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It is shown that the properties of ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) of Micrococcus luteus depend only to some extent on the state of the membrane to which it is attached. Its interaction with the membrane appears to be largely controlled by polar forces. It is shown, however, that the UV-sensitivity of the membrane-bound ATPase is also significantly influenced by the state of membrane lipids.
Chemically defined media have been developed for the growth of two moderately halophilic bacteria, Micrococcus morrhuae K-17 and Micrococcus luteus K-15. M. morrhuae K-17 grows well in a synthetic medium (SM-1) which contains a number of salts, 0.21 M KCl, 2 M NaCl, D-mannose, five vitamins and ten amino acids. The synthetic medium (SM-2) for M. luteus K-15 contains a number of salts, 0.21 M KCl, 1 M NaCl, D-fructose, nine vitamins and nine amino acids. Nutritional studies show that M. morrhuae K-17 can utilize a large number of organic compounds as carbon and energy source while the ability of M. luteus K-15 in utilizing the organic compounds is rather limited. The minimum salt requirement is 0.5 M NaCl for both strains when growth at the optimum temperature of 30 degrees C. However, this requirement can be lowered to 0.2 M in M. luteus K-15 when grown at a lower temperature of 25 degrees C. It is concluded that the ability to grow in a wider range of salt concentrations in response to temperature is species specific in moderate halophiles. The salt range for growth to occur can be extended when cells of both strains are grown in complex medium which might provide the amino acids and growth factors that cannot be synthesized by these strains at high salt concentrations.
We report here the presence of two enzymatic activities associated with highly purified preparations of polynucleotide phosphorylase from Micrococcus luteus. The first, a nuclease activity, which is not separated from the phosphorylase on hydroxylapatite, may be due to substitution of H2O for phosphate in the phosphorolysis reaction. The second activity, a deoxyadenylate kinase, the bulk of which is not resolved from the phosphorylase using gel filtration, sucrose density gradient centrifugation, DEAE-Sephadex, or hydroxylapatite chromatography, may represent a new activity of polynucleotide phosphorylase or be due to an enzyme which is tightly bound to the phosphorylase. Several properties of the kinase are described and its possible significance with respect to the overall enzyme mechanism is discussed.
Two enzyme activities involved in the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan in Micrococcus luteus (sodonensis), a transglycosidase and a phosphodiesterase, have been demonstrated in isolated membrane preparations. The transglycosidase activity promotes the in vitro synthesis of an uncross-bridged peptidoglycan that is completely susceptible to lysozyme. This in vitro-synthesized peptidoglycan consists of 76% "soluble" and 24% "insoluble" material. The soluble peptidoglycan is primarily a single low-molecular-weight species of approximately 20 disaccharide peptide units. "Insoluble" peptidoglycan, which likely represents newly synthesized material incorporated into an existing cell wall, was solubilized by butanol extraction, and the two were compared. The phosphodiesterase activity demonstrated in this system cleaves uridine diphosphate-N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamyl-L-lysyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine to yield N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamyl-L-lysyl-D-alanyl-D-alanine plus uridine 5'-monophosphate plus inorganic phosphate. This phosphodiesterase activity, not detected under normal transglycosidase assay conditions, is a recycling mechanism and acts indirectly through formation and subsequent cleavage of a lipid-linked intermediate.
Two active components alpha and beta of micrococcus luteus DNA gyrase, of peptide weights of 115,000 and 97,000, respectively, have been purified. Each individual component exhibits little DNA gyrase activity; the ATP-dependent negative supercoiling of a covalently closed circular DNA duplex is catalyzed by a combination of the two. Covalent closure by Escherichia coli ligase of a circular DNA containing single-chain scissions, when carried out in the presence of a combination of the DNA gyrase components alpha and beta, gives a positively supercoiled DNA upon removal of the bound protein molecules. ATP was not present during the ligase treatment; therefore the positive supercoiling of DNA observed is a result of the binding of gyrase molecules, presumably as multi-subunit oligomers, during the ligation step. This is in contrast to the negative supercoiling of DNA catalyzed by gyrase in the presence of ATP. A model in which negative supercoiling of DNA is achieved by ATP-modulated repetitive wrapping of the DNA around gyrase is described. The model also suggests a plausible mode of action by which translocation of a DNA along its helix axis can be actively driven by an ATPase.
Py pyrimidine dimers Py correndonucleases I and II from Micrococcus luteus act exclusively on thymine-thymine, cytosine-cytosine, and thymine-cytosine cyclobutyl dimers in DNA, catalyzing incision 5' to the damage and generating 3'-hydroxyl and 5'-phosphoryl termini. Both enzymes initiate excision of pyrimidine dimers in vitro by correxonucleases and DNA polymerase I. The respective incised DNAs, however, differ in their ability to act as substrate for phage T4 polynucleotide ligase or bacterial alkaline phosphatase, suggesting that each endonuclease is specific for a conformationally unique site. The possibility that their respective action generates termini which represent different degrees of single strandedness is suggested by the unequal protection by Escherichia coli binding protein from the hydrolytic action of exonuclease VII.
A DNA-relaxing enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of superhelical DNA to a non-superhelical covalently closed form has been purified from Micrococcus luteus to near homogeneity by two chromatographic steps. The enzyme is a single polypeptide chain. As determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and gel filtration on Sephadex G 150, the molecular weight is 115,000. The DNA-relaxing activity determined as a function of enzyme concentration follows a sigmoidal curve. The enzyme requires Mg++ for activity. In the presence of 4.5 mM Mg++ addition of 50-250 mM KCl yields incompletely relaxed DNA molecules (intermediates); intermediates are also observed in the absence of KCl, when the reaction is carried out at 0 degree C or at Mg++ concentrations exceeding 10 mM.
gamma-Endonuclease Y, an enzyme that hydrolyses phosphodiester bonds at alkalistable lesions in gamma-irradiated (N2, tris buffer) DNA, has been partially purified from Micrococcus luteus. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 19 000, induces single-strand breaks with 3'OH-5'PO4 termini and contains endonuclease activity towards DNA treated with 7-bromomethylbenz(a)anthracene. gamma-Endonuclease Y induces breaks in OsO4-treated poly(dA-dT) and apparently is specific towards gamma-ray-induced base lesions of the t' type. The complete excision repair of gamma-endonuclease Y substrate sites has been performed in vitro by gamma-endonuclease Y, DNA polymerase and ligase.
The effects of polyamines on the breakdown of synthetic polynucleotides [poly(A), poly(C), and poly(U)] by polynucleotide phosphorylase [polyribonucleotide: orthophosphate nucleotidyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.8] from Micrococcus luteus have been studied. Although the breakdown of all the synthetic polynucleotides tested was stimulated by polyamines, the degree of stimulation by polyamines was in the order poly(C) greater than poly(A) greater than poly(U) at pH 7.5. However, the difference in degree of stimulation among polynucleotides decreased as the pH or monovalent cation concentration was increased. In the presence of heparin, an inhibitor of polynucleotide phosphorylase hydrolysis of polynucleotides, spermidine clearly stimulated the breakdown of poly(C) and poly(A), while the breakdown of poly(U) was stimulated only slightly by the addition of spermidine. Although binding of [14C]spermine to polynucleotide phosphorylase was observed by gel filtration, the amount of spermine bound to the enzyme was much less than that to RNA.
An endonuclease which is active with regard to depurinated, alkylated, arylated, and arylamidated DNA has been purified 500-fold from Micrococcus luteus. In this purification, separation from the pyrimidine-dimer-specific ultraviolet-endonuclease has been achieved. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 30000 on the basis of gel filtration; its activity is not absolutely dependent upon the presence of Mg2+, but 5--30 mM Mg2+ produces a five-fold stimulation. Potassium chloride concentrations of less than 100 mM are optimal, while concentrations exceeding 100 mM inhibit. The enzyme has no effect on native DNA, but introduces single-strand breaks into DNA containing apurinic/apyrimidinic sites produced by heating at an acidic pH. DNA treated with such carcinogens as N-alkyl-N-nitrosoureas, alkyl methanesulfonates, alkyl sulfates, nitrogen mustard, beta-propiolactone, 7-bromomethyl-benz[a]anthracene, N-acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene, and 7,12-dimethyl-benz[a]anthracene-5,6-oxide also becomes susceptible to enzymic action. The activity of the enzyme has been detected by making use of the difference in mobility between supercoiled closed-circular DNA of Pseudomonas phage PM2 and its nicked form in agarose gel elctrophoresis. Even depurinated or carcinogen-modified supercoiled PM2 DNA migrated faster than the respective relaxed nicked forms. A comparison of the number of enzyme-catalyzed single-strand breaks with the number of alkali-labile (i.e. apurinic) sites in carcinogen-modified PM2 DNA showed that the enzyme preparation introduced approximately twice as many breaks into the substrates as the number of apurinic sites present. We conclude that the enzyme preparation either recognizes both apurinic sites and DNA bases carrying carcinogenic residues or contains DNA glycosidase activity in addition to the endonuclease activity. Exposure of ultraviolet-irradiated PM2 DNA to the endonuclease preparation showed that pyrimidine dimers were not substrates. The yield of enzyme-catalyzed single-strand breaks found in ultraviolet-irradiated DNA was five times the number of alkali-labile sites present suggesting that minor photoproducts, possibly 5,6-saturated pyrimidine residues, were recognized in addition to apurinic sites.
Methylated and acetylated derivatives of iturin A and mycosubtilin and methylated derivatives of bacillomycin L were prepared and their antibacterial activity on Micrococcus luteus was compared with the activity of the original substance. the results obtained show the importance of polar groups for the antibiotic activity of the substances of iturin group.
The enzyme mediated ATP- and, to a lesser extent, CoASH-dependent synthesis of the spirodilactone of 4-(2'-carboxyphenyl)-4,4-dihydroxybutyrate from 2-succinylbenzoate has been demonstrated in membrane-free extracts of Micrococcus luteus and Escherichia coli. The suggestion is made that the spirodilactone is the product of an aberrant reaction involving a compound that is normally an intermediate in the conversion of 2-succinylbenzoate to 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate.
Five peaks of endonuclease activity showing a preference for ultraviolet-damaged DNA have been chromatographically identified from extracts of Micrococcus luteus. They are numerically designated as I to V in order of their elution from phosphocellulose (Whatman P-11) columns. The first two of these peaks have been highly purified by a combination of gel filtration and affinity chromatography and are catalytically homogeneous judging from their effect on transforming DNAs. Peak I, which has an isoelectric point of 4.7, is heat-stable, requires high ionic strength for optimal activity, acts with equal facility on ultraviolet-irradiated native and denatured DNA, and has been designated as Py pyrimidine dimer Py correndonuclease I. Peak II which has a pI value of 8.7, is heat-labile, is inhibited by high ionic strength, acts on ultraviolet-irradiated native but not denatured DNA, and has been designated as Py pyrimidine dimer Py correndonuclease II. Both enzymes are inhibited by Ca2+ and Zn2+, do not show any cofactor or sulfhydryl requirement, act optimally between pH 7.0 and 7.4, and have molecular weights between 11,000 and 15,000. Py pyrimidine dimer Py correndonuclease I requires a dose about 1.6 times that for Py pyrimidine dimers Py correndonuclease II for incision saturation of irradiated phiX174 RFI DNA.
An endonuclease (AP-endonuclease II) that specifically attacks double stranded or single stranded depurinated DNA, resulting in single-strand nicks, has been purified 320-fold from Micrococcus luteus. The enzyme is not stimulated by 0.002 M MgCl2, it induces 3'OH-5'PO4 breaks on the 5' side of apurinic sites, it has no activity towards UV-irradiated DNA and has a molecular weight of about 30 000. In cooperation with DNA-polymerase from M. luteus and T4 DNA ligase, AP-endonuclease II has been shown capable of carrying out complete excision repair of depurinated DNA in vitro.
Involvement of Py pyrimidine dimers Py correnconucleases I and II in repair of ultraviolet radiation damage in vivo by Micrococcus luteus has been demonstrated by their absence in the ultraviolet-sensitive mutant DB-7 derived by treatment of the wild type parent with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. The necessity for their combined action in DNA repair in M. luteus is shown by: (a) reactivation of ultraviolet-damaged phiX174 RFI DNA in incision-defective hosts after in vivo treatment with both enzymes, (b) correlation between survival after ultraviolet irradiation and the level of the two enzymes, and (c) increased levels of repair synthesis after ultraviolet irradiation of toluenized cells DB-400 with wild type correndonuclease levels when compared with the transformant DB-200 and the mutant DB-7, which lack one or both enzymes.
Uracil-DNA-glycosidase that releases free uracil from single-stranded or double-stranded deaminated DNA and poly d(A-U) has been partially purified from Micrococcus luteus. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 16,000 and can be separated from uracil-endonuclease and endonucleases (AP-endonucleases) specific for apurinic and apyrimidinic sites. Uracil-DNA-glycosidase does not act on guanine residues opposite uracil in double-stranded DNA and on xanthine in deaminated DNA. The glycosidase generates apyrimidinic sites which can serve as substrate sites for different AP-endonucleases from M. luteus.
The clinical course of a 69-year-old male with acute myelogenous leukemia is described who, while extremely leukopenic (less than 100 neutrophils/microliter) from chemotherapy, developed a cavitating pneumonia due to a gram-positive coccus, Micrococcus luteus. Aggressive antibiotic management and attainment of complete remission of his leukemia resulted in a successful outcome. A review of the literature regarding the pathogenicity of this organism and, in particular, its occurrence as a cause of pneumonia is presented.
We have studied the response of human cells in culture to cis platinum[II] diammine dichloride (cis Pt[II]) induced DNA damage. The survival data, measured as a function of cis Pt[II] dose were similar in a normal cell line (Human foetal lung) compared to a UV-sensitive, thymine dimer excision repair-deficient cell line (Xeroderma pigmentosum). However, there was a marked difference between the two cell lines when binding to DNA was plotted against dose of cis Pt[II] given for 1 h. When these findings were expressed as cell survival versus binding to DNA, a 4.1--fold difference between the slopes of the survival curves for the two cell lines was obtained. These findings are consistent with the notion that normal cells are able to excise cis Pt[II] induced damage from their genome and thus increase their ability to survive as compared to excision-deficient cells. An endonuclease preparation from Micrococcus luteus is able to recognise UV damage in DNA, but did not recognise cis Pt[II] induced damage. These results possibly indicate differences in the pathways of repair of damage caused by the two agents.