The death rate of lysogenic bacteria after ultraviolet induction follows Gompertz's law.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SEARCH · Search PubMed
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.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The in vitro responses of channel catfish peripheral blood neutrophils to Edwardsiella ictaluri were examined through the use of phagocytic, bactericidal, and chemiluminescent assays. Evidence from both light and electron microscopy indicate that catfish neutrophils appeared to phagocytose E. ictaluri. Although extracellular killing of E. ictaluri was observed, bactericidal assays did not demonstrate intracellular killing of E. ictaluri by neutrophils. Catfish neutrophils mount a chemiluminescent response to E. ictaluri which is enhanced by the presence of specific antibody. Incubation of catfish neutrophils with LPS from E. ictaluri appeared to suppress the chemiluminescent response to opsonized zymosan.
A total of 176 Gram-positive, catalase positive cocci strains, isolated from sheep were studied by different routine tests for the differentiation of staphylococci and micrococci, comparing their validity and usefulness. By glucose fermentation and growth in the anaerobic portion of thioglycolate 85 and 73.6% respectively of coagulase negative staphylococci were misclassified as Micrococcus spp. Susceptibility to lysostaphin was an adequate test for the differentiation of the strains. Atypical results in the production of acid from glycerol/erythromycin were obtained in 11.8% of the coagulase negative strains and 16.7% of micrococci. The combined use of the selective media furazolidone agar and Schleifer and Krämer medium resulted in a fast and useful separation of ovine staphylococci and micrococci. The bacteriolytic activity misclassified 32.2% of the coagulase negative strains.
The effects of an inorganic selenium salt on phagocytic functions of human neutrophilic granulocytes from donors with a low activity of glutathione peroxidase have been investigated. Granulocytes were exposed for 60 min in vitro to sodium selenite in two physiological concentrations (100 and 200 ng Se/ml) and one unphysiologically high concentration (2000 ng/ml). The spontaneous and chemotactic migration, the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction, the phagocytosis of fluorescein-labeled yeast particles and the intracellular killing of staphylococci were then studied in such granulocytes and compared to control cells, which had not been exposed to selenium. The migration and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction abilities of granulocytes were not affected by selenium exposure. The phagocytic and bactericidal activities were significantly increased in granulocytes exposed to selenium in physiological concentrations. However, at 2000 ng Se/ml these activities were found to be equal to or lower than control levels. Thus selenium supplementation might enhance phagocytic and bactericidal functions of human granulocytes, thereby improving the host defense against bacterial infections.
A plasmid, pUH51, was constructed, which contains the lysis gene E of bacteriophage phi X174, subjected to the regulatory region of the lac operon, as well as the lac repressor gene. This plasmid can readily replicate in any strain of E. coli and mediates lysis of the bacteria after induction of the cloned phi X174 gene E. Taking advantage of these properties, plasmid pUH51 was used as a tool for gentle disruption of E. coli. At cell concentrations below 5 X 10(10)/ml, the efficiency of this method, as measured by release of beta-galactosidase from the cells, exceeded the efficiency of conventional methods for cell breakage.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The experiments in this paper provided evidence that, besides lipopolysaccharides (LPS), porins of gram-negative bacteria bind to C1q and C1. From these experiments, we concluded that the association of LPS and porins (outer membrane proteins, OMP) may potentiate the C1q and C1 binding in the absence of specific antibodies. This antibody independent binding of C1 to LPS and porins is a prerequisite for the activation of the classical pathway of complement leading to the killing of serum-sensitive bacteria.
A simple method for preparation of Rhizobium meliloti bacteriophages was established employing fermenter culture. This technique allowed phage production to be checked by dissolved oxygen measure. Phage suspensions ranging from 5.10(12) to 1.2.10(13) PFU/ml were found after polyethylene glycol precipitation and centrifugation in CsCl.
Based on the known (95-residue) amino acid (aa) sequence of porcine pancreatic colipase (CLP), a cofactor of pancreatic lipase, a 297 bp gene was designed and assembled from eight synthetic, overlapping DNA fragments. Optimized for expression in bacteria, the CLP-encoding gene (CLP) was inserted into the lacZ gene fragment contained in the small expression vector, pUC8, and cloned in Escherichia coli JM109. Expression of this construct yielded a protein approx. 11 kDa in size, equivalent to CLP, with an Mr of 10,336, plus ten additional amino acids at the N-terminus. The recombinant CLP (reCLP) was solubilized from bacterial inclusion bodies and then purified and refolded. A mutant CLP gene, changing Tyr-55 to Trp, was then constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. Since porcine CLP contains no Trp, this strategy provided a protein with an internal fluorescent probe for biophysical studies. The presence of Trp in the mutant protein was confirmed using fluorescence spectroscopy. Both wild-type (wt) and mutant reCLP reacted on Western blots with an affinity-purified rabbit anti-CLP antibody, raised against native CLP. The Tyr-55 to Trp exchange did not affect the activity of reCLP. Fluorescence studies of the interaction between reCLP and the bile salt, taurodeoxycholate (TDOC), showed that Trp-55 in the hydrophobic binding site of mutant reCLP inserted into the interior of the bile salt micelle.
Carnobacterium piscicola LV 61 produces a bacteriocin designated piscicolin 61, that is heat resistant, active over a wide pH range and inactivated by alpha-chymotrypsin, pepsin, trypsin and papain. It is effective against strains of the genera Carnobacterium, Enterococcus and Listeria. Other lactic acid bacteria tested were less sensitive or resistant to piscicolin. It is produced at temperatures from 1 to 30 degrees C. Maximum bacteriocin activity was detected after the culture had entered the stationary phase of growth and when the culture was grown in a medium with an initial pH between 8.0 and 9.0. The same high amounts of bacteriocin could be obtained in a culture at a constant pH of 6.5. No bacteriocin was produced at pH 5.0. Peptone in the growth medium promotes bacteriocin production, whereas meat and yeast extract did not influence the amounts of bacteriocin produced. Bacteriocin production and immunity are probably encoded by a 22 kb plasmid.
Lactobacillus plantarum SIK-83 produces a bacteriocin, designated plantaricin SIK-83, which inhibits 66 of 68 lactic acid bacteria from the genera Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Streptococcus. A 500-fold dilution of L. plantarum SIK-83 MRS culture supernatant with phosphate buffer was sufficient to kill 10(5) cells/ml of Pediococcus pentosaceus within 120 s. The killing of a sensitive population followed exponential kinetics. It was shown that the bacteriocin binds specifically to sensitive cells but not to nonsensitive lactic acid bacteria, the producer strain or Gram-negative bacteria. Sensitive cells, after exposure to the bacteriocin, could be rescued by treatment with proteolytic enzymes. In buffer, plantaricin SIK-83 was adsorbed to the cell surface almost immediately, and morphological lesions were observed within 2 h after the cells were exposed to the bacteriocin. The lethal mode of action appeared to be due to damage to the cell membrane, resulting in cell lysis, which was detected by electron microscopy and by determination of released intracellular components.
Bacteriophage PhiX174 encodes a single lysis gene, E, the function of which is necessary and sufficient to induce lysis of Escherichia coli. Here we present a novel model for E-lysis: physiological, genetic and biochemical data are presented which suggest that a transmembrane tunnel penetrating the inner and outer membrane is formed during the lytic action of protein E. Moreover, using high magnification scanning and transmission electron microscopy in this study, it was possible to visualize the transmembrane lysis structure directly.
Membrane teichoic acids, sometimes described as lipoteichoic acids, are important but not major components of nearly all Gram-positive bacteria. They appear on the outer surface of the cytoplasmic membrane and possess antigenic properties. Several functions have been ascribed to these glycerol phosphate polymers, including the binding of divalent cations required for optimal activity of membrane-bound enzymes, and the control of certain lytic enzymes. A substance that is identical or closely similar to membrane teichoic acid, lipoteichoic acid carrier, plays an important part in the biosynthesis of wall teichoic acid; it accepts polyol phosphate residues from CDP-glycerol or CDP-ribitol to form a polyol phosphate chain which is then transferred after the incorporation of a tri(glycerol phosphate) linkage unit, to the growing glycan chain of peptidoglycan.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.