Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Hess

Publications and source records attributed to B Hess.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Reversible solvent denaturation of rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase.

The structural transitions of the tetrameric rabbit muscle pyruvate kinase induced by guanidine hydrochloride and urea are characterized by elastic and quasi-elastic light-scattering, sedimentation velocity, and intrinsic viscosity experiments as well as by protein fluorescence, circular dichroism, and enzymic activity measurements. The transition curves are shown to be reversible. We find a new pathway of unfolding which is different from that described in the literature: The first intermediate with increasing concentration of denaturant is a less compact and inactive tetramer which can be renatured if substrates are added. Dissociation of the tetramer results in an expanded dimer with a partial loss of the secondary structure. The final state is a completely disordered monomer. These intermediates are consistent with a domain structure of pyruvate kinase, as it was suggested by Stammers & Muirhead [Stammers, D. K., & Muirhead, H. (1975) J. Mol. Biol. 95, 213--225] on the basis of their X-ray data. Using Schellman's solvent denaturation model [Schellman, J. A. (1978) Biopolymers 17, 1305--1322], we calculate the free energies of stabilization of the folding--unfolding equilibrium.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The somatotopy of the gracile nucleus in cats with agenesis of a hindfoot.

The somatotropic representation of the hindlimb in the gracile nucleus was studied in two cats who had a congenital defect of one hindfoot. The defect comprised all of the foot downward from and including the heel, and the distal third of tibia and fibula. The part of the sciatic nerve normally supplying the lower hindlimb and the hindfoot was reduced in diameter by one third. The motoneurones corresponding to the absent muscles were lacking and replaced by glial elements. The cross-sectional area of the dorsal columns at segment S2 was reduced by more than 20%. The gracile nuclei, in contrast, were not reduced in size. Only the diameter of its neurones was significantly smaller. Electrophysiological single and multi-neurone recordings revealed an altered somatotopic representation in the gracile nucleus on the defective side. The nuclear area normally representing the missing parts of the body surface now received input from the stump. There was no nuclear area devoid of afferent input, and there was no input in the gracile from the forelimb or from the contralateral side. It is concluded that the remaining parts of the leg project onto the gracile nucleus in an ordered fashion, sharing the entire nucleus according to their present afferent fibres.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1981

[Growth of calcium oxalate crystals in vitro: a simple method for measurement of the inhibitory action of human urine (author's transl)].

A technically simple and reproducible method is described for the determination of the growth of crystals of calcium oxalate monohydrate in vitro. In a system made metastable with respect to calcium and oxalate ion concentrations, the time course of crystal growth was measured by the decrease of free calcium ions, following the addition of a fixed quantity of calcium oxalate seed crystals. Inhibition of crystal growth caused by the addition of various inhibitors or urine was determined, and the possibility of supersaturation of crystal-forming ions was excluded by using low concentrations. The known inhibitors, ethane 1-hydroxy-1,1-bisphosphonate, heparin and chondroitin sulphate C were tested, and ethane 1-hydroxy-1,1-bisphosphonate showed the strongest inhibition of crystal growth. The inhibitory action of human urine was treated by addition of urine (30 ml/l) from resting and strongly hydrated probands.

Calcium Oxalate↗
PubMed1980

The role of high density lipoproteins in rat adrenal cholesterol metabolism and steroidogenesis.

Addition of rat or human high density lipoproteins (HDL) or human low density lipoproteins (LDL) to rat adrenocortical cells in vitro was found to enhance steroid production and increase cell cholesterol content. These effects of HDL were not observed in cultured mouse Y-1 adrenal cells, suggesting that rat adrenal cells possess a specific mechanism for uptake of HDL cholesterol not found in Y-1 cells. The effects of HDL were most marked on cells previously stimulated with adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and depleted of their endogenous cholesterol stores. Such cells were prepared either by treatment in vivo with 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine or in vitro with ACTH (10(-7) M) in lipoprotein-poor media. Steroid production by treated cells exhibited a saturable dependence on media HDL concentration. In addition to enhancing ACTH stimulated steroid production, addition of HDL also resulted in a saturable concentration-dependent increase in cell cholesterol content. Both aminoglutethimide and cycloheximide were found to inhibit HDL-enhanced steroid production. Finally, addition of HDL to short term incubations (5 1/2 h) of ACTH-treated cells caused no change in the rate of incorporation of 14C-acetate into cholesterol or corticosterone. These results indicate that rat adrenocortical cells possess a specific, saturable, ACTH-dependent mechanism for uptake of HDL cholesterol. Moreover, cellular uptake of HDL cholesterol exceeded by at least 4-fold the amount of cholesterol associated with HDL apoprotein degraded by the cells, suggesting that utilization of HDL cholesterol does not require endocytosis and lysosomal degradation of the entire HDL particle.

Adrenal Cortex↗
PubMed1980

Affinity labeling of the active site of yeast pyruvate kinase by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine.

Yeast pyruvate kinase is irreversibly inactivated by 1.1 mM 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine at pH 8.6 with an initial rate constant of 0.019 min-1. A plot of kinact versus the 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine concentration yields a hyperbolic curve indicative of binding of the analog prior to reaction. Marked protection is afforded by phosphoenolpyruvate + fructose 1,6-diphosphate + Mg2+ or MgATP suggesting that reaction occurs within the active site. When assayed at less than saturating phosphoenolpyruvate concentrations, the inactivation caused by the reagent in the absence of added ligands appears slower, and reaction in the presence of phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate, and Mg2+ produces an activation of the enzyme, the extent of which is dependent on the assay concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate. The rate constant for activation was observed to be 0.113 min-1. The activated enzyme exhibits both a lowered K0.5 and Hill coefficient compared to native pyruvate kinase. Subsequent addition of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine to activated pyruvate kinase in the absence of added ligands leads to inactivation with the rate constant independent of the assay concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate. Covalent reaction of pyruvate kinase with 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine thus occurs at two distinct sites. In the presence of phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate, and Mg2+, incorporation of tritiated 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl adenosine is linearly proportional to the extent of activation of the enzyme, with 4 mol of reagent bound/mol of tetrameric pyruvate kinase for maximally activated enzyme. In the absence of added ligands, approximately 4.5 mol of reagent are incorporated/mol of enzyme at 15 min of reaction, while 80% of the original activity remains. Subsequent incorporation is proportional to the extent of inactivation with 8 mol bound at 100% in activaton. In the presence of phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-diphospate, and Mg2+, 3 tyrosines and 1 lysine residue, and in the absence of ligands, 6 tyrosines and 2 lysine residues are modified, suggesting that both amino acids are within the two nucleotide sites.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1980

Classification of nucleotide binding sites on mitochondrial F1-ATPase from yeast.

Methods are described to classify nucleotide binding sites of the mitochondrial coupling factor F1 from yeast on the basis of their affinities and stability properties. High affinity sites or states for ATP and related adenine analogs and low affinity sites or states which bind a broad range of different nucleotide triphosphates are found. The results are discussed in terms of a two site, two cycle scheme, where binding of nucleotide at one site facilitates the release of nucleotide at a second site.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1980

Analysis of progress curves. Rate law of pyruvate kinase type I from Escherichia coli.

Progress curves of the reaction catalysed by pyruvate kinase from Escherichia coli K12, designed to cover the four-dimensional concentration space of phosphoenolpyruvate, ADP, Mg2+ and ATP in the regulatory region, were recorded with the pH-stat method (pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C). Additional initial-rate measurement were performed to assess specific points. Two methods for the evaluation of progress curves were used: fitting the rate law to the rates obtained from the tangents of the progress curves and fitting the integrated rate law directly to the curves. Two models, both extensions of the concerted model given by Monod, Wyman & Changeux [(1965) J. Mol. Biol. 12, 88--118] with four protomers, could be fitted to the data within the experimental error. Model discrimination in favour of one of these models was possible by proper experimental design. In the selected model one conformational state of the enzyme forms the active complex. The active site of a second conformational state forms abortive complexes with Mg2+, causing strong inhibition at high Mg2+ concentrations. In the absence of ligands, most of the enzyme is in a third state that binds ATP at an allosteric site.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMed1980

Electron microscopic mapping and sequence analysis of the terminator for the early message of E. coli phage T7.

The terminator position of T7 early messenger RNA was determined by electron microscopic measurements. The end of the RNA was mapped at a position 18.9% from the left end of T7 DNA, and 145 +/- 25 nucleotides from the right end of the Hpa I fragment Q. The sequence of the Hpa I Q fragment was determined around this position, and a terminator-like structure was detected in position 193 to 169 from the right end of fragment Q.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1980

Mild purification procedure and subunit structure of glucosephosphate isomerase from baker's yeast.

A mild procedure for the purification of glucosephosphate isomerase from baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is reported. The purified enzyme was homogeneous and did not contain charge isomers as shown by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as well as DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. Its molecular weight determined by gel filtration and sucrose density gradient centrifugation was approximately 120 000, which agreed with that of the enzyme in the crude extract as well as that of the renatured enzyme. Gel filtration in 6M guanidine/HCl as well as acrylamide gel electrophoresis of sodium dodecyl sulfate denatured glucosephosphate isomerase showed one single peak and gave a subunit molecular weight of 60 000. Cross-linking patterns obtained with yeast glucosephosphate isomerase after treatment with dimethyl suberimidate resulted in the appearance of dimers as the largest-linked product of the enzyme subunit. After dissociation the enzyme can readily be reassociated and renatured with a yield of maximum 73% and a pseudo first order rate constant of 0.12 min-1 at 25 degrees C.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1980

Synthesis of the human insulin gene. Part IV. New synthetic deoxyribooligonucleotide adaptors and primer for DNA cloning and sequence analysis.

The chemical synthesis of four new deoxyribooligonucleotides to be used as adaptors in molecular cloning of DNA for expression studies is described. These are (i) start-adaptor, (ii) stop-adaptor, (iii) conversion adaptor to insert ribosomal binding site, and (iv) retrieving adaptor. We have also synthesized a 19-bases-long primer, 5'-TTGTAAAACGACGGCCAGT-3' to increase the speed of DNA sequence analysis and also demonstrated its application using single-stranded M13 DNa vector.

Base Composition↗