Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A K Chatterjee

Publications and source records attributed to A K Chatterjee.

160 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Metabolism of phloridzin by Erwinia herbicola: nature of the degradation products, and the purification and properties of phloretin hydrolase.

Erwinia herbicola Y46 degrades phloridzin to yield phloretin, phloroglucinol, and phloretic acid, when grown on defined medium containing phloridzin as the sole source of carbon. The identities of the intermediates isolated from culture filtrates were established by co-chromatography and by ultraviolet absorption spectra. Only 3 of 11 strains of this species, and none of the 12 species of bacterial phytopathogens tested could effect this breakdown. Some of the latter organisms possessed beta-glucosidase activity which liberated d-glucose from phloridzin. The enzyme phloretin hydrolase was purified from cells of E. herbicola Y46 grown on Yeast Beef Broth, by treatment of crude extracts with protamine sulfate, ammonium sulfate precipitation, elution from calcium phosphate gel, elution from diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, and concentration by ultrafiltration. The final preparation was free of beta-glucosidase, had a specific activity of 213 units per mg of protein, and represented a 142-fold purification over the crude extract. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 6.7 to 6.8, and produced only phloroglucinol and phloretic acid as products of phloretin breakdown, there being an equimolar relationship between the cleavage of phloretin and the formation of the products. The Michaelis constant (K(m)) for the enzyme with phloretin as substrate was 3.8 x 10(-5)m, and the enzyme was sensitive to Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) ions. Phloroglucinol, phloretic acid, p-chloromercuribenzoate and iodoacetamide were without effect on the activity. The enzyme did not react with phloridzin, naringin, or naringenin. The physiological significance of the results is discussed.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗

Insulinotropic action of L-rhamnose in isolated rat islets.

L-Rhamnose at different concentrations stimulated incorporation of 3H-leucine both into islet (pro)insulin and that released into the medium. Maximum isotope incorporation with either glucose or rhamnose was seen at a concentration of 16.7 mM, although the glucose-induced effect was significantly greater. Like glucose, rhamnose also enhance the activities of acid phosphatase and cathepsin B in isolated rat islets.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Characterization of a novel regulatory gene aepA that controls extracellular enzyme production in the phytopathogenic bacterium Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora.

Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strain Ecc71 produces an array of extracellular enzymes including pectate lyase (Pel), polygalacturonase, cellulase, and protease. In strain Ecc71, these enzymes are coregulated by aepA, which encodes an activator of extracellular protein production (H. Murata, J. L. McEvoy, A. Chatterjee, A. Collmer, and A. K. Chatterjee, Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact, 4:239-246, 1991). The nucleotide sequence of a 2.7-kb aepA+ DNA segment revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,395 bp which matches with the size of the aepA transcript determined by Northern blot analysis. aepA is predicted to encode a protein of 465 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of approximately 51 kDa and a pI of 6.52. The occurrence of a putative signal sequence and several hydrophobic domains suggest membrane localization of AepA. An aepA-lacZ operon fusion was constitutively expressed in E. coli (DH5 alpha) but inducible by pectate and celery extract in E. c. subsp. carotovora (AC5006). These findings suggest that aepA expression may be negatively regulated in E. c. subsp. carotovora. By assaying for the transcript of pel-1, which species a major secreted Pel species in strain Ecc71, and by following the expression of a pel1-lacZ operon fusion we determined that AepA activates pel-1 transcription. The characteristics of aepA including the lack of homology with other prokaryotic regulatory genes indicate that aepA encodes a novel regulatory protein required for extracellular protein production. Whereas homologs of Ecc71 aepA occur in E. c. subsp. carotovora and E. c. subsp. atroseptica strains, activation of exoenzyme production is markedly stimulated by aepA in E. c. subsp. carotovora than in E. c. subsp. atroseptica.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nucleotide sequence of a pectate lyase structural gene, pel1 of Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strain 71 and structural relationship of pel1 with other pel genes of Erwinia species.

Of the various exoproteins secreted by Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora strain 71, Pel1 is the major pectate lyase species with tissue macerating activity. Nucleotide sequencing of a 2.2-kb pel1+ DNA segment revealed a 1,122 base pair open reading frame which could encode pre-Pel1 of 374 amino acid residues. A signal peptide of 22 amino acid residues is present within the NH2-terminal region of pre-Pel1. Transcription of pel1 was initiated at the guanine residue 111 base pairs upstream of the start codon. Consensus sequences for the binding of KdgR, a negative regulatory factor known to control some of the E. chrysanthemi pectinases, flank the promoter of pel1. Although pel1 belongs to the pelBC family, it is more closely related to the pel genes of E. carotovora than to the pelBC genes of E. chrysanthemi.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The role of imipramine hydrochloride on plasma transaminase and glucose level on rats under altitude stress.

The effect of exposure of albino rats to simulated high altitude stress of 5000 metres for 3 and 6 hrs on plasma transaminases, non-protein nitrogen (NPN), total protein percentages and blood sugar levels have been studied both with and without the administration of an anti-stress drug Imipramine HCl at 2.0 mg/kg body weight. The drug appears to have a slight hepatotoxic effect.

Alanine Transaminase↗