Shinshu University Hospital
Publishes on Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology, DNA and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, Bacteriophages and microbial interactions. 38 papers and 889 citations.
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A method of sex identification using the polymerase chain reaction technique is described. Using a pair of nucleotide primers from an X-Y homologous region, both the X and the Y sequences can be amplified simultaneously, and more importantly, they result in fragments of different lengths. The success of the procedure is therefore monitored by the presence of a X-specific band while sex is identified by the presence or absence of a Y-specific band.
Mutants of Escherichia coli with much decreased activity of D-alanine carboxypeptidase (peptidyl-D alanine hydrolase, EC 3.4.12.11) were found among E. coli K12 extensively mutagenized with nitrosoguanidine treatment by assaying individual colonies for the enzyme activity. One such mutant with only 10-12% residual activity was characterized extensively. The soluble carboxypeptidase activity (corresponding to D-alanine carboxypeptidase IC of Tamura T., Imae, Y. & Strominger, J.L. [(1976) J. Biol. Chem. 251, 414-423] was deleted. This enzyme activity in the particulate fraction was markedly reduced but transpeptidase activity was normal. However, penicillin-binding component IV was deleted from the particulate fraction. Both the physiology and penicillin sensitivity of the organism were relatively normal, except that mutant cells were markedly more stable to penicillin-induced lysis, suggesting the possibility that carboxypeptidase IC really functions as an endopeptidase. The possible relationship of the deleted carboxypeptidase activity and the deleted penicillin binding component are discussed.