scholarly journals AN UNSTABLE ALLELE OF THE am LOCUS OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA

Genetics ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 577-586
Author(s):  
John A Kinsey ◽  
J R S Fincham

ABSTRACT The mutant strain am126 was isolated, using the direct selection procedure, after nitrous acid mutagenesis. It produced neither measurable NADP-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) nor immunologically cross-reacting material. That the am,126 strain produced some form of GDH product was shown by the fact that it complemented several other am mutant strains. The GDH formed by complementation between am126 and each of two other am mutants was relatively thermolabile, but could not be distinguished from wild-type GDH by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels. This, together with the relatively high yield of the complementation enzymes, suggests that the am126 product is a polypeptide chain not grossly abnormal in structure. The spontaneous revertant frequency was between 0.3 and 3 protatrophic revertants per 105 live cells. This frequency was at least 40 times greater than that for am19, which had the second highest spontaneous revertant frequency among the mutants tested. Neither meiosis nor mutagenesis increased the revertant frequency, nor did incubation at elevated temperatures lower it. Sixty-eight revertant strains were examined for thermostability of their GHD. All appeared to be identical to wild type. Seven of the revertant strains were also tested for instability with regard to Iorward mutation to am auxtrophy. None was found to be unstable. Models for the genetic instability of the am126 mutation are discussed.

Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 143 (3) ◽  
pp. 1339-1347
Author(s):  
Alfred M Handler ◽  
Sheilachu P Gomez

Abstract Function of the Drosophila melanogaster hobo transposon in tephritid species was tested in transient embryonic excision assays. Wild-type and mutant strains of Anastrepha suspensa, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. cucurbitae, Ceratitis capitata, and Toxotrypana curvicauda all supported hobo excision or deletion both in the presence and absence of co-injected hobo transposase, indicating a permissive state for hobo mobility and the existence of endogenous systems capable of mobilizing hobo. In several strains hobo helper reduced excision. Excision depended on hobo sequences in the indicator plasmid, though almost all excisions were imprecise and the mobilizing systems appear mechanistically different from hobo. hobe-related sequences were identified in all species except T. curvicauda. Parsimony analysis yielded a subgroup including the B. cucurbitae and C. capitata sequences along with hobo and Hermes, and a separate, more divergent subgroup including the A. suspensa and B. dorsalis sequences. All of the sequences exist as multiple genomic elements, and a deleted form of the B. cucurbitae element exists in B. dorsalis. The hobo-related sequences are probably members of the hAT transposon family with some evolving from distant ancestor elements, while others may have originated from more recent horizontal transfers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Iorio ◽  
Sahar Davatgarbenam ◽  
Stefania Serina ◽  
Paolo Criscenzo ◽  
Mitja M. Zdouc ◽  
...  

AbstractWe report a metabolomic analysis of Streptomyces sp. ID38640, a soil isolate that produces the bacterial RNA polymerase inhibitor pseudouridimycin. The analysis was performed on the wild type, on three newly constructed and seven previously reported mutant strains disabled in different genes required for pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. The results indicate that Streptomyces sp. ID38640 is able to produce, in addition to lydicamycins and deferroxiamines, as previously reported, also the lassopeptide ulleungdin, the non-ribosomal peptide antipain and the osmoprotectant ectoine. The corresponding biosynthetic gene clusters were readily identified in the strain genome. We also detected the known compound pyridindolol, for which we propose a previously unreported biosynthetic gene cluster, as well as three families of unknown metabolites. Remarkably, the levels of most metabolites varied strongly in the different mutant strains, an observation that enabled detection of metabolites unnoticed in the wild type. Systematic investigation of the accumulated metabolites in the ten different pum mutants identified shed further light on pseudouridimycin biosynthesis. We also show that several Streptomyces strains, able to produce pseudouridimycin, have distinct genetic relationship and metabolic profile with ID38640.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7565
Author(s):  
Kyungho Woo ◽  
Dong Ho Kim ◽  
Man Hwan Oh ◽  
Ho Sung Park ◽  
Chul Hee Choi

Quorum sensing of Acinetobacter nosocomialis for cell-to-cell communication produces N-3-hydroxy dodecanoyl-DL-homoserine lactone (OH-dDHL) by an AnoR/I two-component system. However, OH-dDHL-driven apoptotic mechanisms in hosts have not been clearly defined. Here, we investigated the induction of apoptosis signaling pathways in bone marrow-derived macrophages treated with synthetic OH-dDHL. Moreover, the quorum-sensing system for virulence regulation was evaluated in vivo using wild-type and anoI-deletion mutant strains. OH-dDHL decreased the viability of macrophage and epithelial cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. OH-dDHL induced Ca2+ efflux and caspase-12 activation by ER stress transmembrane protein (IRE1 and ATF6a p50) aggregation and induced mitochondrial dysfunction through reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which caused cytochrome c to leak. Pretreatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor reduced caspase-3, -8, and -9, which were activated by OH-dDHL. Pro-inflammatory cytokine and paraoxonase-2 (PON2) gene expression were increased by OH-dDHL. We showed that the anoI-deletion mutant strains have less intracellular invasion compared to the wild-type strain, and their virulence, such as colonization and dissemination, was decreased in vivo. Consequently, these findings revealed that OH-dDHL, as a virulence factor, contributes to bacterial infection and survival as well as the modification of host responses in the early stages of infection.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 420
Author(s):  
Yi Ma ◽  
Liu Cui ◽  
Meng Wang ◽  
Qiuli Sun ◽  
Kaisheng Liu ◽  
...  

Bacterial ghosts (BGs) are empty cell envelopes possessing native extracellular structures without a cytoplasm and genetic materials. BGs are proposed to have significant prospects in biomedical research as vaccines or delivery carriers. The applications of BGs are often limited by inefficient bacterial lysis and a low yield. To solve these problems, we compared the lysis efficiency of the wild-type protein E (EW) from phage ΦX174 and the screened mutant protein E (EM) in the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) strain. The results show that the lysis efficiency mediated by protein EM was improved. The implementation of the pLysS plasmid allowed nearly 100% lysis efficiency, with a high initial cell density as high as OD600 = 2.0, which was higher compared to the commonly used BG preparation method. The results of Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence indicate that the expression level of protein EM was significantly higher than that of the non-pLysS plasmid. High-quality BGs were observed by SEM and TEM. To verify the applicability of this method in other bacteria, the T7 RNA polymerase expression system was successfully constructed in Salmonella enterica (S. Enterica, SE). A pET vector containing EM and pLysS were introduced to obtain high-quality SE ghosts which could provide efficient protection for humans and animals. This paper describes a novel and commonly used method to produce high-quality BGs on a large scale for the first time.


2002 ◽  
Vol 184 (4) ◽  
pp. 1172-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas M. A. Gronewold ◽  
Dale Kaiser

ABSTRACT Cell-bound C-signal guides the building of a fruiting body and triggers the differentiation of myxospores. Earlier work has shown that transcription of the csgA gene, which encodes the C-signal, is directed by four genes of the act operon. To see how expression of the genes encoding components of the aggregation and sporulation processes depends on C-signaling, mutants with loss-of-function mutations in each of the act genes were investigated. These mutations were found to have no effect on genes that are normally expressed up to 3 h into development and are C-signal independent. Neither the time of first expression nor the rate of expression increase was changed in actA, actB, actC, or actD mutant strains. Also, there was no effect on A-signal production, which normally starts before 3 h. By contrast, the null act mutants have striking defects in C-signal production. These mutations changed the expression of four gene reporters that are related to aggregation and sporulation and are expressed at 6 h or later in development. The actA and actB null mutations substantially decreased the expression of all these reporters. The other act null mutations caused either premature expression to wild-type levels (actC) or delayed expression (actD), which ultimately rose to wild-type levels. The pattern of effects on these reporters shows how the C-signal differentially regulates the steps that together build a fruiting body and differentiate spores within it.


Plant Disease ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 374-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Luo ◽  
D. O. TeBeest

The fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene causes an anthracnose on Aeschynomene virginica and has been used as a biological control agent to control this weed in the United States. The population dynamics of a wild-type strain (3-1-3) and two mutant strains of 3-1-3 of C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene, a benomyl-resistant strain (B21) and nitrate-nonutilizing strain (Nit A), were studied in field tests on northern jointvetch in 1994 and 1995 to determine how the strains interacted on infected plants under field conditions. Plants were co-inoculated with strains 3-1-3 and B21, strains 3-1-3 and Nit A, and strains 3-1-3, B21, and Nit A at equal and unequal initial proportions. Plants were grown and maintained under flooded conditions in small wading pools. In co-inoculation of plants with 3-1-3 and B21 from equal initial proportions, the population of 3-1-3 increased slightly until it reached a proportion of 60 to 70%, whereas the population density of B21 reached 30 to 40% at the end of growing season. From unequal initial proportions, the population density of B21 decreased from 90 to about 50%, whereas the 3-1-3 increased from 10 to 50%. The population density of 3-1-3 increased from an equal initial proportion and was significantly greater than that of Nit A on every sampling time. From unequal initial proportions, the population density of 3-1-3 increased from 10 to 90%, whereas that of Nit A declined. In co-inoculation of plants with the three strains, the population density of 3-1-3 was significantly greater than those of the mutant strains at every sampling time. The proportions of mutant strains within the total population of C. gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene on plants varied according to the test conditions and the number and types of strains co-inoculated.


2021 ◽  
pp. 101415
Author(s):  
Jacobo Hernandez-Montelongo ◽  
Gianlucca G. Nicastro ◽  
Thays de O. Pereira ◽  
Mariana Zavarize ◽  
Marisa M. Beppu ◽  
...  

Genetics ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 146 (3) ◽  
pp. 871-880
Author(s):  
Robin R Preston ◽  
Jocelyn A Hammond

Three mutant strains of Paramecium tetraurelia with an enhanced sensitivity to magnesium have been isolated. These new “Chameleon” mutants result from partial- or codominant mutations at a single locus, Cha. Whereas the wild type responded to 5 mm Mg2+ by swimming backward for 10–15 sec, Cha mutants responded with ∼30 sec backward swimming. Electrophysiological analysis suggested that this behavior may be caused by slowing in the rate at which a Mg2+-specific ion conductance deactivates following membrane excitation. This would be consistent with an observed increase in the sensitivity of Cha mutants to nickel poisoning, since Ni2+ is also able to enter the cell via this pathway. More extensive behavioral analysis showed that Cha cells also overresponded to Na+, but there was no evidence for a defect in intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis that might account for a simultaneous enhancement of both the Mg2+ and Na+ conductances. The possibility that the Cha locus may encode a specific regulator of the Mg2+- and Na+-permeabilities is considered.


2009 ◽  
Vol 134 (6) ◽  
pp. 489-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fraser J. Moss ◽  
P.I. Imoukhuede ◽  
Kimberly Scott ◽  
Jia Hu ◽  
Joanna L. Jankowsky ◽  
...  

The mouse γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter mGAT1 was expressed in neuroblastoma 2a cells. 19 mGAT1 designs incorporating fluorescent proteins were functionally characterized by [3H]GABA uptake in assays that responded to several experimental variables, including the mutations and pharmacological manipulation of the cytoskeleton. Oligomerization and subsequent trafficking of mGAT1 were studied in several subcellular regions of live cells using localized fluorescence, acceptor photobleach Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), and pixel-by-pixel analysis of normalized FRET (NFRET) images. Nine constructs were functionally indistinguishable from wild-type mGAT1 and provided information about normal mGAT1 assembly and trafficking. The remainder had compromised [3H]GABA uptake due to observable oligomerization and/or trafficking deficits; the data help to determine regions of mGAT1 sequence involved in these processes. Acceptor photobleach FRET detected mGAT1 oligomerization, but richer information was obtained from analyzing the distribution of all-pixel NFRET amplitudes. We also analyzed such distributions restricted to cellular subregions. Distributions were fit to either two or three Gaussian components. Two of the components, present for all mGAT1 constructs that oligomerized, may represent dimers and high-order oligomers (probably tetramers), respectively. Only wild-type functioning constructs displayed three components; the additional component apparently had the highest mean NFRET amplitude. Near the cell periphery, wild-type functioning constructs displayed the highest NFRET. In this subregion, the highest NFRET component represented ∼30% of all pixels, similar to the percentage of mGAT1 from the acutely recycling pool resident in the plasma membrane in the basal state. Blocking the mGAT1 C terminus postsynaptic density 95/discs large/zona occludens 1 (PDZ)-interacting domain abolished the highest amplitude component from the NFRET distributions. Disrupting the actin cytoskeleton in cells expressing wild-type functioning transporters moved the highest amplitude component from the cell periphery to perinuclear regions. Thus, pixel-by-pixel NFRET analysis resolved three distinct forms of GAT1: dimers, high-order oligomers, and transporters associated via PDZ-mediated interactions with the actin cytoskeleton and/or with the exocyst.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document