BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES DURING THE GROWTH OF FUNGI. I. NITROGEN COMPOUNDS AND CARBOHYDRATE CHANGES IN PENICILLIUM ATROVENETUM.
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Gottlieb, David (University of Illinois, Urbana), and James L. Van Etten. Biochemical changes during the growth of fungi. I. Nitrogen compounds and carbohydrate changes in Penicillium atrovenetum. J. Bacteriol. 88:114-121. 1964.-Changes in the biochemical constituents of cells were studied during the growth and development of Penicillium atrovenetum. Growth of the fungus, as measured by the dry weight, could be divided into four phases: lag, log, stationary, and death. The percentages of total nitrogen, cold trichloroacetic acid-soluble nitrogen, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and protein increased to a maximum during the lag phase, and subsequently decreased as the fungus aged. The percentage of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was always slightly higher in the spores than in the mycelium. The DNA in the mycelium decreased in the lag phase, and then increased slightly to a plateau for the duration of the log phase, followed by a decrease to a constant percentage during the stationary and death phases. Carbohydrates were present in higher concentration in the mycelium than in the spores. The percentage of carbohydrates in the mycelium increased continually until it reached a maximum late in the log phase, and then decreased as the fungus entered the death phase. The results reported for this fungus are, in general, in agreement with those reported for other microorganisms. Namely, the percentages of enzyme-forming compounds, such as amino acids, nucleotides, RNA, and protein, were highest in the lag phase, whereas storage compounds such as carbohydrates increased to a maximum near the end of the log phase. The definition of log phase in fungi depends on the criteria that are used. If, instead of using the linear increase in dry weight to delimit this growth period, one uses the end of net protein, RNA, and DNA synthesis, a more realistic concept of growth emerges. (+info)
RED CELL GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENCY--A NEWLY RECOGNIZED CAUSE OF NEONATAL JAUNDICE AND KERNICTERUS IN CANADA.
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Seven male newborns of Chinese, Greek and Italian origin presented with severe hemolytic jaundice due to red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency. In five, the hemolysis was precipitated by inhalation of mothball vapours in the home. Kernicterus was evident upon admission in six infants and was fatal in four of these.G-6-PD deficiency should be suspected as a cause of jaundice in all full-term male infants of these ethnic groups. The diagnosis can be confirmed in any hospital by the methemoglobin reduction test. In areas similar to Toronto, Canada, where these high-risk ethnic groups prevail, the following measures are recommended: (1) detection of G-6-PD deficient newborns by screening cord bloods of all infants of these ethnic groups; (2) protection of affected infants from potentially hemolytic agents such as naphthalene, certain vitamin K preparations, and sulfonamides; and (3) observation of serum bilirubin levels to assess the need for exchange transfusion for hyperbilirubinemia. (+info)
CYTOPATHOGENIC EFFECT OF BRUCELLA SPHEROPLASTS ON MONOCYTES IN TISSUE CULTURE.
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Freeman, Bob A. (The University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.), and Barry H. Rumack. Cytopathogenic effect of Brucella spheroplasts on monocytes in tissue culture. J. Bacteriol. 88:1310-1315. 1964.-Mononuclear phagocytes from guinea pig peritoneal exudates were shown to ingest both normal Brucella suis and spheroplasts prepared from B. suis by treatment with glycine and with penicillin. Quantitative ingestion studies with P(32)-labeled Brucella showed that rough normal Brucella are ingested at a greater rate than are smooth normal Brucella. Spheroplasts prepared from smooth cells were phagocytized at a greater rate than were the normal smooth cells, and spheroplasts prepared from rough Brucella were phagocytized well, although apparently to a lesser extent than from the normal rough Brucella. The degree of phagocytosis of all spheroplasts appeared to reach a peak and then decrease, indicating a release of ingested bacteria; this release of intracellular bacteria is believed to be due to the cytopathogenic effect exerted by the spheroplasts. Direct microscopic observations showed that infection with living spheroplasts prepared from either smooth or rough Brucella destroyed a major portion of the host cells within 4 hr, but that formalin-killed spheroplasts were no more destructive than were normal Brucella. When host cell destruction was assayed by the release of cellular constituents into the medium, it was apparent that host-cell destruction by spheroplasts reaches a significant level within 0.5 hr after ingestion begins, and is almost complete by 4 hr. The implications of these findings in studies on the nature of intracellular Brucella are discussed. (+info)
ENZYMES ASSOCIATED WITH BIOLUMINESCENCE IN PANUS STYPTICUS LUMINESCENS AND PANUS STYPTICUS NON-LUMINESCENS.
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Airth, R. L. (The University of Texas, Austin), and G. Elizabeth Foerster. Enzymes associated with bioluminescence in Panus stypticus luminescens and Panus stypticus non-luminescens. J. Bacteriol. 88:1372-1379. 1964.-Fungal bioluminescence depends upon at least four factors: (i) reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) (or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate); (ii) a molecule to accept electrons, either directly or indirectly from NADH; (iii) an enzyme(s) to catalyze electron transfer; and (iv) luciferase to catalyze the actual light-emitting reaction. Cell-free light emission from Panus stypticus luminescens was obtained, and the enzymes of this species are interchangeable, in all combinations, which those of another luminous fungus, Collybia velutipes. A study of the nonluminous form of Panus stypticus indicates that both enzymes are absent in this strain, and no definite conclusion could be made regarding the presence or absence of the electron acceptor. The genetic implications of these findings are discussed. (+info)
STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF HUMAN 7S GAMMA-GLOBULIN (G IMMUNOGLOBULIN). FURTHER OBSERVATIONS OF A NATURALLY OCCURRING PROTEIN RELATED TO THE CRYSTALLIZABLE (FAST) FRAGMENT.
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1. Detailed physical, chemical, and immunologic studies of a protein closely related to the Fc fragment and heavy chain of G immunoglobulin (IgG), and elaborated by a subject with a lymphoproliferative disorder are presented. 2. The protein, which has a molecular weight of 51,000, was cleaved into two half molecules by reduction and alkylation. 3. The protein has few if any of the antigenic determinants of the antigen-binding (Fab) papain fragment of IgG, and has a striking similarity in its antigenic properties to the Fc fragment. 4. Fingerprint patterns resemble those of the crystallizable (Fc) fragment, and lack several peptides found in the heavy chain. 5. These findings suggest that the Fc fragment may be a real structural unit of IgG, and raise the possibility of the existence of three different types of polypeptide chains in G immunoglobulin. (+info)
CROSS-REACTIONS OF PNEUMOCOCCAL TYPES. QUANTITATIVE STUDIES WITH THE CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDES.
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Data are given on the amounts of antibody nitrogen precipitated in the crossreactions, often reciprocal, of the specific capsular polysaccharides of the pneumococcal type pairs II and XX, II and XIX, VII and XIV, VII and XVIII, VII and XIX, VIII and XVIII, VIII and XIX, X and XIV, and X and XX. Since little is known of the fine structures of the polysaccharides of Types VII, X, XIX, and XX, rigorous correlations between chemical structure and specificity can not be made, but several tentative conclusions are drawn. (+info)
THE DIFFERENTIATION OF MONONUCLEAR PHAGOCYTES. MORPHOLOGY, CYTOCHEMISTRY, AND BIOCHEMISTRY.
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The in vitro differentiation of homogeneous populations of monocyte-like cells from the unstimulated mouse peritoneal cavity is described. Under the conditions employed, a progressive increase in cell size occurs without significant cell division. This process is characterized morphologically by the accumulation of phase-dense and neutral red-positive granules, mitochondria, and lipid droplets. The phase-dense granules react strongly for acid phosphatase. Biochemical determinations indicate marked increases in the total content and specific activity of acid phosphatase, cathepsin, and beta-glucuronidase. The production of acid phosphatase is more rapid and extensive than that of the other two hydrolases. From these data it appears that the conversion of a monocyte-like cell to a mature macrophage is accompanied by the formation of increased numbers of lysosome-like cytoplasmic organelles. Mouse peritoneal phagocytes stimulated in vivo with a bacterial lipopolysaccharide undergo a similar series of morphological and biochemical events. (+info)
STUDIES OF STREPTOCOCCAL CELL WALLS. VII. CARBOHYDRATE COMPOSITION OF GROUP B CELL WALLS.
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Wittner, Masako K. (Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital, Chicago, Ill.), and James A. Hayashi. Studies of streptococcal cell walls. VII. Carbohydrate composition of group B cell walls. J. Bacteriol. 89:398-402. 1965.-Group B streptococcal cell walls contain 63% protein, 10% rhamnose, 18% hexose (mainly galactose, but also some glucose), 7% hexosamine (mainly glucosamine, but also galactosamine), and 3% muramic acid. The group and type antigens were extracted from isolated cell walls by acid treatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, and fractionated either with ethanol or on a diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column. Serological and chemical analyses of the fractions obtained in the two fractionation methods show that the group antigen is a rhamnose-rich polysaccharide and that the type antigen is rich in galactose and contains hexosamines. (+info)