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E Englesberg

Publications and source records attributed to E Englesberg.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Inhibition of growth of cells in culture by L-phenylalanine as a model system for the analysis of phenylketonuria. I. aminoacid antagonism and the inhibition of protein synthesis.

Phenylalanine in high concentrations inhibits the growth of mouse A9 cells. Protein synthesis is inhibited earlier and more severely than RNA or DNA synthesis. Phenylalanine inhibits the uptake and decreases the intracellular pool of several amino acids. Certain amino acids added in excess reverse the phenylalanine inhibition. The strongest reversing amino acids appear to function by excluding phenylalanine. The phenylalanine inhibition does not appear to be due to a deficiency of any amino acid, but to the high intracellular phenylalanine concentration and/or an amino acid imbalance resulting from the large ratio of phenylalanine to other amino acids.

Amino Acids↗

Elucidation of an A and L system for amino acid transport in the human lymphoblast using a membrane filtration technique.

Optimum conditions have been established for the measurement of amino acid transport by human lymphoblastoid cell lines using a membrane-filtration technique. The parameters we found to be important for the reproducibility of the method are: the types and combination of filters, the strength of the vacuum applied to the filters and the density of the cultures at the time of harvesting and during uptake and filtration. We found that bovine serum albumin added to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) glucose in which the cells are washed, resuspended and assayed is essential for the maintenance of viability, the prevention of clumping and the retention of the accumulated amino acid. Using this procedure we have characterized two transport systems for the neutral amino acids; an A and an L system, which are similar but not identical to the A and L systems characterized in rodent cell lines. These A and L systems have characteristically lower Km's and Vm's for alanine and phenylalanine, when compared to rodent cell lines. In addition, we find alpha-AIB to be a poor competitor of alanine and phenylalanine uptake.

Alanine↗

Constitutive mutations in the controlling site region of the araBAD operon of Escherichia coli B/r that decrease sensitivity to catabolite repression.

Strains of Escherichia coli B/r containing a deletion of the regulatory gene araC are Ara-. Slow-growing revertants of these strains were isolated and designated aralc because they contain a second mutation in a controlling site, aral, that allows for a low level of constitutive expression of the araBAD operon (Englesbert et al., 1969). We mutagenized aralc delta C strains and selected mutants that grow faster in mineral L-arabinose medium. The new mutations, called araXc, map very close to the original aralc mutations and are in the controlling site region between araB and araC. The aralcXc delta C strains have a higher constitutive level of expression of the araBAD operon than the aralc delta C parents. The araXc mutations are cis acting and decrease the araBAD operon's sensitivity to catabolite repression. The araBAD operon is expressed equally well in ara delta C and ara C cya crp backgrounds. The repressor form of ara C protein is able to repress the constitutive synthesis due to the ara Xc allele.

Arabinose↗

The site for catabolite deactivation in the L-arabinose BAD operon in Escherichia coli B/r.

A series of deletions beginning in the leu operon and continuing into the araC gene and also into the ara controlling site region were analyzed in reciprocal merodiploids, e.g., F' A2Cc67/B24delta719, F' B24delta719/A2Cc67, for their effects on catabolite deactivation (CD). The results of these experiments are consistent with placing the catabolite gene activator-cyclic AMP sensitive site in the controlling site region between araB and araO. With a deletion mutant, delta1109, that places araBAD under leu control when transcription begins at leuP, the araBAD operon is immune to CD even though araCGA, araP and araI are intact and functional. To focus attention on the fine structure and related functions of this region we propose that the three proteins that function therein have separate sites of action: araI (initiator-site for activator), araP (promoter-site for RNA polymerase) and ara(CGA) (catabolite gene activator-site for CGA-cAMP). None of the eighteen initiator constitutive mutants (Ic) tested have any significant effect on catabolite derepression or on the maximal level of expression of the operon supporting the view that the araI site may be distinct from araP and ARA(CGA). A series of constitutive mutants in the araC gene (Cc) also have no pronounced effect on catabolite deactivation.

Arabinose↗

Inhibition of the growth of mammalian cells in cuture by amino acids and the isolation and characterization of L-phenylalanine transport.

Raising the concentration of phenylalanine and other amino acids in MEM leads to the inhibition of growth and in some cases to death of A9. Balb 3T3 , SV40 Balb 3T3 (SVT2), CHO, and WI38. All cells tested exhibited some similar senstivities to certain of the amino acids. but there were some unique differences. Phenylalanine-resistant mutants (Pher) of A9 were isolated that had modified phenylalanine-transport properties. These mutants can be isolated by a single-step selection procedure. A Lineweaver-Burk plot of initial rates of phenylalanine uptake by A9 and mutants showed a biphasic curve suggesting two transport systems. The Pher mutants had altered properties of both systems. It is suggested that the selection of clones resistant to high concentration of several of the natural amino acid may be used as a general method for the isolation of mutants affecting the various amino acid transport systems in mammalian cells.

Amino Acids, Essential↗

Isolation and characterization of 5-fluorotryptophan-resistant mutants with altered L-tryptophan transport.

Mutants of A9 mouse fibroblast, resistant to the killing effect of 0.4 mM 5-flurotryptophan (5-FT), have altered L-tryptophan transport properties. The resistant phenotype is stable for at least 90 generations of growth in MEM. A fluctuation test indicated that clones resistant to 0.4 mM 5-FT occurred spontaneously. An average mutation rate was estimated at 1.6 X 10(-6). Treatment with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine increased the frequency of these clones by at least 100-fold. These results indicate that the resistant clones arose as a result of a mutation. All the resistant mutant tested accumulate less 5-FT at near steady-state conditions than the wild type. Lineweaver-Burk plots of initial rates of tryptophan uptake yield a biphasic curve suggesting that tryptophan is transported by two transport systems. Kinetic constants determined by a computer program indicate that both proposed transport systems were modified in each of two 5-FT resistant mutants.

Animals↗

Mutations affecting catabolite repression of the L-arabinose regulon in Escherichia coli B/r.

Expression of the L-arabinose regulon in Escherichia coli B/r requires, among other things, cyclic adenosine-3', 5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and the cAMP receptor protein (CRP). Mutants deficient in adenyl cyclase (cya-), the enzyme which synthesizes cAMP, or CRP (crp-) are unable to utilize a variety of carbohydrates, including L-arabinose. Ara+ revertants of a cya-crp- strain were isolated on 0.2% minimal L-arabinose plates, conditions which require the entire ara regulon to be activated in the absence of cAMP and CRP. Evidence from genetic and physiological studies is consistent with placing these mutations in the araC regulatory gene. Deletion mapping with one mutant localized the site within either araO or araC, and complementation tests indicated the mutants acted trans to confer the ability to utilize L-arabinose in a cya-crp- genetic background. Since genetic analysis supports the conclusion, that the mutant sites are in the araC regulatory gene, the mutants were designated araCi, indicating a mutation in the regulatory gene affecting the cAMP-CRP requirement. Physiological analysis of one mutant, araCi1, illustrates the trans-acting nature of the mutation. In a cya-crp- genetic background, araCi1 promoted synthesis of both isomerase, a product of the araBAD operon, and permease, a product of the araE operon. Isomerase and permease levels in araCi1 cya+ crp+ were hyperinducible, and the sensitivity of each to cAMP was altered. Two models are presented that show the possible mutational lesion in the araCi strains.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Transcriptional control in the L-arabinose operon of Escherichia coli B-r.

The structural genes involved in l-arabinose metabolism are regulated by the protein product of the araC gene. This protein functions as both an activator and repressor of enzyme synthesis in this gene complex. Using lambdah80dara deoxyribonucleic acid in hybridization studies, we have shown that the ara operon, including structural genes araB, araA, and araD, is transcribed in the direction araB to araD and that initiation of transcription of these genes requires an active araC gene. The half-life of this message, approximately 3 min at 30 C, is the same in the presence or absence of the araC protein in the activator state. However, an unexplained 2-min lag in decay of ara messenger ribonucleic acid that does not occur in decay of lac messenger ribonucleic acid is observed. This lag period requires activated araC protein.

Arabinose↗

Purification of the araC protein.

The araC gene product, a regulatory protein required for expression of the L-arabinose operon, has been purified by affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B to which 4-aminophenyl-beta-D-6-deoxygalactopyranoside (an anti-inducer of the L-arabinose operon) had been covalently attached by means of a 4-aminophenylbutanamido side chain. Evidence is presented showing that the protein binds specifically to ara DNA.

Aniline Compounds↗