Showing papers in "Biochemistry in 1978"

Surface-specific iodination of membrane proteins of viruses and eucaryotic cells using 1,3,4,6-tetrachloro-3alpha,6alpha-diphenylglycoluril.

Abstract: The use of the iodinating reagent 1,3,4,6-tetrachloro-3alpha,6alpha-diphenylglycouril (chloroglycoluril) to selectively label membrane surface proteins was investigated with the following systems: enveloped viruses (Sendai and Newcastle disease viruses), human erythrocytes, and nucleated cells propagated both in suspension (EL-4) and in monolayer culture (BHK-21). Conditions are described for specifically iodinating surface proteins while maintaining full virus integrity or cell viability. Comparison of the chloroglycoluril method with the lactoperoxidase and chloramine-T methods for labeling surface membrane proteins shows that the chloroglycoluril method has a number of advantages: It routinely produces a 3- to 17-fold greater specific radioactivity without sacrificing viral or cellular integrity, it is technically simpler to use, it does not require the addition of extraneous protein to initiate the reaction nor a strong reducing reagent to terminate it. Chloroglycoluril also proved to be an effective substitute for chloramine-T in the nonvectorial labeling of viral and cellular proteins. Membrane protein samples were solubilized with the detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate before iodination or labeled in the presence of high iodide concentrations without prior solubilization. The resulting specific radioactivities generated by the use of chloroglycoluril were equal to or greater than those generated by the chloramine-T method. The effectiveness, simplicity of use, and versatility of chloroglycoluril recommend it as an iodinating reagent for both surface-specific and nonvectorial labeling of membrane systems.

Rapid photolytic release of adenosine 5'-triphosphate from a protected analogue: utilization by the Na:K pump of human red blood cell ghosts.

Abstract: 2-Nitrobenzyl phosphate and 1-(2-nitro)phenylethyl phosphate have been synthesized and demonstrated to be suitable as photolabile sources of inorganic phosphate. The same protecting groups were attached to the terminal phosphate of adenosine 5'-triphosphate. These caged ATP compounds released adenosine 5'-triphosphate on illumination at 340 nm in aqueous solution and P/sup 3/-1-(2-nitro)phenylethyl-ATP gave about a 70 percent yield in under 30 s. The unphotolyzed caged ATP was neither a substrate nor inhibitor of purified renal Na,K-ATPase (EC 3.61.3). Following photolysis in the presence of the enzyme, the liberated ATP was hydrolyzed but at an inhibited rate. The photo-dependent inhibition could be eliminated by prior addition of glutathione or bisulfite to the irradiated solution. Caged ATP was incorporated into resealed human erythrocyte ghosts prepared from red blood cells depleted of internal energy stores. While the NA : K pump was unable to use incorporated caged ATP as a substrate, the ATP liberated by photolysis activated the pump as evidenced by measurements of K-dependent, ouabain-sensitive Na efflux. Thus the caged ATP can be used as a stable source of ATP unmetabolizable by intracellular ATPases until the ATP is released following photolytic irradiation.

Conformational preferences of amino acids in globular proteins

Abstract: In a previous paper [Levitt, M., and Greer, J. (1977), J. Mol. Biol. 114, 181--239], an objective compilation of the secondary-structure regions in more than 50 different globular proteins was produced automatically. In the present paper, these assignments of secondary structure are analyzed to give the frequency of occurrence of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids in alpha helix, beta sheet, and reverse-turn secondary structure. Nineteen of these amino acids have a weak but statistically signficant preference for only on type of secondary structure. These preferences correlate well with the chemical structure of the particular amino acids giving a more objective classification of the conformational properties of amino acids than available before.

Liposomes from ionic, single-chain amphiphiles.

Abstract: In studies of the minimum physiochemical requirements for lipid membrane formation, we have made liposomes from dilute, aqueous dispersions of C(8)-C(18) single-chain amphiphiles. In general, membrane formation from ionic soaps and detergents requires the presence of uncharged amphiphiles. Vesicles were characterized by phase-contrast microscopy, by trapping of ionic dyes, as well as by negativestain and freez-frature electron microscopy. They were typically heterogeneous in size, but the average diameter could be experimentally varied in some cases over the range of 1 to 100 micrometer. Uni-, oligo-, and multilamellar vesicles were observed. Membrane permeability to various solutes was determined in part by a new technique which utilized phase-contract microscopy; when impermeable vesciles exclude added solutes such as sucrose, refractive index differences are created between vesicle contents and surrounding medium, so that the vesicles appear bright in the phase microscope. Permeant solutes do not produce this effect. Spectrophotometric permeability determinations confirmed the results of this technique and provided quantitative measures of permeability. Monoalkyl liposomes have potential uses as models of biomembranes and in drug delivery. They are also relevant to the prebiotic origin of biomembranes.

Modulator protein as a component of the myosin light chain kinase from chicken gizzard.

Abstract: The Ca2+-dependent regulation of smooth muscle actomyosin involves a myosin light chain kinase (ATP: myosin light chain phosphotransferase). It has been shown (Dabrowska, R., Aromatorio, D., Sherry, J.M.F., and Hartshorne, D.J. 1977, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 78, 1263) that the kinase is composed of two proteins of approximate molecular weights 105 000 and 17 000. In this communication it is demonstrated that the 17 000 component is the modulator protein. This conclusion is based on: (1) the identical behavior of the 17 000 kinase component and modulator protein in assays of actomyosin Mg2+-ATPase activity, phosphorylation of myosin, and phosphodiesterase activity, and, (2) the similarity of the 17 000 kinase component and the modulator protein with respect to amino acid composition, absorption spectrum, and electrophoresis in urea-polyacrylamide gels. It is shown also that the modulator protein from smooth muscle and troponin C are distinct proteins.

Identification of the catalytic site of rat liver glutathione peroxidase as selenocysteine

Abstract: A procedure was developed to isolate 75Se-labeled rat liver glutathione peroxidase (glutathione:H2O2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.9) at 30--50% purity with 20--30% yields in 4--5 days. Using these preparations of glutathione peroxidase, the selenium moiety in the enzyme was identified as selenocysteine by derivatizing the seleno group with either iodoacetate or ethylenimine in the intact protein, hydrolyzing the protein with 6 N HCl, and cochromatographing the 75Se-labeled products with known standards. Techniques employed were anion-exchange chromatography, cation-exchange chromatography, gel-permeation chromatography, two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography, and automated amino acid analysis. The selenocysteine moiety was identified as the catalytic site in glutathione peroxidase by specifically labeling the enzyme with [14C]iodoacetate on the 75Se-labeled selenium atom and fractionating the 14C, 75Se-labeled derivative after acid hydrolysis. It was concluded that the reduced form of glutathione peroxidase contains the selenocysteine selenol (-SeH) at the catalytic site.

Purification of cyclic 3',5'-nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitory protein by affinity chromatography on activator protein coupled to Sepharose.

Abstract: The Ca2+-dependent, reversible, interaction of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) phosphodiesterase with its activator has been used to purify the enzyme by affinity chromatography. Activator-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase is only a minor component of the proteins specifically adsorbed in the presence of Ca2+ by the Ca2+-dependent activator protein coupled to Sepharose and subsequently released by [ethylenebis(oxyethylenenitrilo)]tetraacetic acid. The major protein component can be partially resolved from the enzyme by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. This protein has been purified to apparent homogeneity and shown to be composed of two polypeptide chains with molecular weights of 61,000 and 15,000 respectively. This protein is, by itself, devoid of phosphodiesterase activity and inhibits the activation of cAMP phosphodiesterase by its activator without affecting the basal activity. Thus, activation of cAMP phosphodiesteriase by the Ca2+-dependent activator protein may be controlled by interactions with yet a third component of the enzyme complex.

Determination of the primary structures of 16 asialo-carbohydrate units derived from human plasma alpha 1-acid glycoprotein by 360-MHZ 1H NMR spectroscopy and permethylation analysis.

Abstract: The present study was initiated in order to determine the primary structures of the carbohydrate units of desialyzed human plasma al-acid glycoprotein. In an earlier investigation I6 glycopeptides which originated from four of the five glycosylation sites of this protein were prepared in the homogeneous state. Since the elucidation of the structures of such a large number of carbohydrate units by the conventional chemical and enzymatic procedures would require a very long period of time and considerable amounts of material, a new method-360-MHz H NMR spectroscopy-in combination with methylation analysis and partial acetolysis was introduced i n the present study. This highly sensitive method allowed the elucidation of the structures of the carbohydrate units of the mentioned glycopeptides to be carried out in a very short period of time. The present investigation revealed that the structures of the 16 heteroglycans can be grouped into five classes, and, except for those of two classes, the structures are new. Two classes designated A and B possess the known bi- and trimtennary structures, respectively. A third class designated C proved to be tetraantennary in its structure, whereas the other classes designated BF and CF are, in comparison with the structures of classes B and C, characterized by an additional fucose residue in a hitherto unknown position and linkage. The latter monosaccharide residue is attached in an a( 1-3) bond, vicinal to Gal@(1 +4), to the GlcNAc residue 7. The present study also revealed that each glycosylation site of pooled a]-acid glycoprotein possesses carbohydrate units with different structures.

Spectroscopic Studies of Specifically Deuterium Labeled Membrane Systems. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation of the Effects of Cholesterol in Model Systems

Abstract: Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholines specifically labeled in positions 2', 3', 4', 6', 8', 10', 12', and 14', of the 2 chain, of an N-deuteriomethylphosphatidylcholine, and of cholesterol-3alpha-d1, have been obtained by the Fourier transform method at 5.46 and 3.52 T on two "home-built" widebore superconducting magnet spectrometers, as a function of temperature and composition. Data on the specifically deuterium-labeled cholesterol molecule (in nonsonicated membrane systems) permits an estimate of the most probable angle of tilt of the sterol in the membrane, and evaluation of the order parameter (Salpha) describing rigid body motions in the bilayer. Segmental order parameters derived from the data presented allow calculation of individual chain segment projections onto the director axis and, consequently, estimation of effective chain length. It is shown that mathematical models which include chain tilt as well as those which neglect this type of rigid body motion give essentially identical results when applied to the dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine-cholesterol bilayer systems (in excess water, between 23 and 60 degrees C). Results of calculations of chain length and membrane thickness of a dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine-30 mol % cholesterol membrane system at 23 degrees C give excellent agreement when compared with recent high-resolution neutron diffraction data obtained on specifically deuterium labeled lecithin-cholesterol systems. No evidence for formation of lecithin-cholesterol complexes having lifetimes of approximately 30 ms has been found. Below the pure-lipid gel-liquid crystal phase transition temperature Tc but in the presence of cholesterol, we have obtained further evidence for 1-chain/2-chain nonequivalence. At 10 degrees C, the 2' segment of the 2 chain, but not the 2' segment of the 1 chain or the 3', 6', or 12' segments of the 2 chain, is broadened almost beyond detection. These results are in agreement with similar effects reported recently for the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine-cholesterol system and may indicate a bent configuration for the 2 chain, in the lecithin-cholesterol system. Further cooling below Tc results in loss of the 1-chain 2'-position signal intensity plus 2-chain 3', 6', and 12' signals simultaneously. The increase in length of the 2 chain of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine upon addition of 30 mol % cholesterol of 23 degrees C is about 2.3 A. Addition of cholesterol to a choline-labeled lecithin results in complex behavior of the head group deuterium quadrupole splitting as a function of temperature, and cholesterol mole fraction. Above approximately 20 mol % cholesterol, the main effect is a decrease in quadrupole splitting as cholesterol content increases, the opposite effect to that observed with hydrocarbon chains.

Primary structure of human erythrocyte glycophorin A. Isolation and characterization of peptides and complete amino acid sequence.

Abstract: Peptides of glycophorin AMN were prepared by cyanogen bromide cleavage and by chymotryptic and tryptic digestion. Cyanogen bromide cleavage produces three fragments which account for the entire polypeptide chain. Trypsin and chymotrypsin cleave completely at several sites, but incompletely at sites within the glycosylated segment of the polypeptide chain. Some of the latter sites become accessible to proteolysis after desialation in addition to exposure of new sites for cleavage. The amino acid sequence of glycophorin AMN has been determined by manual Edman degradation, using both the direct Edman and the dansyl-Edman procedures simultaneously for determination of glycosylated amino acid residues. The automated procedure was used for sequence determination of a hydrophobic peptide. Glycophorin A is a polypeptide chain of 131 amino acid residues and contains 16 oligosaccharide units attached to the amino-terminal third of the molecule. Fifteen oligosaccharides are linked O-glycosidically to either threonine or serine residues and one complex oligosaccharide unit is attached N-glycosidically to an asparagine residue. Amino-terminal sequences are different for glycophorin AM and AN, the two forms of the glycophorin A molecule coded for by genes at the MN locus. The differences in sensitivity to proteases of various sites on glycophorin A seem to be due to heterogeneity in the carbohydrate components and not to differences in the primary structure of the polypeptide chains. This work contains a number of revisions and corrections of earlier preliminary reports [Segrest, J.P., Jackson, R. chem. Biophys. Res. Commun, 49, 964-969; Tomita, M., & Marchesi, V.T. (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 2964-2968].

High-sensitivity scanning calorimetric study of mixtures of cholesterol with dimyristoyl- and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholines.

Abstract: A highly sensitive and stable scanning microcalorimeter is employed in a reinvestigation of the effect of cholesterol on multilamellar suspensions of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Below 20 mol % cholesterol the DPPC mixtures give heat-capacity curves each of which can be resolved into a narrow and a broad peak, suggesting the coexistence of two immiscible solid phases; above 20 mol % only the broad peak is observed and this disappears at about 50 mol %. The DMPC mixtures show a more complicated behavior; from about 13.5 to 20 mol % cholesterol the observed curves appear to be the sum of three component peaks. As with the DPPC mixtures, only a single broad peak is observed above 20 mol % cholesterol, and this broad peak becomes undetectable above about 50 mol %. These results are discussed.

Effect of chelating agents and metal ions on the degradation of dna by bleomycin

Abstract: The degradation of DNA by bleomycin was studied in the absence and in the presence of added reducing agents, including 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, H2O2, and ascorbate, and in the presence of a superoxide anion generating system consisting of xanthine oxidase and hypoxanthine. In all cases, breakage of DNA was inhibited by low concentrations of chelators; where examined in detail, deferoxamine mesylate was considerably more potent than (ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetic acid. Iron was found to be present in significant quantities in all reaction mixtures. Thus, the pattern of inhibition observed is attributed to the involvement of contaminating iron in the degradation of DNA by bleomycin. Cu(II), Zn(II), and Co(II) inhibit degradation of DNA by bleomycin and Fe(II) in the absence of added reducing agents. A model is proposed in which the degradation of DNA in these systems is dependent on the oxidation of an Fe(II)-bleomycin-DNA complex.

Molecular weight in detergent solution of acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica.

Abstract: Acetylcholine receptor extracted in detergent solution from the electric tissue of Torpedo californica and purified by affinity chromatography contains predominantly two molecular weight species. These have been separated by sedimentation in a sucrose density gradient, and their molecular properties have been determined by sedimentation equilibrium and sedimentation velocity measurements in the analytical ultracentrifuge. The molecular weights of these species have been determined, without prior determination of the extent of detergent bound to them, by the adjustment of solvent density with D2O so as to blank out the contribution of bound detergent to the sedimentation potential. The molecular weights of the protein moieties are 250 000 and 500 000. Since these species are identical in specific activity and polypeptide composition they are related as monomer and dimer. The hydrodynamic properties of the detergent complexes of monomer and dimer were derived from combined measurements of sedimentation equilibrium and sedimentation velocity. The S20,w'S are 8.6 S and 12.8 S and the Stokes radii are 7.3 nm and 9.5 nm. For both monomer and dimer, the ratio of the Stokes radius to the minimum possible radius for the protein-detergent complex falls outside the range of values for globular proteins.

Proposed structure for coenzyme F420 from Methanobacterium.

Abstract: The low-potential electron carrier, coenzyme F420, was purified from Methanobacterium strain M.o.H. A yield of 160 mg/kg of wet-packed cells was obtained. Results of analysis of hydrolytic fragments and periodate oxidation products of the coenzyme, by infrared, UV-visible, 1H and 13CNMR spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and quantitative elemental analyses indicate that coenzyme F420 is: N-[N-[O-[5-(8-hydroxy-5-deazaisoalloxazin-10-yl)-2,3,4-trihydroxy-4-pentoxyhydroxyphosphinyl]-L-lactyl]-gamma-L-glutamyl]-L-glutamic acid. A convenient trivial name would be the N-(N-L-lactyl-gamma-L-glutamyl)-L-glutamic acid phosphodiester of 7,8-didemethyl-8-hydroxy-5-deazariboflavin 5'-phosphate. Proof of structure by organic synthesis was not performed; the stereochemical configuration of the hydroxyl groups on the side chain as well as the position of the hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring require confirmation by organic synthesis of the molecule.

Direct microsequence analysis of polypeptides using an improved sequenator, a nonprotein carrier (polybrene), and high pressure liquid chromatography.

Abstract: We have combined the use of a nonprotein carrier (Polybrene), high pressure liquid chromatography, and modifications in Edman chemistry with the improvements of a commercial spinning cup sequenator suggested by Wittmann-Liebold [Wittmann-Liebold, B. (1973) Hoppe-Seyler's Z. Physiol. Chem. 354, 1415] to analyze amino acid phenylthiohydantoins obtained from automated Edman degradation of microquantities of polypeptide directly without the use of radiolabel. This approach has allowed us to determine the sequence of the N-terminal 47 residues of sperm whale myoglobin starting with 200 pmol of protein, 77 residues of an antibody light chain with 5 nmole of protein, and 54 residues of an antibody heavy chain with 8 nmol of protein. In addition, we completely sequenced a hydrophobic 14-residue peptide at the 1.5-nmol level. Our technique of direct analysis for microsamples is capable of providing routine, extende N-terminal sequence analysis for nanomole and subnanomole levels of polypeptides and protines, and it also is applicable to analysis of more classical sample quantities.

Active transport of L-glutamate by membrane vesicles isolated from rat brain.

Abstract: Membrane vesicles, isolated after osmotic shock of synaptosomal rat brain fractions, actively accumulate L-glutamate. This process requires the presence of external sodium ions and internal potassium ions and is driven by artifically imposed ion gradients as the sole energy source. Either an Na+ gradient (out is greater than in) or a K+ gradient (in is greater than out) or both can be utilized to concentrate L-glutamate inside the vesicles. Transport is enhanced by valinomycin or by external thiocyanate ions and is about 50% inhibited by the proton ionophore carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. This transport thus appears to be stimulated by a membrane potential (interior negative). The glutamate transporter, the Km of which has been determined to be 3 micrometer, is specific for L-glutamate. The transport process is unaffected by ouabain but is strongly inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate as well as by nigericin, which collapses the energizing ion gradients across this membrane. Unlike the sodium dependent, but potassium independent active accumulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid in these vesicles (Kanner, B.I. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 1207) active L-glutamate uptake is not dependent on the presence of small monovalent anions in the external medium. The results provide direct evidence for Na+-coupled electrogenic active L-glutamate transport by rat brain membrane vesicles. The dependence on internal potassium ions is discussed.

Mode of coupling between the beta-adrenergic receptor and adenylate cyclase in turkey erythrocytes.

Abstract: The mode of coupling of the beta-adrenergic receptor to the enzyme adenylate cyclase in turkey erythrocyte membranes was analyzed in detail. A number of experimental techniques have been used: (1) measurement of the kinetics of cyclase activation to its permanetly active state in the presence of guanylyl imidodiphosphate, as a function of hormone concentrations; (2) measurement of antagonist and agoinst binding to the beta-adrenergic receptor prior and subsequent to the enzyme activation by hormone and guanylyl imidodiphosphate. On the bases of these two approaches, all the models of receptor to enzyme coupling which involve an equilibrium between the enzyme and the receptor can be rejected. The binding and the kinetic data, however, can be fitted by two diametrically opposed models of receptor to enzyme coupling: (a) the precouped enzyme-receptor model where activation of the enzyme occurs, according to the following scheme: formula (see text) where H is the hormone, RE is the precoupled respetor-enzyme complex, k1 and k2 are the rate constants describing hormone binding, and k is the rate constant characterizing the formation of HRE' from the intermediate HRE. According to this model, the activated complex is composed of all of the interacting species. (b) The other model is the collision coupling mechanism: formula (see test) wheere KH is the horome-receptor dissociation constant, k1 is the bimolecular rate constant governing the formation of HRE, and k3 the rate constant governing the activation of the enzyme. In this case the intermediate never accumulates and constitutes only a small fraction of the total receptor and adenylate cyclase concentrations. In order to establish which of the two mechanisms governs the mode of adenylate cyclase activation by its receptor, a diagnostic experiment was performed: Progressive inactivation of the beta receptor by a specific affinity label was found to cause a decrease in the maximal binding capacity of the receptor and a proportional decrease in the rate of activation, but no change in the maximum level of activity was attained. Progressive inactivation of the enzyme by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate was found not to change the rate of activation nor the capacity of the receptor to bind hormone. Only the maximal level of activation was found to be decreased. These results are not compatible with the precoupled model of receptor and cyclase nor with floating receptor models in which an intermediate of hormone, receptor, and cyclase is in equilibrium with its reactants. The data strongly suggest that the collision coupling is the mode of coupling between the beta receptor and cyclase coupling in turkey erythrocyte membranes.

The histone core complex: an octamer assembled by two sets of protein-protein interactions.

Abstract: A protein complex, extracted from calf thymus chromatin with 2 M NaCl, pH 7.5, containing approximately equal molar ratios of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4, has been characterized in this study. Gel filtration, sedimentation velocity, and sedimentation equilibrium experiments demonstrate that this complex, known as the core complex, has a molecular weight near that expected for a histone octamer (108 000 for a unit containing two each of the four inner histones) and far exceeding that of a histone tetramer (54 400). This finding suggests that the histone octamer, postulated to be the fundamental histone unit in chromatin, is stable in 2 M NaCl, pH 7.5, in the absence of DNA or chemical cross-linking reagents. In the second part of this study, we demonstrate that the bonds maintaining the octameric complex in 2 M NaCl are weak and distinctly different from the forces stabilizing the H2A-H2B dimer or H3-H4 tetramer. The octamer is dissociated into two H2A-H2B dimers and one H3-H4 tetramer by (i) increasing temperature; (ii) decreasing NaCl concentration; (iii) adding low concentrations of urea or guanidine hydrochloride; and (iv) lowering the pH below 7 or raising it above 10. These findings indicate that the octamer is assembled by two sets-of protein-protein interactions. The first set involves mostly hydrophobic interactions and yields the H2A-H2B dimer and the H3-H4 tetramer subunits. The second set involves the weak association of one H3-H4 tetramer with two H2A-H2B dimers to form an octamer. We suggest that these weak interactions might be derived predominantly from histidine-lysine or histidine-tyrosine hydrogen bonds between the dimer and tetramer subunits.

Photoreduction of flavoproteins and other biological compounds catalyzed by deazaflavins.

Abstract: Deazaflavins have been found to act as potent catalysts in the photoreduction of flavoproteins in the presence of EDTA and other "photosubstrates". In distinction to the catalysis brought about by normal flavins which involves dark reaction of the photoreduced flavin catalyst, the mechanism of the catalysis by deazaflavins has been shown to involve unstable, strongly reducing radicals which are generated by photolysis of a preformed covalent dimer. By this new method it is possible to reduce not only flavoproteins but a variety of other redox proteins, including heme proteins and iron-sulfur proteins. By virtue of its great catalytic efficiency, it is possible to employ concentrations of deazaflavin sufficiently low as not to interfere with the spectral evaluation of the reduced proteins obtained.

Preparation of coenzyme M analogues and their activity in the methyl coenzyme M reductase system of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum.

Abstract: A number of 2-(methylthio)ethanesulfonate (methyl-coenzyme M) analogues were synthesized and investigated as substrates for methyl-coenzyme M reductase, an enzyme system found in extracts of Methanobacterterium thermoautotrophicum. Replacement of the methyl moiety by an ethyl group yielded an analogue which served as a precursor for ethane formation. Propyl-coenzyme M, however, was not converted to propane. Analogues which contained additional methylene carbons such as 3-(methylthio)propanesulfonate or 4-(methylthio)butanesulfonate or analogues modified at the sulfide or sulfonate position, N-methyltaurine and 2-(methylthio)ethanol, were inactive. These analogues, in addition to a number of commercially available compounds, also were tested for their ability to inhibit the reduction of methyl-coenzyme M to methane. Bromoethanesulfonate and chloroethanesulfonate proved to be potent inhibitors of the reductase, resulting in 50% inhibition at 7.9 X 10(6) M and 7.5 X 10(5) M. Analogues to coenzyme M which contained modifications to other regions were evaluated also and found to be weak inhibitors of methane biosynthesis.

Isolation and identification of yeast messenger ribonucleic acids coding for enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and phosphoglycerate kinase.

Abstract: Yeast poly(adenylic acid)-containing messenger ribonucleic acid isolated from two strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was fractionated by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of formamide. Three messenger ribonucleic acids, present at high intracellular concentration, were electrophoretically eluted from the polyacrylamide gels and translated in a wheat germ cell-free extract. The in vitro synthesized polypeptides were identified by tryptic peptide analysis. Messenger ribonucleic acids coding for enolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were isolated from commercially grown baker's yeast (strain F1), and messenger ribonucleic acid coding for phosphoglycerate kinase was isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ATCC 24657). Significant differences in the spectrum of abundant messenger ribonucleic acids isolated from commercially grown baker's yeast (strain F1) and strain 24657 were observed. When both strains were grown under identical conditions, however, the spectrum of messenger ribonucleic acid isolated from the cells is indistinguishable.