bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevention of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia in non-human primates by Zn-protoporphyrin
Authors: Qato M K , Maines M D
Published: August 2015

Non-human primates were used as a model of human neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia and its chemotherapeutic suppression. High levels of haem oxygenase activity were detected in the liver and the spleen of neonatal rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and cynomolgus (Macaca irus) monkeys. When 1-day-old neonatal animals were given a single injection of Zn-protoporphyrin (40 mumol/kg, subcutaneously), serum bilirubin levels declined to nearly normal adult levels within 24 h and remained suppressed throughout the postnatal period (12 days). This treatment inhibited the activities of haem oxygenase and biliverdin reductase in the liver and the spleen, without affecting that of the brain. Zn-protoporphyrin treatment did not alter the activity of brain biliverdin reductase or increase brain bilirubin levels. The biological disposition of Zn-protoporphyrin was examined by measuring the biliary and urinary excretion of the metalloporphyrin complex, as well as its uptake and deposition in blood cells and tissues. Biliary excretion of the metalloporphyrin was minimal (0.12% over a 28 h period), and no evidence was detected for the urinary excretion of Zn-protoporphyrin. However, the concentration of metalloporphyrin in erythrocytes increased over the duration of the experiment (11 days) to such an extent that 46% of the administered compound was taken up by the cells. It appeared that the molecular basis for the sustained suppression of haem oxygenase activity and bilirubin production by Zn-protoporphyrin involved the release of the metalloporphyrin in the normal process of the degradation of fetal erythrocytes. The scope of the biological activity of Zn-protoporphyrin to alter haem-dependent processes appeared limited in nature, insofar as the microsomal contents of cytochrome P-450 and b5, as well as the aniline hydroxylase, were similar to those of the control animals. Also, the concentration of glutathione in the liver was unchanged. These findings suggest the potential usefulness of Zn-protoporphyrin in experimental and perhaps clinical conditions in which hyperbilirubinaemia occurs.
Comparison of ornithine decarboxylase from rat liver, rat hepatoma and mouse kidney
Authors: Seely J E , Persson L , Sertich G J , Pegg A E
Published: August 2015

Comparisons were made of ornithine decarboxylase isolated from Morris hepatoma 7777, thioacetamide-treated rat liver and androgen-stimulated mouse kidney. The enzymes from each source were purified in parallel and their size, isoelectric point, interaction with a monoclonal antibody or a monospecific rabbit antiserum to ornithine decarboxylase, and rates of inactivation in vitro, were studied. Mouse kidney, which is a particularly rich source of ornithine decarboxylase after androgen induction, contained two distinct forms of the enzyme which differed slightly in isoelectric point, but not in Mr. Both forms had a rapid rate of turnover, and virtually all immunoreactive ornithine decarboxylase protein was lost within 4h after protein synthesis was inhibited. Only one form of ornithine decarboxylase was found in thioacetamide-treated rat liver and Morris hepatoma 7777. No differences between the rat liver and hepatoma ornithine decarboxylase protein were found, but the rat ornithine decarboxylase could be separated from the mouse kidney ornithine decarboxylase by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The rat protein was slightly smaller and had a slightly more acid isoelectric point. Studies of the inactivation of ornithine decarboxylase in vitro in a microsomal system [Zuretti & Gravela (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 742, 269-277] showed that the enzymes from rat liver and hepatoma 7777 and mouse kidney were inactivated at the same rate. This inactivation was not due to degradation of the enzyme protein, but was probably related to the formation of inactive forms owing to the absence of thiol-reducing agents. Treatment with 1,3-diaminopropane, which is known to cause an increase in the rate of degradation of ornithine decarboxylase in vivo [Seely & Pegg (1983) Biochem. J. 216, 701-717] did not stimulate inactivation by microsomal extracts, indicating that this system does not correspond to the rate-limiting step of enzyme breakdown in vivo.
Structural studies of a mannitol teichoic acid from the cell wall of bacterium N.C.T.C. 9742
Authors: Anderton W J , Wilkinson S G
Published: August 2015

Degradative and n.m.r.-spectroscopic studies have been carried out on a novel mannitol teichoic acid extracted from the cell wall of bacterium N.C.T.C. 9742, for which the name Brevibacterium iodinum has been proposed. The backbone of the polymer is a poly(D-mannitol phosphate) containing 1--6 phosphodiester linkages. In most residues, pyruvic acid is acetal-linked to positions 4 and 5 of the mannitol. About half of the mannitol residues carry a beta-D-glucopyranosyl substituent at position 2. The glucosylmannitol was isolated and thoroughly characterized. At least 24 products were detected by ion-exchange chromatography and paper electrophoresis after alkaline hydrolysis of the polymer. Not all of these products could be identified. The main mechanistic pathways for depolymerization by the cleavage of phosphodiester linkages during alkaline hydrolysis involved (a) participation by the 2-hydroxy group and a cyclic phosphodiester intermediate (leading to a series of mannitol-based products) and (b) participation by the 3-hydroxy group in the cyclization of mannitol (leading to a series of products based on 1,4-anhydromannitol). The presence of glycerol phosphates in hydrolysates could be ascribed either to a linkage unit or to a separate glycerol teichoic acid. The mannitol teichoic acid was absent from the cell walls of Brevibacterium linens and Brevibacterium epidermis (one strain of each was examined).
Fragmentation and reduction of bovine secretory component. Preparation of a biologically active fragment and some evidence for a multiple-domain structure
Authors: Beale D , Hopley J G
Published: August 2015

A tryptic fragment (A) of Mr 25000 was prepared from bovine secretory component. The fragment binds polymeric immunoglobulin, although 9 times less effectively than secretory component on a molar basis. The fragment has four buried half-cystine residues and two exposed half-cystine residues. It gives rise to two fragments of Mr 11000-13000 on prolonged digestion with trypsin, and these do not bind polymeric immunoglobulin. It is proposed that fragment A consists of two immunoglobulin-like domains. Bovine secretory component was found to have 9-11 buried half-cystine residues and four exposed half-cystine residues. Reduction and alkylation of the exposed residues decreases the binding of polymeric immunoglobulin by 3-fold. Initial tryptic cleavage of bovine secretory component gives a fragment (Q) disulphide-bridged to a further fragment (T). Fragment Q is similar in size to a three-domain immunoglobulin fragment, and fragment T is similar in size to a two-domain immunoglobulin fragment. The two-domain fragment A is derived from fragment Q by further tryptic cleavage. The results are compatible with the proposal by Mostov, Friedlander & Blobel [(1984) Nature (London) 308, 37-43] that secretory component consists of multiple immunoglobulin-like domains. The results also indicate that optimal binding of polymeric immunoglobulin involves several domains stabilized by an exposed disulphide bridge.
Regulatory proteins (inhibitors or activators) affect estimates of Mr of enzymes and receptors by radiation inactivation. A theoretical model
Authors: Potier M , Giroux S
Published: August 2015

The radiation-inactivation method allows the determination of the Mr of enzymes and receptors by monitoring the decay of biological activity as a function of absorbed dose. The presence of regulatory or effector proteins (inhibitors or activators) associated with an enzyme or receptor, or released in the preparation after tissue homogenization, may affect the decay of biological activity. How the activity is affected, however, will depend on the type of inhibition (competitive or non-competitive), the inhibitor or activator concentration, the dissociation constant of the enzyme-effector system, and the effector Mr relative to that of the enzyme. Since little is known on how effector proteins influence radiation inactivation of enzymes and receptors, we have considered a theoretical model in an effort to provide a framework for the interpretation of experimentally obtained data. Our model predicts that competitive and non-competitive inhibitors of enzymes could be distinguished by analysing irradiated samples with various substrate concentrations. Inhibitors will decrease whereas activators will increase the apparent target size of enzymes or receptors.
The 3-dehydroquinate synthase activity of the pentafunctional arom enzyme complex of Neurospora crassa is Zn2+-dependent
Authors: Lambert J M , Boocock M R , Coggins J R
Published: August 2015

We have demonstrated the co-purification in constant ratio of all five activities of the pentafunctional arom enzyme complex from Neurospora crassa. Progressive inactivation of the 3-dehydroquinate synthase component of the purified enzyme complex by chelating agents was blocked by the substrate, 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate, but not by the cofactor NAD+. Full activity was restored at Zn2+ concentrations as low as 0.05 nM. Atomic absorption data indicated that the intact enzyme complex contained 1 atom per subunit of tightly bound zinc. The arom 3-dehydroquinate synthase had a calculated turnover number of 19s-1, this being within the narrow range of values obtained for the other four activities of the intact multifunctional enzyme. The Km for 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate was 1.4 microM in a phosphate-free buffer; inorganic phosphate was a competitive inhibitor with respect to 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate.
Monoclonal-antibody studies of creatine kinase. The proteinase K-cleavage site
Authors: Morris G E , Frost L C , Head L P
Published: August 2015

Proteinase K cleaves a small peptide from native muscle-specific creatine kinase. We present evidence, from the binding of two monoclonal antibodies to formic acid-cleavage fragments and proteinase K-digest fragments of chick muscle creatine kinase, that the proteinase K-cleavage site is in the C-terminal region of the molecule. This specificity of proteinase K, which is not normally a highly specific enzyme, and the continued association of the two peptide fragments after cleavage suggest an unusual conformational feature in the cleavage-site region. By applying predictive methods for hydrophobicity and secondary structure to an amino acid sequence in this region, we suggest possible structural features at the cleavage site that are evidently conserved across avian and mammalian species. The most likely site is next to, or within, a beta-turn on the surface of the molecule.
Hormone-induced increase in free cytosolic calcium and glycogen phosphorylase activation in rat hepatocytes incubated in normal and low-calcium media
Authors: Binet A , Berthon B , Claret M
Published: August 2015

The action of alpha 1-adrenergic agonists (noradrenaline in the presence of propranolol), vasopressin and angiotensin on the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration, [Ca2+]i, was determined by using the fluorescent dye quin2 in isolated rat liver cells. In the presence of external Ca2+ (1.8 mM), 1 microM-noradrenaline induced an increase in [Ca2+]i up to about 800 nM without apparent delay, whereas 10 nM-vasopressin and 1 nM-angiotensin increased [Ca2+]i to values higher than 1500 nM with a lag period of about 6s. The successive addition of the hormones and of their specific antagonists indicated that the actions of the three Ca2+-mobilizing hormones occurred without apparent desensitization (over 6 min) and via independent receptors. The relative contributions of internal and external Ca2+ pools to the cell response were determined by studying the hormone-mediated [Ca2+]i increase and glycogen phosphorylase activation in low-Ca2+ media (22 microM). In this medium: (1) [Ca2+]i was lowered and the hormones initiated a transient instead of a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i; subsequent addition (2 min) of a second hormone promoted a lesser increase in [Ca2+]i; in contrast, the subsequent addition (2 min) of Ca2+ (1.8 mM) caused [Ca2+]i to increase to a value close to that initiated by the hormone in control conditions, the amplitude of the latter response being dependent on the concentration of Ca2+ added to the medium; (2) returning to normal Ca2+ (1.8 mM) restored the resting [Ca2+]i and allowed the hormone added 2 min later to promote a large increase in [Ca2+]i whose final amplitude was also dependent on the concentration of Ca2+ added beforehand. Similar results were found when the same protocol was applied to the glycogen phosphorylase activation. It is concluded that Ca2+ influx is required for a maximal and sustained response and to reload the hormone-sensitive stores.
A novel hopanoid, 30-(5'-adenosyl)hopane, from the purple non-sulphur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas acidophila, with possible DNA interactions
Authors: Neunlist S , Rohmer M
Published: August 2015

A novel hopanoid, 30-(5'-adenosyl)hopane, was isolated from the purple non-sulphur bacterium Rhodopseudomonas acidophila and identified. The significance of this triterpenoid in terms of bacteriohopanepolyol biosynthesis, membrane reinforcement and possible interactions with nucleic acids is discussed.
Kinetic pathways of formation and dissociation of the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase complex
Authors: Ovádi J , Mátrai G , Bartha F , Batke J
Published: August 2015

Quantitative analysis of the time courses of fluorescence anisotropy changes due to the binding of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase to the dissociable cytoplasmic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase covalently labelled with fluorescent dye was carried out. The behaviour of the aldolase-dehydrogenase system seems to be consistent with a cyclic reversible model characterized by the formation and dissociation of complexes of both the monomeric and the dimeric forms of dehydrogenase with aldolase, and rapid equilibrium between the free monomeric and dimeric forms of dehydrogenase. The half-life time of the formation of dimeric dehydrogenase-aldolase complex at the concentration of the enzymes expected to exist in the cell (i.e. in the micromolar range) is some minutes, and the time needed for equilibration between the aldolase-bound dimeric and monomeric forms of dehydrogenase is a few minutes as well. Consequently, one may expect that both the formation and the dissociation of this heterologous enzyme complex have physiological relevance.
Magnesium ion exerts a central role in the regulation of inhibitory adenosine receptors
Authors: Yeung S M , Fossom L H , Gill D L , Cooper D M
Published: August 2015

Guanine nucleotides and Mg2+ differentially regulate agonist binding to adenosine (Ri) receptors in fat-cell plasma membranes. GTP alone decreases binding of the agonist ligand [3H]N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) by increasing the dissociation constant (Kd). Mg2+ alone also decreases [3H]CHA binding, which is associated with a decrease in the number of receptors and in the dissociation constant. In the presence of Mg2+, the effect of GTP is to increase [3H]CHA binding by increasing the total number of receptors. It thus appears that Mg2+ acts specifically at a bivalent-cation site which, with GTP, regulates agonist binding. This putative Mg site is highly sensitive to alkylating agents. Mild treatment with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) abolishes the characteristic GTP effect on agonist binding in the presence of Mg2+. In addition, the effect of Mg2+ alone is also eliminated. The effect of GTP alone is largely unaltered. Studies of the adenylate cyclase activity indicate that this NEM treatment also abolishes the inhibition of basal activity by adenosine analogues, whereas guanylyl imidodiphosphate inhibition of forskolin-stimulated activity is only slightly impaired at this NEM concentration. These observations indicate that a Mg2+ ‘site’ or ‘component’ is required for the integration of receptor (Ri) occupancy with regulation of catalytic activity (C). The regulatory role of Mg2+ is more demonstrable in receptor-GTP-regulatory-protein (Ri-Ni) interactions than in GTP-regulatory-protein-catalytic-unit (Ni-C) interactions.
Differences between collagen hydroxylases and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase in their inhibition by structural analogues of 2-oxoglutarate
Authors: Majamaa K , Turpeenniemi-Hujanen T M , Latipää P , Günzler V , Hanauske-Abel H M , Hassinen I E , Kivirikko K I
Published: August 2015

Inhibition of lysyl hydroxylase and prolyl 3-hydroxylase was studied with 23 selected aromatic and aliphatic structural analogues of 2-oxoglutarate and the results were compared with those previously reported for prolyl 4-hydroxylase. All the compounds inhibited the hydroxylases competitively with respect to 2-oxoglutarate and noncompetitively with respect to Fe2+ and the peptide substrate. The inhibition patterns for the three collagen hydroxylases were basically similar, but certain differences in detail emerged. One systematic difference was that lysyl hydroxylase had a higher Ki for almost all the compounds than had the two prolyl hydroxylases. Another interesting difference was that pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylate was the most potent inhibitor of lysyl hydroxylase and prolyl 3-hydroxylase, with Ki values of 50 microM and 3 microM respectively, whereas pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate was the most potent inhibitor of prolyl 4-hydroxylase. These and other data suggest that the three collagen hydroxylases have similar but not identical 2-oxoglutarate-binding sites. Pyridine-2,4-dicarboxylate and pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate and their corresponding benzene derivatives were also found to inhibit 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, but with this enzyme, unlike the collagen hydroxylases, no distinct difference in the Ki values was found between the corresponding pyridine and benzene derivatives. This demonstrates the importance of the metal ion for the binding of various compounds at the 2-oxoglutarate-binding site of the collagen hydroxylases. 2-Oxoadipate was shown to replace 2-oxoglutarate in the lysyl hydroxylase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase reactions, as has previously been reported for prolyl 4-hydroxylase, whereas no other 2-oxo acid tested had any co-substrate activity. The 2-oxoglutarate-binding site of these enzymes is thus flexible to a certain degree, as it can accommodate molecules of different shapes and volumes. On the basis of the present data pyridine-2,5-dicarboxylate seems to be a quite specific inhibitor of prolyl 4-hydroxylase, the Ki for 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase being about 4000-fold higher.
Ionophore activity of sarcotoxin I, a bactericidal protein of Sarcophaga peregrina
Authors: Okada M , Natori S
Published: August 2015

When Escherichia coli was treated with sarcotoxin I, a potent bactericidal protein of Sarcophaga peregrina (fleshfly), K+ inside of the cells leaked out rapidly and the ATP pool of the cells rapidly decreased. These results suggested that the bactericidal effect of sarcotoxin I was due to its ionophore activity, and that it blocked the generation of ATP by inhibiting formation of the proton gradient essential for oxidative phosphorylation. This was confirmed by use of an uncA mutant, which was much less susceptible than the wild-type strain to sarcotoxin I under fixed ionic conditions.
The role of the phosphate group for the structure of phosphopeptide products of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate-dependent protein kinase
Authors: Hider R C , Ragnarsson U , Zetterqvist O
Published: August 2015

By c.d. studies it is shown that liver-pyruvate-kinase-related peptide substrates of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase have a high tendency towards non-random structures in non-aqueous media. When phosphorylated, the conformation tendencies decrease. This structural change is explained in terms of the formation of strong intrapeptide phosphate-guanidinium salt links. It is proposed that similar events occur at the catalytic site of protein kinase and that such an interaction could facilitate the removal of the phosphorylated products.
Structure of covalent insulin-receptor complexes (I-S-S-R) in isolated rat adipocytes and human placental membranes
Authors: Clark S , Harrison L C
Published: August 2015

The structure of naturally-formed covalent disulphide-linked complexes between insulin and its receptor was examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. To prevent destabilization of disulphide bonds at alkaline pH the standard discontinuous electrophoresis conditions were changed to a continuous buffer system at pH 7.0. 125I-insulin was first bound to either rat adipocytes or human placental membranes for 10 min at 37 degrees C. After washing, non-dissociable radioactivity was extracted from cells or membranes in Triton X-100 and immunoprecipitated with an antiserum (B-2) to the insulin receptor. Electrophoresis of the immune precipitate revealed the two smaller of the three reported species of native insulin receptor (Mr values approx. 350 000, 290 000 and 260 000); in addition, a species of Mr 200 000 was also frequently observed in adipocytes. When non-dissociable 125I-insulin was chemically crosslinked to adipocytes or placental membranes, prior to solubilization and immunoprecipitation, all three species of the native receptor were labelled; after reduction, only a single species of Mr 130000 was observed. These findings indicate that disulphide exchange of insulin occurs with the Mr 130000 (alpha) binding subunit within partially reduced species of the native, oligomeric receptor. The degree of disulphide binding of insulin could therefore depend on the relative abundance of partially reduced receptor species and on the redox state of the cell membrane.
Alterations in fucosyl oligosaccharides of glycoproteins during rat liver regeneration
Authors: Kato S , Akamatsu N
Published: August 2015

[3H]Fucose-labelled glycopeptides in the slices of liver 24h after partial hepatectomy were fractionated on Sephadex G-50. Glycopeptides from regenerating liver contained a higher proportion of lower-Mr components than did controls. Regenerating liver contained a higher proportion of glycopeptides that were bound to concanavalin A-Sepharose and were subsequently eluted with 20mM-methyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside than did controls. Concanavalin A-bound glycopeptides from each source were entirely bound to a lentil lectin-Sepharose column. Both the concanavalin A-bound and -unbound fractions from regenerating liver were indistinguishable from the respective controls by Bio-Gel P6 column chromatography and neuraminidase digestion. These results show that fucosyl glycopeptides from regenerating liver contain a higher proportion of biantennary species with core fucose residues than do controls. Glycopeptides from regenerating livers 12h, 72h and 144h after partial hepatectomy were also examined; however, the difference was not significant. These observations suggest that the alterations in fucosyl glycopeptides may be related to rapid growth of hepatocytes 24h after partial hepatectomy. No significant difference was found in either [3H]mannose- or [3H]fucose-labelled glycoproteins from regenerating liver and from controls by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the alteration in glycopeptides should depend on some differences in the late stage of oligosaccharide processing.
Interaction of rice (Oryza sativa) lectin with N-acetylglucosaminides. Fluorescence studies
Authors: Tabary F , Frénoy J P
Published: August 2015

The interaction of lectin isolated from rice (Oryza sativa) embryos with N-acetylglucosaminides was studied by equilibrium dialysis and fluorescence. Equilibrium dialysis with 4-methylumbelliferyl-(GlcNac)2 showed that rice lectin (Mr 38000) contains four equivalent saccharide-binding sites. Addition of the N-acetylglucosaminides GlcNac, (GlcNac)2 and (GlcNac)3 enhanced the intrinsic fluorescence of rice lectin and this was accompanied by a 10nm blue-shift of its maximum fluorescence with (GlcNac)2 and (GlcNac)3. These changes in intensity allowed determination of the association constants, which increased with the number of saccharide units: at 20 degrees C, Ka = (1.3 +/- 0.1) X 10(3), (5.1 +/- 0.4) X 10(4) and (2.6 +/- 0.1) X 10(5) M−1 for GlcNac, (GlcNac)2 and (GlcNac)3 respectively. The binding enthalpy, delta H0, for the three glucosaminides were very low and ranged from −12.1 to −20.6 kJ X mol-1. The results are compared with those obtained with wheat-germ agglutinin, another GlcNac-specific gramineaous lectin.
Elicitor-induced prolyl hydroxylase from French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Localization, purification and properties
Authors: Bolwell G P , Robbins M P , Dixon R A
Published: August 2015

The enzyme prolyl hydroxylase (proline: 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase, EC 1.14.11.12), induced in suspension-cultured cells of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (French bean) by treatment with an elicitor preparation from the phytopathogenic fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, has been investigated. The enzyme, which catalyses the hydroxylation of poly-L-proline with the stoichiometric decarboxylation of 2-oxoglutarate, has been shown to be localized mainly in smooth endoplasmic reticulum. After solubilization from microsomal membranes, the hydroxylase was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography on poly-L-proline-Sepharose 4B. The subunit Mr, as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulphate/poly-acrylamide-gel electrophoresis, was 65 000, the subunit apparently being recovered as a doublet: the subunits associate under non-denaturing conditions to give at least a tetramer. The bean hydroxylase has kinetic properties and cofactor requirements similar to those previously reported for the enzyme from other plants. Elicitor treatment of suspension-cultured bean cells leads to a rapid induction of prolyl hydroxylase activity concomitant with induction of a protein: arabinosyl-transferase and increased levels of an arabinosylated hydroxyproline-rich protein.
Fibrinogen Manchester. Detection of a heterozygous phenotype in the intraplatelet pool
Authors: Southan C , Lane D A , Knight I , Ireland H , Bottomley J
Published: August 2015

Family members heterozygous for the congenitally abnormal fibrinogen designated fibrinogen Manchester, A alpha 16Arg→His, have previously been shown by h.p.l.c. and amino acid analysis to release a variant fibrinopeptide, [His16]fibrinopeptide A, from plasma fibrinogen after the addition of thrombin. The present study was designed to determine if the same abnormal phenotype was also present in the intraplatelet fibrinogen pool. Fresh platelets were washed in buffers containing EDTA until it could be shown that all washable plasma fibrinogen was removed. Normal platelets were then lysed by freezing and thawing to release their intracellular proteins, which were then treated with thrombin. The fibrinopeptides, cleaved from the intraplatelet fibrinogen, could be detected by an optimized h.p.l.c. technique. Quantification of the intraplatelet fibrinogen gave a result (means +/- S.D., n = 5) of 110 +/- 30 and 90 +/- 30 micrograms/10(9) platelets, when determined by h.p.l.c. quantification of fibrinopeptide B content and fibrinogen fragment E radioimmunoassay respectively. Examination of fibrinopeptides released from the platelet fibrinogen from the family with fibrinogen Manchester with the same techniques showed elution peaks in the same positions as both [His16]fibrinopeptide A and normal fibrinopeptide A. The identity of these peaks was further substantiated by analysis of the h.p.l.c. peaks by using specific radioimmunoassay to fibrinopeptide A. Our results therefore demonstrate that platelet fibrinogen expresses the heterozygous A alpha 16His phenotype. This supports the view that the A alpha chains of platelet and plasma fibrinogen are produced from a single genetic locus.
1H n.m.r. studies of insulin. Assignment of resonances and properties of tyrosine residues
Authors: Bradbury J H , Ramesh V
Published: August 2015

The assignment of the aromatic 1H n.m.r. resonances of the four tyrosine residues of bovine 2-zinc insulin is reported, based on double resonance techniques, use of Hahn spin echo pulse sequences and examination of specific derivatives nitrated at tyrosines A14 and A19 as well as des-(B26-B30)-insulin. Titration curves of the four tyrosine residues show that residues A14 and B16 have normal pK' values of 10.3-10.6 in solution, consistent with their accessibility to solvent in monomer and dimer in the crystal. Tyrosine residues A19 and B26 have pK' values of 11.4 and exhibit other features in their titration curves that are consistent with limited accessibility to solvent and a nonpolar environment. The meta protons of residues B16 and B26 both observe the titration of a nearby tyrosine residue, probably A19. Interpretation of the n.m.r. data obtained in solution is consistent with the crystallographic data for the monomer and dimer obtained on insulin crystals [Blundell, Dodson, Hodgkin & Mercola (1972) Adv. Protein Chem. 26, 279-402].
On the role of the membrane proton conductance in the relationship between rate of respiration and protonmotive force
Authors: Ghazi A
Published: August 2015

The rate of respiration in mitochondria is not a unique function of the protonmotive force, depending on whether the protonmotive force is varied by addition of ADP or uncouplers. This result has been generally considered to contradict the chemiosmotic theory. Recently, O'Shea & Chappell [Biochem. J. (1984) 219, 401-404] claimed that this observation can be reconciled with the chemiosmotic theory, provided only that the proton conductance of the membrane is different in the presence of ADP or uncouplers. This hypothesis is shown here to be necessary but not sufficient to account for the experimental data and the reason for the contradiction between this recent interpretation and earlier interpretations is pointed out.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase. An enzyme with two distinct catalytic activities at a single type of active site
Authors: Duncan R J
Published: August 2015

The evidence for and against the esterase and dehydrogenase active sites of aldehyde dehydrogenase being topologically distinct is examined. It is found that all the evidence (including all that previously amassed by others in favour of distinct binding domains) is actually consistent with, and in favour of, a single type of catalytic site having both activities. The existence of separate high-Km modulating sites for the enzyme is also questioned.
Protective effect of metallothionein on cadmium toxicity in isolated rat hepatocytes
Authors: Din W S , Frazier J M
Published: August 2015

An isolated rat hepatocyte preparation was used to study the cellular toxicity of cadmium and the protective effects of metallothionein on cadmium-induced toxicity. Exposure of primary suspension cultures of isolated rat hepatocytes to Cd2+ (0-35.7 microM) for 15 min resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the synthesis of cellular proteins during a subsequent 6 h incubation. Such inhibition could not be correlated with cellular lethality or gross membrane damage. Pre-induction of metallothionein in hepatocytes by zinc treatment in vivo of donor rats protected hepatocytes in vitro from cadmium-induced inhibition of protein synthesis. The protective effects in zinc-pre-induced hepatocytes are not due to alterations in the level of total cellular cadmium, but could be accounted for by the redistribution of intracellular cadmium in the presence of high levels of zinc-metallothionein. The data suggest that metallothionein exerts its protective effect by a kinetic detoxification mechanism, i.e. a decrease in reactive intracellular cadmium.
Synthesis and degradation in vivo of a phosphoprotein from rat dental enamel. Identification of a phosphorylated precursor protein in the extracellular organic matrix
Authors: Strawich E , Glimcher M J
Published: August 2015

The cellular enamel organ and the cell-free organic matrix of developing enamel of female rats injected intravascularly with [3H]serine and [3H]proline were extracted in a number of solvents and examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and h.p.l.c. in 6M-guanidinium chloride at intervals varying from 5 min to 1 week after injection. Three major species soluble in NH4HCO3 with Mr values of approx. 100 000, 25 000 and 11 000 were identified in the cellular enamel organ. The Mr 100 000 and 11 000 components were not secreted but remained intracellular for periods of up to 1 week after injection of the radioactively labelled amino acids. In contrast, the Mr 25 000 species was secreted from the cells and was first detected in the extracellular organic matrix approx. 15-30 min after injection. With time, labelled components, first of Mr approx. 11 000 and subsequently approx. 6500, were detected in the organic matrix concomitant with a relative decrease in the Mr 25 000 component, demonstrating that the lower Mr species were derived from degradation of the putative extracellular precursor protein (Mr 25 000). All of the extracellular components were found to contain O-phosphoserine. No radioactively labelled component with an Mr greater than approx. 25 000, either an amelogenin or an enamelin, was observed in the extracellular organic matrix or in an intracellular component which subsequently was lost from the intracellular pool. The Mr of the highest Mr protein or class of proteins is calculated to be approx. 22 000-26 000 when standard proteins are used as markers, but only 15 000-18 000 when using the CNBr peptides of alpha 1 chains of rat tail tendon collagen as markers.
Purification and properties of rabbit brain and liver 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases isolated by monoclonal-antibody immunoadsorbent chromatography
Authors: Kirby N , Fowler L J , Edwardson J M , Phillips N I
Published: August 2015

The use of a monoclonal-antibody immunoaffinity column for the rapid isolation of 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases (EC 2.6.1.19) from rabbit brain and liver is described. Homogeneous enzyme protein is eluted from the immunoadsorbent with 100mM-citrate buffer, pH5, and remains stable at 4 degrees C for several days. One such column (bed volume 8 ml) has been used 40 times in a 9-month period to isolate 10-15 units of enzyme activity (specific activity approx. 3.5-7.5 units/mg) per extraction. Kinetic and spectral analysis of the enzymes from the two tissues revealed a close similarity. Sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis showed the isolated enzyme to have a monomeric Mr of 52 000, and this was confirmed by h.p.l.c. gel exclusion at pH 5.0. The results of Sephadex G-100 chromatography at different pH values are taken to indicate that the enzyme behaves as a dimer at pH 7.0 and above, but as a monomer at pH 5.0. 4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase isolated from the brain by the procedure of Fowler & John [(1981) Biochem. J. 197, 149-152] is more stable than the immunoaffinity-purified material, and has been shown to contain a contaminant protein of Mr 84 000 that exhibits succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase activity.
A critical appraisal of evidence for localized energy coupling. Kinetic studies on liposomes containing bacteriorhodopsin and ATP synthase
Authors: Van der Bend R L , Petersen J , Berden J A , Van Dam K , Westerhoff H V
Published: August 2015

In intact systems (chloroplasts, mitochondria and bacteria) many experiments have been reported which are indicative of localized coupling between ATP synthase and electron transfer complexes. We have carried out similar experiments with a system in which we may assume that specific interactions between the proton pumps are absent: reconstituted vesicles containing bacteriorhodopsin and yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase. The only experiment that gives results which differ from those previously published for intact systems concerns the effect of uncouplers on the rate of ATP synthesis at different levels of inhibition of the ATP synthase. We propose that this type of experiment may discriminate between localized and delocalized coupling.
Regulation of lipolysis during pregnancy and lactation in sheep. Response to noradrenaline and adenosine
Authors: Vernon R G , Finley E
Published: August 2015

The effects of pregnancy and lactation on lipolysis in sheep adipose tissue in vitro were investigated. Neither pregnancy nor lactation altered the basal rate of lipolysis. The rate of noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis was directly proportional to adipocyte mean cell volume. Lactation, but not pregnancy, increased the response to noradrenaline, but had no effect on the ED50 of noradrenaline. The adenosine analogue N6-phenylisopropyladenosine decreased the rate of lipolysis in the presence of noradrenaline; the effect was greater with adipose tissue from lactating than from control, unmated, sheep. Results are discussed in relation to the need of sheep to mobilize lipid during early lactation to support milk production.
The polypeptide composition of the mitochondrial NADH: ubiquinone reductase complex from several mammalian species
Authors: Cleeter M W , Ragan C I
Published: August 2015

The polypeptide composition of isolated mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone reductase (NADH dehydrogenase) is very similar to that of material immunoprecipitated from detergent-solubilized bovine heart submitochondrial particles by antisera to the holoenzyme. The specificity of the antisera for dehydrogenase polypeptides was determined by immunoblotting, which showed that antisera reacting with only a few proteins were able to immunoprecipitate all others in parallel. The polypeptide compositions of rat, rabbit and human NADH dehydrogenase were determined by immunoprecipitation of the enzyme from solubilized submitochondrial particles and proved to be very similar to that of the bovine heart enzyme, particularly in the high-Mr region. Further homologies in these and other species were explored by immunoblotting with antisera to the holoenzyme and monospecific antisera raised against iron-sulphur-protein subunits of the enzyme.
51V-n.m.r. analysis of the binding of vanadium(V) oligoanions to sarcoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Csermely P , Martonosi A , Levy G C , Ejchart A J
Published: August 2015

The binding of mono- and oligo-vanadates to sarcoplasmic reticulum was analysed by 51V-n.m.r. spectroscopy. The observations indicate that, in addition to monovanadate, the di-, tetra- and deca-vanadates are also bound to sarcoplasmic-reticulum membranes with high affinity. The binding of the vanadate oligoanions may explain some of the effects of vanadates on the conformation and crystallization of Ca2+-transport ATPase.
Arginine residues are critical for the heparin-cofactor activity of antithrombin III
Authors: Jorgensen A M , Borders C L , Fish W W
Published: August 2015

A dilution/quench technique was used to monitor the time course of chemical modification on the heparin-cofactor (a) and progressive thrombin-inhibitory (b) activities of human antithrombin III. Treatment of antithrombin III (AT III) with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonate at pH 8.3 and 25 degrees C leads to the loss of (a) at 60-fold more rapid rate than the loss of (b). This is consistent with previous reports [Rosenberg & Damus (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 6490-6505; Pecon & Blackburn (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 935-938] that lysine residues are involved in the binding of heparin to AT III, but not in thrombin binding. Treatment of AT III with phenylglyoxal at pH 8.3 and 25 degrees C again leads to a more rapid loss of (a) than of (b), with the loss of the former proceeding at a 4-fold faster rate. The presence of heparin during modification with phenylglyoxal significantly decreases the rate of loss of (a). Full loss of (a) correlates with the modification of seven arginine residues per inhibitor molecule, whereas loss of (b) does not commence until approximately four arginine residues are modified and is complete upon the modification of approximately eleven arginine residues per inhibitor molecule. This suggests that (the) arginine residue(s) in AT III are involved in the binding of heparin in addition to the known role of Arg-393 at the thrombin-recognition site [Rosenberg & Damus (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 6490-6505; Jörnvall, Fish & Björk (1979) FEBS Lett. 106, 358-362].
Comparison of several non-linear-regression methods for fitting the Michaelis-Menten equation
Authors: Matyska L , Kovář J
Published: August 2015

The known jackknife methods (i.e. standard jackknife, weighted jackknife, linear jackknife and weighted linear jackknife) for the determination of the parameters (as well as of their confidence regions) were tested and compared with the simple Marquardt's technique (comprising the calculation of confidence intervals from the variance-co-variance matrix). The simulated data corresponding to the Michaelis-Menten equation with defined structure and magnitude of error of the dependent variable were used for fitting. There were no essential differences between the results of both point and interval parameter estimations by the tested methods. Marquardt's procedure yielded slightly better results than the jackknives for five scattered data points (the use of this method is advisable for routine analyses). The classical jackknife was slightly superior to the other methods for 20 data points (this method can be recommended for very precise calculations if great numbers of data are available). The weighting does not seem to be necessary in this type of equation because the parameter estimates obtained with all methods with the use of constant weights were comparable with those calculated with the weights corresponding exactly to the real error structure whereas the relative weighting led to rather worse results.
Comparison of purified bovine heart and rat liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase. Evidence for distinct isoenzymes
Authors: Rider M H , Foret D , Hue L
Published: August 2015

Rat liver and bovine heart 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase were purified by the same procedure. Compared with the liver enzyme, the heart enzyme had a smaller apparent Mr, different kinetic properties, was not inactivated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and contained less fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase activity. These differences suggest that heart and liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase are distinct isoenzymes. Likewise, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase from rat heart and skeletal muscle was not inactivated on treatment with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.
Arrhenius plots of acetylcholinesterase activity in mammalian erythrocytes and in Torpedo electric organ. Effect of solubilization by proteinases and by a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C
Authors: Barton P L , Futerman A H , Silman I
Published: August 2015

The temperature-dependence of the catalytic activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from rat erythrocyte-ghost membranes and from Torpedo electric-organ membranes was examined. In the case of rat erythrocyte AChE, a non-linear Arrhenius plot was observed both before and after solubilization by a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C or by proteinase treatment. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in Arrhenius plots of Torpedo electric-organ AChE before or after solubilization. These results support our suggestion that the catalytic subunit of AChE does not penetrate deeply into the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane and also suggest that care must be taken in ascribing break points in Arrhenius plots of membrane-bound enzymes to changes in their lipid environment.
Properties of cadmium-binding proteins in rat testes. Characteristics unlike metallothionein
Authors: Deagen J T , Whanger P D
Published: August 2015

Since the exposure of rats to cadmium causes zinc to accumulate in metallothionein in liver and kidney but not in a similar protein in the testes, the properties of the low-Mr cadmium-binding proteins were investigated in rat testes. Weanling rats that had been given dietary cadmium for 6 weeks were injected with 109CdCl2 and subsequently killed, and the 109Cd-labelled low-Mr proteins from testes were purified. The pooled low-Mr cadmium-containing fractions from the gel-filtration (Sephadex G-75) columns were eluted through DEAE-Sephacel columns, yielding two peaks. Each of the individual peaks from this Sephacel column was further purified by rechromatography on DEAE-Sephacel and on Bio-Gel P-10 columns. Amino acid analysis of the two purified proteins revealed a low cysteine (about 3%) content, with aspartate, glutamate and glycine as the predominant amino acids. Thus these low-Mr cadmium-binding proteins induced by cadmium in rat testes do not appear to be metallothionein.
Deficiency in the regulation of testicular galactolipid sulphotransferase in rats carrying the growth-and-reproduction-complex (grc) gene
Authors: Lingwood C , Kunz H W , Gill T J
Published: August 2015

The regulation of the activity of testicular germ-cell galactolipid sulphotransferase was investigated in rats homozygous for the grc (growth and reproductive complex) gene. In the adult grc homozygotes, the activity was elevated relative to that in the wild-type animals, and a concomitant deficiency of a developmentally regulated sulphotransferase inhibitor was found. Spermatogenesis in the grc homozygotes is blocked at a stage that correlates temporally with the earliest detection of this inhibitor in the wild-type animal. In addition, there was a similar increase in the specific activity of the kidney galactolipid sulphotransferase in the grc homozygotes. This biochemical abnormality is the first to be associated with a genetically regulated, developmental defect linked to the major histocompatibility complex, and it is related to the pathogenesis of one of the major lesions controlled by the grc.
Increased activity of renal glycine-cleavage-enzyme complex in metabolic acidosis
Authors: Lowry M , Hall D E , Brosnan J T
Published: August 2015

Glycine is metabolized in isolated renal cortical tubules to stochiometric qualities of ammonia, CO2 and serine by the combined actions of the glycine-cleavage-enzyme complex and serine hydroxymethyltransferase. The rate of renal glycine metabolism by this route is increased in tubules from acidotic rats, but is not affected in vitro by decreasing the incubation pH from 7.4 to 7.1. Metabolic acidosis caused an increase in the renal activity of the glycine-cleavage-enzyme complex, but there were no changes in the activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase or of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase. This enzymic adaptation permits increased ammoniagenesis from glycine during acidosis. The physiological implications are discussed.
Purification of a metalloproteinase inhibitor from human rheumatoid synovial fluid
Authors: Mercer E , Cawston T E , de Silva M , Hazleman B L
Published: August 2015

A metalloproteinase inhibitor present in human rheumatoid synovial fluid was purified by a combination of heparin-Sepharose chromatography, concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatography, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The Mr of the purified inhibitor was 28000 by SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and 30000 by gel filtration. The inhibitor blocked the activity of the metalloproteinases collagenase, gelatinase and proteoglycanase, but not thermolysin or bacterial collagenase. The serine proteinase trypsin was not inhibited. The inhibitory activity was lost after treatment with trypsin (0.5 micrograms/ml) at 37 degrees C for 30 min, 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (1 mM) at 37 degrees C for 3 h, after incubation for 30 min at 90 degrees C and by reduction and alkylation. These properties suggest that the inhibitor closely resembles the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (‘TIMP’) recently purified from connective-tissue culture medium.