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Rescue of mitomycin C- or psoralen-inactivated Micrococcus radiodurans by additional exposure to radiation or alkylating agents.

The processing of damaged DNA was altered in a mitomycin C-sensitive mutant (mtcA) of Micrococcus radiodurans. Even though the mutant retained resistance to 254-nm UV radiation, it did not, in contrast to the wild-type strain, show any excessive DNA degradation or cell death when incubated with chloramphenicol after sublethal doses of either UV light or mitomycin C. The results suggest the constitutive synthesis of an enzyme system responsible for wild-type proficiency in the repair of mitomycin C-induced damage. An alternative system able to repair damage caused by mitomycin C was demonstrated in the mtcA background. In this strain, additional damage inflicted upon the cellular DNA effected a massive rescue of cells previously inactivated by mitomycin C. Rescue was provoked by ionizing radiation, by UV light, or by simple alkylating agents. Cells treated with psoralen plus near-UV radiation could be rescued only when inactivation was due primarily to psoralen-DNA interstrand cross-links rather than to monoadducts. The rescue of inactivated cells was prevented in the presence of chloramphenicol. These results can be interpreted most readily in terms of an alternative repair system able to overcome DNA interstrand cross-links produced by mitomycin C or psoralen plus near-UV light, but induced only by the more abundant number of damages produced by radiation or simple alkylating agents.

Alkylating Agents↗

Immunochemical analysis of respiratory-chain components of micrococcus luteus (lysodeikticus).

Membrane-bound antigens of the respiratory chain of Micrococcus luteus were analyzed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis after growth of the organism in the presence of 59Fe, the flavin adenine dinucleotide-flavin mononucleotide precursor D-[2-14C]riboflavin, or the heme precursor 5-amino-[4-(14)C]levulinic acid. Using zymograms and procedures of selective extraction in conjunction with autoradiography, it was possible to resolve and partially characterize a number of antigens. Succinate dehydrogenase (EC 1.3.99.1) was shown to possess covalently bound flavin and nonheme iron and was possibly present as a complex with cytochrome. Three other dehydrogenases, namely, NADH dehydrogenase, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase (EC 1.6.99.3), and malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37), contained flavin in noncovalent linkage, the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase also possessing nonheme iron. Four other discrete antigens (or antigen complexes) containing both iron and heme centers also resolved, as were two minor immunogens possessing iron as the sole detectable prosthetic group.

Counterimmunoelectrophoresis↗

Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus peptidoglycan transglycosylases that are not penicillin-binding proteins.

Major peptidoglycan transglycosylase activities, which synthesize uncross-linked peptidoglycan from lipid-linked precursors, were solubilized from the membranes of Staphylococcus aureus and Micrococcus luteus and were partially purified. The transglycosylase activities were separated from penicillin-binding proteins by solubilization and by purification steps. Therefore, we concluded that these activities were not activities of the penicillin-binding proteins, which are the presumptive peptidoglycan transpeptidases in these gram-positive cocci. Unlike Escherichia coli, in which the network structure of peptidoglycan is synthesized by multiple two-headed penicillin-binding proteins with both transpeptidase and transglycosylase activities, these gram-positive cocci have cell wall peptidoglycan which seems to be synthesized by penicillin-binding protein transpeptidases and a separate transglycosylase.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Metabolism of pyrimidine bases and nucleosides in the coryneform bacteria Brevibacterium ammoniagenes and Micrococcus luteus.

The metabolism of exogenous pyrimidine bases and nucleosides was investigated in Brevibacterium ammoniagenes and Micrococcus luteus with fluorinated analogs and radioactive precursors. Salvage of thymine and thymidine was found in M. luteus, but not in B. ammoniagenes. Exogenous uracil or uracil nucleosides, but not cytosine or cytosine nucleosides, were nucleic acid precursors for both bacteria. By examining the possible nucleoside-metabolizing enzymes, it can be suggested that the pyrimidine salvage pathways in the coryneform bacteria are different from those of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

Brevibacterium↗

Organization and codon usage of the streptomycin operon in Micrococcus luteus, a bacterium with a high genomic G + C content.

The DNA sequence of the Micrococcus luteus str operon, which includes genes for ribosomal proteins S12 (str or rpsL) and S7 (rpsG) and elongation factors (EF) G (fus) and Tu (tuf), has been determined and compared with the corresponding sequence of Escherichia coli to estimate the effect of high genomic G + C content (74%) of M. luteus on the codon usage pattern. The gene organization in this operon and the deduced amino acid sequence of each corresponding protein are well conserved between the two species. The mean G + C content of the M. luteus str operon is 67%, which is much higher than that of E. coli (51%). The codon usage pattern of M. luteus is very different from that of E. coli and extremely biased to the use of G and C in silent positions. About 95% (1,309 of 1,382) of codons have G or C at the third position. Codon GUG is used for initiation of S12, EF-G, and EF-Tu, and AUG is used only in S7, whereas GUG initiates only one of the EF-Tu's in E. coli. UGA is the predominant termination codon in M. luteus, in contrast to UAA in E. coli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Teichuronic acid reducing terminal N-acetylglucosamine residue linked by phosphodiester to peptidoglycan of Micrococcus luteus.

Teichuronic acid-peptidoglycan complex isolated from Micrococcus luteus cells by lysozyme digestion in osmotically stabilized medium was treated with mild acid to cleave the linkage joining teichuronic acid to peptidoglycan. This labile linkage was shown to be the phosphodiester which joins N-acetylglucosamine, the residue located at the reducing end of the teichuronic acid, through its anomeric hydroxyl group to a 6-phosphomuramic acid, a residue of the glycan strand of peptidoglycan. 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the lysozyme digest of cell walls demonstrated the presence of a phosphodiester which was converted to a phosphomonoester by the conditions which released teichuronic acid from cell walls. Reduction of acid-liberated reducing end groups by NaB3H4 followed by complete acid hydrolysis yielded [3H] glucosaminitol from the true reducing end residue of teichuronic acid and [3H]glucitol from the sites of fragmentation of teichuronic acid. The amount of N-acetylglucosamine detected was approximately stoichiometric with the amount of phosphate in the complex. Partial fragmentation of teichuronic acid provides an explanation of the previous erroneous identification of the reducing end residue.

Acetylglucosamine↗

Polymer length of teichuronic acid released from cell walls of Micrococcus luteus.

Teichuronic acid released from its phosphodiester linkage to peptidoglycan in the cell walls of Micrococcus luteus by mild acid treatment is resolved into a ladderlike series of bands by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels in the presence of borate. Each band of the ladder differs from its nearest neighbor by one disaccharide repeat unit, ----4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-mannopyranuronosyl-(1----6)- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-. Acid-fragmented teichuronic acid, after conversion to the phenylamine derivative, was fractionated by preparative-scale molecular sieve column chromatography, which produced a series of elution peaks. Fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry of the smallest member of the series determined its molecular weight and established its identity as the phenylamine derivative of one disaccharide repeat unit of teichuronic acid. Homologous fractions of the same series were used to index the ladder of bands obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis from samples containing a more extensive distribution of polymer lengths. Nearly native teichuronic acid consists of polymers with a broad range of molecular sizes ranging from 20 to 55 disaccharide units. The most abundant species are those which have 25 to 40 repeat units. Prolonged treatment of teichuronic acid with the acid conditions used to release it from peptidoglycan causes gradual fragmentation of the teichuronic acid.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Biosynthetic elongation of isolated teichuronic acid polymers via glucosyl- and N-acetylmannosaminuronosyltransferases from solubilized cytoplasmic membrane fragments of Micrococcus luteus.

Cytoplasmic membrane fragments of Micrococcus luteus catalyze in vitro biosynthesis of teichuronic acid from uridine diphosphate D-glucose (UDP-glucose), uridine diphosphate N-acetyl-D-mannosaminuronic acid (UDP-ManNAcA), and uridine diphosphate N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. Membrane fragments solubilized with Thesit (dodecyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether) can utilize UDP-glucose and UDP-ManNAcA to effect elongation of teichuronic acid isolated from native cell walls. When UDP-glucose is the only substrate supplied, the detergent-solubilized glucosyltransferase incorporates a single glucosyl residue onto each teichuronic acid acceptor. When both UDP-glucose and UDP-ManNAcA are supplied, the glucosyltransferase and the N-acetylmannosaminuronosyltransferase act cooperatively to elongate the teichuronic acid acceptor by multiple additions of the disaccharide repeat unit. As shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, low-molecular-weight fractions of teichuronic acid are converted to higher-molecular-weight polymers by the addition of as many as 17 disaccharide repeat units.

Cell Fractionation↗

The major carotenoid pigment of a psychrotrophic Micrococcus roseus strain: purification, structure, and interaction with synthetic membranes.

The major carotenoid pigment of a psychrotrophic Micrococcus roseus strain was purified to homogeneity from methanol extracts of dried cells by reverse-phase liquid chromatography and was designated P-3. On the basis of the UV-visible, infrared, mass, and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of P-3, it was identified as bisdehydro-beta-carotene-2-carboxylic acid. The pigment interacted with synthetic membranes of phosphatidylcholine and dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and stabilized the membranes. These results also indicate that P-3 is different from canthaxanthin, the major carotenoid pigment from a mesophilic M. roseus strain.

Carotenoids↗

Structure of the gene complementing uvr-402 in Streptococcus pneumoniae: homology with Escherichia coli uvrB and the homologous gene in Micrococcus luteus.

The repair ability for UV-induced damage observed for Streptococcus pneumoniae proceeds through a system similar to the Uvr-dependent system in Escherichia coli. The DNA sequence of a gene complementing uvr-402, a mutation conferring UV sensitivity, was determined. Alignments of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed an extensive sequence homology of 55% with the UvrB protein of E. coli and 59% with the UvrB-homologous protein of Micrococcus luteus. Nucleotide-binding site consensus was observed. The high conservation of the uvrB-like gene among these three species suggests that the role of the UvrB protein and excision repair in general might be very important for cell survival.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Transcription termination factor Rho is essential for Micrococcus luteus.

The growth of Micrococcus luteus, a soil microorganism that belongs to the high-G+C gram-positive phylogenetic group, is prevented by bicyclomycin, an antibiotic that inhibits the activity of the M. luteus transcription termination factor Rho. A mutant that can grow in 0.3 mM bicyclomycin has a Rho that is insensitive to bicyclomycin and has the single amino acid residue change of Asp474 to Gly. These results indicate that the function of its Rho factor is essential for M. luteus and that growth of a gram-positive organism can be blocked by bicyclomycin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Glucose catabolism in Micrococcus sodonensis.

The inability of Micrococcus sodonensis to grow on glucose as the sole source of carbon and energy was investigated. Estimation of pathways of glucose catabolism indicated that both the glycolytic and hexose monophosphate pathways are present in this organism. Comparative studies with Escherichia coli demonstrated that key enzymes for glucose catabolism were present in M. sodonensis in quantities equivalent to those of E. coli. The glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases of M. sodonensis were nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) specific, and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase was nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide specific. Transhydrogenase and reduced NADP oxidase were absent. Growth of the organism in the presence of glucose did not result in a repressed ability to oxidize tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, but these cells did have a decreased capacity for glucose degradation. The addition of substrates rich in growth-promoting substances, e.g., yeast extract, did not provide requisite nutrients for growth on glucose. Studies with (32)P suggest that M. sodonensis is incapable of synthesizing energy-rich phosphate compounds during the catabolism of glucose.

Aldehyde-Lyases↗

Morphology and chemistry of cell walls of Micrococcus radiodurans.

Walls of the pigmented strain of Micrococcus radiodurans showed several layers in the electron microscope. These layers include an outermost network structure removed by trypsin, a fragile soft layer containing hexagonally packed subunits, and a rigid layer penetrated by numerous holes. The two inner layers were separated by a process of autolysis, trypsin treatment, and gradient centrifugation. The hexagonally packed layer was less dense, pink in color, and it contained carotenoids, lipid, protein, and polysaccharide. The lipid consisted of odd-numbered as well as even-numbered fatty acids, and the polysaccharide contained rhamnose and mannose, but it did not contain heptose. The "holey" layer was white and was composed of a mucopeptide containing glucosamine, muramic acid, and four main amino acids (glutamic acid, alanine, glycine, and l-ornithine, in the ratios of 1:1.7:1.8:1.2, respectively). This layer also contained phosphorus, glucose, and a trace of meso- and ll-diaminopimelic acid. A white mutant, W(1), of M. radiodurans had no pigment or lipid in its walls, but it contained small amounts of the "hexagonal" layer. The holey layer, constituting the bulk of the wall, was similar in morphology and composition to that layer in the pigmented strain. Lysozyme did not remove the lipoprotein-polysaccharide component from the walls of the pigmented strains, and the hexagonally packed structure was not visibly affected, except for change in a minor structure. Most of the mucopeptide layer was solubilized by lysozyme, but a structureless bag-shaped residue was left. This residue contained phosphorus, carbohydrate, and limited amino acids, but it did not contain muramic acid, glucosamine, or ornithine. Aqueous phenol removed a lipoprotein component from strain R(1), which contained limited fatty acids. It also removed meso- and ll-diaminopimelic acid.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Isolation and characterization of carotenoid pigments of Micrococcus roseus.

In addition to canthaxanthin, seven pigment fractions were isolated from Micrococcus roseus. They were purified by solvent partitioning and by column and thin-layer chromatography. Visible absorption spectra, chromatographic behavior, and partition coefficients of the pigments and derivatives prepared from the pigments were used in characterizing them. Both alpha- and beta-carotene derivatives were present. The structure of one pigment was suggested as phoenicoxanthin (3-hydroxy-4,4'-diketo-beta-carotene). Four other pigments were tentatively characterized as a dihydroxy-3,4-dehydro-alpha-carotene, a dihydroxy-alpha-carotene, a diketo-alpha-carotene, and a polyhydroxy-beta-carotene. Two pigments were isolated in trace amounts and could not be characterized. All the pigments studied were isolated as mixtures of cis-trans isomers and all except the diketo-alpha-carotene were isolated as esters from M. roseus. Quantitation of the pigments showed that canthaxanthin (4,4'-diketo-beta-carotene) represented 85% of the pigment recovered from extracts. Three of the other pigments contributed a significant proportion of the remaining pigments, whereas the other four were present in only small amounts. beta-Carotene derivatives comprised 96% and alpha-carotene derivatives 4% of the pigments recovered from extracts.

Carotenoids↗

Structures containing polyphosphate in Micrococcus lysodeikticus.

Granular structures containing inorganic polyphosphate were found in Micrococcus lysodeikticus. These structures were isolated by fractionation of the bacterial extract obtained by lysing the organisms with lysozyme. The composition of the fraction which was enriched with these structures was found to be: protein, 24%; lipids, 30%; and polyphosphate, 27%. This fraction also contained small amounts of ribonucleic acids, carbohydrate, and polyvalent cations. The effect of different reagents and enzymes on the integrity of the granules was examined. It was noticed that they accumulate in the bacteria during the logarithmic phase of growth but disappear gradually during the stationary phase.

Amino Sugars↗

Repair of ultraviolet radiation damage in sensitive mutants of Micrococcus radiodurans.

Various aspects of the repair of ultraviolet (UV) radiation-induced damage were compared in wild-type Micrococcus radiodurans and two UV-sensitive mutants. Unlike the wild type, the mutants are more sensitive to radiation at 265 nm than at 280 nm. The delay in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis following exposure to UV is about seven times as long in the mutants as in the wild type. All three strains excise UV-induced pyrimidine dimers from their DNA, although the rate at which cytosine-thymine dimers are excised is slower in the mutants. The three strains also mend the single-strand breaks that appear in the irradiated DNA as a result of dimer excision, although the process is less efficient in the mutants. It is suggested that the increased sensitivity of the mutants to UV radiation may be caused by a partial defect in the second step of dimer excision.

Centrifugation, Density Gradient↗