Comparative surface and ultrastructural views of methylotrophic bacteria by TEM, STEM, SE, and freeze-etch electron microscopy.

Author(s):  
T.A. Fassel ◽  
M.J. Schaller ◽  
M.E. Lidstrom ◽  
C.C. Remsen

Methylotrophic bacteria play an Important role in the environment in the oxidation of methane and methanol. Extensive intracytoplasmic membranes (ICM) have been associated with the oxidation processes in methylotrophs and chemolithotrophic bacteria. Classification on the basis of ICM arrangement distinguishes 2 types of methylotrophs. Bundles or vesicular stacks of ICM located away from the cytoplasmic membrane and extending into the cytoplasm are present in Type I methylotrophs. In Type II methylotrophs, the ICM form pairs of peripheral membranes located parallel to the cytoplasmic membrane. Complex cell wall structures of tightly packed cup-shaped subunits have been described in strains of marine and freshwater phototrophic sulfur bacteria and several strains of methane oxidizing bacteria. We examined the ultrastructure of the methylotrophs with particular view of the ICM and surface structural features, between representatives of the Type I Methylomonas albus (BG8), and Type II Methylosinus trichosporium (OB-36).

1998 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 2681-2697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Moss ◽  
Andrew Helm ◽  
Yun Lu ◽  
Alvina Bragin ◽  
William R. Skach

Topogenic determinants that direct protein topology at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane usually function with high fidelity to establish a uniform topological orientation for any given polypeptide. Here we show, however, that through the coupling of sequential translocation events, native topogenic determinants are capable of generating two alternate transmembrane structures at the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Using defined chimeric and epitope-tagged full-length proteins, we found that topogenic activities of two C-trans (type II) signal anchor sequences, encoded within the seventh and eighth transmembrane (TM) segments of human P-glycoprotein were directly coupled by an inefficient stop transfer (ST) sequence (TM7b) contained within the C-terminus half of TM7. Remarkably, these activities enabled TM7 to achieve both a single- and a double-spanning TM topology with nearly equal efficiency. In addition, ST and C-trans signal anchor activities encoded by TM8 were tightly linked to the weak ST activity, and hence topological fate, of TM7b. This interaction enabled TM8 to span the membrane in either a type I or a type II orientation. Pleiotropic structural features contributing to this unusual topogenic behavior included 1) a short, flexible peptide loop connecting TM7a and TM7b, 2) hydrophobic residues within TM7b, and 3) hydrophilic residues between TM7b and TM8.


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 309-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan R. Burns ◽  
C. Wayne Smith ◽  
David C. Walker

Neutrophil emigration in the lung differs substantially from that in systemic vascular beds where extravasation occurs primarily through postcapillary venules. Migration into the alveolus occurs directly from alveolar capillaries and appears to progress through a sequence of steps uniquely influenced by the cellular anatomy and organization of the alveolar wall. The cascade of adhesive and stimulatory events so critical to the extravasation of neutrophils from postcapillary venules in many tissues is not evident in this setting. Compelling evidence exists for unique cascades of biophysical, adhesive, stimulatory, and guidance factors that arrest neutrophils in the alveolar capillary bed and direct their movement through the endothelium, interstitial space, and alveolar epithelium. A prominent path accessible to the neutrophil appears to be determined by the structural interactions of endothelial cells, interstitial fibroblasts, as well as type I and type II alveolar epithelial cells.


2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 4009-4016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann J. Auman ◽  
Catherine C. Speake ◽  
Mary E. Lidstrom

ABSTRACT Some methane-oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) are known to be capable of expressing nitrogenase and utilizing N2 as a nitrogen source. However, no sequences are available fornif genes in these strains, and the known nitrogen-fixing methanotrophs are confined mainly to a few genera. The purpose of this work was to assess the nitrogen-fixing capabilities of a variety of methanotroph strains. nifH gene fragments from four type I methanotrophs and seven type II methanotrophs were PCR amplified and sequenced. Nitrogenase activity was confirmed in selected type I and type II strains by acetylene reduction. Activities ranged from 0.4 to 3.3 nmol/min/mg of protein. Sequence analysis shows that thenifH sequences from the type I and type II strains cluster with nifH sequences from other gamma proteobacteria and alpha proteobacteria, respectively. The translatednifH sequences from three Methylomonas strains show high identity (95 to 99%) to several published translated environmental nifH sequences PCR amplified from rice roots and a freshwater lake. The translated nifHsequences from the type II strains show high identity (94 to 99%) to published translated nifH sequences from a variety of environments, including rice roots, a freshwater lake, an oligotrophic ocean, and forest soil. These results provide evidence for nitrogen fixation in a broad range of methanotrophs and suggest that nitrogen-fixing methanotrophs may be widespread and important in the nitrogen cycling of many environments.


Author(s):  
K. Putzer ◽  
T.A. Fassel ◽  
C.C. Remsen

Obligate methanotrophic bacteria are autotrophic microorganisms capable of oxidizing methane to supply both their carbon and energy requirements. Methanotrophs are placed in one of two groups based on certain biochemical features and the arrangement of intracytoplasmic membranes (ICM). Type I methanotrophs contain ICM arranged as bundles of disc-like vessicles in the interior of the cell, while Type II methanotrophs display paired peripheral ICM. The organism used in this study, Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, is a Type II methanotroph and has a capsular structure surrounding the cell as well as several complex cell wall structures described as cup-like, filamentous, and spike-shaped. This study examines the external surface of M. trichosporium OB3b following en bloc staining with uranyl acetate.Cells were harvested in mid-log phase, fixed in 0.5% glutaraldehyde and postfixed in 1% OsO4. Cells were enrobed in 4% agar prior to dehydration in a graded ethanol series.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianheng Liu ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Yusen Zhang ◽  
Tianxuan Zhao ◽  
Xueni Zhao ◽  
...  

Abstract mRNA m5C, which has recently been implicated in the regulation of mRNA mobility, metabolism, and translation, plays important regulatory roles in various biological events. Two types of m5C sites are found in mRNAs. Type I m5C sites, which contain a downstream G-rich triplet motif and are computationally predicted to locate in the 5’ end of putative hairpin structures, are methylated by NSUN2. Type II m5C sites contain a downstream UCCA motif and are computationally predicted to locate in the loops of putative hairpin structures. However, their biogenesis remains unknown. Here we identified NSUN6, a methyltransferase that is known to methylate C72 of tRNAThr and tRNACys, as an mRNA methyltransferase that targets Type II m5C sites. Combining the RNA secondary structure prediction, miCLIP, and results from a high-throughput mutagenesis analysis, we determined the RNA sequence and structural features governing the specificity of NSUN6-mediated mRNA methylation. Integrating these features into an NSUN6-RNA structural model, we identified an NSUN6 variant that largely loses tRNA methylation but retains mRNA methylation ability. Finally, we revealed a weak negative correlation between m5C methylation and translation efficiency. Our findings uncover that mRNA m5C is tightly controlled by an elaborate two-enzyme system, and the protein-RNA structure analysis strategy established may be applied to other RNA modification writers to distinguish the functions of different RNA substrates of a writer protein.


Author(s):  
Soyoung Park ◽  
Seungsu Kim ◽  
Dongyun Shin

AbstractNatural arylnaphthalene lactones are representative lignans that are found in various dietary and medicinal plants. Their unique structural features and significant pharmacological activity have attracted considerable attention from both synthetic and medicinal chemists. Owing to their unique structural features such as relative rigid tetracyclic skeleton, structural diversity of more than five substituents, and no chiral center, arylnaphthalene lactones are recognized as a valuable scaffold for drug discovery, in addition to their significant pharmacological activities. This review covers the structures and isolation of all naturally occurring arylnaphthalene lactone congeners reported. Based on the aryl substituents, they were categorized as Type I and Type II and further classified according to the oxidation state of the ring and glycosylation level. Special attention has been paid to natural arylnaphthalene lactones owing to their broad spectrum of biological activities such as cytotoxic, antiplatelet, antiviral, anti-HIV, antifungal, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory properties. All the products were reorganized based on their biological activities, and selected data are presented.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianheng Liu ◽  
Tao Huang ◽  
Yusen Zhang ◽  
Tianxuan Zhao ◽  
Xueni Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractmRNA m5C, which has recently been implicated in the regulation of mRNA mobility, metabolism, and translation, plays important regulatory roles in various biological events. Two types of m5C sites are found in mRNAs. Type I m5C sites, which contain a downstream G-rich triplet motif and are computationally predicted to locate in the 5’ end of putative hairpin structures, are methylated by NSUN2. Type II m5C sites contain a downstream UCCA motif and are computationally predicted to locate in the loops of putative hairpin structures. However, their biogenesis remains unknown. Here we identified NSUN6, a methyltransferase that is known to methylate C72 of tRNAThr and tRNACys, as an mRNA methyltransferase that targets Type II m5C sites. Combining the RNA secondary structure prediction, miCLIP, and results from a high-throughput mutagenesis analysis, we determined the RNA sequence and structural features governing the specificity of NSUN6-mediated mRNA methylation. Integrating these features into an NSUN6-RNA structural model, we identified an NSUN6 variant that largely loses tRNA methylation but retains mRNA methylation ability. Finally, we revealed a negative correlation between m5C methylation and translation efficiency. Our findings uncover that mRNA m5C is tightly controlled by an elaborate two-enzyme system, and the protein-RNA structure analysis strategy established may be applied to other RNA modification writers to distinguish the functions of different RNA substrates of a writer protein.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 1043-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaofeng Lu ◽  
Jibin Sun ◽  
Shangxi Zhang ◽  
Longfei Ma ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
...  

A series of donor–acceptor type co-crystals of fullerene (as the acceptor) and arylthio-substituted tetrathiafulvalene derivatives (Ar-S-TTF, as the donor) were prepared and their structural features were thoroughly investigated. The formation of co-crystals relies on the flexibility of Ar-S-TTF and the size matches between Ar-S-TTF and fullerene. Regarding their compositions, the studied co-crystals can be divided into two types, where types I and II have donor:acceptor ratios of 1:1 and 1:2, respectively. Multiple intermolecular interactions are observed between the donor and acceptor, which act to stabilize the structures of the resulting co-crystals. In the type I co-crystals, the fullerene molecule is surrounded by four Ar-S-TTF molecules, that is, two Ar-S-TTF molecules form a sandwich structure with one fullerene molecule and the other two Ar-S-TTF molecules interact with the fullerene molecule along their lateral axes. In the type II co-crystals, one fullerene molecule has the donor–acceptor mode similar to that in type I, whereas the other fullerene molecule is substantially surrounded by the aryl groups on Ar-S-TTF molecules and the solvent molecules.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 6746-6752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingvar Sundh ◽  
David Bastviken ◽  
Lars J. Tranvik

ABSTRACT The abundance and activity of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in the water column were investigated in three lakes with different contents of nutrients and humic substances. The abundance of MOB was determined by analysis of group-specific phospholipid fatty acids from type I and type II MOB, and in situ activity was measured with a 14CH4 transformation method. The fatty acid analyses indicated that type I MOB most similar to species of Methylomonas, Methylomicrobium, and Methylosarcina made a substantial contribution (up to 41%) to the total bacterial biomass, whereas fatty acids from type II MOB generally had very low concentrations. The MOB biomass and oxidation activity were positively correlated and were highest in the hypo- and metalimnion during summer stratification, whereas under ice during winter, maxima occurred close to the sediments. The methanotroph biomass-specific oxidation rate (V) ranged from 0.001 to 2.77 mg CH4-C mg−1 C day−1 and was positively correlated with methane concentration, suggesting that methane supply largely determined the activity and biomass distribution of MOB. Our results demonstrate that type I MOB often are a large component of pelagic bacterial communities in temperate lakes. They represent a potentially important pathway for reentry of carbon and energy into pelagic food webs that would otherwise be lost as evasion of CH4.


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