Biotransformation of compactin to pravastatin by Actinomadura sp. 2966.

Actinomadura sp. strain 2966 can effectively convert compactin to pravastatin. The degree of conversion observed was 65% to 78% of compactin added and 65% to 88% of compactin taken up, depending on the concentration of compactin and duration of the experiment.

Effect of glpT and glpD mutations on expression of the phoA gene in Escherichia coli.

In vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of Escherichia coli cells showed that the intracellular concentration of P(i) remained constant in wild-type and in a glpT mutant strain whether the cells were grown on excess (2 mM) P(i) or sn-glycerol-3-phosphate as a phosphate source. The function of the phoA promoter (measured by beta-galactosidase activity in a phoA-lacZ fusion strain) was repressed when glpT+ cells were utilizing sn-glycerol-3-phosphate as the sole source of phosphate. These cells were devoid of alkaline phosphatase activity.

The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil from Achillea fragrantissima.

Essential oil from Achillea fragrantissima exerted a bactericidic effect on several gram positive and gram negative bacterial strains, as well as on Candida albicans. The oil was fractionated on sillica gel columns by a gradient of ether in petrol ether (30 degrees C-40 degrees C). Two fractions which contained less polar compounds were active against C.

Purification and characterization of uridine and thymidine phosphorylase from Lactobacillus casei.

Uridine and thymidine phosphorylases have been purified to homogeneity from crude extracts of Lactobacillus casei. Both enzymes had an apparent molecular mass of about 80 kDa. Uridine phosphorylase consisted of four identical subunits while thymidine phosphorylase was composed of two identical ones.

Nucleotide pool in pho regulon mutants and alkaline phosphatase synthesis in Escherichia coli.

The intracellular nucleotide pool of Escherichia coli W3110 reproducibly changes from conditions of growth in phosphate excess to phosphate starvation, with at least two nucleotides appearing under starvation conditions and two nucleotides appearing only under excess phosphate conditions. Strains bearing a deletion of the phoA gene show the same pattern, indicating that dephosphorylation by alkaline phosphatase is not responsible for the changes. Strains with mutations in the phoU gene, which result in constitutive expression of the pho regulon, show the nucleotide pattern of phosphate-starved cells even during phosphate excess growth.