Inherited chilling tolerance in somatic hybrids of transgenic Hibiscus rosa-sinensis x transgenic Lavatera thuringiaca selected by double-antibiotic resistance

Improvement of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis for increased frost tolerance has been attempted through somatic hybridization with the frost tolerant Lavatera thuringiaca. Cell suspensions from Hibiscus and Lavatera were transformed with A. tumefaciens harboring plasmids containing selectable genes coding for kanamycin and hygromycin resistance, respectively. We provided evidence that H. rosa-sinensis and L. thuringiaca were transformed by strong selection of transformed calluses in medium containing antibiotics, by GUS activity determination in protein extracts and by molecular confirmation of chromosomal integration and expression of the selectable genes. Protoplasts isolated from a kanamycinresistant Hibiscus callus and from a hygromycin-resistant Lavatera callus were fused and selected in medium containing both antibiotics. We determined unambiguously that the regenerated double-antibiotic resistant clones obtained are indeed somatic hybrids through analysis of acid phosphatase zymograms and nuclear DNA content. Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis was accomplished from both isolated protoplasts and transgenic calluses of L. thuringiaca. However, regeneration from the double-antibiotic resistant fusant calluses was unsuccessful. Analysis of the somatic hybrids at the callus level showed that chilling and freezing tolerance are governed by independent genetic components. The somatic hybrids displayed significant improvement for chilling tolerance at conditions lethal to H. rosa-sinensis, although frost tolerance was not expressed.

Effect of orally administered heat-killed Enterococcus Faecalis FK-23 preparation on neutropenia in dogs treated with cyclophosphamide

Dogs injected intravenously for 3 days with cyclophosphamide (CY) at a dose of 10 mg/kg were given 100 mg/kg of Enterococcus faecalis FK-23 preparation (FK-23) perorally for 14 days to confirm the beneficial effects of the latter drug in neutropenic dogs when orally administered. Although FK-23 treatment did not inhibit CY-induced neutropenia, it augmented neutrophil-reconstituting capacity in these dogs. Increases in the myeloid/ erythroid ratio and neutrophilic lineages were found in the bone marrow of FK-23 administered dogs. The oral administration significantly restored the reduced activity of neutrophil phagocytosis and chemiluminescence in dogs treated with CY. These findings indicate that FK-23 administered perorally not only augments neutrophil reconstitution through the activation of bone marrow but also functions in dogs treated with CY. It may thus be a useful supportive agent to reduce the adverse side-effects associated with the administration of chemotherapeutic agents such as CY.

Conserved initiator proteins in eukaryotes

The origin recognition complex (ORC), a multisubunit protein identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, binds to chromosomal replicators and is required for the initiation of cellular DNA replication. Complementary DNAs (cDNAs) encoding proteins related to the two largest subunits of ORC were cloned from various eukaryotes. The cDNAs encoding proteins related to S. cerevisiae Orc1p were cloned from the budding yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and human cells. These proteins show similarity to regulators of the S and M phases of the cell cycle. Genetic analysis of orc1+ from S. pombe reveals that it is essential for cell viability. The cDNAs encoding proteins related to S. cerevisiae Orc2p were cloned from Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, and human cells. The human ORC-related proteins interact in vivo to form a complex. These studies studies suggest that ORC subunits are conserved and that the role of ORC is a general feature of eukaryotic DNA replication.

Cloning and nucleotide sequence of fosfomycin biosynthetic genes of Streptomyces wedmorensis

The biosynthetic pathway for production of the antibiotic fosfomycin by Streptomyces wedmorensis consists of four steps including the formation of a C-P bond and an epoxide. Fosfomycin production genes were cloned from genomic DNA using S. wedmorensis mutants blocked at different steps of the biosynthetic pathway. Four genes corresponding to each of the biosynthetic steps were found to be clustered in a DNA fragment of about 5 kb. Nucleotide sequencing of a large fragment revealed the presence of ten open reading frames, including the four biosynthetic genes and six genes with unknown functions.

Expression of cryptantigen Th on paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria erythrocytes in association with a hemolytic exacerbation

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) erythrocytes lack complement regulatory membrane proteins and are susceptible to complement. Although the critical role of complement in intravascular hemolysis in PNH is accepted, the precise mechanism of complement activation in vivo is unknown. Accordingly, in a PNH patient who was suffering from a hemolytic precipitation soon after a common cold-like upper respiratory infection, we analyzed the erythrocytes with lectins and by flow cytometry to detect membrane alteration that lead to complement activation. The lectin reactivity of erythrocytes showed the expression of cryptantigen Th. The patient serum at the time of the hemolysis induced the expression of Th on erythrocytes from PNH patients and from healthy volunteers in vitro, whereas neither the patient serum after recovery from the hemolysis nor blood type-matched control serum from healthy donor showed this activity. Moreover, autologous serum selectively hemolyzed Th+ PNH erythrocytes, but not Th- PNH erythrocytes, or Th+ control erythrocytes. Hemolysis was not observed either in complement-inactivated serum or in blood type-matched cord blood serum, which lacks natural antibodies to cryptantigens. These findings indicate that the immunoreaction of infection-induced Th with natural antibody on PNH erythrocytes is a trigger of the complement activation, leading to intravascular hemolysis.

Sequence of a P-methyltransferase-encoding gene isolated from a bialaphos-producing Streptomyces hygroscopicus

The nucleotide sequence of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus gene encoding P-methyltransferase, catalyzing the formation of a carbon-phosphorus bond, involved in bialaphos biosynthesis, has been determined. The amino-acid sequence deduced from the nt sequence, shows homology with those of magnesium-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester oxidative cyclase (Mg-ProtoMe cyclase) of Rhodobacter capsulatus and the enzyme catalyzing the methylation of the aldehyde carbon of phosphonoacetaldehyde in fosfomycin biosynthesis.

New oral dosage form for elderly patients. II. Release behavior of benfotiamine from silk fibroin gel

Silk fibroin gel (SFG) containing benfotiamine (BTMP) was prepared. The release behavior of BTMP from SFG was studied as a function of silk fibroin (SF) content and glycerol content, and the influence of the existence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) on the physicochemical properties of SFG were investigated. The release rate of BTMP from SFG was retarded by an increase in SF concentration. The addition of beta-CD affected both the release properties and rheological properties of the SFG. It was found from the results of the "paddle-bead method" that the release profiles of BTMP from SFG were inversely proportional to the SFG firmness.

Markedly high population of affected reticulocytes negative for decay-accelerating factor and CD59 in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) blood cells lack glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins such as decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59. This lack is of diagnostic value in PNH. Because reticulocytes in PNH are not yet well characterized, we analyzed reticulocytes obtained from 12 patients with PNH and from 5 healthy volunteers by two-color flow cytometry with a membrane-permeable fluorescent dye, thiazole orange, to identify reticulocytes and monoclonal antibodies to DAF and CD59. Healthy individuals had no affected cells. In all patients, the population of affected reticulocytes negative for DAF and CD59 was markedly higher than the population of affected erythrocytes. Moreover, the population of affected erythrocytes became obviously low in patients who received transfusions and suffered from hemolytic precipitation, whereas the population of affected reticulocytes was unchanged. The persistently high population of affected reticulocytes, despite cytolytic exclusion and an inherently short lifetime, might possibly be explained by relative reticulocytosis caused by an anemia-induced feedback stimulation of erythropoiesis in PNH. Thus, affected reticulocytes could be a reliable marker for the diagnosis of PNH and for the evaluation of erythropoiesis by PNH stem cell.

Role of cysteine 337 and cysteine 340 in flavoprotein that functions as NADH oxidase from Amphibacillus xylanus studied by site-directed mutagenesis

A flavoprotein from Amphibacillus xylanus catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide. Each polypeptide chain in the tetrameric enzyme contains 5 cysteine residues. The complete reduction of enzyme by dithionite requires 6 electrons. Such behavior indicates the presence of redox centers in addition to the FAD, and these could be disulfides. In order to assess the catalytic role of disulfide in the enzyme, 2 of the cysteines (Cys-337 and Cys-340), which show a high degree of homology with alkyl hydroperoxide reductase F52a protein and thioredoxin reductase, have been changed to serines by site-directed mutagenesis of the cloned flavoprotein gene (individually and in a double mutant). Titration of the three mutant enzymes, lacking Cys-337, Cys-340, or both cysteines, requires only 2 electron eq to reach the reduced flavin state. These results indicate the absence of a redox-active disulfide and demonstrate the involvement of Cys-337 and Cys-340 in the redox-active disulfide. The catalytic activity of the three enzymes was examined by steady-state analysis. The Km for NADH and oxygen and the kcat value of these mutant enzymes were essentially the same as those of wild type. The NADH oxidase activities were also accelerated markedly in the presence of free FAD, which is the case for wild-type enzyme. The NADH:5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) oxidoreductase activities of all mutant enzymes were less than 3% of the activity of wild-type enzyme. The weak DTNB reductase activities in the mutant enzymes lacking Cys-337 or Cys-340 may occur through direct reduction of the mixed disulfide Cys-337-thiol or Cys-340-thiol and nitrothiobenzoate by FADH2. However, the weak DTNB reductase activity in the mutant enzyme lacking both cysteines indicates that FADH2 can reduce either DTNB or another disulfide directly, albeit inefficiently. These results suggest intramolecular dithiol-disulfide interchange reactions in the flavoprotein.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clone in bone marrow of patients with pancytopenia

The lack of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins such as decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59 on blood cells has a diagnostic value in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Because PNH often develops in patients with aplastic anemia (AA), we attempted to detect a PNH clone in the bone marrow (BM) of patients with AA and pancytopenia before affected cells were evident in the peripheral blood (PB). We used flow cytometry with monoclonal antibodies against DAF and CD59 for the detection of the clone. Affected cells were observed in the BM of 3 of 7 patients with AA and 1 of 3 patients with pancytopenia of unknown origin, but not in their PB. All 8 patients with apparent PNH had affected cells in their BM and PB. On the basis of the early appearance of the PNH clone in the BM, a prospective 4-month follow-up study of the PB cells was performed. The study showed the release of affected mature cells first in granulocytes, then in monocytes, and finally in lymphocytes. Ham's test was positive before affected erythrocytes were detected by flow cytometry. Our findings indicate that detection of the PNH clone in BM could be predictive of the development of PNH in patients with AA and pancytopenia.

New oral dosage form for elderly patients: preparation and characterization of silk fibroin gel

The pharmaceutical utility of silk fibroin as a possible material for an oral dosage form for elderly patients was investigated. Silk fibroin gel (SFG) was prepared from its aqueous solution. The gel formation was studied as a function of adjusted pH and concentration of silk fibroin (SF). On the basis of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of SFG, the transition from the random coil to the beta-structure was observed. The rate of gelation was sufficiently accelerated by the addition of glycerol to the SF aqueous solution. The glycerol content also affected the rate of gelation of the SF solution. Rheological properties of SFG were evaluated using a creep meter. The SF content and/or glycerol content affected the breaking stress of SFG. Moisture desorption from SFG was retarded with an increase in glycerol content. It was found that SFG was able to be prepared at room temperature (20 +/- 5 degrees C), and the SF content and glycerol content affected the formation and physicochemical properties of SFG.

Purification and analysis of a flavoprotein functional as NADH oxidase from Amphibacillus xylanus overexpressed in Escherichia coli

The gene encoding the Amphibacillus xylanus flavoprotein has been cloned into pTTQ18 and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme has been purified to homogeneity yielding 15 mg of pure enzyme/liter of cell culture. Recombinant flavoprotein is fully active and has an absorption spectrum identical to that of the enzyme purified from A. xylanus. The N-terminal sequence analysis and analytical gel filtration data confirm the structural identity of recombinant and A. xylanus enzymes. The Km value for oxygen and the Km value for NADH are 1.7 mM and 33.3 microM, respectively. In the presence of free additional FAD, however, the Km value for oxygen decrease dramatically. The NADH oxidase activity is accelerated markedly in the presence of additional FAD. The intracellular free FAD concentration of A. xylanus is calculated about 13 microM. This FAD concentration would be enough to accelerate the NADH oxidase activity of flavoprotein in cells of A. xylanus. Two-electron reduction of the enzyme FAD by the strong reductant dithionite occurs during the total uptake of 6 electrons. Such behavior usually indicates the presence of non-flavin redox centers. The high degree of homology between this enzyme and alkyl hydroperoxide reductase F52a protein and thioredoxin reductase suggests that these centers are the redox-active disulfide adjacent to the FAD and another disulfide, which is able to slowly interchange with the redox-active disulfide. The presence of two disulfides has been demonstrated.

Persistence of affected T lymphocytes in long-term clinical remission in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Long-term clinical remission of more than 10 years is rarely seen in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Affected blood cells in PNH lack glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins such as decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and CD59. We performed a flow cytometric analysis of circulating blood cells obtained from two patients with PNH who had been in clinical remission for more than 10 and 25 years, respectively. Affected cells with the PNH phenotype were demonstrated only among T-lymphocytes. Persistent affected T cells were negative for the CD52 protein only, this protein being a GPI-anchored lymphocyte marker without complement regulatory activity. The persistence of the affected T cells may be explained either by an inherently long life span after the disappearance of the PNH stem cell or by insidious production at a subclinical level by affected stem cell. In either event, detection of affected T cells, especially CD52-negative T cells, may be useful for the evaluation of long-term clinical remission in PNH.

Construction of squalene-accumulating Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants by gene disruption through homologous recombination

Saccharomyces cerevisiae synthesizes ergosterol via squalene, but squalene is hardly detected in aerobically grown cells. To obtain a stable squalene-accumulating yeast strain, we attempted to disrupt a gene required in the conversion of squalene to ergosterol, by homologous recombination with a short piece of the gene fragment conjugated with an integration plasmid vector carrying the LEU2 gene. Two mutants that required ergosterol at least for fast growth were isolated. In an aerobic cultivation and with ergosterol supplementation, the two mutants accumulated squalene up to 5 mg/g dry cells. Southern hybridization analysis indicated that both mutants had acquired the vector DNA integrated in the same gene, or nearby genes, on chromosome 12.

The DNA replication fork blocked at the Ter site may be an entrance for the RecBCD enzyme into duplex DNA

In Escherichia coli, eight kinds of chromosome-derived DNA fragments (named Hot DNA) were found to exhibit homologous recombinational hotspot activity, with the following properties. (i) The Hot activities of all Hot DNAs were enhanced extensively under RNase H-defective (rnh) conditions. (ii) Seven Hot DNAs were clustered at the DNA replication terminus region on the E. coli chromosome and had Chi activities (H. Nishitani, M. Hidaka, and T. Horiuchi, Mol. Gen. Genet. 240:307-314, 1993). Hot activities of HotA, -B, and -C, the locations of which were close to three DNA replication terminus sites, the TerB, -A, and -C sites, respectively, disappeared when terminus-binding (Tau or Tus) protein was defective, thereby suggesting that their Hot activities are termination event dependent. Other Hot groups showed termination-independent Hot activities. In addition, at least HotA activity proved to be dependent on a Chi sequence, because mutational destruction of the Chi sequence on the HotA DNA fragment resulted in disappearance of the HotA activity. The HotA activity which had disappeared was reactivated by insertion of a new, properly oriented Chi sequence at the position between the HotA DNA and the TerB site. On the basis of these observations and positional and orientational relationships between the Chi and the Ter sequences, we propose a model in which the DNA replication fork blocked at the Ter site provides an entrance for the RecBCD enzyme into duplex DNA.

Interleukin-2-dependent T-cell lines established from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria patients

Peripheral blood T lymphocytes obtained from two patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) were immortalized with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). These cells showed interleukin-2 (IL-2)-dependent cell growth in culture. Cell surface analysis showed that they had the phenotype of a helper/inducer T subset that was positive for CD2, CD3, and CD4, but negative for CD8, similar to adult T-cell leukemia cells induced by HTLV-1. These cell lines lacked glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins, CDw52, CD55 (decay-accelerating factor; DAF), and CD59 on the cell surface, whereas intracellular DAF protein was detected. These T-subset cell lines with a PNH phenotype did not synthesize GPI anchor, whereas a control cell line, similarly prepared from the T cells of a healthy volunteer, produced the anchor. The control cells expressed CDw52, DAF, and CD59 on the cell surface and showed the phenotype of a helper/inducer subset. Southern blot analysis confirmed the clonality of each cell line. These CD4+ T-cell lines with a PNH phenotype and a subset-matched control counterpart could be a useful model for PNH investigation.

Establishment of a human T-cell line with deficient surface expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins from a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

A novel interleukin-2 dependent T-cell line, PMT-2Y, was established from the peripheral blood of a patient with paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) by human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-mediated transformation. PMT-2Y cells are positive for CD2, CD3, CD4, CD25, T cell receptor alpha beta and HLA-DR, but negative for CD1, CD7, CD8, CD19 and CD20, indicating that the clone belongs to a helper/inducer subset of T cells. PMT-2Y cells have the monoclonal integration of HTLV-I proviral DNA, suggesting that they derived from a single clone. Moreover, they lack surface expression of complement regulatory proteins such as DAF (CD55) and CD59, that are the most important glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane proteins defective in haemopoietic cells of patients with PNH. Northern blot analysis, however, revealed the production of normal levels of DAF mRNAs. Thus, PMT-2Y is derived from a PNH T cell clone and may be a useful model to study PNH.

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain TB-90 urease gene complex in Escherichia coli

The urease of thermophilic Bacillus sp. strain TB-90 is composed of three subunits with molecular masses of 61, 12, and 11 kDa. By using synthetic oligonucleotide probes based on N-terminal amino acid sequences of each subunit, we cloned a 3.2-kb EcoRI fragment of TB-90 genomic DNA. Moreover, we cloned two other DNA fragments by gene walking starting from this fragment. Finally, we reconstructed in vitro a 6.2-kb DNA fragment which expressed catalytically active urease in Escherichia coli by combining these three DNA fragments. Nucleotide sequencing analysis revealed that the urease gene complex consists of nine genes, which were designed ureA, ureB, ureC, ureE, ureF, ureG, ureD, ureH, and ureI in order of arrangement. The structural genes ureA, ureB, and ureC encode the 11-, 12-, and 61-kDa subunits, respectively. The deduced amino acid sequences of UreD, UreE, UreF, and UreG, the gene products of four accessory genes, are homologous to those of the corresponding Ure proteins of Klebsiella aerogenes. UreD, UreF, and UreG were essential for expression of urease activity in E. coli and are suggested to play important roles in the maturation step of the urease in a co- and/or posttranslational manner. On the other hand, UreH and UreI exhibited no significant similarity to the known accessory proteins of other bacteria. However, UreH showed 23% amino acid identity to the Alcaligenes eutrophus HoxN protein, a high-affinity nickel transporter.

A flavoprotein functional as NADH oxidase from Amphibacillus xylanus Ep01: purification and characterization of the enzyme and structural analysis of its gene

Amphibacillus xylanus Ep01, a facultative anaerobe we recently isolated, shows rapid aerobic growth even though it lacks a respiratory pathway. Thus, the oxidative consumption of NADH, produced during glycolysis and pyruvate oxidation, should be especially important for maintenance of intracellular redox balance in this bacterium. We purified a flavoprotein functional as NADH oxidase from aerobically growing A. xylanus Ep01. The A. xylanus enzyme is a homotetramer composed of a subunit (M(r) 56,000) containing 1 mol of flavin adenine dinucleotide. This enzyme catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide with beta-NADH as the preferred electron donor and exhibits no activity with NADPH. The flavoprotein gene of A. xylanus Ep01 was cloned by using a specific antibody. The amino acid sequence of 509 residues, deduced from the nucleotide sequence, showed 51.2 and 72.5% identities to the amino acid sequences of alkyl hydroperoxide reductase from Salmonella typhimurium and NADH dehydrogenase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. strain YN-1, respectively. Bacillus spp. have a respiratory chain and grow well under aerobic conditions. In contrast, Amphibacillus spp., having no respiratory chain, grow equally well under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, which distinguishes these two genera. Salmonella spp., which are gram-negative bacteria, are taxonomically distant from gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus spp. and Amphibacillus spp. The above findings, however, suggest that the flavoprotein functional as NADH oxidase, the alkyl hydroperoxide reductase, and the NADH dehydrogenase diverged recently, with only small changes leading to their functional differences.