scholarly journals Characterization of Shiga-like toxin I B subunit purified from overproducing clones of the SLT-I B cistron

1990 ◽  
Vol 272 (3) ◽  
pp. 805-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Ramotar ◽  
B Boyd ◽  
G Tyrrell ◽  
J Gariepy ◽  
C Lingwood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Culture Medium ◽  
Polymyxin B ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Binding Studies ◽  
B Subunit ◽  
Tac Promoter ◽  
Glycolipid Receptor

The cistron encoding the B subunit of Escherichia coli Shiga-like toxin I (SLT-I) was cloned under control of the tac promoter in the expression vector pKK223-3 and the SLT-I B subunit was expressed constitutively in a wild-type background and inducibly in a lacIq background. The B subunit was located in the periplasmic space, and less than 10% was found in the culture medium after 24 h incubation. Polymyxin B extracts contained as much as 160 micrograms of B subunit/ml of culture. B subunit was purified to homogeneity by ion-exchange chromatography followed by chromatofocusing. Cross-linking analysis of purified native B subunit showed that it exists as a pentamer. In gels containing 0.1% SDS the native protein dissociated into monomers. B subunit was found to have the same glycolipid-receptor-specificity as SLT-I holotoxin. Competitive binding studies showed that B subunit and holotoxin had the same affinity for the globotriosylceramide receptor. We conclude that this recombinant plasmid is a convenient source of large amounts of purified SLT-I B subunit, which could be used for biophysical and structural studies or as a natural toxoid.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of pig enamelins

1987 ◽  
Vol 243 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Limeback
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Ion Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Binding Studies ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Sequential Extraction Procedures ◽  
Enamel Proteins

Enamel proteins were extracted from pig developing enamel by sequential extraction procedures. Two proteins identified as enamelins by slab-gel electrophoresis (Mr 67,000 and 63,000) were separated from amelogenins by gel sieving and ion-exchange chromatography. Their enamelin characteristic was confirmed by hydroxyapatite-binding studies and amino acid analysis. Degradation of extracted enamel proteins was also studied in vitro. The larger of the two enamelins appeared to be resistant to degradation by endogenous enamel proteinases. Hydroxyapatite showed strong binding with the enamelins, but did not prevent the degradation of the Mr-63,000 enamelin. These results indicate that at least one high-Mr enamelin in pig developing enamel is a source of enamelin breakdown products.

scholarly journals MurF Inhibitors with Antibacterial Activity: Effect on Muropeptide Levels

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 3240-3247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Z. Baum ◽  
Steven M. Crespo-Carbone ◽  
Barbara D. Foleno ◽  
Lee D. Simon ◽  
Jerome Guillemont ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Pharmacophore Model ◽  
Polymyxin B ◽  
Bacterial Survival ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria ◽  
Activity Effect ◽  
Modest Activity

ABSTRACT MurF catalyzes the last cytoplasmic step of bacterial cell wall synthesis and is essential for bacterial survival. Our previous studies used a pharmacophore model of a MurF inhibitor to identify additional inhibitors with improved properties. We now present the characterization of two such inhibitors, the diarylquinolines DQ1 and DQ2. DQ1 inhibited Escherichia coli MurF (50% inhibitory concentration, 24 μM) and had modest activity (MICs, 8 to 16 μg/ml) against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-defective E. coli and wild-type E. coli rendered permeable with polymyxin B nonapeptide. DQ2 additionally displayed activity against gram-positive bacteria (MICs, 8 to 16 μg/ml), including methicillin (meticillin)-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates and vancomycin-susceptible and -resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium isolates. Treatment of LPS-defective E. coli cells with ≥2× MIC of DQ1 resulted in a 75-fold-greater accumulation of the MurF substrate compared to the control, a 70% decline in the amount of the MurF product, and eventual cell lysis, consistent with the inhibition of MurF within bacteria. DQ2 treatment of S. aureus resulted in similar effects on the MurF substrate and product quantities. At lower levels of DQ1 (≤1× MIC), the level of accumulation of the substrate was less pronounced (15-fold greater compared to the amount for the control). However, a 50% increase in the amount of the MurF product compared to the control was reproducibly observed, consistent with the possible upregulation of muropeptide biosynthesis upon partial inhibition of this pathway. The overexpression of cloned MurF appeared to partly alleviate the DQ1-mediated inhibition of muropeptide synthesis. The identification of MurF inhibitors such as DQ1 and DQ2 that disrupt cell wall biosynthesis suggests that MurF remains a viable target for an antibacterial agent.

scholarly journals Characterization of an ADP-Ribosyltransferase Toxin (AexT) from Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida

2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (7) ◽  
pp. 1851-1858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Braun ◽  
Katja Stuber ◽  
Yvonne Schlatter ◽  
Thomas Wahli ◽  
Peter Kuhnert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Culture Medium ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Polyclonal Antibodies ◽  
Sequence Similarity ◽  
Aeromonas Salmonicida ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Significant Sequence Similarity ◽  
Fish Cells ◽  
Adp Ribosyltransferase

ABSTRACT An ADP-ribosylating toxin named Aeromonas salmonicida exoenzyme T (AexT) in A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, the etiological agent of furunculosis in fish, was characterized. Gene aexT, encoding toxin AexT, was cloned and characterized by sequence analysis. AexT shows significant sequence similarity to the ExoS and ExoT exotoxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and to the YopE cytotoxin of different Yersinia species. The aexT gene was detected in all of the 12 A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida strains tested but was absent from all other Aeromonas species. Recombinant AexT produced in Escherichia coli possesses enzymatic ADP-ribosyltransferase activity. Monospecific polyclonal antibodies directed against purified recombinant AexT detected the toxin produced by A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and cross-reacted with ExoS and ExoT of P. aeruginosa. AexT toxin could be detected in a wild type (wt) strain of A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida freshly isolated from a fish with furunculosis; however, its expression required contact with RTG-2 rainbow trout gonad cells. Under these conditions, the AexT protein was found to be intracellular or tightly cell associated. No AexT was found when A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida was incubated in cell culture medium in the absence of RTG-2 cells. Upon infection with wt A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, the fish gonad RTG-2 cells rapidly underwent significant morphological changes. These changes were demonstrated to constitute cell rounding, which accompanied induction of production of AexT and which led to cell lysis after extended incubation. An aexT mutant which was constructed from the wt strain with an insertionally inactivated aexT gene by allelic exchange had no toxic effect on RTG-2 cells and was devoid of AexT production. Hence AexT is directly involved in the toxicity of A. salmonicida subsp. salmonicida for RTG-2 fish cells.

Yeast actin with a subdomain 4 mutation (A204C) exhibits increased pointed-end critical concentration

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Teal ◽  
John F. Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Critical Concentration ◽  
Structural Studies ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Engineering Strategy ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Pointed End ◽  
Very High

Characterizing mutants of actin that do not polymerize will advance our understanding of the mechanism of actin polymerization and will be invaluable for the production of short F-actin structures for structural studies. To circumvent the problem of expressing dominant lethal nonpolymerizing actin in yeast, we adopted a cysteine engineering strategy. Here we report the characterization of a mutant of yeast actin, AC-actin, possessing a single pointed-end mutation, A204C. Expression of this mutant in yeast results in actin-polymerization-deficient phenotypes. When copolymerized with wild-type actin, ATP–AC-actin is incorporated into filaments. ADP–AC-actin participates in the nucleation and elongation of wild-type filaments only at very high concentrations. At low concentrations, ADP–AC-actin appears to participate only in the nucleation of wild-type filaments, suggesting that Ala-204 is involved in modulating the critical concentration of the pointed end of actin.

Isolation and Characterization of Viridin, a New 65 kDa Antifungal Protein from the Mould Trichoderma viride

1999 ◽  
Vol 380 (10) ◽  
pp. 1243-1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Jiang Hao ◽  
Chuan-dong Geng ◽  
Wei-jun Xie ◽  
Zhen-zhen Gong ◽  
Wang-Yi Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Basic Protein ◽  
Trichoderma Viride ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Antifungal Protein ◽  
Cation Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Sds Page

AbstractA new extracellular antifungal protein with a yield of 10 mg per liter was isolated from the culture medium of the mouldTrichoderma viride. The protein, which we named viridin, was purified by carboxymethyl-cellulose cation-exchange chromatography and Superose 12 HR 10/30 high-performance liquid chromatography. Viridin, a basic protein of approximately 65 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE, inhibits the growth of the cotton pathogenVerticillum dahliae, the IC50being 6 ΜM.

scholarly journals Mutagenesis by Insertion of Tn4001 into the Genome of Spiroplasma citri: Characterization of Mutants Affected in Plant Pathogenicity and Transmission to the Plant by the Leafhopper Vector Circulifer haematoceps

1997 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Foissac ◽  
J. L. Danet ◽  
C. Saillard ◽  
P. Gaurivaud ◽  
F. Laigret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type Strain ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Single Copy ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Spiroplasma Citri ◽  
Leafhopper Vector ◽  
Circulifer Haematoceps ◽  
Plant Pathogenicity

Two hundred and fifty-seven transposon Tn4001 mutants of Spiroplasma citri strain GII3 were used for transmission assays by the leafhopper vector Circulifer haematoceps into periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) plants. Multiplication of the mutants in the two hosts, the leafhopper and the plant, as well as the symptom expression in the plant were studied. Two mutants, GMT 470 and GMT 553, caused no symptoms on plants. Tn4001 is inserted as a single copy in the genome of these mutants. Mutant GMT 470 did not multiply, or multiplied only poorly, in the leaf-hopper and was not transmitted by the insect to the plant, nor to culture medium through Parafilm membrane. The growth rate of GMT 470 in SP4 medium was twice as slow as that of wild-type strain GII3. Mutant GMT 553 multiplied in the leafhopper as well as the wild-type spiro-plasma, and was transmitted by the leafhoppers into the plants, where it reached the same titers as the wild-type strain but in approximately twice as much time. The plants containing high titers of mutant GMT 553 remained symptomless for several weeks. However, symptoms began to develop at a time when revertants that had lost the transposon were detected.

Construction and Characterization of Novel Staphylokinase Variants with Antiplatelet Aggregation Activity and Reduced Immunogenecity

2004 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 336-342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua-Bo Su ◽  
Yu-Gao Zhang ◽  
Jin-Tian He ◽  
Wei Mo ◽  
Yan-Ling Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fibrinolytic Activity ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Ion Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Final Concentration ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Antiplatelet Aggregation ◽  
Aggregation Activity

Abstract To develop target thrombolytic agents with fibrinolytic activity, antiplatelet aggregation activity and reduced immunogenicity, two staphylokinase variants containing Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif were constructed. Gene expression was induced in E. coli JF1125 and the variants, designated DGR and RL1, were purified with gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and the purity was over 95%. The fibrinolytic activity and kinetic constants of the two variants were comparable to those of recombinant wild-type staphylokinase. Both the variants can inhibit the platelet aggregation at a final concentration of 2 μM. The titers of antibodies against variants were much lower than those against recombinant staphylokinase in guinea pigs, which indicated that the immunogenicity of the variants was greatly reduced. These results confirm that it is possible to design and produce a bifunctional protein that possesses fibrinolytic and antiplatelet aggregation activities.

Isolation and Characterization of Magbane, a Magnesium-Lethal Mutant of Paramecium

Genetics ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 158 (3) ◽  
pp. 1061-1069
Author(s):  
Jocelyn A Hammond ◽  
Robin R Preston
Keyword(s):  
Culture Medium ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Lethal Mutant ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
K Current ◽  
Mutant Phenotypes ◽  
Genetic Mutants

Abstract Discerning the mechanisms responsible for membrane excitation and ionic control in Paramecium has been facilitated by the availability of genetic mutants that are defective in these pathways. Such mutants typically are selected on the basis of behavioral anomalies or resistance to ions. There have been few attempts to isolate ion-sensitive strains, despite the insights that might be gained from studies of their phenotypes. Here, we report isolation of “magbane,” an ion-sensitive strain that is susceptible to Mg2+. Whereas the wild type tolerated the addition of ≥20 mm MgCl2 to the culture medium before growth was slowed and ultimately suppressed (at >40 mm), mgx mutation slowed growth at 10 mm. Genetic analysis indicated that the phenotype resulted from a recessive single-gene mutation that had not been described previously. We additionally noted that a mutant that was well described previously (restless) is also highly sensitive to Mg2+. This mutant is characterized by an inability to control membrane potential when extracellular K+ concentrations are lowered, due to inappropriate regulation of a Ca2+-dependent K+ current. However, comparing the mgx and rst mutant phenotypes suggested that two independent mechanisms might be responsible for their Mg2+ lethality. The possibility that mgx mutation may adversely affect a transporter that is required for maintaining low intracellular Mg2+ is considered.

scholarly journals Characterization of FasG Segments Required for 987P Fimbria-Mediated Binding to Piglet Glycoprotein Receptors

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (11) ◽  
pp. 6625-6632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byung-Kwon Choi ◽  
Dieter M. Schifferli
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Aspartic Acid ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Hydrophobic Residues ◽  
Receptor Interactions ◽  
Receptor Recognition ◽  
Brush Borders ◽  
Glycolipid Receptor

ABSTRACT The 987P fimbriae of enterotoxigenic strains of Escherichia coli bind to both glycoprotein and glycolipid receptors on the brush borders of piglet enterocytes. A mutation in lysine residue 117 of the adhesive subunit FasG [fasG(K117A)] previously shown to abrogate 987P binding to the lipid receptor sulfatide did not affect the interaction with the glycoprotein receptors. Both the fimbriae and the FasG subunits of the wild type and thefasG(K117A) mutant bound to the glycoprotein receptors, confirming that lysine 117 was not required for binding to the glycoprotein receptors. Truncated FasG molecules were used to identify domains required for glycoprotein receptor recognition. At least two segments which did not include lysine117, namely, residues 211 (glutamine) to 220 (serine) and 20 (aspartic acid) to 41 (serine), were shown to be involved in the FasG-glycoprotein receptor interactions by ligand-blotting assays. Changing isoleucine 217 or leucine 215 of FasG to alanine abolished the property of a truncated FasG fusion protein to inhibit 987P recognition of its glycoprotein receptors. Thus, the K117 residue of FasG is required only for binding to the glycolipid receptor, whereas the newly identified hydrophobic residues of the FasG subunit are required specifically for the recognition of the glycoprotein receptor. Taken together, our data indicate that different residues of the FasG adhesin are important in 987P fimbrial binding to sulfatide and glycoprotein receptors, suggesting different mechanisms of interaction.

scholarly journals Purification and Biochemical Characterization of the Lambda Holin

1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (9) ◽  
pp. 2531-2540 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Smith ◽  
Douglas K. Struck ◽  
J. Martin Scholtz ◽  
Ry Young
Keyword(s):  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Biochemical Characterization ◽  
Alpha Helix ◽  
Exchange Chromatography ◽  
Transmembrane Helices ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Hole Formation ◽  
Metal Affinity

ABSTRACT Holins are small phage-encoded cytoplasmic membrane proteins, remarkable for their ability to make membranes permeable in a temporally regulated manner. The purification of S105, the λ holin, and one of the two products of gene S is described. Because the wild-type S105 holin could be only partially purified from membrane extracts by ion-exchange chromatography, an oligohistidine tag was added internally to the S105 sequence for use in immobilized metal affinity chromatography. An acceptable site for the tag was found between residues 94 and 95 in the highly charged C-terminal domain of S. This allele, designated S105H94, had normal lysis timing under physiological expression conditions. The S105H94 protein was overproduced, purified, and characterized by circular dichroism spectroscopy, which revealed approximately 40% alpha-helix conformation, consistent with the presence of two transmembrane helices. The purified protein was then used to achieve release of fluorescent dye loaded in liposomes in vitro, whereas protein from an isogenic construct carrying an S mutation known to abolish hole formation was inactive in this assay. These results suggest that S is a bitopic membrane protein capable of forming aqueous holes in bilayers.

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