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D S Auld

Publications and source records attributed to D S Auld.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1974

RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) from avian myeloblastosis virus: a zinc metalloenzyme.

RNA tumor viruses contain a characteristic RNA-dependent DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) which has been thought to be related to the induction of leukemia by this virus. A disturbance in a zinc-dependent enzyme system was first postulated to account for the demonstrated differences in zinc metabolism of normal and leukemic leukocytes [Vallee et al. in (1949) Acta Unio. Int. Contra Cancrum 6, 869 and (1950) Acta Unio. Int. Contra Cancrum 6, 1102]. In order to investigate the relationship between zinc and the initiation of leukemia in chickens by avian myeloblastosis virus, we have examined the metalloenzyme nature of its reverse transcriptase. The present data show that this protein is a zinc metalloenzyme demonstrating the postulated relationship between zinc and a leukemic process. Paucity of purified enzyme generated the design of a novel system of analysis incorporating microwave-induced emission spectrometry combined with gel exclusion chromatography. It provides precision, reproducibility, and remarkable limits of detection on mul samples containing 10(-12) to 10(-14) g-atoms of metal, and is thus orders of magnitude more sensitive than other methods. The chromatographic fraction with highest enzymatic activity contains 1.8 x 10(-11) g-atoms of zinc per 1.6 mug of protein, corresponding to either 1.8 or 2.0 g-atoms of zinc per mole of enzyme for a molecular weight previously determined either as 1.6 or 1.8 x 10(5). Copper, iron and manganese are absent, i.e., at or below the limits of detection, 10(-13) to 10(-14) g-atoms. Agents known to chelate zinc inhibit the enzyme, while their nonchelating isomers do not. The data underline the participation of zinc in nucleic acid metabolism and bear importantly upon the lesions that accompany leukemia and zinc deficiency.

Avian Leukosis Virus↗
PubMed1970

Surveyor substrates: energy-transfer gauges of active center topography during catalysis.

An approach is described for the simultaneous measurement of catalysis, the distance from an active-site moiety to fluorescent substrate moieties of an enzyme substrate complex, and the microenvironment of such substrate groups. It is illustrated by means of a three-component energy transfer relay system, consisting of cobalt carboxypeptidase, its fluorescent dansylated peptide substrates, and tryptophanyl residues of the enzyme. The mode of procedure can be applied generally to yield conjoint information on functional and structural aspects of active centers of enzymes.

Binding Sites↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Zinc coordination sphere in biochemical zinc sites.

Zinc is known to be indispensable to growth and development and transmission of the genetic message. It does this through a remarkable mosaic of zinc binding motifs that orchestrate all aspects of metabolism. There are now nearly 200 three dimensional structures for zinc proteins, representing all six classes of enzymes and covering a wide range of phyla and species. These structures provide standards of reference for the identity and nature of zinc ligands in other proteins for which only the primary structure is known. Three primary types of zinc sites are apparent from examination of these structures: structural, catalytic and cocatalytic. The most common amino acids that supply ligands to these sites are His, Glu, Asp and Cys. In catalytic sites zinc generally forms complexes with water and any three nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur donors with His being the predominant amino acid chosen. Water is always a ligand to such sites. Structural zinc sites have four protein ligands and no bound water molecule. Cys is the preferred ligand in such sites. Cocatalytic sites contain two or three metals in close proximity with two of the metals bridged by a side chain moiety of a single amino acid residue, such as Asp, Glu or His and sometimes a water molecule. Asp and His are the preferred amino acids for these sites. No Cys ligands are found in such sites. The scaffolding of the zinc sites is also important to the function and reactivity of the bound metal. The influence of zinc on quaternary protein structure has led to the identification of a fourth type of zinc binding site, protein inteface. In this case zinc sites are formed from ligands supplied from amino acid residues residing in the binding surface of two proteins. The resulting zinc site usually has the coordination properties of a catalytic or structural zinc binding site.

Animals↗