Poumon Coeur, 1981 Jan-Feb, 37(1), 35 - 50 {Results of needle-biopsy of the pleura (author's transl)}; Huguenin-Dumittan S et al.; The technique of needle-biopsy of the pleura started with the Vim-Silvermann needle (often inadequate) and has now spread generally with the greater use of the Harefield-Abrams needle . The overall percentagetrue positive results (tuberculosis, cancer) has, over time, slowly fallen, because of the fall in the number of tuberculous cases and an increase in biopsies with insufficient material (T 1 1964 : 45%, T 2 1979 : 26,5%) . In our third study (T 3), we studied in 150 cases selected at random out of the 628 cases studied in T 2 . We compared our percentage true positive results with those obtained in T1 (number of biopsies positive for tuberculosis (TB) or cancer (CA) compared with the number of patients suffering from tuberculosis or cancer} . These figures, for percentage true positive results, was 90% for TB 62% for cancer in T 1, and fell to 87% for TB and 53% for cancer in T 3 . There were no false positive results . The diagnosis of tuberculosis can, in general, be made with a single biopsy . Diagnosis of cancer requires repeated biopsies . Association of cytology increased the results to 70% (T 1 and T 3) . Looking for the tuberculous bacillus from the biopsy material was rewarded in 33 % (T 3) . Histological diagnoses of non-specific conditions was possible in 30 % of biopsies, which gave true non-specific results . The technical reliability in T 1 (95% with 4 individuals who carried out the biopsies) fell to 85% in T 3 (57 individuals) . This fall was studied and could be explained by: 1) insufficiently repeated biopsies; 2) too great a number of individuals carrying out the biopsies (T 3 : 51 inexperienced individuals out of 57), with numerous cases of insufficient material; 3) the ratio "useful fragments/total fragments", was far too low . This relationship between useful fragments and total fragments is statistically (p less than 0.05) correlated with the experience of the doctor carrying out the procedure . The optimal number of fragments per biopsy is between 2 and 3 : a number greater than this does not improve the results . The later degradation in the diagnostic value of the biopsy by the histologist should be examined : the biopsy should be carried out by an experienced individual, and the biopsy should be read by an experienced histologist . The histologist should be exigent in his requirements, from the doctor carrying out the biopsy, and he should examine all the material brought up in the biopsy. Microbiol Immunol, 1981, 25(3), 305 - 16 Interferon-inducing activity of an immunotherapeutic anticancer agent, SSM, prepared from Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain Aoyama B; Hayashi Y et al.; The interferon-inducing capacity of arabinomannan-lipid preparation (SSM) extracted from Mycobacterium tuberculosis Aoyama B in both BCG-sensitized and unsensitized mice was studied in comparison with that of purified protein derivative (PPD) prepared from the same tubercle bacillus . Although it is known that PPD cannot stimulate interferon production in BCG-unsensitized mice, interferon activity was found in sera of both groups of mice after intravenous injection of SSM at a dose of 5 mg/kg . The maximum titer was detected 5 hr after injection . The interferon induced by SSM in both groups of mice shared certain physicochemical properties with the immune interferon induced by PPD in BCG-sensitized mice . In BCG-unsensitized mice, interferon induction by SSM was markedly inhibited by pretreatment with trypan blue and carrageenan, whereas it was not depressed in BCG-sensitized mice given the same treatment or when interferon was induced by PPD . In addition, induction of interferon in BCG-sensitized mice by SSM and PPD and in unsensitized mice by SSM was completely abrogated by pretreatment with hydrocortisone acetate and whole-body x-irradiation (700 R) . These results suggest that in BCG-unsensitized mice macrophages, in addition to X-ray or hydrocortisone-sensitive cells, may be required for interferon induction by SSM. Zentralbl Bakteriol Naturwiss, 1981, 136(1), 63 - 9 {beta-1,3-1,4-glucanase in spore-forming microorganisms . IV . Properties of some Bacillus-beta-glucan-hydrolases (author's transl)}; Borriss R et al.; The beta-glucan-hydrolases produced by seven Bacillus species have been characterized with regard to some physicochemical properties . Ca-ions stabilize all tested glucanases . Optimum pH and optimum temperature were found to be different for the investigated enzymes . In the work presented here is given further characteristics of Bacillus-beta-glucan-hydrolases as pH-stability and temperature stability, sensibility on glucono-1,5-lactone, as well known inhibitor of carbohydrases, and electrophoretic mobility on cellulose acetate-sheets. Can J Microbiol, 1981 Jan, 27(1), 15 - 9 The influence of temperature on the growth inhibitory effect of carbon dioxide on Pseudomonas fragi and Bacillus cereus; Enfors SO et al.; The growth inhibitory effect of 50 kPa (0.5 atm) CO2 was tested for Pseudomonas fragi in the temperature range 5-35 degrees C and of 101 kPa (1 atm) CO2 on Bacillus cereus in the range 18-46 degrees C . The maximum specific growth rate (mumax) of P . fragi in air (pH 6.7) was 0.44 h-1 at 35C, 0.66 h-1 at 30 degrees C, and 0.078 h-1 at 5 degrees C . In 50 kPa of CO2 in air the relative inhibition of the growth rate was about 30% at 35 degrees C, 50% at 30 degrees C, and 90% at 5 degrees C . Thus, the inhibitory effect of CO2 successively increased with decreasing temperature, an effect which was explained by the increasing solubility of CO2 with decreasing temperature . The anaerobic growth of B . cereus (101 kPa N2) was optimal at 40 degrees C and stopped at temperatures below 18 degrees C and above 46 degrees C . The relative inhibitory effect of 101 kPa CO2 at the optimum growth temperature was about 40%; this increased to 100% near the maximum and minimum growth temperatures . The growth inhibitory effect of reduced temperature (below optimum) and CO2 and B . cereus was larger than that expected from the increased solubility of CO2 at lower temperatures. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 1981 Jan, 30(1), 230 - 8 Serotypes of spotted fever group rickettsiae isolated from Dermacentor andersoni (Stiles) ticks in western Montana; Philip RN et al.; Adult Dermacentor andersoni ticks were collected by flagging vegetation in 18 canyons bordering the Bitterroot Valley, Montana, an area where nearly 400 cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) have occurred since 1900 . Three hundred and nine (8.3%) of the 3,705 ticks collected contained hemocyte-associated rickettsia-like organisms of three morphologic types, coccobacillary, fine bacillary, and coarse bacillary (long forms) . Only the coccobacillary and fine bacillary organisms stained with fluorescein-conjugated antibody specific for the spotted fever group . One hundred and six isolates of spotted fever-group rickettsiae obtained by inoculation of Vero cells with suspensions of hemolymph test-positive ticks were serologically typed by microimmunofluorescence . Four sharply distinct serotypes were obtained, including Rickettsia rickettsii (10 strains), R . montana (8 strains), R . rhipicephali (47 strains), and a hitherto undescribed serotype referred to as 369-C (41 strains) . All but two isolates were obtained from west-side canyons where virtually all cases of RMSF had been acquired . The four serotypes were widely distributed on the west side as evidenced by their presence in 5-11 of the 13 collecting sites . Each serotype induced distinctive plaques and cytopathogenicity in Vero cell culture. Vet Pathol, 1981 Jan, 18(1), 82 - 91 The influence of dietary fat and non-specific immunotherapy on carcinogen-induced rat mammary adenocarcinoma; Kollmorgen GM et al.; The incidence of mammary adenocarcinoma in Sprague-Dawley female rats, caused by the carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz(alpha)anthracene, was influenced by the level of dietary fat fed after exposure to carcinogen . Carcinogen was given by stomach tube to 50-day-old rats, and tumors were evaluated when rats were 9 months old . Rats on diets containing 20% unsaturated fat had a tumor incidence of 97%, while rats changed to a low-fat diet (2% unsaturated fat) three or four weeks after exposure to the carcinogen had an incidence of 45% . Some rats on each diet were given two treatments with the methanol extraction residue of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, either three and five weeks after carcinogen or four and six weeks after carcinogen . Tumor incidence in the treated group and the untreated group was the same when rats were maintained on the high-fat diet, but tumors in the treated group were larger and the disease was more severe by histological criteria . These tumors were more anaplastic and many were extensively infiltrated with lymphocytes compared to the untreated group . Tumor incidence was significantly lower in rats changed to the low-fat diet (45%) than in those on the high-fat diet (97%), and tumor incidence was reduced to 20% when rats changed to the low-fat diet were treated with methanol extraction residue . The treated group had less severe disease than the untreated group on the low-fat diet . Only half the tumor-bearing rats in this group had malignant tumors, and none were invasive . Methanol extraction residue protected most rats on the low-fat diet against mammary adenocarcinoma, and reduced the severity of disease in those rats that did develop tumors . Methanol extraction residue treatment provided no protection, and even increased the severity of disease, in rats on the high-fat diet. J Clin Microbiol, 1981 Jan, 13(1), 30 - 5 Characterization of antibody activity in oligoclonal immunoglobulin G synthesized within the central nervous system in a patient with tuberculous meningitis; Kinnman J et al.; Thin-layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum obtained from one patient 48 and 65 days after the onset of tuberculous meningitis revealed five oligoclonal immunoglobulin zones in CSF without any counterpart in serum, indicating local immunoglobulin production . Subsequent immunofixation with specific antisera revealed that three of the zones consisted of immunoglobulin G lambda present simultaneously . Immunofixation with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) as antigens and autoradiography revealed zones of specific antibodies in the CSF which, regarding mobility, corresponded to oligoclonal and polyclonal CSF immunoglobulin G zones . No antibody activity was detectable in the corresponding serum, indicating that the antibodies present in CSF were synthesized within the central nervous system . In seven control patients (three with multiple sclerosis, four with chronic inflammatory central nervous system diseases of unknown cause) with oligoclonal CSF immunoglobulin, no evidence for local production of antibodies against M . tuberculosis or BCG was detectable . Immunofixation with M . tuberculosis or BCG as antigens and autoradiography may prove to be a useful diagnostic complement to conventional techniques in patients with suspected tuberculous meningitis. J Bacteriol, 1981 Jan, 145(1), 541 - 7 Synthesis of Bacillus cereus spore coat protein; Aronson AI; The major structural protein of Bacillus cereus spore coats was synthesized, commencing 1 to 2 h after the end of exponential growth, as a precursor with a mass of ca . 65,000 daltons . About 40% of this precursor, i.e . 26,000 daltons, was converted to spore coat monomers of 13,000 daltons each, perhaps as disulfide-linked dimers . The rate of conversion varied, being initially slow, most rapid at the time of morphogenesis of the coat layers, and then slow again late in sporulation, coincident with a decrease in intracellular protease activity . There was a second major spore coat polypeptide of about 26,000 daltons that was extractable from mature spores in variable amounts . This protein had a peptide profile and a reactivity with spore coat protein antibody that were very similar to those of the 13,000-dalton monomers . It is probably a disulfide-linked dimer that is not readily dissociated. Cancer Clin Trials, 1981 Winter, 4(4), 439 - 49 A controlled clinical and immunological evaluation of immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette--Guerin in patients with metastatic cancer; O'Connell MJ et al.; One hundred thirty adult patients with metastatic solid tumors were studied to evaluate the therapeutic results, toxicity, and immunological effects of three BCG preparations given intradermally by the multiple puncture time technique on either a monthly or weekly schedule: Tice lyophilized BCG, Pasteur lyophilized BCG, and Pasteur fresh-frozen BCG . Patients were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to receive one of the BCG preparations or saline placebo administered in an identical manner . A battery of immunological tests were performed pretreatment and serially during the investigation . None of the 82 patients with measurable indicator lesions experienced an objective tumor response, nor were there any differences in survival among patients receiving any of the BCG preparations compared to placebo . Toxicity consisted of mild to moderate local cutaneous reactions and liver function abnormalities in BCG-treated patients with no significant differences between BCG preparations . Improvements in each of the assays of immune function performed occurred with roughly equal frequency among patients receiving BCG or placebo . It was not possible to demonstrate any significant clinical or immunological benefit from BCG administration in this patient population with the methodology employed. Acta Biol, 1981, 32(1), 45 - 54 Separation of ATP-dependent DNAse to ATPase and DNAse; Banfalvi G et al.; A 250-fold purified ATP-dependent DNase from Bacillus cereus has been separated to DNA-dependent ATPase I and II and a DNase specific for single-stranded DNA (ssDNase) by means of high resolution of DEAE cellulose chromatography . Simultaneously with the separation of ATPase and ssDNase, a decrease in ATP-dependent DNase activity was observed . Complete separation resulted in the total loss of ATP-dependent DNase activity . Reconstitution of ATP-stimulated DNase activity was dependent on the ratio of the combined ATPase II and ssDNase. Mol Gen Genet, 1981, 182(1), 125 - 32 Physical mapping of the genomes of lytic and temperate forms of phage theta; Doskocil J et al.; Restriction maps of genomes of the lytic form and diverse temperate mutants of phage theta of Bacillus licheniformis were constructed . Most temperate mutants produced fragmentation patterns identical to that of the parent lytic form, theta c: in other mutants the only detectable change in the map was the deletion of a Bg/II restriction endonuclease site at 46.5% genome length . In the genomes of two other temperate mutants, theta 1 and theta 2, the central part of the genome was replaced by a piece of DNA of equal length, but with a different distribution of restriction sites; the maps of the two mutants failed to reveal any similarity in the location of restriction sites in the inserted DNA . It seems that any alteration comprising the locus around the coordinate 46.5% of the theta c genome, brings about a transition from the lytic to temperate phenotype, indicating the position of a regulatory gene responsible for positive control of phage replication. Acta Microbiol Pol, 1981, 30(2), 213 - 21 Effect of cadmium on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Stichococcus bacillaris; Skowronski T et al.; The growth of Chlorella vulgaris and Stichococcus bacillaris cultures in media containing from 20 to 100 mg Cd/l was studied . The examined strains were found to be highly resistant to the action of cadmium since the highest concentration of the metal used limited the production of dry weight (during 5 days of cultivation) by less than 50% . The lower production of chlorophyll a by S . bacillaris cultures in media containing from 60 to 100 mg Cd/l and 2-fold elongation of the cells point to lower tolerance of the strain to cadmium than that shown by C . vulgaris. Int J Pept Protein Res, 1981 Jan, 17(1), 93 - 106 Sequence of the CNBr peptide containing the putative essential tyrosine of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha amylase; Detera SD et al.; The amino acid sequence of the cyanogen bromide peptide (peptide B) containing the putative essential tyrosine residue in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1.) was determined . It is composed of 73 amino acids and the "active" tyrosine residue is the N-terminus of the peptide . Upon iodination of the whole enzyme by means of a lactoperoxidase-catalyzed reaction, a minimum of eight tyrosine residues are iodinated . Four of these belong to peptide B . Among the cyanogen bromide peptides, B is the most readily iodinated one . Hence, it is predicted that peptide B is an exposed segment of the amylase molecule. J Bacteriol, 1981 Jan, 145(1), 68 - 73 Stringent response of Bacillus stearothermophilus: evidence for the existence of two distinct guanosine 3',5'-polyphosphate synthetases; Fehr S et al.; Bacillus stearothermophilus reacted to pseudomonic acid-induced inhibition of isoleucine-transfer ribonucleic acid (RNA) acylation and to energy downshift caused by alpha-methylglucoside addition with accumulation of guanosine 3',5'-polyphosphates {(p)ppGpp} and restriction of RNA synthesis . In vitro studies indicated that (p)ppGpp was synthesized by two different enzymes . One enzyme, (p)ppGpp synthetase I, was present in the ribosomal fraction, required the addition of a ribosome-messenger RNA-transfer RNA complex for activation, and was inhibited by tetracycline and thiostrepton . It is suggested that (p)ppGpp synthetase I is comparable to the relA gene product from Escherichia coli and is responsible for (p)ppGpp accumulation during amino acid starvation . The other enzyme, (p)ppGpp synthetase II, was found in the high-speed supernatant fraction (S100) . It functioned independently of ribosomes, transfer RNA, and messenger RNA and was not inhibited by the above-mentioned antibiotics . (p)ppGpp synthetase II is thought to be responsible for (p)ppGpp accumulation during carbon source downshift . The two enzymes differ in their Km values for adenosine triphosphate (ATP):2mM ATP for synthetase I and 0.05 mM ATP for synthetase II . They also have different molecular weights: apparent Mr of 86,000 (+/- 5,000) for synthetase I and 74,000 (+/- 5,000) for synthetase II. J Bacteriol, 1981 Jan, 145(1), 613 - 9 Isolation and properties of pili from spores of Bacillus cereus; DesRosier JP et al.; Structures whose morphology is identical to that of bacterial pili have been isolated from spores of Bacillus cereus . The structures are absent from log-phase and sporulating cells . The pili are 6.8 nm in diameter, are of variable length, and appear to emanate randomly from the exosporium . Examination of spores from 12 Bacillus species showed that only those from B . cereus and B . thuringiensis have pili . Although isolated spore pili were shown to be composed of protein, their subunit nature was not discernible due to the extreme insolubility of the structure . An antiserum to spore pili was labeled with ferritin and used to examine the distribution of pilus antigen on the outer spore surface. Lancet, 1980 Dec 20-27, 2(8208-8209), 1332 - 4 Fatal disseminated BCG infection in an 18-year-old boy; Mackay A et al.; Death from disseminated infection with BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) after routine vaccination is rare, and various immune defects may be responsible . An 18-year-old boy died with widespread lymph-node, bone, lung, and liver involvement 6 years after BCG vaccination . Total numbers of B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes were normal, but T lymphocytes, while transforming normally in the presence of non-specific mitogens, did not transform in the presence of purified protein derivative . Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests were negative . Monocytes containing alpha-naphthylacetate esterase were absent. Appl Environ Microbiol, 1980 Dec, 40(6), 1136 - 8 Distribution of beta-glucanases within the genus Bacillus; Martin DF et al.; Representative strains (368) from 36 species in the genus Bacillus were screened for the secretion of beta-glucanases . (1 leads to 6)-beta-glucanases active on pustulan were produced by a minority of the organisms studied (4%), but (1 leads to 3)-beta-glucanases which hydrolyzed laminarin and pachyman were more widespread and were secreted by 56 and 44% of the strains, respectively. South Med J, 1980 Dec, 73(12), 1640 - 1 Atypical endocarditis due to gram-negative bacillus transmitted by dog bite; Shankar PS et al.; A case of subacute bacterial endocarditis presenting with hemoptysis and late onset of cardiac murmurs, in the absence of pyrexia, was reported . The causative agent was a fastidious, slow-growing, unclassified, gram-negative bacterium, DF-2 (decarboxylase fermenter-2), apparently transmitted by a dog bite . The absence of classic signs of bacterial endocarditis poses a diagnostic challenge and stresses the need for an awareness of atypical presentations of subacute bacterial endocarditis. Tubercle, 1980 Dec, 61(4), 259 - 68 Recent European research activities in mycobacteriology; Grange JM; The subject of mycobacteriology is becoming an increasingly popular and complex one and the contribution by European scientists has been considerable . The important areas of research include taxonomy and the improvement of identification methods; biochemistry, including enzymology, metabolic regulation, lipid chemistry, iron uptake and metabolism, pigment synthesis and DNA chemistry; genetics and bacteriophages; ecology, including the effect of contact with environmental mycobacteria on the mammalian immune response; immunology; and the association of disease and cell-wall-free mycobacteria and studies on the leprosy bacillus . The European Society of Mycobacteriologists has recently been founded to unite workers in these disciplines and to promote and disseminate knowledge in this subject. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Dec, 33(12), 1551 - 5 Selective cleavage of a peptide antibiotic, colistin by colistinase; Ito-Kagawa M et al.; A colistin-inactivating enzyme, colistinase was produced by Bacillus polymyxa var . colistinus KOYAMA, a colistin-producing microorganism . The crude colistinase was fractionated as two components (colistinase I and II) by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration . Colistinase II was further purified and then, it showed as a single band in polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis . The molecular weight of colistinase II was about 20,000 by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and the isoelectric point was at about 8.3 . Colistinase II cleaved specifically between the 2,4-diaminobutyric acid of the side chain and 2,4-diaminobutyric acid adjacent in the cyclic peptide portion of colistin molecule. P N G Med J, 1980 Dec, 23(4), 182 - 5 Ocular leprosy in Papua New Guinea; Ree GH; The eyes may be damaged in leprosy by three pathological processes; by direct bacillary invasion, secondary to the involvement of the Vth and VIIth cranial nerves leading to corneal anaesthesia and lagophthalmos respectively, and by sensitization to Mycobacterial antigen or immune complexes during type II reactions . The prevalance of ocular leprosy varies widely throughout the world, depending on a number of factors, including the type of disease which is most prevalent, the duration of the disease, the ophthalmological facilities available, and possibly the race of the patient . Shields et al, have reported prevalence rates of ocular leprosy varying from 6% to 90% in different series . In Port Moresby, Dethlefs found a prevalence of 12% of potentially sight threatening lesions in a small group of leprosy patients: in his series however, little detail was paid to the leprosy aspects of the patients . A study was therefore undertaken of ocular lesions in leprosy patients paying particular attention to type, duration and activity of the disease. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1980 Dec, 88(6), 1757 - 64 Sodium-ion stimulated amino acid uptake in membrane vesicles of alkalophilic Bacillus no . 8-1; Kitada M et al.; Membrane vesicles were isolated from alkalophilic Bacillus No . 8-1, and the active transport of amino acids was studied . The transport of amino acids was dependent upon substrate oxidation and the presence of Na+ . Concentrative uptake of amino acids was stimulated by the addition of an artificial electron donor system, ascorbate-phenazine methosulfate (PMS), and to a lesser extent by NADH, while succinate, L-lactate, and alpha-glycerol-phosphate did not stimulate the uptake . N,N,N',N'-Tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) and cytochrome c were able to replace PMS, and reduced forms of these compounds were also very efficient electron donors . Amino acid transport was dependent on electron transfer, and inhibition of NADH oxidation by cyanide, 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide (HOQNO), and sodium azide directly prohibited serine transport . The pH optima for serine transport lay between pH 8 and 9 for all energy sources . Sodium ion stimulated serine transport in the presence of NADH, NADH plus cytochrome c or succinate plus PMS, but had no stimulatory effect on the corresponding dehydrogenase activities . Sodium ion was also required for accumulation of serine in response to an artificial membrane potential where the respiratory chain was not operative . These results indicated that the stimulatory effect of Na+ on amino acid uptake was on the transport process itself. Gastroenterology, 1980 Dec, 79(6), 1318 - 23 Whipple's disease: a case with circulating immune complexes; Kwitko AO et al.; A patient with Whipple's disease was studied for 56 wk from diagnosis, during which time he received continuous antibiotic therapy . Intramucosal bacillary bodies detected by electron microscopy disappeared within 12 wk and a threefold fall in antibody titer to Hemophilus influenza type B bacillus occurred during this period . Circulating immune complexes of IgG class were consistently detected during the first 28 wk of treatment but not subsequently . IgM class immune complexes were detected at a time when mucosal recovery had occurred and when IgG complexes were no longer detectable . A further rise of IgM immune complexes could be induced by enteric challenge with bovine serum albumin in our patient but not in control subjects . The detection of serum immune complexes in Whipple's disease may reflect the entry of foreign antigen through intestinal mucosa . These observations also support the possibility of an underlying defect of antigen exclusion in this disorder, which persists despite apparent mucosal recovery. J Biol Chem, 1980 Nov 25, 255(22), 10599 - 605 Properties of meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate D-dehydrogenase from Bacillus sphaericus; Misono H et al.; meso-alpha,epsilon-Diaminopimelate D-dehydrogenase, which has been purified to homogeneity from the extract of Bacillus sphaericus IFO 3525, has a molecular weight of about 80,000 and consists of two subunits identical in molecular weight (approximately 40,000) . The enzyme has a high substrate specificity . In addition to meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate, lanthionine is deaminated by the enzyme to a far lesser extent . NADP+ is the exclusive cofactor . The pH optima were at about 10.5 for the deamination of meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate and at 7.5 for its amination . L and D isomers of alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate and meso-alpha,delta-diaminoadipate competitively inhibit the oxidation of meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate . Initial velocity and product inhibition studies show that the reductive amination proceeds through a sequential ordered ternary-binary mechanism . NADPH binds first to the enzyme followed by L-alpha-amino-epsilon-ketopimelate and ammonia, and the products are released in the order of meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate and NADP+ . The Michaelis constants are as follows: meso-alpha,epsilon-diaminopimelate (2.5 mM), NADP+ (83 micro M), NADPH (0.2 mM), L-alpha-amino-epsilon-ketopimelate (0.24 mM), and ammonia (12.5 mM) . The pro-S hydrogen at C-4 of the dihydronicotinamide ring of NADPH is transferred to the substrate; the enzyme is B-stereospecific . Fluorometric study on binding of NADPH to the enzyme revealed that the enzyme contains two coenzyme binding sites per molecule. Biochemistry, 1980 Nov 25, 19(24), 5520 - 4 Probing the limits of protein-amino acid side chain recognition with the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases . Discrimination against phenylalanine by tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases; Fersht AR et al.; The specificity of the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases from Escherichia coli and bacillus stearothermophilus for tyrosine compared with phenylalanine has been determined by using samples of phenylalanine which have been scrupulously freed from tyrosine by either chemical or enzymic scavenging procedures . Both kinetic measurements and product analyses give a value of 1 x 10(5)-2 x 10(5) for the preferential activation of tyrosine . Combined with the known ratio of phenylalanine to tyrosine in rapidly growing E . coli, an error rate of about approximately 5/10(4) is calculated for the misactivation of phenylalanine . Since we find no evidence for an editing mechanism and this error rate is similar to observed rates in protein synthesis, the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases appear to have adequate amino acid selection by simple preferential binding of the correct substrate . The incremental binding energy of the phenolic hydroxyl group of tyrosine is approximately 7 kcal/mol, a value presumed close to the maximum possible because of the evolutionary pressure on tyrosyl-tRNA synthetases for maximum specificity . A summary of high incremental binding energies determined from experiments on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase is presented. Nucleic Acids Res, 1980 Nov 25, 8(22), 5411 - 21 Structural features of Bacillus precursor 5S RNA involved in the interaction with RNAase M5; Stiekema WJ et al.; Mature 5S (m5S) RNA from Bacillus licheniformis specifically and almost completely inhibits in vitro maturation of bacillus precursor 5S (p5S) RNA, showing that the maturation enzyme RNAase M5 can recognize Bacillus m5S RNA . E . coli m5S RNA is a much less efficient inhibitor, whereas S . carlsbergensis 5S RNA inhibits maturation by about 70% . The differences in inhibition can be correlated with the position of the sequence UAGG (residues 101-104 in B . licheniformis m5S RNA) relative to the double-helical region formed by the 5'- and 3'-terminal sequences (molecular stalk) of m5S RNA . Recent experiments by Meyhack and Pace (Biochemistry 17 (1980) 5804-5810) demonstrated this UAGG sequence to be indispensable for processing of p5S RNA . Other elements of secondary and/or tertiary structure are also required, however . The effect of artificially constructed "5S RNA" molecules having defined disturbances in the base-pairing within the molecular stalk on in vitro maturation shows that base-pairing in the immediate neighbourhood of the bonds to be cleaved during maturation is crucial to recognition of p5S RNA by RNAase M5 . G.U pairs are tolerated in this region, however, without loss of efficiency in maturation . Base-pairing does not have to extend throughout the complete molecular stalk . The introduction of an A/C combination at the end of the molecular stalk removed from the bonds cleaved by RNAase M5 does not significantly impair the efficiency of maturation. J Biol Chem, 1980 Nov 10, 255(21), 10445 - 50 The complete covalent structure of protein B . The third major protein degraded during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores; Setlow P et al.; The complete covalent structure of Protein B, the third major protein degraded during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores, has been determined . The intact protein was cleaved with the specific B . megaterium spore protease into three peptides, residues 1 to 31 (B-III), 32 to 66 (B-I), and 67 to 96 (B-II) . Cleavage of the intact protein with trypsin allowed isolation of the peptide encompassing residues 61 to 77 (T-11) as well as the COOH-terminal peptide, residues 94 to 96 (T-4) . Cleavage of Peptide B-I with trypsin or chymotrypsin allowed isolation of peptides encompassing residues 53 to 60 (B-I-T-2) and residues 52 to 66 (B-I-C-4), respectively . Subtractive Edman degradation of Peptide T-4, automated sequenator analysis of Peptides B-I, B-II, T-11, B-I-T-2, and B-I-C-4, previously published partial sequence data on the intact B-protein and carboxypeptidase V digestion of the intact protein provided the data from which the following unique sequence was deduced: NH2-Ala-Lys-Gln-Thr-Asn-Lys-Thr-Ala-Ser-Gly-Thr-Ser-Thr-Gln-His-15 Val-Lys-Gln-Gln-Asp-Ala-Gln-Ala-Ser-Lys-Asn-Asn-Phe-Gly-Thr-30 Glu-Phe-Gly-Ser-Glu-Thr-Asn-Val-Gln-Glu-Val-Lys-Gln-Gln-Asn-45 Ala-Gln-Ala-Ala-Asn-Lys-Ser-Gln-Asn-Ala-Gln-Ala-Ser-Lys-60 Asn-Asn-Phe-Gly-Thr-Glu-Phe-Ala-Ser-Glu-Thr-Ser-Ala-Gln-Glu-75 Val-Arg-Gln-Gln-Asn-Ala-Gln-Ala-Gln-Lys-Lys-Asn-Gln-Asn-90 Ser-Gly-Lys-Tyr-Gln-Gly-COOH . The primary sequence of the B-protein contains a large internal duplication (residues 17 to 50 and 52 to 85), and shows significant sequence homology with the A- and C-proteins, the other major proteins degraded during B . megaterium spore germination. Cancer Res, 1980 Nov, 40(11), 4197 - 203 Adjuvant-antigen requirements for active specific immunotherapy of microscopic metastases remaining after surgery; Ashley MP et al.; We studied the conditions required for eradication by immunization of occult lymph node metastases which remained after surgical removal of an intradermally transplanted cavian hepatoma . Guinea pigs that received no postsurgical treatment all died with progressively growing lymph node metastases . The growth of these metastases could be prevented in a significant proportion of the animals by postsurgical treatment with vaccines containing oil-in-water emulsions of Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) cell walls admixed with live or irradiated tumor cells . Vaccines containing living tumor cells cured most of the guinea pigs but produced tumors at the vaccine sites in a few animals . Irradiated tumor cell vaccines were not tumorigenic but required more tumor cells for successful therapy . Therapy was dependent both on the dose of tumor cells and on that of BCG cell walls . Microgram doses of BCG cell walls were required for a therapeutic effect; milligram doses of BCG cell walls inhibited the therapeutic response . Animals rendered tumor free by postsurgical vaccine therapy rejected an intradermal challenge with living tumor cells. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Nov-Dec, 131B(3), 297 - 308 Comparison between bacteriophage typing and serotyping for the differentiation of Bacillus sphaericus strains; Yousten AA et al.; Eleven bacteriophages were isolated using mosquito pathogenic strains of B . sphaericus as hosts . The phage morphology and host range on five DNA homology groups including 16 mosquito pathogenic and 32 non-pathogenic strains were determined . the same bacterial strains were studied serologically for their flagellar agglutination by antisera representing eight serotypes: six antisera prepared against the reference strains for the DNA homology groups and two others against selected mosquito pathogenic strains . Two new serotypes have been determined among the non-pathogenic strains . Both phage typing and serotyping identified subgroups within the IIA homology group which contains the mosquito pathogens . The same bacterial strains were found in the subgroups established by both methods . These subgroups often paralleled difference in the level of toxicity of the strains for mosquito larvae. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Nov, 121(1), 203 - 12 Generalized transduction in Bacillus thuringiensis var . berliner 1715 using bacteriophage CP-54Ber; Lecadet MM et al.; A phage isolated from lysates of phage CP-54 grown on Bacillus cereus 569 and selected on the basis of its ability to infect Bacillus thuringiensis var . berliner 1715 (serotype I) was designated CP-54Ber . Phages CP-54Ber and CP-54 were similar in size, morphology, cryosensitivity and stabilization by dimethyl sulphoxide . They showed significant differences with regard to inactivation by specific antiserum, adsorption to the berliner strains and host range . Phage CP-54Ber was able to mediate generalized transduction in the host strain berliner 1715 with frequencies ranging between 1 x 10(-5) and 1 x 10(-6) . Cotransduction of markers was demonstrated . Cross-transduction occurred between strains belonging to serotype I whereas it was more difficult to observe when lysates were prepared on strains from other serotypes. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Nov-Dec, 49(6), 961 - 8 {Lysogeny in Bacillus thuringiensis}; Azizbekian RR et al.; Different strains of several Bacillus thuringiensis serotypes were analyzed for lysogeny . All of the studied cultures released phages . Phages with an isometric capsid and a noncontractible tail were detected in preparations of the majority of the cultures . The growth of a group of related phages was limited upon lysogenization of the galleriae serotype with Tm2 phage isolated from a culture of the morrisoni serotype . The physico chemical parameters of the phages were determined. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Nov, 26(11), 1364 - 6 Deposit assessment of Bacillus thuringiensis formulations applied from an aircraft; Smirnoff WA; Deposit assessment after aerial spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) formulations consists of the analysis of the splash of droplets on Kromekote papers and determining the number of bacterial colonies growing on nutrient agar medium Petri dishes . However, neither of these two methods provides a number of spores deposited although this figure is essential to determine treatment efficiency . Both methods are evaluated with regard to this need and a new approach is suggested. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Nov, 33(11), 1357 - 62 Inhibition of peptidoglycan transpeptidase by beta-lactam antibiotics: structure-activity relationships; Oka T et al.; The inhibitory activities of representative beta-lactam compounds, such as penicillins G and N, cephalosporins C and G, clavulanic acid, nocardicin A and thienamycin against Escherichia coli KN-126 and Bacillus megaterium KM peptidoglycan transpeptidases were studied . Their modes of action against E . coli are discussed on the basis of the results and the published binding data for penicillin binding proteins . The effects of modifications at position 3 and 7 of the cephalosporin and those at alpha-carbon of the benzyl side-chain of cephalosporin G and penicillin G were studied . The introduction of an amino group at this position in cephalosporin G together with the removal of an acetoxy group from the acetoxymethyl group at position 3 reduced the inhibitory activity against E . coli transpeptidase considerably . The activity was restored by the replacement of the methyl group at position 3 of cephalexin with chlorine . The restoration was accompanied by about 15-fold increase in the lytic activity of cephachlor against E . coli. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Nov-Dec, 49(6), 893 - 901 {Effect of the protein synthesis inhibitor chloramphenicol on the basic growth indices of continuous and periodic Bacillus megaterium cultures}; Shul'govskaia EM et al.; The action of chloramphenicol, a specific inhibitor of bacterial growth and an inhibitor of protein synthesis, was studied in the conditions of continuous and batch cultivation . Steady states of the population within the range of D from 0.2 to 0.7 hr-1 were obtained at a concentration of the antibiotic equal to 20 microgram per liter . The shape of the chemostat curve in the presence of chloramphenicol in the medium indicates that the antibiotic slightly decreases mu max and considerably diminished Y . A change of limiting factors occurs along the chemostat curve at different dilution rates (0.2, 0.4 and 0.7 hr-1): one-, two- and three-factor effects on the population were observed . Steady states of the population in the chemostat are possible by chloramphenicol concentrations of 10 to 100 microgram per litre; in this case, cellular metabolism changes in the following nonspecific way: less effective energy processes are activated, the Y decreases as well as protein content in the cells, but the content of poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid in the biomass increases . If chloramphenicol is taken at a concentration of 1000 microgram per litre (a dose strongly inhibiting the growth rate), other changes specific for this inhibitor are found: the content of protein decreases while that of RNA increases, and substances of nucleotide nature are released into the medium . The changes remain for many generations . The data show that it is possible to change the ratio between cell polymers in growing population. J Gen Virol, 1980 Nov, 51(Pt 1), 137 - 46 Host-range and partial characterization of several new bacteriophages for Bacillus megaterium QM b1551; Vary PS et al.; Several phages infecting Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 have been isolated from the soil and partially characterized . These phages, designated MP9 to MP50, were tested for host-range on several strains of B . megaterium and 13 other Bacillus species . All the phages only infected B . megaterium and on the basis of host-range patterns, 23 groups could be distinguished . The phage patterns also distinguished subgroups of B . megaterium strains within the species and should be useful in phage typing . The phages have varying sensitivities to heat, salts and organic solvents and are all double-stranded DNA phages . Thirty-two have been examined by electron microscopy and are Bradley types A, B and C . This is the first large collection of B . megaterium phages that has been characterized. Eur J Biochem, 1980 Nov, 112(2), 273 - 81 Separation and characterization of an autolytic endo-beta-glucosaminidase from Bacillus cereus; Kawagishi S et al.; 1 . An autolytic endo-beta-glucosaminidase, capable of cleaving the glycoside linkages of N-unsubstituted glucosamine in the glycan moiety of cell wall peptidoglycan, was purified 470-fold from a salt extract of the 2,000 x g precipitate fraction obtained after sonication of a lysozyme-resistant strain of Bacillus cereus . The properties of this enzyme were studied . 2 . The purified enzyme preparation was also active towards the glycan chain of fully N-acetylated cell wall peptidoglycan . 3 . The endo-beta-glucosaminidase was inactive towards the cell wall peptidoglycan unless the peptide portion of this polymer was removed either by the action of N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase or by the treatment with alkali in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide . 4 . Studies on the action of this enzyme towards chemically modified glycans revealed that the carboxyl groups of muramic acid residues are indispensable to a substrate for this enzyme. J Bacteriol, 1980 Nov, 144(2), 789 - 99 Bacillus megaterium sporal peptidoglycan synthesis studied by high-resolution autoradiography; Frehel C et al.; Cells of a Dap- Lys- mutant strain of Bacillus megaterium were pulse labeled with {3H}diaminopimelic acid at different times of growth and sporulation . They were processed for radioactivity measurements and high-resolution autoradiography either just after the pulse or after a chase in a nonradioactive medium until refractile forespores started to appear at time (t)4,5 . In the pulse-labeled cells, autoradiographs and radioactivity measurements showed that the radioactivity incorporated during a pulse decreased abruptly after t0 and stayed at a low level until t5, although the forespore wall and cortex were formed between t4 and t5 . In the pulse-chased bacteria, the acid-insoluble radioactivity, as well as the number of silver grains on autoradiographs, increased during the chase in cells labeled at t1 to t2, whereas it decreased in those labeled before t0 . Furthermore, analysis of silver grain distribution showed that, in stage IV bacteria, grains were distributed at the outside of the forespore, mostly on the sporangium cell wall, when pulse-labeling occurred before or at t0; they were located along the cortex and in the forespore cytoplasm when labeling was made at t1 or t2 . These facts show that {3H}diaminopimelic acid necessary for spore envelope synthesis was incorporated before their morphological appearance . Free or small diaminopimelic acid precursors entered the sporangium between t1 and t2 . The appearance of silver grains in the forespore cytoplasm suggests that the forespore is implicated in sporal peptidoglycan synthesis. Biochem J, 1980 Nov 1, 191(2), 305 - 18 The teichuronic acid from the walls of Bacillus licheniformis A.T.C.C . 9945; Lifely MR et al.; The teichuronic acid of Bacillus licheniformis A.T.C.C . 9945 grown under phosphate limitation was isolated from the cell walls and purified by ion-exchange and Sephadex chromatography . The detailed structure of the polysaccharide was established by methylation analysis, periodate oxidation and partial acid hydrolysis . The polymer is composed of tetrasaccharide repeating units with the structure {GlcA beta(1 leads to 4)GlcA beta(1 leads to 3)GalNAc beta(1 leads to 6)GalNAc alpha(1 leads to 4)n . 13C n.m.r . analysis has confirmed most of the structural features of the polysaccharide and, in particular, the anomeric configurations and linkage positions of substituents . The teichuronic acid from glucose-limited cells was identical with that from cells grown under phosphate limitation. Ann Intern Med, 1980 Nov, 93(5), 709 - 11 Acute meningoencephalitis after withdrawal of antibiotics in Whipple's disease; Feldman M et al.; A man with Whipple's disease was treated with oral penicillin (500 mg twice a day) for 2 years with eradication of bacillary organisms from the jejunum and a return of jejunal histologic findings to normal . While he was on this regimen, however, intermittent vertigo and tinnitus and decreased auditory acuity developed . Two days after penicillin was withdrawn, the patient developed acute meningoencephalitis that responded to parenteral penicillin and chloramphenicol therapy . Subsequently, central nervous system signs and symptoms and cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis have been controlled with chronic chloramphenicol therapy . Penicillin may suppress, but not prevent, central nervous system disease in patients with otherwise successfully treated Whipple's disease. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Oct 16, 602(1), 24 - 31 Identification of surface proteins of a bacterial membrane using thiolactone-activated polyacrylamide beads; Thompson S et al.; A new method for the determination of protein accessibility in membranes and membrane fractions using a resin, 'Enzacryl' polythiolactone, is described . Enzacryl polythiolactone is a hydrophilic polymer of acrylamide and acrylamide derivatives with thiolactone ring substituents . The binding of enzymes and proteins to this resin is accomplished very simply by mixing them together in a simple aqueous buffer . Groups which react with the polymer in the pH range 5--9 include aliphatic and phenolic hydroxyls and aliphatic amino groups . Surface proteins of Bacillus licheniformis membrane and solubilised membrane fractions are bound irreversibly to this resin . Inaccessible proteins remaining in the fractions are solubilised with sodium dodecyl sulphate and examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. C R Seances Acad Sci D, 1980 Oct 13, 291(6), 537 - 9 {Isolation of a spore fraction of Bacillus sphaericus toxic for larvae of Anopheles}; Tinelli R et al.; A lethal fraction for Anopheles stephensi larvae has been isolated from Bacillus sphaericus strain 1593 spores by various methods The best results have been obtained by freezing and thawing which give an extract made in majority of protein with high molecular weight and causing 100% of mortality in 24 hours . Because of its easy extracction and its lack of diaminopimelic acid, the toxic fraction is thought to be located outside the spore coats. Nucleic Acids Res, 1980 Oct 10, 8(19), 4535 - 41 Nucleotide sequence analysis of precursor 5S RNA from Bacillus licheniformis; Stiekema WJ et al.; The complete nucleotide sequences of the various precursor 5S RNA species occurring in Bacillus licheniformis have been elucidated . The B . licheniformis precursors contain a 5'-precursor-specific segment of 95 nucleotides which is four times as long as the corresponding segment of the p5S RNAs from the closely related strains B . subtilis (Sogin, M.L., Pace, N.R., Rosenberg, M., Weissman, S.M . (1976) J . Biol . Chem . 251, 3480-3488) and Bacillus Q (Stiekema, W.J., Raue, H.A., Planta, R.J . (1980) Nucl . Ac . Res . 8, 2193-2211) . However, fourteen of the sixteen nucleotides at the 5'-end are identical in the precursors from all three strains . These conserved nucleotides can form a stem and loop structure which is likely to play an important role in the biosynthesis of 5S RNA . Extension secondary and tertiary structure is present in the 5'-precursor-specific segment as concluded from the results of digestion with RNAase T1 both of the isolated segment and the intact precursors . No sequence homology exists between the 3'-precursor-specific segments of the B . licheniformis precursors and those of the other two strains except for a stretch of U residues at the 3-terminus . This stretch of U residues is not immediately preceded by a hairpin loop, however, as expected for a transcription termination signal (20) . The question whether the precursors have already undergone processing at the 3'-end, therefore, remains open . The total number of genetically distinct precursor species in B . licheniformis is at least five and at most ten . Most likely each ribosomal RNA cistron produces a separate p5S RNA as is also the case in Bacillus Q. Biochem J, 1980 Oct 1, 191(1), 53 - 62 The use of various immobilized-triazine affinity dyes for the purification of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus; Qadri F et al.; 1 . 6-Phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Bacillus stearothermophilus was purified approximately 260-fold on triazine-immobilized dye columns to a final specific activity of 54 mumol of NADP+ reduced/min per mg of protein and an overall yield of 62% . 2 . An investigation of the capacities of different triazine dyes that inhibit 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase was carried out . Cibacron Blue F3G-A and Procion Red HE-3B strongly inhibited the enzyme in free solution and were therefore chosen as the ligands in the purification scheme . 3 . KCl was found to be the most suitable agent for eluting 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Procion Red HE-3B-Sepharose 6B . NADP+ could specifically elute 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Cibacron Blue F3G-A-Sepharose 6B . 4 . A study of the effect of temperature on the binding of pure 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase to both Cibacron Blue-Sepharose and Procion Red-Sepharose showed that the binding increased with an increase in temperature. Lepr India, 1980 Oct, 52(4), 508 - 12 A bacteriological and histopathological study of apparently normal skin in lepromatous leprosy; Katoch VM et al.; A comparative study of clinically affected and apparently uninvolved skin in lepromatous patients has been undertaken in 22 cases . Parameters studied include skin smears for bacillary Index; bacillary load/gm of tissue and histopathological comparison of granuloma fraction and biopsy index . The results showed that the clinically unaffected sites have a lower bacillary index and lesser bacterial load . Histologically the granulomas were smaller and biopsy index was lower in uninvolved areas . The possible reasons for this comparative less involvement are discussed. J Bacteriol, 1980 Oct, 144(1), 413 - 21 Effect of restrictive temperature on cell wall synthesis in a temperature-sensitive mutant of Bacillus stearothermophilus; Mulks MH et al.; A temperature-sensitive mutant of Bacillus stearothermophilus, TS-13, was unable to grow above 58 degrees C, compared to 72 degrees C for the wild type . Actively growing TS-13 cells lysed within 2 h when exposed to a restrictive temperature of 65 degrees C . Peptidoglycan synthesis stopped within 10 to 15 min postshift before a shut down of other macromolecular syntheses . Composition of preexisting peptidoglycan was not altered, nor was new peptidoglycan of aberrant composition formed . No significant difference in autolysin activity was observed between the mutant and the wild type at 65 degrees C . Protoplasts of TS-13 cells were able to synthesize cell wall material at 52 degress C, but not at 65 degrees C . This wall material remained closely associated with the cell membrane at the outer surface of the protoplasts, forming small, globular, membrane-bound structures which could be visualized by electron microscopy . These structures reacted with fluorescent antibody prepared against purified cell walls . Production of this membrane-associated wall material could be blocked by bacitracin, which inhibited cell wall synthesis at the level of transport through the membrane . The data were in agreement with previous studies showing that at the restrictive temperature this mutant is unable to alter its membrane fatty acid and phospholipid composition with temperature such that it is not able to maintain a membrane lipid composition which permits normal membrane function at the restrictive temperature. Endocrinologie, 1980 Oct-Dec, 18(4), 259 - 64 The female gonadic syndrome in bacillary endocrine diseases; Danila-Muster A et al.; The paper reports on the endocrine-gynecologic syndrome of genital tuberculosis in the woman . The localization of the disease has a much higher incidence than it is currently believed by gynecologic and endocrinologic practitioners . The casuistry and pathogenic data exposed herein are aimed at reminding this situation . A selective list of references comes in support of authors' observations. Clin Exp Immunol, 1980 Oct, 42(1), 107 - 13 Antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae antigen 7 from birth to 18 months of age: an indicator of intra-uterine infection in leprosy; Melsom R et al.; All babies of three non-leprosy mothers and ten tuberculoid leprosy mothers and four of five babies of mothers with inactive lepromatous leprosy showed a decline in serum concentration of antibodies against M . leprae antigen 7 during the first 4 months of life, as expected from catabolism of maternal IgG . By contrast, ten of twenty babies of mothers with active lepromatous leprosy showed a decline in concentration of anti-M . leprae 7 antibodies considerably less than expected . This indicates that these babies have been stimulated by M . leprae antigen 7, either as free antigen or by viable M . leprae before birth, and thus that leprosy may occur as a congenital infection . Studies of anti-M . leprae antibodies in repeated serum samples obtained during the first 18 months of life indicated that children of mothers with bacilliferous leprosy are frequently exposed to M . leprae to a sufficient extent to stimulate the immune system of the baby to production of anti-M . leprae antibodies during this period . The consequences of this exposure to M . leprae should be ascertained by careful clinical studies. Cancer Res, 1980 Oct, 40(10), 3455 - 8 Effect of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin on the development of primary lung cancer in Syrian golden hamsters; Zwilling BS et al.; The effect of a single systemic or intratracheal administration of viable Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin on the development of primary lung cancer in Syrian golden hamsters was assessed . M . bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin administered i.v . prior to, during, or after carcinogen treatment did not alter the incidence of lung tumors . Animals receiving intratracheal M . bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin had an increased incidence of lung tumors . Both i.v . and intratracheal routes accelerated the appearance of tumors. Biochem J, 1980 Oct 1, 191(1), 111 - 6 Production of a variant of beta-lactamase II with selectively decreased cephalosporinase activity by a mutant of Bacillus cereus 569/H/9; Baldwin GS et al.; 1 . Mutants of Bacillus cereus 569/H/9 have been screened in a search for strains that synthesize variants of beta-lactamase II . 2 . One of these mutants (strain 569/H/9/1) produces a beta-lactamase II-like enzyme that shows a selective decrease in cephalosporinase activity . 3 . beta-Lactamase II from strain 569/H/9/1 has been purified to apparent homogeneity and its kinetic properties have been examined . This enzyme resembles the parent beta-lactamase II in its relative activity with benzylpenicillin as substrate when Zn(II) is replaced by other metal ions, but differs detectably from the parent enzyme in its isoelectric point. J Bacteriol, 1980 Oct, 144(1), 454 - 6 Comparative macromolecular composition of filaments and rods of a Bacillus megaterium thermoconditional morphological mutant; Yan LP et al.; Filaments of a thermosensitive Bacillus megaterium mutant showed an altered macromolecular composition compared with salt-cured mutant cells and parental cells . Filaments contained more peptidoglycan, polyglucose, poly-beta-hydroxy-butyrate, and deoxyribonucleic acid per unit of protein . The ribonucleic acid-to-protein ratio of filaments was similar to that of rods or salt-cured cells . Filament formation seemed to be due to defective protein or ribonucleic acid metabolism. J Biol Chem, 1980 Sep 25, 255(18), 8417 - 23 In vivo and in vitro synthesis of the spore-specific proteins A and C of bacillus megaterium; Dignam SS et al.; Pulse labeling of cells of Bacillus megaterium followed by cell disruption and immunoprecipitation has shown that the spore-specific Proteins A and C are synthetized only during a discrete time period in sporulation . At its maximum, the synthesis of the A- and C-proteins accounted for 5% of the protein being synthesized in vivo, but the mRNA for the A- and C-proteins had a lifetime no longer than that of other mRNAs translated at that time . No evidence was found for synthesis of Proteins A or C in high molecular weight precursor form, and essentially all of the newly synthesized A- and C-protein was found in the forespore . Isolation of total RNA from cells in various stages of growth and sporulation, translation of this RNA in a cell-free system from vegetative cells, and immunoprecipitation showed that the ability of cellular RNA to promote A- and C-protein synthesis in vitro was directly proportional to the rate at which the cells had been synthesizing Proteins A and C in vivo . These data indicate that synthesis of Proteins A and C during sporulation in B . megaterium is primarily under transcriptional control . The identity of the immunoprecipitated labeled material material synthesized in vitro with the A- and C-proteins was established by: 1) their co-migration on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels; 2) co-migration on high performance liquid chromatography of tryptic peptides from an {35S}methionine-labeled immunoprecipitate with the methionine-containing tryptic peptides of the A- and C-proteins; and 3) digestion of the labeled immunoprecipitate with a protease specific for the A- and C-proteins. J Biol Chem, 1980 Sep 25, 255(18), 8413 - 6 Covalent structure of protein C . A second major low molecular weight protein degraded during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores; Setlow P et al.; The complete covalent structure of protein C, a protein degraded during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores, has been determined . The intact protein was cleaved with a highly specific spore protease into two peptides, residues 1 to 30 and 31 to 71 . The intact protein was also cleaved by cyanogen bromide into two peptides, residues 1 to 27 and 28 to 71 . Cleavage of the larger cyanogen bromide peptide with trypsin allowed isolation of the COOH-terminal peptide, residues 59 to 71 . Automated sequenator analysis of the intact protein and peptide fragments, together with previously published partial sequence data on this protein and carboxypeptidase A digestion of the intact protein provided data from which the following unique sequence was deduced: (formula: see text) . The primary sequence of the C protein shows an extremely high degree of homology with that of the A protein--another protein degraded during germination of B . megaterium spores. Int J Cancer, 1980 Sep 15, 26(3), 285 - 8 In vitro reaction of cancer patients and others to Bacillus Calmette-Gueérin; Todd G et al.; We examined the in vitro reaction of leukocytes from 71 cancer patients and 121 control donors (disease-free individuals or patients with non-malignant non-debilitating conditions) against Bacillus Calmette-Guerin using a one-stage capillary leukocyte migration assay . The proportion of reactive cancer patients and control donors increased with increasing BCG concentration, but the proportion of patients who reacted was less than that of control donors at all concentrations of BCG . As cancer stage advanced and the volume of clinically detectable tumor increased, the proportion of reactive patients decreased . There was a small age-related decline in reactivity in the control population . The results of simultaneous in vitro tests and Mantoux reactions were concurrent in a majority of normal individuals so tested. Schweiz Med Wochenschr, 1980 Sep 13, 110(37), 1328 - 34 {Pleuro-pulmonary actinomycosis . Report of 4 cases}; Cavin R et al.; Four cases of pulmonary actinomycosis are reported . Two cases (1978, 1979) were diagnosed on microscopic examination of lung parenchyma excised on suspicion of bronchogenic carcinoma . The third case was diagnosed retrospectively by reexamining the slides of a patient operated on in 1965, who presented with a similar history and chest X-ray . The fourth was diagnosed at autopsy in a patient who committed suicide . Actinomycosis is a rare disease which affects the lung in 15--20% of cases . Despite its name, actinomycosis is not due to a fungus but to an anaerobic gram-positive bacillus . The germ is a saprophyte of the human digestive tract and is very sensitive to penicillins . It may become pathogenic in a compromised host and usually produces cervico-facial lesions which develop by continuity from mouth mucosa . Abdominal or, more rarely, pulmonary lesions are due to ingestion or inhalation of infected material . Chest X-ray appearance of pulmonary actinomycosis mimics that of bronchogenic carcinoma . Actinomyces culture is difficult, and diagnosis is often based on microscopic examination of the surgical specimen only . Antibiotic therapy is a mandatory complement to surgical treatment. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Sep 9, 615(1), 262 - 70 DNA-dependent ATPase II from Bacillus cereus; Banfalvi G et al.; A new DNA-dependent ATPase been purified close to homogeneity from soluble extracts of Bacillus cereus . This enzyme, called ATPase II catalyses the hydrolysis of ATP in the presence of Mg2+ or Ca2+ and DNA . Single-stranded linear DNA is a cofactor about 3-fold more effective than double-stranded DNA . The enzyme catalyses the strand separation of duplex DNA in the presence of ATP . However, at concentrations higher than 0.5 mM, phosphohydrolysis can occur without concomitant DNA unwinding . The enzyme has a molecular weight of 84 000 according to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . ATPase II is inhibited by adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)-diphosphate, actinomycin D and ethidium bromide, but not by nalidixic acid. Mikrobiologiia, 1980 Sep-Oct, 49(5), 722 - 6 {Optimization of Bacillus intermedius cultivation conditions to increase biosynthesis of alkaline extracellular RNAase}; Znamenskaia LV et al.; The effect of changes in the concentrations of peptone and glucose in the growth medium, the level of aeration and the original pH value on the biosynthesis of RNAase by Bacillus intermedius 7P was studied by means of a multifactor experiment . The optimal medium for the enzyme accumulation contains from 1.2 to 1.4% of glucose and from 2.8 to 3.1% of peptone, and is characterized by the original pH value of 8.45 to 8.7 and the aeration level of 1 : 7.5 . The original pH value of the medium that is optimal for the enzyme biosynthesis is not optimal for the cultural growth . Under the optimized conditions of cultivation, the RNAase activity of Bac . intermedius 7P increases by 50 to 60%. Am J Epidemiol, 1980 Sep, 112(3), 341 - 51 Non-respiratory tuberculosis in Canada . Epidemiologic and bacteriologic features; Enarson DA et al.; Of the total cases of tuberculosis reported in Canada between 1970-1974, approximately one-sixth (3671 cases) involved primarily non-respiratory organs . Common diagnostic entities were genitourinary tuberculosis (1516 cases), lymphadenitis (1083 cases), bone and joint tuberculosis (555 cases), gastrointestinal tuberculosis (155 cases) and meningitis (138 cases) . The remainder (224 cases) involved a wide variety of organs . Between 1967 and 1977 the morbidity rates of most non-respiratory manifestations steadily declined, the decline in meningitis being particularly marked . In contrast, lymphadenitis did not decline to the same extent, reflecting changing immigration patterns . The major diagnostic entities differed in their age and sex patterns and in their contribution to total cases by birthplace and ethnic group . In particular, the preponderance of lymphadenitis in females, and in the Asian-born was striking . Mycobacterium bovis was isolated infrequently and bacillary resistance to antituberculosis drugs was also uncommon . In a substantial proportion of cases, active tuberculosis was present concurrently at another site, or there was historical or radiologic evidence of previous active tuberculosis . Despite this additional evidence, delay and failure of diagnosis were common . An increased clinical awareness of tuberculosis is required, particularly in view of the often enigmatic presentation of non-respiratory disease. Cancer, 1980 Sep 1, 46(5), 1128 - 34 Active specific immunotherapy of stage IV renal carcinoma with aggregated tumor antigen adjuvant; Neidhart JA et al.; Active-specific immunotherapy of human malignancy with a vaccine consisting of admixtures of modified tumor antigens and an adjuvant such as tuberculin has not been fully explored, despite preliminary reports of clinical success and conceptual support from animal studies . Three years ago, we designed a prospective study using aggregated soluble tumor antigens admixed with tuberculin or phytohemagglutinin as an adjuvant (TAA) in order to treat patients with Stage IV renal carcinoma . Autologous tumor vaccines were used initially in 24 patients with operatively accessible tumor, although most patients eventually were switched to allogeneic preparations . Scarifications with Bacillus-Calmette Guerin were used in order to ensure maximum reactivity to tuberculin and patients received no other therapy while in the study . Two patients achieved complete remission and 2, partial remission . The overall survival rate for the 30 patients entered is equivalent to reported survival rates for patients with extensive disease treated with aggressive surgery with or without chemotherapy . We believe these results offer strong preliminary evidence of efficacy of this particular type of therapy in an advanced human malignancy. J Exp Med, 1980 Sep 1, 152(3), 657 - 73 Macrophages elicited with heat-killed bacillus Calomette-Guérin protect C57BL/6J mice against a syngeneic melanoma; Freedman VH et al.; We have demonstrated that a murine cytotoxic peritoneal cell can be elicited by intraperitoneal immunization with heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis, strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) . When these cells are injected together with cells of clone B(5)59 of B16 melanoma in a Winn-type transfer assay into syngeneic C57BL/6J mice, the tumorigenic potential of the melanoma is completely abrogated . Similarly, mice immunized intraperitoneally with dead BCG are protected against intraperitoneal challenge with a number of B16 melanoma cells sufficient to cause tumors in 100% of control mice . However, mice immunized intraperitoneally with dead BCG are not protected against tumor formation when B16 melanoma cells are injected subcutaneously . Co-injection of BCG-elicited peritoneal cells with B16 melanoma cells into nude or sublethally irradiated (650 rad) mice inhibits tumor formation in > 85% of the mice, indicating that additional participation of host bone marrow- or thymus-derived leukocytes is not required to eradicate the tumor implant . The effector cell in the BCG-induced peritoneal exudate is adherent and phagocytic and is a mononuclear phagocyte . Nonadherent lymphoid cells from the same BCG-induced peritoneal exudate and from thioglycollate-broth-elicited granylocytes and macrophages neither prevent nor delay B16 tumor formation. J Gen Microbiol, 1980 Sep, 120(1), 51 - 6 Patterns of cell polarity and chromosome segregation in chains of sporulating Bacillus megaterium; Hitchins AD; The asymmetry of the DNA duplex due to polynucleotide strand complementarity could be the molecular basis of cell polarity in spore-forming bacteria . To test this possibility, the relationship of DNA strand segregation to the spore location pattern in chains of sporangia was investigated in Bacillus megaterium . Spores containing one chromosomes labelled in one of the complementary strands were formed from cells that had been allowed to segregate pulse-labelled chromosomes in minimal medium at 30 degree C . A second crop of spores was then formed from cells originating from the labelled spore population . The second generation spores inherited labelled strands from the first sporepopulation by random segregation . In contrast, the patterns of spore positions in sporangial chains were non-random . Furthermore, the non-randomness of patterning was stable and was unaffected by growth temperature (15 to 37 degrees C) or by enrichment of the minimal medium used in the segregation experiments . Since the pattern of DNA strand segregation is random and the spore location pattern in chains of sporangia is non-random, the asymmetry of the DNA duplex cannot be the determinant of cell polarity. Poumon Coeur, 1980 Sep-Oct, 36(5), 309 - 12 {Tuberculosis or hepatic granulomatosis? (author's transl)}; Le Bihan G et al.; The authors report 43 observations of pulmonary or extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, bacteriologically proved, in which liver biopsies revealed more or less complete granulomatous lesions . The culture of 29 liver fragments on Lowenstein and Colestos medium enabled the identification of the tuberculous bacillum in only one case . In the other cases the hepatic lesion has only been related to the tuberculosis because of the clinical and bacteriological context . Therefore, besides exceptional cases where Koch bacillum is revealed in the liver parenchyma, it seems that granulomatosis can be considered a control for the delayed hypersensitivity reaction to the tuberculous antigens, and not to the tuberculous infection localized to liver. Int J Lepr Other Mycobact Dis, 1980 Sep, 48(3), 247 - 53 An assay for antibodies in leprosy sera reacting with ribonucleoprotein (RNP), a mycobacterial ribosomal antigen, using crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel; Stoner GL et al.; The technique of crossed immunoelectrophoresis with intermediate gel has been adapted to provide a quantitative assay for antibodies to a mycobacterial ribosomal antigen termed ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antigen . This antigen is no . 1 in the M . smegmatis reference system and corresponds to antigen no . 5 of M . leprae . The assay method measures changes in the rate of migration of the reference precipitin peak caused by the addition of serum in the intermediate gel and utilizes a lepromatous serum pool (LSP) both in the reference gel and as a standard in the intermediate gel . The anti-RNP activity in 24 leprosy sera differentiated the pauci-bacillary tuberculoid group (11 of 12 < 35% LSP) from the multi-bacillary lepromatous group (11 of 12 > 35% LSP) . These findings confirm the work of others which indicates that assay of anti-RNP activity may have applications in the classification of leprosy patients and in the serodiagnosis of lepromatous leprosy infections . This method should also be applicable in other systems in which an antigen of high electrophoretic mobility forms a major precipitin in crossed immunoelectrophoresis. J Bacteriol, 1980 Sep, 143(3), 1208 - 14 Isolation and properties of membranes from Bacillus megaterium spores; Racine FM et al.; Membranes from dormant and heat-activated spores of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 were isolated and purified by gentle lysis procedures followed by differential and sucrose density gradient centrifugations . The purified membranes were enriched for inner membranes and were characterized by their density and content of proteins, phospholipids, enzymes, cytochromes, and carotenoids . These purified spore membranes could be used to investigate their role in the triggering of germination. Mol Biol (Mosk), 1980 Sep-Oct, 14(5), 1039 - 45 {Plasmids of Bacillus thuringiensis var . galleriae strain 612}; Debabov VG et al.; We studied Bacillus thuringiensis var galleriae, strain 612 plasmids . B . thuringiensis cells contain double-stranded plasmid DNA molecules (ranging of about 12% from total DNA content) with buoyant density 1.59 g/cm3 . Plasmid DNA content was constant during the exponential and stationary phases of bacterial growth . The plasmid fractions consist of DNA molecules with molecular weights of 5.9 x 10(6), 10.0 x 10(6), and 110.9 x 10(6) daltons (pVD1, pVD2 pVD3, respectively) . Endonuclease EcoRI cuts the plasmids pVD2 and pVD3 into two and four fragments, respectivelyy, but pVDI seemed to be resistent to EcoRI treatment . We found that pVD2 and pVD3 plasmids contain a common DNA fragment with the molecular weight of 6.7 x 10(6) dalton as it was shown by restriction analysis . In contrast, the same plasmids contain the common fragment with molecular weight of 7.5 x 10(6) dalton as shown by heteroduplex analysis . Plasmid pVD3 has a transposon-like structure. Can J Surg, 1980 Sep, 23(5), 429 - 31 Adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for gastric carcinoma; Makowka L et al.; Between July 1974 and August 1978, 78 patients were entered into a study to assess the effect of immune stimulation with bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) on gastric carcinoma . Patients were selected in random fashion for the two treatment regimens; 41 received BCG and 5-fluorouracil and 37 received 5-fluorouracil alone . Initial results, after a mean follow-up of 72 weeks, are presented . Immunotherapy as used in this study did not affect survival . However, 5-fluorouracil given as an adjuvant to palliative resection did improve survival when compared with a matched control group in which patients received no additional treatment after palliative resection . Although this finding will have to be studied further by multicentre randomized prospective trials, our experience indicates that incurable gastric carcinoma should be managed more aggressively. Cancer Res, 1980 Sep, 40(9), 3214 - 7 Suppression and immunotherapy of the guinea pig line 10 hepatocarcinoma mediated by heat-killed disrupted Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guérin; Minden P et al.; Heat-killed Mycobacterium bovis strain Bacillus Calmette-Guerin cells were sonically disrupted, and their antitumor effects against the line 10 hepatocarcinoma in strain 2 guinea pigs were evaluated . When injected together with viable line 10 cells, there was complete suppression of tumor growth . Growth of tumor was also suppressed when line 10 cells were injected contralaterally at the same time as the vaccine mixture . Multiple intratumor injections of sufficient disrupted M . bovis strain B . Calmette-Guerin were therapeutically effective against 74% of 7-day-old tumors and against 40% of 14-day-old tumors . Surviving animals were usually resistant to subsequent rechallenges with line 10 cells but not to syngeneic L2C leukemia cells . By means of a competitive radioimmunoassay, antigenic determinants were detected that were expressed by disrupted but not by intact bacteria. Ann Microbiol (Paris), 1980 Sep-Oct, 131B(2), 191 - 201 {Biochemical and serological characterization of "Bacillus sphaericus" strains, pathogenic or non-pathogenic for mosquitoes (author's transl)}; de Barjac H et al.; A biochemical and serological study of 35 Bacillus sphaericus strains including some pathogenic for mosquito larvae, is reported . A classification of these, and a differentiation of the pathogenic strains, cannot be made on the basis of the 78 phenotypic characters which have been determined by conventional methods . Numerical analysis of the results given by the auxanograms on 160 substrates, gives good results . An even more valuable approach is the flagellar agglutination technique, which clearly distinguishes the pathogenic from the non-pathogenic strains and furthermore can specifically differentiate strains among the pathogenic isolates. J Biol Chem, 1980 Aug 25, 255(16), 7536 - 9 A novel N-acetylglucosaminyl polyprene in hen oviduct; Hayes GR et al.; Incubation of hen oviduct membranes with UDP-{14C}N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) leads to the formation of four endogenously labeled lipids . One of these lipids has not previously been characterized . Based on its chromatographic behavior on SG-81 paper and DEAE-cellulose, it is a monophosphate diester . The oviduct lipid is extremely sensitive to mild acid hydrolysis and, based on a comparison with alpha-GlcNAc-phosphoryl-undecaprenol from Bacillus cereus, the oviduct lipid contains GlcNAc linked to a polyisoprene as the beta anomer, the polyisoprene containing an alpha-unsaturated isoprene unit . Molecular sieve chromatography indicates that the molecular weight of the lipid is on the order of mannosyl-phosphoryl-dolichol and larger than alpha-GlcNAc-phosphoryl-undecaprenol . Formation of the GlcNAc-lipid is insensitive to tunicamycin . Dolichyl phosphate stimulates formation of a GlcNAc-lipid with similar chromatographic properties. Biochemistry, 1980 Aug 19, 19(17), 3996 - 4003 Inactivation of Bacillus cereus beta-lactamase I by 6 beta-bromopencillanic acid: mechanism; Cohen SA et al.; The mechanism of the inactivation of Bacillus cereus beta-lactamase I by 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid, a probable suicide substrate {see Loosemore, M.J., Cohen, S.A., & Pratt, R.F . (1980) Biochemistry (preceding paper in this issue)}, is described . Inactivation is accompanied by covalent modification of the protein with the appearance of a characteristic chromophore at 326 nm . Ultraviolet (UV) absorption, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and circular dichroic (CD) spectra of the modified protein, of a modified peptide derived from the protein by enzymatic digestion, and of relevant model compounds suggest that acylation of the enzyme by 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid is accompanied by rearrangement and cyclization of the inhibitor to a 2,3-dihydro-1,4-thiazine-3,6-dicarboxylic acid derivative, which is the observed chromophore . The acylated residue is shown to be Ser-70 . The mechanism of action of beta-lactamase inhibitors is discussed. Biochemistry, 1980 Aug 19, 19(17), 3938 - 48 Fluorescence relaxation of proflavin-deoxyribonucleic acid interaction . Kinetic properties of a base-specific reaction; Ramstein J et al.; The kinetics of proflavin binding to Micrococcus lysodeicticus deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA {(G-C) content 72%}, to Bacillus megaterium DNA {(A-T) content 70%}, and to the polydeoxyribonucleotides poly{d(G-C)} and poly{d(A-T)} was studied with fluorescence temperature-jump methods . Poly{d(A-T)} binds proflavin in a two-step reaction with a preequilibrium . Poly{d(G-C)} is characterized by a bimolecular reaction . The binding of acridines to natural DNAs is shown to be characterized by different types of sites whose properties depend on the base composition . The sites have considerable enthalpic differences which result in exchange of dye molecules between them when the temperature is changed . Also, on natural DNAs A-T base pairs are associated with a rapidly equilibrating external complex which is absent or much weaker for G-C base pairs. Biochemistry, 1980 Aug 19, 19(17), 3990 - 5 Inactivation of Bacillus cereus beta-lactamase I by 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid: kinetics; Loosemore MJ et al.; The kinetics of the inactivation of Bacillus cereus beta-lactamase I by 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid are described . Loss of beta-lactamase activity is accompanied by a decrease in protein fluorescence, by the appearance of a protein-bound chromophore at 326 nm, and by loss of tritium from 6 alpha-{3H}-6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid . It is shown that all of the above changes probably have the same rate-determining step . The inactivation reaction is competitively inhibited by cephalosporin C, a competitive inhibitor of this enzyme, and by covalently bound clavulanic acid, suggesting that 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid reacts directly with the beta-lactamase active site . It is proposed that this inhibitor reacts initially as a normal substrate and that the rate-determining step of the inactivation is acylation of the enzyme . A rapid irreversible inactivation reaction rather than normal hydrolysis of the acyl-enzyme then follows acylation; 6 beta-bromopenicillanic acid is thus a suicide substrate. Biochemistry, 1980 Aug 5, 19(16), 3712 - 23 Proteolytic cleavage of methionyl transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus: effects on activity and structure; Kalogerakos T et al.; Methionyl-tRNA synthetase from Bacillus stearothermophilus, a dimer of molecular weight 2 X 85K, is converted by limited subtilisin digestion into a fully active monomeric fragment of molecular weight 64K . The reversible methionine activation reaction of these enzymes was followed through the variation of the intensity of their trypotophan fluorescence . Equilibrium and stopped-flow experiments show that the rate and mechanism for adenylate formation supported by the monomeric derivative are undistinguishable from those of each adenylating site of the native dimeric enzyme . In contrast, the rate of tRNA aminoacylation is improved upon limited proteolysis of the native enzyme . This behavior can be related to the anticooperativity of the binding of tRNA molecules to native dimeric enzyme . Accordingly, at 25 degrees C, the dimer might behave as a half-of-the-sites enzyme with only one active tRNA site at a time, compared to two after limited proteolysis with consequent irreversible disociation into two 64K fragments . Another modified form of the enzyme is obtained through limited tryptic digestion . This derivative is completely devoid of activity although its molecular weight under nondenaturating conditions remains undistinguishable from that of the 64K fragment generated by subtilisin . Denaturation reveals that this tryptic derivative is composed of two subfragments with molecular weights of 33K and 29K, respectively . The same fragments may also be directly obtained through limited tryptic digestion of the subtilsic fragment . Interestingly, although trypsin treatment has abolished the activity of the enzyme, fluorescence studies demonstrate that the ATP and methionine binding sites have remained intact . It is shown that the effect of the internal cut made by trypsin into the active 64K fragment has been to considerably depress the "coupling" between the methionine and nucleotide binding sites . Finally, the rate of inactivation of the enzyme by trypsin is observed to be substantially decreased by in situ synthetized methionyl adenylate but not by tRNA . These properties and others are discussed in relation to the problem of its significance of repeating sequences and structural "domains" within the class of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Aug 4, 600(2), 270 - 90 An investigation of membrane fluidity changes during sporulation and germination of Bacillus megaterium K.M . measured by electron spin and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Stewart GS et al.; Changes in membrane and macromolecular fluidity which may accompany the differentiation processes of sporulation and germination in Bacillus megaterium K.M . are examined by electron spin and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy . No change in membrane lipid fluidity is observed in isolated forespores up to stage VI . Between stage VI and release of mature spores, the ESR spectrum of doxylstearic acid spin labels becomes polycrystalline . This change in spectral fluidity is completely reversed during germination and is paralleled by the rapid release of Ca2+ from the spore . NMR studies also show that the mature spore has reduced macromolecular mobility and an increased nonexchangeable water pool compared with vegetative cells. Scand J Haematol, 1980 Aug, 25(2), 134 - 40 Ageing of blood in hereditary spherocytosis; Little C et al.; Blood from 5 patients suffering from hereditary spherocytosis (HS) was stored in acid-citrate-dextrose anticoagulant at 4 degrees C for up to 6 weeks . The erythrocyte morphology and susceptibility to lysis by phospholipase C (Bacillus cereus) were examined at 2-weekly intervals and compared with erythrocytes from 6 different donations of stored normal blood . the hereditary spherocytes went through essentially the same series of morphological changes as did normal erythrocytes . Fresh hereditary spherocytes were very resistant to lysis by phospholipase C, but, like normal erythrocytes, became progressively more susceptible to lysis upon storage . In terms of erythrocyte morphological changes and development of susceptibility to lysis by the enzyme, blood from HS patients aged less rapidly than did normal blood . Splenectomy appeared to have no marked effect on the storage properties of blood from these patients as indicated by erythrocyte morphology and susceptibility to lysis by phospholipase C. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Aug, 26(8), 1006 - 10 A comparison of protein crystal subunit sizes in Bacillus thuringiensis; Calabrese DM et al.; We have employed gel electrophoresis to determine the number and size of the subunits present in the protein crystals from 16 strains of Baccillus thuringiensis . The calculated molecular weights (MW) fell into three major categories whose crystals exhibited the following protein banding patterns: type I, high MW only (140 000- 160 000); type II, both high MW and medium MW (60 000 and 150 000); and type III, low MW only (40 000 - 50 000) . Interestingly, the type I and type II crystals were the expected bipyramidal diamonds whereas the type III crystals possessed a previously unreported tetrahedral shape. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Aug, 33(8), 836 - 41 Production of a new aminoglycoside antibiotic by a mutant of Bacillus circulans; Fujiwara T et al.; A new aminoglycoside antibiotic, S-11-A, was isolated from the fermentation broth of the 2-deoxystreptamine negative (DOS-) mutant of Bacillus circulans S-11 . The structure of S-11-A was elucidated as 1-deamino-1-hydroxyxylostasin, which contains an intermediate of DOS biosynthesis (S-11-P) and has resistance to some aminoglycoside-inactivating enzymes . This is the first finding of antibiotic production by a DOS- mutant without any supplementation of DOS or a DOS analog, and could be described as a novel method of getting a new aminoglycoside antibiotic. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Aug, 33(8), 830 - 5 Structure elucidation of an intermediate of 2-deoxystreptamine biosynthesis; Igarashi K et al.; The structure of a 2-deoxystreptamine (DOS) precursor named S-11-P, which was isolated by using a DOS negative mutant derived from a xylostasin-producing strain of Bacillus circulans B15M, has been elucidated as (1 L)-1,3,5/2,4,-5-aminocyclohexanetetrol by comparison with an authentic specimen, which was synthesized from kanamycin A. J Antibiot (Tokyo), 1980 Aug, 33(8), 824 - 9 Isolation of an intermediate of 2-deoxystreptamine biosynthesis from a mutant of Bacillus circulans; Fujiwara T et al.; Eight 2-deoxystreptamine-negative (DOS-) mutants were isolated from various strains of Bacillus circulans, normally producing butirosin, xylostasin and ribostamycin . These mutants were classified into two groups (converter and secretor) by the simple method of cosynthesis using agar plate culture . One of the cosynthetic pairs, strain S-11, an intermediate of DOS biosynthesis, S-11-P, was isolated . This compound was converted to butirosin (BTN) effectively by strain 236 . The structure of S-11-P was considered to be (1 L or 1 D)-1,3,5/2,4-5-amino-cyclohexanetetrol, and the pathway of DOS biosynthesis is discussed here. Am J Hosp Pharm, 1980 Aug, 37(8), 1077 - 83 Prediction of serum gentamicin concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis; Goetz DR et al.; The predictability of a one-compartment pharmacokinetic model for estimating serum gentamicin concentrations in patients undergoing hemodialysis was studied . Nine hemodialysis patients with gram-negative bacillary infections requiring aminoglycoside therapy and with creatinine clearances of less than 1 ml/min were studied . A series of blood samples was assayed by radioimmunoassay to determine serum concentrations after an initial 1.5- to 2.0-mg/kg i.v . dose and throughout the dialysis period . These data were used to predict post-dialysis serum concentrations and post-dialysis doses needed to achieve therapeutic concentrations . The mean apparent volume of distribution for gentamicin was 0.26 +/- 0.06 liter/kg . The mean gentamicin half-life was 31.5 hours before dialysis and 7.6 hours during dialysis . No significant differences were found between predicted and measured peak gentamicin serum concentrations after dialysis; nor were there significant differences for peak serum concentrations obtained with a post-dialysis gentamicin dose (p less than 0.001) . Neither the peaks predicted based on the individual patient's pharmacokinetic values nor those based on the average of the patients' pharmcokinetic values were statistically different from measured . The kinetic model developed can be used to determine gentamicin dosing for hemodialysis patients and to determine an average elimination rate constant for a given dialysis apparatus. Arch Microbiol, 1980 Aug, 127(1), 39 - 46 Immunoferrin labeling of respiratory nitrate reductase in membrane vesicles of Bacillus licheniformis and Klebsiella aerogenes; Wientjes FB et al.; The indirect immunoferritin labeling method was used to localize the membrane-bound respiratory nitrate reductase in membrane vesicles and protoplasts or sphereplasts of Bacillus licheniformis and Klebsiella aerogenes, respectively . For a comparison of the labeling of the various vesicle preparations, which differed not only in size but also in the percentage of inside-out orientation, a quantification of the results was needed to circumvent the problem of non-specifically bound ferritin . From the results of sidedness of the nitrate reductase in the cytoplasmic membrane of the above-mentioned bacteria was determined as being cytoplasmic in B . licheniformis and as transmembranous in K . aerogenes. Cancer, 1980 Aug 1, 46(3), 488 - 96 Augmentation of immunity of line 10 hepatoma by BCG: comparison of different BCG preparations; Bartlett GL et al.; The line 10 hepatoma of strain 2 guinea pigs was used in order to evaluate the adjuvant efficacy of eight Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) suspensions which differed in strain, method of preservation, or dosage . Lyophilized Tice BCG was consistently the most effective preparation . Each strain had adjuvant activity in at least one experiment . The method of preservation of BCG (fresh-frozen vs . lyophilized) did not have a consistent, a predictable influence on adjuvanticity . A ten-fold increase in the dosage of BCG or of the whole vaccine was not supraoptimal. Eur J Cell Biol, 1980 Aug, 21(3), 305 - 12 Ultrastructure and physical characteristics of proplastids and chloroplasts isolated by zonal centrifugation from Euglena gracilis var . bacillaris; Palisano JR et al.; Proplastids at various stages of development and mature chloroplasts were isolated by zonal centrifugation in a double-sigmoid, sucrose-sorbitol gradient from Euglena gracilis var . bacillaris grown in darkness and subjected to various periods of illumination with white light . Computer programs were used in characterizing physical properties of the isolated organelles and in predicting the location of plastids of different developmental stages in the gradient . The technique permits computation of these parameters in any gradient material . The convoluted nature of the early developing plastids, revealed by electron microscopy, suggests that the frictional coefficients should be taken into account in describing the physical constants of the organelles, since their sedimentation coefficients are lower than would be expected for spherical particles of the same size and density. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1980 Aug, 88(2), 565 - 70 The site of inhibition of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan synthesis by azureomycin B, a new antibiotic; Spiri-Nakagawa P et al.; Azureomycin B (10 micrograms/ml), a new antibiotic from Pseudonocardia azurea nov . sp., caused the accumulation of lipid intermediate and inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis in an invitro system using a particulate fraction from Bacillus megaterium KM with UDP-MurNAc-{3H}pentapeptide and cold UDP-GlcNac or cold UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide and UDP-{3H}GlcNAc as substrates . At higher concentrations of azureomycin B (over 100 microgram/ml), lipid intermediate accumulation was also inhibited . When particulate fraction from Escherichia coli Y-10 and UDP-{14C{GlcNAc and cold UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide were used, accumulation of lipid intermediate and inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis were also observed . These results indicate that the primary target of azureomycin B is the transfer of the disaccharide peptide unit (GlcNAc-MurNAc-pentapeptide) from lipid-bound precursor to acceptor. J Biochem (Tokyo), 1980 Aug, 88(2), 469 - 79 Enzymatic deacetylation of N-acetylglucosamine residues in cell wall peptidoglycan; Araki Y et al.; An enzyme which catalyzes the hydrolysis of acetamido groups of N-acetylglucosamine residues in cell wall peptidoglycan was found in the supernatant and 20,000 X g pellet fractions of Bacillus cereus . Autolysis of the latter fraction resulted in solubilization and activation of the deacetylase . Among various bacteria, strains of B . cereus which contain high proportions of N-unsubstituted glucosamine residues in their cell wall peptidoglycan components are particularly rich in the deacetylase . The peptidoglycan deacetylase is distinguishable from N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate deacetylase {EC 3.5.1.25} on the basis of their cellular distribution and chromatographic behavior . The rate of reaction of the deacetylase with (N-acetylglucosaminyl-N-acetylmuramic acid)3 {abbreviated as (GlcNAc-MurNAc)3} is less than 1/100 of that with peptidoglycan, while the enzyme is inactive towards (GlcNAc-MurNAc)2, GlcNAc-MurNAc, and monomeric N-acetylglucosamine derivatives . The enzyme also deacetylates partially O-hydroxyethylated chitin . The concentrations of peptidoglycan and partially O-hydroxyethylated chitin required for half-maximum activities were found to be 0.29 and 6.9 mg per ml (or 0.17 and 20 mM with respect to N-acetylglucosamine residues), respectively . The occurrence of this enzyme accounts for the formation of cell wall peptidoglycan N-unsubstituted at the glucosamine residues. Eur J Biochem, 1980 Aug, 109(2), 575 - 80 Mechanism of substrate-induced inactivation of beta-lactamase I; Kiener PA et al.; beta-Lactamase I (from Bacillus cereus 569/H) is inactivated by certain substrates (e.g . methicillin or cloxacillin) but not by others (e.g . benzylpenicillin) . Emzyme that had been inactivated was found to be labelled stoichiometrically, as shown by the use of radioactive methicillin . Use of the penamaldate reaction showed the presence of a penicilloyl group in the enzyme inactivated by either methicillin or cloxacillin . In conditions under which enzymic activity was regained the penicilloyl group was shed . When the activity of beta-lactamase I was measured in 0.3-1.2 M guanidinium chloride the rates of hydrolysis of methicillin or cloxacillin (but not benzylpenicillin) were greatly reduced . The unliganded enzyme was stable . The results are explained by supposing that a normal intermediate, the acyl enzyme, is prone to unfold. Arch Intern Med, 1980 Aug, 140(8), 1103 - 4 Bacillus cereus bacteremia and hemolytic anemia in a patient with hemoglobin SC disease; Rodgers GM et al.; A patient with hemoglobin SC disease and cholelithiasis was found to have Bacillus cereus bacteremia . Hemolytic anemia developed, for which common causes of hemolysis were excluded, suggesting a relationship with the bacteremia . Following in vitro incubation, type O erythrocytes were hemolyzed by the culture, but not by a bacteria-free filtrate . This case confirms the association between sickle cell disorders and cholelithiasis with B cereus infections . In addition, it provides evidence for in vivo hemolysis with B cereus bacteremia, an organism not previously associated with hemolytic anemia. Can J Microbiol, 1980 Aug, 26(8), 978 - 84 Isozymes of alpha-galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus; Pederson DM et al.; Two molecular forms of alpha-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22) synthesized constitutively by Bacillus stearothermophilus, strain AT-7, have been purified . alpha-Galactosidase I (with the substrate p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-galactopyranoside (PNPG)) has a pH optimum of 6 and half-life at 65 degrees C of > 2 h at low protein concentration . alpha-Galactosidase II has a pH optimum of 7 with PNPG and a half-life at 65 degrees C of about 3 min . The isozymes also differ with respect to their Km with PNPG and melibiose . Both enzymes are inhibited competitively by D-galactose, melibiose, and Tris . With the beta-glycosides cellobiose and lactose either noncompetitive or mixed-type inhibition is observed, with the pattern dependent on both the pH and the isozyme . The two isozymes have similar Arrhenius activation energies (about 20 kcal/mol, 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ) . Their molecular weights, estimated by disc gel electrophoresis, are alpha-galactosidase I, 280 000 +/- 30 000 and alpha-galactosidase II, 325 000 +/- 15 000 . Dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis gave a single band for each enzyme . The respective molecular weights, 81 000 +/- 500 for alpha-galactosidase I and 84 000 +/- 500 for alpha-galactosidase II, suggest that both enzymes consist of four subunits. Gene, 1980 Aug, 10(3), 219 - 25 Cloning the modification methylase gene of Bacillus sphaericus R in Escherichia coli; Szomolanyi E et al.; The gene coding for the sequence-specific modification methylase methM . BspI of Bacillus sphaericus R has been cloned in Escherichia coli by means of plasmid pBR322 . The selection was based on the expression of the cloned gene which rendered the recombinant plasmid resistant to BspI restriction endonuclease cleavage . The gene is carried by a 9 kb BamHI fragment and by a smaller 2.5 kb EcoRI fragment derived from the BamHI fragment . The Bsp-specific methylase level was found to be higher in the recombinant clones than in the parental strain . The methylase gene is probably located on the Bacillus sphaericus chromosome, and not on a plasmid known to be carried by this strain . The recombinant clones do not exhibit an BspI restriction endonuclease activity. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Jul 15, 630(4), 537 - 44 The identification of polypeptides synthesised during the acquisition of teichoic acid synthetic activity in Bacillus licheniformis; Thompson S et al.; An attempt has been made to identify proteins synthesised during induction of teichoic acid synthesis in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 . The proteins are recognised as those produced on the change from teichuronic acid to teichoic acid synthesis that occurs after the transfer of the bacteria from phosphate-limited to phosphate-rich conditions . B . licheniformis was grown in phosphate-limiting conditions in the presence of threonine to stimulate threonine uptake . The bacteria were then transferred to phosphate-rich conditions and were pulse-labelled with {14C}threonine during the change to teichoic acid synthesis . All of the proteins were extracted from the cells with sodium dodecyl sulphate and were examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel elecstrophoresis . Radioactive polypeptides were identified by fluorography of the polyacrylamide gels . The radioactive polypeptides that were formed on change from teichuronic acid to teichoic acid synthesis were compared with the polypeptides present in a membrane sub-fraction that had high teichoic acid-synthesising activity . The labelling of nine polypeptides with {14C}threonine was dependent on new RNA synthesis . Of these nine polypeptides, five were also present in the membrane sub-fraction with the highest teichoic acid-synthesising activity. Biochim Biophys Acta, 1980 Jul 14, 619(1), 48 - 57 Purification and properties of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C of Bacillus thuringiensis; Taguchi R et al.; A phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C was purified from the culture broth of Bacillus thuringiensis to a homogeneous state as indicated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis . Specific activity of purified enzyme was 312 units/mg, and the recovery of the enzyme activity was 27.2% . The purified enzyme (molecular weight: 23 000 +/- 1000) was maximally active at pH 7.5 and not influenced by EDTA . The enzyme specifically hydrolyzed phosphatidylinositol, but did not act on phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylglycerol and sphingomyelin . The products from phosphatidylinositol of enzyme reaction were diacylglycerol and myoinositol 1,2-cyclic phosphate . The enzyme activity was stimulated by sodium deoxycholate or Triton X-100 . Divalent cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+ and Zn2+ were inhibitory at concentrations above 10(-3) M . KCl and NaCl were inhibitory at the concentration higher than 10(-2) M . Alkaline phosphatase, an ecto-enzyme located on the surface of plasma membrane, was released from the slices of rat liver, kidney, pancreas and intestine by the treatment with this phospholipase. N Z Med J, 1980 Jul 9, 92(663), 12 - 3 Endophthalmitis due to Bacillus cereus: case report; Ansell SE et al.; An acute case of endophthalmitis following ocular trauma involving barbary branches is presented . Bacillus cereus var . mycoides was cultured from lens material obtained via a limbal incision. Biochemistry, 1980 Jul 8, 19(14), 3348 - 52 Binding of nickel and zinc ions to bacitracin A; Scogin DA et al.; Bacitracin A is a cyclic dodecapeptide antibiotic produced by Bacillus licheniformis . Bacteriocidal activity requires the presence of divalent cations such as Zn2+ . The metal-bacitracin A complex binds to bactoprenyl pyrophosphate, a lipid intermediate required for cell wall biosynsthesis which is found within the bacterial membrane . In this paper, the pH dependence of the metal binding to bacitracin A is investigated in an effort to define the sites of metal coordination . Most of the studies described in this report were performed with Ni2+ and Zn2+ . Metal binding was monitored by observing changes in the ultraviolet absorption spectrum of bacitracin A and by monitoring the proton release which is concomitant with metal binding to the peptide . It was determined that both Ni2+ and Zn2+ form 1:1 complexes with bacitracin A in solution . These complexes are soluble in acidic solutions, but above approximately pH 5.5 they become insoluble . On the basis of the data reported as well as results previously reported from other laboratories, a model for divalent metal ion binding to bacitracin is suggested . It is proposed that the metal coordinates directly to the glutamate carboxyl, the histidine imidazole, and the thiazoline ring . The aspartate carboxyl and N-terminal amino group are not directly involved in metal binding . It is further proposed that due to the proximity of the metab, the pK of the N-terminal amino is shifted from 7.7 to 5.7 upon metal binding . Deprotonation of this group is suggested to cause precipitation of the bacitracin A-metal complex . This model is consistent with all the metal binding data and, furthermore, is consistent with the 1H NMR data presented in the accompanying paper {Mosberg, H . I., Scogin, D . A., Storm, D . R., & Gennis, R . B . (1980) Biochemistry (following paper in this issue)}. Biochem J, 1980 Jul 1, 189(1), 161 - 72 Purificaton of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Bacillus stearothermophilus and resolution of its four component polypeptides; Henderson CE et al.; 1 . The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was purified from Bacillus stearothermophilus in high yield . The specific activity (about 40nkat/mg of protein) was substantially lower than that of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Escherchia coli (about 570nkat/mg of protein) measured at 30 degrees C under the same conditions . 2 . The relative molecular masses of the four types of polypeptide chain i the complex were estimated by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis to be 57 000, 54 000, 42 000 and 36 000 respectively . These polypetide chains showed no evidence of seriously anomalous behavior during tests of electrophoretic mobility . 3 . The enzyme complex was resolved into its constituent proteins by means of gelfiltration on Sepharose CL-6B in the presence of 2M-KI, followed by chromatography on hydroxyapatite in the presence of 8M-urea . These harsh conditions were necessary to cause suitable dissociation of the enzyme complex . 4 . The amino-acid compositions of the four constituent proteins after resolution were determined and their chain ratios were measured for several preparations of the complex . Some variability was noted between preparations but all samples contained a significant molar excess of the chains thought to contribute the pyruvate decarboxylase (EC 1.2.4.1) activity . 5 . From the relative molecular masses and chain ratios of the four constituent proteins, it was calculated that the empirical unit must be repeated at least 50 times to make up the assembled complex . This conclusion is fully consistent with the demonstration by means of electron microscopy of apparent icosahedral symmetry for the Bacillus stearothermophilus complex, implying a 60-fold repeat . The structure stands in sharp contrast with the octahedral symmetry (24-fold repeat) of the Escherichia coli enzyme. J Exp Med, 1980 Jul 1, 152(1), 183 - 97 Role of activated macrophages in antibody-dependent lysis of tumor cells; Nathan C et al.; Treatment of mice with Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or C parvum activates their peritoneal macrophages to release increased amounts of H2O2, and thereby to lyse extracellular tumor cells, in response to a pharmacologic agent, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) (1-3) . In the present study, the same bacterial vaccines activated peritoneal cells to become cytolytic to lymphoma cells sensitized with alloantiserum, in the absence of PMA . Resident peritoneal cells, or those elicited with thioglycollate broth, were ineffective, not only in PMA-induced lysis, but also in antibody-dependent lysis of tumor cells . The cytolytic effect of BCG peritoneal cells toward sensitized tumor cells appeared to be mediated mostly by macrophages . Cytotoxicity was immunologically specific, contact dependent, rapid, and efficient . Phagocytosis of intact tumor cells was not involved . Alloantiserum-dependent cytolysis was specifically blocked by the Fab fragment of a monoclonal antibody directed against the trypsin-resistant macrophage Fc receptor (FcR II) . Thus, tumor cells coated with homologous immunoglobulin interact with FcR II on activated macrophages to trigger an extra-cellular cytolytic response. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol, 1980 Jul-Aug, 16(4), 523 - 7 {Biosynthesis of extracellular phospholipase C (lecithinase) from Bacillus cereus depending on the nutrient medium composition and pH}; Gerasimene GB et al.; The nutrient medium to provide rapid growth of microbial cells of Bacillus cereus str . 504, and biosynthesis of extracellular phospholipase C(EC 3.1.4.3) was selected . The nutrient medium contained acidic casein hydrolyzate, yeast extract or enzymatic hydrolyzate of fodder yeast, glucose, NaCl, NaHCO3, and Na2HPO4 . The activity of secreted phospholipase C reached maximum at pH 6.3--6.6. Zh Mikrobiol Epidemiol Immunobiol, 1980 Jul, (7), 8 - 13 {Pyocin production by bacillus pyocyaneus and sensitivity of strains of different origin to them}; Kurnosova LM et al.; Using the method proposed by Gillies and Govan and their indicator strains, 342 P . aeruginosa strains isolated from the patients were studied in respect to their pyocinogenicity and typed according to the production of different types of pyocins . Besides, in 206 cultures the pyocin sensitivity of 16 standard P . aeruginosa strains (5 strains obtained from Govan and 11 strains provided by the authors) was determined . All the tested cultures fell into 23 pyocin types; of these, types I and X occured most frequently, 56 strains identified by means of indicators could not be typed due to the fact that the corresponding pyocin types were absent in Govan's scheme . The cultures isolated from the patients and the environmental objects during the outbreak of P . aeruginosa in a hospital were proved to belong to the same pyocin type (III) . The double typing of the cultures, according to pyocin production and pyocin sensitivity, allowed to determine individual characteristics of 75% of the tested cultures. J Bacteriol, 1980 Jul, 143(1), 481 - 91 Distribution of calcium and other elements in cryosectioned Bacillus cereus T spores, determined by high-resolution scanning electron probe x-ray microanalysis; Stewart M et al.; The distribution of a number of key elements in Bacillus cereus T spores was determined by high-resolution scanning electron probe X-ray microanalysis . To circumvent the redistribution of soluble or weakly bound elements, freeze-dried cryosections of spores, which had been rapidly frozen in 50% aqueous polyvinyl pyrrolidone, were employed . The sections were examined by using a modified Philips EM400 electron microscope fitted with a field emission gun, scanning transmission electron microscopy attachment, and a computer-linked energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis system . X-ray maps for selected element