bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The clearing-factor lipase activity of isolated fat-cells
Authors: Cryer A , Davies P , Williams E R , Robinson D S
Published: August 2015

1. When fat-cells are isolated from the epididymal adipose tissue of 24h-starved rats and incubated at 25 degrees C in the presence of dialysed serum, glucose, insulin, amino acids and heparin, the total clearing-factor lipase acitivity of the incubation system increases progressively over a period of several hours. 2. All of the increase in activity is accounted for by the appearance of enzyme in the appearance of enzyme in the incubation medium and the fat-cell activity does not change significantly. Cycloheximids, at a concentration that prevents protein synthesis, does not affect the appearance of enzyme in the incubation medium, but the fat-cell enzyme activity is decreased in its presence. 3. The magnitude of the increase in total clearing factor lipase activity is unaffected by the omission of heparin from the medium. However, less enzyme is extracted in tis absence and the fat-cell activity increases. Cycloheximide again only affects the rise in cell activity and does not alter the activity in the incubation medium. 4. When serum in the incubation medium is replaced by casein, the distribution of enzyme between the cells and the medium is changed, but the magnitudes of the increases in total enzyme activity are similar. 5. These characteristics of the clearing-factor lipase response of isolated fat-cells differ in several respects from those observed earlier with intact adipose tissue from 24h-starved rats (Robinson & Wing, 1971; Cryer et al., 1973). The differences could be due, in part, to changes in the relative amounts of two different molecular forms of the enzyme that occur during the isolation of the fat-cells.
Lipid metabolism in the cow during starvation-induced ketosis
Authors: Brumby P E , Anderson M , Tuckley B , Storry J E , Hibbit K G
Published: August 2015

1. Concentrations and compositions of liver, serum and milk lipids of cows were measured during 6 days#x0027; starvation and serum lipids during 60 days#x0027; re-feeding. 2. The concentration of free fatty acid in serum increased fivefold during starvation. 3. The content of total lipid in liver (g/100g of liver dry matter) doubled owing to a 20-fold increase in triglyceride, an eightfold increase in cholesterol ester, a three fold increase in free fatty acid and a 20% increase in cholesterol. There were no changes in the content or composition of liver phospholipids. 4. Starvation lowered the concentrations of total lipid, phospholipid and cholesterol ester of dextran sulphate-precipitable serum lipoproteins. Total lipid and cholesterol ester concentrations in lipoproteins of d greater than 1.055 and in lipoproteins not precipitable by dextran sulphate decreased from day 4 of the starvation period and during the first 20 days' re-feeding. 5. During starvation there were decreases in percentages of stearic acid and increases in oleic acid in serum free fatty acids and triglycerides and in liver neutral lipid. 6. Throughout starvation total milk lipid yield decreased, yields and percentages of C4-14 fatty acids decreased and percentages of C18 fatty acids increased. 7. It is suggested that accumulation of triglyceride in liver may be caused by increased uptake of plasma free fatty acids without corresponding increase in lipoprotein secretion.
Modification of the template capacity of liver chromatin for form-B ribonucleic acid polymerase by food intake in rats under controlled feeding schedules
Authors: Barbiroli B , Tadolini B , Moruzzi M S , Monti M G
Published: August 2015

Nuclei from liver of rats accustomed to eating during the first 8h of a daily 12h dark period demonstrate an increased capacity to synthesize RNA 6H after the beginning of the feeding period. 2. This increase is accompanied by a higher yield of extractable form-B DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity. 3. The endogenous RNA polymerase activity associated with nuclear chromatin is also stimulated by food intake. Both purified and chromatin-associated form-B enzyme activities exhibit different ionic strength requirements after food intake. 4. The sensitivity of exogenous (added) form-B-enzyme to changes in ionic strength changes after feeding when chromatin is used as template. 5. Chromatin extracted from the liver of fed rats is a better template for form-B-enzyme than chromatin extracted from starved rats.
Isolation and characterization of a variant of ovomucoid
Authors: Waheed A , Salhuddin A
Published: August 2015

A simple procedure, which can be used on a preparative scale, for the isolation and purification of a major variant of ovomucoid from egg white is described. Ovomucoid was precipitated by salt, and further fractionated by chromatography on sulphoethyl-Sephadex. It showed size homogeneity as revealed by gel chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis where the mobility was consistent with a molecular weight of 28 300+/-2300. The inhibitor showed full antiryptic but no antichymotryptic activity. The u.v.-absorption and fluorescence characteristics indicated the absence of tryptophan. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in the presence of 9M-urea demonstrated absence of charge heterogeneity. The intrinsic viscosity of ovomucoid was 5.36ml/g which yielded an equivalent hydrodynamic radius (2.9nm), axial ratio (6.0) and frictional ratio (1.31) of the molecule. The Stokes radius (3.5nm), diffusion coefficient (7.8 times 10(-7 cm2/s) and frictional ratio (1.35) were calculated from gel-filtration data. These results suggest that ovomucoid exists in non-globular conformation under native conditions and that the deviation from the behaviour of a typical globular protein seems to be due both to asymmetry and hydration.
The actin content of fibroblasts
Authors: Bray D , Thomas C
Published: August 2015

Cultures of chick skin fibroblasts were dissolved in solutions of sodium dodecyl sulphate, and their entire protein content was examined by gel electrophoresis. The most abundant species migrated in the same position as muscle actin. It gave a similar pattern of iodinated peptides after reaction with radioactive sodium iodide and digestion with proteinases, and contained comparable amounts of Nt-methylhistidine. Its amount was estimated by quantitative densitometry of stained gels with bovine serum albumin as an internal standard, and by radioactive assay of cultures that had been grown in the presence of [35S]methionine. The values obtained ranged from 7 to 14% of the total cellular protein, with an average of 8.5%. A protein band in the position of muscle myosin was also present and accounted for about 2.5% of the total protein. Both this and the actin band increased in relative amount with the age of the cultures.
Acetylation of S-substituted cysteines by a rat liver and kidney microsomal N-acetyltransferase
Authors: Green R M , Elce J S
Published: August 2015

1. An acetyl-CoA--S-substituted cysteine N-acetyltransferase in rat liver and kidney preparations was investigated, by using an assay involving incubations with S-benzyl-L-cysteine and [l-14C]acetyl-CoA and extraction of the radioactive product with ethyl acetate. 2. The enzyme was associated with the microsomal fraction and could not be solubilized. Metal ions, EDTA and detergents did not significantly affect the enzyme activity. p-Chloromercuribenzoate and N-ethylmaleimide inhibited the enzyme. 3. Other S-substituted cysteines were acetylated at about the same rate as S-benzyl-L-cysteine. Acetylation of cysteine itself and of methionine, ethionine and tryptophan could be detected but was much slower. Acetylation of aspartic acid, glycine, phenylalanine and serine could not be detected. Palmitoyl-CoA was not a substrate. 4. The enzyme is presumably responsible for the acetylation step of mercapturic acid synthesis; a more physiological function is not yet known, except that the enzyme may be involved in acetylation of those amino acids which occur in elevated amounts in some disorders of amino acid metabolism.
Glutamate decarboxylase from barley embryos and roots. General properties and the occurrence of three enzymic forms.
Authors: Inatomi K , Slaughter J C
Published: August 2015

Glutamate decarboxylase in extracts of barley has a Km value for L-glutamate of 22 mM and is activated by the addition of pyridoxal phosphate by up to 3.5 times. Sucrose-density-gradient experiments indicate the presence of two enzyme forms with molecular weights 256000 and 120000. The lower-molecular-weight form appears to be relatively inactive and spontaneously associates to the higher-molecular-weight form on storage. The enzyme is inhibited by thiol reagents and the distribution of activity on density gradients is altered in favour of the lower-molecular-weight form by the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. After removal of the 2-mercaptoethanol spontaneous association to the higher-molecular-weight form occurs. The presence of oxygen in the extraction buffer and in the water during imbibition leads to a relative increase in the higher-molecular-weight form compared with situations where oxygen is excluded. In contrast, glutamate decarboxylase in extracts of 3-day-old barley roots has a Km value for L-glutamate of 3.1 mM and is activated up to 10% by addition of pyridoxal phosphate. The root enzyme occurs as a single species with molecular weight 310000 and this is unaffected by 2-mercaptoethanol although thiol reagents do act as weak inhibitors. The molecular weight is also unaffected by the presence or absence of oxygen in the extraction buffers.
The presence of a high-molecular-weight (guanine-plus-cytosine)-rich segment at the 3' end of rabbit 28S ribosomal ribonucleic acid.
Authors: Hadjiolov A A , Cox R A , Huvos P
Published: August 2015

The 3′ hydroxyl end of 28S L-rRNA (major RNA species of the larger subribosomal particle) was labelled by coupling its 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid hydrazine with diazotized [3H]aniline. The RNA was hydrolysed partially with ribonuclease T1 and fractionated on Sephadex G-200. The results show that a highly structured segment with 78% G+C content and a number-average molecular weight of at least 1.0×10(5)-1.8×10(5) is located at the 3′ hydroxyl end of the 28S rRNA molecule.
The effect of uncouplers on catecholamine incorporation by vesicles of chromaffin granules
Authors: Bashford C L , Casey R P , Radda G K , Ritchie G A
Published: August 2015

It is shown that uncouplers inhibit the incorporation of catecholamines by vesicles of chromaffin granules in parallel with their stimulatory effect on the membrane-bound adenosine triphosphatase.
Rates of accumulation of glycosidase activities during growth and differentiation of Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Every D , Ashworth J M
Published: August 2015

1. The rates of accumulation (enzyme units/h per 10(8) cells) of a number of glycosidase activities were studied in Dictyostelium discoideum cells during the growth and differentiation phases of this organism's life cycle. 2. The rates of accumulation of the enzymes β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, α-glucosidase and β-galactosidase remain unchanged during the growth and early differentiation phases. 3. The considerable changes in specific activity of the enzymes which occur in the early differentiation phase are due to the massive loss of total cellular protein which occurs at this time. 4. Significant alterations can occur in the rates of accumulation of α-mannosidase during both the growth and differentiation phases, and since, on the onset of differentiation, β-glucosidase activity is excreted and degraded, the rate of accumulation of this enzyme differs in the growth and differentiation phases. 5. The characteristic rates of accumulation of all these glycosidases change markedly with changes in the growth conditions of the myxamoebae, and thus these rates of synthesis must be regulated independently; however, addition of cyclic AMP to the growth medium has no effect on them.
The effects of halothane on hepatic microsomal electron transfer
Authors: Berman M C , Ivanetich K M , Kench J E
Published: August 2015

1. The effects of halothane (CF3CHBrCl), a volatile anaesthetic agent, on electron transfer in isolated rat liver microsomal preparations were examined. 2. At halothane concentrations achieved in tissues during clinical anaesthesia (1-2mM), halothane shifts the redox equilibrium of microsomal cytochrome b5 in the presence of NADPH towards the oxidized form. Halothane accelerates stoicheiometric consumption of NADPH and O2, increases the rate of reoxidation of NADH-reduced microsomal ferrocytochrom b5, but does not affect NADPH- or NADH-cytochrome c reductase activity. The enhanced microsomal electron flow seen in the presence of halothane is not diminished by CO nor is it increased by pretreatment of the animals with phenobarbital. 3. The effects of halothane are maximum in microsomal preparations isolated from animals fed on a high-carbohydrate diet to induce stearate desaturase activity. Changes in microsomal electron transfer caused by halothane are in all cases abolished by low concentrations (1-2mM) of cyanide. Microsomal stearate desaturase activity is unaffected by halothane. 4. The first-order rate constant for oxidation of membrane-bound ferrocytochrome b5 in the absence of added substrate (k1 equals 1.5 times 10(-3)A-1) is similar to that for autoxidation of purified ferrocytochrome b5(k1 equals 7 times 10(-3)S-1) the rate of autoxidation of soluble ferrocytochrome b5 is unaffected by halothane. 5. It is concluded that the effects of halothane on microsomal electron transfer are not related to cytochrome P-450 linked metabolism but rather arise from the interaction of halothane with the cyanide-sensitive factor of the stearate desaturase pathway.
The formation of mono-N-acetylhexosamine derivatives of dolichol diphosphate by pig liver microsomal fractions
Authors: Palamarczyk G , Hemming F W
Published: August 2015

Incubation of pig liver microsomal preparations with UDP-N[U-14C]acetylglucosamine yields a 14C-labelled lipid. The requirement for Mn2+, the pH optimum, time-dependence and the reversibility by UMP of the transferase are reported. Evidence is presented in favour of the lipid being a mixture of dolichol diphosphate N-[14C]acetylglucosamine and dolichol diphosphate N-[14C]acetylmannosamine. Available data suggest that the epimerization takes place while the hexosamine is bound in this lipid-soluble form. The N-acetylmannosamine appeared not be be released into the medium. The subfractionation of the microsomal fraction to separate transferase activity from membrane-bound β-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity is also reported.
Accelerated uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine by human blood platelets enriched in a sialic acid
Authors: Szabados L , Mester L , Michal F , Born G V R
Published: August 2015

The enzymically catalysed incorporation of N-acetylneuraminic acid into human platelets, whether suspended in their own citrated plasma or in buffered saline containing 0.17 mM-sucrose, accelerated the uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine. This acceleration decreased with time. The observations may be explained by assuming that N-acetylneuraminic acid is a component of a transport receptor for 5-hydroxytryptamine.
The binding of lanthanides to non-immune rabbit immunoglobulin G and its fragments
Authors: Dower S K , Dwek R A , McLaughlin A C , Mole L E , Press E M , Sunderland C A
Published: August 2015

The binding of Gd(III) to rabbit IgG (immunoglobulin G) and the Fab (N-terminal half of heavy and light chain), (Fab')2 (N-terminal half of heavy and light chains joined by inter-chain disulphide bond), Fc (C-terminal half of heavy-chain dimer)and pFc' (C-terminal quarter of heavy-chain dimer) fragments was demonstrated by measurements of the enhancement of the solvent-water proton relaxation rates in the appropriate Gd(III) solutions. At pH 5.5 there are six specific Gd(III)-binding sites on the IgG. These six sites can be divided into two classes; two very ‘tight’ sites on the Fc fragment (Kd approx. 5 μM) and two weaker sites on each Fab region (Kd approx. 140 μM). Ca(II) does not apparently compete for these metal-binding sites. The metal-binding parameters for IgG can be explained as the sum of the metal binding to the isolated Fab and Fc fragments, suggesting that there is no apparent interaction between the Fab and Fc regions in the IgG molecule. The binding of Gd(III) to Fab and Fc fragments was also monitored by measuring changes in the electron-spin-resonance spectrum of Gd(III) in the presence of each fragment and also by monitoring the effects of Gd(III) on the protein fluorescence at 340 nm (excitation 295 nm). The fluorescence of Tb(III) solutions of 545 nm (excitation 295 nm) is enhanced slightly on addition of Fab or Fc.
Properties of follicle-stimulating-hormone receptor in cell membranes of bovine testis
Authors: Cheng K W
Published: August 2015

A simple method for preparing plasma membranes from bovine testes is described. Bovine testicular receptor has a high affinity and specificity for 125I-labelled human FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone). The specific binding of 125I-labelled human FSH to the plasma membranes is a saturable process with respect to the amounts of receptor protein and FSH added. The association and dissociation of 125I-labelled human FSH are time- and temperature-dependent, and the binding of labelled human FSH to bovine testicular receptor is strong and not readily reversible. Scatchard [Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. (1949) 51, 660-672] analysis indicates a dissociation constant, Kd, of 9.8 ×10-11M, and 5.9 × 10-14mol of binding sites/mg of membrane protein. The testicular membrane receptor is heat-labile. Preheating at 40°C for 15 min destroyed 30% of the binding activity. Specific binding is pH-dependent, with an optimum between pH 7.0 and 7.5. Brief exposure to extremes of pH caused irreversible damage to the receptors. The ionic strength of the incubation medium markedly affects the association of 125I-labelled human FSH with its testicular receptor. Various cations at concentrations of 0.1M inhibit almost completely the binding of 125I-labelled human FSH. Nuclectides and steroid hormones at concentrations of 1mM and 5 μg/ml respectively have no effect on the binding of FSH to its receptor. Incubation of membranes with and chymotrypsin resulted in an almost complete loss of binding activity, suggesting that protein moieties are essential for the binding of 125I-labelled human FSH. Binding of 125I-labelled human FSH to bovine testicular receptor does not result in destruction or degradation of the hormone.
Kinetic studies on mammalian cytochrome c modified with 2-hydroxy-5-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide
Authors: Brittain T , Greenwood C
Published: August 2015

The reduction of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl tryptophyl cytochrome c by the chromous ion was studied by stopped-flow techniques. At pH6.5 the reduction of 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl tryptophyl cytochrome c is complex, showing the presence of three distinct phases. Two chromium concentration-dependent phases are observed (1.1 × 105 M-1-S-1, phase 1; 1.25 × 104M-1-S-1, phase 2) and one slow first-order process (0.25S-1, phase 3). A comparison of the static and kinetic difference spectra, along with the data from the reduction of the reoxidized reduced protein, suggests that the slow chromium concentration-independent phase is due to a slow conformational event after fast reduction of the NO2 group. The rates of the chromium concentration-dependent phases show a marked variation with pH above 7.5. The activation energies for the three processes were also measured at 33.2, 38.6 and 69.7 kJ-mol-1 for phases 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The reaction of reduced 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl tryptophyl cytochrome c with CO was foollowed by means of both stopped-flow and flash photolysis. The combination with CO at pH 6.8 as measured in stopped-flow experiments showed two phases, one CO-dependent phase (phase 2, 2.4 × 102M-1-S-1) and one CO-independent phase (phase 1, 0.015S-1). Investigation of the pH-dependence of the phases showed both the rates and amounts of each phase to be pH-invariant. CO recombination, after photolytic removal, was found to be biphasic; a CO-dependent phase (phase 2, 2.4 × 102M-1-S-1) and a CO-independent phase (phase 1, 1.0s-1) were observed. A tentative model which can accommodate these observations is proposed.
The purification and properties of peroxidase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and its possible role in the mechanism of action of isonicotinic acid hydrazide
Authors: Devi B G , Shaila M S , Ramakrishnan T , Gopinathan K P
Published: August 2015

Peroxidase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv was purified to homogeneity. The homogeneous protein exhibits catalase and Y (Youatt's)-enzyme activities in addition to peroxidase activity. Further confirmation that the three activities are due to a single enzyme was accomplished by other criteria, such as differential thermal inactivation, sensitivity to different inhibitors, and co-purification. The Y enzyme (peroxidase) was separated from NADase (NAD+ glycohydrolase) inhibitor by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The molecular weights of peroxidase and NADase inhibitor, as determined by gel filtration, are 240000 and 98000 respectively. The Y enzyme shows two Km values for both isoniazid (isonicotinic acid hydrazide) and NAD at low and high concentrations. Analysis of the data by Hill plots revealed that the enzyme has one binding site at lower substrate concentrations and more than one at higher substrate concentration. The enzyme contains 6g-atoms of iron/mol. Highly purified preparations of peroxidases from different sources catalyse the Y-enzyme reaction, suggesting that the nature of the reaction may be a peroxidatic oxidation of isoniazid. Moreover, the Y-enzyme reaction is enhanced by O2. Isoniazid-resistant mutants do not exhibit Y-enzyme, peroxidase or catalase activities, and do not take up isoniazid. The Y-enzyme reaction is therefore implicated in the uptake of the drug.
The reaction of penicillin with proteins
Authors: Corran P H , Waley S G
Published: August 2015

The mode of reaction of benzylpenicillin with two proteins was studied, with particular reference to the allergenicity of penicillin. These reactions, with pig insulin, and with hen's-egg-white lysozyme, were carried out in neutral solution at 37°C. High concentrations of penicillin are needed to label the proteins, owing to concurrent hydrolysis of penicillin. Evidence has been obtained that the penicillin-reactive sites on the insulin molecule are the α-amino group at the N-terminus of the A chain and the ε-amino group of the lysine residue; whereas a site of reaction with lysozyme appears to be the ε-amino group of lysine-116.
Effects of anions on a monomeric and a dimeric arginine kinase
Authors: Anosike E O , Watts D C
Published: August 2015

1. Some effects of anions on the rates of phosphoarginine synthesis by monomeric (lobster) and by dimeric (Holothuria forskali) arginine kinases are reported. 2. As with creatine kinase, acetate ions activate both enzymes: Cl- was also found to activate both although this was an inhibitor of creatine kinase. 3. NO3- inhibits the lobster enzyme. Inhibition is of the mixed type with respect to MgATP. Ki > Ki' and Ks > Ks' indicating that the presence of NO3- promotes the binding of substrate and vice versa. 4. NO3- alone has no effect on the difference spectrum of the lobster enzyme but in the presence of arginine, MgATP, MgADP, MgAMP or MgIDP the difference spectrum is greatly enhanced. A profound effect on the ionization state of tyrosine residues is inferred. 5. With the Holothuria enzyme low concentrations of NO3- activate in a manner that is competitive with arginine. Higher concentrations cause inhibition of the mixed type with respect to arginine in a similar manner to that found with MgATP for the lobster kinase. 6. Of a range of anions tested only NO3- and NO2- enhanced the inhibition of enzyme activity by MgADP, indicating the formation of a pseudo-transition-state dead-end complex, enzyme-arginine-NO3--MgADP. The effect was essentially independent of temperature with the Holothuria enzyme, but with the lobster enzyme was much less marked and temperature dependent. The difference may reflect the different stabilities of the monomer and dimer enzymes, although with neither arginine kinase is the stabilization of the dead-end complex as marked as is found with creatinine kinase.
The amino acid sequence of troponin I from rabbit skeletal muscle
Authors: Wilkinson J M , Grand R J A.
Published: August 2015

The complete amino acid sequence of rabbit skeletal muscle troponin I was determined by the isolation of the cyanogen bromide fragments and the tryptic methionine-containing peptides. Troponin I contains 179 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 20864. Its N-terminus is acetylated. Detailed evidence on which the sequence is based has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50055 (23 pages) at the British Library (Lending Division), Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7QB, U.K., from whom copies may be obtained on the terms given in Biochem. J. (1975) 145, 5.
The primary structure of aspartate aminotransferase from pig heart muscle. Digestion with a proteinase having specificity for lysine residues
Authors: Doonan S , Doonan H J , Hanford R , Vernon C A , Walker J M , Airold L P da S. , Bossa F , Barra D , Carloni M , Fasella P , Riva F
Published: August 2015

Carboxymethylated aspartate aminotransferase was digested with a proteinase claimed to be specific for lysine residues. Complete cleavage occurred at 12 of the 19 lysine residues in the protein, but at the remaining seven residues cleavage was either restricted or absent. In addition, cleavage was observed at three of the 26 arginine residues. These results are discussed with reference to the amino acid residues adjacent to points of complete or restricted cleavage. The complete primary structure of aspartate aminotransferase, based on these and other studies, is given. Evidence for the assignment of some acid and amide side chains has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50050 (11 pp.) at the British Library (Lending Division), Boston Spa, Wetherby, W. Yorkshire LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies can be obtained on the terms indicated in Biochem. J. (1975) 145, 5. The evidence for the assignment of residue 366 was less conclusive than for the other acid and amide side chains and is, therefore, given in the main paper.
Conformational energy calculations for dinucleotide molecules. A study of the component mononucleotide adenosine 3'-monophosphate
Authors: Thornton J M , Bayley P M
Published: August 2015

Semi-empirical conformational energy calculations were performed for the mononucleotides 5'-AMP, NMN+ and 3'-AMP. Only intramolecular forces are considered. Essentially all conformational states were explored to investigate the population distribution likely to be found in a non-crystalline environment. The calculations suggest that 5'-AMP and 3'-AMP are relatively flexible and a mixture of conformational states is expected. In contrast, the results for NMN+ suggest that a strong electrostatic interaction between the positively charged nicotinamide nitrogen atom and negatively charged phosphate oxygen is possible, stabilizing a few specific states. This interaction will be most significant in a solvent-free situation or an apolar environment.
Studies on the linkage between teichoic acid and peptidoglycan in a bacteriophage-resistant mutant of Staphylococcus aureus H
Authors: Heckels J E , Archibald A R , Baddiley J
Published: August 2015

1. In addition to poly(ribitol phosphate) the walls of a bacteriophage-resistant mutant of Staphylococcus aureus H contain glycerol phosphate residues that are not removed on digestion with trypsin or extraction with phenol. 2. The glycerol phosphate is present in a chain, containing three or four glycerol phosphate residues, which is covalently attached to the peptidoglycan through a phosphodiester linkage to muramic acid; this linkage is readily hydrolysed by dilute alkali. 3. The degradative studies described suggest that the poly(ribitol phosphate) chains of the wall teichoic acid may be attached to the wall by linkage to this glycerol phosphate oligomer.
Kinetic studies on (N-formyltryptophyl)cytochrome c
Authors: Brittain T , Greenwood C
Published: August 2015

The formylation of the ring nitrogen atom of the tryptophan residue in cytochrome c was carried out and consequent changes in the kinetic properties of the protein were investigated. The reduction of formylated cytochrome c by Cr2+ was studied by stopped-flow techniques. At pH 6.5 the reduction process shows the presence of two phases. One phase (k = 4 × 104 M-1-s-1) is dependent on Cr2+ concentration and one phase (k = 5.0 s-1) is not. A study of the temperature dependence of the two phases yields values for their activation energies of 38.6kJ·mol-1 and 42.4kJ·mol-1 respectively. The reaction of the reduced formylated cytochrome c with CO was followed by means of both stopped-flow techniques and flash photolysis. The combination with CO at pH 6.8 measured in stopped-flow experiments shows two phases, both dependent on the concentration of CO (k1 = 1.8 × 102 M-1-s-1). If CO was dissociated from the protein by photolysis and then allowed to recombine with it, it was found to do so in a simple manner, at a rate which depended on the concentration of CO (k = 1.9 × 10M2 M-1-s-1). A tentative model which can accommodate these findings is proposed. The reaction of the oxidized form of formylated cytochrome c with NO was followed by means of stopped-flow techniques. The reaction was found to be biphasic with one phase dependent on the concentration of NO (k = 2.8 × 103 M-1-s-1) and one phase (k = 0.2s-1) independent of the concentration of NO. This behaviour is compared with that of the native molecule. A comparison of these kinetic observations with those on other tryptophan-specific modifications leads to the conclusion that the main alteration in kinetic properties is due, not to the nature of the modifying group, but rather to the disruption of the normal environment of the haem.
Regulation of citrate synthase activity in methylotrophs by reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide, adenine nucleotides and 2-oxoglutarate
Authors: Colby J , Zatman L J
Published: August 2015

Citrate synthase from two typical facultative methylotrophs, but not from four obligate methylotrophs or from two restricted facultative methylotrophs, is inhibited by 0.1 mM-NADH. ATP or ADP (both at 10mM) inhibits all the citrate synthases, whereas 2-oxoglutarate (10mM) inhibits those from only three of the eight methylotrophs.
Interactions of glucose, acetoacetate and insulin in mammary-gland slices of lactating rats
Authors: Williamson D H , McKeown S R , Ilic V
Published: August 2015

1. Utilization of 5mM-glucose by slices of lactating mammary gland was decreased 33% on addition of acetoacetate (2mM) to the incubation medium. This inhibition was accompanied by increases in the intracellular concentrations of citrate and glucose 6-phosphate. 2. In the presence of acetoacetates the accumulation of pyruvate in the medium approximately doubled. 3. Insulin completely reversed the inhibitory effect of acetoacetates on glucose utilization, without altering the amount of acetoacetate removed or pyruvate formed. 4. Similar results were obtained with mammary-gland slices from diabetic rats, except that insulin did not completely reverse the effects of acetoacetates. 5. Acetoacetate inhibited the formation of 14CO2 from [1-14C]pyruvate; this effect was not overcome by insulin. 6. Insulin increased the proportion of [3-14C]acetoacetate that was converted into lipid and decreased that oxidized to CO2.7. The physiological significance of these findings is discussed.
Oxidative phosphorylation during glycollate metabolism in mitochondria from phototrophic Euglena gracilis
Authors: Collins N , Brown R H , Merrett M J
Published: August 2015

Mitochondria were isolated by gradient centrifugation on linear sucrose gradients from broken cell suspensions of phototrophically grown Euglena gracilis. An antimycin A-sensitive but rotenone-insensitive glycollate-dependent oxygen uptake was demonstrated in isolated mitochondria. The partial reactions of glycollate-cytochrome c oxidoreductase and cytochrome c oxidase were demonstrated by using Euglena cytochrome c as exogenous electron acceptor/donor. Isolated mitochondria contain glycollate dehydrogenase and glyoxylate-glutamate aminotransferase and oxidize exogenous glycine. A P:O ratio of 1.7 was obtained for glycollate oxidation, consistent with glycollate electrons entering the Euglena respiratory chain at the flavoprotein level. The significance of these results is discussed in relation to photorespiration in algae.
Factors regulating amino acid release from extrasplanchnic tissues in the rat. Interactions of alanine and glutamine
Authors: Blackshear P J , Holloway P A , Alberti K G
Published: August 2015

1. Factors regulating the release of alanine and glutamine in vivo were investigated in starved rats by removing the liver from the circulation and monitoring blood metabolite changes for 30 min. 2. Alanine and glutamine were the predominant amino acids released into the circulation in this preparation. 3. Dichloroacetate, an activator of pyruvate dehydrogenase, inhibited net alanine release: it also interfered with the metabolism of the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. 4. L-Cycloserine, an inhibitor of alanine aminotransferase, decreased alanine accumulation by 80% after functional hepatectomy, whereas methionine sulphoximine, an inhibitor of glutamine synthetase, decreased glutamine accumulation by the same amount. 5. It was concluded that: (a) the alanine aminotransferase and the glutamine synthetase pathways respectively were responsible for 80% of the alanine and glutamine released into the circulation by the extrasplanchnic tissues, and extrahepatic proteolysis could account for a maximum of 20%; (b) alanine formation by the peripheral tissues was dependent on availability of pyruvate and not of glutamate; (c) glutamate availability could influence glutamine formation subject, possibly, to renal control.
Short Communications. An improved method for purifying sialidase
Authors: Geisow M J
Published: August 2015

An adsorbent specific for sialidase (EC 3.2.1.18) was prepared by coupling a glycoprotein containing glycosidically linked sialic acid to Sepharose. This adsorbent does not display the non-specific adsorption that occurs in previously reported methods.
A temperature-jump study of the reaction between azurin and cytochrome c oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Brunori M , Parr S R , Greenwood C , Wilson M T
Published: August 2015

The electron-transfer reaction between azurin and the cytochrome oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated by temperature-jump relaxation in the absence of O2 and in the presence of CO. The results show that: (i) reduced azurin exists in two forms in equilibrium, only one of which is capable of exchanging electrons with the Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase, in agreement with M. T. Wilson, C. Greenwood, M. Brunori & E. Antonini (1975) (Biochem. J. 145, 449-457); (ii) the electron transfer between azurin and Pseudomonas cytochrome oxidase occurs within a molecular complex of the two proteins; this internal transfer becomes rate-limiting at high reagent concentrations.
Purification of insect myosin and α-actinin
Authors: Hammond K S , Goll D E
Published: August 2015

A method is described for preparing insect myosin, tropomyosin and α-actinin. The amino acid compositions of the myosin and α-actinin are given, and some of the properties of the purified proteins are discussed.
Isoaccepting lysine transfer ribonucleic acid species of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Thimmappaya B , Cherayil J D
Published: August 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa tRNA was treated with iodine, CNBr and N-ethylmaleimide, three thionucleotide-specific reagents. Reaction with iodine resulted in extensive loss of acceptor activity by lysine tRNA, glutamic acid tRNA, glutamine tRNA, serine tRNA and tyrosine tRNA. CNBr treatment resulted in high loss of acceptor ability by lysine tRNA, glutamic acid tRNA and glutamine tRNA. Only the acceptor ability of tyrosine tRNA was inhibited up to 66% by N-ethylmaleimide treatment, a reagent specific for 4-thiouridine. By the combined use of benzoylated DEAE-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex columns, lysine tRNA of Ps. aeruginosa was resolved into two isoaccepting species, a major, tRNA Lys1 and a minor, tRNALys1. Co-chromatography of 14C-labelled tRNALys1 and 3H-labelled tRNALys2 on benzoylated DEAE-cellulose at pH 4.5 gave two distinct, non-superimposable profiles for the two activity peaks, suggesting that they were separate species. The acceptor activity of these two species was inhibited by about 95% by iodine and CNBr. Both the species showed equal response to codons AAA and AAG and also for poly(A) and poly(A1,G1) suggesting that the anticodon of these species was UUU. Chemical modification of these two species by iodine did not inhibit the coding response. The two species of lysine of Ps. aeruginosa are truly redundant in that they are indistinguishable either by chemical modification or by their coding response.
Heavy metal-pyrimidine nucleotide interaction: x-ray structure of a cadmium derivative of cytidine 5′-monophosphate
Authors: Goodgame D M L , Jeeves I , Reynolds C D , Skapski A C
Published: August 2015

An X-ray crystal-structure determination has shown that the compound [Cd(5′-CMP)(H2O)],H2O has a polymeric structure in which each cadmium atom is bonded to five atoms: to the N(3) position on the base, to a phosphate oxygen from each of three other 5′-CMP groups and to a water molecule.
Iron oxidation and transferrin formation by phosvitin
Authors: Osaki S , Sexton R C , Pascual E , Frieden E
Published: August 2015

The catalytic activity of phosvitin in Fe(II) oxidation and the addition of iron to transferrin were studied under various conditions. It was concluded that the Fe(II) oxidized by phosvitin would bind to apotransferrin, although an appreciable fraction of Fe(III) remained bound to phosvitin. Fe(III) also migrated from phosvitin to apotransferrin. This reaction was first-order with respect to Fe(III)-phosvitin concentration with a half-time (t1/2) of 10 min, and a first-order rate constant, k=0.069min−1, in 700 μM-phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, at 30 degrees C. The catalysis of the oxidation of Fe(III) by phosvitin was proportional to O2 concentration, and is quite different from the relative O2 independence of Fe(II) oxidation as catalysed by ferroxidase. A scheme for the mobilization and transfer of iron in the chicken, including the role of ferroxidase, phosyitin and transferrin, is presented.
A micro-method for the assay of polyadenylate-containing ribonucleic acid by gel electrophoresis
Authors: Lara F J , Okretic M C
Published: August 2015

A micro-method for the determination of the electrophoretic profile of the various poly(A)-containing RNA species in a RNA sample was developed. The method is simple to carry out and allows for great reproducibility. It combines the resolving power of electrophoresis in agarose with the specificity of binding of poly(A) to poly(U)-containing glass-fibre filters. It consists of the following steps. (1) The molecules in an RNA sample are first separated according to their molecular weight by electrophoresis in agarose, at low ionic strength. 2. The molecules thus seperated are then submitted to a second electrophoresis in ‘binding buffer’ in a direction perpendicular to the first one. In the course of this electrophoresis the poly(A)-containing RNA species are seperated from other RNA species as they bind to a poly(U)-containing glass-fibre filter which is placed across the electrophoresis path. The method was used to determine the electrophoretic profile of Rhynchosciara salivary-gland messenger RNA. It was found that the population of messenger RNA in the gland is dominated by forms moving as 18 and 158 S peaks, but there is also polydisperse RNA with slower mobility.
Evaluation of equilibrium constants for the interaction of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes with reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide by affinity chromatography
Authors: Brinkworth R I , Masters C J , Winzor D J
Published: August 2015

Rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase was subjected to frontal affinity chromatography on Sepharose-oxamate in the presence of various concentrations of NADH and sodium phosphate buffer (0.05 M, pH 6.8) containing 0.5 M-NaCl. Quantitative interpretation of the results yields an intrinsic association constant of 9.0 × 104M−1 for the interaction of enzyme with NADH at 5°C, a value that is confirmed by equilibrium-binding measurements. In a second series of experiments, zonal affinity chromatography of a mouse tissue extract under the same conditions was used to evaluate assoication constants of the order 2 × 105M−1, 3 × 105M−1, 4 × 105M−1, 7 × 105M−1 and 2 × 106M−1 for the interaction of NADH with the M4, M3H, M2H2, MH3 and H4 isoenzymes respectively of lactate dehydrogenase.
Pig heart lactate dehydrogenase. Binding of pyruvate and the interconversion of pyruvate-containing ternary complexes
Authors: Boland M J , Gutfreund H
Published: August 2015

1. Lactate oxidation catalysed by pig heart lactate dehydrogenase was studied in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of pyruvate. Experimental results show the presence of an intermediate which occurs immediately after the hydride transfer step, but before the dissociation of pyruvate and the H+ produced by the reaction. The rate constant for pyruvate dissociation and the dissociation constant for pyruvate from the ternary complex differ from those obtained in pyruvate reduction experiments. 2. In single-turnover pyruvate reduction by pig heart lactate dehydrogenase at pH8.0 pyruvate can bind to the enzyme before a H+ is taken up, and the subsequent uptake of a H+ is governed by a step that is also rate-limiting for single-turnover and steady-state NADH oxidation. 3. Observation of various intermediates in the single-turnover pyruvate reduction experiments has made it possible to determine separately the dissociation constant and Km value for pyruvate at pH8.0, and also the catalytic turnover rate and Km for pyruvate under first-order conditions at different pH values. 4. Further studies on single-turnover pyruvate reduction carried out in 2H2O, or in water at low temperature, show another step which, under these conditions, is slower than that controlling H+ uptake and rate-limiting for NADH oxidation. A scheme is presented which explains these results.
Synthesis of tritium-labelled isopenicillin N, penicillin N and 6-aminopenicillanic acid
Authors: Usher J J , Loder B , Abraham E P
Published: August 2015

1. Phenoxymethylpenicillin sulphoxide 4-methoxybenzyl ester was labelled with 3H in its 2-β-methyl group. Its specific radioactivity was 362 mCi/mmol. 2. Removal of the side chain of this compound yielded the corresponding ester of 6-aminopenicillanic acid sulphoxide and coupling of the latter with the appropriate protected α-aminoadipic acid gave 4-methoxybenzyloxycarbonylisopenicillin N sulphoxide di-4-methoxybenzyl ester or the corresponding derivative of penicillin N. 3. Removal of the protective groups by hydrogenolysis and reduction of the sulphoxide group yielded 3H-labelled isopenicillin N or penicillin N. 4. 3H-labelled phenoxymethylpenicillin sulphoxide was obtained by hydrogenolysis from its 4-methoxybenzyl ester. Reduction of its sulphoxide group and subsequent removal of the side chain gave 3H-labelled 6-aminopenicillanic acid.
Tissue distribution of retinol and its metabolites after administration of double-labelled retinol
Authors: Sundaresan P R , Sundaresan G M
Published: August 2015

The tissue concentrations and distribution of radioactivity present in retinol and its metabolites were investigated in vitamin A-deficient rats 24h after injection of physiological doses (10μg) of [6, 7-14C2, 11,12-3H2] retinol. The highest concentration of radioactivity was observed in the adrenals, followed by kidney, spleen, liver, intestine and blood. The total radioactivity was greatest in urine, followed in descending order by liver, kidney, blood and intestine. The 14C/3H ratios of crude light-petroleum extracts in the liver, intestines, lungs, heart and faeces were similar to the ratio of the injected retinol dispersion. However, the 14C/3H ratios in the adrenals, kidney, spleen, blood, brain and urine were quite different from that of injected retinol. Alumina chromatography of the kidney and intestinal extracts demonstrated that retinol and retinyl palmitate are the principal forms of vitamin A present. However, alumina chromatography of the liver extract did not reveal the presence of retinol but yielded a major compound with a low 14C/3H ratio. That this compound was not retinol was shown by its inability to react with ethanolic HC1 to yield anhydroretinol. The distribution of radioactivity in ether-soluble, acidic and water-soluble fractions of urine indicated that most of the radioactivity was present in the acidic and water-soluble fractions. The 14C/3H ratios in ether-soluble and acidic fractions were higher than that of injected retinol, whereas in the water-soluble fraction the ratio was similar to the injected material.
The microbial metabolism of acetophenone. Metabolism of acetophenone and some chloroacetophenones by an Arthrobacter species
Authors: Cripps Roger E.
Published: August 2015

1. An organism that utilizes acetophenone as sole source of carbon and energy was isolated in pure culture and tentatively identified as an Arthrobacter sp. 2. Cell-free extracts of the acetophenone-grown organism contained an enzyme, acetophenone oxygenase, that catalysed an NADPH-dependent consumption of O2 in the presence of the growth substrate; approx. 1mol of O2 and 1mol of NADPH were consumed per mol of acetophenone oxidized. 3. Cell-free extracts also contained an enzyme capable of the hydrolysis of phenyl acetate to phenol and acetate. The amount of this esterase was increased markedly by growth on acetophenone. 4. The observed products of the acetophenone oxygenase reaction by crude cell-free extracts were phenol and acetate. However, inhibition of the phenyl acetate esterase by paraoxon resulted in the formation of phenyl acetate from acetophenone. 5. A degradative sequence is proposed in which acetophenone is metabolized by an oxygen-insertion reaction to form phenyl acetate. Further metabolism occurs by hydrolysis of this ester. 6. The organism and extracts were shown to metabolize chlorinated acetophenones. The environmental implications of this observation are discussed.
Inhibition of fatty acid synthesis and stimulation of glycogen breakdown by vasopressin in the perfused mouse liver
Authors: Ma Gary Y. , Hems Douglas A.
Published: August 2015

1. Vasopressin (anti-diuretic hormone, [8-arginine]vasopressin) inhibited the synthesis de novo of fatty acids (measured with 3H2O and U-14C-labelled lactate or U-14C-labelled glucose) and stimulated glycogen breakdown in the perfused liver of fed mice. 2. The concentration dependence of these effects (range 200–1000μunits/ml, i.e. 0.5–2.5ng/ml) resembled that for the action on glycogen breakdown which was previously reported for rat liver. 3. The appearance of newly synthesized fatty acids in both phospholipids and triglycerides was inhibited by vasopressin, whereas synthesis of cholesterol was less affected. 4. Inhibition of hepatic lipogenesis by vasopressin is the most potent short-term hormonal action on this process yet reported. Aspects of the effect are discussed, including the lack of a role for cyclic AMP, and a possible link with vasopressin action on glycogen metabolism.