Protective effect of Clostridium tyrobutyricum in acute dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis: differential regulation of tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-18 in BALB/c and severe combined immunodeficiency mice.

One of the promising approaches in the therapy of ulcerative colitis is administration of butyrate, an energy source for colonocytes, into the lumen of the colon. This study investigates the effect of butyrate producing bacterium Clostridium tyrobutyricum on dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Immunocompetent BALB/c and immunodeficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice reared in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) conditions were treated intrarectally with C. tyrobutyricum 1 week prior to the induction of DSS colitis and during oral DSS treatment. Administration of DSS without C. tyrobutyricum treatment led to an appearance of clinical symptoms - bleeding, rectal prolapses and colitis-induced increase in the antigen CD11b, a marker of infiltrating inflammatory cells in the lamina propria. The severity of colitis was similar in BALB/c and SCID mice as judged by the histological damage score and colon shortening after 7 days of DSS treatment. Both strains of mice also showed a similar reduction in tight junction (TJ) protein zonula occludens (ZO)-1 expression and of MUC-2 mucin depression. Highly elevated levels of cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the colon of SCID mice and of interleukin (IL)-18 in BALB/c mice were observed. Intrarectal administration of C. tyrobutyricum prevented appearance of clinical symptoms of DSS-colitis, restored normal MUC-2 production, unaltered expression of TJ protein ZO-1 and decreased levels of TNF-α and IL-18 in the descending colon of SCID and BALB/c mice, respectively. Some of these features can be ascribed to the increased production of butyrate in the lumen of the colon and its role in protection of barrier functions and regulation of IL-18 expression.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from a tetracycline producing strain of Streptomyces aureofaciens: some properties and regulatory aspects of the enzyme.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Streptomyces aureofaciens exhibited activity with both NAD and NADP, the maximum reaction rate being 1.6 times higher for NAD-linked activity than for the NADP-linked one. The KM values for NAD-linked activity were 2.5 mM for glucose-6-phosphate and 0.27 mM for NAD, and for NADP-linked activity 0.8 mM for glucose-6-phosphate and 0.08 mM for NADP. NAD- and NADP-linked activities were inhibited by both NADH and NADPH. (2'-phospho-)adenosinediphospho-ribose inhibited only NAD-linked activity. The inhibition was competitive with respect to NAD and noncompetitive with respect to glucose-6-phosphate.

Subcellular localization of enzymes in Streptomyces aureofaciens and its alteration by benzyl thiocyanate. I. Phosphatases and ATP-glucokinase.

Mycelia of a low- and a high-production strain of Streptomyces aureofaciens were converted into protoplasts and divided into five subcellular fractions in order to localize exopolyphosphatases (EC 3.6.1.11), triphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.25), inorganic diphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.1), apyrase (EC 3.6.1.5) and glucokinase (EC 2.7.1.2). The highest specific activity of enzymes hydrolyzing polyphosphates was found in cytoplasmic vesicles and membranes. Triphosphatase was detected in the periplasmic fraction. Periplasmic vesicles and cytoplasm exhibited a high activity of diphosphatase. Apyrase was found mainly in the fractions of membranes and cytoplasmic vesicles. Glucokinase was a cytoplasmic enzyme. The enzymes were released from membrane structures into cytoplasm or periplasmic space if benzyl thiocyanate (10 microM) was present in the growth medium.

Subcellular localization of enzymes in Streptomyces aureofaciens and its alteration by benzyl thiocyanate. II. Anhydrotetracycline oxygenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

The localization of anhydrotetracycline oxygenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) was studied by determining the enzyme activities in subcellular fractions obtained by differential centrifugation of the mycelia of Streptomyces aureofaciens after lysozyme treatment. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was a typical cytoplasmic enzyme both in the low- and high-production strain. Anhydrotetracycline oxygenase was found in the membrane fraction of the low-production strain. In the high-production strain, it was detected in several fractions, the highest activity being found in cytoplasm. The presence of 10 microM benzyl thiocyanate in the culture medium significantly changed the distribution of the latter enzyme in both strains. The redistribution of the enzymes is discussed with respect to tetracycline over-production.

The recA-dependent spontaneous degradation of proximal F merogenotes in Escherichia coli.

Proximal F' elements of KLF-1 type are relatively stable in Escherichia coli recA recipients. In such merodiploids the transferability of F'-DNA and the plasmid determined fertility functions are expressed. When introduced into the wild type recA+ cells the F'-DNA is degraded and several classes of DNA molecules of molar mass about 66 Mg/mol and lower exist in the cell in 1-2 copies per bacterial chromosome. As was detected by complementation analysis, the chromosomal genes determining the host specificity for DNA (hsd) originally located on the F' element seem to be salvaged during the process of DNA degradation probably by recombination with the bacterial chromosome.

[Alcohol in an industrial organization. Reflections on the practical health, social and political aspects]. / Alkohol im industriellen Betrieb.

From figures obtained during prophylactic examinations in a large enterprise of the metal branch, the author reflects about the consumption of alcohol and its consequences. He treats the problem not only on the level of a tight working community, but he also mentions several aspects of the alcohol problem in a societal framework.

Thymidine-kinase in cytomegalovirus infected cells.

In human diploid fibroblast LEP cells infected with AD169 strain of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) a sharp increase of cytosol thymidine kinase activity was observed. The properties of the cytosol enzymes from infected and non-infected cells were compared. No significant differences between the enzymes from infected and control cells were observed in substrate specificity, pH dependence, thermostability and relative electrophoretic mobility. Human sera containing high titres of CMV complement-fixing antibodies did not neutralize the enzyme from infected cells. It is concluded from these results that the increase of cytosol thymidinekinase activity in CMV-infected cells was due to an enhancement of cellular thymidine kinase.