Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Hofmann

Publications and source records attributed to E Hofmann.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Dynamic properties of in vitro enzyme systems containing phosphofructokinase.

The dynamic properties of a series of in vitro reaction systems with increasing complexity and containing phosphofructokinase as central enzyme have been investigated. An experimental strategy and a principal mathematical treatment was elaborated to search for the minimum requirements with respect to the enzyme composition of a reaction system for generating limit cycle behaviour. As a criterion, such models have been developed which permit experimental realization by application of a specially designed flow-through equipment. In addition to phosphofructokinase, the following enzymes have been stepwise included into the reaction systems composing the Models 1 through 6: pyruvate kinase, adenylate kinase, hexokinase, and glucose 6-phosphate isomerase. It turned out that only a minimum dynamic system containing phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase as well as excesses of adenylate kinase and glucose 6-phosphate isomerase for maintaining equilibrium conditions between the respective reacting species, acquires the property of limit cycle behaviour and, hence, to generate sustained self-oscillations. The approach permits to compute the region of the experimentally variable parameters (influx rates of fructose 6-phosphate and ATP, maximum rate of pyruvate kianse) for which self-oscillatory behaviour can be predicted.

Adenylate Kinase↗

Binding of MgATP to yeast phosphofructokinase.

Binding of MgATP to yeast phosphofructokinase was investigated by the gel filtration equilibrium dialysis technique. Per subunit of yeast phosphofructokinase two molecules of MgATP are bound in the absence of fructose-6-phosphate, one to a high-affinity and one to a low-affinity site. The experimental data were compared with a kinetic model of yeast phosphofructokinase as described by Freyer et al. [3].

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Purification and properties of pig kidney glutamate dehydrogenase.

Glutamate dehydrogenase from pig kidney has been purified to homogeneity by means of affinity chromatography on matrix bound Cibacron Blue F3G-A and gel chromatography on Sepharose 6B. The enzyme exhibits allosteric properties with the substrates alpha-ketoglutarate, ammonium, and NADH, respectively. GTP is a strong inhibitor which strengthened the cooperative interactions between the ammonium binding sites. ADP as an activator relieves the inhibition by GTP. Like glutamate dehydrogenase from bovine liver, glutamate dehydrogenase from pig kidney shows the ability of self-association, too. The sedimentation coefficient increases from 13.5 S at 0.07 mg protein/ml to 19.4 S at 1.32 mg protein/ml. In the sodium dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis the enzyme migrates as a single band with a molecular-weight at 51000.

Animals↗

Regulation of anaerobic glycolysis in Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

1) In intact Ehrlich ascites tumour cells the anaerobic glycolytic flux rate and pattern of intermediates have been investigated at different pH values of the extracellular medium. 2) As predicted from the dependence of the lactic acid dehydrogenase equilibrium on pH a strong negative correlation between log ([lactate]/[pyruvate]) and pH has been found. 3) The steady state fluxes of glycolysis at pH 8.0 and 7.4 are rather equal, despite significant differences in the intracellular concentrations of glycolytic intermediates. At pH 8.0 the concentrations of ATP, glucose 6-phosphate, and fructose 6-phosphate are lower, and the concentrations of ADP, AMP, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, triose phosphates, phosphoglycerates, and phosphoenolpyruvate are higher than at pH 7.4. 4) From the analysis of the pH dependent changes of metabolites it follows that different mechanisms are responsible for maintaining equal actual activities of hexokinase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase at pH 7.4 and 8.0. 5) From an application of the linear theory of enzymatic chains and a calculation of the control strength of the regulatory important enzymes results that hexokinase is evidently rate-limiting for glycolysis, and phosphofructokinase is also significantly influencing the glycolytic flux. Pyruvate kinase and glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase, on the other hand, do not significantly affect the rate of the overall glycolytic flux in ascites.

Anaerobiosis↗

Polygraphic studies of normal infants during the first six months of life: III. Incidence of apnea and periodic breathing.

The incidence of apnea and periodic breathing was studied in full-term infants between birth and 6 months of age. Apnea was defined as a pause equal to or exceeding six seconds, periodic breathing as two cessations of breathing within a 20-second period, each equal to or longer than three seconds but less than six seconds. Sleep and cardiopulmonary variables were monitored. Apnea was common in the normal full-term infant. The incidence of apnea was highest in the newborn period and apneas exceeding 15 seconds were limited to this age. A reduction in apnea incidence occurred between birth and 3 months of age; thereafter, the incidence remained unchanged. The majority of apneas occurred during active sleep (AS). Few minutes were classified as indeterminate; the number of apneas during these minutes was comparable to those during AS. The incidence of apneas during quiet sleep was low. Periodic breathing remained stable across the ages, occurring primarily in AS. Apnea exceeding 15 seconds in rare in infancy. The tabulation of shorter apnea may be of limited value in identifying infants at risk for abnormal apnea due to extreme variability among infants. The sleep-waking state of the infants must be considered in order to evaluate apnea counts.

Apnea↗

[Plethysmographic investigation of the post-thrombotic syndrome].

In 49 patients with a phlebographically ascertained postthrombotic syndrome, who were above all subdivided into morphologically defined degrees of severity, after May and Nissl, a plethysmographic investigation was carried out with the deep positioning test and the venous drainage test. The results were contrasted with a group of 53 patients with a primary varicosis and the measuring results of 102 test persons with healthy veins. A very good correlation between the morphological changes and the haemodynamic findings establishable by means of the phlebembraxis plethysmography could be proved. A clear evidence was possible by means of the venous drainage test, whereas in the deep positioning test a certain demarcation was possible only in stage III of the postthrombotic syndrome.

Blood Circulation↗

Self-association of human erythrocyte phosphofructokinase. Kinetic behaviour in dependence on enzyme concentration and mode of association.

The kinetic behaviour of human erythrocyte phosphofructokinase has been analyzed over a relative wide range of enzyme concentration (0.01 -- 1.7 mug/ml). The kinetic cooperativity which becomes apparent when the enzymic reaction rate is plotted versus the fructose 6-phosphate concentration decreases with increasing enzyme concentration. Simultaneously, a decrease of the half-saturation concentration for fructose 6-phosphate [S]0.5 is observed. Maximum velocity passes through a maximum at increasing enzyme concentrations. Sets of curves representing specific enzymic activity of phosphofructokinase versus enzyme concentration obtained at various fixed concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate and ATP are analyzed. The shapes of these curves are interpreted in terms of an association model of human erythrocyte phosphofructokinase, in which an inactive dimer (Mr 190000) and active multimers of the dimeric form are involved. The conclusion is drawn that the sigmoidal shape of the plots of the enzymic reaction rate versus fructose 6-phosphate concentration is partially caused by a displacement of the equilibrium between different states of association of phosphofructokinase to multimers by this substrate. On the other hand, the inhibition of the enzyme by high concentrations of ATP may be partially caused by a shift of this equilibrium to the state of the inactive dimer.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

The effect of temperature change on the kinetic behaviour of yeast phosphofructokinase.

Yeast phosphofructokinase does not exhibit any cold sensitivity. The kinetic properties of the enzyme have been investigated in the range between 10 degrees C and 30 degrees C in dependence on fructose 6-phosphate and ATP. Although a significant increase in the enzyme activity with rising temperature does not occur, the shape of the ATP velocity curves is not markedly altered. With increasing concentrations of fructose-6-phosphate the efficiency of temperature on the catalytic process increases, indicating a small temperature effect on the shape of the fructose-6-phosphate velocity curves. The results are interpreted in terms of an adequate kinetic model.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Pig kidney phosphofructokinase. Purification to homogeneity and qualitative basic characterization.

Phosphofructokinase has been purified from pig kidney by extraction with phosphate buffer at pH 8, followed by alcohol treatment, affinity chromatography on matrix-bound Cibacron blue F3G-A, and gel chromatography on Sepharose 6B. Using sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis the enzyme was found to be homogeneous and to have a specific activity of about 80 units/mg protein. Like other phosphofructokinases, at pH 7.0 the enzyme exhibits a sigmoidal dependence in its activity on the fructose 6-phosphate concentration and is strongly inhibited by ATP. The degree of citrate inhibition is influenced by the concentration of the two substrates. ATP strengthens and fructose 6-phosphate relieves the inhibition by citrate. AMP and cAMP are able to overcome the ATP inhibition. The ADP activation curve is biphasic. The molecular weight of the subunit of pig kidney phosphofructokinase was determined to be 88 000 by means of sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Limited proteolysis of yeast phosphofructokinase by subtilisin. Alterations in enzyme activity, subunit composition, and hydrodynamic properties.

Yeast phosphofructokinase having a molecular weight of 750000--800000 (20 S) has been subjected to limited proteolysis by subtilisin and yeast proteases. Two steps of proteolytic degradation could be distinguished: in the first step, which is accompanied by an increase in molecular activity, the subunits alpha and beta (Mr 120000) are converted to alpha' and beta' (Mr approximately 900000), and in the second step, accompanied by a decrease in enzyme activity, alpha' is converted to alpha'' (Mr 80000) and two further fragments having Mr 45000 and 35000 become detectable. In the course of the conversion the sedimentation value of the undissociated enzyme drops from 20 S to about 17 S. The two substrates fructose 6-phosphate and ATP exhibit characteristic protective effects on enzyme activity and on subunit degradation. Whereas the first step is not strongly influenced by the substrates, fructose, 6-phosphate inhibits significantly the degradation of alpha' and beta', whereas ATP prevents only degradation of beta'. When in presence of ATP alpha' is degraded to alpha'', the quaternary structure of the 17-S enzyme is no longer stable and a dissociation of the molecule occurs to a 12-S form which is enzymically active and ATP-sensitive and in which the ratio of alpha'' to beta'' is one-to-one.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗