Resonance Raman studies on the structure of bacteriochlorophyll c in chlorosomes from Chloroflexus aurantiacus.

Resonance Raman spectra of chlorosomes isolated from the thermophilic green photosynthetic bacterium Chloroflexus aurantiacus have been obtained with several excitation wavelengths from 441.6 to 514.5 nm. Resonance Raman spectra of bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c isolated from C. aurantiacus cells have also been observed. The C=C stretching frequencies of BChl c in the chlorosomes were found to be at 1,556 (strong) and 1,544 (shoulder) cm-1, which correspond to those expected for the 5-coordinated BChl c. The C-9 carbonyl resonance Raman frequency was found at 1,642 cm-1, indicating that this group is either hydrogen-bonded to an Mg-coordinated hydroxyl group or coordinated to the Mg ion.

Isolation of a photoactive photosynthetic reaction center-core antenna complex from Heliobacillus mobilis.

A photoactive reaction center-core antenna complex was isolated from the photosynthetic bacterium Heliobacillus mobilis by extraction of membranes with Deriphat 160c followed by differential centrifugation and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation. The purified complex contained a Mr 47,000 polypeptide(s) that bound both the primary donor (P800) and approximately 24 antenna bacteriochlorophylls g. Time-resolved fluorescence emission spectroscopy indicated that the antenna bacteriochlorophylls g are active in energy transfer to P800, exhibiting a decay time of 25 ps. The complex contained 1.4 menaquinones, 9 Fe, and 3 labile S2- per P800. The complex was photoactive with an exponential decay time of 14 ms for P800+ yet showed no EPR-detectable Fe-S center signal in the g less than or equal to 2.0 region, either by chemical reduction to -600 mV or by illumination of reduced samples. The complex is similar to photosystem I of oxygen-evolving photosynthetic systems in that both the primary donor and a core antenna are bound to the same pigment-protein complex.

Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of lumazine protein from Photobacterium phosphoreum using synchrotron radiation.

Time-resolved fluorescence on lumazine protein from Photobacterium phosphoreum was performed with synchrotron radiation as a source of continuously tunable excitation. The experiments yielded structural and dynamic details from which two aspects became apparent. From fluorescence anisotropy decay monitoring of lumazine fluorescence with different excitation wavelengths, the average correlation times were shown to change, which must indicate the presence of anistropic motion of the protein. A similar study with 7-oxolumazine as the fluorescent ligand led to comparable results. The other remarkable observation dealt with the buildup of acceptor fluorescence, also observed with 7-oxolumazine although much less pronounced, which is caused by the finite energy transfer process between the single donor tryptophan and the energy accepting lumazine derivatives. Global analytical approaches in data analysis were used to yield realistic correlation times and reciprocal transfer rate constants. It was found that the tryptophan residue has a large motional freedom as also reported previously for this protein and for the related protein from P. leiognathi (Lee et al. 1985; Kulinski et al. 1987). The average distance between the tryptophan residue and the ligand donor-acceptor couple has been determined to be 2.7 nm for the same donor and two different acceptors.

High pressure and anesthesia: pressure stimulates or inhibits bacterial bioluminescence depending upon temperature.

Although high pressure is often viewed as a nonspecific stimulus counteracting anesthesia, pressure can either excite or inhibit biological activity depending on the temperature at application. Temperature and pressure are two independent variables that determine equilibrium quantity, e.g., the state of organisms in terms of activity and anesthesia depth. We used the light intensity of luminous bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) as an activity parameter, and studied the effects of pressure and anesthetics on the bacteria's light intensity at various temperatures. The light intensity was greatest at about 30 degrees C at ambient pressure. When the system was pressurized up to 204 atm, the temperature for maximum light intensity was shifted to higher temperatures. Above the optimal temperature for the maximal light intensity, high pressure increased the light intensity. Below the optimal temperature, pressure decreased light intensity. Pressure only shifts the reaction equilibrium to the lower volume state (Le Chatelier's principle). When the volume of the excited state is larger than the resting state, high pressure inhibits excitation, and vice versa. Halothane 0.008 atm and isoflurane 0.021 atm inhibited the light intensity both above and below the optimal temperature. When pressurized, the light intensity increased in the high temperature range but decreased in the low temperature range, as in the control. Thus, high pressure seemingly potentiated the anesthetic action at low temperatures. When the ratio of the light intensity in bacteria exposed to anesthesia and those not exposed to anesthesia was plotted against the pressure, however, the value approached unity in proportion to the pressure increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chemical characterization of lumazine protein from Photobacterium leiognathi: comparison with lumazine protein from Photobacterium phosphoreum.

The properties of lumazine proteins purified from the marine bioluminescent bacteria Photobacterium phosphoreum, a psychrophile, and Photobacterium leiognathi, a relatively thermophilic species, are compared. An accurate 1:1 stoichiometry of binding of the ligand 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine to each lumazine protein is established by back-titration of the apoprotein with the authentic ligand, using both fluorescence and absorption measurements. Neither protein contains metal cofactors, organic phosphorus, or carbohydrate. Both proteins are anionic and hydrophilic. They each contain a single Trp residue and have blocked amino terminals but otherwise differ in amino acid composition and other properties (P. phosphoreum and P. leiognathi, respectively): Met (internal), 1, 2; Cys, 2, 1; Arg, 4, 7; pI, 4.78 and 4.83, 4.38 and 4.45; Mr, 19 750, 21 300. In the P. phosphoreum protein both Cys residues are accessible, but in the P. leiognathi protein the single Cys is "buried". Modification of this buried Cys and at least one Cys in the P. phosphoreum protein prevents binding of the ligand. The UV and visible absorption spectra of both lumazine proteins denatured in 6 M guanidine hydrochloride can be accurately modeled by using the number of equivalents of the lumazine derivative and blocked aromatic amino acid model compounds determined by chemical and spectrophotometric analyses for Trp, Tyr, and Phe.

Purification of lumazine proteins from Photobacterium leiognathi and Photobacterium phosphoreum: bioluminescence properties.

Bright strains of the marine bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium leiognathi produce a "lumazine protein" in amounts comparable to that previously found in Photobacterium phosphoreum. New protocols are developed for the purification to homogeneity of the proteins from both species in yields up to 60%. In dimmer strains the amounts of lumazine protein in extracts are less, and also there is an accompanying shift of the bioluminescence spectral maximum to longer wavelength, 492 nm. Both types of lumazine proteins have identical fluorescence spectra, with maxima at 475 nm, so it is suggested that, whereas lumazine protein is the major emitter in bright strains, there is a second emitter also present with a fluorescence maximum at longer wavelength. The two species of lumazine protein have the same 276 nm/visible absorbance ratio, 2.2, but differ in visible maxima: P. phosphoreum, 417 nm; P. leiognathi, 420 nm. For the latter the bound lumazine has epsilon 420 = 10 100 M-1 cm-1, practically the same as in free solution. The two lumazine proteins also differ quantitatively in their effect on the in vitro bioluminescence reaction, i.e., at blue shifting the bioluminescence spectrum or altering the kinetics. The P. phosphoreum lumazine protein is more effective with its homologous luciferase or with P. leiognathi luciferase than is the lumazine protein from P. leiognathi. These differences may have an electrostatic origin.

Spectral properties and function of two lumazine proteins from Photobacterium.

The spectral properties are compared for two 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine proteins from marine bioluminescent bacteria, one from a psychrophile, Photobacterium phosphoreum, and the other from a thermophile, Photobacterium leiognathi. The visible spectral properties, which are the ones by which the protein performs its biological function of bioluminescence emission, are almost the same for the two proteins: at 2 degrees C and 50 mM Pi, pH 7, fluorescence quantum yield phi F = 0.59 and 0.54, respectively; fluorescence lifetime tau = 14.4 and 14.8 ns, respectively; fluorescence maxima, both 475 nm; absorption maximum, 417 and 420 nm, respectively; circular dichroism minima at around 420 nm, both -41 X 10(3) deg cm2 dmol-1. The ligand binding sites therefore must provide very similar environments, and arguments are presented that the bound ligand is relatively exposed to solvent. The dissociation equilibrium was studied by steady-state fluorescence polarization. The thermophilic protein binds the ligand with Kd (20 degrees C) = 0.016 microM, 10 times more tightly than the other protein [Kd (20 degrees C) = 0.16 microM]. The origin of the binding difference probably resides in differences in secondary structure. The tryptophan fluorescence spectra of the two proteins are different, but more significant is an observation of the decay of the tryptophan emission anisotropy. For the psychrophilic lumazine protein this anisotropy decays to zero in 1 ns, implying that its single tryptophan residue lies in a very "floppy" region of the protein. For the other protein, the anisotropy exhibits both a fast component and a slow one corresponding to rotation of the protein as a whole.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physical characterization of lumazine proteins from Photobacterium.

The physicochemical properties of Photobacterium lumazine proteins have been investigated. The molecular weights obtained by several physical techniques are in good agreement, and the averages are 2% and 8% higher than the minimum molecular weights from amino acid and ligand content. The average molecular weights, sedimentation coefficients, and molecular radii are respectively the following: Photobacterium leiognathi lumazine protein, 21 200 +/- 300, 2.18 S, and 22.9 A; Photobacterium phosphoreum lumazine protein, 21 300 +/- 500, 2.16 S, and 23.0 A. The hydrations of the lumazine proteins, estimated in several ways, indicate less hydration for P. leiognathi than for P. phosphoreum. The frictional ratios corrected for hydration give axial ratios less than 1.3 for both lumazine proteins. These values agree with those obtained by a combination of rotational and translational frictional parameters and elimination of the common hydrated volume terms. There is insufficient area on the exterior surface to accommodate hydration when the lumzine proteins are considered as smooth-surfaced ellipsoids. The required surface area can be accommodated however by surface roughness with a minimum of 30% internal water.

Determination of rotational correlation times from deconvoluted fluorescence anisotropy decay curves. Demonstration with 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine and lumazine protein from Photobacterium leiognathi as fluorescent indicators.

The experimental and analytical protocols required for obtaining rotational correlation times of biological macromolecules from fluorescence anisotropy decay measurements are described. As an example, the lumazine protein from Photobacterium leiognathi was used. This stable protein (Mr 21 200) contains the noncovalently bound, natural fluorescent marker 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine, which has in the bound state a long fluorescence lifetime (tau = 14 ns). Shortening of the fluorescence lifetime to 2.6 ns at room temperature was achieved by addition of the collisional fluorescence quencher potassium iodide. The shortening of tau had virtually no effect on the rotational correlation time of the lumazine protein (phi = 9.4 ns, 19 degrees C). The ability to measure biexponential anisotropy decay was tested by the addition of Photobacterium luciferase (Mr 80 000), which forms an equilibrium complex with lumazine protein. Under the experimental conditions used (2 degrees C) the biexponential anisotropy decay can best be described with correlation times of 20 and 60 ns, representing the uncomplexed and luciferase-associated lumazine proteins, respectively. The unbound 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine itself (tau = 9 ns) was used as a model compound for determining correlation times in the picosecond time range. In the latter case rigorous deconvolution from the excitation profile was required to recover the correlation time, which was shorter (100-200 ps) than the measured laser excitation pulse width (500 ps).

Comparative biochemistry of the cell envelopes of Photobacterium leiognathi and Escherichia coli.

Photobacterium leiognathi closely resembles Escherichia coli with respect to cell lysis by lysozyme, and the fractionation of outer and cytoplasmic membranes. The two organisms differ in their phospholipid contents and, more significantly, in outer membrane protein compositions.

Occurrence of uronic acid in lipopolysaccharides of Vibrionaceae.

The occurrence of uronic acid as a sugar constituent of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in Vibrionaceae was demonstrated for the first time. More than 100 strains were examined. Of five genera constituting Vibrionaceae, i.e., Vibrio, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, Photobacterium, and Lucibacterium, the latter three contained uronic acid in LPS of all of their constituting members examined, while it was totally lacking in Aeromonas LPS so far tested. Only the members of genus Vibrio were found to be divided into uronic acid-containing and -lacking groups; V. parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. fisheri, V. costicola, Beneckea ('Vibrio'), and V. fluvialis belonged to the former, while all four biotypes of V. cholerae regardless of their serotypes, V. vulnificus and V. anguillarum, belonged to the latter group. The uronic acid content of V. parahaemolyticus O1 to O12 LPS ranged from 1.6 to 4.2%. The uronic acid residue released from V. parahaemolyticus O1, O4, O10, and O12 LPS by heating in 5% acetic acid at 100 C for 2 hr was identified as galacturonic acid; in particular, that from O12 LPS was characterized as D-galacturonic acid.

[Lipids of the luminescent bacteria Photobacterium mandapamensis]. / Lipidy svetiashchikhsia bakterii Photobacterium mandapamensis.

The composition of lipids was studied in the luminescent bacterium Photobacterium mandapamensis under the conditions of maximal luminescence. The synthesis of total lipids and poly-beta-hydroxybutyric acid (PHBA) was investigated in dynamics under the conditions of batch cultivation. The major class of lipids was polar lipids (84.3%) represented by phospholipids (phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl glycerol, cardiolipin, lysocardiolipin, lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine) and a minor nonidentified phospholipid. The fraction of neutral lipids was represented mainly by free fatty acids (about 5%), tri- and diglycerides (in trace amounts), and two nonidentified classes, apparently, hydrocarbons and waxes. A correlation was established between the luminescence of the bacterium and the content of PHBA.

Use of the luminescent bacterial system for the rapid assessment of aquatic toxicity.

A simple and reliable method for monitoring the toxicity of aquatic samples has been developed. The assay is based on changes in the light output of luminescent bacteria, as measured by a temperature controlled photometric device. The new assay method described here correlates well with other bioassays yet requires less than thirty minutes to obtain a complete reportable assay. The assay system is an instrumental approach in which the bioassay organisms are handled like a chemical reagent. Data are presented which verify the sensitivity of this toxicity test. Data comparing this assay method with conventional procedures such as fish toxicity assays are also present. Various applications of this new test method, Microtox TM, are discussed.

[Fatty acid makeup changes in the luminescent bacteria, Photobacterium mandapamensis, in periodic cultivation]. / Izmenenie zhirnokislotnogo sostava svetiashchikhsia bakterii Photobacterium mandapamensis pri periodicheskom kul'tivirovanii.

The fatty acid composition of the luminescent bacterium Photobacterium mandapamensis and its spontaneous dark mutant was studied in dynamics. Lipids of the both strains extracted with a methanol -- chloroform mixture contained the following fatty acids: lauric, tridecanoic, myristic, tetradecenic, pentadecanoic, pentadecenic, palmitic, palmitoleic, heptadecanoic, C17-cyclopropanoic, stearic, octadecenic, and nonadecanoic. The content of palmitoleic acid was the highest (57% of the total). Not all of the acids changed their content in the same direction during batch cultivation of the luminescent and dark strains. The content of palmitoleic acid fell to 49.2% of the total in the luminescent culture at the point of its maximal luminescence, but it increased to 63.8% in the dark strain at the corresponding growth phase.

Lumazine protein from the bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum. Purification and characterization.

Lumazine protein, a novel protein containing 6,7-dimethyl-8-ribityllumazine as a bound prosthetic group, is one of the several major proteins produced by the bioluminescent bacteria, Photobacterium phosphoreum. purification to complete homogeneity from cell extracts is achieved in six steps. Lumazine protein is a near spherical, monomeric protein of average molecular weight 20,000; in amino acid composition it is acidic with two isoelectric isomers, pI 4.9 and 5.0, and is hydrophilic (974 cal/residue) with single methionine and tryptophan residues and two accessible cysteines. It contains no carbohydrate. Reaction of the cysteines with dithionitrobenzoic acid results in quenching of the bound lumazine fluorescence but is otherwise reversible. Estimates of protein by dry weight results in a mole ratio of one bound lumazine group per protein.

Lumazine protein from the bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum. A fluorescence study of the protein-ligand equilibrium.

The changes of fluorescence spectral distribution, polarization, and lifetime of the lumazine protein from Photobacterium phosphoreum can be interpreted in terms of an equilibrium between the protein and its dissociated prosthetic group 6,7-dimethyl-8-(1'-D-ribityl)lumazine. The equilibrium is rapidly attained, 1:1, and Kd is 5 x 10(-8) M (4 degrees C, pH 7, 67 mM phosphate). A change in solution conditions like an increase in temperature or dilution or a decrease in pH or ionic strength favors dissociation of the ligand from the protein. The dissociation was confirmed by separating the free ligand by ultrafiltration, and the apoprotein was reconstituted with the authentic lumazine derivative. A van't Hoff analysis of the dissociation constant allows evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters: delta H degrees = 28 kcal/mol and delta S degrees = 67 eu. By analogy to published results on the binding of FMN to apoflavodoxin, the contribution of hydrophobic interaction and of hydrogen bonding to the binding enthalpy can be estimated. The decay of the emission anisotropy of lumazine protein following a 0.5-ns laser pulse excitation can be fitted with a single correlation time characteristic of a 30 000-dalton spherical protein.