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A Tsuboi

Publications and source records attributed to A Tsuboi.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Complete nucleotide sequence of a thermophilic alpha-amylase gene: homology between prokaryotic and eukaryotic alpha-amylases at the active sites.

The nucleotide sequence of a thermophilic, liquefying alpha-amylase gene cloned from B. stearothermophilus was determined. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase confirmed that the reading frame of the gene consisted of 1,644 base pairs (548 amino acids). The B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase had a signal sequence of 34 amino acids, which was cleaved at exactly the same site in E. coli. The mature enzyme contained two cysteine residues, which might play an important role in maintenance of a stable protein conformation. Comparison of the amino acid sequence inferred from the B. stearothermophilus alpha-amylase gene with those inferred from other bacterial liquefying alpha-amylase genes and with the amino acid sequences of eukaryotic alpha-amylases showed three homologous sequences in the enzymatically functional regions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Complete nucleotide sequence of a gene coding for heat- and pH-stable alpha-amylase of Bacillus licheniformis: comparison of the amino acid sequences of three bacterial liquefying alpha-amylases deduced from the DNA sequences.

The gene coding for the heat-stable and pH-stable alpha-amylase of Bacillus licheniformis 584 (ATCC 27811) was cloned in Escherichia coli and the nucleotide sequence of a DNA fragment of 1,948 base pairs containing the entire amylase gene was determined. As inferred from the DNA sequence, the B. licheniformis alpha-amylase had a signal peptide of 29 amino acid residues and the mature enzyme comprised 483 amino acid residues, giving a molecular weight of 55,200. The amino acid sequence of B. licheniformis alpha-amylase showed 65.4% and 80.3% homology with those of heat-stable Bacillus stearothermophilus alpha-amylase and relatively heat-unstable Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase, respectively. Nevertheless, several regions of the alpha-amylases appeared to be clearly distinct from one another when their hydropathy profiles were compared.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Repair of potentially lethal and sublethal radiation damage in x-irradiated ascites tumor cells.

The ability of cells to repair cellular radiation damage during the growth of TMT-3 ascites tumor and the effect of host reaction on the repair ability were examined by using an in vitro assay of cell clonogenicity after in situ irradiation of tumor cells. In single-dose experiments, the repair of potentially lethal radiation damage (PLD) was observed in stationary phase cells (12-day tumor) of the unirradiated host, but not in exponential phase cells (3-day tumor) of the unirradiated host animals. However, if previously irradiated host animals were used, even the exponentially growing tumor cells showed repair of PLD. In two-dose experiments, the ability to repair sublethal radiation damage (SLD) in exponential phase tumor cells was less than that of stationary phase cells in the unirradiated host. In the pre-irradiated host, the extent of the repair in exponential phase cells was somewhat enhanced. These results suggest that irradiation of host animals might suppress a factor that inhibits repair, resulting in enhancement of the repair capability of tumor cells.

Animals↗

Isolation of mouse mammary tumor cells showing spontaneous regression.

The tumor cells, TMT-3, was isolated from TMT-2 tumor cells by way of repeated selections of large colonies in soft agar. The cells can grow either in mice or in suspension culture. TD50 of the ascites tumor cells was 1.5 +/- 1.0. Plating efficiencies in soft agar were 40-70% for cells of ascites tumors and 25-30% for cells of solid tumors. The cells showed 4 marker chromosomes common to the parent cells and 6 new marker chromosomes. They also shared MM-antigen, but its quantity was about half of the parent cells. The growth curves of the solid tumors were characterized by temporary decrease in tumor volume followed by regrowth or regression.

Animals↗

Evaluation of the factors influencing the radiosensitivity of mouse ascites tumors.

Factors influencing the radiosensitivity of the newly established mouse ascites tumor TMT-3 line were studied. In vivo radiosensitivity of the tumor cells decreased with the progression of the growth phase in mice. Oxygen depletion was the major cause of the decreased radiosensitivity. Polarographic measurement of the oxygen dissolved in suspension of various cell densities suggested that high cell density such as in the ascites might well cause severe hypoxia. Humoral factors in the ascites and cell-to-cell contact had no effect on tumor cell radiosensitivity when the influence of the repair of potentially lethal damage was excluded.

Animals↗

Hexagonal surface array in a protein-secreting bacterium, Bacillus brevis 47.

Bacillus brevis 47, a protein-secreting bacterium, contained two major proteins with approximate molecular weights of 150 000 and 130 000 in the cell wall. The cell surface was covered with a hexagonally arranged array of six structural units about 4 nm in diameter with a lattice constant of 14.5 nm. The regular array structure as well as the chemical composition of cell envelopes remained the same regardless of the growth conditions. A mutant, strain 47-57, which was isolated as a phage resistant colony, contained only the 150 000 protein as a major cell wall protein. Although the mutant had hexagonally arranged arrays with the same lattice constant as that of wild-type cells, the distribution of mass in the unit cell differed considerably from that of the wild-type cells. The number of structural units in the unit cell of the mutant was reduced from six to three. Taking these results together with filtered images of the wild-type and mutant envelopes, two possible models for the surface array of B. brevis 47 are discussed.

Bacillus↗

Reassembly in vitro of hexagonal surface arrays in a protein-producing bacterium, Bacillus brevis 47.

Bacillus brevis 47 had two protein layers (the outer and middle walls) and a peptidoglycan layer (the inner wall) and contained two major proteins with approximate molecular weights of 130,000 and 150,000 in the cell wall. Both the total and Triton-insoluble envelopes revealed a hexagonal lattice array with a lattice constant of 14.5 nm. The proteins of 130,000 and 150,000 molecular weight isolated from the Triton-insoluble envelopes were serologically different from each other and assembled in vitro on the peptidoglycan layer. A mixture of 130,000- and 150,000-molecular-weight proteins led to the formation of a five-layered cell wall structure, two layers on each side of the peptidoglycan layer, which resembled closely the Triton-insoluble envelopes. A three-layered cell wall structure, one layer on each side of the peptidoglycan layer, was reconstituted when only the 150,000-molecular-weight protein was used. Both five- and three-layered cell walls reconstituted in vitro also contained hexagonally arranged arrays with the same lattice constant as that of the total and Triton-insoluble envelopes. A mutant, strain 47-57, which was isolated as a phage-resistant colony, had a two-layered cell wall consisting of the middle and inner wall layers and contained only 150,000-molecular-weight protein as the major cell wall protein. The cell envelopes of the mutant revealed the hexagonal arrays with the same lattice constant as that of the wild-type cell envelopes. We conclude that the outer and middle wall layers consist of proteins with approximate molecular weights of 130,000 and 150,000, respectively. Furthermore, the 150,000-molecular-weight protein formed the hexagonal arrays in the middle wall layer.

Bacillus↗

Two new C3H mouse ascites tumor cell lines capable of proliferation in vivo and in suspension culture: morphological, karyological, kinetic and immunological properties.

The establishment of mouse tumor cell lines capable of proliferating in vivo and in suspension culture was undertaken. The MM-46 tumor line, initiated from primary mammary carcinoma arising in a C3H/He mouse, was maintained for over 100 generations in the peritoneal cavities of syngenic mice. At the 50th generation of the tumor suspension, cultures were initiated. The established cell lines, designated TMT-1 and TMT-2, were characterized in vitro and in vivo. The morphological finding indicated that THT-1 and TMT-2 cells from mice closely resembled the MM-46 tumor cells. The oncogenic potential of the cultured cells was comparable to that of the original ascites tumor. The population doubling time of TMT-1 and TMT-2 cell lines was about 12 hr in mice, whereas the population doubling time of both cell lines lengthened to 20 hr in suspension culture. The increase in doubling time in culture was due to the prolongation of the G1 period. The cell lines, TMT-1 and TMT-2, whether fropm culture or mice, possessed colony forming ability in in soft agar medium. The colony forming ability of the cells decreased gradually through in vivo passages but it recovered upon recultivation of the cells from mouse to culture. Chromosome analysis and cytotoxicity test by anti-MM antiserum indicated that TMT-1 and TMT-2 cell lines closely resembled and had been derived from MM-46 tumor line. Therefore, it is possible to assay cell survival in vitro after in vivo experiments on these cells.

Animals↗

Effect of 5-bromodeoxyuridine on chromatin transcription in confluent fibroblasts.

3T6 mouse fibroblasts were grown in 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) so that approximately 20% of the thymine residues in DNA were replaced by BrdU. BrdU replacement caused an alteration in the relative incorporation of labeled nucleotide precursors into RNA. The RNA synthesized by cells grown in BrdU has a lower proportion of adenine and a higher guanine complement. This was shown for (a) nascent RNA made in vivo by confluent monolayers of cells in culture; (b) RNA synthesized in vitro on a chromatin template with either homologous or heterologous RNA polymerase; and (c) RNA synthesized in vitro on a DNA template with a highly purified RNA polymerase. The product was completely digested by RNase. The relative decrease in the incorporation of adenine into RNA was reserved when BrdU-treated cells were allowed to proliferate in BrdU-free medium.

Adenosine↗