Synthesis and turnover of the regularly arranged surface protein of Acinetobacter sp. relative to the other components of the cell envelope

The formation of the components of the cell envelope of Acinetobacter sp. 199A was investigated by measuring the incorporation of [3H]leucine into protein, [14C]galactose into lipopolysaccharide, 32P into phospholipid, and [3H]diaminopimelic acid into peptidoglycan. Whereas the lipopolysaccharide and intrinsic protein of the outer membrane were stable, some of the regularly arranged surface protein, the alpha-protein, was lost into the growth medium. Only newly synthesized alpha-protein was lost. The peptidoglycan of the murein layer was also labile. Selective inhibition of the formation of individual components of the cell envelope with penicillin, chloramphenicol, and bacitracin showed that incorporation of protein into the outer membrane required the simultaneous formation of complete lipopolysaccharide. The converse was not true: protein synthesis was not required for lipopolysaccharide incorporation. Formation of the outer membrane and the murein layer proceeded independently.     

Local tissue necrosis after appendicitis in pregnancy (author's transl)

A local necrosis of the abdominal wall in the previous appendectomy scar was observed in a Gravida 3 at 32 weeks gestation following appendectomy for acute appendicitis. The findings and the clinical course were suspicious of a condition resembling local Shwartzman Phenomenon.     

中央通过《关于设立知识产权法院的方案》

6月6日,中央全面深化改革领导小组第三次会议召开,会议审议通过了“关于设立知识产权法院的方案》等方案。     

Isolation of the third capsule-associated gene, CAP60, required for virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans

A polysaccharide capsule is one of the most important virulence factors for the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. We previously characterized two capsule-associated genes, CAP59 and CAP64. To further dissect the molecular mechanism of capsule synthesis, 16 acapsular mutants induced by 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide were obtained. The acapsular phenotype of one of these mutants was complemented. The cloned gene was designated CAP60, and deletion of this newly described capsule-associated gene resulted in an acapsular phenotype. The proposed 67-kDa Cap60p contains 592 amino acids and appears to have a putative transmembrane domain close to the N terminus. DNA sequence analysis revealed that CAP60 has similarity to CAP59 at the center portion of its coding regions. Contour-clamped homogeneous electric field blot analysis suggested that these two genes are on the same chromosome. CAP60 and CAP59, however, could not be functionally substituted for each other by direct complementation or by domain swap experiments. In addition, CAP60 is closely linked to a gene which is similar to a cellulose growth-specific gene of Agaricus bisporus, CEL1. Immunogold electron microscopy studies of the epitope-tagged CAP60 gene revealed that Cap60p was primarily localized to the nuclear membrane. Animal model studies indicated that CAP60 is essential for virulence. Thus, CAP60 is required for both capsule formation and virulence.     

The frequency of disfluencies during phonatory transitions in stuttered and nonstuttered speech

The AA. investigated the frequency of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in 426 women with repeated abortions, perinatal mortality and malformed newborns. They showed on the whole a low incidence even if they demonstrated a high incidence (77.7%) of antibodies in women with malformed newborns. The meaning of the observations are briefly discussed.