Showing papers in "Journal of Biochemistry in 1982"

Structure and possible catalytic residues of Taka-amylase A

Abstract: A complete molecular model of Taka-amylase A consisting of 478 amino acid residues was built with the aid of amino acid sequence data. Some typical structural features of the molecule are described. A model fitting of an amylose chain in the catalytic site of the enzyme showed a possible productive binding mode between substrate and enzyme. On the basis of the difference Fourier analysis and the model fitting study, glutamic acid (Glu230) and aspartic acid (Asp297), which are located at the bottom of the cleft, were concluded to be the catalytic residues, serving as the general acid and base, respectively.

Quantitative determinations of calmodulin in the supernatant and particulate fractions of mammalian tissues.

Abstract: Although calmodulin is generally regarded as a soluble protein, a considerable amount of calmodulin activity was found to be associated with particulate fractions of mammalian tissues after an extensive washing of the particulate fraction with EGTA. Identity of this particle-bound and EGTA-nonextractable form of calmodulin with soluble calmodulin was established recently (Sobue, K., Yamazaki, R., Yasuda, S., & Kakiuchi, S. (1981) FEBS Lett. 129, 215-219). The particle-associated calmodulin activity was latent to some extent and its unmasking required the presence of nonionic detergent. We have developed an assay method for the soluble and particulate forms of calmodulin in biological samples and, by means of this method, concentrations of calmodulin in rat and bovine tissues were quantitatively determined. In the supernatant, high levels (greater than 10 microM) of calmodulin were found in the testis, pituitary gland, and various areas of brain, intermediate levels (5-10 microM) in the liver, kidney, and spleen. Particulate fractions contained 10-50% of the total calmodulin contents in the tissues. Human erythrocytes contained (2.5 +/- 0.2) microM calmodulin, or (14 +/- 0.9) X 10(4) calmodulin molecules per cell.

Electron Microscopic Studies of Myosin Molecules from Chicken Gizzard Muscle I: The Formation of the Intramolecular Loop in the Myosin Tail

Abstract: The ATP-induced disassembled molecules of chicken gizzard myosin from "thick filaments" have been examined in the electron microscope using the rotary-shadowing technique and have been compared with the myosin molecules disassembled by high concentrations of ammonium acetate without ATP. Both myosin molecules consisted of two globular heads and a long tail. However, two remarkable differences between these myosin molecules were observed: 1. Most of the myosin molecules disassembled by ATP had intramolecular hairpin "loops" in the tails. The length of the hairpin loop was about 510 A and that of the remaining part of the tail was about 600 A. On the other hand, no myosin molecules disassembled by ammonium acetate had the intramolecular loop in the tail. 2. The two globular heads of myosin molecules disassembled by ATP tended to bend back towards the tail, but those of the myosin molecules disassembled by ammonium acetate tended to bend forwards.

Specificity of the fatty acyl moieties of diacylglycerol for the activation of calcium-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase.

Abstract: The specificity of the fatty acyl moieties of diacylglycerol for the activation of Ca2+-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase was investigated. Diacylglycerol has been previously shown to activate this enzyme by increasing the affinity for Ca2+ and phospholipid, both of which are indispensable for the enzyme activation. Diacylglycerols containing at least one unsaturated fatty acid at either position 1 or 2 are fully active in this capacity, irrespective of the chain length of the other fatty acyl moiety in the range tested, C2 to C18. Diacylglycerols containing two saturated fatty acids such as dipalmitin and distearin are far less effective. Mono- and triacylglycerols and free fatty acids are totally inactive, indicating that the diacylglycerol structure is essential.

Mild and Efficient Conjugation of Rabbit Fab′ and Horseradish Peroxidase Using a Maleimide Compound and Its Use for Enzyme Immunoassay

Abstract: A mild and efficient procedure for conjugating rabbit Fab' and horseradish peroxidase using a maleimide compound was developed. The enzyme was treated with N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of N-(4-carboxycyclohexylmethyl) maleimide to introduce maleimide groups. Then, the maleimide-enzyme was allowed to react with thiol groups of Fab', and the conjugate formed was separated from unreacted components by gel filtration with Ultrogel AcA 44. In the peak fraction of the separated conjugate, 98% of peroxidase was associated with Fab' and 90% of antibodies was associated with peroxidase. The recoveries in the conjugate of peroxidase and Fab' incubated for conjugation were 65-74%. The conjugate formed appeared to be largely monomeric. Both the enzyme activity and antigen-binding activity of Fab' were fairly well preserved in the conjugate. The cross-link formed was stable at 4 degrees C at least 6 months. Use of the conjugates obtained by this method gave greater sensitivity in sandwich enzyme immunoassay for human ferritin and human thyroid-stimulating hormone than conjugates prepared by the periodate method. The conjugation using N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of m-maleimidobenzoic acid provided a similar monomeric preparation but was less efficient.

Isolation and characterization of mucin-like glycoprotein in human milk fat globule membrane.

Abstract: Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) enclosing fat droplets in human milk was found to contain a high molecular weight glycoprotein which did not migrate in 10% acrylamide gel on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). This glycoprotein (termed PAS-0) was isolated by Sepharose CL-4B chromatography. Isolated PAS-0 gave one band on SDS-PAGE using 5% acrylamide gel (acrylamide : bisacrylamide = 4 : 1, w/w) and gave one peak on analytical ultracentrifugation, indicating its homogeneity. PAS-0 was rich in serine, threonine, proline, glycine, and alanine. In contrast, contents of sulfur-containing amino acids were very low. Fucose, galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, and sialic acid were detected as constituent sugars of PAS-0 and the total carbohydrate content was about 50%. Alkali-borohydride treatment suggested that the carbohydrate moiety was linked to the polypeptide core with O-glycosidic bond(s). There results suggested that PAS-0 was a mucin-like glycoprotein. PAS-0 was shown to be resistant to pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion, but susceptible to Pronase and Subtilisin BPN'. Extraction of intact milk fat globules (cream) with MgCl2 and guanidine hydrochloride solutions suggested that PAS-0 was an intrinsic component of MFGM. Digestion of cream with Subtilisin BPN' demonstrated that PAS-0 was located on the external surface of fat globules and was accessible to molecules outside the globules. By agglutination-inhibition tests using eight lectins, PAS-0 was suggested to act as surface receptors for Ricinus communis agglutinin, wheat germ agglutinin and peanut agglutinin.

Changes in cellular levels of ATP and its catabolites in ischemic rat liver.

Abstract: The cellular levels of adenine nucleotides and their metabolites in ischemic rat liver were assayed by high pressure liquid chromatography with high theoretical plate numbers. The method was sensitive enough to measure all the metabolites in about 1 mg of tissue, and to examine changes in their levels in a single liver in ischemia. In ischemia the cellular level of ATP decreased rapidly. Concomitantly there was a transitory increase in AMP, followed by its degradation to allantoin via adenosine with accumulation of all species of purine catabolites. NAD was also degraded gradually with concomitant accumulation of nicotinamide. Thus, the level of total adenine nucleotides decreased during ischemia and the amount of this decrease ws equal to the sum of the amounts of catabolites produced. The ATP level was rapidly restored on recirculation after an ischemic period of less than 15 min. However, recovery of the ATP level was depressed by prolonged ischemia and was not observed after an ischemic period of 2 h. Intermediate purine catabolites that accumulated in ischemia were also cleared during recirculation either by their removal in the blood flow or by further oxidative degradation, but they were not salvaged for reuse until the cellular level of ATP was restored. Administration of allopurinol resulted in marked accumulation of hypoxanthine in ischemic liver, but neither this drug nor chlorpromazine had any appreciable effect on recovery of the ATP level during recirculation.

Calorimetric study on thermal denaturation of lysozyme in polyol-water mixtures.

Abstract: In order to clarify the mechanism of polyol-induced stabilization of protein, the thermal denaturation of lysozyme was studied at pH 4 in aqueous mixtures of some polyols (ethylene glycol, glycerol, erythritol, xylitol, and sorbitol) by a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The denaturation temperature, Td, increased with increasing the polyol concentration and the number of hydroxymethyl groups per polyol molecule. The calorimetric enthalpy or denaturation, delta H cal, increased with the increase in polyol concentration, but it was not significantly affected by the chain length of the polyol: delta H cal was about 30 kcal/mol larger in 30% (w/w) aqueous polyols than in water. The standard thermodynamic parameters for denaturation, delta G degrees, delta S degrees, and delta H degrees, which were calculated for glycerol and sorbitol systems using Td and delta H cal and assuming a constant heat capacity change, were an increasing function of polyol concentration. According to the thermodynamics of three component systems, it appeared that one or two polyol molecules are preferentially excluded from the domain of this protein on thermal denaturation. These thermodynamic data support the hypothesis that the thermal stabilization of lysozyme by polyols is due to a preferential solvent interaction effect which strengthens the hydrophobic interaction of the protein.

Fluorescence Characteristics of Kynurenine and N′-Formylkynurenine, Their Use as Reporters of the Environment of Tryptophan 62 in Hen Egg-White Lysozyme

Abstract: Several kynurenine derivatives including N'-formylkynurenine were prepared in high purity by the ozonization of the corresponding indole compounds. The fluorescence characteristics of those derivatives were examined in connection with the use of their fluorophores as reporters for the local environment of tryptophan in proteins. Kynurenine is a weak emitter of fluorescence, with an emission maximum at 480 nm on excitation at 365 nm. With decreasing solvent polarity, the fluorescence intensity increases logarithmically and the emission maximum shifts to blue. A linear relation between these fluorescence characteristics and solvent polarity exists when the polarity is shown in terms of dielectric constant. N'-Formylkynurenine is a somewhat stronger emitter of fluorescence than kynurenine. The emission maximum is 434 nm on excitation at 325 nm and it shifts to blue in solvents of low polarity. This blue shift is also linear with respect to the dielectric constant of the solvent. Other factors influencing kynurenine fluorescence and N'-formylkynurenine fluorescence examined were neighboring groups, ionic strength, temperature, and protein denaturants. Based on the results of the present investigation, the local environment of tryptophan 62 in hen egg-white lysozyme was examined using Kyn 62-lysozyme.

Some characteristics of hydrogen- and alkylhydroperoxides metabolizing systems in cardiac tissue.

Abstract: The effect of hydroperoxides on the cardiac tissue was studied by using hemoglobin-free perfused rat heart. Ethylhydroperoxide was degraded mainly through the glutathione peroxidase system of the heart at a maximal rate of about 1.2 mumol/min per g wet wt. When ethylhydroperoxide infused was not degraded completely, the hydroperoxide concentration in the effluent perfusate paralleled the formation of ferrylmyoglobin in the heart. The infusion of ethylhydroperoxide caused release of oxidized glutathione into the effluent perfusate as a result of the enhancement of the cytosolic glutathione peroxidase reaction. The leakage of oxidized glutathione reached the maximal rate of 3.5 nmol/min per g wet wt with the infusion of 175 microM ethylhydroperoxide. At hydroperoxide concentrations above 150 microM, oxidations of pyridine nucleotides and of cytochrome a + a3 occurred, probably through a stimulation of the mitochondrial glutathione peroxidase reaction, and resulted in sudden failure of the heart function. The infusion of t-butyl- and cumene-hydroperoxides, which are unable to react with myoglobin, also caused the oxidations of pyridine nucleotides and cytochrome a + a3, the inhibition of oxygen consumption and the failure of heart function. The results indicate that the cardiac toxicity of hydroperoxides is due mainly to their effect on mitochondrial metabolism.

Counteraction of Calcium-Activated, Phospholipid-Dependent Protein Kinase Activation by Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate and Guanosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate in Platelets

Abstract: In intact human platelets activated by thrombin, diacylglycerol is produced with the concomitant disappearance of phosphatidylinositol (PI). This reaction is associated with phosphorylation of a protein having a molecular weight of about 40,000 (40 K protein) and serotonin release. All the reactions are inhibited in a parallel manner by incubation of platelets with either dibutyryl cyclic AMP or 8-bromocyclic GMP, prior to the stimulation by thrombin. The inhibition of these reactions is inversely related to phosphorylation of another group of platelet proteins. Since Ca2+-activated, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (C-Kinase) is activated by diacylglycerol and is responsible for 40 K protein phosphorylation (Kawahara, Y., Takai, Y., Minakuchi, R., Sano, K., & Nishizuka, Y. (1980) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 97, 309-317), the results suggest that in platelets both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP may serve as inhibitors of C-Kinase by counteracting the receptor-linked PI breakdown probably through the actions of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases.

Acridine orange as a fluorescent probe for lysosomal proton pump.

Abstract: Acridine orange was found to accumulate in pure lysosomal particles (tritosomes) in vitro, and the quenching of its fluorescence correlated well with the delta pH (inside acid) across the lysosomal membrane. Use of this dye showed that Mg-ATP caused lysosomal acidification. This acidification was sensitive to N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, N-ethylmaleimide, and azide, but not to oligomycin, ouabain or vanadate. These results supported the idea of the existence of a lysosomal H+-pump, suggested in a previous paper (Ohkuma et al. (1982) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S. 79, 2758-2762).

Importance of the Antigen-Binding Valency and the Nature of the Cross-Linking Bond in Ricin A-Chain Conjugates with Antibody

Abstract: As a continuation of our work on toxin A-chain conjugates with antitumor antibodies for selective delivery of the toxin to the target cells, four ricin A-chain conjugates were prepared by linking A-chain to Fab' or F(ab')2 of rabbit IgG against L1210 with or without employing a cross-linking agent, N,N'-o-phenylenedimaleimide (PDM), N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate (SPDP) or N-succinimidyl m-(N-maleimido)benzoate (SMB), and the effects of antigen-binding valency and of the nature of the cross-linking bond on their in vitro cytotoxicity were studied. The relative potencies of the conjugates in terms of IC94's were as follows: F(ab')2-SPDP-A-chain, 100; Fab'-S-S-A-chain, 21; F(ab')2-SMB-A-chain, 1.3; Fab'-PDM-A-chain 0.38. Among the four conjugates, F(ab')2-SPDP-A-chain and Fab'-S-S-A-chain can be cleaved into the homing and the cytotoxic components with 2 mM 2-mercaptoethanol. These results suggest that divalency in antigen-binding and susceptibility of the cross-linking bond to cleavage by mercapto reagent are desirable for high potency. Protein synthesis in a cell-free system of rabbit reticulocyte lysate was inhibited by Fab'-S-S-A-chain and by Fab'-PDM-A-chain as effectively as by free A-chain, indicating that the liberation of A-chain is not important, at least on ribosomes, but it is important for the A-chain to reach a ribosome after binding of the conjugates to the cell-surface.

Isolation and characterization of five neutral isoenzymes of horseradish peroxidase.

Abstract: Five components of neutral horseradish peroxidase were isolated and purified by means of column chromatography, and designated B1, B2, B3, C1, and C2, respectively. All the components contained 2 atoms of calcium and 16.8-to-21.0% as much carbohydrate as in the enzyme molecule. They were very similar to one another with respect to physicochemical and chemical properties such as molecular weight, molar absorption coefficient, rate constants of the catalytic reaction and dissociation of cyanide compound, but were dissimilar with respect to isoelectric point. Values of the isoelectric points determined from column isoelectric focusing at 20 degrees C were 5.75 (B1), 7.15 (B2), 7.10 (B3), 9.40 (C1), and 9.63 (C2). However, these values varied significantly depending upon the method and conditions of the focusing. The acid-alkaline titration curves of components B2 and C1 were flat in the pH region of 6 to 9. The facts suggest that a slight difference in the number of ionized groups of the components causes a large difference in the isoelectric points.

Widespread Occurrence of Norspermidine and Norspermine in Eukaryotic Algae

Abstract: Seven phyla of eukaryotic algae were analyzed to determine their contents of diamines and polyamines. The algae examined included Rhodophyta, Pyrrophyta, Chrysophyta, Phaeophyta, Euglenophyta, Chlorophyta, and Charophyta. Both putrescine and spermidine were detected in all the algae studied, while appreciable amounts of spermine were detected only in a few species of algae. 1,3-Diaminopropane, norspermidine, and norspermine, which are chemical analogs of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, respectively, were widely distributed in various species of algae. There was no parallelism between the distribution patterns of putrescine derivatives and those of 1,3-diaminopropane derivatives. Cadaverine and agmatine were detected in multicellular marine algae. Homospermidine was detected sporadically in some algae. The biological and phylogenetical significance of polyamines in these lower eukaryotes is discussed.

Correlation of the amino acid composition of a protein to its structural and biological characters.

Abstract: Amino acid compositions of 356 proteins are expressed as points in an 18 dimensional space of 18 axes representing the contents of amino acids. The proteins are classified into four groups of intra- and extracellular enzymes and nonenzymes according to analysis of the distribution of the points. The groups have a significant correlation to four folding types of secondary structures, and extra- and intracellular proteins to those with and without disulfide bond(s), respectively. The location and function of a protein seem to determine its amino acid composition and folding type.

Structures and Biological Activities of Peptidoglycans of Listeria monocytogenes and Propionibacterium acnes

Abstract: The cell-wall skeletons of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGD and Propionibacterium acnes strain C7, which have the ability to induce macrophage activation, were analyzed, and the structures of the peptidoglycans were investigated. The analytical data indicate that both peptidoglycans have glucosamine residues with free amino groups, which are responsible for the resistance to lysozyme. Possible structures of these peptidoglycans were deduced from the composition and the results of determination of N- and C-terminal amino acids, together with the characterization of fragments obtained by enzymatic treatment and partial acid hydrolysis of both peptidoglycans. The results suggested that the peptidoglycan of L. monocytogenes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, which belongs to the A1 gamma type (Schleifer, K.H. & Kandler, O. (1972) Bacteriol. Rev. 36, 407-477), whereas the peptidoglycan of P. acnes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with L,L-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, in which two glycine residues combine with amino and carboxyl groups of two L,L-diaminopimelic acid residues. The latter type should be classified as a new type. These cell-wall skeletons and peptidoglycans were shown to have immunoadjuvant activity on the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and suppressive activity on the growth of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma in BALB/c mice, and the peptidoglycans were shown to be an immunological-active principle of these cell-wall skeletons.

Amino acid sequence of β2-bungarotoxin from Bungarus multicinctus venom. The amino acid substitutions in the b chains

Abstract: beta 2-Bungarotoxin (beta 2-toxin) was isolated from the venom of Bungarus multicinctus by means of CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography, Sephadex G-75 gel filtration and CM-Sephadex C-25 column rechromatography. beta 2-Toxin consisted of two dissimilar polypeptides, a (120 amino acid residues) and B (60 amino acid residues) chains, crosslinked by an interchain disulfide bond. The neurotoxicity (LD50) and phospholipase activity of beta 2-toxin were 0.029 micrograms/g of mouse and 48.9 units/mg of toxin, respectively, and both the activities were slightly weaker than those (0.019 micrograms/g and 60.9 units/mg) of beta 1-bungarotoxin (beta 1-toxin). beta 2-Toxin was reduced and carboxymethylated and then its RCM-A and -B chains were separated. Each RCM-chain was maleylated and then digested with TPCK-trypsin. The tryptic peptides were sequences by manual Edman degradation or the dansyl-Edman method, and the total alignment of the tryptic peptides from each RCM-chain was deduced based on the amino acid sequences of the A and B chains of beta 1-toxin. The amino acid sequence of the B chain of beta 2-toxin differed from that of the B chain of beta 1-toxin by 22 amino acid substitutions, while those of their A chains were identical. We concluded that the variation in the amino acid sequence of the B chains did not significantly affect the neurotoxicity of the beta-toxins. The amino acid sequences of the B chains of the two beta-toxins were homologous to those of proteinase inhibitors from snake venoms and mammalian pancreas, but no inhibitory activity of the two beta-toxins on proteinases was observed.

Molecular properties and functions in vitro of chicken smooth-muscle alpha-actinin in comparison with those of striated-muscle alpha-actinins.

Abstract: alpha-Actinin purified from chicken gizzard smooth muscle was characterized in comparison with alpha-actinins from chicken striated muscles, or fast-skeletal muscle, slow-skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle. The gizzard alpha-actinin molecule consisted of two apparently identical subunits with a molecular weight of 100,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, as do striated-muscle alpha-actinins. Its isoelectric points in the presence of urea were similar to the striated-muscle counterparts. Despite these similarities, distinctive amino acid sequences between smooth-muscle alpha-actinin and striated-muscle alpha-actinins were revealed by peptide mapping using limited proteolysis in SDS. Gizzard alpha-actinin was immunologically distinguished from striated-muscle alpha-actinins. Gizzard alpha-actinin formed bundles of gizzard F-actin as well as of skeletal-muscle F-actin, but could not form any cross-bridges between adjacent actin filaments under conditions where skeletal-muscle alpha-actinin could. Temperature-dependent competition between gizzard alpha-actinin and tropomyosin on binding to gizzard thin filaments was demonstrated by electron microscopic observations. Gizzard alpha-actinin promoted Mg2+-ATPase activity of reconstituted skeletal actomyosin, gizzard acto-skeletal myosin, and gizzard actomyosin. This promoting effect was depressed by the addition of gizzard tropomyosin. These findings imply that, despite structural differences between gizzard and striated-muscle alpha-actinin molecules, they function similarly in vitro, and that gizzard alpha-actinin can interact not only with smooth-muscle actin (gamma- and beta-actin) but also with skeletal-muscle actin (alpha-actin).

The Process of Dissolving Apolipoprotein A-I in an Aqueous Buffer

Abstract: Human plasma apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) has been studied in an aqueous solution by the techniques of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), circular dichroic spectroscopy, and sedimentation equilibrium ultracentrifugation The results indicate that an oligomer is formed as an intermediate step of dissolving lysophilized apoA-I The process of further dissolution of this oligomer is an irreversible, temperature-dependent dissociation The half-life of this intermediate oligomer is 3 min at 37 degrees C and 80 h at 30 degrees C The completely dissolved apoA-I in an aqueous buffer self-associates with conformational alteration The self-association equilibrium is too rapid to be demonstrated by HPLC

Identity of the heme-not-containing protein in bovine heart cytochrome c1 preparation with the protein mediating c1-c complex formation--a protein with high glutamic acid content.

Abstract: A heme-not-containing protein was isolated from cytochrome c1 preparation by gel filtration after carboxymethylation and citraconylation. The amino acid sequence of this protein was determined by the analysis of tryptic and chymotryptic peptides as well as by solid-phase sequence analysis. It consisted of 78 amino acid residues and the molecular weight was calculated to be 9,175. This protein contained a high proportion of glutamic acid and glutamine (27% of the total residues) but no methionine, isoleucine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The most notable feature was an acidic cluster of 8 consecutive glutamic acid residues near the amino(N)-terminus). The secondary structure was predicted to have a high proportion of helical content. The amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence of a protein independently prepared from bovine heart mitochondria, which is essential to the formation of the cytochrome c1-c complex, suggested that this colorless factor and the present heme-not-containing protein are identical. Evidence shows that another protein, called the non-heme protein, isolated from "two-band" cytochrome c1 preparation is also the same protein as that presented in this paper.

Amino Acid Sequences of Three β-Bungarotoxins (β3-, β4-, and β5-Bungarotoxins) from Bungarus multicinctus Venom. Amino Acid Substitutions in the A Chains

Abstract: The two most basic beta-bungarotoxins (beta 3- and beta 4-toxins) and another, less neurotoxic beta-bungarotoxin (beta 5-toxin) were purified from Bungarus multicinctus venom, by a combination of CM-Sephadex C-25 column chromatography and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The three toxins consisted of two dissimilar polypeptides (A chain, 120 amino acid residues; B chain, 60 residues). The LD50 values of the beta 3- and beta 4-toxins were 0.066 micrograms and 0.072 micrograms/g of mouse, respectively, and their phospholipase A activities were 43.2 and 36.5 units/mg of toxin, respectively. beta 5-Toxin was weaker in neurotoxicity (LD50, 0.13 micrograms/g of mouse) than the others, and its phospholipase activity was 47.6 units/mg of toxin. Each toxin was separated into RCM-A and RCM-B chains after reduction and S-carboxymethylation. The RCM-polypeptides were maleylated and digested with TPCK-trypsin. The tryptic peptides were sequenced with manual Edman degradation or the dansyl-Edman method. The final alignment of the tryptic peptides from the respective RCM-polypeptides was deduced on the basis of the amino acid sequences of the A and B chains of beta 1-bungarotoxin (beta 1-toxin). The amino acid sequences of the A chains of the beta 3- and beta 4-toxins were identical but differed from those of the A chains of the beta 1- and beta 2-toxins by 4 amino acid substitutions in the COOH-terminal portions (residues 109-120) and substitution at position 87. The amino acid sequences of the B chains of the beta 3- and beta 4-toxins differed from each other, but they were identical with those of the B chains of the beta 1- and beta 2-toxins, respectively. The amino acid sequence of the A chain of beta 5-toxin differed from that of the A chain of beta 1-toxin by consecutive substitutions in residues 55-60 and substitutions at positions 23, 87, and 89. The amino acid sequence of the B chain of beta 5-toxin was identical with those of the B chains of beta 1- and beta 3-toxin. From our results on the effects of the amino acid displacements found in the A chains on the neurotoxicity, it was concluded that the COOH-terminal portion in the A chains was not essential to their neurotoxicity, whereas the region of residues 55-60 in the A chains appeared to participate in the constitution of the neurotoxically active site of the beta-toxins.

Appearance of Autolysosomes in Rat Liver after Leupeptin Treatment

Abstract: The administration to rats of leupeptin produced prominent numbers of enlarged and irregularly shaped autolysosomes in hepatocytes. Percoll density equilibration of crude lysosomal fractions from rat livers showed that most lysosomal enzyme migrated form normal lysosomal density fractions toward higher density fractions within 30 min after leupeptin injection. The denser particles were ultrastructurally identified with the autolysosomes. In analysis by differential centrifugation of the liver homogenates, lysosomal enzymes became sedimentable with particles of greater sedimentation rate within 30 min after leupeptin injection. These changes in physical properties of lysosomes reverted to normal after 24 h, and concomitant disappearance of autolysosomes in hepatocytes was observed by electron microscopy. When the time course of distribution of leupeptin in subcellular fractions was analyzed, particle-bound leupeptin shifted with time to larger particle fractions in parallel with the shift of lysosomal enzyme distribution. Upon injection with leupeptin, cathepsin B activity was inhibited by more than 80% for about 3 h and was gradually restored to a normal level after 24 h. Leupeptin treatment caused marked delay of the degradation of endocytosed FITC-labeled asialofetuin in hepatic lysosomes, and its inhibitory effect lasted for over 9 h after the injection. It was suggested that autophagy is probably a normal process of protein degradation in hepatocytes, and because of a retarded digestion of sequestered materials, autolysosomes persisted for a long period and made up the majority of the lysosome population in the leupeptin-treated cells.

Preparation of bovine milk xanthine oxidase as a dehydrogenase form.

Abstract: When xanthine oxidase was prepared from fresh raw cow's milk in the presence of dithioerythritol, 94% of its xanthine-oxidizing activity was found as a dehydrogenase type. The enzyme was reversibly converted to an oxidase type when dithioerythritol was removed. The conversion was ascribable to the oxidation of sulfhydryl groups of the enzyme by oxygen. The two forms of the enzyme gave the same visible spectrum, but the dehydrogenase form alone gave a characteristic difference spectrum upon addition of NAD+. NADH served as a good electron donor for the dehydrogenase form of the enzyme but not for the oxidase form. When xanthine was used as an electron donor, the overall rate of p-benzoquinone reduction was the same for the oxidase and dehydrogenase forms, but the proportion of one-electron flux from the enzyme to p-benzoquinone was considerably greater in the reaction of the dehydrogenase form than in that of the oxidase form.

Comparative glucan specificities of two types of spinach leaf phosphorylase.

Abstract: Two types of alpha-glucan phosphorylase [EC 2.4.1.1] from spinach leaves have been separately purified to near homogeneity. Type I enzyme shows a subunit molecular weight of 92,000 and Km values for amylopectin, glycogen and amylose much smaller than that for maltopentose. Cyclodextrin is a normal competitive inhibitor with respect to maltopentose, while it is a multi-site competitive type inhibitor with respect to amylopectin, glycogen or amylose. Type II enzyme shows a subunit molecular weight of 108,000, and utilizes amylopectin, amylose and maltopentose well, but glycogen very poorly. On affinity electrophoresis, Type II enzyme shows no affinity for glycogen and the dissociation constant for amylopectin is more than a thousand-fold greater than that of Type I enzyme. Type II enzyme has similar characteristics (subunit size, glucan specificity, and mode of cyclodextrin inhibition) to potato phosphorylase, for which cyclodextrin is a normal competitive inhibitor with respect to either maltopentose or amylopectin. Enzyme-glucan binding models have been proposed to explain these different kinetic properties. In spinach Type I phosphorylase, multiple glucan binding sites are located on the same face of the enzyme molecule to enable a single large substrate to be bound by riding on all the site; in spinach Type II and potato phosphorylases, two glucan binding sites are three-dimensionally arranged in a manner that excludes the possibility of the binding of amylopectin by riding on the two sites.

Identification of Drosophila Indirect Flight Muscle Myofibrillar Proteins by Means of Two-Dimensional Electrophoresis

Abstract: When proteins of whole Drosophila thorax were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, 186 spots were detected by protein staining with Coomassie brilliant blue R-250. Two methods were developed to identify proteins which exist in indirect flight muscle (IFM) and its myofibrils. 1) A whole fly was freeze-dried in a dry ice-acetone mixture, and indirect flight muscle fibers were cleanly dissected out from the thorax. The muscle cells and the rest of the thorax were analyzed separately. The muscle contained 146 polypeptides, of which 12 were not detected elsewhere. 2) Flies were frozen in liquid nitrogen and shaken vigorously so that their thoraces broke off from heads and abdomens. The thoraces were separated from the rest by sieving and centrifugation. After homogenization of the thorax, myofibrils were prepared by centrifugation in a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. The myofibril fraction contained at least 20 proteins. There were two types of actin (II and III), myosin heavy chain, tropomyosin and paramyosin. Nine of the other myofibrillar proteins were specific to this muscle.

Quantitative determination of bile acid glucuronides in serum by mass fragmentography.

Abstract: Individual non-glucuronidated . non-sulfated, glucuronidated and sulfated bile acids in serum were determined, i.e. lithocholic acid, deoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, and cholic acid, by mass fragmentography. Glucuronic acid conjugates of lithocholic acid, deoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and cholic acid were synthesized via the Koenigs-Knorr condensation reaction. Deuterium labeled deoxycholic acid, lithocholic acid glucuronide, deoxycholic acid glucuronide, and deoxycholic acid sulfate were synthesized and used as internal standards. A serum sample of 1 ml including internal standards was purified with a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge. After the enzymatic cleavage of amino acid conjugates, bile acids were separated into three fractions, free, glucuronidated, and sulfated bile acids, using piperidinohydroxypropyl Sephadex LH-20 (Goto et al. (1978) Clin. Chim. Acta 87). Glucuronidated and sulfated bile acids were deconjugated by beta-glucuronidase treatment and solvolysis. Each fraction was converted to the hexafluoroisopropyl-trifluoroacetyl derivative and quantitated by mass fragmentography. The average concentrations of individual bile acid glucuronides from healthy fasting subjects (n = 9) were as follows; lithocholic acid 0.013 microgram/ml, deoxycholic acid 0.083 microgram/ml, chenodeoxycholic acid 0.078 microgram/ml, ursodeoxycholic acid 0.013 microgram/ml, and cholic acid 0.007 microgram/ml. Bile acid glucuronides occupied 7.8% of the total bile acids.

Properties of Aspergillus niger Catalase

Abstract: Catalase from Aspergillus niger was purified to homogeneity as judged from the results of ultracentrifugation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 385,000 as estimated from sedimentation measurements. Carbohydrate analyses showed that the catalase was a glycoprotein containing about 8.3% neutral sugar and 1.9% glucosamine. Under denaturing conditions, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed only one band with a molecular weight of 97,000 daltons in gels stained for either protein or sugar, suggesting that the native enzyme consists of four subunits with covalently bound carbohydrate. In the reaction with inhibitors, A. niger catalase showed lower affinity than the "standard" catalases. The pK values for HCN, HN3, and HF were estimated to be 3.4 (at pH 7.4), 2.3, and 1.5 (at pH 4.2), respectively. In addition, the fungal enzyme reacts with methyl hydrogen peroxide in a very unusual way. Even after the addition of a large excess of the peroxide, only catalase compound I was formed, and compound II did not appear. Using this unique property of A. niger catalase, we obtained CD and MCD spectra of compound I uncontaminated by compound II. The magnitude of the positive CD peak of compound I in the Soret region was about half that of the native enzyme. The MCD spectrum obtained was better resolved than that of bovine liver catalase compound I in the visible region.

Adenosine triphosphate-induced reversible change in the conformation of chicken gizzard myosin and heavy meromyosin.

Abstract: In 1978, we (Suzuki et al., J. Biochem. 84, 1529) reported the very interesting finding that in a medium of 0.2 M KCl (and 10 mM MgCl2), addition of ATP induced a large increase in the sedimentation velocity of chicken gizzard myosin from approximately 6S to 10S. Moreover, our flow birefringence study suggested that 10S-myosin was not much different from 6S-myosin in the particle length. Therefore, we concluded that ATP induced dimerization of gizzard myosin monomers. In the present study, we reinvestigated 6S-myosin and 10S-myosin by the sedimentation equilibrium method, and found that both myosins had the same molecular weight of approximately 500,000. We also studied the angular dependence of the light scattering intensity, and found that addition of ATP caused a large change in the radius of gyration of gizzard myosin; the radius of gyration of 6S-myosin was 545 A whereas that of 10S-myosin was only 146 A. Accordingly, our previous conclusion had to be withdrawn. Instead, we now put forward a new conclusion that ATP induces a large change in the conformation of gizzard myosin monomers. We added two new observations: (a) The ATP-induced change in the myosin conformation and the large decrease in the ATPase activity of myosin were both reversible upon increasing the KCl concentration from 0.2 M to 0.3 M. (b) The large decrease in the ATPase activity and the ATP-induced increase in the sedimentation velocity were also observed with gizzard heavy meromyosin when the KCl concentration decreased to lower than 0.3 M.

Prenyltransferases of Bacillus subtilis: Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthetase and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthetase.

Abstract: Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthetase and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthetase were partially purified and characterized from Bacillus subtilis, from which heptaprenyl pyrophosphate synthetase and farnesyl pyrophosphate synthetase had previously been obtained [Takahashi et al. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 4539; (1981) J. Biochem. 89, 1581]. The undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthetase catalyzed the Z-oligomerization of isopentenyl units with farnesyl pyrophosphate as a priming substrate to give C50 and C55 prenyl pyrophosphates with Z,E mixed stereochemistry. Various geometric isomers of C10, C15, C20, and C25 prenyl pyrophosphates also acted as priming substrates to give the corresponding isomeric products with chain lengths of C50 and C55, including unnatural products. In addition to absolute requirements for Mg2+ and detergent, the enzyme activity was further stimulated markedly by monovalent cations such as K- and NH4+. The geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthetase catalyzed C5 leads to C10 leads to C15 leads to C20 reactions to give E,E-farnesyl and E,E,E-geranylgeranyl pyrophosphates. This enzyme was not affected by monovalent cations or detergent.