Complete genome and proteome of Acholeplasma laidlawii.

We present the complete genome sequence and proteogenomic map for Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8A (class Mollicutes, order Acholeplasmatales, family Acholeplasmataceae). The genome of A. laidlawii is represented by a single 1,496,992-bp circular chromosome with an average G+C content of 31 mol%. This is the longest genome among the Mollicutes with a known nucleotide sequence. It contains genes of polymerase type I, SOS response, and signal transduction systems, as well as RNA regulatory elements, riboswitches, and T boxes. This demonstrates a significant capability for the regulation of gene expression and mutagenic response to stress. Acholeplasma laidlawii and phytoplasmas are the only Mollicutes known to use the universal genetic code, in which UGA is a stop codon. Within the Mollicutes group, only the sterol-nonrequiring Acholeplasma has the capacity to synthesize saturated fatty acids de novo. Proteomic data were used in the primary annotation of the genome, validating expression of many predicted proteins. We also detected posttranslational modifications of A. laidlawii proteins: phosphorylation and acylation. Seventy-four candidate phosphorylated proteins were found: 16 candidates are proteins unique to A. laidlawii, and 11 of them are surface-anchored or integral membrane proteins, which implies the presence of active signaling pathways. Among 20 acylated proteins, 14 contained palmitic chains, and six contained stearic chains. No residue of linoleic or oleic acid was observed. Acylated proteins were components of mainly sugar and inorganic ion transport systems and were surface-anchored proteins with unknown functions.

[Comparison of the genome for phylogenetically related bacteriophages phiKZ and EL of Pseudomonas aeruginosa: evolutionary aspects and minimal genome size].

Bacteriophages of the family Myoviridae represent one of the most widespread domains of the biosphere substantially affecting the ecological balance of microorganisms. Interestingly, sequence analysis of genomic DNAs of large bacteriophages revealed many genes coding for proteins with unknown functions. A new approach is proposed to improve the functional identification of genes. This approach is based on comparing the genome sequence for phylogenetically and morphologically related phages showing no considerable homology at the level of genomic DNA. It is assumed that gene functions essential for the development of phages of a given family are conserved and that the corresponding genes code for similar orthologous proteins even when lacking sequence homology. The genome was sequenced and compared for two Pseudomonas aeruginosa giant bacteriophages, phiKZ and EL, which belong to a group of (phiKZ-related phages. A substantial difference in genome organization was observed, suggesting specific features of phage evolution. In addition, the problem of the minimal genome of the superfamily is discussed on the basis of the difference in size and structure between the phiKZ and EL genomes.

Transformation of a fragment of beta-structural bacteriophage T4 adhesin to stable alpha-helical trimer.

Gene product 12 of bacteriophage T4, adhesin, serves to adhere the virus to host cells. Adhesin is a fibrous homotrimer, and a novel tertiary structure element, a beta-helix, is supposed to be a major structural feature of this protein. We have constructed two truncated gp12 mutants, 12N1 and 12N2, containing 221 and 135 N-terminal residues, respectively. When expressed in E. coli cells, these gp12 fragments formed labile beta-structural trimers. Another hybrid protein, 12FN, containing 179 N-terminal amino acid residues of gp12 fused to the C-terminal domain (31 amino acids) of T4 fibritin, was shown to have a trimeric proteolytically resistant alpha-helical structure. This structure is probably similar to that of fibritin, which has a triple alpha-helical coiled-coil structure. Hence, we have demonstrated the possibility of global transformation of fibrous protein structure using fusion with a C-terminal domain that initiates trimerization.

[Use of heat shock of antigen-presenting cells for functional testing of allospecificity memory T-cells]. / Ispol'zovanie teplovogo shoka antigenprezentiruiushchikh kletok dlia funktsional'nogo testirovaniia allospetsivicheskikh T-kletok pamiati.

For many years, the search for the appropriate method of testing the functional activity of the memory T-cells was an urgent problem and determined progress in the study of immunological memory. We proposed simple methods of functional testing the memory of CD8+ T-cells specific to the H-2Kb alloantigen based on measuring their proliferation in response to heat-treated allogenic splenocytes and cells of allogenic tumors in vitro. Primary proliferative response to the alloantigen was shown not to develop when the allogenic antigen-presenting cells were subjected to an acute (45 degrees C, 1 h) or moderate (42 degrees C, 30 min) heat shock. The block of the primary allogenic response of naive T-lymphocytes to the heated splenocytes could not be abrogated by the addition of exogenous IL-2 and was not due to deletion or suppression of antigen-reactive clones. On the contrary, the long-lived memory CD8+ T-cells induced in the course of the primary in vivo response were capable of proliferation in response to heat-treated allogenic stimulators carrying the same immunizing antigen. The different response of the naive T-cells and memory T-cells to the allogenic stimulators subjected to a heat shock might be due to a strict dependence of the naive T-cells on the inducing co-stimulation provided by the B7 ligand, whose expression was suppressed in the cultures containing the heat-treated stimulator cells. These results probably suggest that a specific immunoregulatory mechanism exists that is based on a disorder in costimulatory functions due to the cellular stress-response induced in the antigen-presenting cells.