scholarly journals The Klebsiella pneumoniae O Antigen Contributes to Bacteremia and Lethality during Murine Pneumonia

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 1423-1430 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunita Shankar-Sinha ◽  
Gabriel A. Valencia ◽  
Brian K. Janes ◽  
Jessica K. Rosenberg ◽  
Chris Whitfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Lethal Dose ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Complement C3 ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cell Content ◽  
Bacterial Surface ◽  
O Antigen

ABSTRACT Bacterial surface carbohydrates are important pathogenic factors in gram-negative pneumonia infections. Among these factors, O antigen has been reported to protect pathogens against complement-mediated killing. To examine further the role of O antigen, we insertionally inactivated the gene encoding a galactosyltransferase necessary for serotype O1 O-antigen synthesis (wbbO) from Klebsiella pneumoniae 43816. Analysis of the mutant lipopolysaccharide by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed the absence of O antigen. In vitro, there were no detectable differences between wild-type K. pneumoniae and the O-antigen-deficient mutant in regard to avid binding by murine complement C3 or resistance to serum- or whole-blood-mediated killing. Nevertheless, the 72-h 50% lethal dose of the wild-type strain was 30-fold greater than that of the mutant (2 × 103 versus 6 × 104 CFU) after intratracheal injection in ICR strain mice. Despite being less lethal, the mutant organism exhibited comparable intrapulmonary proliferation at 24 h compared to the level of the wild type. Whole-lung chemokine expression (CCL3 and CXCL2) and bronchoalveolar inflammatory cell content were also similar between the two infections. However, whereas the wild-type organism produced bacteremia within 24 h of infection in every instance, bacteremia was not seen in mutant-infected mice. These results suggest that during murine pneumonia caused by K. pneumoniae, O antigen contributes to lethality by increasing the propensity for bacteremia and not by significantly changing the early course of intrapulmonary infection.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Vaccinia Virus A35R Protein and Its Role in Virulence

2006 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 306-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel L. Roper
Keyword(s):  
Vaccinia Virus ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Protein Band ◽  
Mutant Virus ◽  
Translation System ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Infected Cells

ABSTRACT The vaccinia virus A35R gene is highly conserved among poxviruses and encodes a previously uncharacterized hydrophobic acidic protein. Western blotting with anti-A35R peptide antibodies indicated that the protein is expressed early in infection and resolved as a single sharp band of ∼23 kDa, slightly higher than the 20 kDa predicted from its sequence. The protein band appeared to be the same molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, whether expressed in an in vitro transcription/translation system without microsomes or expressed in infected cells, suggesting that it was not glycosylated. A mutant virus with the A35R gene deleted (vA35Δ) formed wild-type-sized plaques on all cell lines tested (human, monkey, mouse, and rabbit); thus, A35R is not required for replication and does not appear to be a host range gene. Although the A35R protein is hydrophobic, it is unlikely to be an integral membrane protein, as it partitioned to the aqueous phase during TX-114 partitioning. The protein could not be detected in virus-infected cell supernatants. A35R localized intracellularly to the virus factories, where the first stages of morphogenesis occur. The vA35Δ mutant formed near-normal levels of the various morphogenic stages of infectious virus particles and supported normal acid-induced fusion of virus-infected cells. Despite normal growth and morphogenesis in vitro, the vA35Δ mutant virus was attenuated in intranasal challenge of mice compared to wild-type and A35R rescue virus. Thus, the intracellular A35R protein plays a role in virulence. The A35R has little homology to any protein outside of poxviruses, suggesting a novel virulence mechanism.

scholarly journals Identification of Residues in the Dengue Virus Type 2 NS2B Cofactor That Are Critical for NS3 Protease Activation

2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (24) ◽  
pp. 13708-13716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pornwaratt Niyomrattanakit ◽  
Pakorn Winoyanuwattikun ◽  
Santad Chanprapaph ◽  
Chanan Angsuthanasombat ◽  
Sakol Panyim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Proteolytic Processing ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Protease Activation ◽  
Ns3 Protease

ABSTRACT Proteolytic processing of the dengue virus polyprotein is mediated by host cell proteases and the virus-encoded NS2B-NS3 two-component protease. The NS3 protease represents an attractive target for the development of antiviral inhibitors. The three-dimensional structure of the NS3 protease domain has been determined, but the structural determinants necessary for activation of the enzyme by the NS2B cofactor have been characterized only to a limited extent. To test a possible functional role of the recently proposed Φx3Φ motif in NS3 protease activation, we targeted six residues within the NS2B cofactor by site-specific mutagenesis. Residues Trp62, Ser71, Leu75, Ile77, Thr78, and Ile79 in NS2B were replaced with alanine, and in addition, an L75A/I79A double mutant was generated. The effects of these mutations on the activity of the NS2B(H)-NS3pro protease were analyzed in vitro by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of autoproteolytic cleavage at the NS2B/NS3 site and by assay of the enzyme with the fluorogenic peptide substrate GRR-AMC. Compared to the wild type, the L75A, I77A, and I79A mutants demonstrated inefficient autoproteolysis, whereas in the W62A and the L75A/I79A mutants self-cleavage appeared to be almost completely abolished. With exception of the S71A mutant, which had a k cat/K m value for the GRR-AMC peptide similar to that of the wild type, all other mutants exhibited drastically reduced k cat values. These results indicate a pivotal function of conserved residues Trp62, Leu75, and Ile79 in the NS2B cofactor in the structural activation of the dengue virus NS3 serine protease.

scholarly journals Preliminary characterization of the transcriptional and translational products of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell division cycle gene CDC28.

1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
S I Reed ◽  
J Ferguson ◽  
J C Groppe
Keyword(s):  
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
In Vitro Mutagenesis ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Loop Analysis ◽  
Partial Digestion ◽  
Polyadenylic Acid

The CDC28 gene was subcloned from a plasmid containing a 6.5-kilobase-pair segment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA YRp7(CDC28-3) by partial digestion with Sau3A and insertion of the resulting fragments into the BamHI sites of YRp7 and pRC1. Recombinant plasmids were obtained containing inserts of 4.4 and 3.1 kilobase pairs which were capable of complementing a cdc28(ts) mutation. R-loop analysis indicated that each yeast insert contained two RNA coding regions of about 0.8 and 1.0 kilobase pairs, respectively. In vitro mutagenesis experiments suggested that the smaller coding region corresponded to the CDC28 gene. When cellular polyadenylic acid-containing RNA, separated by agarose gel electrophoresis after denaturation with glyoxal and transferred to nitrocellulose membrane, was reacted with labeled DNA from the smaller coding region, and RNA species of about 1 kilobase in length was detected. Presumably, the discrepancy in size between the R-loop and electrophoretic determinations is due to a segment of polyadenylic acid which is excluded from the R-loops. By using hybridization of the histone H2B mRNAs to an appropriate probe as a previously determined standards, it was possible to estimate the number of CDC28 mRNA copies per haploid cell as between 6 and 12 molecules. Hybrid release translation performed on the CDC29 mRNA directed the synthesis of a polypeptide of 27,000 daltons, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. This polypeptide was not synthesized when mRNA prepared from a cdc28 nonsense mutant was translated in a parallel fashion. However, if the RNA from a cell containing the CDC28 gene on a plasmid maintained at a high copy number was translated, the amount of in vitro product was amplified fivefold.

scholarly journals The molybdenum–iron protein of Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogenase. Evidence for non-identical subunits from peptide ‘mapping’

1976 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Kennedy ◽  
R R. Eady ◽  
E Kondorosi ◽  
D K Rekosh
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate ◽  
Azotobacter Vinelandii ◽  
Peptide Mapping ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Amino Acid Content ◽  
Rhizobium Japonicum ◽  
Fe Protein

The molybdenum- and iron-containing protein components of nitrogenase purified from Klebsiella pneumoniae, Azotobacter vinelandii, Azotobacter chroococcum and Rhizobium japonicum bacteroids all gave either one or two protein-staining bands after sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, depending on the commercial brand of sodium dodecyl sulphate used. The single band obtained with K. pneumoniae Mo-Fe protein when some commercial brands of sodium dodecyl sulphate were used in the preparation of the electrode buffer was resolved into two bands by the addition of 0.01% (v/v) dodecanol to the buffer. Protein extracted from the two bands obtained after electrophoresis of K. pneumoniae Mo-Fe protein gave unique and distinct peptide ‘maps’ after tryptic digestion. Undissociated Mo-Fe protein contained both sets of tryptic peptides. These data are consistent with Mo-Fe protein from K. pneumoniae being composed of non-identical subunits. Amino acid analyses of the subunit proteins revealed some clear differences in amino acid content, but the two subunits showed close compositional relatedness, with a different index [Metzer, H., Shapiro, M.B., Mosiman, J.E. & Vinton, J.G. (1968) Nature (London) 219, 1166-1168] of 4.7.

Identification of pilin pools in the membranes of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

1982 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 687-691
Author(s):  
T H Watts ◽  
E A Worobec ◽  
W Paranchych
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Type Strain ◽  
Wild Type Strain ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Outer Membranes

The proteins of purified inner and outer membranes obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAK and PAK/2Pfs were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, transferred to nitrocellulose, and treated with antiserum raised against pure pili. Bound antipilus antibodies were visualized by reaction with 125I-labeled protein A from Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that there are pools of pilin in both the inner and outer membranes of P. aeruginosa and that the pool size in the multipiliated strain is comparable with that of the wild-type strain.

C25, an essential RNA polymerase III subunit related to the RNA polymerase II subunit RPB7

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 6164-6170
Author(s):  
P P Sadhale ◽  
N A Woychik
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Rna Polymerase Iii ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Polymerase Iii ◽  
Conditional Mutant ◽  
5.8S Rrna ◽  
Cell Growth And Viability

We identified a partially sequenced Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene which encodes a protein related to the S. cerevisiae RNA polymerase II subunit, RPB7. Several lines of evidence suggest that this related gene, YKL1, encodes the RNA polymerase III subunit C25. C25, like RPB7, is present in submolar ratios, easily dissociates from the enzyme, is essential for cell growth and viability, but is not required in certain transcription assays in vitro. YKL1 has ABF-1 and PAC upstream sequences often present in RNA polymerase subunit genes. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis mobility of the YKL1 gene product is equivalent to that of the RNA polymerase III subunit C25. Finally, a C25 conditional mutant grown at the nonpermissive temperature synthesizes tRNA at reduced rates relative to 5.8S rRNA, a hallmark of all characterized RNA polymerase III mutants.

scholarly journals Phosphorylation of synaptic-membrane proteins from ox cerebral cortex in vitro. Preparation of fractions enriched in phosphorylated proteins by using extraction with detergents and urea, and gel filtration

1977 ◽  
Vol 163 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
P R Dunkley ◽  
H Holmes ◽  
R Rodnight
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Cortex ◽  
Cyclic Amp ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel ◽  
Synaptic Membrane ◽  
Hydroxyl Groups ◽  
Phosphorylated Proteins

Synaptic-membrane fragments from ox cerebral cortex contain basal and cyclic AMP-stimulated protein kinase(s) that transfer 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP to hydroxyl groups of serine and threonine residues in membrane-protein substrates. In the present work, labelled membrane fragments were partitioned into soluble and insoluble fractions with Triton X-100, Nonidet P. 40, sodium deoxycholate and urea, and the distribution of 32P-labelled protein in the fractions was determined by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and radioautography. A high percentage of phosphorylated protein sustrates remained insoluble, including those whose phosphorylation was most highly stimulated by cyclic AMP. Whole membrane fragments and samples prepared by detergent extraction were fractionated on Sepharose 6B columns in the presence of low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulphate and pooled fractions were analysed by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and radioautography. Phosphorylated proteins were fractionated on the basis of their molecular weight, but homogeneous protein was not obtained. The results are discussed in relation to the techniques used and the results obtained in other laboratories.

scholarly journals Isolation and Characterization of Two Proteins fromMoraxella catarrhalis That Bear a Common Epitope

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (9) ◽  
pp. 4374-4381 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. McMichael ◽  
Michael J. Fiske ◽  
Ross A. Fredenburg ◽  
Deb N. Chakravarti ◽  
Karl R. VanDerMeid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Bacterial Attachment ◽  
Vaccine Candidates ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Sds Page

ABSTRACT The UspA1 and UspA2 proteins of Moraxella catarrhalisare potential vaccine candidates for preventing disease caused by this organism. We have characterized both proteins and evaluated their vaccine potential using both in vitro and in vivo assays. Both proteins were purified from the O35E isolate by Triton X-100 extraction, followed by ion-exchange and hydroxyapatite chromatography. Analysis of the sequences of internal peptides, prepared by enzymatic and chemical cleavage of the proteins, revealed that UspA1 and UspA2 exhibited distinct structural differences but shared a common sequence including an epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody 17C7. By sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), purified UspA1 exhibited a molecular weight of approximately 350,000 when unheated and a molecular weight of 100,000 after being heated for 10 min at 100°C. In contrast, purified UspA2 exhibited an apparent molecular weight of 240,000 by SDS-PAGE that did not change with the length of time of heating. Their sizes as determined by gel filtration were 1,150,000 and 830,000 for UspA1 and UspA2, respectively. Preliminary results indicate the proteins have separate functions in bacterial pathogenesis. Purified UspA1 was found to bind HEp-2 cells, and sera against UspA1, but not against UspA2, blocked binding of the O35E isolate to the HEp-2 cells. UspA1 also bound fibronectin and appears to have a role in bacterial attachment. Purified UspA2, however, did not bind fibronectin but had an affinity for vitronectin. Both proteins elicited bactericidal antibodies in mice to homologous and heterologous disease isolates. Finally, mice immunized with each of the proteins, followed by pulmonary challenge with either the homologous or a heterologous isolate, cleared the bacteria more rapidly than mock-immunized mice. These results suggest that UspA1 and UspA2 serve different virulence functions and that both are promising vaccine candidates.

scholarly journals Characterization of proteins from the cytoskeleton of Giardia lamblia

1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Crossley ◽  
D.V. Holberton
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate ◽  
Giardia Lamblia ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Gel Filtration ◽  
Molecular Size ◽  
Molecular Weights

Proteins from the axonemes and disc cytoskeleton of Giardia lamblia have been examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In addition to tubulin and the 30 X 10(3) molecular weight disc protein, at least 18 minor components copurify with the two major proteins in Triton-insoluble structures. The most prominent minor bands have the apparent molecular weights of 110 X 10(3), 95 X 10(3) and 81 X 10(3). Protein of 30 X 10(3) molecular weight accounts for about 20% of organelle protein on gels. In continuous 25 mM-Tris-glycine buffer it migrates mostly as a close-spaced doublet of polypeptides, which are here given the name giardins. Giardia tubulin and giardin have been purified by gel filtration chromatography in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. Well-separated fractions were obtained that could be further characterized. Both proteins are heterogeneous when examined by isoelectric focusing. Five tubulin chains were detected by PAGE Blue 83 dye-binding after focusing in a broad-range ampholyte gel. Giardin is slightly less acidic than tubulin. On gels it splits into four major and four minor chains with isoelectric points in the pI range from 5.8 to 6.2. The amino acid composition of the giardin fraction has been determined, and compared to Giardia tubulin and a rat brain tubulin standard. Giardins are rich in helix-forming residues, particularly leucine. They have a low content of proline and glycine; therefore they may have extensive alpha-helical regions and be rod-shaped. As integral proteins of disc microribbons, giardins in vivo associate closely with tubulin. The properties of giardins indicate that in a number of respects - molecular size, charge, stoichiometry - their structural interaction with tubulin assemblies will be different from other tubulin-accessory protein copolymers studied in vitro.

Novel Catalatic Proteins of Bakers' Yeast. I. An Atypical Catalase

1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 1551-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony C. M. Seah ◽  
A. R. Bhatti ◽  
J. G. Kaplan
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Weight ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Sodium Dodecyl ◽  
Native Protein ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Major Band ◽  
Subunit Molecular Weight ◽  
Purification And Properties

At any stage of growth of a wild-type bakers' yeast, some 20% of the catalatic activity of crude extracts is not precipitable by means of antibody prepared against the typical catalase (catalase T), whose purification and properties have been previously described. Some of this catalatic activity is due to the presence of an atypical catalase (catalase A), a heme protein, with a molecular weight estimated as 170 000 – 190 000, considerably lower than that of the usual catalases (225 000 – 250 000). Preparations of catalase A were found to be homogeneous in the analytical ultracentrifuge and in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its subunit molecular weight, determined from its iron content, was 46 500, virtually the same as that of the major band obtained in gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, suggesting that the native protein is tetrameric. Its specific activity is in the range of those reported for other typical catalases.

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