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Biomedical subjects

S Ulitzur

Publications and source records attributed to S Ulitzur.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1977

Membrane polypeptides co-induced with the bacterial bioluminescent system.

Electrophoretic analysis of membrane proteins and electron microscopy of freeze-fracture replicas reveal that certain polypeptides and intramembrane particles are absent in Beneckea harveyi harvested prior to luminescence induction but present after induction. The polypeptides and particles are also absent in mutants which fail to synthesize the luminescent system. These correlations implicate membrane polypeptides in the bacterial bioluminescent system.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1977

Sensitive, rapid, and specific bioassay for the determination of antilipogenic compounds.

A sensitive and rapid bioassay for the determination of the antilipogenic compounds cerulenin and CM-55 is described. The bioassay is based on the inhibitory effect of cerulenin and CM-55 on the in vivo luminescence of an aldehyde-requiring mutant of the marine bacterium Beneckea harveyi. A total quantity as low as 0.1 mug of cerulenin can be determined within 15 min with an error of +/-2%. The bioassay, as presented, is specific for compounds that are known to inhibit fatty acid biosynthesis and, as such, it might be used as a general screening method for the detection of antilipogenic compounds.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1976

Inhibition and stimulation of the development of the bioluminescent system in Beneckea harveyi by cyclic GMP.

The development of the luminescence system in Beneckea harveyi is controlled by cyclic nucleotides at the level of transcription. In the wild type, it is repressed by exogenously added guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate and this repression is overcome by the addition of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate. These observations alone support a model in which these nucleotides act antagonistically. On the other hand, in a mutant requiring adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate for maximum luminescence, guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate stimulates the synthesis of the luminescence system at low concentrations and inhibits it at higher concentrations. These results are apparently not consistent with a model involving a simple antagonistic effect of guanosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate on the action of adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate.

Cyclic AMP↗
PubMed1975

An adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-requiring mutant of the luminous bacteria Beneckea harveyi.

We have isolated a mutant of the luminous bacterium Beneckea harveyi, which requires exogenous adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) to synthesize luciferase and emit light. The mutant was pleiotropic, lacking not only the ability to luminesce, but also the capacities to form flagella and the ability to utilize a variety of carbohydrates for growth. All these deficiencies could be corrected by added cyclic AMP. The cyclic AMP-induced de novo synthesis of luciferase was possible only after autoinduction had occurred. The induction time by cyclic AMP ranged between 6 and 10 min at 27 degrees C.

Bucladesine↗
PubMed1975

Effect of temperature, salts, pH, and other factors on the development of peritrichous flagella in Vibrio alginolyticus.

The development of peritrichous flagella and, consequently, swarming of Vibrio alginolyticus depend on a complex relationship between temperature, salt concentrations and pH. At temperatures above 28 degrees C V. alginolyticus did not develop peritrichous flagella unless certain minimal concentrations of NaCl are present: the higher the temperature, the higher the NaCl concentrations required for peritrichous flagella synthesis. This requirement for NaCl at high temperatures is much more pronounced at pH 9 than at pH 6. High temperatures and low concentrations of NaCl also inhibited swarming of cells already armed with peritrichous flagella. Other cations, such as Li+, K+ and Mg2+. replaced NaCl only at temperatures below 28 degrees C.

Cell Movement↗
PubMedDate not supplied

H-NS controls the transcription of three promoters of Vibrio fischeri lux cloned in Escherichia coli.

We have recently proposed that the expression of V. fischeri right lux operon is controlled by two promoters; the first one located upstream of the luxl gene, while the second one seems to be located upstream of the luxC gene. The transcription from both promoters is negatively controlled by H-NS protein. Escherichia coli MC4100 rpoS hns mutant that carried the V. fischeri lux system with a deletion in either the luxl or luxR gene showed a constitutive mode and more than 10,000-fold higher luminescence than the control cells. The present study shows that neither luxR nor luxl are required for the transcription of the luxCDABE genes in an H-NS deficient strain of E. coli. The MC4100 rpoS hns mutant harbouring the luxCDABE-carrying plasmid showed constitutive mode and 70,000-fold higher luminescence than the wild-type cells. The question whether both the left and the right operons of V. fischeri lux system are controlled by H-NS was addressed with the aid of plasmids harbouring the lacZ gene fused with luxR or luxl. In MC4100 hns rpoS background, luxR and luxl genes were very early and actively transcribed, as judged by the strong beta-galactosidase activity that was developed at early stage of growth. The beta-galactosidase activity in the wild-type cells was 20-40 times lower and occurred mainly during the second half of the growth cycle. It thus appears that H-NS inhibits the transcription of three promoters of the lux system of V. fischeri; the left operon that codes for LuxR protein and two promoters located upstream and downstream to luxl gene.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

LuxR controls the expression of Vibrio fischeri luxCDABE clone in Escherichia coli in the absence of luxI gene.

We have recently suggested that the expression of V. fischeri right lux operon is initiated from two sites, the first located upstream of the luxI gene, while the second seems to be located upstream of the luxC gene. The transcription from both sites is negatively controlled by H-NS protein. E. coli MC4100 rpoS hns mutant harbouring the V. fischeri luxCDABE genes showed constitutive mode and 70,000-fold higher luminescence than the wild-type cells. The present study shows that the expression of luxCDABE genes in E. coli MC4100 wild-type cells is also controlled by LuxR protein in the absence of the autoinducer. The co-presence of a ptac-controlled luxR gene in a trans position to a plasmid carrying the luxCDABE genes resulted in 100,000 times higher luminescence. In the absence of the autoinducer, the presence of the luxR gene under its own regulated control resulted in about 100-200-fold increase of luminescence from the luxC upstream site. Taken together, it seems that the LuxR protein initiates the formation of the V. fischeri lux system cloned in E. coli from two sites located upstream and downstream of the luxI gene. Only the activation of the first site requires the presence of the autoinducer, whereas the second site is fully activated by LuxR protein in the absence of the autoinducer.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The transcription of bacterial luminescence is regulated by sigma 32.

Luminescence in the marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, is regulated by a small molecule, the autoinducer. The transcription of the V. fischeri lux genes also requires a regulatory protein, (luxR), cAMP and CRP. We show that, apart from these components, the transcription of the PR lux operon is also controlled by the activity of sigma 32 (htpR protein). In luminescent Escherichia coli (E. coli/pChv1), as well as in different marine luminous bacteria and their naturally occurring dark (K) variants, the luminescence system can be induced by starvation under microaerophilic conditions. Heat shock also induces luminescence in htpR+ but not in htpR- strains of E. coli/pChv1. An htpR- mutant of E. coli containing pChv1 is very dim and its luminescence is not induced by starvation or heat shock. The addition of a plasmid bearing the gene for htpR+ into such cells restores their response to starvation and heat shock. Cells of wild type E. coli/pChv1 that have been starved or heat shocked respond to lower concentrations of V. fischeri inducer than untreated cells. These cultures also produce more extracellular inducer than untreated cells. Starvation, heat shock and the presence of sigma 32 do not induce luminescence in luxl deleted E. coli/pChv1 cells. SOS-inducing agents advance the onset of luminescence in both htpR+ and htpR- strains but not in luxl deleted E. coli/pChvi cells. DNA sequencing of the luxR-luxl region reveals the presence of a promoter region of the kind typical for sigma 32 at the beginning of the luxl gene. In addition we find a LexA protein-DNA binding site in the non-consensus sequence for the -35 region of the PR operon. It is proposed that the regulatory protein-inducer complex displaces the LexA protein and allows the transcription of the right operon. SOS-inducing agents result in proteolysis of LexA protein and advance the onset of luminescence. sigma 32 enhances the transcription from the PR operon and thus initiates a positive control circuit. It seems that sigma 32 is the major controlling element in determining the onset of luminescence both in vivo and in vitro.

4-Butyrolactone↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Detection of genotoxicity of metallic compounds by the bacterial bioluminescence test.

Twenty metallic compounds were assayed for their genotoxic mutagenic activity by the bioluminescence test restoration of the luminescence of dark mutant of the luminous bacterium Photobacterium fischeri). The activity of the metals was tested in a liquid medium as well as on a solid medium. K2Cr2O7, MnCl2, BeCl2, KH2AsO4, ZnCl2 and Na2WO4 showed strong activity in liquid medium while AgNO3, Cd(OOCCH3)2, CoCl2, CuCl2, HgCl2, Na2SeO3 and Pb(NO3)2 were more active in the solid medium test. BaCl2, Na2MoO4, NaAsO2, NiSO4, Na2SeO4, RbCl, and SnCl2 were not active in the bioluminescence test. The correlation between the genotoxic activity of the tested metallic compounds in the bioluminescence test and other bacterial tests for genotoxic agents as well as the correlation between these results and the carcinogenicity of these compounds is discussed.

Luminescent Measurements↗