Retrieval of the species Alteromonas tetraodonis Simidu et al. 1990 as Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis comb. nov. and emendation of description.

A polyphasic taxonomy study was undertaken of three strains of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis subsp. tetraodonis (Simidu et al. 1990) Gauthier et al. 1995. DNA was prepared from each of the strains and genomic relatedness was measured by DNA-DNA hybridization. Strains KMM 458T and IAM 14160T shared 99% genetic relatedness, but were only 48-49% related to the type strain of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis subsp. haloplanktis, IAM 12915T. The third strain, P. haloplanktis subsp. tetraodonis A-M, showed 83% genetic similarity with P. haloplanktis subsp. haloplanktis IAM 12915T and 32% with KMM 458T. From these results, it is concluded that strains KMM 458T and IAM 14160T comprise a separate species, originally described as Alteromonas tetraodonis, whereas strain A-M belongs to the species Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis. Based on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, genomic fingerprint patterns, DNA-DNA hybridization data and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA, it is proposed that the species Alteromonas tetraodonis be retrieved and recognized as Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis comb. nov. (type strain IAM 14160T = KMM 458T).

Arenibacter gen. nov., new genus of the family flavobacteriaceae and description of a new species, Arenibacter latericius sp. nov.

Five dark-orange-pigmented, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, aerobic bacterial strains were isolated from sandy sediment samples collected in the South China Sea in the Indian Ocean, from a holothurian, Apostichopus japonicus, in the Sea of Japan and from a brown alga, Chorda filum, from the Sea of Okhotsk in the Pacific Ocean. Phenotypic data were collected, demonstrating that the bacteria are chemo-organotrophic and require seawater-based media for growth. Polar lipids were analysed and 27% of the total extract comprised phosphatidylethanolamine as the major component. The predominant cellular fatty acids were branched-chain saturated and unsaturated [i-C15:0, i-C15:1, a-C15:0, C15:0, C16:1(n-7)]. The DNA base composition was 37.5-38.2 mol % G+C. The level of DNA homology of the five isolates was 83-94%, indicating that these isolates belong to the same species. A 16S rDNA sequence of the type strain KMM 426T was determined and phylogenetic analysis, based on neighbour-joining and Fitch-Margoliash methods, revealed that the type strain formed a distinct phyletic line in a clade corresponding to the family Flavobacteriaceae and represented a new genus. From the results of this polyphasic taxonomic analysis, it is proposed that the bacterial strains be classified in a new genus, Arenibacter gen. nov., and species, Arenibacter latericius sp. nov. The type strain is KMM 426T (VKM B 2137DT = LMG 19694T = CIP 106861T).

Characterization of Bacillus strains of marine origin.

A total of twenty aerobic endospore-forming bacilli, isolated from marine invertebrates and sea water of different areas of the Pacific Ocean, were taxonomically characterized. Most of the bacilli (11 strains) of marine origin belonged to the species Bacillus subtilis, according to their phenotypic characteristics, antibiotic susceptibility profiles, and fatty acids patterns. A group of four alkaliphilic strains formed a separate cluster that was tentatively classified as B. horti. One isolate, KMM 1717, associated with a sponge from the Coral Sea was identified as B. pumilus. Two strains, Bacillus KMM 1916 and KMM 1918, showed antibiotic sensitivity profiles similar to B. licheniformis, but they had a distinct fatty acid composition and peculiar phenotypic traits. The taxonomic affiliation of KMM 1810 and KMM 1763 remained unclear since their fatty acid composition and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were not resembled with none of these obtained for Bacillus strains.

Phenotypic diversity of Pseudoalteromonas citrea from different marine habitats and emendation of the description.

Four strains of marine, aerobic, agar-decomposing bacteria with one polar flagellum and with DNA G + C contents of 38.9-40.2 mol% were isolated from the Far-Eastern mussels Crenomytilus grayanus and Patinopecten yessoensis. These four strains were identified as Pseudoalteromonas; however, they were phenotypically different from species described previously according to carbon compound utilization tests and the BIOLOG identification system. High agar-decomposing activity was found in two strains, in one of which agarase, alpha-galactosidase, pustulanase and laminarinase had been detected. The level of DNA homology of three of the strains was 70-100%. The fourth isolate was genetically less related to the others (67% DNA relatedness) and phenotypically was more distant from other members of this group; however, all four strains were assigned to a single species genotypically. DNA from the strains isolated from mussels showed 40-45% genetic relatedness with the DNA of Alteromonas atlantica, 8-36% with DNA of Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis subsp. haloplanktis, Pseudoalteromonas haloplanktis subsp. tetraodonis, Pseudoalteromonas undina, Pseudoalteromonas nigrifaciens and Pseudoalteromonasas carrageenovora, 53% with Pseudoalteromonas elyakovii, 32-48% with marine P. nigrifaciens from mussels and 14-16% with Alteromonas macleodii. The DNA-DNA hybridization data revealed that the levels of relatedness between the strains isolated and the type strains of Pseudoalteromonas citrea and Pseudoalteromonas fuliginea described recently were significant (95-85%). These results were confirmed by serological data employing polyclonal antibodies to cell surface antigens. The strains isolated from mussels were identified as P. citrea. The hybridization data showed that the name P. fuliginea Romanenko et al. 1994 should be recognized as a junior subjective synonym of P. citrea Gauthier 1977. A notable phenotypic diversity of P. citrea which might be a reflection of their ecological habitats is discussed.

New polar steroids from the sponges Trachyopsis halichondroides and Cymbastela coralliophila.

Fractions of trisulfated trihydroxysteroids from the sponges Trachyopsis halichondroides (two different collections) and Cymbastela coralliophila have been isolated and investigated. Ten triacetates were obtained from these fractions by desulfatation/acetylation followed by chromatographic separation, and their structures have been established. Four of these derivatives--namely, triacetates of 5 alpha-pregnane-2 beta,3 alpha,6 alpha-triol (3c), 23,24-dinor-5 alpha-cholane-2 beta,3 alpha,6 alpha-triol (4c), 5 alpha-cholest-22-ene-2 beta,3 alpha,6 alpha-triol (7c), and 24-isopropyl-5 alpha-cholestane-2 beta,3 alpha,6 alpha-triol (11c)-- are described as new derivatives of natural steroids.

[Prognostic significance of lactate concentration and indicators of acid-base balance in air embolism of cerebral vessels]. / Prognosticheskoe znachenie kontsentratsii laktata i pokazatelei kislotno-osnovnogo ravnovesiia spinomozgovoi zhidkosti pri vozdushnoi émbolii sosudov golovnogo mozga.

Acid-base balance and lactate concentration in the arterial blood and spinal liquor have been studied in 32 patients after air embolism of the brain vessels developed during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. It has been shown that an increase of lactate concentration in the spinal liquor over 3.5 mmol/l after air embolism of the brain vessels is indicative of severe hypoxic brain damage, in which the prospect of stable consciousness recovery is doubtful. In lactate concentration 4.5-5 mmol/l and higher as well as in metabolic acidosis of liquor (sodium hydrocarbonate concentration less than 20 mmol/l) the intensive care procedures used were not effective. It is believed that these parameters are of prognostic value in the condition under study.

Identification, isolation and characterization of tetracosapolyenoic acids in lipids of marine coelenterates.

Several tetracosapolyenoic acids (TPA) were detected in lipids of different marine coelenterates. Two of these acids were isolated and their structures were confirmed by chemical and spectral methods as all-cis-6,9,12,15,18-tetracosapentaenoic and all-cis-6,9,12,15,18,21-tetracosahexaenoic acid. Their distribution among lipids of a number of species of different classes of coelenterates from the northern and tropical seas, among neutral and polar lipids of these organisms was investigated. Significant quantities of TPA were found in all of the Octacorallia species studied. In some cases the sum of TPA reaches the level of 20% of total lipid fatty acids. The fatty acid composition of different coelenterates is also discussed.

[Detection of N-acylethanolamine phospholipids in neuroblastoma C1300 cells]. / Obnaruzhenie N-atsilétanolaminovykh fosfolipidov v kletkakh neiroblastomy C1300.

Phospholipids with high chromatographic mobility are detected in cells of murine neuroblastoma C 1300. One of them is identified (proceeding from data of successive chemical degradation) as N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine. It may be a precursor of physiologically active N-acylethanolamines. N-palmitoyl and N-stearoylethanolamines are shown to inhibit the transport of ions through the veratrine-activated fast sodium channels as well as remove the effect of lysophospholipids accumulation in cells under the effect of veratrine.

[The heterogeneity of neurospecific S-100 protein]. / K voprosu o geterogennosti neirospetsificheskogo S-100 belka

A modified method is described of the isolation of neuro-specific S-100 protein from bovine brain tissue by means of thermal denaturation, ammonium sulphate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and gel filtration through Sephadex G-100. Considerable heterogeneity of S-100 protein is discovered: it produces 4 fractions (f1--f4) under fractionation on DEAE-Sephadex A-50. The constant elution from the column of the main fraction, eluted with 0.325--0.35 M NaCl, and minor S-100 protein fractions, eluted with more high NaCl concentrations, is registered. At the same time, considerable variation in the quantitative yield of the main component of S-100 protein and in the relative content of main and minor components of S-100 protein is developed. Fast- (in f1 and f4 fractions) and slow-migrating (in f2 and f3 fractions) components are revealed under polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The f1 fraction is found to consist mainly of the component with molecular weight of 20 000 while fz, f3 and f4 fractions contain two components having molecular weight of 32 000 and 71 000. Antiserum to S-100 protein produced a positive immunodiffusion reaction with f1 and f2, and not with f3 and f4 fractions.