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R J Martinez

Publications and source records attributed to R J Martinez.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

From the other side of the door: patient views of seclusion.

1. Patient participants viewed seclusion as a form of punishment that maintains physical, and at times, psychological control over the secluded person. 2. A seclusion episode should serve a greater function than simply containment or preserving safety. During this period of crisis for the patient, they felt an even greater need for a therapeutic intervention. 3. Environmental, procedural, and attitudinal changes were emphasized by the patients in this study as a means to enhance the therapeutic potential of seclusion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Thermoregulation-dependent expression of Yersinia enterocolitica protein 1 imparts serum resistance to Escherichia coli K-12.

Resistance to the bactericidal action of normal human serum is one of the characteristics of virulent Yersinia enterocolitica. This property is attributable to the virulence plasmid harbored by pathogenic strains of the species. Serum resistance in Y. enterocolitica is thermoregulated, and its expression correlates well with the presence of virulence plasmid-encoded outer membrane proteins. To further examine the biochemical basis underlying resistance, we cloned a large segment (ca. 30 kilobases) of virulence plasmid DNA and studied the expression of plasmid-encoded outer membrane proteins in a serum-sensitive strain of Escherichia coli. The presence of the 160-kilodalton Y. enterocolitica-derived outer membrane protein 1 on E. coli transformants conferred a high degree of hydrophobicity, autoagglutinability, and resistance to serum killing. All of these properties were thermoregulated in E. coli with fidelity, suggesting that a functional thermoregulatory element was present in the cloned DNA. Elimination of protein 1 from the outer membrane of E. coli transformants by insertional inactivation of the structural gene with a Kanr gene cassette abrogated all of these properties and returned the serum-sensitive phenotype.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1985

Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus synthesizes an OmpF-like outer membrane protein during both axenic and intraperiplasmic growth.

Outer membrane preparations of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus grown intraperiplasmically on Escherichia coli containing OmpF were prepared by the Triton X-100 procedure of Schnaitman (J. Bacteriol. 108:545-552, 1971). They contained a protein that migrated to almost the same position as E. coli OmpF in sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis and to the same position as E. coli OmpF when urea was incorporated into the gel. The mobility of this protein increased relative to that of OmpC in urea-containing gels as does E. coli OmpF. However, the same protein was also produced during axenic growth and during intraperiplasmic growth on prey lacking OmpF. The peptide profile generated by partial proteolysis of this protein showed no homology to that produced from E. coli OmpF. We conclude that B. bacteriovorus synthesizes an OmpF-like protein. Previous claims that the bdellovibrio incorporates an intact E. coli OmpF are not consistent with these observations.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1984

Permeability of the boundary layers of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus 109J and its bdelloplasts to small hydrophilic molecules.

Measurements of the sucrose-permeable and -impermeable volumes during Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus attack on Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas putida showed that the volume of the bdelloplast increased over that of the substrate cell. Although the pattern of the increase differed with the two organisms, the volumes reached maximum at about 60 min into the bdellovibrio growth cycle. By this time, the cytoplasmic membranes of the attacked cells were completely permeable to sucrose. The kinetics of increase in sucrosepermeable volumes were similar to the kinetics of attachment and penetration (Varon and Shilo, J. Bacteriol. 95:744-753, 1968). These data show that the original cytoplasmic and periplasmic compartmentalization of the substrate cell ceases to exist with respect to small hydrophilic molecules during bdellovibrio attack. In contrast, the effective pore size of the outer membrane of the substrate cell to small oligosaccharides remains unaltered during bdelloplast formation as was shown by direct measurements of its exclusion limits. The major porin protein of E. coli, OmpF, was recoverable from the bdelloplast outer membrane fraction until the onset of lysis. The Braun lipoprotein was removed from the bdelloplast wall early, and OmpA was lost in the terminal part of the bdellovibrio growth cycle.

Bdellovibrio↗
PubMed1983

Plasmid-mediated and temperature-regulated surface properties of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Enteropathogenic strains of Yersinia enterocolitica harbor a virulence plasmid which codes for a series of novel outer membrane proteins. The expression of these proteins on the outer membrane is temperature regulated: when cells are grown at 25 degrees C, these proteins are not exposed on the outer membrane, whereas they occur in high copy number when cells are grown at 37 degrees C. The majority of these proteins are externally exposed on the cell surface as evidenced by their susceptibility to proteolysis by exogenously added proteases. The expression of the plasmid-mediated proteins on the outer membrane does not favor adherence of the bacteria to intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. Cultures grown at 25 degrees C adhered to Henle cell monolayers, whereas those grown at 37 degrees C did so much less effectively. The presence of the proteins on the bacterial surface appears to be involved in rendering the cells resistant to the bactericidal effects of serum, i.e., 37 degrees C-grown cells were resistant to serum killing, and removal of the outer membrane proteins with pronase rendered them sensitive. Evidence is presented which strongly suggests that the plasmid-mediated proteins are synthesized and expressed on the cell surface either during or after transit of the ingested bacteria to the lamina propria. Some properties afforded to the cells by the outer membrane proteins are described.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1981

Antibacterial peptide from normal rat serum. 1. Isolation from whole serum, activity, and microbicidal spectrum.

A procedure is described for purification of the primary bactericidal component of normal rabbit serum active in vitro against Bacillus subtilis. A 65 000-fold increase in specific bactericidal activity per milligram of serum protein was obtained, yielding a low molecular weight, heat-stable polypeptide fraction (PC-III) exhibiting biological activity at protein concentrations below 10 ng/mL. This preparation appeared homogeneous as judged by column chromatography and analytical NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gel eletrophoresis; recovery of serum bactericidal activity was routinely greater than 80%. Analysis of dansylated or 125I-labeled samples in peptide-resolving polyacrylamide gels revealed a single band with an Mr of 1800. Optimal antibacterial activity of PC-III against B. subtilis occurred at an ionic strength of 0.24 and was absolutely dependent upon divalent cations; calcium was the most effective. Under optimum conditions, 4 ng/mL of PC-III reduced the viability of B. subtilis test innocula by 90% within 10 min at 37 degrees C. Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella typhimurium were all sensitive to the action of PC-III, but higher bactericide concentrations were required to produce similar reductions in viability as observed with B. subtilis. All strains were killed by PC-III concentrations well below 1 microgram/mL, roughly that found in normal serum. The activity of PC-III preparations was significantly reduced by pretreatment with trypsin or proteinase K but not by neuraminidase or periodate.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Antibacterial peptide from normal rabbit serum. 2. Compositional microanalysis.

The composition and homogeneity of the primary bactericide (PC-III) isolated from normal rabbit serum were examined by microanalytical techniques. Dansylated acid hydrolysates of PC-III were analyzed by two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography on polyamide layers. Quantitation of the separated dansyl amino acids was achieved by elution into methanol, followed by determination of fluorescence in a filter fluorometer. The method proved inexpensive and reliable, allowing accurate analysis of peptide samples containing greater than 20 pmol of each amino acid. By use of this technique, an amino acid composition for PC-III is presented which suggests that the rabbit serum bactericide contains a single, 2000-dalton peptide composed of 17 amino acid residues, 24% basic and 35% nonpolar. One of the basic residues appears to be a modified amino acid, tentatively identified as N epsilon-methyllysine. Although small amounts of carbohydrate and lipid were also detected in PC-III by fluorescent and isotopic techniques, gel filtration or extraction with organic solvents removed much of this material without significantly affecting biological activity.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1981

Antibacterial peptide from normal rabbit serum. 3. Inhibition of microbial electron transport.

The influence of the primary rabbit serum bactericide, PC-III, on the respiratory activity of Bacillus subtilis has been examined. Glucose- or lactate-dependent respiration by whole cells was rapidly and completely inhibited by concentrations of the bactericide producing significant cell death. Similar results were observed with membrane vesicles oxidizing NADH. In both cases, bactericide-induced inhibition of respiration was calcium dependent and blocked electron transport between cytochromes b and a. PC-III competed with oxidized Saccharomyces cytochrome c when the latter was used as an electron acceptor in cytochrome c reductase reactions catalyzed by B. subtilis membrane vesicles. Competitive inhibition by PC-III was also observed when reduced Saccharomyces cytochrome c was used as electron donor in the cytochrome c oxidase reaction. At an ionic strength of 0.13, PC-III exhibits a Ki of 25.9 and 102 nM for the reductase and oxidase complexes, respectively. Increasing the ionic strength to that producing optimal antibacterial action against whole cells (0.24) increased the Ki of PC-III for the reductase (75.4 nM), while the oxidase decreased (92.3 nM).

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Microbicidal cationic proteins of rabbit alveolar macrophages: amino acid composition and functional attributes.

We purified two microbicidal cationic proteins, MCP-1 and MCP-2, from rabbit alveolar macrophages. MCP-1 was remarkably rich in arginine (25.5 mol%) and half cystine (18.7 mol%) residues and constituted approximately 1.5% of the total protein content of Freund adjuvant-elicited alveolar macrophages. MCP-2 was approximately half as abundant as MCP-1 and contained relatively less arginine (14.9 mol%) and half cystine (9.8 mol%). The amino acid compositions of MCP-1 and MCP-2 resembled those reported for the lysosomal cationic proteins of rabbit granulocytes, but were distinct from those of any known histone. MCP-1 (1 microgram/ml) killed 99.6% of Candida albicans in 20 min, whereas MCP-2 killed approximately 80% under similar conditions. Both proteins rapidly suppressed O2 consumption by C. albicans and induced a rapid loss of intracellular 86Rb+. Although more information is needed about the biological origin, distribution, and roles of macrophage microbicidal proteins, it seems likely that MCP-1 and MCP-2 contribute to the microbicidal efficacy of rabbit alveolar macrophages.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1980

Sequential metabolic expressions of the lethal process in human serum-treated Escherichia coli: role of lysozyme.

Several metabolic parameters indicative of Escherichia coli function and integrity were kinetically examined in response to treatment with normal human serum in the presence and absence of functional human lysozyme. Specific inhibition of this enzyme in bacteriolytic and bactericidal reactions was accomplished by using purified rabbit anti-human lysozyme immunoglobulin G. Initiation of the complement-mediated alterations of cytoplasmic membrane integrity, as judged by the leakage of 86Rb from prelabeled cells or the hydrolysis of o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside by a cryptic strain, was found to be independent of lysozyme action. Furthermore, inhibition of macromolecular synthesis by E. coli in response to serum treatment occurred at the same time regardless of the functional state of lysozyme. Although the rate and extent of bacteriolysis were reduced in the absence of lysozyme, the bactericidal kinetics was unaffected. These results demonstrate that the lethal events associated with the action of antibody and complement on gram-negative bacteria are independent of lysozyme, suggesting an accessory role for this enzyme in immune reactions. A possible temporal sequence of complement-induced effects occurring at the cell surface is presented.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1980

Microbicidal cationic proteins in rabbit alveolar macrophages: a potential host defense mechanism.

Rabbit alveolar macrophages contain two highly cationic microbicidal proteins. These were shown to be distinct from histones and not to arise from granulocyte contamination. The macrophage proteins were especially active against Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis. Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Listeria monocytogenes, and Streptococcus faecalis) were also susceptible, whereas Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium appeared more resistant. The proteins may be present in lysosomes, based on their solubilization by dilute acids and their distribution with lysosomal markers on sucrose density gradients. Such microbicidal proteins have not previously been demonstrated in any mammalian macrophage. They may play a significant role in the host-defense functions of the rabbit lung.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Purification and properties of rabbit alveolar macrophage lysozyme.

Lysozyme was isolated from Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-elicited rabbit alveolar macrophages by acid extraction and purified to homogeneity by a single-column procedure. Yields of the purified enzyme averaged between 20 and 30 mg per rabbit, values far in excess of those obtained with previously published methods. Rabbit lysozyme has a molecular weight of 14,300 and exhibits optimal lytic activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus at an ionic strength of 0.04, pH 6.5. Our results indicate that lysozyme and other granule components can be fractionated from elicited alveolar macrophages by using simple techniques, suggesting methods for the bulk purification of lysosomal constituents.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1979

Role of rabbit lysozyme in in vitro serum and plasma serum bactericidal reactions against Bacillus subtilis.

The antibacterial activity of purified rabbit lysozyme was kinetically investigated at concentrations comparable to those in normal rabbit serum and plasma serum. The bactericidal capability, lysozyme content, and electrophoretic composition of "purified beta-lysin," fractionated from normal rabbit serum, were also examined. In contrast to the extensive antibacterial activity of dilute normal rabbit serum observed in vitro, rabbit lysozyme was only weakly bactericidal for Bacillus subtilis. Inhibition of lysozyme enzymatic and bactericidal activities in normal rabbit serum by antilysozyme immunoglobulin G slightly reduced the initial rate of killing. The addition of neutralizing antibody or histamine (another lysozyme inhibitor) to partially purified bactericidal serum fractions had no effect on killing kinetics. Increasing the ionic strength of reaction mixtures containing normal serum or partially purified bactericidal fractions to levels which completely inhibited lysozyme activity resulted in stimulation of their respective killing kinetics. The addition of inhibitors to normal rabbit plasma serum completely eliminated its bactericidal activity. With regard to the killing of B. subtilis by rabbit and human blood fractions, these analyses clearly demonstrated that (i) although lysozyme is not a significant antibacterial component of normal rabbit serum, it represents the principal factor in normal rabbit plasma serum; (ii) different primary bactericidal mechanisms which are not detectable by singlepoint analyses operate in the sera of different species; and (iii) purified beta-lysin isolated from normal rabbit serum by the classical procedure is a heterogenous mixture of components.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Lysozyme: primary bactericidin in human plasma serum active against Bacillus subtilis.

The in vitro bactericidal reaction of human plasma serum against Bacillus subtilis was investigated. Human lysozyme was purified to homogeneity, and antiserum was prepared against the enzyme. The anti-lysozyme immunoglobulin G was used as a specific inhibitor in bactericidal and bacteriolytic reactions. It was found that at low serum concentrations lysozyme was the primary bactericide active against B. subtilis. At appreciably higher serum concentrations, a lysozyme-independent bactericidal activity was also demonstrated.

Antibodies↗