation of oriV28.

Alcaligenes↗