bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the serum lipoproteins and their apoproteins in hypercholesterolaemic guinea pigs
Authors: Chapman M J , Mills G L
Published: August 2015

1. Hypercholesterolaemia was induced in male guinea pigs after 6 days on a chow diet supplemented with 1.6% (w/w) cholesterol and 15% (w/w) corn oil. Both the VLD (very-low-density) and LD (low-density) lipoproteins were increased in cholesterol-fed animals, although the low concentrations of HD (high-density) lipoproteins remained essentially unchanged. LD lipoproteins of d 1.019-1.100 were the major class, accounting for 74% of the total substances of d less than 1.100. 2. Both VLD and LD lipoproteins exhibited alterations in their chemical composition, physical properties and apolipoprotein content. The VLD lipoproteins in cholesterolaemic animals were rich in cholesterol (25.9%), deficient in protein (4.9%) and exhibited electrophoretic mobility greater than that of beta-globulin; their average particle size (64.5 nm) was larger than that in controls (46.3 nm). The LD lipoproteins in animals fed on the experimental diet were also richer in cholesterol (53.1%) and of larger diameter (24.3 nm) than in the control group (41.1% and 21.4 nm respectively). 3. The apolipoprotein-B content of both VLD and LD lipoproteins was elevated in cholesterolaemic animals, particularly in the VLD class, where it represented 74.8% of the total protein moiety. 4. Apo-VLD lipoprotein exhibited an increase from 6 to 19% in its complement of tetramethylurea-soluble apolipoproteins with low electrophoretic mobility (relative mobility less than 0.29); this was primarily accounted for by apolipoproteins characterized by high arginine (7.2 and 6.4% respectively) and glutamic acid (20.1 and 20.0% respectively) contents. 5. By contrast, there was little change in the soluble apolipoproteins of LD lipoproteins in hypercholesterolaemic animals.6. These studies show the response of the guinea pig to dietary fat and cholesterol to be distinct from that elicited by similar stimuli in the rabbit, rat, pig and dog.
Enzymically iodinated human salivary proteins. Fractionation and characterization by column chromatography and electrofocusing
Authors: Sarimo S S , Tenovuo J
Published: August 2015

Human salivary proteins were enzymically iodinated by the 125I-lactoperoxidase system. The proteins were than subjected to DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, preparative column electrofocusing and thin-layer polyacrylamide-gel electrofocusing. The radioactivity in the resolved protein pools and bands was determined. Results show that salivary proteins differ in their susceptibility to iodination carried out by this enzymic method. Two major iodine-binding protein fractions were discovered: one behaved like serum albumin on electrofocusing and was most susceptible to iodination by lactoperoxidase, and other had pI characteristics similar to those of salivary amylase. The physiological significance of the iodination of salivary proteins, which can also take place in vivo, is discussed.
Self-association of troponin
Authors: Lovell S J , Winzor D J
Published: August 2015

Ox muscle troponin was shown by equilibrium- and velocity-sedimentation studies to undergo concentration-dependent dissociation into its constituent subunits as well as self-association in imidazole buffers, pH 6.9. The extent of troponin association was found to be strongly dependent on ionic strength and also to exhibit a dependence on pH and temperature; under conditions physiological in regard to pH, temperature and ionic strength the extent of polymerization of troponin is considerable in 2 mg/ml solutions. The ability of polymeric troponin to bind to tropomyosin has been inferred from studies of mixtures containing actin-tropomyosin and an excess of troponin over the amount required for the normal 7:1:1 actin-tropomyosin-troponin complex. These findings should be relevant to studies of reconstituted actin-tropomyosin-troponin preparations, since they signify possible chemical as well as physical differences between the gel, paracrystalline and filamentous states of the complex that result from adoption of different preparative procedures for analogues of the native thin filament.
Degradation of (±)-synephrine by Arthrobacter synephrinum. Oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate to 2-hydroxy-5-carboxymethyl-muconate semialdehyde
Authors: Kutty R K , Devi N A , Veeraswamy M , Ramesh S , Rao P V S
Published: August 2015

1. Cell-free extracts of Arthrobacter synephrinum catalyse the oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetate. 2. The product of oxidation was characterized as 2-hydroxy-5-carboxymethylmuconate semialdehyde from its chemical behaviour as well as from nuclear-magnetic-resonance spectra. 3. A 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.15) was partially purified from A. synephrinum. 4. The enzyme had a Km of 25 micrometer towards its substrate and exhibited typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics. 5. The enzyme also catalysed the oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxymandelate and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionate, at reaction rates of 0.5 and 0.04 respectively of that for 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetate. 6. The enzyme was sensitive to treatment with thiol-specific reagents. 7. The molecular weight of the enzyme as determined by Sephadex G-200 chromatography was approx. 282000.
The involvement of the bridging imidazolate in the catalytic mechanism of action of bovine superoxide dismutase
Authors: McAdam M E , Feilden E M , Lavelle F , Calabrese L , Cocco D , Rotilio G
Published: August 2015

The pulse-radiolysis method has been used to study the catalytic mechanism of O2 leads to dismutation by the Co(II)-substituted bovine erythrocuprein (superoxide dismutase, EC 1.15.1.1). Catalysis is accompanied by spectral changes that may be interpreted in terms of rapid protonation and deprotonation of the Cu-facing nitrogen atom of the imidazolate that bridges the Cu(II) and the Co(II) [or Zn(II)] in the oxidized enzyme. This rapid change permits the possibility that the imidazole is a proton donor in the catalytic reduction of O2 leads to.
A second activation peptide from bovine cationic trypsinogen
Authors: Webster D , Offord R E
Published: August 2015

1. Although only one activation peptide of bovine cationic trypsinogen has been reported previously, the peptide fraction obtained from activation mixtures shows several bands on paper electrophoresis at pH 6.5. 2. The major band was the peptide previously described. The band second in intensity of staining with ninhydrin (10-20% of that of the main band, as judged by eye) had an electrophoretic mobility consistent with its being related to the main peptide. It appeared on activation both of bulk commercial samples of trypsinogen and, as the Appendix shows, of samples prepared from pancreases obtained at the local abattoir. 3. The second peptide proved to be Phe-Pro-Val-Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys, and we conclude that it is another activation peptide. We discuss briefly the genetic and phylogenetic implications of our findings.
A direct assay for urinary kallikrein
Authors: Oza N B
Published: August 2015

The first protein-binding assay is described for the direct determination of kallikrein in rat urine. Isolation of urinary kallikrein and preparation of its specific antibody have been previously described. Outlined here are the methods for 3H-labelling of kallikrein, for isolation of 3H-labelled immunoreactive enzyme, and for separation of free and antibody-bound kallikrein with the aid of double antibody. Assay and equilibrium conditions were characterized and a protocol is presented for the measurement of kallikrein concentration. The direct assay is sensitive, accurate and it correlates well (r = 0.81) with a functional assay. The assay may hold promise to determine catalytically active and inactive enzyme in urine, tissues and biological fluids.
Preparation and properties of co-reticulated invertase supported by an ultrafiltration membrane
Authors: Cantarella M , Gianfreda L , Palescandolo R , Scardi V
Published: August 2015

Yeast invertase was co-reticulated with glutaraldehyde to bovine serum albumin to give a soluble bound enzyme that was immobilized as a tightly adhering layer on the active surface of an ultrafiltration membrane. The Michaelis constant and stability of this immobilized-enzyme system are compared with those of the enzyme either in the native form or immobilized as a dynamically formed gel layer on an ultrafiltration membrane, as previously described by us [Drioli, Gianfreda, Palescandolo & Scardi (1975) Biotechnol, Bioeng, 17, 1365-1367].
Synthesis of glycosaminoglycans by human embryonic lung fibroblasts. Different distribution of heparan sulphate, chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate in various fractions of the cell culture
Authors: Sjöberg Ingrid , Fransson Lars-Åke
Published: August 2015

Foetal human lung fibroblasts, grown in monolayer, were allowed to incorporate 35SO42− for various periods of time. 35S-labelled macromolecular anionic products were isolated from the medium, a trypsin digest of the cells in monolayer and the cell residue. The various radioactive polysaccharides were identified as heparan sulphate and a galactosaminoglycan population (chondroitin sulphate and dermatan sulphate) by ion-exchange chromatography and by differential degradations with HNO2 and chondroitinase ABC. Most of the heparan sulphate was found in the trypsin digest, whereas the galactosaminoglycan components were largely confined to the medium. Electrophoretic studies on the various 35S-labelled galactosaminoglycans suggested the presence of a separate chondroitin sulphate component (i.e. a glucuronic acid-rich galactosaminoglycan). The 35S-labelled galactosaminoglycans were subjected to periodate oxidation of l-iduronic acid residues followed by scission in alkali. A periodate-resistant polymer fraction was obtained, which could be degraded to disaccharides by chondroitinase AC. However, most of the 35S-labelled galactosaminoglycans were extensively degraded by periodate oxidation–alkaline elimination. The oligosaccharides obtained were essentially resistant to chondroitinase AC, indicating that the iduronic acid-rich galactosaminoglycans (i.e. dermatan sulphate) were composed largely of repeating units containing sulphated or non-sulphated l-iduronic acid residues. The l-iduronic acid residues present in dermatan sulphate derived from the medium and the trypsin digest contained twice as much ester sulphate as did material associated with the cells. The content of d-glucuronic acid was low and similar in all three fractions. The relative distribution of glycosaminoglycans among the various fractions obtained from cultured lung fibroblasts was distinctly different from that of skin fibroblasts [Malmström, Carlstedt, Åberg & Fransson (1975) Biochem. J.151, 477–489]. Moreover, subtle differences in co-polymeric structure of dermatan sulphate isolated from the two cell types could be detected.
Pre-steady-state kinetic studies on cytoplasmic sheep liver aldehyde dehydrogenase
Authors: MacGibbon Alastair K. H. , Blackwell Leonard F. , Buckley Paul D.
Published: August 2015

Stopped-flow experiments in which sheep liver cytoplasmic aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) was rapidly mixed with NAD+ and aldehyde showed a burst of NADH formation, followed by a slower steady-state turnover. The kinetic data obtained when the relative concentrations and orders of mixing of NAD+ and propionaldehyde with the enzyme were varied were fitted to the following mechanism: [Formula: see text] where the release of NADH is slow. By monitoring the quenching of protein fluorescence on the binding of NAD+, estimates of 2×105 litre·mol−1·s−1 and 2s−1 were obtained for k+1 and k−1 respectively. Although k+3 could be determined from the dependence of the burst rate constant on the concentration of propionaldehyde to be 11s−1, k+2 and k−2 could not be determined uniquely, but could be related by the equation: (k−2+k+3)/k+2 =50×10−6mol·litre−1. No significant isotope effect was observed when [1-2H]propionaldehyde was used as substrate. The burst rate constant was pH-dependent, with the greatest rate constants occurring at high pH. Similar data were obtained by using acetaldehyde, where for this substrate (k−2+k+3)/k+2=2.3×10 −3mol·litre−1 and k+3 is 23s−1. When [1,2,2,2-2H]acetaldehyde was used, no isotope effect was observed on k+3, but there was a significant effect on k+2 and k−2. A burst of NADH production has also been observed with furfuraldehyde, trans-4-(NN-dimethylamino)cinnamaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzaldehyde, 4-(imidazol-2-ylazo)benzaldehyde, p-methoxybenzaldehyde and p-methylbenzaldehyde as substrates, but not with p-nitrobenzaldehyde.
The deoxyribonucleic acid polymerases from the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis. Partial purification and characterization of four distinct activities
Authors: Okita T W , Volcani B E
Published: August 2015

Four extramitochondrial DNA polymerases from the marine photosynthetic diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis were isolated and purified more than 1200-fold by chromatography on DNA-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex. The enzymes were equally susceptible to inhibition by the thiol-blocking agents N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercuribenzoate, the zinc chelator o-phenathroline, and the nucleic acid interchelators ethidium bromide and acriflavin; they displayed similar pH optima, preferred activated DNA, and had strict dependence on high K+ for maximum activity. They were differentiated on the basis of their kinetic parameters, template-primer utilization and salt requirements. The four activities varied with growth stage of C. fusiformis. Activities of polymerases A and D doubled in exponential-phase cells as compared with those in stationary-phase cells, and the increase in polymerase B and chloroplast activity C was 20-40%. The relationship of the diatom polymerases to the complements in other organisms is discussed.
Biosynthesis of the first component of complement by human fibroblasts
Authors: Reid Kenneth B. M. , Solomon Ellen
Published: August 2015

1. Haemolytic activity corresponding to that of the first component of complement (C1) was synthesized and secreted by all nine human fibroblast cell lines examined. No activity was found in the culture media of a variety of other human cell lines. 2. The component-C1 haemolytic activity secreted by the fibroblast lines behaved in an identical manner, in most respects, with that of the component-C1 haemolytic activity of human serum. The component-C1 haemolytic activity secreted by fibroblasts, however, was less susceptible to inhibition by rabbit fragment F(ab′)2 anti-(human subcomponent C1q) than was the component-C1 haemolytic activity of human serum. 3. Biosynthesis of fibroblast component-C1 haemolytic activity was inhibited by the presence of cycloheximide and regained on its removal. 4. Incorporation of radioactivity into proteins secreted by the fibroblasts and release of component-C1 haemolytic activity by the fibroblasts both increased in a linear manner until several days after the cultures had reached a state of confluent growth. 5. Radioactivity was incorporated into subcomponents C1q, C1r and C1s, as judged by the formation of specific immunoprecipitates and by absorption with immune aggregates. 6. The immunoprecipitates formed by using antisera against subcomponents C1r and C1s were run on polyacrylamide gels in sodium dodecyl sulphate, and this provided convincing physiochemical evidence for the biosynthesis of these subcomponents de novo. 7. The results obtained with immunoprecipitates formed by using anti-(subcomponent C1q) suggest that subcomponent C1q may be synthesized and secreted by fibroblast cell lines in vitro, in a form with a higher molecular weight than that of subcomponent C1q which is isolated by conventional techniques of protein fractionation from fresh serum.
Incorporation of methionine-derived methyl groups into sirohaem by Escherichia coli
Authors: Siegel Lewis M. , Davis Patricia S. , Murphy Matthew J.
Published: August 2015

Sirohaem is a new type of haem that has been detected as a prosthetic group of several bacterial and plant enzymes that catalyse the six-electron reductions of sulphite to sulphide or of nitrite to NH3. When a methionine-requiring mutant of Escherichia coli K12 was grown on a minimal medium supplemented with d-glucose and l-[Me-3H]methionine, 2.4 methyl groups per spectrophotometrically detectable haem group were incorporated into the sirohaem prosthetic group of the NADPH–sulphite reductase isolated from the organism. When the same strain of cells was grown on minimal medium supplemented with d-[U-14C]glucose and l-[Me-3H]methionine, the sirohaem isolated was found to contain a ratio of glucose-derived carbon/methionine-derived methyl of 19.8. This ratio is in excellent agreement with the value of 20 predicted by the iron–dimethyl-urotetrahydroporphyrin structure for sirohaem proposed by Murphy, Siegel, Kamin & Rosenthal [(1973) J. Biol. Chem.248, 2801–2814]. It can be concluded that sirohaem is indeed methylated, with the methyl groups derived from methionine (rather than by modification of existing side chains, as in protohaem). The structure proposed by Murphy et al. (1973) is therefore probably correct in its essential features. A possible relationship between the pathway for biosynthesis of sirohaem and that for synthesis of vitamin B12 is discussed.
Degradation of myofibrillar proteins by cathepsins B and D
Authors: Schwartz William N. , Bird John W. C.
Published: August 2015

1. The procedure of Barrett [(1973) Biochem. J.131, 809–822] for isolating cathepsins B and D from human liver was modified for use with rat liver and skeletal muscle. The purified enzymes appeared to be similar to those reported in other species. 2. Sephadex G-75 chromatography of concentrated muscle extract resolved two peaks of cathepsin B inhibitory activity, corresponding to molecular weights of 12500 and 62000. 3. The degradation of purified myofibrillar proteins by cathepsins B and D was clearly demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. After incubation with enzyme, the polypeptide bands representing the substrates decreased in intensity and lower molecular weight products appeared. 4. Cathepsins B and D, purified from either rat liver or skeletal muscle, were shown to degrade myosin, purified from either rabbit or rat muscle. Soluble denatured myosin was degraded more extensively than insoluble native myosin. Degradation by cathepsin B was inhibited by lack of reducing agent, or by myoglobin, iodoacetic acid and leupeptin, but not by pepstatin. The same potential modifiers were applied to cathepsin D, and only pepstatin produced inhibition. 5. Rat liver cathepsin B had a pH optimum of 5.2 on native rabbit myosin. The pH optimum of cathepsin D was 4.0, with a shoulder of activity about 1pH unit above the optimum. 6. Rat liver cathepsins B and D were demonstrated to degrade rabbit F-actin at pH5.0, and were inhibited by leupeptin and pepstain, respectively. 7. The degradation of myosin and actin by cathepsin D was more extensive than that by cathepsin B.
Rate-limiting steps in the cytidine pathway for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine
Authors: Infante J P
Published: August 2015

An analysis of the available data on the cytidine pathway for the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, by the logic derived from the theoretical principles of metabolic regulation, shows that the first two reactions catalysed by choline (ethanolamine) kinase and phosphocholine (phosphoethanolamine) cytidylyltransferase are rate-limiting, whereas the phosphocholine (phosphoethanolamine) transferase step is near equilibrium in rat liver.
Probing the active site of glyoxalase I from human erythrocytes by use of the strong reversible inhibitor S-p-bromobenzylglutathione and metal substitutions
Authors: Aronsson Anne-Charlotte , Sellin Siv , Tibbelin Gudrun , Mannervik Bengt
Published: August 2015

Glyoxalase I from human erythrocytes was studied by use of the strong reversible competitive inhibitor S-p-bromobenzylglutathione. Replacements of cobalt, manganese and magnesium for the essential zinc in the enzyme were made by a new procedure involving 10% methanol as a stabilizer of the enzyme. The Km value for the adduct of methylglyoxal and glutathione was essentially unchanged by the metal substitutions, whereas the inhibition constant for S-p-bromobenzylglutathione increased from 0.08μm for the Zn-containing enzyme to 1.3, 1.7 and 2.4μm for Co-, Mn- and Mg-glyoxalase I respectively. Binding of the inhibitor to the enzyme caused quenching of the tryptophan fluorescence of the protein, from which the binding parameters could be determined by the use of non-linear regression analysis. The highest dissociation constant was obtained for apoenzyme (6.9μm). The identity of the corresponding kinetic and binding parameters of the native enzyme and the Zn2+-re-activated apoenzyme and the clear differences from the parameters of the other metal-substituted enzyme forms give strong support to the previous identification of zinc as the natural metal cofactor of glyoxalase I. Binding to apoenzyme was also shown by the use of S-p-bromobenzylglutathione as a ligand in affinity chromatography and as a protector in chemical modification experiments. The tryptophan-modifying reagent 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide caused up to 85% inactivation of the enzyme. After blocking of the thiol groups (about 8 per enzyme molecule) 6.1 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl groups were incorporated. Inclusion of S-p-bromobenzylglutathione with the modifying reagent preserved the catalytic activity of the enzyme completely and decreased the number of modified residues to 4.4 per enzyme molecule. The findings indicate the presence of one tryptophan residue in the active centre of each of the two subunits of the enzyme. Thiol groups appear not to be essential for catalytic activity. The presence of at least two categories of tryptophan residues in the protein was also shown by quenching of the fluorescence by KI.
The relative conformational stability of the alcohol dehydrogenase alleloenzymes of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Thatcher D R , Sheikh R
Published: August 2015

The effect of temperature on four purified alleloenzymes of the alcohol dehydrogenase (Adhs, Adhf, AdhD and Adhn-5) of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster was investigated in detail. Initial-velocity studies showed that the naturally occurring Adhf and Adhs enzymes differed only in their temperature optima, and evidence of kinetic adaptation to high and low temperature was not apparent. All four alleloenzymes denatured irreversibly on heating purified enzyme solutions at pH 6.0. This technique revealed only small differences in thermostability between Adhf and Adhs, although the two mutant enzymes from AdhD and Adhn-5 were considerably more labile. Electrophoresis of the enzymes though a stable transverse temperature gradient proved to be a discriminating and reproducible technique. Enzymes of different net charge were compared on the same polyacrylamide gel. The Adhf enzyme was shown to be significantly less stable than the Adhs enzyme. Subunit interchange was observed at temperatures below the point at which the unfolding occurred. At pH 4.0, the Adhf/Adhs heterodimer was as stable as the Adhs homodimeric enzyme, and more stable than the Adhf homodimer. Adhn-5 and AdhD alleloenzymes were relatively thermolabile. The stability of the alleloenzymes towards urea denaturation was studied by urea-gradient electrophoresis. Only small differences in stability between the Adhf and Adhs enzymes were observed. The AdhD and Adhn-5 mutants were denatured at the same urea concentration, which was much lower than in the case of the wild-type enzymes. Except at pH 4.0, subunit dissociation could not be distinguished from the unfolding of the monomer.
The reaction of ethanolamine O-sulphate with 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase
Authors: Fowler L J , John R A
Published: August 2015

The enzyme-induced or ‘suicide’ step by which the substrate analogue ethanolamine O-sulphate inactivates 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase occurs at a rate that is one-tenth that observed for the release of the products of beta-elimination, namely ammonia, acetaldehyde and sulphate. An additional reversible reaction not leading to inactivation can be detected spectrally and this decreases the rates of both beta-elimination and inactivation. This reaction is ascribed to a step on the normal transamination path, although complete transamination does not occur significantly. The 14C moiety of radiolabelled ethanolamine O-sulphate is stably bound to the inactive enzyme in the proportion of 1 mol/mol of active site. The 35S-labelled sulphate moiety is not bound after inactivation, showing that beta-elimination must precede inactivation.
Plant flavokinase. Affinity-chromatographic procedure for the purification of the enzyme from mung-bean (Phaseolus aureus) seeds and conformational changes on its interaction with orthophosphate
Authors: Sobhanaditya J , Rao N A
Published: August 2015

Flavokinase was purified, for the first time from a plant source [mung bean (Phaseolus aureus)] by affinity chromatography in the presence of orthophosphate and by using C-8 ATP-agarose (ATP linked through the C-8 position to beaded agarose), Cibacron Blue and riboflavin-Sepharoses. An altered substrates-saturation pattern was observed in the presence of K2HPO4. The conformational changes of the enzyme in the presence of K2HPO4 were monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy. These results highlight the regulatory nature of this enzyme.
Dolichyl phosphate phosphatase from Tetrahymena pyriformis
Authors: Adrian G S , Keenan R W
Published: August 2015

A soluble dolichyl phosphate phosphatase from Tetrahymena pyriformis was purified about 68-fold. The enzyme appeared to be specific for dolichyl phosphate and existed in two interrelated forms, one of mol.wt. about 500000 and the other of mol.wt. about 63000. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by 5 mM-Mn2+ and was strongly stimulated by Mg2+. Tetrahymena in the exponential growth phase contained more of this enzymic activity than cells in stationary or lag phase. The dolichyl phosphate phosphatase may be loosely bound to mitochondrial membranes. Two roles proposed for this enzyme are (1) that of releasing dolichol from its phosphorylated biosynthetic form for its use in the cell as unesterified dolichol or dolichyl ester and/or (2) that of regulation of synthesis of glycoproteins or some other glycosylated compound.
The release of N-acetyl- and N-glycolloyl-neuraminic acid from soluble complex carbohydrates and erythrocytes by bacterial, viral and mammalian sialidases
Authors: Corfield A P , Veh R W , Wember M , Michalski J C , Schauer R
Published: August 2015

A series of substrates, sialyl(2 leads to 6)GalNAc and ganglioside GM3, containing either N-acetylneuraminic acid (AcNeu) or N-glycolloylneuraminic acid (GcNeu), has been prepared. The trisaccharide GcNeu(2 leads to 3)lactose was preapred by ozonolysis of GcNeu-GM3, and the disaccharides AcNeu(2 leads to 6)GalNAc and GcNeu(2 leads to 6)GalNAc were isolated from bovine submandibular-gland mucin by alkali elimination. Sialidases from Newcastle-disease virus, fowl-plague virus, influenza virus A2, Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio cholerae, Arthrobacter ureafaciens and human liver lysosomes were studied with the above substrates and all showed poorer cleavage of GcNeu-containing substrates when compared with the corresponding AcNeu-containing compounds. This was reflected in the Km and Vmax. values of these sialidases. Differences between viral and bacterial sialidases could be detected on the basis of their kinetic constants and time curves of sialic acid release. Preferred release of AcNeu relative to GcNeu was also observed with bovine submandibular gland mucin and a mixture of human and porcine erythrocytes, macromolecular substrates containing both AcNeu and GcNeu. The significance of differential cleavage of AcNeu and GcNeu by sialidases is considered together with examples of the role of GcNeu in physiologicaL systems.
Inhibition of glutathione S-transferase by bile acids
Authors: Vessey D A , Zakim D
Published: August 2015

The effects of bile acids on the detoxification of compounds by glutathione conjugation have been investigated. Bile acids were found to inhibit the total soluble-fraction glutathione S-transferase activity from rat liver, as assayed with four different acceptor substrates. Dihydroxy bile acids were more inhibitory than trihydroxy bile acids, and conjugated bile acids were generally less inhibitory than the parent bile acid. At physiological concentrations of bile acid, the glutathione S-transferase activity in the soluble fraction was inhibited by nearly 50%. This indicates that the size of the hepatic pool of bile acids can influence the ability of the liver to detoxify electrophilic compounds. The A, B and C isoenzymes of glutathione S-transferase were isolated separately. Each was found to be inhibited by bile acids. Kinetic analysis of the inhibition revealed that the bile acids were not competitive inhibitors of either glutathione or acceptor substrate binding. The microsomal glutathione S-transferase from guinea-pig liver was also shown to be inhibited by bile acids. This inhibition, however, showed characteristics of a non-specific detergent-type inhibition.
Some properties of the lectin from Datura stramonium (thorn-apple) and the nature of its glycoprotein linkages
Authors: Desai Nila N. , Allen Anthony K. , Neuberger Albert
Published: August 2015

The lectin from Datura stramonium (thorn-apple; Solanaceae) has been purified by affinity chromatography and shown to be a glycoprotein containing about 40% (w/w) of carbohydrate. The most abundant amino acids are hydroxyproline, cystine, glycine and serine. Results obtained by gel filtration in 6m-guanidinium chloride on Sepharose 4B suggest that it has a subunit mol.wt. of about 30000 and that it probably associates into dimers. The lectin is inhibited specifically by chitin oligosaccharides and bacterial-cell-wall oligosaccharides, but only weakly by N-acetylglucosamine. Glycopeptides from soya-bean (Glycine max) lectin and fetuin are also strong inhibitors of Datura lectin, indicating that it interacts with internal N-acetylglucosamine residues. Its specificity is similar to, but not identical with, that of potato (Solanum tuberosum) lectin. After prolonged proteolytic digestion of reduced and S-carboxymethylated or S-aminoethylated derivatives of the lectin, glycopeptides of mol.wt. of about 18000 were isolated. The glycopeptides contained all the carbohydrate and hydroxyproline of the original glycoprotein, and lesser amounts of serine, S-carboxymethylcysteine and other amino acids. The arabinose residues of the glycoprotein are present as β-l-arabinofuranosides linked to the polypeptide chain through the hydroxyproline residues, and can be removed by mild acid treatment; the ratio of arabinose to hydroxyproline is 3.4:1. Some of the serine residues of the polypeptide chain are substituted with one or two α-galactopyranoside residues, most of which can be removed by the action of α-galactosidase. The galactose residues are more easily removed from the acid-treated glycopeptide (from which arabinose has been removed) than from the complete glycopeptide, indicating a steric hindrance of the galactosidase action by the adjacent chains of arabinosides. There is a slow release of galactose residues by a process of β-elimination in 0.5m-NaOH (pH13.7) from the complete glycopeptide, and a fairly rapid release of galactose by this process from the acid-treated glycopeptide, which lacks arabinose. This is probably due to the inhibitory effect of the negative charge on the adjacent arabinofuranoside residues. The similarities and differences between the lectins from Datura and potato are discussed, as are their structural resemblance to glycopeptides that have been isolated from plant cell walls.
The glycosaminoglycans of canine menisci
Authors: Adams M E , Muir H
Published: August 2015

The semilunar menisci of the knee have an important mechanical function and are commonly involved in joint degeneration. However, previously published analyses of the compositions of normal and degenerate human menisci vary widely. In the present study the glycosaminoglycan content and composition of selected areas of the menisci of eight normal knees of working foxhounds were determined. The menisci contained 10% less water and abut 8-fold less glucosaminoglycan than did the articular cartilage of these animals. Although the glycosaminoglycan composition was the same in different regions of the menisci, the total amounts varied considerably. Of the chondroitinase digestible material, approx. 60% was chondroitin 6-sulphate, 25% chondroitin 4-sulphate, 10% chondroitin and 5% dermatan sulphate. Hyaluronic acid accounted for about 6% of the total uronic acid.
Studies on carbon monoxide binding by shark haemoglobin
Authors: Dickinson F M , Gibson Q H
Published: August 2015

The kinetics of the reactions of Pacific-porbeagle haemoglobin with CO were studied by flash-photolysis and stopped-flow methods, and the equilibrium binding curves for CO were measured in spectrophotometric titrations. Measurements were made in the pH range 6-8 and in the temperature range 0-40 degrees C. The results are discussed in terms of the allosteric model proposed by Monod, Wyman & Changeux [(1965) J. Mol. Biol. 12, 88-118]. Within this framework the results indicate that in the R-state the haem groups fall into two classes of different reactivity with different spectral characteristics, but that in the T-state the groups may be essentially equivalent. The physiological importance of the temperature-insensitivity of the equilibrium ligand-binding curves for porbeagle haemoglobin is discussed.
New renin inhibitors homologous with pepstatin
Authors: Eid M , Evin G , Castro B , Menard J , Corvol P
Published: August 2015

Four homologues of pepstatin, the potent but poorly soluble inhibitor of aspartic proteinases, were synthesized by coupling to the C-terminus of the natural pentapeptide the following amino acid residues: L-arginine methyl ester, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamic acid and the dipeptide L-aspartyl-L-arginine. The peptide-coupling reagent we used, benzotriazolyloxytris(dimethylamino)phosphonium hexafluorophosphate, allowed us to obtain readily pure pepstatin homologues with high yields (60-83%). Pepstatylarginine methyl ester and pepstatylglutamic acid were about one order of magnitude more water-soluble than pepstatin. The four homologues and pepstatin were tested in vitro as inhibitors for highly purified pig and human renins acting on the N-acetyltetradecapeptide substrate. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of the homologues were ranged from 0.01 to 1 microM against porcine renin at pH 6.0 (pepstatin IC50 approximately 0.32 microM) and from 5.8 to 41 microM against human renin at pH 6.5 (pepstatin IC 50 approximately 17 microM). By three different graphical methods we showed that pepstatin and the four homologues behaved as competitive inhibitors for porcine renin. The most potent inhibitors were pepstatylaspartic acid and pepstatylglutamic acid, with inhibitory constants respectively 2- and 10-fold smaller than that of pepstatin. By coupling glutamic acid to pepstatin, the ratio solubility/Ki was increased by two orders of magnitude.
Subcellular distribution of hepatic bile acid-conjugating enzymes
Authors: Lim W C , Jordan T W
Published: August 2015

1. The subcellular location of enzymes conjugating bile acids with glycine or taurine was investigated by centrifugation of rat liver homogenates. 2. [14C]Cholic acid-conjugating activity was predominantly associated with the soluble-microsomal region of the gradient after centrifugation in a Ti-15 zonal rotor but the bulk of the conjugating activity sedimented with mitochondrial-lysosomal fractions in differential pelleting experiments. 3. Cholate: CoA ligase (EC 6.2.1.7) and cholyltransferase (EC 2.3.1) were not enriched in purified Golgi or plasma-membrane fractions. Cholate: CoA ligase was distributed evenly between rough- and smooth-surfaced microsomal subfractions but cholyltransferase showed a dual soluble-rough microsomal activity distribution. 4. Sedimentation of cholyltransferase in mitochondria-enriched fractions prepared by differential centrifugation appears to be an artefact of sedimentation of rough microsomal membranes in mitochondrial fractions. 5. The subcellular distribution of bile acid-conjugating enzymes is discussed with reference to hepatic processing of bile acids.
Purification and characterization of a membrane-bound ATP diphosphohydrolase from Cicer arietinum (chick-pea)roots
Authors: Vara F , Serrano R
Published: August 2015

Microsomal membranes from Cicer arietinum (chick-pea) roots contained an ATP phosphohydrolase activity that could be solubilized by high-ionic-strength media. The enzyme has been purified to homogeneity by affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. It has the properties of an ATP diphosphohydrolase (apyrase, EC 3.6.1.5) that hydrolyses different nucleoside di- and tri-phosphates but has no activity towards monophosphoric esters and pyrophosphate. No stimulation by K+ could be demonstrated for either the membrane-bound or the purified enzyme, and therefore it would seem not to be related to the K+ -dependent ATPase postulated to mediate K+ transport in plants.
Purification and characterization of human transcortin
Authors: Mueller U W , Potter J M
Published: August 2015

Human transcortin was purified to apparent homogeneity from plasma by a two-step procedure involving affinity and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The affinity gel incorporated denatured bovine serum albumin as the spacer and cortisol hemisuccinate as the ligand. Although isolated transcortin showed a propensity for spontaneous polymerization according to a geometric progression (1, 3, 9) only one band was observed on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Cortisol-binding activity of the isolated protein gave an apparent association constant of 2.5 × 10(8) M-1 at 4 degree C in equilibrium dialysis. Isoelectric focusing of purified native transcortin showed six discrete bands, five between pH 3.75 and 4.15 and another, possibly desialylated, at pH 6.15. Desialylated transcortin also gave six bands on isoelectric focusing, with pI values ranging from 4.90 to 6.30.
Characterization of the inhibition of fibrin assembly by fibrinogen fragment D
Authors: Williams J E , Hantgan R R , Hermans J , McDonagh J
Published: August 2015

Fragment D (Mr 100 000) prepared from a terminal plasmin digest of fibrinogen was isolated and used to study its effect on fibrin formation. Increasing amounts of fragment D added to a solution of fibrinogen and thrombin decrease the rigidity of the resultant gel (10% of control at 2 mol of fragment D/mol of fibrinogen). Half-maximal inhibition is achieved at 1 mol of fragment D/mol of fibrinogen for non-cross-linked clots and at 1/2 mol of fragment D/mol of fibrinogen for cross-linked clots. ‘Clottability’ decreases concomitantly with the rigidity. Only small amounts of fragment D (less than 10% for non-cross-linked gels) are incorporated into the gel. Light-scattering shows an increase in the final fibre thickness at fragment D concentrations up to 2 mol of fragment D/mol of fibrinogen, from 60 molecules/cross-section for the control to 120 molecules/cross-section. Higher fragment D concentrations lead to a decrease in the final fibre thickness. The limit fibre thickness is 8 nm, with a length of 80 nm, which is equivalent to a fibrin trimer. On the basis of results of synthetic-substrate and fibrinopeptide-release assays, it is clear that thrombin inactivation is not responsible for this effect. These data suggest that fragment D may inhibit fibrin formation by blocking the bimolecular polymerization of activated fibrin monomer molecules to form protofibrils, although additional effects on subsequent assembly steps may also be involved.
Cartilage proteoglycan aggregate formation Role of link protein
Authors: Franzén A , Björnsson S , Heinegård D
Published: August 2015

Cartilage proteoglycan aggregate formation was studied by zonal rate centrifugation in sucrose gradients. Proteoglycan aggregates, monomers and proteins could be resolved. It was shown that the optimal proportion of hyaluronic acid for proteoglycan aggregate formation was about 1% of proteoglycan dry weight. The reaggregation of dissociated proteoglycan aggregate A1 fraction was markedly concentration-dependent and even at 9 mg/ml only about 90% of the aggregates were reformed. The lowest proportion of link protein required for maximal formation of link-stabilized proteoglycan aggregates was 1.5% of proteoglycan dry weight. It was separately shown that link protein co-sedimented with the proteoglycan monomer. By competition with isolated hyaluronic acid-binding-region fragments, a proportion of the link proteins was removed from the proteoglycan monomers, indicating that the link protein binds to the hyaluronic acid-binding region of the proteoglycan monomer.
Affinity chromatography of yeast α-glucosidase using ligand-mediated chromatography on immobilized phenylboronic acids
Authors: Myöhänen T A , Bouriotis V , Dean P D
Published: August 2015

The synthesis of 3-nitro-4-(6-aminohexylamido)phenylboronic acid is described. The properties of two novel forms of immobilized phenylboronate agarose adsorbents [m-aminophenylboronic acid-Matrex Gel and 3-nitro-4-(6-aminohexylamido)phenylboronic acid-Sepharose CL-6B] were investigated. Both gels bind and selectively retard the glycoprotein alpha-glucosidase from yeast. The retardation is affected by following parameters: (i) pH, (ii) presence of sugar, (iii) concentration of sugar and (iv) buffer species (especially triethanolamine). Five sugars were studied, namely sorbitol, fructose, ribose, glucose and maltose. The concentration of sugar required to produce significant retardation increased in the above order, whereas the ability of sugar to form a complex with boron decreases in the same order. These effects were observed with crude as well as pure enzyme. Since alpha-glucosidase is a glycoprotein, it is proposed that this protein is mainly bound to these immobilized phenylboronates via sugar (glyco) residues. Displacement of the enzyme from the column is effected by the sugar in the buffer (or in a preincubation mixture). However, the marked pH-dependence (this retardation effect could only be observed at pH 7.4) suggests that these results are not due solely to hydrophobic or ionic mechanisms and are more complex than simple sugar-phenylboronic acid interactions.
Phosphorylation in vivo of four basic proteins of rat brain myelin
Authors: Agrawal Harish C. , O'Connell Keith , Randle Charlotte L. , Agrawal Daya
Published: August 2015

When rat brain myelin was examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamideslab-gel electrophoresis followed by fluorography of the stained gel, it was found that a host of proteins of rat brain myelin were labelled 2, 4 and 24h after the intracerebral injection of H332PO4. Among those labelled were proteins migrating to the positions of myelin-associated glycoprotein, Wolfgram proteins, proteolipid protein, DM-20 and basic proteins. The four basic proteins with mol.wts. 21000, 18000 (large basic protein), 17000 and 14000 (small basic protein) were shown to be phosphorylated after electrophoresis in both acid-urea- and sodium dodecyl sulphate-containing gel systems followed by fluorography. The four basic proteins imparted bluish-green colour, after staining with Amido Black, which is characteristic of myelin basic proteins. The four basic proteins were purified to homogeneity. Fluorography of the purified basic proteins after re-electrophoresis revealed the presence of phosphorylated high-molecular-weight ‘polymers’ associated with each basic protein. The amino acid compositions of the phosphorylated large basic protein and small basic proteins are compatible with the amino acid sequences. Proteins with mol.wts. 21000 and 17000 gave the expected amino acid composition of myelin basic proteins. Radiolabelled phosphoserine and phosphothreonine were identified after partial acid hydrolysis of the four purified basic proteins. The [32P]phosphate–protein bond in the basic protein was stable at an acidic pH but was readily hydrolysed at alkaline pH, as would be expected of phosphoester bonds involving both serine and threonine residues. Double-immunodiffusion analysis demonstrated that the four phosphorylated proteins showed complete homology when diffused against antiserum to a mixture of small and large basic proteins. Since the four basic proteins of rat brain myelin were phosphorylated both in vivo and in vitro it is postulated that the same protein kinase is responsible for their phosphorylation in both conditions.
Characterization of the translation products of the major mRNA species from rabbit lactating mammary glands and construction of bacterial recombinants containing casein and α-lactalbumin complementary DNA
Authors: Suard Y M L , Tosi M , Kraehenbuhl J P
Published: August 2015

Total cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA from lactating rabbit mammary glands was analysed on methylmercury hydroxide-agarose gels. The size of the most abundant mRNA species ranged between 0.5 and 5.0 kb (kilobases), with major bands at 0.55, 0.84, 0.92, 1.18 and 2.4 kb and discrete minor bands of 1.5, 1.7, 3.0 and 3.9 kb. Translation in vitro of total mRNA with [3H]leucine or [35S]methionine as precursor yielded four major bands with apparent Mr values of 16 000, 25 000, 26 000 and 29 000. The four protein bands were identified by immunoprecipitation by using specific antisera as alpha-lactalbumin and x-, kappa- and alpha-caseins, respectively. Labelling with (35S]cysteine followed by immunoprecipitation with anti-transferrin or anti-alpha-lactalbumin sera allowed the identification of two whey proteins. Translated transferrin was resolved as an 80 000-dalton band and alpha-lactalbumin appeared as a 16 000-dalton protein. A library of recombinant plasmids containing cDNA (complementary DNA) sequences representing cytoplasmic polyadenylated RNA was used to isolate clones for the major rabbit caseins and alpha-lactalbumin. A preliminary characterization of these cDNA clones was achieved by colony hybridization with enriched RNA fractions as probes. Positive clones were identified by use of hybrid-promoted translation in vitro and immunoprecipitation of the translation products. The corresponding mRNA species were further identified by hybridizing RNA blots with radioactively labelled cDNA clones. We present the restriction map of alpha-casein and kappa-casein cDNA clones.