The significance of cAMP induced alterations in the cellular structure of Phycomyces

1977 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Tu ◽  
S. K. Malhotra
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Phycomyces Blakesleeanus ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Tube Emergence ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Time Required ◽  
Small Clusters ◽  
Different Levels

Effect of cyclic AMP (cAMP) on Phycomyces blakesleeanus was studied by growing sporangiospores on glucose–asparagine agar or liquid medium containing three different levels of cAMP (10, 20 and 40 μM) in addition to the control (no cAMP added). The response of Phycomyces to the exogenous cAMP concentration in the medium is as follows: (1) the time required for germ tube emergence is reduced; (2) the diameter of the mycelium is increased (sometimes more than 10 times) and frequency of branching is also increased; (3) the cell wall of the mycelium is thickened (in some cases more than 5 times); (4) the glycogen in the cytoplasm is decreased as visualized in thin sections and also demonstrated in biochemical quantitation; and (5) the distribution of intercalated membranous particles (Imp) on plasma membrane is altered and this can be easily detected in freeze-fractured replica. Such a change in Imp is seen in the formation of small clusters of aggregated particles on the plasmic half (PF) and craters on the complementary exoplasmic half(EF)of the plasma membrane. Although the mechanism of cAMP action requires further exploration, it is possible that the addition of cAMP to the culture medium leads to degradation of glycogen and enhancement of chitin synthesis since the cell wall is largely composed of chitin. The alteration in Imp may be related to a change in the activity of chitin synthetase which is a plasma membrane-bound enzyme.

scholarly journals FINE STRUCTURE OF THE GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIUM ACETOBACTER SUBOXYDANS

1964 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Claus ◽  
L. E. Roth
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Cell Walls ◽  
Negative Staining ◽  
Homogeneous Layer ◽  
Physical Treatment ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Acetobacter Suboxydans ◽  
Negative Cell

The morphological features of the cell wall, plasma membrane, protoplasmic constituents, and flagella of Acetobacter suboxydans (ATCC 621) were studied by thin sectioning and negative staining. Thin sections of the cell wall demonstrate an outer membrane and an inner, more homogeneous layer. These observations are consistent with those of isolated, gram-negative cell-wall ghosts and the chemical analyses of gram-negative cell walls. Certain functional attributes of the cell-wall inner layer and the structural comparisons of gram-negative and gram-positive cell walls are considered. The plasma membrane is similar in appearance to the membrane of the cell wall and is occasionally found to be folded into the cytoplasm. Certain features of the protoplasm are described and discussed, including the diffuse states of the chromatinic material that appear to be correlated with the length of the cell and a polar differentiation in the area of expected flagellar attachment. Although the flagella appear hollow in thin sections, negative staining of isolated flagella does not substantiate this finding. Severe physical treatment occasionally produces a localized penetration into the central region of the flagellum, the diameter of which is much smaller then that expected from sections. A possible explanation of this apparent discrepancy is discussed.

Radioautographic visualization of β-glucans formed by pea membranes from UDP-glucose

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 1266-1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susette C. Mueller ◽  
Gordon A. Maclachlan
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Hot Water ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Fibrillar Material ◽  
Close Physical Proximity ◽  
Glucose Incorporation ◽  
Stem Slices

Radioautographic experiments were carried out using pea stem slices to determine the site of glucose incorporation from UDP-glucose. Cut or damaged pea stem cells were the only cells to incorporate [3H]glucose from UDP-[3H]glucose. The product formed at 20 μM UDP-glucose was observed in electron microscope thin sections in patches on the plasma membrane and the cell wall. The product formed at 5 mM UDP-glucose occurred in fibrillar bundles that stretched between the plasma membrane and the cell wall. This periplasmic material fluoresced when stained with aniline blue. Experiments in which slices were subjected to sequential incubations in radioactive 5 mM UDP-glucose followed by unlabelled 5 mM UDP-glucose, or incubations in the reverse order, indicated that incorporation of [3H]glucose into products insoluble in chloroform:methanol:water or hot water occurs at the plasma membrane, and radioactivity is displaced from the membrane by subsequent incubations. A similar experiment, in which slices were first incubated in radioactive 20 μM UDP-glucose followed by unlabelled 5 mM UDP-glucose, indicated that the synthesis of fibrillar material from 5 mM UDP-glucose displaces the labelled product that had been formed from 20 μM UDP-glucose. It is concluded that only cut or damaged pea stem cells utilize UDP-glucose and the plasma membrane enzymes that incorporate [3H]glucose from 20 μM or 5 mM UDP-[3H]glucose are in close physical proximity.

scholarly journals Fluconazole and Lipopeptide Surfactin Interplay During Candida albicans Plasma Membrane and Cell Wall Remodeling Increases Fungal Immune System Exposure

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakub Suchodolski ◽  
Daria Derkacz ◽  
Jakub Muraszko ◽  
Jarosław J. Panek ◽  
Aneta Jezierska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Antifungal Drugs ◽  
Stable Complex ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Fungal Cell ◽  
In Silico Studies

Recognizing the β-glucan component of the Candida albicans cell wall is a necessary step involved in host immune system recognition. Compounds that result in exposed β-glucan recognizable to the immune system could be valuable antifungal drugs. Antifungal development is especially important because fungi are becoming increasingly drug resistant. This study demonstrates that lipopeptide, surfactin, unmasks β-glucan when the C. albicans cells lack ergosterol. This observation also holds when ergosterol is depleted by fluconazole. Surfactin does not enhance the effects of local chitin accumulation in the presence of fluconazole. Expression of the CHS3 gene, encoding a gene product resulting in 80% of cellular chitin, is downregulated. C. albicans exposure to fluconazole changes the composition and structure of the fungal plasma membrane. At the same time, the fungal cell wall is altered and remodeled in a way that makes the fungi susceptible to surfactin. In silico studies show that surfactin can form a complex with β-glucan. Surfactin forms a less stable complex with chitin, which in combination with lowering chitin synthesis, could be a second anti-fungal mechanism of action of this lipopeptide.

scholarly journals Chitin Synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Response to Supplementation of Growth Medium with Glucosamine and Cell Wall Stress

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 886-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorota A. Bulik ◽  
Mariusz Olczak ◽  
Hector A. Lucero ◽  
Barbara C. Osmond ◽  
Phillips W. Robbins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Growth Medium ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Neck Region ◽  
Wall Stress ◽  
Chitin Synthesis ◽  
Fourfold Increase ◽  
Cell Wall Stress

ABSTRACT In Saccharomyces cerevisiae most chitin is synthesized by Chs3p, which deposits chitin in the lateral cell wall and in the bud-neck region during cell division. We have recently found that addition of glucosamine (GlcN) to the growth medium leads to a three- to fourfold increase in cell wall chitin levels. We compared this result to the increases in cellular chitin levels associated with cell wall stress and with treatment of yeast with mating pheromone. Since all three phenomena lead to increases in precursors of chitin, we hypothesized that chitin synthesis is at least in part directly regulated by the size of this pool. This hypothesis was strengthened by our finding that addition of GlcN to the growth medium causes a rapid increase in chitin synthesis without any pronounced change in the expression of more than 6,000 genes monitored with Affymetrix gene expression chips. In other studies we found that the specific activity of Chs3p is higher in the total membrane fractions from cells grown in GlcN and from mutants with weakened cell walls. Sucrose gradient analysis shows that Chs3p is present in an inactive form in what may be Golgi compartments but as an active enzyme in other intracellular membrane-bound vesicles, as well as in the plasma membrane. We conclude that Chs3p-dependent chitin synthesis in S. cerevisiae is regulated both by the levels of intermediates of the UDP-GlcNAc biosynthetic pathway and by an increase in the activity of the enzyme in the plasma membrane.

scholarly journals Structure, organization, and functions of cellulose synthase complexes in higher plants

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reginaldo A. Festucci-Buselli ◽  
Wagner C. Otoni ◽  
Chandrashekhar P. Joshi
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Hydrogen Bonding ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Cellulose Synthase ◽  
Great Stability ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Cell Wall Polymers ◽  
Membrane Bound

Annually, plants produce about 180 billion tons of cellulose making it the largest reservoir of organic carbon on Earth. Cellulose is a linear homopolymer of beta(1-4)-linked glucose residues. The coordinated synthesis of glucose chains is orchestrated by specific plasma membrane-bound cellulose synthase complexes (CelS). The CelS is postulated to be composed of approximately 36 cellulose synthase (CESA) subunits. The CelS synthesizes 36 glucose chains in close proximity before they are further organized into microfibrils that are further associated with other cell wall polymers. The 36 glucose chains in a microfibril are stabilized by intra- and inter-hydrogen bonding which confer great stability on microfibrils. Several elementary microfibrils come together to form macrofibrils. Many CESA isoforms appear to be involved in the cellulose biosynthetic process and at least three types of CESA isoforms appear to be necessary for the functional organization of CelS in higher plants.

scholarly journals THE FINE STRUCTURE AND MODE OF ATTACHMENT OF THE SHEATHED FLAGELLUM OF VIBRIO METCHNIKOVII

1963 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey M. Glauert ◽  
D. Kerridge ◽  
R. W. Horne
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Fine Structure ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Basal Disc ◽  
The Core ◽  
Thin Sectioning ◽  
Potassium Phosphotungstate ◽  
Mode Of Attachment

The sheathed flagellum of Vibrio metchnikovii was chosen for a study of the attachment of the flagellum to the bacterial cell. Normal and autolysed organisms and isolated flagella were studied by electron microscopy using the techniques of thin sectioning and negative staining. The sheath of the flagellum has the same layered structure as the cell wall of the bacterium, and in favourable thin sections it appears that the sheath is a continuation of the cell wall. After autolysis the sheath is usually absent and the core of the flagellum has a diameter of 120 A. Electron micrographs of autolysed bacteria negatively stained with potassium phosphotungstate show that the core ends in a basal disc just inside the plasma membrane. The basal disc is about 350 A in diameter and is thus considerably smaller than the "basal granules" described previously by other workers.

Microanatomy of the Periplasm of Bacillus Licheniformis

1971 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 262-263
Author(s):  
B.K. Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Bacillus Licheniformis ◽  
External Environment ◽  
Permeability Barrier ◽  
Periplasmic Space ◽  
Modified Technique ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Gram Positive Bacteria

Periplasm of bacteria is the space outside the permeability barrier of plasma membrane but enclosed by the cell wall. The contents of this special milieu exterior could be regulated by the plasma membrane from the internal, and by the cell wall from the external environment of the cell. Unlike the gram-negative organism, the presence of this space in gram-positive bacteria is still controversial because it cannot be clearly demonstrated. We have shown the importance of some periplasmic bodies in the secretion of penicillinase from Bacillus licheniformis.In negatively stained specimens prepared by a modified technique (Figs. 1 and 2), periplasmic space (PS) contained two kinds of structures: (i) fibrils (F, 100 Å) running perpendicular to the cell wall from the protoplast and (ii) an array of vesicles of various sizes (V), which seem to have evaginated from the protoplast.

Membrane-bound vesicles associated with the microvilli in the midgut of the freshwater microcrustacean, Daphnia magna

1983 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
Patricia L. Jansma
Keyword(s):  
Daphnia Magna ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Intestinal Epithelial ◽  
Chlamydomonas Reinhardii ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Saturated Water ◽  
Cacodylate Buffer ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Ethanol Series

The presence of the membrane bound vesicles or blebs on the intestinal epithelial cells has been demonstrated in a variety of vertebrates such as chicks, piglets, hamsters, and humans. The only invertebrates shown to have these microvillar blebs are two species of f1ies. While investigating the digestive processes of the freshwater microcrustacean, Daphnia magna, the presence of these microvillar blebs was noticed.Daphnia magna fed in a suspension of axenically grown green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardii for one hour were narcotized with CO2 saturated water. The intestinal tracts were excised in 2% glutaraldehyde in 0.2 M cacodyl ate buffer and then placed in fresh 2% glutaraldehyde for one hour. After rinsing in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer, the sample was postfixed in 2% OsO4, dehydrated with a graded ethanol series, infiltrated and embedded with Epon-Araldite. Thin sections were stained with uranyl acetate and Reynolds lead citrate before viewing with the Philips EM 200.

An Electron Microscopic Study of the Acute Effects of Hypothalamic Releasing Factors on the Anterior Pituitary Gland

1968 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 232-233
Author(s):  
P.W. Coates ◽  
E.A. Ashby ◽  
L. Krulich ◽  
A. Dhariwal ◽  
S. McCann
Keyword(s):  
Anterior Pituitary ◽  
Microscopic Investigation ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Electron Microscopic Investigation ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Dense Membrane ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Releasing Factors

The morphologic effects on somatotrophs of crude sheep hypothalamic extract prepared from stalk-median eminence were studied by electron microscopy in conjunction with concurrently run bioassays performed on the same tissue samples taken from young adult male Sherman rats.Groups were divided into uninjected controls and injected experimentals sacrificed at 5', 15', and 30' after injection. Half of each anterior pituitary was prepared for electron microscopic investigation, the other half for bioassay. Fixation using collidine buffered osmium tetroxide was followed by dehydration and embedment in Maraglas. Uranyl acetate and lead citrate were used as stains. Thin sections were examined in a Philips EM 200.Somatotrophs from uninjected controls appeared as described in the literature (Fig. 1). In addition to other components, these cells contained moderate numbers of spherical, electron-dense, membrane-bound granules approximately 350 millicrons in diameter.

The ultrastructure of the double membrane-bound bodies and endoplasmic reticulum in serial sections of wheat spot mosaic-affected wheat plants

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 694-695
Author(s):  
M. H. Chen ◽  
C. Hiruki
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Membrane Structure ◽  
Mosaic Disease ◽  
Serial Sections ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Double Membrane ◽  
Southern Alberta ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Scanning Em

Wheat spot mosaic disease was first discovered in southern Alberta, Canada, in 1956. A hitherto unidentified disease-causing agent, transmitted by the eriophyid mite, caused chlorosis, stunting and finally severe necrosis resulting in the death of the affected plants. Double membrane-bound bodies (DMBB), 0.1-0.2 μm in diameter were found to be associated with the disease.Young tissues of leaf and root from 4-wk-old infected wheat plants were fixed, dehydrated, and embedded in Spurr’s resin. Serial sections were collected on slot copper grids and stained. The thin sections were then examined with a Hitachi H-7000 TEM at 75 kV. The membrane structure of the DMBBs was studied by numbering them individually and tracing along the sections to see any physical connection with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes. For high resolution scanning EM, a modification of Tanaka’s method was used. The specimens were examined with a Hitachi Model S-570 SEM in its high resolution mode at 20 kV.

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