Structure and engineering of celluloses.

This chapter collates the developments and conclusions of many of the extensive studies that have been conducted on cellulose, with particular emphasis on the structural and morphological features while not ignoring the most recent results derived from the elucidation of unique biosynthetic pathways. The presentation of structural and morphological data gathered together in this chapter follows the historical development of our knowledge of the different structural levels of cellulose and its various organizational levels. These levels concern features such as chain conformation, chain polarity, chain association, crystal polarity, and microfibril structure and organization.

A new family of carriers (biovectors) enhances the immunogenicity of rabies antigens.

Biovectors (BV) are a new family of protein carriers. They are nanoparticles of polymerized polysaccharides substituted with phosphate residues and surrounded by covalently bound lipid molecules (palmitic acid). The effect of BV was tested on the immunogenicity of rabies antigens.

Stabilization and enhancement of interleukin-2 in vitro bioactivity by new carriers: supramolecular biovectors.

Human recombinant interleukin-2 can be associated and released from supramolecular biovectors (SMBVs), consisting of particles made of polymerized polysaccharides. The particles are substituted with phosphate residues and contain bound lipid molecules (palmitic acid) buried near their surfaces. The association of IL-2 with SMBVs modifies its in vitro bioactivity.

Preparation of tritiated lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli K12.

Tritiated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli K12 was prepared by coupling [3H]ethanolamine to the LPS core residue ketodeoxyoctonate (KDO) via activation of its carboxylic function with N-hydroxysuccinimide or N-hydroxy-sulfosuccinimide. Specific activities of 1.

An inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique for the detection of endotoxins in proteins extracted from Escherichia coli K12 recombinant DNA.

An inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the specific quantitation of rough (R) mutant E. coli K12 lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Since R-LPS binds poorly to polystyrene microplates, an LPS-BSA covalent complex was prepared following glutaraldehyde activation and used as a coating surface antigen.

Inactivation of lincosaminide antibiotics in Staphylococcus. Identification of lincosaminide O-nucleotidyltransferases and comparison of the corresponding resistance genes.

Resistance to lincomycin by inactivation has been detected in numerous clinical isolates of Staphylococcus; in crude extracts of Staphylococcus haemolyticus BM4610 and Staphylococcus aureus BM4611, inactivation of lincomycin and clindamycin requires the presence of a nucleoside 5'-triphosphate (ATP, GTP, CTP, or UTP) as nucleotidyl donor and Mg2+ as cofactor. The biochemical mechanism of lincosaminide inactivation was elucidated by determination of the structure of inactivated lincomycin and clindamycin by physicochemical techniques, including UV absorption spectrophotometry, 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, and periodate oxidation. In the two strains, inactivation of lincomycin gave rise to lincomycin 3-(5'-adenylate), whereas clindamycin was inactivated through its conversion to clindamycin 4-(5'-adenylate).

Use of mixed perfluorinated ion-pairing agents as solvents in ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography for the preparative purification of aminoglycoside antibiotics.

The possibility of using mixed ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography for the preparative purification of aminoglycoside antibiotics was investigated. Retention can be satisfactorily defined in aqueous conditions but efficiency is critical. The analysis of a polynominal model allowed ion-pairing agents compositions to be designed leading to improved efficiency.

Mechanism of selectivity in ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography of aminoglycoside antibiotics using perfluorinated pairing ions.

The behaviour of perfluorinated carboxylic acids as pairing ions for the chromatography of the aminoglycoside antibiotics was studied. As with perhydrogenated pairing ions, the capacity factor can be modified according to the percentage of organic modifier and the nature and concentration of perfluorinated pairing ion in the mobile phase. The special selectivity effect observed with trifluoroacetic acid was investigated and interpreted as a concerted mechanism involving ionic and hydrophobic interactions.

Use of perfluorinated counter ions for the combination of ion pair HPLC and field desorption mass spectrometry. Application to the early characterization of aminoglycoside antibiotics.

The use of perfluorinated carboxylic acids counter ions is described for easy combination of ion pair HPLC and FD-MS. This technique is applied to the analysis of aminoglycoside antibiotics and to the problem of their early characterization from culture broths. Reliable molecular weight informations can be obtained with this method from minute amounts of purified products (10 micrograms) allowing formal identification in most cases.

Comparative studies of lipopolysaccharide and exopolysaccharide from a virulent strain of Pseudomonas solanacearum and from three avirulent mutants.

The composition of the Pseudomonas solanacearum lipolysaccharide (LPS) was found to be similar to that described for the LPS of enterobacteria. The lipid A contained fatty acids and glucosamine in a molar ratio of 5:2. The LPS fraction contained 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid, L-glycero-D-mannoheptose, hexoses (glucose, rhamnose, and glucosamine), and a pentose (xylose).

[The sex-trapping of Sterrha biselata (Hufn.) (Lepidoptera Geometridae, Sterrhinae) by acetoxy-1 dodecadiens-7 E, 9Z, the sex pheromone of Lobesia botrana (Schiff.) (Lepidoptera Tortricidae, Olethreutinae)].

7E, 9Z dodecadienyl acetate, a sex-heromone for Lobesia botrana, is selectively attractive, in vineyards, for males of this species. By testing this compound in woods and orchards, we have found that it was also selectively attractive for males of a geometrid moth; Sterrha biselata. This is one of the first examples where a definite chemical substance is active for a geometrid species.