GERMINATION OF BACTERIAL ENDOSPORES WITH SUBTILOPEPTIDASES

1967 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 489-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo Sierra

Intact spores of Bacillus subtilis are susceptible to subtilopeptidase attack and this enzymatic reaction induces changes in the spore similar to those that take place during "physiological" germination. Germination occurred between pH 5.5 and 10.0 showing a pH optimum of 9.0 and between 25 °C and 45 °C with an optimum of 37–40°. Subtilopeptidase-induced germination took place in completely anaerobic conditions. Sublethal heating of spore suspensions increased the rate of subtilopeptidase-induced germination. Germination with subtilopeptidase was almost completely inhibited by an excess of diisopropyl fluorophosphate. L-Alanine-induced germination was not affected by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. Participation of the spore metabolism in subtilopeptidase-induced germination seemed likely. These results suggest that subtilopeptidases initiate spore germination by releasing germination agents from the spore.No significant loss of viability was noted until after exposure to the proteolytic enzyme for at least 60 minutes. Prolonged exposure of B. subtilis spores to subtilopeptidase results in death of the exposed spores.Subtilopeptidase-induced germination was also observed in several spores of other members of the genus Bacillus.

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 238-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine A. Brantner ◽  
Ryan M. Hannah ◽  
James P. Burans ◽  
Robert K. Pope

AbstractBacterial endospores are resistant to many environmental factors from temperature extremes to ultraviolet irradiation and are generally more difficult to inactivate or kill than vegetative bacterial cells. It is often considered necessary to treat spores or samples containing spores with chemical fixative solutions for prolonged periods of time (e.g., 1–21 days) to achieve fixation/inactivation to enable electron microscopy (EM) examination outside of containment laboratories. Prolonged exposure to chemical fixatives, however, can alter the ultrastructure of spores for EM analyses. This study was undertaken to determine the minimum amount of time required to inactivate/sterilize and fix spore preparations from several bacterial species using a universal fixative solution for EM that maintains the ultrastructural integrity of the spores. We show that a solution of 4% paraformaldehyde with 1% glutaraldehyde inactivated spore preparations ofBacillus anthracis,Bacillus cereus,Bacillus megaterium,Bacillus thuringiensis, andClostridium perfringensin 30 min, andBacillus subtilisin 240 min. These results suggest that this fixative solution can be used to inactivate and fix spores from several major groups of bacterial spore formers after 240 min, enabling the fixed preparations to be removed from biocontainment and safely analyzed by EM outside of biocontainment.


2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 606-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rumyana Eneva ◽  
Stephan Engibarov ◽  
Tanya Strateva ◽  
Radoslav Abrashev ◽  
Ignat Abrashev

Neuraminidase is a key factor in the infectious process of many viruses and pathogenic bacteria. The neuraminidase enzyme secreted by the etiological agent of cholera — Vibrio cholerae О1 — is well studied in contrast with the one produced by non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae. Environmental non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae isolates from Bulgaria were screened for production of neuraminidase. The presence of the neuraminidase gene nanH was detected in 18.5% of the strains. Тhe strain showing highest activity (30 U/mL), V. cholerae non-O1/13, was used to investigate the enzyme production in several media and at different aeration conditions. The highest production of extracellular neuraminidase was observed under microaerophilic conditions, which is possibly related to its role in the infection of intestine epithelium, where the oxygen content is low. On the other hand, this is another advantage of the microbe in such microaerophilic environments as sediments and lake mud. The highest production of intracellular neuraminidase was observed at anaerobic conditions. The ratio of extracellular to intracellular neuraminidase production in V. cholerae was investigated. The temperature optimum of the enzyme was determined to be 50 °C and the pH optimum to be 5.6–5.8.


1953 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Blackwood

One hundred and fourteen bacterial cultures representing most of the species in the Bacillus genus were tested for the production of extracellular barley gum cytase. Assays were made on shake-flask cultures grown on a medium containing glucose and yeast extract. Although all the organisms had some enzymatic activity, certain strains of Bacillus subtilis gave the best yields of cytase. On a medium with asparagine as the sole nitrogen source even higher yields were obtained. The crude cytase preparations were stable and after freeze-drying most of the original activity remained.


2006 ◽  
Vol 189 (5) ◽  
pp. 1565-1572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkata Ramana Vepachedu ◽  
Peter Setlow

ABSTRACT The release of dipicolinic acid (DPA) during the germination of Bacillus subtilis spores by the cationic surfactant dodecylamine exhibited a pH optimum of ∼9 and a temperature optimum of 60°C. DPA release during dodecylamine germination of B. subtilis spores with fourfold-elevated levels of the SpoVA proteins that have been suggested to be involved in the release of DPA during nutrient germination was about fourfold faster than DPA release during dodecylamine germination of wild-type spores and was inhibited by HgCl2. Spores carrying temperature-sensitive mutants in the spoVA operon were also temperature sensitive in DPA release during dodecylamine germination as well as in lysozyme germination of decoated spores. In addition to DPA, dodecylamine triggered the release of amounts of Ca2+ almost equivalent to those of DPA, and at least one other abundant spore small molecule, glutamic acid, was released in parallel with Ca2+ and DPA. These data indicate that (i) dodecylamine triggers spore germination by opening a channel in the inner membrane for Ca2+-DPA and other small molecules, (ii) this channel is composed at least in part of proteins, and (iii) SpoVA proteins are involved in the release of Ca2+-DPA and other small molecules during spore germination, perhaps by being a part of a channel in the spore's inner membrane.


2013 ◽  
Vol 647 ◽  
pp. 524-531
Author(s):  
Vinita Sharma ◽  
Katsuhiko Hosoi ◽  
Tamio Mori ◽  
Shin-ichi Kuroda

In this study, we conducted experiments to investigate the effectiveness of a non-equilibrium Ar-N2 plasma jet generated by a Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Torch (CAPPLAT) at a sinusoidal voltage of 20 kV, frequency of 30 kHz with 10 slm of Ar gas and 100 sccm of N2 gas. Highly environmental stress resistant bacterial endospores of Bacillus subtilis, dried on an agar disc were exposed to the plasma discharge from the CAPPLAT for different durations. The viability of spores after plasma exposure was checked by counting CFUs by serial dilution method. We also measured the amount of released DPA (dipicolinic acid, pyridine-2, 6-dicarboxylic acid), which is exclusively found in endospore protoplast (cortex), to confirm the disintegration of the cortex. We could successfully inactivate a population of Bacillus endospores of about 1.0 × 107 to 4.0 × 107 spores/ml.


1978 ◽  
Vol 234 (6) ◽  
pp. E606
Author(s):  
J G Spenney

Acetylsalicylic acid hydrolase activity of rabbit fundic gastric mucosa has been isolated from the soluble 100,000 X g supernate. The enzymatic activity was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation. The Km for acetylsalicylate was 2 mM and pH optimum was 8.6. The activity was insensitive to ionic strength, slightly inhibited by inclusion of 100 mM Cl-, and demonstrated no requirement for Ca2+ or Mg2+. Acetylsalicylic acid esterase was markedly inhibited by sodium cholate and sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme was insensitive to sulfhydryl reagents with the exception of p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid, which markedly inhibited the enzyme. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) inhibited enzymatic activity with a Ki of 9 X 10(-9)M. Eserine was also inhibitory with a Ki of 0.25 mM. Inhibition by DFP at low concentration and by eserine at millimolar concentrations suggests that this enzyme is related to the group of aliphatic esterases. Identification of potent inhibitors will enable studies to define the role of this enzyme with the use of experimental preparations in which systemic toxicity can be avoided.


1979 ◽  
Vol 34 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 715-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerhild Nurmann ◽  
Dieter Strack

Abstract From cotyledons of Raphanus sativus (red radish) an esterase activity which catalyzes the hy­drolysis of sinapine into sinapic acid and choline has been isolated. The enzyme, which has a near absolute specificity, is not analogous with any esterase described in the literature. The reaction has a pH optimum of 8.5 and the apparent Km is 1.95 × 10-5 m. The enzyme is relatively insensi­tive to both physostigmine (eserine) {Ki = 1.73 × 10-4 m) and neostigmine (Ki = 2 .1 3 × 10-4 ᴍ). Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) showed no inhibition and diethyl p-nitrophenylphosphate (E 600) only a slight inhibitory effect at 10-5 ᴍ, respectively. Choline (10-2 ᴍ) was inhibitory but acetylcholine (10-2 ᴍ) stimulated the enzyme activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (01) ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
Irina Mladenoska ◽  
Verica Petkova ◽  
Tatjana Kadifkova Panovska

The effect of substrate concentration on the enzyme activity in the reaction of glucose conversion into gluconic acid was investigated by using three different enzyme preparations in media with two different glucose concentrations. The media were simulating the conditions in the must, thus named as minimal model must, and were composed form combination of several organic acids and glucose. Those media were having initial pH of 3.5 that is a very unfavorable for glucose oxidase activity having a pH optimum at the pH value of 5.5. Among the three preparations used, the bakery additive, Alphamalt Gloxy 5080, was the most active in the medium with glucose concentration of 10 g/L, showing conversion of more than 70% for the period of 24 h, while the same enzyme preparation in the medium with 100 g/L glucose converted only about 7% of glucose. The pH value of the medium at the beginning and at the end of the enzymatic reaction was a good indicator of the enzyme activity. It seems that for the conversion of glucose in higher concentration, enzymatic preparation in high concentration should also be used. The preliminary attempt of immobilization of two preparations of glucose oxidases in alginate beads was also performed and a successful immobilization procedure for utilization in food industry was preliminarily developed. Keywords: glucose oxidases, enzymatic pretreatment, glucose, gluconic acid, model wine, functional food


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marivic Martin ◽  
Anna Dragoš ◽  
Simon B. Otto ◽  
Daniel Schäfer ◽  
Susanne Brix ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTBiofilms are closely packed cells held and shielded by extracellular matrix composed of structural proteins and exopolysaccharides (EPS). As matrix components are costly to produce and shared within the population, EPS-deficient cells can act as cheaters by gaining benefits from the cooperative nature of EPS producers. Remarkably, genetically programmed EPS producers can also exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity at single cell level. Previous studies have shown that spatial structure of biofilms limits the spread of cheaters, but the long-term influence of cheating on biofilm evolution is not well understood. Here, we examine the influence of EPS non-producers on evolution of matrix production within the populations of EPS producers in a model biofilm-forming bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. We discovered that general adaptation to biofilm lifestyle leads to an increase in phenotypical heterogeneity of eps expression. Apparently, prolonged exposure to EPS-deficient cheaters, may result in different adaptive strategy, where eps expression increases uniformly within the population. We propose a molecular mechanism behind such adaptive strategy and demonstrate how it can benefit the EPS-producers in the presence of cheaters. This study provides additional insights on how biofilms adapt and respond to stress caused by exploitation in long-term scenario.


Author(s):  
ARUN KUMAR ◽  
POONAM KUMARI ◽  
KASAHUN GUDETA ◽  
JM JULKA

Objective: The paper aimed to immobilize amylase producing bacterial strain on a suitable matrix and characterization of its physicochemical properties so that much amount of amylase could be produced to be applied in different industries. Methods: Bacterial colonies were sub-cultured from samples collected from soil in freshly prepared dishes containing starch agar by dot method using sterile inoculating needles from which five different bacteria belonged to genus Bacillus were isolated and assigned as A1, A2, A3, A4, and A5. Results: It was found that A1 displayed the highest enzyme activity of 17.89 IU/ml with enzyme assay of 0.83 mg/ml and the bacterium was identified to be Bacillus subtilis. A5 displayed 10.13 IU/ml with protein contents of 0.11 mg/ml indicated that A1 possess the highest enzyme activities which were categorized under Bacillus and protein contents and A5 showed less amount of enzyme activities and protein contents as compared to other. Conclusion: The bacteria which were produced much amount of enzyme activities identified as Bacillus subtilis and recommended and have been recommended to be cultured for the production of amylase enzyme.


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