bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hazelhurst-vesicular-stomatitis-virus G and Sindbis-virus E1 glycoproteins undergo similar host-cell-dependent variation in oligosaccharide processing
Authors: Davidson S K , Hunt L A
Published: August 2015

We have examined and compared the host-cell-dependent glycosylation of the G glycoprotein of vesicular-stomatitis virus (Hazelhurst strain) and the E1 and E2 glycoproteins of Sindbis virus replicated by baby-hamster kidney, chicken-embryo fibroblast and mouse L929 monolayer cell cultures. The results of endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H digestion of viral proteins labelled with [3H]mannose or leucine and Pronase-digested glycopeptides labelled with [3H]mannose indicated that both the G protein and the E1 protein contained a similar mixture of endoglycosidase-resistant oligosaccharides of the complex acidic type and less extensively processed endoglycosidase-sensitive oligosaccharides of the neutral or hybrid type, with a relatively greater content of the endoglycosidase-sensitive oligosaccharides for virus replicated in the chicken as against hamster or mouse cells. A large fraction of the G protein and the majority of the E1 proteins from the mammalian host cells contained acidic-type oligosaccharides at both glycosylation sites, whereas most of the G and E1 glycoproteins from the avian host cells and essentially all of the E2 protein from all three host-cell types contained an acidic-type oligosaccharide at one site and neutral- or hybrid-type oligosaccharide at the other site. The relative increase in neutral- and hybrid-type oligosaccharides with five-mannose core structures observed for the G and E1 proteins of virus released from the avian host cells suggested that two specific steps in oligosaccharide processing (mediated by alpha-mannoside II and N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase I) were less efficient at one of the glycosylation sites of the vesicular-stomatitis-virus G protein and Sindbis-virus E1 protein in the avian as against mammalian host cells.
The role of iron in ferritin- and haemosiderin-mediated lipid peroxidation in liposomes
Authors: O'Connell M J , Ward R J , Baum H , Peters T J
Published: August 2015

Ferritin and haemosiderin were shown, by the measurement of malondialdehyde production and loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids, to stimulate lipid peroxidation in liposomes. At pH 7.4 ascorbate was additionally required to achieve peroxidation; however, peroxidation occurred at pH 4.5 in the presence of iron-proteins alone. The damage was completely inhibited by the incorporation of chain-breaking antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene) into the liposomes. Metal chelators (desferrioxamine and EDTA) also completely inhibited lipid peroxidation. These and further results indicate that, at pH 4.5, even in the absence of a reducing agent, iron is released from haemosiderin and can mediate oxidative damage to a lipid membrane.
Protein-bound glycogen is linked to tyrosine residues
Authors: Aon M A , Curtino J A
Published: August 2015

Tyrosine-glycogen obtained from retina proteoglycogen by exhaustive proteolytic digestion was radiolabelled with 125I. The 125I-labelled tyrosine-glycogen was degraded by amylolytic digestion to a very small radioactive product, which was identified as iodotyrosine by h.p.l.c. The amylolytic mixture used released glucose and maltose that were alpha-linked to the phenolic hydroxy group of p-nitrophenol. No free iodotyrosine was found before or after the intact [125I]iodotyrosine-glycogen was subjected to two cycles of the Edman degradation procedure. The linkage between protein and glycogen was alkali-stable. Therefore it is concluded that the protein-bound glycogen was O-glycosidically linked to the phenolic hydroxy group of tyrosine. The amino acid has not been heretofore found to be involved in the linkage of carbohydrates to proteins.
Protection of rats by clofibrate against the hypoglycaemic and toxic effects of hypoglycin and pent-4-enoate. An ultrastructural and biochemical study
Authors: Van Hoof F , Hue L , Vamecq J , Sherratt H S
Published: August 2015

An ultrastructural and biochemical study of the toxic and hypoglycaemic effects of hypoglycin and pent-4-enoate was made on the livers of normal and clofibrate-fed rats. Injection of hypoglycin to rats doubles (from 22% to 44%) the volume fraction of mitochondria and decreases (from 1.05% to 0.26%) the volume fraction of peroxisomes in hepatocytes. The fast-acting toxin pent-4-enoate causes few ultrastructural changes except for the accumulation of lipids. In male adult rats fed with 0.5% clofibrate in their diet for 1-2 months, the volume fraction occupied by peroxisomes and mitochondria in hepatocytes rose to 6.26% and 29.5% respectively. Clofibrate feeding apparently protected the animals against the toxic, hypoglycaemic and hypothermic effects of hypoglycin and of pent-4-enoate, and completely prevented the ultrastructural damage caused by hypoglycin. After hypoglycin administration, hepatic mitochondrial butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase activity was inhibited by more than 90% and, surprisingly, the activity of the peroxisomal enzymes studied was largely preserved. When hypoglycin was given to rats fed on a clofibrate-containing diet, the oxidation of decanoylcarnitine, which was incomplete after hypoglycin treatment alone, remained incomplete with uncoupled mitochondria, but became apparently complete with coupled mitochondria. In the latter condition, there was a slowing of the rate during the last quarter of the pulse of oxygen uptake. Further, butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase activity was much less affected by hypoglycin in clofibrate-fed animals. Pent-4-enoate does not inhibit beta-oxidation in coupled mitochondria from clofibrate-treated rats.
The role of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase in the hormonal control of tryptophan metabolism in isolated rat liver cells. Effects of glucocorticoids and experimental diabetes
Authors: Salter M , Pogson C I
Published: August 2015

The metabolism of L-tryptophan by isolated liver cells prepared from control, adrenalectomized, glucocorticoid-treated, acute-diabetic, chronic-diabetic and insulin-treated chronic-diabetic rats was studied. Liver cells from adrenalectomized rats metabolized tryptophan at rates comparable with the minimum diurnal rates of controls, but different from rates determined for cells from control rats 4h later. Administration of dexamethasone phosphate increased the activity of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.11) 7-8-fold, and the flux through the kynurenine pathway 3-4-fold, in cells from both control and adrenalectomized rats. Increases in flux through kynureninase (EC 3.7.1.3) and to acetyl-CoA can be explained in terms of increased substrate supply from tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase. The metabolism of tryptophan was increased 3-fold in liver cells isolated from acutely (3 days) diabetic rats, with a 7-8-fold increase in the maximal activity of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase. The oxidation of tryptophan to CO2 and metabolites of the glutarate pathway increased 4-5-fold, consistent with an increase in picolinate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.45) activity. Liver cells isolated from chronic (10 days) diabetic rats metabolized tryptophan at rates comparable with those of cells from acutely diabetic rats, but with a 50% decrease in the activity of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase. The proportion of flux from tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase to acetyl-CoA, however, was increased by 50%; this was indicative of further increases in the activity of picolinate carboxylase. Administration of insulin partially reversed the effects of chronic diabetes on the activity of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase and flux through the kynurenine pathway, but had no effect on the increased activity of picolinate carboxylase. The role of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase in regulating the blood tryptophan concentration is discussed with reference to its sensitivity to the above conditions.
The core molecule from type H proteoglycan. Release of mannose-containing oligosaccharides by digestion with N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase
Authors: Takahashi N , Ishihara H , Tejima S , Oike Y , Kimata K , Shinomura T , Suzuki S
Published: August 2015

Chick-embryo cartilage contains a unique set of proteoglycans. Type H proteoglycan (PG-H) is the most abundant, constituting over 90% of the total cartilage hexuronate. We previously showed that treatment of PG-H with chondroitinase ACII and keratanase yields a protein-enriched core molecule [PG(-CS, KS)] with enzymically modified linkage oligosaccharides of the chondroitin sulphate and keratan sulphate chains. We report here that further treatment of PG(-CS, KS) with pepsin and N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase (almond glycopeptidase) released four distinct types of mannose-containing oligosaccharide. Two of them were shown to be: (Formula: see text). Of the mannose-containing glycopeptides formed by pepsin digestion, about 40% (as mannose) were resistant to N-oligosaccharide glycopeptidase. Since the resistant fraction was enriched in keratan sulphate remnants, it is suggest that the mannose-containing oligosaccharides in this fraction represent those located in a keratan sulphate-enriched region of PG-H.
Kinetic analysis of metsulphmyoglobin and metmyoglobin reduction by Fe(EDTA)2-
Authors: Lim A R , Mauk A G
Published: August 2015

Metsulphmyoglobin prepared from horse heart myoglobin was purified by ion-exchange chromatography to yield a product that on reduction with Fe(EDTA)2- has an A617/A561 ratio greater than 3.5:1. The kinetics of reduction of this purified metsulphmyoglobin and of native metmyoglobin by Fe(EDTA)2- were studied under various conditions of pH, ionic strength and temperature to compare the relative electron-transfer reactivities of a metallochlorin and a metalloporphyrin in identical protein environments. Although the rate of metsulphmyoglobin reduction is 2-7 times that of metmyoglobin under a variety of conditions, this difference can be more than compensated for by the reported difference in mid-point reduction potential between the two forms of the protein. The electrostatic and activation parameters observed for native metmyoglobin and metsulphmyoglobin are essentially identical, and small differences are found in the pH-dependence of the reduction reaction. These findings lead us to conclude that conversion of the porphyrin prosthetic group into a chlorin has relatively little effect on the electron-transfer reactivity of the central metal atom.
Purification and properties of 5-aminolaevulinate dehydratase from human erythrocytes
Authors: Gibbs P N B , Chaudhry A G , Jordan P M
Published: August 2015

A new procedure for the isolation of homogeneous human 5-aminolaevulinate dehydratase (porphobilinogen synthase, EC 4.2.1.24) is described in which the enzyme is purified 35000-fold and in 65-74% yield. The specific activity of the purified enzyme, 24 units/mg, is the highest yet reported. An efficient stage for the removal of haemoglobin is incorporated in the method, which has general application to the purification of other erythrocyte enzymes. The erythrocyte dehydratase (Mr 285 000) is made up of eight apparently identical subunits of Mr 35 000. The enzyme is sensitive to oxygen, and its activity is maintained by the presence of thiols such as dithioerythritol. Zn2+ is obligatory for enzyme activity, the apoenzyme being essentially inactive (approximately equal to 12% of control) when assayed in buffers devoid of Zn2+. Addition of Zn2+ to the apoenzyme restores activity as long as the sensitive thiol groups are fully reduced; optimal stimulation occurs between 100 and 300 microM-Zn2+. The human enzyme is inhibited by Pb2+ in a non-competitive fashion [KiI (dissociation constant for E X S X Pb2+ complex) = 25.3 +/- 3.0 microM; KiS (dissociation constant for E X Pb2+ complex) = 9.0 +/- 2.0 microM]. Modification of thiol groups, inactivation by oxidation, alkylation or reaction with thiophilic reagents demonstrates the importance of sensitive thiol groups for full enzymic activity.
The inhibition of diacylglycerol-stimulated intracellular phospholipases by phospholipids with a phosphocholine-containing polar group. A possible physiological role for sphingomyelin
Authors: Dawson R M C , Hemington N , Irvine R F
Published: August 2015

Phosphatidylinositol phosphodiesterase activated by diacylglycerol is substantially inhibited by all phospholipids containing a phosphocholine head group, including phosphatidylcholine, hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine, choline plasmalogen, lysophosphatidylcholine, lysocholine plasmalogen, sphingomyelin and sphingosylphosphocholine. The sphingosine-containing phospholipids are the most inhibitory. Phosphatidic acid does not inhibit, and phosphatidylethanolamine activates the hydrolysis still further. Sphingomyelin is highly inhibitory to a diacylglycerol-stimulated intestinal mucosal phospholipase A2, or a liver lysosomal phospholipase A1 + A2, both hydrolysing a phosphatidylcholine substrate. Sphingomyelin [20% molar (20 mol of sphingomyelin/80 mol of phosphatidylethanolamine)] activates phosphatidylethanolamine hydrolysis by intestinal mucosal phospholipase A2, and then at higher concentrations (40% molar) substantially inhibits the activity. The results are discussed in relation to possible molecular reorganizations brought about in the hydrated phospholipid substrate complex, and in particular the possible stabilizing role of sphingomyelin in the maintenance of membrane structure, and hence in the modulation of phospholipase activity.
Seminalplasmin. An endogenous calmodulin antagonist
Authors: Gietzen K , Galla H J
Published: August 2015

Seminalplasmin, a strongly basic protein isolated from bull semen, was found to antagonize with high potency and extraordinary specificity the function of calmodulin. Calmodulin antagonism is the result of an interaction between the two proteins, which is mainly determined by electrostatic forces. The stimulation of Ca2+-transporting ATPase and phosphodiesterase by calmodulin was half-maximally inhibited at approx. 0.1 microM-seminalplasmin. However, the basal activity of calmodulin-dependent enzymes was not significantly altered by seminalplasmin over the concentration range investigated.
Serine synthesis by an isolated perfused rat kidney preparation
Authors: Scaduto R C , Davis E J
Published: August 2015

The isolated perfused rat kidney was shown to synthesize serine from aspartate or glutamate, both of which are also precursors of glucose. The major products of aspartate metabolism were ammonia, serine, glutamate, glucose, glutamine and CO2. Perfusion of kidneys with aspartate in the presence of amino-oxyacetate resulted in a near-complete inhibition of aspartate metabolism, illustrating the essential role of aspartate aminotransferase in the metabolism of this substrate. Radioactivity from 14C-labelled aspartate and from 14C-labelled glycerol was incorporated into serine and glucose. Production of both glucose and serine from aspartate was suppressed in the presence of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid. These data provide evidence for the operation of the phosphorylated and/or non-phosphorylated pathway for serine production to the presence of 3-mercaptopicolinic acid. This is explained by simultaneous glycolysis. The rate of glucose production, but not that of serine, was greater in kidneys perfused with glutamate or with aspartate plus glycerol than the rates obtained by perfusion with aspartate alone. These data are taken to suggest that serine synthesis occurred at a near-maximal rate, and that the capacity of the kidney for serine synthesis from glucose precursors is lower than that for glucose synthesis.
Stimulation of interleukin 1 and 3 production by retinoic acid in vitro
Authors: Trechsel U , Evêquoz V , Fleisch H
Published: August 2015

Retinoic acid and other retinoids stimulate or inhibit a number of immune responses, but their mechanism of action on immune cells is not fully understood. However, retinoids have been shown to inhibit interferon production, so they could act by influencing the production of lymphokines. Hence we have studied the effect of retinoic acid on the production of interleukins (ILs) 1 and 3 in vitro. Models for the production of ILs were the murine macrophage cell line P388D1 and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells for IL 1 and the murine WEHI-3 cell line for IL 3. Retinoic acid stimulated IL 1 release by P388D1 cells in a dose-related fashion, starting at 10(-9) M and maximally at 10(-8)-10(-6) M. With peripheral blood mononuclear cells a maximal stimulation of IL 1 release was observed with 10(-7) M-retinoic acid. IL 3 release by WEHI-3 cells was also stimulated by retinoic acid in a dose-related fashion. The maximal response was obtained with 10(-8) M-retinoic acid. These results show that retinoic acid, in physiological concentrations, exerts selective effects on interleukin production in vitro, and this stimulation of IL 1 and IL 3 release may explain some of the immunostimulatory effects of retinoids in vivo. Moreover, since IL 1 is known to influence connective tissues and bone, an increase in IL 1 might also explain some of the changes observed in these tissues in vitamin A poisoning and with high-dose retinoid therapy.
A study on the mechanism of the epimerization at C-3 of chenodeoxycholic acid by Clostridium perfringens
Authors: Aragozzini F , Canzi E , Ferrari A , Maconi E , Sidjimov A
Published: August 2015

The mechanism of 3-hydroxy epimerization of chenodeoxycholic acid by Clostridium perfringens was investigated in 3 alpha, 7 α-dihydroxy-[2,2,4,4-2H4]-, 3 alpha, 7 α-dihydroxy-[3 β-2H]- and 3 beta, 7 α-dihydroxy-[3 α-2H]-5 β-cholanoic acid transformations. Our findings rule out a dehydration-rehydration pathway and agree with a redox mechanism involving 3-oxochenodeoxycholic acid as intermediate.
Calpain inhibition by peptide epoxides
Authors: Parkes C , Kembhavi A A , Barrett A J
Published: August 2015

A Ca2+-activated cysteine proteinase (calpain II) was purified from chicken gizzard smooth muscle by use of isoelectric precipitation, (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, Reactive-Red 120-agarose and Mono Q. The apparent second-order rate constants for the inactivation of calpain by a series of structural analogues of L-3-carboxy-trans-2, 3-epoxypropionyl-leucylamido-(4-guanidino)butane (E-64) were determined. The fastest rate of inactivation was observed with L-3-carboxy-trans-2, 3-epoxypropionyl-leucylamido-(4-benzyloxy-carbonylamino)buta ne. It was possible to determine the active-site molarity of solutions of calpain by titration with E-64. When incubated with Ca2+, calpain underwent several steps of intermolecular limited proteolysis, via multiple pathways, followed by a slower loss of enzymic activity. The proteolytic steps preceding the loss of activity did not affect the rates of reaction of calpain with E-64 analogues.
The suicide inactivation of ox liver short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase by propionyl-CoA. Formation of an FAD adduct
Authors: Shaw L , Engel P C
Published: August 2015

Propionyl-CoA gave an unexpectedly low turnover (0.03 s-1) and high Km (153 microM) as a substrate for ox liver short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (SCAD). On addition of an excess of propionyl-CoA to SCAD the flavin A448 decreased to about 30% of its original value and the peak at 368 nm was replaced by one at 335 nm. The decrease in A448 exhibited first-order kinetics and correlated with a first-order decrease in the enzyme's catalytic activity to 22% of the initial value. The flavin, released from propionyl-CoA-treated enzyme with trichloroacetic acid, reacted with O2 to form a stable free radical. This suggests that a reduced N-5 flavin adduct is formed on the enzyme and protected from O2. The released adduct was separated from unmodified flavin and excess propionyl-CoA by h.p.l.c., and was shown by 3H-labelling to contain CoA. The incompleteness of the decrease in the enzyme's A448 and specific activity on incubation with propionyl-CoA probably reflects an equilibrium between covalently and non-covalently bound acyl-CoA, since the spectral changes could be reversed. The enzyme was also re-activated by dilution and incubation with a large molar excess of butyryl-CoA. The rate constant, approx. 2 × 10(-3) s-1, for re-activation, taken with the extrapolated rate constant for the opposing inactivation reaction, 8.9 × 10(-3) s-1, explains the 22% residual activity at equilibrium. The results suggest that propionyl-CoA is a suicide inhibitor for SCAD.
Essentiality of the active-site arginine residue for the normal catalytic activity of Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase
Authors: Borders C L , Saunders J E , Blech D M , Fridovich I
Published: August 2015

Chemical modification of bovine and yeast Cu, Zn superoxide dismutases with phenylglyoxal diminishes the catalytic activities by greater than or equal to 98%, and treatment of these enzymes with butanedione plus borate leads to greater than or equal to 96% inactivation. The activity loss is accompanied by the modification of less than two arginine residues per subunit with no concomitant loss of Cu or Zn. The phenylglyoxal-modified enzymes require at least a 20-fold greater concentration of cyanide for 50% inhibition than do the corresponding native enzymes. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and activity staining of the phenylglyoxal-inactivated enzymes demonstrate that the residual activity is largely associated with modified forms that bear lower net positive charge than the native superoxide dismutases.
Proteinases from invasive larvae of the trematode parasite Schistosoma mansoni degrade connective-tissue and basement-membrane macromolecules
Authors: McKerrow J H , Jones P , Sage H , Pino-Heiss S
Published: August 2015

Larvae of the human parasite Schistosoma mansoni, which invade the vascular system through the skin, secrete proteinases that degrade radioactively labeled extracellular matrices produced by smooth-muscle cells, dermal fibroblasts and endothelial cells. The proteinase purified from one larval form, the cercaria, degrades fibronectin and laminin and is a type-specific collagenase with activity against basement-membrane collagens IV and VIII, but not interstitial collagens I, III and V. The substrate specificity of this enzyme resembles that of the proteolytic enzymes which facilitate tissue invasion by inflammatory cells and tumour cells.
Stromal protein phosphorylation in spinach (Spinacia oleracea) chloroplasts
Authors: Foyer C H
Published: August 2015

When intact spinach chloroplasts were supplied with [32P]Pi, stromal protein phosphorylation was found to occur in the dark. On illumination the thylakoid protein kinase was activated and the amount of label found in thylakoid proteins quickly exceeded that incorporated into stromal protein, such that the latter was found to account for only 10-15% of the total radioactivity bound to chloroplast proteins after 5 min illumination. The rate of phosphorylation of stromal polypeptides was unchanged by light. After SDS/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, more than 15 labelled polypeptides of stromal origin were observed. A polypeptide with an Mr of approx. 70 000 had the highest specific activity of labelling. Both the large and small subunits of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase were phosphorylated. The level of phosphorylation of stromal protein was increased by CO2 fixation in intact chloroplasts. This increase was not observed in the absence of NaHCO3 or in the presence of the phosphoribulokinase inhibitor DL-glyceraldehyde. These effects appeared to be largely due to changes in the phosphorylation state of the large and small subunits of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase. Studies with the reconstituted chloroplast system showed that the thylakoid protein kinase(s) played no part in the phosphorylation of stromal protein. The rate and level of phosphorylation of stromal protein was unaffected by the activation state of the thylakoid protein kinase and was unchanged when thylakoids were omitted from the reaction medium. The phosphorylation of stromal proteins is therefore catalysed by a discrete soluble protein kinase.
Binding of proteinases to human α2-macroglobulin with its thioester bonds cleaved by methylamine in the presence of a thiol-group-cyanylating reagent
Authors: Björk I
Published: August 2015

After cleavage of the thioester bonds of human alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M) by methylamine, the inhibitor undergoes an extensive conformational change and loses its ability to bind proteinases. In contrast, similar cleavage in the presence of dinitrophenyl thiocyanate, a reagent that cyanylates the liberated thiol groups, does not change the mobility of alpha 2M in gel electrophoresis, and the inhibitor also retains activity [Van Leuven, Marynen, Cassiman & Van den Berghe (1982) Biochem. J. 203, 405-411]. Analyses in this work show that also the spectroscopic properties of alpha 2M are essentially unperturbed under these conditions. These observations are consistent with the major change of the conformation of the protein having been arrested by the cyanylation reaction. However, several functional properties of the protein are altered, indicating that a limited conformational change does occur. The apparent stoichiometry of binding of trypsin is thus decreased to about 0.5 mol of enzyme/mol of alpha 2M. Nevertheless trypsin induces a similar conformational change in all molecules of the modified inhibitor as that induced in untreated alpha 2M. This behaviour indicates a similar mode of binding of the enzyme to the modified alpha 2M as to intact alpha 2M, but also a high extent of non-productive activation of binding sites in the modified inhibitor. A further difference to untreated alpha 2M is that most of the bound trypsin molecules react considerably faster with soya-bean trypsin inhibitor. The rate of inhibition of thrombin is also greatly decreased, and the modified inhibitor is more sensitive than untreated alpha 2M to proteolysis at sites outside the ‘bait’ region. The properties of the cyanylated human alpha 2M are thus similar to those of bovine alpha 2M in which the thioester bonds have been cleaved by methylamine in the absence of the cyanylating reagent [Björk, Lindblom & Lindahl (1985) Biochemistry 24, 2653-2660]. These results indicate that the thioester bonds of human and bovine alpha 2M are not required as such for the stability of the gross conformation of the protein or for the binding of proteinases. Nevertheless they participate directly in maintaining certain structural features, similar in the two inhibitors, that are necessary for full proteinase-binding ability. Disruption of these structures leads to a slower and less efficient trapping of the enzymes.
Nature of sulphated macromolecules in mouse Reichert's membrane. Evidence for tyrosine O-sulphate in basement-membrane proteins
Authors: Paulsson M , Dziadek M , Suchanek C , Huttner W B , Timpl R
Published: August 2015

Seven different sulphated macromolecules were detected in 6 M-guanidinium chloride extracts of metabolically [35S]sulphate-labelled mouse Reichert's membrane and were partially separated. Polypeptide bands of apparent Mr 50 000, 150 000 (tentatively identified as entactin) and 170 000 contained essentially tyrosine O-sulphate as the labelled component. Most of the radioactive sulphate was incorporated into three different proteoglycans, which could be separated by chromatography and density-gradient centrifugation before and after enzymic degradation. Enzymic analysis of glycosaminoglycans and of protein cores by immunoassays identified these components as low-density and high-density forms of heparan sulphate proteoglycan and a high-density form of chondroitin sulphate or dermatan sulphate proteoglycan.
An active twenty-amino-acid-residue peptide derived from the inhibitor protein of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase
Authors: Cheng H C , van Patten S M , Smith A J , Walsh D A
Published: August 2015

Digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 proteinase of the inhibitor protein of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase results in the sequential formation of three active inhibitory peptides. The smallest active peptide has the sequence Thr-Thr-Tyr-Ala-Asp-Phe-Ile-Ala-Ser-Gly-Arg-Thr-Gly-Arg-Arg-Asn-Ala-Ile- His-Asp . This 20-amino-acid-residue peptide has 20-40% of the activity of the native molecule and a Ki of 0.2 nM. Inhibition, as a minimum, appears to be based upon the inhibitor protein containing the recognition sequences that dictate protein-substrate-specificity. This inhibitory peptide also has sequence homology with the phosphorylation site for a protein kinase other than the cyclic AMP-dependent enzyme.
Pertussis toxin substrate is a guanosine 5′-[β-thio]diphosphate-, N-ethylmaleimide-, Mg2+- and temperature-sensitive GTP-binding protein
Authors: Wong S K , Martin B R , Tolkovsky A M
Published: August 2015

We compared the effects of guanine nucleotides and Mg2+ on ADP-ribosylation of rat brain and liver membrane proteins catalysed by Bordetella pertussis toxin (IAP) and cholera toxin (CT). Labelling of proteins in the presence of [alpha-32P]NAD+, ATP and CT required GTP or guanosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate (GTP [S]). In contrast, labelling of one (liver) or two (brain) polypeptides by IAP was enhanced by guanosine 5′-[β-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]) or GTP, but was blocked by GTP[S] or guanosine 5′-[β, γ-imido]triphosphate (p[NH]ppG). The order of labelling intensity was GDP[S] greater than GTP greater than no addition greater than GTP[S] = p [NH]ppG. Mg2+ increased labelling by CT, but decreased labelling by IAP. In addition, Mg2+ potentiated the effects of the guanine nucleotides, increasing the inhibitory effects of GTP[S] and the activatory effects of GDP[S] or GTP. Preincubating liver membranes at 30 degrees C in the presence of 10 mm-MgCl2 inhibited labelling by IAP irreversibly. Pretreatment of liver membranes with 4.95 mM-N-ethylmaleimide decreased labelling by CT by approximately 15%, but almost completely blocked labelling by IAP. These results suggest that the undissociated, GDP-bound, conformation of Ni, the inhibitory GTP-binding protein of adenylate cyclase, is the preferred substrate for ADP-ribosylation by IAP. This conformation, which is prevalent in native membranes, is sensitive to temperature, Mg2+ ions and alkylating agents such as N-ethylmaleimide. At 30 degrees C, Mg2+ may cause dissociation and denaturation of Ni in native membranes.
Pressure-relaxation studies of pyrene-labelled actin and myosin subfragment 1 from rabbit skeletal muscle. Evidence for two states of acto-subfragment 1
Authors: Coates J H , Criddle A H , Geeves M A
Published: August 2015

We have used actin labelled at Cys-374 with N-(1-pyrenyl)iodoacetamide [Kouyama & Mihashi (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 114, 33-38] to monitor pressure-induced relaxations of acto-myosin subfragment 1. This label greatly increases the sensitivity of measurement of dissociated actin and reveals the presence of two relaxations. The experimental data can be fitted by a model in which actin binds subfragment 1 relatively weakly (K = 5.9 × 10(4) M-1) and then isomerizes to a more tightly bound complex (K = 1.7 × 10(7) M-1). This directly observed isomerization supports the model of Geeves, Goody & Gutfreund [(1984) J. Muscle Res. Cell. Motil. 5, 351-361]. The rate of the isomerization is too high to be observed in the pressure-jump apparatus (less than 200 microseconds), but analysis of the amplitudes allows estimation of the equilibrium constant of the isomerization as 280 (20 degrees C, 0.1 M-KCl, pH 7). The equilibrium is sensitive to temperature, pressure, ionic strength and the presence of ethylene glycol. The pressure-sensitivity of the isomerization suggests a significant conformational change of the acto-myosin subfragment 1 complex.
Distribution and degradation of biotin-containing carboxylases in human cell lines
Authors: Chandler C S , Ballard F J
Published: August 2015

Incubation of cultured cells with [3H]biotin leads to the labelling of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, pyruvate carboxylase, propionyl-CoA carboxylase and methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase. The biotin-containing subunits of the last two enzymes from rat cell lines are not separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, but adequate separation is achieved with the enzymes from human cells. Since incorporated biotin is only released upon complete protein breakdown, the loss of radioactivity from gel slices coinciding with fluorograph bands was used to quantify degradation rates for each protein. In HE(39)L diploid human fibroblasts, the degradation rate constants are 0.55, 0.40, 0.31 and 0.19 day-1 for acetyl-CoA carboxylase, pyruvate carboxylase, methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase and propionyl-CoA carboxylase respectively. A similar series of rate constants is found for AG2804 transformed fibroblasts. The degradation rate constants are decreased by 31-67% in the presence of 50 micrograms of leupeptin/ml plus 5 mM-NH4Cl. Although the largest percentage effect was noted with the most stable enzyme, propionyl-CoA carboxylase, the absolute change in rate constant produced by the lysosomotropic inhibitors was similar for the three mitochondrial carboxylases, but greater for the cytosolic enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase. The heterogeneity in degradation rate constants for the mitochondrial carboxylases indicates that only part of their catabolism can occur via the autophagy-mediated unit destruction of mitochondria. Calculations showed that the autophagy-linked process had degradation rate constants of 0.084 and 0.102 day-1 respectively in HE(39)L and AG2804 cells. It accounted for two-thirds of the catabolic rate of propionyl-CoA carboxylase and a lesser proportion for the other enzymes.
Characterization of Neurospora crassa cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activated by calmodulin
Authors: Téllez-Iñón M T , Ulloa R M , Glikin G C , Torres H N
Published: August 2015

Activation of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase I by brain or Neurospora calmodulin was studied. The stimulation required micromolar concentrations of Ca2+, and it was observed at cyclic AMP concentrations between 0.1 and 500 microM. Activation was blocked by EDTA and some neuroleptic drugs such as chlorpromazine and fluphenazine. These drugs inhibit the elongation of N. crassa wild-type aerial hyphae. These results reinforce the evidence towards the recognition of Ca2+-calmodulin as one of the systems controlling cyclic nucleotide concentrations in Neurospora.
The effect of non-receptor-mediated uptake of cholesterol on intracellular cholesterol metabolism in human skin fibroblasts
Authors: Robertson D L , Poznansky M J
Published: August 2015

Unilamellar lipid vesicles of various cholesterol:phosphatidylcholine molar ratios were used to alter, via passive exchange at the plasma membrane, the cellular free cholesterol content of cultured human skin fibroblasts which had been preincubated in lipoprotein-deficient serum. The effects of these net surface transfers of cholesterol on cellular cholesterol biosynthesis, cholesterol esterification and low density lipoprotein (LDL) binding were determined and were compared with the effects of cholesterol delivered to the cell interior via the receptor-mediated endocytosis of LDL. Both LDL and cholesterol-rich lipid vesicles increased cell cholesterol within 6 h. Cells exposed to LDL also showed, within 6 h, decreased cholesterol synthesis, decreased LDL binding and increased cholesterol esterification. Cells incubated with the cholesterol-rich vesicles showed similar changes but these were delayed and did not occur until 24 h. Fibroblasts incubated with cholesterol-free phosphatidylcholine vesicles had decreased cell cholesterol, increased cholesterol synthesis, increased LDL binding, and decreased esterification, but only after 24 h of incubation. These results suggest that passive net transfers of cholesterol occurring at the cell surface can with time modulate intracellular cholesterol metabolism. These findings are consistent with the idea that the movement of cholesterol from the cell surface to the cell interior is a limited and relatively slow process.
β-adrenergic agents increase the phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase in isolated rat epididymal white adipose tissue
Authors: Sale E M , Denton R M
Published: August 2015

Pieces of rat epididymal adipose tissue were incubated in medium containing [32P]phosphate for 2 h to achieve steady-state labelling of intracellular phosphoproteins and then with or without hormones for a further 15 min. Phosphofructokinase was rapidly isolated from the tissue by use of either Blue Dextran-Sepharose chromatography or immunoprecipitation with antisera raised against phosphofructokinase purified from rat interscapular brown adipose tissue. Similar extents of incorporation of 32P into phosphofructokinase were measured by both techniques. Exposure of the tissue to adrenaline or the beta-agonist isoprenaline increased phosphorylation by about 5-fold (to about 1.4 mol of phosphate/mol of enzyme tetramer). No change in phosphorylation was detected with the alpha-agonist phenylephrine, but exposure to insulin resulted in an approx. 2-fold increase. The increased phosphorylation observed with isoprenaline was found to be associated with a decrease in the apparent Ka for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate similar to that observed on phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase purified from rat epididymal white adipose tissue with the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. These results support the view [Sale & Denton (1985) Biochem. J. 232, 897-904] that an increase in cyclic AMP in adipose tissue may result in an increase in glycolysis through the phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.
Role of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate in mammary gland of fed, starved and re-fed lactating rats
Authors: Ward S , Kuhn N J
Published: August 2015

The fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (Fru-2,6-P2) content and intracellular concentration of lactating mammary gland was measured in fed, starved and re-fed rats. There was little or no change on starvation, and about 1.5-fold rise on re-feeding, contrasting with estimated glycolytic changes of about 10-fold. The 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK-1) activity of mammary extracts was highly sensitive to added Fru-2,6-P2 under all conditions examined, and appeared to approach saturation at physiological concentrations of this effector. The activity of mammary PFK-1 measured under optimal and ‘physiological’ conditions suggested that this enzyme operates in vivo at about 24% of maximal rate, and is likely to be an important rate-limiting factor in mammary glycolysis.
Inactivation of wheat-germ aspartate transcarbamoylase by the arginine-specific reagent phenylglyoxal
Authors: Cole S C , Yaghmaie P A , Butterworth P J , Yon R J
Published: August 2015

Wheat-germ aspartate transcarbamoylase (EC 2.1.3.2) was inactivated by phenylglyoxal in a first-order process, provided that the inactivation time did not exceed 10 min. Apparent first-order rate constants were linearly dependent on phenylglyoxal concentration, indicating a bimolecular reaction between a single active-centre residue and phenylglyoxal, with second-order constant of 0.023 mM-1 X min-1. A plot of apparent first-order rate constant versus pH showed a steep rise above pH 9.5, indicating that the essential residue has a pKa value of 10.5 or higher, consistent with an arginine residue. Saturating concentrations of the following ligands provided a degree of protection (percentages in parentheses) against 1 mM-phenylglyoxal: N-phosphonoacetyl-L-aspartate, a bisubstrate analogue (94%); carbamoyl phosphate (75%); UMP, an end-product inhibitor (53%). Succinate (an analogue of L-aspartate) alone gave no protection, but in combination with carbamoyl phosphate raised the protection to 92%, in agreement with the known binding order of the two substrates. These results indicate that the essential arginine residue is close to the carbamoyl phosphate site, probably oriented towards the aspartate site. Attempts to desensitize the UMP-binding site by reaction with phenylglyoxal, while protecting the active centre, were unsuccessful. The essential active-centre arginine residue is compared with a similar residue in the Escherichia coli enzyme.
Identification of an essential glutamic acid residue in β-lactamase II from Bacillus cereus
Authors: Little C , Emanuel E L , Gagnon J , Waley S G
Published: August 2015

Beta-Lactamase II from Bacillus cereus was readily inactivated by incubation at pH 4.75 with a water-soluble carbodiimide plus a suitable nucleophile. In the early stages of the reaction, 1 equivalent of nucleophile was incorporated/equivalent of enzyme, whereas during the later stages a second equivalent of nucleophile was also incorporated. This latter process correlated with the blocking of the enzyme's single thiol group. Enzyme inactivated in the presence of the coloured nucleophile N-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)ethylenediamine was fragmented by pepsin digestion, and coloured peptides were isolated by gel filtration and h.p.l.c. Two major peptides, representing 52% of the incorporated label, were isolated and sequenced. Both peptides contained the incorporated label on glutamic acid-37, and it is concluded that this latter residue represents a catalytically essential carboxylic residue in beta-lactamase II.
Glucose-stimulated sequestration of Ca2+ in clonal insulin-releasing cells. Evidence for an opposing effect of muscarinic-receptor activation
Authors: Gylfe E , Hellman B
Published: August 2015

Net fluxes of Ca2+ and acid production were studied in clonal insulin-releasing cells (RINm5F) by using colour indicators and dual-wavelength spectrophotometry. After equilibration with a medium containing 10-20 microM-Ca2+, only minimal amounts of Ca2+ (0.08 mmol/kg of protein) were released from the cells by subsequent additions of the respiratory blocker antimycin A and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. The presence of 20 mM-glucose resulted in an almost 5-fold increase of the acid production and in a stimulated net uptake of Ca2+. The latter process was independent of the extracellular Ca2+ concentration and reached saturation after 20 +/- 1 min, when it corresponded to 1.18 +/- 0.07 mmol of calcium/kg of protein. Whereas the thiol reagent iodoacetamide suppressed the acid production, interference with mitochondrial function by using antimycin A or the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone had the opposite effect. The latter two drugs induced a selective release of Ca2+ from a pool containing 35% of that taken up during glucose exposure. Most of the remaining Ca2+ was liberated by A23187 or iodoacetamide. Carbamoylcholine was also selective in mobilizing glucose-stimulated calcium, but this calcium (17%) appeared to originate from the pool insensitive to mitochondrial poisons. The action of carbamoylcholine was blocked by atropine and did not depend on the presence of extracellular Na+. The opposite effects of glucose and muscarinic-receptor activation on a non-mitochondrial calcium pool are consistent with participation of the endoplasmic reticulum in the glucose-induced sequestration of Ca2+ in pancreatic beta-cells.
Salivary apyrase of Rhodnius prolixus. Kinetics and purification
Authors: Sarkis J J F , Guimarães J A , Ribeiro J M C
Published: August 2015

The salivary apyrase activity of the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus was found to reside in a true apyrase (ATP diphosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.5) enzyme. The crude saliva was devoid of 5′-nucleotidase, inorganic pyrophosphatase, phosphatase and adenylate kinase activities. ATP hydrolysis proceeded directly to AMP and Pi without significant accumulation of ADP. Km values for ATP and ADP hydrolysis were 229 and 291 microM respectively. Ki values for ATP and ADP inhibition of ADP and ATP hydrolysis were not different from the Km values, and these experiments indicated competitive inhibition. Activities were purified 126-fold by combined gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography procedures with a yield of 63%. The purified enzyme displayed specific activities of 580 and 335 mumol of Pi released/min per mg of protein for ATP and ADP hydrolysis respectively. The action of the purified enzyme on several phosphate esters indicates that Rhodnius apyrase is a non-specific nucleosidetriphosphate diphosphohydrolase.
Identification of the mouse low-salt-eluting single-stranded DNA-binding protein as a mammalian lactate dehydrogenase-A isoenzyme
Authors: Sharief F S , Wilson S H , Li S S-L
Published: August 2015

A 36,000-Mr protein purified from mouse myeloma on the basis of selective binding to a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-cellulose column has been identified as the lactate dehydrogenase A (LDH-A) subunit. A homogeneous preparation of this mouse myeloma ssDNA-binding protein, termed the ‘low-salt-eluting protein’, was found to possess LDH activity, and rabbit antiserum prepared against this protein was shown to cross-react with purified 36,000-Mr LDH-A subunits from mouse and bovine sources. In addition, bovine and human LHD-A4 isoenzymes were shown to be capable of binding ssDNA. These enzymic and immunological identities with LDH-A were not observed with purified helix-destabilizing protein 1 from mouse myeloma. A model for ssDNA-LDH binding is discussed.
Robust regression of enzyme kinetic data
Authors: Cornish-Bowden A , Endrenyi L
Published: August 2015

A method described previously [Cornish-Bowden & Endrenyi (1981) Biochem. J. 193, 1005-1008] for fitting theoretical equations to enzyme kinetic data without prior knowledge of weights or error distribution has been tested by computer simulation. With the equations for various kinds of linear inhibition as an example, the method performed well under all of the conditions examined, giving results that were often much better than those given by widely used least-squares alternatives, and were never appreciably worse. Although equations for two-substrate kinetics were not explicitly tested, the results for inhibition equations can be generalized to include two-substrate equations because the two are formally equivalent for simulation purposes. As a check on the results with inhibition equations the method was also tested for fitting bell-shaped pH-activity profiles and gave correspondingly good results.
Antigen-stimulated metabolism of inositol phospholipids in the cloned murine mast-cell line MC9
Authors: Musch M W , Siegel M I
Published: August 2015

Cells of the murine mast-cell clone MC9 grown in suspension culture were sensitized with an anti-DNP (dinitrophenol) IgE and subsequently prelabelled by incubating with [32P]Pi. Stimulation of these cells with DNP-BSA (bovine serum albumin) caused marked decreases in [32P]polyphosphoinositides (but not [32P]phosphatidylinositol) with concomitant appearance of [32P]phosphatidic acid. Whereas phosphatidylinositol monophosphate levels returned to baseline values after prolonged stimulation, phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate levels remained depressed. Stimulation of sensitized MC9 cells with DNP-BSA increased rates of incorporation of [32P]Pi into other phospholipids in the order: phosphatidylcholine greater than phosphatidylinositol greater than phosphatidylethanolamine. In sensitized cells prelabelled with [3H]inositol, release of inositol monophosphate, inositol bisphosphate and inositol trisphosphate, was observed after stimulation with DNP-BSA. When Li+ was added to inhibit the phosphatase activity that hydrolysed the phosphomonoester bonds in the sugar phosphates, greater increases were observed in all three inositol phosphates, particularly in inositol trisphosphate. The IgE-stimulated release of inositol trisphosphate was independent of the presence of extracellular Ca2+. In addition, the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 caused neither the decrease in [32P]polyphosphoinositides nor the stimulation of the release of inositol phosphates. These results demonstrate that stimulation of the MC9 cell via its receptor for IgE causes increased phospholipid turnover, with effects on polyphosphoinositides predominating. These data support the hypothesis that hapten cross-bridging of IgE receptors stimulates phospholipase C activity, which may be an early event in stimulus-secretion coupling of mast cells. The results with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 indicate that an increase in intracellular Ca2+ alone is not sufficient for activation of this enzyme.