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Biomedical subjects

H G Mautner

Publications and source records attributed to H G Mautner.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Localization of horseradish peroxidase-alpha-bungarotoxin binding in crustacean axonal membrane vesicles and intact axons.

A conjugate of alpha-bungarotoxin with horseradish peroxidase was used to visualize alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites at the fine structural level in isolated axonal membrane vesicles from lobster walking leg nerve. These plasma membrane vesicles have previously been shown to exhibit saturable binding of [3H]nicotine and [3H]acetylcholine. Binding of the toxin was identified in the axon plasma membrane and could be blocked by pretreatment with excess free alpha-bungaratoxin or d-tubocurarine. Binding sites for alpha-bungarotoxin were identified by the same technique in sections of intact nerve fibers from both lobster and spider crab and were found to be localized primarily in the axolemma rather than in the Schwann cell membrane.

Acetylcholine

Interaction of analogues of coenzyme A with choline acetyltransferase.

The finding that methyl methanethiolsulfonate appears to inhibit choline acetyltransferase from squid ganglia not by reacting with a thiol group of the enzyme but by reacting with the thiol group of coenzyme A to form a competitive inhibitor of acetyl coenzyme A led to the synthesis of the ethyl, propyl, and 3-carboxy-4-nitrophenyl disulfides of CoA. The methyl disulfide of 1,N6-etheno-C0A, a fluorescent ligand, was also prepared. All the disulfides are powerful inhibitors of ChA, their Ki values being very similar. The Km values for acetylpropionyl-, and butyryl-CoA were also found to be similar; however, modification of the acyl group alter the Km values for choline. CoA, and dethia-CoA, showed similar abilities to be bound to ChA; however, the 3'-phospho groups of acetyl CoA and CoA appear to be of importance in interacting with the enzyme. 8-Anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate is a competitive inhibitor of acetyl-CoA binding.

Acetyltransferases

Interaction of cholinergic ligands and local anesthetics with plasma membrane fragments from lobster axon.

Isologous local anesthetics containing the ester, thiolester, or selenolester grouping and their quaternary ammonium analogs were studied for their ability to displace [3H]nicotine from plasma membrane fragments of lobster nerve. Tertiary and quaternary analogs were equiactive. The relative ability of oxo, thio, and seleno analogs to displace nicotine was the same as their relative ability to block axonal conduction and synaptic transmission. Among cholinergic ligands, choline and aminocholine, previously shown to be inactive as depolarizing agents, were uniquely unable to displace nicotine. The findings are compatible with the presence of a biopolymer capable of binding cholinergic ligands in axonal membranes and support the postulate that the relative inactivity of quaternary compounds in intact axons is due to permeability barriers.

Acetylcholinesterase

Choline acetyltransferase.

Acetylcholine is essential to neural function. It synthesis is catalyzed by choline acetyltransferase, the enzyme responsible for the acetylation of choline by acetyl coenzye A, a reaction favored slightly thermodymodynamically and not at all kinetically. An analytically pure enzyme still has not been obtained; however, method of purification have been greatly improved recently. Numerous inhibitors of the enzyme have been synthesized and their structure-action relationships examained. Evidence has been accumulated showing the essential involvement of an imidazole group in the active site of choline acetyltransferase. The literature regarding the controversial role to thiol groups in choline acetyltransferase is reviewed. Recently, derivatives of coenzyme A have been introduced as inhibitors of this enzyme and the specificity of coenzyme A binding has been examined. Possible mechanisms responsible for the control fo acetylcholine synthesis are discussed.

Acetylcholine

Synthesis and biological activity of 10-thia-10-deaza analogs of folic acid, pteroic acid, and related compounds.

The 10-thia analogs of pteroic acid, folic acid, their esters, and their 4-amino analogs were synthesized through a reaction sequence involving, as a key step, the condensation of 2-amino-3-cyano-5-chloromethylpyrazine with appropriately substituted thiols. The abilities of the products to inhibit the growth of methotrexate (MTX)-sensitive and MTX-resistant microorganisms were investigated as were their abilities to inhibit dihydrofolic acid reductase and thymidylic acid synthetase. Several compounds had high activity.

Enterococcus faecalis