Showing papers in "Journal of General and Applied Microbiology in 1978"
TL;DR: Cellular fatty acid composition of 50 strains of the genus Pseudomonas was determined by gas-liquid chromatography and similarity values calculated on the basis of fatty acids exhibited a clear correlation to the taxonomic groups of this genus.
Abstract: Cellular fatty acid composition of 50 strains of the genus Pseudomonas was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Straight-chain saturated acid of C16:0 and straight-chain unsaturated acids of C16:1 and C18:1 with a double bond were commonly found in all the strains tested. The presence of hydroxy acids, cyclopropane acids, and branched-chain acids showed the characteristics for the groups and species in the genus Pseudomonas. Similarity values calculated on the basis of fatty acids exhibited a clear correlation to the taxonomic groups of this genus. Bacterial fatty acid composition was considered to be useful for the study of interrelation and for rapid identification of the bacteria. Taxonomic studies on bacteria have been mainly carried out on the basis of morphological, biochemical, and physiological characteristics. Recently, chemical constituents of bacterial cells have become of interest from the point of taxonomy, and DNA base composition, cell wall composition, and type of co-enzyme Q have been used for taxonomic criteria in some taxa. The progress of instrumental analyses has contributed to the development of chemotaxonomy, and the results involved have been useful not only for the bacterial classification, but also for rapid identification of the bacteria.
87 citations
TL;DR: It was noteworthy that almost identical fatty acid composition was found in the cells grown on methanol-containing media and in thecells grown on media not containing methanols, in the both groups of methanl-utilizing bacteria.
Abstract: Composition of cellular fatty acids in methanol-utilizing bacteria was examined from the viewpoint of taxonomy. This group of bacteria showed a rather simple composition of cellular fatty acids, and was divided into two major groups on the basis of this composition. Pseudomonas methylotropha NCIB 10510, 10511, 10512, 10513, and 10515 showed the presence of a large amount of straight-chain saturated and unsaturated acids of C16:0 and C16:1, a small amount of straight-chain 3-hydroxy acid of C10:0, and a minor amount of other acids. Other methanol-utilizing bacteria, Pseudomonas extorquens NCIB 9399, Pseudomonas spp. NCIB 9133, 9686, and 10597, and Protaminobacter rubes NCIB 2879, showed the presence of a large amount of straight-chain unsaturated acid of C18:1, and a minor amount of other acids. Almost identical fatty acid composition was obtained from Microcyclus polymorphum NCIB 10516 and Hyphomicrobium variabile NCIB 10517, with the exception of the presence of cyclopropane acid of C19:0 and other unknown acids. It was noteworthy that almost identical fatty acid composition was found in the cells grown on methanol-containing media and in the cells grown on media not containing methanol, in the both groups of methanol-utilizing bacteria.
71 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a method was established for counting viable cell number of oligotrophs and eutrophs, employing poor and rich media, and two groups of bacteria were determined as oligotrophic and Eutrophic.
Abstract: Two groups of bacteria were determined as oligotrophs and eutrophs. The former can grow only on a poor medium and not on a rich medium, and the latter can grow on a rich medium. Based on such trophic nature of bacterial groups, a method was established for counting viable cell number of oligotrophs and eutrophs, employing poor and rich media. The present method was used to examine water samples of fresh and sea water areas including rivers and lakes in Toyama Prefecture, off the coast of Toyama Bay, and open sea area at Yamato Bank in the Japan Sea. Physical and chemical environmental factors in these areas were also estimated. Based on the result of an extensive survey on these oligotrophic and eutrophic water samples, two general conclusions were deduced: (a) Oligotrophs and eutrophs responded quite similarly to respective chemical environmental factors, and (b) the number of these trophic groups remained almost constant at even higher concentrations of these factors. In fresh water areas, the number of oligotrophs usually exceeded that of eutrophs, and limiting substances for the size of these bacterial populations were considered to be nitrate-nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen. From the effect of rainfall on the number and trophic flora of bacteria in a river, the source of river bacteria was suggested at least in part to be attributed to the soil bacteria.
42 citations
TL;DR: Infrared spectrometric analysis and thin-layer chromatography were employed to detect sphingolipids in the genus Bacteroides species and found them in the bacteria belonging to B. ruminicola, but not in B. multiacidus.
Abstract: Infrared spectrometric analysis and thin-layer chromatography were employed to detect sphingolipids in the genus Bacteroides species. Sphingolipids were found in the bacteria belonging to B. fragilis, B. melaninogenicus, B. oralis, and B. ruminicola, but not in B. succinogenes, B. furcosus, B. hypermegas, B. amylophilus, and B. multiacidus. The taxonomical position of the bacteria that contain no sphingolipids has come into the question.
39 citations
TL;DR: The acetamidase of Brevibacterium R312, a strain with nitrilase activity, has very different characteristics from those of its acetonitrilase, and looks like aliphatic amidases described by other authors.
Abstract: The acetamidase of Brevibacterium R312, a strain with nitrilase activity, has very different characteristics from those of its acetonitrilase. This acetamidase presents an activity for pH values greater than 3 and has an optimum activity at pH 7. The optimal temperature is between 60° and 70°. The enzyme resists high temperatures and its Michaelis constant is 3.5×10-3M. The -SH, -OH, -NH2, -NH-C-NH2, and tryptophan NH groups seem to be necessary for the acetamidase activity. The enzyme remains in supernatant fluid from the centrifugation at 180, 000×g. It is an adaptative enzyme. This acetamidase looks like aliphatic amidases described by other authors.
36 citations
TL;DR: For the enumeration of anaerobic bacteria in digestor fluid, rumen fluid-glucose-cellobiose-agar (RGCA) gave as good results as previously reported in the rumen and other ecosystems like intestines and feces, under the 100% CO2 gas phase.
Abstract: Examination of non-methanogenic anaerobic bacteria in sewage digestor fluid was attempted by the anaerobic roll tube method. For the enumeration of anaerobic bacteria in digestor fluid, rumen fluid-glucose-cellobiose-agar (RGCA) gave as good results as previously reported in the rumen and other ecosystems like intestines and feces, under the 100% CO2 gas phase. However, under the mixed gas phase (95% N2 and 5% CO2), higher colony counts were obtained with YLS agar, which contained the supernatant of autoclaved sewage digestor fluid, than with RGCA. Colony counts of anaerobic bacteria decreased with the progress of fermentation of waste and the proportion of facultative anaerobes in the isolated anaerobes also decreased. Large variations in the distribution pattern of bacteria were usually observed between the results obtained from three digestors investigated. However, Streptococcus and Gram-negative curved rods were commonly isolated from the three digestors as predominant groups.
25 citations
TL;DR: Negatively stained specimens of purified carotovoricin Er revealed that its structure consists of a contractible sheath, a core, and fibers, and resembled that of the tail part of bacteriophages.
Abstract: Syntheses of carotovoricin Er, a bacteriocin from Erwinia carotovora strain Er, induced by mitomycin-C, was accompanied with cell lysis. Carotovoricin Er is a thermolabile particulate, sedimentable by centrifugation at 100, 000×g for 60min, sensitive to sodium dodecyl sulfate, and unstable at acidic and basic pH, indicating protein in nature. Carotovoricin Er, however, is resistant to hydrolytic digestion by various proteolytic enzymes. Carotovoricin Er was purified approximately 70 fold by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography, Sepharose 2B gel filtration, and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Single peak of carotovoricin activity coincided with a protein peak in the sucrose density gradient. Negatively stained specimens of purified carotovoricin Er revealed that its structure consists of a contractible sheath, a core, and fibers, and resembled that of the tail part of bacteriophages.
21 citations
TL;DR: Optimum pH, optimum temperature, and minimum dose for the activity of this enzyme were elucidated and no difference in the elution pattern on column chromatography and molar ratio of component materials was found between oligosaccharides of infectious and non-infectious bacterial strains obtained after hydrolysis by the depolymerase.
Abstract: An exopolysaccharide depolymerase of Rhizobium trifolii is induced in the host bacterial cells by virulent phage infection. The action of this depolymerase appeared only when exopolysaccharide contained glucuronic acid in the exopolysaccharide chains. The reaction was completely inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and this inhibitory effect was abrogated by Ca2+. This enzyme has a molecular weight of about 4.4×105. Optimum pH, optimum temperature, and minimum dose for the activity of this enzyme were elucidated. No difference in the elution pattern on column chromatography and molar ratio of component materials was found between oligosaccharides of infectious and non-infectious bacterial strains obtained after hydrolysis by the depolymerase.
20 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the two forms of glucoamylase (GA-I and GA-II) obtained from the culture of Monascus kaoliang F-1 on wheat bran was examined.
Abstract: Substrate specificity of the two forms of glucoamylase (GA-I and GA-II) obtained from the culture of Monascus kaoliang F-1 on wheat bran was examined. Both glucoamylases hydrolyzed amylopectin, amylose, glycogen, soluble starch, maltotriose, and maltose but not isomaltose. The Km values of GA-I for maltose, amylose, amylopectin, and glycogen were 1.0×10-1%, 3.6×10-1%, 6.1×10-1%, and 1.6%, respectively, and the values of GA-II for these substrates were 1.0×10-1%, 1.9×10-2%, 3.0×10-3%, and 8.5×10-3%, respectively. The ratio of Vmax values of GA-I for various substrates with maltose as a standard was not so different from that of GA-II. The limits of hydrolysis of soluble starch, amylopectin, amylose, and glycogen by each glucoamylase were 70%, 90%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. GA-II hydrolyzed raw starch from wheat, corn, sweet potato, and potato more rapidly than GA-I. Both enzymes hydrolyzed soluble starch with the inversion of configuration, producing the β-anomer of glucose.
15 citations
14 citations
TL;DR: A multiple mutant of bacteriophage T4, which had been proved to contain cytosine-substituted DNA, was grown in a suppressor-containing or non-containing strain of Escherichia coli B or K12, and the progeny phage obtained was grown on test strains carrying various restriction systems.
Abstract: A multiple mutant of bacteriophage T4, which had been proved to contain cytosine-substituted DNA, was grown in a suppressor-containing or non-containing (sup°) strain of Escherichia coli B or K12, and the progeny phage obtained was grown on test strains carrying various restriction systems. As a result, the growth of this phage was found to be subject to the rK, rB, and rP1 restriction systems. Two T4 strains, named UNF-r1 and UNF-r+1, sensitive to the rK, rB, and rP1 restriction systems, were newly derived by the genetic cross and mutagenesis. The former had the unf-39 mutation instead of the alc-8 mutation, the latter had the rII+ region and the unf-39 mutation, besides the amE51 (gene 56; dCTPase), denA (endonuclease II), and denB (endonuclease IV) mutations. It was demonstrated that UNF-r+1 DNA possessed a SalI recognition site in the rII-denB region which was deleted in UNF-r1 DNA.
TL;DR: In various strains of E. coli, Ca2- or Ba2+-dependent uptake of microvirid phage DNA was not affected by the presence or absence of a phage receptor on the cell surface, and efficiency of transfection was low in strain C61 (lacking branch heptose) and in C23•1 (deficient in galactose residues and branch glucose).
Abstract: Ca2+- or Ba2+-dependent uptake of microvirid phage DNA was not affected by the presence or absence of a phage receptor on the cell surface of E. coli C. Structural changes of cell wall lipopolysaccharide in E. coli C, however, affected the development of Ca2+- or Ba2+-dependent competence. Thus, efficiency of transfection was low in strain C61 (lacking branch heptose) and in C23•1 (deficient in galactose residues and branch glucose). Ba2+-induced competence was low in the terminal galactose-less strain C23 as well. Deficiency in murein lipoprotein resulted in an increased competence for single-stranded DNA and double-stranded replicative form DNA. Level of the competence of mutants resistant to T5 and/or T1 was not much different from that of the sensitive bacteria. In various strains of E. coli, Ca2+ (Ba2+)-induced competence for single-stranded DNA was parallel with that for double-stranded replicative form DNA. On the other hand, the ratio of Ca2+- and the Ba2+-dependent competence varied considerably in several derivatives of strain C.
TL;DR: Results show thatArginine degradation in S. citri is via arginine dihydrolase pathway and that arginin deiminase, and possibly the other two enzymes of this pathway, are inducible.
Abstract: Cell-free extract of California strain of Spiroplasma cirri contained activities of arginine deiminase, ornithine transcarbamylase, and carbamyl phosphokinase but not those of argininosuccinic acid sythetase, argininosuccinase, and arginase. When washed cells suspended in buffer were supplied with arginine, the disappearance of arginine was accompanied by appearance of citrulline, ornithine, and ammonia. Addition of rifampicin or cycloheximide to culture medium at the time of inoculation prevented the appearance of activity of arginine deiminase, the first enzyme of arginine dihydrolase pathway. These results show that arginine degradation in S. citri is via arginine dihydrolase pathway and that arginine deiminase, and possibly the other two enzymes of this pathway, are inducible.
TL;DR: A strain of yeast labeled Candida rugosa was found to represent a new species and was named Candida pararugosa, which differed from C. rugosa in serological characteristics and proton-NMR spectrum of mannose-containing polysaccharide in the cell wall.
Abstract: A strain of yeast labeled Candida rugosa was found to represent a new species and was named Candida pararugosa.C. pararugosa had a GC content of 48%, assimilated L-sorbose and L-arabinose but not glycerol, required pyridoxine, had a maximum growth temperature of 36-37°, and differed from C. rugosa in these characteristics. Further, C. pararugosa differed from C. rugosa also in serological characteristics and proton-NMR spectrum of mannose-containing polysaccharide in the cell wall. A description of the new yeast was given.
TL;DR: A method for isolation of mating-less mutants is described, considered to be the effective tools to obtain biological and biochemical solution for the mechanism of sexual reproduction, from Rhodosporidium toruloides M1057, a strain of mating type a, and some properties of the mutants isolated are also presented.
TL;DR: Free amino acid pools extracted from growing cultures of Spirillum lipoferum is reported here, suggesting that the free amino acid pool contains a variety of amino acids with glutamic acid and amide glutamine being present in much higher concentrations than others.
Abstract: Growth and nitrogenase activity were studied in cultures of Spirillum lipoferum growing with dinitrogen and combined nitrogen. Not much difference is observed in the growth rates in culture growing with and without dinitrogen except that the lag phase is shortened in culture growing with combined nitrogen. The nitrogenase activity was repressed by ammonium chloride but, after exhaustion of ammonia, the activity was derepressed. With respect to PO2, maximum nitrogenase activity in this bacterium is observed at PO2=0.004atm, indicating that nitrogen is fixed microaerophilically by Spirillum. Free amino acid pools extracted from growing cultures of Spirillum lipoferum is also reported here, suggesting that the free amino acid pool contains a variety of amino acids with glutamic acid and amide glutamine being present in much higher concentrations than others.
TL;DR: Crossing experiments between drug-sensitive rho- mutants and resistant cells indicated that the loss of drug resistance was caused not by mutation of drug-resistance genes but by deletion of genes on mitochondrial DNA.
Abstract: Loss and retention of mitochondrially coded drug resistance markers were studied in cytoplasmic respiration-deficient (rho-) mutants of yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) and ethidium bromide. When the yeast cells resistant to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and oligomycin were treated with ethidium bromide, this drug resistance was lost progressively with increasing time of treatment. In the case of 4-NQO, the retention rate of drug resistance was very high and did not change by treatment for 1, 5, and 24hr.Crossing experiments between drug-sensitive rho- mutants and resistant cells indicated that the loss of drug resistance was caused not by mutation of drug-resistance genes but by deletion of genes on mitochondrial DNA. Interpretations concerning the deletion of mitochondrial drug-resistance genes by 4-NQO and ethidium bromide are given and the difference in their actions is discussed.
TL;DR: Sublethal concentration of the antibiotic, novobiocin, or ethylenediaminetetraacetate was found to induce formation of large regular cell packets in Micrococcus luteus (lysodeikticus), which usually grows in pairs, fours, and short chains of cells.
Abstract: Sublethal concentration of the antibiotic, novobiocin, or ethylenediaminetetraacetate was found to induce formation of large regular cell packets in Micrococcus luteus (lysodeikticus), which usually grows in pairs, fours, and short chains of cells. Teichuronic acid, normal constituent of the cell walls of M. luteus, seemed to be absent or present in a very small amount in the cell wall of the cell packets, judged by the agglutination test with antiserum or by chemical analysis of hexose, a component of teichuronic acid. At much higher concentrations, novobiocin also inhibited the enzymic synthesis of teichuronic acids by a particulate fraction of M. luteus. Therefore, it was hypothesized that loss of teichuronic acid was the reason for formation of cell packets by this bacterium in the presence of novobiocin or ethylenediaminetetraacetate.
TL;DR: Results indicate that death resulting from unbalanced growth did not occur when DNA synthesis was inhibited, even though macromolecular substances and buds were normally produced under the biotin-deficient condition.
Abstract: The effect of hydroxyurea on the death resulting from biotin starvation was examined. This chemical, which preferentially inhibits deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, prevented death after biotin starvation. Hydroxyurea also inhibits DNA synthesis. Growth, ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis, and protein synthesis were less sensitive to this chemical. Cell death was strongly suppressed on addition of 0.2M hydroxyurea when the cells were simultaneously starved for biotin.At this concentration, DNA synthesis was selectively inhibited, while RNA and protein syntheses continued at nearly the control rate for 8hr of cultivation. In the subculture from which hydroxyurea was removed after 8hr of growth, DNA synthesis was resumed abruptly and cell death occurred without any lag. Furthermore, as the timing of addition of hydroxyurea into the biotin-free medium containing aspartic acid (Asp medium) was delayed, the rate of cell death increased proportionally. On the other hand, when hydroxyurea was added at 0.2M to the Asp medium, cells underwent one cycle of budding, but neither the nucleus nor the cell divided. In the presence of hydroxyurea at 0.2M, the incorporation of acetate [U-14C] into the lipid fraction of the cells was almost the same as the control without hydroxyurea even after 8hr of cultivation. These results indicate that death resulting from unbalanced growth did not occur when DNA synthesis was inhibited, even though macromolecular substances and buds were normally produced under the biotin-deficient condition.
TL;DR: The purified intact clostocin O was homogeneous by several criteria such as sedimentation pattern of sucrose density gradient, sedimentation velocity, and isoelectric focusing.
Abstract: A phage tail-like bacteriocin, clostocin O, from Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonicum (ATCC 13564) was purified by two-phase fractionation and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Clostocin O had two kinds of particle form; one is the intact form (sheathed form) and the other is an inactive form (contracted form). A part of the intact form converted into the contracted form during the purification. The s20, w of clostocin O was 95S for the intact form and 74S for the contracted form. The purified intact clostocin O was homogeneous by several criteria such as sedimentation pattern of sucrose density gradient, sedimentation velocity, and isoelectric focusing. The isoelectric point was pH 4.6. The intact clostocin O mainly consisted of protein, but contained some (2-3%) RNA. Its amino acid composition was also determined with an amino acid analyzer.
TL;DR: The isolation and characterization of 7 strains of bacteria from various sources, which utilized benzylpenicillin as carbon and nitrogen sources are described, and five isolates were identified as members of the group of fluorescent pseudomonads.
Abstract: The isolation and characterization of 7 strains of bacteria from various sources, which utilized benzylpenicillin as carbon and nitrogen sources are described. The isolates were all gram-negative rods with polar flagella exhibiting oxidative metabolism. Five isolates were identified as members of the group of fluorescent pseudomonads. During growth on benzylpenicillin, benzylpenicilloic acid and benzylpenilloic acid accumulated. 6-Aminopenicillanic acid was not demonstrated.
TL;DR: The isoenzyme patterns of several hydrolytic enzymes in virulent and avirulent, agrocin-resistant Agrobacterium tumefaciens have been studied and no absolute requirement of any metal ions for the activity of the enzyme was observed.
Abstract: The isoenzyme patterns of several hydrolytic enzymes, viz., acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase, and catalase, in virulent and avirulent, agrocin-resistant Agrobacterium tumefaciens have been studied. Agrocin resistance brought about genetic repression in regard to the synthesis of one of the isoenzymes in each of these three enzymes. Avirulent resistant strains also showed a reduction in the activities of all the hydrolases. Although Mg 2+ stimulated the activity of alkaline phosphatase, no absolute requirement of any metal ions for the activity of the enzyme was observed.
TL;DR: It appears highly probable that protozoal cholestanol is formed by de novo synthesis, and poor or no capacity of rumen protozoa to synthesize sterols may, at least in part, explain the sterol requirement of theseprotozoa.
Abstract: Metabolic origin of sterols found in rumen protozoa was investigated by the use of 14C-labeled precursors. Hydrogenation of unsaturated sterols by protozoa was shown by incubation with 14C-cholesterol and 14C-β-sitosterol, suggesting that stigmastanol and campestanol in protozoa could be derived from exogenous C29 and C28 sterols, respectively. Low redox potential was found to be required for this hydrogenation reaction. No evidence was obtained for the assumption that protozoal cholestanol is formed by dealkylation of C(24)-alkyl-sterols. Incorporation of the label from 14C-acetate and 14C-mevalonate into the sterol fraction of protozoa was shown. Therefore, it appears highly probable that cholestanol is formed by de novo synthesis. The radioactivity in the protozoal sterol fraction, however, was not high enough to conclude with definite certainty that rumen protozoa possess a sterol-synthesizing capacity; the possibility that contaminating organisms such as yeasts and fungi were responsible for the reaction could not be denied. Attempts to prove cholestanol synthesis by radio gas-liquid chromatography were unsuccessful due to low specific radioactivity of the protozoal sterols labeled. Thus, poor or no capacity of rumen protozoa to synthesize sterols may, at least in part, explain the sterol requirement of these protozoa. In addition, other conversion and degradation reactions of sterols are described.