scholarly journals Phage Tail-Like (High-Molecular-Weight) Bacteriocins of Budvicia aquatica and Pragia fontium (Enterobacteriaceae)

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 8970-8973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Šmarda ◽  
Oldřich Benada
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Electron Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Simultaneous Production ◽  
Phage Tail ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT Electron microscopic analysis of contractile phage tail-like bacteriocins of three Pragia fontium strains and one Budvicia aquatica strain was performed. Fonticin and aquaticin are remarkably heat sensitive but trypsin resistant. Simultaneous production of contractile and flexible phage tail-like bacteriocins in the P. fontium 64613 strain is shown for the first time.

scholarly journals Structure and Capsid Association of the Herpesvirus Large Tegument Protein UL36

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (18) ◽  
pp. 9408-9414 ◽  
Author(s):  
William W. Newcomb ◽  
Jay C. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Microscopic Analysis ◽  
Molecular Weight Protein ◽  
High Molecular Weight Protein ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Tegument Proteins ◽  
Weight Protein ◽  
Simplex Virus

ABSTRACT The tegument of all herpesviruses contains a high-molecular-weight protein homologous to herpes simplex virus (HSV) UL36. This large (3,164 amino acids), essential, and multifunctional polypeptide is located on the capsid surface and present at 100 to 150 copies per virion. We have been testing the idea that UL36 is important for the structural organization of the tegument. UL36 is proposed to bind directly to the capsid with other tegument proteins bound indirectly by way of UL36. Here we report the results of studies carried out with HSV type 1-derived structures containing the capsid but lacking a membrane and depleted of all tegument proteins except UL36 and a second high-molecular-weight protein, UL37. Electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that, compared to capsids lacking a tegument, these capsids (called T36 capsids) had tufts of protein located at the vertices. Projecting from the tufts were thin, variably curved strands with lengths (15 to 70 nm) in some cases sufficient to extend across the entire thickness of the tegument (∼50 nm). Strands were sensitive to removal from the capsid by brief sonication, which also removed UL36 and UL37. The findings are interpreted to indicate that UL36 and UL37 are the components of the tufts and of the thin strands that extend from them. The strand lengths support the view that they could serve as organizing features for the tegument, as they have the potential to reach all parts of the tegument. The variably curved structure of the strands suggests they may be flexible, a property that could contribute to the deformable nature of the tegument.

scholarly journals Characterization of a Novel Fructosyltransferase from Lactobacillus reuteri That Synthesizes High-Molecular-Weight Inulin and Inulin Oligosaccharides

2002 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 4390-4398 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. F. T. van Hijum ◽  
G. H. van Geel-Schutten ◽  
H. Rahaoui ◽  
M. J. E. C. van der Maarel ◽  
L. Dijkhuizen
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
High Molecular Weight ◽  
Lactobacillus Reuteri ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Encoding Gene ◽  
First Time

ABSTRACT Fructosyltransferase (FTF) enzymes produce fructose polymers (fructans) from sucrose. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of an FTF-encoding gene from Lactobacillus reuteri strain 121. A C-terminally truncated version of the ftf gene was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli. When incubated with sucrose, the purified recombinant FTF enzyme produced large amounts of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) with β-(2→1)-linked fructosyl units, plus a high-molecular-weight fructan polymer (>107) with β-(2→1) linkages (an inulin). FOS, but not inulin, was found in supernatants of L. reuteri strain 121 cultures grown on medium containing sucrose. Bacterial inulin production has been reported for only Streptococcus mutans strains. FOS production has been reported for a few bacterial strains. This paper reports the first-time isolation and molecular characterization of (i) a Lactobacillus ftf gene, (ii) an inulosucrase associated with a generally regarded as safe bacterium, (iii) an FTF enzyme synthesizing both a high molecular weight inulin and FOS, and (iv) an FTF protein containing a cell wall-anchoring LPXTG motif. The biological relevance and potential health benefits of an inulosucrase associated with an L. reuteri strain remain to be established.

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