Polyanionic Polysaccharide Research Articles

Protamine and Polyarginine Bacteriolysis. Similarities in Its Mechanism with Chromatin DNA Picnosis

Protamine and polyarginine had bacteriolytic effects indicating their primary sites of action as being wall components and showing bacterial diversity genetically determined. Shake-incubation was required in producing cell-lysis. Studies on Bacillus subtilis revealed a high polycation multiplicity per cell in lytic event displaying multihit lysing kinetics; bacteriolysis was inhibited by trypsin, pronase, purified polyanionic wall polysaccharide, and by dissociative actions of salt hypermolarities used in isolation of nucleic acids. The inactivation of polycation lytic abilities during bacteriolysis was accompanied by modifications in electrophoretic running of protamine and polyarginine. It is suggested as mechanism of cell-lysis, the multiple zonal surface condensations of polyanionic wall components by basic polypeptides, likely similar with chromatin DNA picnosis. This analogy is discussed.

Chapter 12 Fractionation of Histones on Molecular Sieve Matrices

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the methods for fractionation of histones on molecular sieve matrices. Methods for the isolation and fractionation of histones are governed by two properties of the nuclear proteins inherent to their biological function: their strong positive charge and their tendency to aggregate. Purified nuclei facilitate the subsequent histone fractionation as a source of nucleoprotein. Histones are dissociated from DNA for the purpose of fractionation of the total complement or the purification of individual histones. A fraction containing the total complement of histones either as hydrochlorides or sulfates, if not contaminated with other proteins, neutral polysaccharides, or polyanionic polysaccharides, can be fractionated on molecular sieve matrices like Bio-gel or Sephadex. To minimize the aggregation of histones dilute HCl is introduced as a solvent for the fractionation of histones on molecular sieves. The purification of histones on molecular sieve matrices in dilute acid in the presence or absence of NaCl is successful in conjunction with the selective procedures of extraction. Gel electrophoresis is used as a sensitive and rapid method to establish the purity of histone fractions.

Antibacterial activity of marine violet-pigmented Alteromonas with special reference to the production of brominated compounds.

The synthesis of several types of antibiotics was investigated in four strains of violet-pigmented bacteria belonging to the species Alteromonas luteo-violaceus. Two of the strains simultaneously produce an antibiotic polyanionic polysaccharide, weakly bound to the cells and diffusing throughout the medium, and two intracellular brominated bactericidal substances. The third strain only synthesizes the polyanionic antibiotic. The fourth one is totally inactive. The macromolecular antibiotic, probably responsible for the autointoxication of the bacteria in their cultures, acts at the respiratory level; it induces an increase of oxygen uptake and the production of peroxides by test bacteria. Thus, its activity is inhibited by catalase and peroxidase.

THE PRODUCTION OF EXTRACELLULAR POLYSACCHARIDE BY THE UNICELLULAR RED ALGAPORPHYRIDIUM AERUGINEUM1,2

SUMMARYThe unicellular red algaPorphyridium aerugineumwas shown to be encapsulated by an amorphous, water‐soluble, polyanionic polysaccharide of high molecular weight. The encapsulating polysaccharide is qualitatively identical with polysaccharide found dissolved in large quantity in the culture medium. The kinetics of extracellular polysaccharide production as a function of cell age was studied. Rates of production (on a per cell basis) of both encapsulating and dissolved polysaccharides are greatest in stationary phase light‐grown cultures.Dissolved polysaccharide was quantitatively isolated by precipitation with cetyl pyridinium chloride, conversion to the calcium salt, and reprecipitation with ethanol. The procedure yields a spectrally pure product, which is composed of glucose, galactose, xylose, and 2 undetermined, sugar components, and has a sulfate content of 7.6% by weight.Electron microscopy ofPorphyridiumrevealed that Golgi vesicles transport, polymerized polysaccharides to and through the cell membrane. Similar vesicles were observed in the multicellularPseudogloiophloea, indicating that the Golgi complex plays a crucial role in the production of extracellular polysaccharides by the red algae.H14CO3‐pulse‐label experiments resulted in labeled extracellular polysaccharide in which all the constituent components contained14C. Rates of excretion of polysaccharide were found, to follow a cyclic pattern, correlated generally with the division cycle, of the cell.

Automated Simultaneous Turbidimetric Determination of Cholesterol in β- and pre-β-Lipoproteins

Abstract An automated method is described for simultaneously determining cholesterol in serum β- and pre-β-lipoprotein fractions. This fast, reproducible, accurate method depends on the ability of β- and pre-β-lipoproteins to form insoluble complexes with polyanionic polysaccharides such as heparin. Values obtained by this method and by similar manual methods described in the literature agree well. This method is extremely useful in mass screening for hyperlipidemias; in certain cases it may be more useful than the determination of only cholesterol or triglycerides.

Depressors of Interferon Synthesis: Inhibition of Interferon Synthesis by Chick Allantoic Mucopolysaccharide, Capsular Polysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Heparin

SUMMARY Three kinds of polyanionic polysaccharides, chick allantoic mucopolysaccharide, capsular polysaccharide of Klebsiella pneumoniae and heparin depressed interferon synthesis induced by ultraviolet-irradiated Newcastle disease virus in chick embryo cells. The minimum concentrations causing complete inhibition of interferon synthesis were respectively 20, 0.5 and 50 μg./ml. The polysaccharides did not affect the action of exogenous interferon at concentrations sufficient to depress interferon synthesis. It seems unlikely that these polysaccharides were toxic for the cells, and that the depression of interferon synthesis was due to an inhibition of the early steps of virus-cell interaction.

Viruses in fungi and interferon stimulation.

The active component of statolon—an anti-viral agent—is RNA of viral origin and not a polyanionic polysaccharide as previously thought. This article describes the isolation and some properties of the P. stoloniferum virus which is active in stimulating interferon production. An interferon inducing virus has also been found in a strain of Penicillium funiculosum.

Pilot‐plant process for the isolation of a microbial polysaccharide with a quaternary ammonium compound

AbstractMicrobial polysaccharides which have many potential industrial applications are receiving more and more attention. One of the economic obstacles to the commercialization of these polysaccharides has been the cost of isolating them from fermented broth. To reduce this cost a recycling process was developed. The polyanionic polysaccharide synthesized from glucose by the activity of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris NRRL B‐1459 is precipitated from the fermented broth with a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC).QAC is removed from the precipitate with methanol leaving the water‐soluble polysaccharide. Evaporation of the methanol wash removed the methanol and substantially all the QAC was recovered in the concentrate. This was recycled for subsequent precipitations. Chemical assay and the viscosity of water solutions of the isolated polysaccharide indicate no adverse effects on it from recycled QAC. The cost to make this polysaccharide by the described procedure is estimated to be $1.14/lb. This cost estimate includes land, buildings, raw materials, equipment, labor and supervision, utilities, factory supplies, working capital, and plant overhead.