bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rabbit β-glucuronidase. Purification and properties, and the existence of multiple forms
Authors: Dean Roger T.
Published: August 2015

1. β-Glucuronidase (EC 3.2.1.31) was purified from rabbit liver by a procedure involving autolysis, (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and hydroxyapatite, gel filtration, sedimentation in a sucrose gradient, and isoelectric focusing. 2. Electron microscopy revealed ferritin as the major contaminant in later stages of purification and also showed aggregates of enzyme molecules. Particular attention was paid to the removal of ferritin. 3. The purified enzyme was homogeneous in polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis both in non-dissociating conditions and in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate, and in Ouchterlony gel diffusion and immunoelectrophoresis against polyspecific antisera. 4. Sedimentation in sucrose gradients gave a molecular weight of 300000, whereas gel filtration indicated 440000. 5. Subunits of 75000 molecular weight were observed in gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate and in gel filtration in the presence of urea. 6. The Km value for p-nitrophenyl β-d-glucuronide was 0.6mm, and the enzyme was extremely sensitive to lactone inhibitors. It was also inhibited by Hg2+ ions. 7. Multiple forms were observed in the pure enzyme by isoelectric focusing, with pI values of 4.5–5.8. Subunits showed similar heterogeneity. The origin of the multiple forms was investigated in detail, and the possibility of artifact generation largely excluded. Some of the forms of lowest pI disappeared after neuraminidase digestion. The nature of the residual heterogeneity remains to be elucidated.
Regulation of the pentose phosphate cycle
Authors: Eggleston Leonard V. , Krebs Hans A.
Published: August 2015

1. A search was made for mechanisms which may exert a `fine' control of the glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase reaction in rat liver, the rate-limiting step of the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle. 2. The glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase reaction is expected to go virtually to completion because the primary product (6-phosphogluconate lactone) is rapidly hydrolysed and the equilibrium of the joint dehydrogenase and lactonase reactions is in favour of virtually complete formation of phosphogluconate. However, the reaction does not go to completion, because glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is inhibited by NADPH (Neglein & Haas, 1935). 3. Measurements of the inhibition (which is competitive with NADP+) show that at physiological concentrations of free NADP+ and free NADPH the enzyme is almost completely inhibited. This indicates that the regulation of the enzyme activity is a matter of de-inhibition. 4. Among over 100 cell constituents tested only GSSG and AMP counteracted the inhibition by NADPH; only GSSG was highly effective at concentrations that may be taken to occur physiologically. 5. The effect of GSSG was not due to the GSSG reductase activity of liver extracts, because under the test conditions the activity of this enzyme was very weak, and complete inhibition of the reductase by Zn2+ did not abolish the GSSG effect. 6. Preincubation of the enzyme preparation with GSSG in the presence of Mg2+ and NADP+ before the addition of glucose 6-phosphate and NADPH much increased the GSSG effect. 7. Dialysis of liver extracts and purification of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase abolished the GSSG effect, indicating the participation of a cofactor in the action of GSSG. 8. The cofactor removed by dialysis or purification is very unstable. The cofactor could be separated from glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase by ultrafiltration of liver homogenates. Some properties of the cofactor are described. 9. The hypothesis that GSSG exerts a fine control of the pentose phosphate cycle by counteracting the NADPH inhibition of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is discussed.
Specific inhibition of the enzymic decarboxylation of S-adenosylmethionine by methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) and related substances
Authors: Corti A. , Dave C. , Williams-Ashman H. G. , Mihich E. , Schenone Amelia
Published: August 2015

Methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) {1,1′-[(methylethanediylidene)-dinitrilo]diguanidine} is a very potent inhibitor of putrescine-activated S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylases from many different mammalian tissues, including sublines of mouse L1210 leukaemia that are resistant to the drug as well as sublines that are sensitive. The inhibition of purified rat ventral prostate S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase is competitive with respect to the S-adenosylmethionine substrate, and is much greater in the presence than in the absence of the activator putrescine. Inhibition by the drug depends, among other things, on the nature of the aliphatic amines that can serve as stimulators of rat prostate S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase. Effects of some congeners of methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) on the enzyme are described.
Inhibitors of rabbit plasma prostaglandin A isomerase
Authors: Jones Robert L.
Published: August 2015

1. The potent inhibitory activities of three groups of prostaglandin analogues on the prostaglandin A isomerase of rabbit plasma were demonstrated. 2. Six of the compounds were prepared by NaBH4 reduction of the C-9 oxo groups of prostaglandin A2 and prostaglandin C2 and their C-15 epimers. The remaining four were racemates and were synthesized in another laboratory. Unknown configurations at C-9 and at C-15 were assigned. 3. All the compounds were found to be competitive inhibitors of the isomerase in vitro. Km/Ki ratios were determined and it was found that both the 15(S) and 15(R) epimers have potent inhibitory activity. 4. One of the inhibitors was used to study the reversibility of the isomerase. 5. It is suggested that these compounds may be useful for determining the biological significance of prostaglandin A isomerase. In view of its weak biological activity and possibly extended half-life in vivo, the reduction product of 15-epiprostaglandin C2 may be the most suitable agent for this purpose.
Studies on glucarate catabolism: the oxodeoxyglucarate aldolase activity of glucarate hydrolyase from Pseudomonas acidovorans (Short Communication)
Authors: Jeffcoat Roger
Published: August 2015

Glucarate hydro-lyase was isolated and purified to near homogeneity from cells of Pseudomonas acidovorans grown on glucarate. By using gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography, it was shown that the oxodeoxyglucarate aldolase activity observed in such extracts is associated with the glucarate hydro-lyase protein.
The equilibrium constant of the phosphoglyceromutase reaction
Authors: Clarke John B. , Birch Michael , Britton Hubert G.
Published: August 2015

The equilibrium constant of the phosphoglyceromutase reaction was determined over a range of pH (5.4–7.9), in solutions of different ionic strength (0.06–0.3) and in the presence of Mg2+, at 30°C and at 20°C. The values obtained (8.65–11.65) differ substantially from previously published values. The third acid dissociation constants were redetermined for 2- and 3-phosphoglycerate, and in contrast with previous reports the pK values (7.03 and 6.97 respectively at zero ionic strength) were closely similar. The Mg2+-binding constants were measured spectrophotometrically and the values, 286mm-1 and 255mm-1 for 2- and 3-phosphoglycerate at pH7 and ionic strength 0.02, were also very similar. From the relative lack of effect of temperature, pH and ionic strength it is concluded that the equilibrium constant differs from unity largely because of entropic factors. At low ionic strength, in the neutral region, the pH-dependence can be attributed to the small difference in the acid dissociation constants, but the difference in dissociation constants does not explain the pH-dependence in the acid region or at high ionic strength. Within physiological ranges of pH, Mg2+ concentration and ionic strength there will be little variation in equilibrium constant.
Hyaluronic acid in cartilage and proteoglycan aggregation
Authors: Hardingham Timothy E. , Muir Helen
Published: August 2015

1. Dissociation of purified proteoglycan aggregates was shown to release an interacting component of buoyant density higher than that of the glycoprotein-link fraction of Hascall & Sajdera (1969). 2. This component, which produced an increase in hydrodynamic size of proteoglycans on gel chromatography, was isolated by ECTEOLA-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography and identified as hyaluronic acid. 3. The effect of pH of extraction showed that the proportion of proteoglycan aggregates isolated from cartilage was greatest at pH4.5. 4. The proportion of proteoglycans able to interact with hyaluronic acid decreased when extracted above or below pH4.5, whereas the amount of hyaluronic acid extracted appeared constant from pH3.0 to 8.5. 5. Sequential extraction of cartilage with 0.15m-NaCl at neutral pH followed by 4m-guanidinium chloride at pH4.5 was shown to yield predominantly non-aggregated and aggregated proteoglycans respectively. 6. Most of the hyaluronic acid in cartilage, representing about 0.7% of the total uronic acid, was associated with proteoglycan aggregates. 7. The non-aggregated proteoglycans were unable to interact with hyaluronic acid and were of smaller size, lower protein content and lower keratan sulphate content than the disaggregated proteoglycans. Together with differences in amino acid composition this suggested that each type of proteoglycan contained different protein cores.
The amino acid sequence of plastocyanin from Solanum tuberosum L. (potato)
Authors: Ramshaw John A. M. , Scawen Michael D. , Bailey Christopher J. , Boulter Donald
Published: August 2015

The amino acid sequence of plastocyanin from potato was determined. It consists of a single polypeptide chain of 99 residues, of molecular weight 10332. The sequence was determined by using a Beckman 890c sequencer and by dansyl–Edman analysis of peptides derived from purified CNBr fragments. The sequence shows considerable similarity with that of Chlorella fusca, and also with the C-terminal region of bacterial azurins.
The isolation and properties of phenylalanine hydroxylase from rat liver
Authors: Gillam Shirley Su , Woo Savio L. C. , Woolf Louis I.
Published: August 2015

Phenylalanine hydroxylase was prepared from rat liver and purified 200-fold to about 90% purity. All the enzymic activity of the liver appeared in a single protein of mol.wt. approx. 110000, but omission of dithiothreitol and of a preliminary filtration step to remove lipids resulted in partial conversion into a second enzymically active protein of mol.wt. approx. 250000. The Km and Vmax. values of the enzyme for phenylalanine, p-fluorophenylalanine and dimethyltetrahydropterin were measured; p-chlorophenylalanine inhibited the enzyme by competing with phenylalanine. Disc gel electrophoresis at pH7.2 showed a single protein band containing all the enzymic activity, but at pH8.7 the enzyme dissociated into two inactive fragments of similar but not identical molecular weight. The molecule of phenylalanine hydroxylase contained two atoms of iron, one atom of copper and one molecule of FAD; molybdenum was absent. Treatment with chelating agents showed that both non-haem iron and copper were necessary for enzymic activity. The molecule contained five thiol groups, and thiol-binding reagents inhibited the enzyme. Catalase or peroxidase enhanced enzymic activity fivefold; it is postulated that catalase (or other peroxidase) plays a part in the hydroxylation reaction independent of the protection by catalase of enzyme and cofactor from inactivation by a hydroperoxide.
Calcium and magnesium ions as effectors of adipose-tissue pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase
Authors: Severson David L. , Denton Richard M. , Pask Helen T. , Randle Philip J.
Published: August 2015

The metal-ion requirement of extracted and partially purified pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase from rat epididymal fat-pads was investigated with pig heart pyruvate dehydrogenase [32P]phosphate as substrate. The enzyme required Mg2+ (Km 0.5mm) and was activated additionally by Ca2+ (Km 1μm) or Sr2+ and inhibited by Ni2+. Isolated fat-cell mitochondria, like liver mitochondria, possess a respiration- or ATP-linked Ca2+-uptake system which is inhibited by Ruthenium Red, by uncouplers when linked to respiration, and by oligomycin when linked to ATP. Depletion of fat-cell mitochondria of 75% of their total magnesium content and of 94% of their total calcium content by incubation with the bivalent-metal ionophore A23187 leads to complete loss of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase activity. Restoration of full activity required addition of both MgCl2 and CaCl2. SrCl2 could replace CaCl2 (but not MgCl2) and NiCl2 was inhibitory. The metal-ion requirement of the phosphatase within mitochondria was thus equivalent to that of the extracted enzyme. Insulin activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in rat epididymal fat-pads was not accompanied by any measurable increase in the activity of the phosphatase in extracts of the tissue when either endogenous substrate or 32P-labelled pig heart substrate was used for assay. The activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in fat-pads by insulin was inhibited by Ruthenium Red (which may inhibit cell and mitochondrial uptake of Ca2+) and by MnCl2 and NiCl2 (which may inhibit cell uptake of Ca2+). It is concluded that Mg2+ and Ca2+ are cofactors for pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase and that an increased mitochondrial uptake of Ca2+ might contribute to the activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase by insulin.
Properties of a prolactin receptor from the rabbit mammary gland
Authors: Shiu Robert P. C. , Friesen Henry G.
Published: August 2015

Receptors for human, simian, ovine, bovine and murine prolactin, human growth hormone and human placental lactogen have been identified in plasma-membrane-containing subcellular particles isolated from rabbit mammary glands. The association and dissociation of 125I-labelled prolactin are time- and temperature-dependent processes, both being maximal at 37°C. 125I-labelled prolactin prepared by the enzymic iodination procedure with lactoperoxidase binds better to receptors than does the preparation obtained by using chloramine-t as the oxidizing agent. The binding of 125I-labelled prolactin to receptors is strongly influenced by pH and ionic composition but not by many low-molecular-weight compounds tested, e.g. steroids, nucleotides and several drugs. Receptor activity is sensitive to trypsin and phospholipase C digestion, suggesting that protein and phospholipid moieties are essential for the binding of 125I-labelled prolactin. The binding of 125I-labelled prolactin to receptors is a saturable and reversible process. Scatchard and Lineweaver–Burk analyses suggest that 125I-labelled prolactin has a high affinity for its receptor. Binding of 125I-labelled prolactin to receptors does not result in the destruction of the hormone. Considerable prolactin-binding activity is also observed in subcellular fractions isolated from the adrenal gland, liver, ovary and kidney of the pregnant rabbit, a finding that is consistent with other reported actions of prolactin in these organs.
Biotin-mediated protein biosynthesis
Authors: Boeckx R. L. , Dakshinamurti K.
Published: August 2015

The effect of administration of biotin to biotin-deficient rats on protein biosynthesis was studied. Biotin treatment resulted in stimulation by more than twofold of amino acid incorporation into protein, both in vivo and in vitro in rat liver, pancreas, intestinal mucosa and skin. Analysis of the products of amino acid incorporation into liver proteins in vivo and in vitro indicated that the synthesis of some proteins was stimulated more than twofold, but others were not stimulated at all. This indicates a specificity in the stimulation of protein synthesis mediated by biotin.
Effects of α-amanitin on the stimulation of prostatic ribonucleic acid polymerase by prostatic steroid–protein receptor complexes
Authors: Davies P. , Griffiths K.
Published: August 2015

Stimulation of prostatic RNA polymerase in vitro by prostatic 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one (5α-dihydrotestosterone)–receptor complexes has been previously reported. By use of the selective inhibitor, α-amanitin, we have shown that both nucleolar and extranucleolar RNA polymerase activities may be stimulated, but stimulation is abolished at high ionic strength.
Kinetic properties of rat liver pyruvate kinase at cellular concentrations of enzyme, substrates and modifiers
Authors: Flory Wayne , Peczon Benigno D. , Koeppe Roger E. , Spivey H. Olin
Published: August 2015

Kinetic properties of rat liver pyruvate kinase type I at pH7.5 and 6.5 were studied with physiological ranges of substrates, modifiers and Mg2+ concentrations at increasing enzyme concentrations, including the estimated cellular concentrations (approx. 0.1mg/ml). Enzyme properties appear unaffected by increased enzyme concentration if phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate and inhibitors are incubated with enzyme before starting the reaction with ADP. Our data suggest that minimum cellular concentrations of MgATP and l-alanine provide virtually complete inhibition of pyruvate kinase I at pH7.5. The most likely cellular control of existing pyruvate kinase I results from the strong restoration of enzyme activity by the small physiological amounts of fructose 1,6-diphosphate. Decreasing the pH to 6.5 also restores pyruvate kinase activity, but to only about one-third of its activity in the presence of fructose 1,6-diphosphate. Neither pyruvate nor 2-phosphoglycerate at cellular concentrations inhibit the enzyme significantly.
Thermal inactivation studies of normal and variant human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrases by using a sulphonamide-binding assay
Authors: Osborne William R. A. , Tashian Richard E.
Published: August 2015

Heat-inactivation studies were carried out on the two primary erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isoenzymes, CA I and CA II, and the secondary isoenzyme of CA I, CA I (+1). In addition, two genetic variants of human isoenzyme CA I, CA Id Michigan (100 Thr→Lys) and CA If London (102 Glu→Lys), and one variant of isoenzyme CA II, CA IIh (251 Asn→Asp), were similarly analysed. The first-order rate constants and Arrhenius plots for these six enzyme forms showed that (1) isoenzyme CA II is more heat-stable than CA I, (2) isoenzyme CA I (+1) is less heat-stable than CA I, (3) the variants CA IIh and CA If London are less heat-stable than the normal enzymes, and (4) isoenzyme CA Id Michigan is more heat-stable than normal CA I. From the values of the slopes of the Arrhenius plots, the energy of activation (Ea) for each isoenzyme and isoenzyme variant was determined, and the following thermodynamic activation parameters were calculated at 55°C: the free energy of activation (ΔG‡), the activation enthalpy (ΔH‡) and the activation entropy (ΔS‡). The ΔG‡ for the enzymes shows a relative constancy with compensating variation in ΔH‡ and ΔS‡. When the values for ΔH‡ are plotted against ΔS‡, an increase in ΔH‡ involves a concomitant increase in ΔS‡.
Characterization of gastric mucoproteins isolated by equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation in caesium chloride
Authors: Starkey Bryan J. , Snary David , Allen Adrian
Published: August 2015

1. The mucoprotein from pig gastric mucus has been purified by equilibrium centrifugation in a CsCl gradient. 2. This procedure removes the non-covalently bound protein, which is closely associated with the mucoprotein and not easily removed from it by gel filtration. 3. The purified mucoprotein is separable by gel filtration into a high-molecular-weight mucoprotein A (mol.wt. 2.3×106) and a low-molecular-weight mucoprotein B/C (mol.wt. 1.15×106). 4. These two mucoproteins have the same chemical analysis namely fucose 11.3%, galactose 26%, glucosamine 19.5%, galactosamine 8.3% and protein 13.6%. 5. Mucoprotein A contains 3.1% ester sulphate. 6. These mucoproteins are isolated without enzymic digestion and have a higher protein content than the blood-group-substance mucoproteins from proteolytic digestion of gastric mucus. Detailed amino acid analysis shows that the extra protein in the non-enzymically digested material is composed of amino acids other than serine and threonine. 7. Mucoproteins A and B/C contain respectively 130 and 9 half-cystine residues per molecule of which about 78 and 6 residues are involved in disulphide linkages. 8. Cleavage of these disulphide linkages by mercaptoethanol splits both mucoproteins into four equally sized subunits of mol.wt. 5.2×105for mucoprotein A and 2.8×104for mucoprotein B/C. 9. The sole N-terminal amino acid of mucoprotein A is aspartic acid, whereas mucoprotein B/C has several different N-terminal amino acid residues.
Calcium-induced dissociation of human plasma factor XIII and the appearance of catalytic activity
Authors: Cooke Rodney D.
Published: August 2015

1. The Ca2+dependence of the activity of plasma Factor XIIIa was studied by using the continuous assay based on the incorporation of dansylcadaverine into dephosphorylated acetylated β-casein (β-substrate). The Km for Ca2+is about 0.170mm. 2. At low concentrations of Ca2+there was a lag in attaining the steady-state rate. The size of the lag was decreased and eventually abolished if the enzyme was preincubated with a high concentration of Ca2+before assay. The concentration of Ca2+required to decrease the lag phase by 50% in 10min depended on the protein concentration: at 0.87mg of protein/ml it required 17mm-Ca2+and at 0.44mg/ml it needed 10mm-Ca2+. 3. The concentrations of Ca2+required either to abolish the lag phase in the appearance of enzyme activity or to activate the essential thiol for reaction with 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) in 10min incubation were similar at the same protein concentration. This indicated that Ca2+induces a conformation change that is responsible for both phenomena. A model is proposed that links this conformation change to the dissociation of the tetrameric enzyme. 4. This was supported by the observation that the addition of excess of b chains to the Factor XIIIa (a′2b2) increased the concentration of Ca2+required to expose the reactive thiol, and inhibited the Ca2+-dependent aggregation of a′ chains. 5. Platelet Factor XIIIa (a′2) was inhibited by 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate) in the absence of Ca2+, and no lag phases were observed in attaining the steady-state rate at low Ca2+concentrations, thus confirming the model for the activation of the plasma enzyme. 6. The Ca2+dependence of platelet Factor XIIIa indicated that Ca2+has an additional role in the enzyme mechanism of the plasma enzyme, perhaps being involved in substrate binding. 7. The dependence of the stability of plasma Factor XIIIa on Ca2+and protein concentration indicates that the decay in activity is related to the tetramer dissociation. 8. β-Substrate decreased the Ca2+concentration required for (1) abolition of the lag phase and (2) enzyme inhibition by thiol reagents. The effect on the former is greater than on the latter. 9. The role of the b chains of the plasma Factor and the evolutionary significance of the plasma and platelet Factors are considered.
Studies on the biosynthesis of tetrahymanol in Tetrahymena pyriformis. The mechanism of inhibition by cholesterol
Authors: Beedle Alan S. , Munday Kenneth A. , Wilton David C.
Published: August 2015

Tetrahymanol biosynthesis by the protozoan Tetrahymena pyriformis was progressively inhibited by the inclusion of cholesterol in the growth medium. Studies with labelled precursors of tetrahymanol have established that there are two major sites of inhibition in whole cells. The inhibition at the first site, between acetate and mevalonate, occurred rapidly after addition of cholesterol. The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (EC 1.1.1.34), a predominantly cytosolic enzyme in this organism, was not inhibited in cholesterol-grown cells nor by addition of cholesterol directly to the assay medium. The second major site of inhibition in whole cells is between mevalonate and squalene and this is accompanied by inhibition of the enzyme that converts farnesyl-pyrophosphate into squalene (squalene synthetase). Squalene cyclase is partially inhibited. The conversion of mevalonate into tetrahymanol in vitro was not inhibited by the addition of cholesterol to the assay medium. Tetrahymanol added to the culture medium is taken up by the cells but does not inhibit endogenous biosynthesis. It is suggested that cholesterol inhibits the later stages of tetrahymanol biosynthesis by causing a change in membrane structure and function which alters the activity of membrane-bound enzymes.
A comparison of glucoside formation by liver preparations from the rabbit and the mouse
Authors: Labow Rosalind S. , Layne Donald S.
Published: August 2015

Liver homogenates from mice and from rabbits transfer glucose from UDP-[6-3H]glucose, at pH7.0, to oestradiol-17α, oestradiol-17β, oestradiol-17α 3-glucuronide, p-nitrophenol and diethylstilboestrol. In the rabbit the phenolic steroids were better substrates than p-nitrophenol for the glucosyltransferase, whereas the reverse was true in the mouse. At pH8.0, rabbit liver, but not mouse liver, transferred glucose to oestradiol-17α 3-glucuronide in better yield than that at pH7.0. Evidence is presented for the presence of two glucosyltransferases in rabbit liver. One of these has a pH optimum at about 8.0, and is highly specific for oestradiol-17α 3-glucuronide, whereas the other, which has a pH optimum at about 7.0, is similar in this respect to the transferase in mouse liver.
The development of ribonuclease and acid phosphatase during germination of Pisum arvense
Authors: Barker Geoffrey R. , Bray Clifford M. , Walter Trevor J.
Published: August 2015

1. Development of ribonuclease activity in the cotyledons of germinating peas is biphasic, the time of appearance of the two phases depending on the conditions of growth. 2. Acid phosphatase exhibits a single phase of development. 3. Cycloheximide inhibits development of ribonuclease activity in phase II but not in phase I. 4.14C-labelled amino acids are not incorporated into ribonuclease isolated during phase I. 5. The buoyant density of ribonuclease isolated during phase I is not affected by imbibition of the seed in 80% deuterium oxide. 6. Acid phosphatase was isolated from the supernatant fraction of the cotyledons of germinating peas and partially purified. 7. Development of acid phosphatase activity during germination is inhibited by treatment of the seed with cycloheximide or actinomycin D. 8. Partial purification of acid phosphatase from peas germinated in the presence of14C-labelled amino acids suggests that the enzyme is radioactively labelled. 9. Germination of peas in the presence of 80% deuterium oxide results in an increase in the buoyant density of acid phosphatase. 10. The results suggest that increase in ribonuclease activity during the first 4 days of germination does not result from synthesis of protein de novo, but that the corresponding increase in acid phosphatase activity does result from synthesis de novo.
Measurement of the dynamics of stimulation and inhibition of steroidogenesis in isolated rat adrenal cells by using column perfusion
Authors: Lowry P. J. , McMartin Colin
Published: August 2015

Isolated adrenal cells were perfused in a small column by using Bio-Gel polyacrylamide beads as an inert supporting matrix, and the time-course of the response to various stimuli was observed by measuring fluorogenic 11-hydroxycorticosteroids in the effluent. A small but significant response was observed 1 min after stimulation with physiological concentrations of ACTH (adrenocorticotrophin), but the response did not start to build up rapidly for 3–4min and eventually reached a plateau after 9–10min. A similar pattern of events was observed for the decay of the steroid output on removal of ACTH. ACTH analogues, including one with a long duration of action in vivo, were found to produce responses with similar kinetics. However, cyclic AMP caused a more rapid increase in steroidogenesis and its effects were more short-lived after withdrawal. If, as present evidence suggests, cyclic AMP is produced rapidly after ACTH stimulation the delayed build-up of the steroidogenic response to ACTH would indicate that cyclic AMP may not be the intracellular mediator. When inhibitors were applied during ACTH stimulation, aminoglutethimide, which blocks mitochondrial conversion of cholesterol into pregnenolone (3β-hydroxypregn-5-en-20-one), caused a rapid fall in steroid output (1 min), whereas cycloheximide took longer to achieve its full effect. Nevertheless, the response had fallen by 50% in 2 min, indicating a much shorter half-life than that previously reported for the labile protein implicated in steroidogenesis. In addition the rapid response to cyclic AMP makes it unlikely that steroid production is induced as a result of initiation of protein synthesis. This suggests that the labile protein plays an obligatory but permissive role in the development of the response. Column perfusion has proved to be a simple technique which can readily yield accurate data on responses of cells to stimulants and inhibitors.
Preliminary characterization of Thy-1.1 and Ag-B antigens from rat tissues solubilized in detergents
Authors: Letarte-Muirhead Michelle , Acton Ronald T. , Williams Alan F.
Published: August 2015

1. A radioactive binding assay for Thy-1.1 alloantigen which functions in the presence of detergents was established by using glutaraldehyde-fixed thymocytes as target cells. Thy-1.1 activity in detergent extracts was then assayed by measuring inhibition of the binding assay. 2. Solubilization of Thy-1.1 from whole thymocytes, and their membranes by a large number of non-ionic detergents and deoxycholate was studied. In the same extracts Ag-B(4) histocompatibility antigenic activities were measured. With the exception of Nonidet P-40, the detergents did not affect the antigenicity of Thy-1.1, but only Lubrol-PX and deoxycholate gave effective solubilization as measured by activity remaining in the supernatant after centrifugation at 200000g for 40min. With Ag-B(4) antigen, Triton X-100, Triton X-67 and Nonidet P-40 gave effective solubilization as well as Lubrol-PX and deoxycholate. Solubilization of Thy-1.1 activity from leukaemia cells and a brain homogenate was also studied, but none of the non-ionic detergents gave satisfactory results with these tissues. 3. Extracts from thymocyte membranes were further examined by gel filtration and sucrose gradient centrifugation. The Thy-1.1 activity behaved as a single component in deoxycholate with a density similar to that of a globular protein, but in Lubrol-PX the antigen was contained in a low-density complex. In Lubrol-PX extracts Ag-B(4) was also found in aggregates not observed in deoxycholate. 4. The s20,w values for Thy-1.1 and Ag-B(4) antigens in deoxycholate were 2.4 and 4.4, and v̄ values were 0.70 and 0.75 respectively. The Stokes radius observed for Thy-1.1 was 3.1nm and for Ag-B(4) 5.3nm. By using these values the molecular weights for the antigen–detergent complexes were calculated to be 28000 for Thy-1.1 and 100000 for Ag-B(4).
Subcellular distribution and properties of kynurenine transaminase in rat liver
Authors: Nakatani Masaki , Morimoto Maria , Noguchi Tomoo , Kido Ryo
Published: August 2015

Kynurenine transaminase activity in rat liver was found in both the mitochondrial and supernatant fractions. The mitochondrial and supernatant fractions contained (a) kynurenine–pyruvate transaminase, which showed a preference for pyruvate as amino acceptor and a pH optimum between 8.0 and 8.5, and (b) kynurenine–α-oxoglutarate transaminase, with a preference for α-oxoglutarate and a pH optimum between 6.0 and 6.5. Possible roles of these enzymes in tryptophan metabolism in the liver are discussed.
Stabilization of two-stranded ribohomopolymer helices and destabilization of a three-stranded helix by ethidium bromide
Authors: Waring Michael J.
Published: August 2015

Thermal-denaturation profiles of helical polynucleotides have been measured in the presence of increasing concentrations of ethidium bromide. The poly(A)·poly(U) helix is strongly stabilized by binding of ethidium, to much the same extent as is DNA, but the stabilizing effect on poly(I)·poly(C) is much smaller. In the poly(A)·2poly(U) system the drug selectively destabilizes and eventually destroys the triple helix, leaving only the double-helix-to-coil transition.
An oxygenase from guinea-pig liver which catalyses sulphoxidation
Authors: Prema Kumaraswamy , Gopinathan K. P.
Published: August 2015

A mono-oxygenase catalysing the conversion of 2-ethyl-4-thioisonicotinamide (ethionamide) into its sulphoxide was purified from guinea-pig liver homogenates. The enzyme required stoicheiometric amounts of oxygen and NADPH for the sulphoxidation reaction. The purified protein is homogeneous by electrophoretic, antigenic and chromatographic criteria. The enzyme has mol.wt. 85000 and it contains 1g-atom of iron and 1mol of FAD per mol, but not cytochrome P-450. The enzyme shows maximal activity at pH7.4 in a number of different buffer systems and the Km values calculated for the substrate and NADPH are 6.5×10−5m and 2.8×10−5m respectively. The activation energy of the reaction was calculated to be 36kJ/mol. Under optimal conditions, the molecular activity of the enzyme (mol of substrate oxidized/min per mol of enzyme) is calculated to be 2.1. The oxygenase belongs to the class of general drug-metabolizing enzymes and it may act on different compounds which can undergo sulphoxidation. The mechanism of sulphoxidation was shown to be mediated by superoxide anions.
Oestradiol uptake and retention, and high-affinity binding sites in cultured rabbit uterus
Authors: Russell Susan L. , Thomas Gordon H.
Published: August 2015

Oestradiol uptake and turnover was examined in rabbit uterus maintained in organ culture for up to 3 days. Serum decreased the uptake of [3H]oestradiol, whereas insulin had no significant effect. During the first 24h of culture unoccupied high-affinity receptors for oestradiol were markedly depleted in the cytosol. Nuclear binding sites remained high during the first day of culture, and were still present after 3 days. The stability of nuclear-bound oestradiol was confirmed by examining the turnover of radioactivity during culture of uteri of rabbits injected with [3H]oestradiol 6h before death. Over half of the radioactivity was retained for as long as 3 days in tissue cultured in the absence of oestrogen. In tissue cultured for 24h with unlabelled oestrogen, there was a progressive increase in the displacement of [3H]oestradiol as the concentration of unlabelled hormone in the medium was increased from 0.1 to 5nm. Higher concentrations of oestradiol had little additional effect. The oestradiol involved in this displacement reaction was associated with macromolecules, characterized by Sephadex G-25 chromatography and sucrose-density-gradient ultracentrifugation of the 0.4m-KCl extract of the nuclear pellet.
Lipolysis and hydrogenation of galactolipids and the accumulation of phytanic acid in the rumen (Short Communication)
Authors: Dawson R. M. C. , Hemington N. , Grime D. , Lander D. , Kemp P.
Published: August 2015

By administering 14C-labelled grass to a sheep it has been shown that the ruminal bio-hydrogenation of the esterified linolenic acid of the galactolipids in chloroplast membranes only occurs after a rapid lipolysis. A slow accumulation of [14C]phytanic acid is presumed to arise by oxidation of phytol residues removed from chlorophylls.
A study of various changes in transfer ribonucleic acid methylase activity during adenovirus-12 transformation in vitro
Authors: McFarlane E S
Published: August 2015

A number of parameters were used to correlate a change in control or expression of tRNA methylase activity and the transformation by adenovirus-12 in vitro. The earliest change observed corresponding to visible morphological changes was a decrease in the tRNA methylase inhibitor(s).
Purification and some characteristics of the coagulation factor IX from human plasma
Authors: Østerud B , Flengsrud R
Published: August 2015

Non-activated coagulation factor IX was purified approx. 10,000-fold from human plasma. The final product was electrophoretically homogeneous and comprised a tingle polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of about 70,000 and a pI of 4.3-4.45. The N-terminal amino acid was glycine. The amino acid and the carbohydrate contents were analysed and a monospecific antiserum to the factor was raised in rabbits.
Evidence of a calcium-ion-transport system in mitochondria isolated from flight muscle of the developing sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina
Authors: Bygrave F L , Daday A A , Doy F A
Published: August 2015

The EGTA (ethanedioxybis(ethylamine)tetra-acetic acid)-Ruthenium Red-quench technique (Reed & Bygrave, 1974a) was used to measure initial rates of Ca-2+ transport in mitochondria from flight muscle of the blowfly Lucilia cuprina. Evidence is provided for the existence in these mitochondria of a Ca-2+-transport system that has many features in common with that known to exist in rat liver mitochondria. These include requirement for energy, saturation at high concentrations of Ca-2+, a sigmoidal relation between initial rates of Ca-2+ transport and Ca-2+ concentration, a high affinity for free Ca-2+ (Km approx. 5 muM) and high affinity for the Ca-2+-transport inhibitoy, Ruthenium Red (approx. 0.03 nmol of carrier-specific binding-sites/mg of protein; Ki approx. 1.6 × 10- minus 8 M). Controlled respiration can be stimulated by Ca-2+ after a short lag-period provided the incubation medium contains KCl and not sucrose. The ability of Lucilia mitochondria to transport Ca-2+ critically depends on the stage of mitochondrial development; Ca-2+ transport is minimal in mitochondria from pharate adults, is maximal between 0 and 2h post-emergence and thereafter rapidly declines to reach less than 20% of the maximum value by about 2-3 days post-emergence. Respiration in mitochondria from newly emerged flies does not respond to added Ca-2+; that from 3-5-day-old flies is stimulated approx. 50%. Whereas very low concentrations of Ca-2+ inhibit ADP-stimulated respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria from newly emerged flies (Ki approx. 60 ng-ions of Ca-2+/mg of protein); much higher concentrations (approx. 200 ng-ion/mg of protein) are needed to inhibit these processes in those from older flies. The potential of this system for studying the function and development of metabolite transport systems in mitochondria is discussed.
The properties and extracellular location of 5′-nucleotidase of the rat fat-cell plasma membrane
Authors: Newby A C , Luzio J P , Hales C N
Published: August 2015

1. A phosphohydrolase specific for 5′-nucleotides was characterized by using a particulate fraction from isolated fat-cells. 2. The activity of intact cells towards 5′-AMP was studied. 3. The activity in either situation had the same KM for AMP (45 muM) and was inhibited by low concentrations of ATP (less than 50 muM), but less potently by the ATP analogues AMP-P(CH2)P(adenylyl (β γ-methylene)diphosphonate) and AMP-P)NH)P (adenylylimidodiphosphate). 4. Homogenization of intact fat-cells caused no increase in activity and at least 85% of the activity was recovered in the particulate preparation. 5. The preparation of fat-cells used in this work was not freely permeable to AMP. 6. The ability of intact fat-cells to hydrolyse AMP implies that 5′-nucleotidase is an ectoenzyme in fat-cells. 7. Concentrations of ATP 100 times lower than intracellular concentrations inhibit the enzyme when added extracellularly to intact fat-cells, implying that this effect is also medicated at the extracellular face of the membrane. 8. Antibodies raised to whole liver cells and whole fat-cells inhibit 5′-nucleotidase in intact cells. 9. Incubation of intact fat-cells with adrenaline (1 mug/ml) or insulin (50 mui.u./ml) failed to alter the KM or Vmax. of the enzyme.
Metabolic interactions of glucose, acetoacetate and adrenaline in rat submaxillary gland in vitro
Authors: Thompson M P , Williamson D H
Published: August 2015

1. The metabolic interactions between glucose, acetoacetate and adrenaline were studied in submaxillary-gland slices. 2. Acetoacetate (2.5 mM) inhibited glucose removal by 22% and entry of glucose carbon into the tricarboxylic acid cycle by 54%. 3. Acetoacetate caused an increase in (glucose 6-phosphate) together with an increase in (citrate), a finding that suggests that the phosphofructokinase step might be inhibited by the elevated (citrate). Support for this suggestion was obtained in experiments in which fluoracetate was used to elevate (citrate). 4. A further site of action of acetoacetate at the pyruvate dehydrogenase step was suggested by an increase in the lactate+pyruvate pool, and the finding that pyruvate removal and (3-14C)pyruvate oxidation were inhibited by acetoacetate. 5. Adrenaline, a stimulator of secretion by this tissue, increased glucose removal by 25%. Adrenaline increased glucose removal to the same extent when acetoacetate was also present in the incubation medium. In both cases the increase was accompanied by a fall in (glucose 6-phosphate). 6. Adrenaline also overcame the inhibition of pyruvate removal caused by acetoacetate. 7. The tissue (ATP) decreased by about 50% on addition of adrenaline, and a similar fall was observed in vivo after adrenergic stimulation by isoproterenol. 8. Omission of Ca-2+ from the medium prevented the fall in (glucose 6-phosphate) and (ATP) caused by adrenaline, although adrenaline was still able to stimulate glucose removal. The inhibitory effect of acetoacetate on gluocse removal was reversed by adrenaline, but there was no stimulation above the control rates. Inhibition of pyruvate removal by acetoacetate was not overcome by adrenaline in the absence of Ca-2+. 9. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP had no effect on glucose removal or on (ATP). 10. Possible mechanisms by which adrenaline can bring about its metabolic effects are discussed.
Role of phospholipid in the intermediate steps of the sodium-plus-potassium ion-dependent adenosine triphosphatase reaction
Authors: Wheeler K P
Published: August 2015

The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation steps of the (Na-++K-+)-dependent ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase) (EC 3.6.1.3) reaction have been compared in ‘normal’, lipid-depleted and ‘restored’ membrane ATPase preparations. Partial lipid depletion was achieved by a single extraction with Lubrol W, and ‘restoration’ by adding pure phosphatidylserine. γ-32-P-labelled ATP was used for phosphorylation. The main findings were as follows. (1) Partial lipid depletion decreased but did not prevent Na-+-dependent phosphorylation, although it virtually abolished both Na-+-dependent and (Na-++K-+)-dependent ATPase activities. (2) ‘Restoration’ with phosphatidylserine produced an increment in phosphorylation that was the same in the presence and absence of added Na-+. (3) K-+ decreased the extent of Na-+-dependent phosphorylation of the depleted enzyme without producing a corresponding release of Pi. (4) K-+ rapidly decreased the extent of phosphorylation of the ‘restored’ enzyme to near-background value, with a concomitant release of Pi. (5) Na-+-dependent ATP hydrolysis was not restored. (6) The turnover of the ‘restored’ enzyme seemed to be higher than that of the ‘normal’ enzyme. The reaction sequence is discussed in relation to these results and the fact that the depleted enzyme retained about 50% of K-+-dependent phosphatase activity.
The teichuronic acid of cell walls of Bacillus subtilis W23 grown in a chemostat under phosphate limitation
Authors: Wright J , Heckels J E
Published: August 2015

Cell walls of Bacillus subtilis W23 contain teichuronic acid when grown in a chemostat under phosphate limitation at a low dilution rate, but teichoic acid at a higher dilution rate. The teichuronic acid was purified and shown to be a polymer of glucuronic acid and N-acetylgalactosamine.
Ligand binding to ferrocytochrome c at high pH
Authors: Moore T A , Greenwood C , Wilson M T
Published: August 2015

Ferrocytochrome c has been shown to bind two molecules of CO at pH 14. The second CO is thought to be bound only when the cytochrome c molecule is denatured, and once bound appears to be spectrally silent. Insolubilization of native cytochrome c prevents the binding of the second CO molecule. A scheme is proposed to explain these observations based on evidence from static titrations and flash-photolysis experiments, use of carboxymethyl cytochrome c and insoluble cytochrome c, and use of cyanide instead of CO as a ligand.
The amino acid sequence of plastocyanin from spinach. (Spinacia oleracea L.)
Authors: Scawen M D , Ramshaw J A , Boulter D
Published: August 2015

The amino acid sequence of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) plastocyanin was determined. It consists of a single polypeptide chain of 99 residues and has a sequence molecular weight of 10415. The sequence was determined by using a Beckman 890C automatic sequencer and by the dansyl--phenyl isothiocyanate analysis of peptides obtained by the enzymic digestion of purified CNBr fragments. Overlap through the two methionine residues was not shown. Sedimentation equilibrium in the ultracentrifuge gave a molecular weight for spinach plastocyanin of about 9000, in contrast with the value of 21000 reported previously by Katoh et al. (1962).
The nature of the binding site for aromatic compounds in glycogen phosphorylase b
Authors: Soman G , Philip G
Published: August 2015

The inhibition of rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b (1,4-alpha-D-glucan--orthophosphate alpha-glucosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.1) by aromatic compounds was examined with 15 compounds. The relative effectiveness of the inhibitors correlated well with increasing substituent constant, pi, indicating the hydrophobic nature of the binding site. The inhibition was not affected by the ionic-strength variation of the assay mixtures. The results predict that the course of chemical modification of this enzyme and the properties of the derivatives depend on the nature of the reagent and on the incorporated groups. Many of the dissimilar and sometimes contradictory results reported for chemical-modification studies and for chemically modified phosphorylase b are explained by the findings presented in the paper.
Identification of amino acid thiohydantoins directly by thin-layer chromatography and indirectly by gas-liquid chromatography after hydrolysis
Authors: Rangarajan M , Darbre A
Published: August 2015

A method is described for the identification of amino acid thiohydantoins by two-dimensional t.l.c. An indirect method for the determination of amino acid thiohydantoins is described which, after hydrolysis, the corresponding amino acids are determined by g.l.c.
A simple method of characterizing mitochondrial ribonucleic acid.
Authors: Haldar D , Waters B K , Freeman D B
Published: August 2015

A simple method of isolating and characterizing RNA from L-cell mitochondria is described. The mitochondrial fraction is lysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate, and the RNA fractionated by sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation. The efficacy of proteinase K in preventing ribonuclease activity is also demonstrated.