Inhibition of phosphodiesterases from Bacillus subtilis by nucleoside triphosphates

Toxicity of adenine nucleotides in the isolated perfused kidney: selective destruction of the S2 segment of the proximal tubule

In an attempt to ameliorate the morphological abnormalities and decreased renal function produced by hypoxia in the isolated perfused rat kidney, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was added to the perfusate medium. No improvement was noted in the histological changes or renal function. Paradoxically, however, in oxygenated control kidneys, ATP (2.5-10 mM), caused a severe injury remarkably limited to the S2 segments of proximal tubule. This injury was more destructive than that observed with complete ischemia for the same period of time or with inhibitors of glycolysis, intermediary metabolism, or respiratory chain function. Tubular damage produced by ATP was paradoxically prevented by hypoxia and mitochondrial inhibition. The mechanism of this selective toxic injury to the proximal tubule remains unclear and may depend upon intact transport metabolism of the cell.

Structural and stereospecific requirements for the nucleoside-triggered germination of Bacillus cereus spores

A selection of adenosine analogues was tested for their ability to trigger germination of Bacillus cereus NCIB 8122 spores. The germination-inducing activity was governed by the structural properties of the sugar rather than the base moieties of the nucleosides. Among the sugar-modified analogues, only those containing a 2'-deoxy-D-ribose moiety promoted spore germination. Requirements for a specific molecular structure of the base were not clearly identified, although the highest activity was observed when substituents were inserted at position 6 of the purine ring. All the base-modified analogues, even those such as coformycin and 2'-deoxycoformycin with an expanded base ring, retained the germination-inducing activity of adenosine. However, of the two 2'-deoxycoformycin diastereoisomers characterized by an asymmetric carbon atom at position 8 of the homopurine ring, only the 8S-isomer induced germination, thus indicating that stereospecific configuration of the inducer, at least in the case of 2'-deoxycoformycin, appears to be essential for the initiation of spore germination. The differences in the germination-inducing activity of the various analogues tested were not affected significantly by spore activation at different temperatures, although the higher the activation temperature, the lower was the concentration of each analogue required for maximum germination.

Induction of Bacillus subtilis sporulation by nucleosides: inosine appears to be sporogen

Inosine completely reversed the selective inhibition of sporulation in Bacillus subtilis 168 caused bym-aminobenzeneboronic acid; guanosine and adenosine, but not xanthosine, partially reversed inhibition, whereas pyrimidine nucleosides were slightly effective. In addition, 0.005 to 0.025 mM inosine caused a four- to fivefold stimulation of sporulation of B. subtilis grown in minimal salts medium. Ultraviolet and infrared spectra and other physical and chemical properties of inosine were markedly similar to those of "sporogen," a previously described endogenous sporogenesis factor present in sporulating Bacillus species.