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Biomedical subjects

H Matsubara

Publications and source records attributed to H Matsubara.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

Disulfide bonds of purothionine, a lethal toxin for yeasts.

Purothionin isolated from commercial wheat flour contained several components and two of them (A-I and A-II) were isolated in pure form by CM-52 column chromatography. Each component contained 45 amino acid residues with a 4 disulfide bonds. Purothionin A-II was digested with trypsin and thermolysin to isolate cystine peptides. These were separated and purified by chromatography on an SP-Sephadex column, and paper electrophoresis and chromatography. A peptide containing a -Cys-Cys- sequence was hydrolyzed with 10 N sulfuric acid. Amino acid compositions and partial sequence studies of the cystine peptides and their performic acid-oxidized peptides revealed the positions of all 4 disulfide bonds in purothionin A-II. They were formed between residues 3 and 39, 4 and 31, 12 and 29, and 16 and 25. The results of a partial study of purothionin A-I are also presented.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystallization and a 5 A X-ray diffraction study of Aphanothece sacrum ferredoxin.

A chloroplast-type ferredoxin containing two non-heme iron and two labile sulfur atoms per molecule was prepared from Aphanothece sacrum. Crystals were obtained by dialysis against 75% saturated a-monium sulfate solution, and belong to the tetragonal system with cell dimensions a = b = 92.2 A and c = 47.6 A, containing four molecules in an asymmetric unit. The electron density map at 5 A resolution was calculated by using the best phase angles determined by the single isomorphous replacement method coupled with the anomalous dispersion effect. An anomalous dispersion difference Fourier map for the native crystal clearly showed four humps corresponding to the iron atoms in an asymmetric unit. The electron densis surface.

Binding Sites↗

X-ray analysis of ferredoxin from Spirulina platensis. II. Chelate structure of active center.

A chloroplast-type ferredoxin from Spirulina platenis crystallized in an orthorhombic system, space group C2221, with cell dimensions a=62.32, b=28.51, and c=108.08 A. The electron density map at 2.8 A resolution was prepared by using the best phase angles determined by the single isomorphous replacement method coupled with the anomalous dispersion method. The chelating structure of the acitve center was revealed as follows. Of the six cysteinyl residues in the molecule, Cys 41, Cys 4k, Cys 49, and Cys 79 are involved in the active center. Cys 41 and Cys 46 are coordinated to one iron atom, and Cys 49 and Cys 79 to the other iron atom. Only one of these cysteinyl residues, Cys 79, is comparatively apart from the other three in the amino acids sequence of the molecule, as found in the case of bacterial ferredoxin. It appears that the NH....S hydrogen bonds are around the active center, as in other non-heme iron sulfur proteins.

Binding Sites↗

Fine body movement during autogenic training. Longitudinal and short-term changes.

A sensitive electronic device (static sensograph) was used to record fine body movement in two similar groups of normal high school girls at intervals over a few months. One group received weekly instructions in the technique of autogenic training (AT) and was urged to practice it daily, whereas the other (control group) received no such instrutions. In the AT group mean body movement (eyes closed, sitting position) decreased with every session. At 3 and 4.5 months after training was begun (session 3 and 4, respectively) mean body movement of this group was significantly lower than in the first session, before training was begun. In the fourth (but not earlier) sessions the AT group also showed a significant decrease in mean body movement during AT compared with the periods immediately preceding and following it. In contrast, the control gorup showed no significant differences in means between any sessions or periods within a session. The results suggest that fine body movement as measured by a static sensograph is a useful parameter for studying AT and probably other relaxation procedures.

Adolescent↗

Chemical modification of spinach ferredoxin. Properties of acetylated spinach ferredoxin.

The acetylation of spinach ferredoxin by acetic anhydride modified about four moles of amino groups. The absorption spectra, CD spectra, the fluorescence of sole tryptophan residue and the biological activity of acetylated ferredoxin were investigated. An equilibrium existed between two different states, D- and N-form, of the acetylated ferredoxin and was dependent on the cation concentration. D-form completely reverted to N-form upon the binding of one mole of cation, Na+ or Mg2+. Although the N-form was indistinguishable from native ferredoxin in every property tested, the D-form was significantly different from the N-form or native ferredoxin and was very unstable, especially at low salt concentrations. It is suggested that the amino groups might be important in maintaining the protein conformation by forming salt linkages, but may not be essential for the activity. Furthermore, since the D-form, unlike the N-form and native ferredoxin, was inactive in the ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase [EC 1.6.7.1] assay system and had no inhibitory effect in this system, it was considered to be incapable of forming a complex with ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase. On the other hand, the N-form of the modified ferredoxin was as active as native ferredoxin. It is suggested that amino groups of spinach ferredoxin are not essential for the redox reaction of ferredoxin or for complex formation with the reductase.

Acetylation↗

Amino acid sequence of chromatium vinosum ferredoxin: revisions.

Reexamination of the amino acid sequence of chromatium vinosum ferredoxin revealed that the original sequence proposed in 1970 (I) should be revised. Two segments in the sequence, residues 50-52 and residues 53-57, should be mutually displaced and therefore, the correct sequence in this region is concluded to be -Val-Glu-Val-Cys-Pro-Val-Asp-Cys-(residues 50-57). Another correction was the addition of one isoleucine residue between residues 57 and 58 and therefore, the total number of residues should be 82 instead of 81 originally counted. Sequence studies of other portions confirmed the previous results.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) ferredoxins I and II. Amino acid sequences.

Two ferredoxins were isolated from horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) and their amino acid sequences were determined by use of a sequence analyzer in combination with carboxypeptidase digestion and manual Edman degradation of tryptic peptides of carboxymethyl-ferredoxins. Ferredoxins I and II each had only four cysteine residues in a total of 95 and 93 residues, respectively. The amino-terminal residues of both ferredoxins were heterogeneous, but alanine was concluded to be their genuine terminal residue. The comparison of these isozymelike molecules showed 29 differences in amino acid residues with three inverted replacements. One gap was inserted in ferredoxin II at position 32 to align the ferredoxins with greatest homology. Despite the many differences in amino acid residues there was no difference in net charges of the two ferredoxins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) ferredoxins I and II Amino acid sequences and gene duplication.

Amino acid sequences of two ferredoxins isolated from Equisetum arvense were determined by conventional procedures. Ferredoxins I and II of E. arvense had 95 and 93 residues, respectively, and nearly identical sequences each with only one amino acid difference from ferredoxins. I and II of E. telmateia (1). The overall structural characteristics of these two ferredoxins were therefore very similar to those of E. telmateia ferredoxins. Ferredoxins I and II from E. arvense differ in 31 sites and those from E. telmateia in 29 sites from each other. These facts suggested that duplication of the ferredoxin gene in one organism occurred at an early evolutionary stage long before the divergence of the two horsetail species. The number of differences in amino acids between horsetail ferredoxins and other chloroplast-type ferredoxins indicated that the duplication occurred after divergence of horsetails from other plants. Comparing green plant ferredoxins, it was estimated that this gene duplication occurred about 250 million years ago. Some comments on the unique amino acid substitutions in horsetail ferredoxins are also presented.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence of a four-iron-four-sulphur ferredoxin isolated from Bacillus stearothermophilus.

1. The primary structure of a 4Fe-4S ferredoxin from Bacillus stearothermophilus was determined and shown to consist of a single polypeptide chain of 81 amino acid residues. The molecular weight of the holoprotein is about 9120. 2. There are only four cysteine residues in the molecule; three of these are located near the N-terminus as a Cys-X-X-Cys-X-X-Cys segment, and the fourth cysteine residue is followed by a proline and located in the C-terminal half. 3. The Fe-S chromophore in B. stearothermophilus ferredoxin was previously well characterized and was shown to consist of a single 4Fe-4S cluster. This ferredoxin sequence establishes for the first time the relative location of the four cysteine residues necessary to bind the 4Fe-4S cluster of a 4Fe ferredoxin, and is in agreement with the criteria for the relative positions of the cysteines proposed from X-ray-crystallographic studies on an 8Fe (two 4Fe-4S clusters) ferredoxin. 4. The sequence of B. stearothermophilus ferredoxin is homologous in many segments to that of other bacterial ferredoxins, the degree of homology being greater towards ferredoxins from Desulfovibrio gigas and photosynthetic bacteria than to Clostridial ferredoxins. 5. The presence of a relatively higher number of glutamic acid and lower number of cysteine residues in the molecule may explain the greater thermal stability and oxygen-insenstivity of this ferredoxin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Structure and function of chloroplast-type ferredoxins.

Comparison of various chloroplast-type ferredoxin sequences, chemical and enzymic modifications, reconstitution experiments, and fluorescence measurement of chloroplast-type ferredoxins have led to the following conclusions. 1. Tyrosine, histidine, and tryptophan residues are not directly involved in the oxidation-reduction mechanism of ferredoxins. The four indispensible cysteine residues in spinach ferredoxin which constitutes a part of the iron-sulfur cluster are located at residues 39, 44. 47 and 77. Two out of six cysteine residues in Spirulina ferredoxin could be easily modified with vinylpyridine without the loss of reconstitutive ability i.e. the apoferredoxin could be converted to the holoform by the addition of iron and sulfide. 2. Spinach ferredoxin was digested with carboxypeptidase A and the terminal alanine could be removed without loss of the spectral properties of native ferredoxin. However, the removal of the terminal three residues gave rise to the loss of reconstitutive ability. 3. The amino groups of spinach ferredoxin were modified by acetic anhydride and four residues were acetylated. The acetylated preparation of ferredoxin had an unique spectrum. Upon the addition of high concentration of ions the spectrum of this derivative resembled the spectrum of native ferredoxin. Acetylferredoxin did not combine with ferredoxin-NADP reductase, but upon the addition of moderate concentrations of cations, it did bind to this enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence of the major component of Aphanothece sacrum ferredoxin.

The amino acid sequence of the major ferredoxin component isolated from a blue-green alga, Aphanothece sacrum, has been fully determined. Chymotryptic and tryptic peptides of carboxymethyl-ferredoxin and chymotryptic peptides of oxidized ferredoxin were prepared and their sequences were analyzed...

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Amino acid sequence of the major component of Nostoc muscorum ferredoxin.

The amino acid sequence of the major component of ferredoxin isolated from a blue-green alga, Nostoc muscorum, grown under N2 as the sole nitrogen source has been studied. The use of a combination of sequence analyzer, carboxypeptidases, and manual Edman degradations on tryptic and chymotryptic peptides of carboxymethylferredoxin has established the amino acid seuqence, which consists of 98 amino acid residues. Only four cysteine residues were present, located at positions 41, 46, 49, and 79. These residues must fulfil the minimum requirement in this ferredoxin for the chelation of two iron atoms, as postulated previously. The sequence is similar to those of Spirulina ferredoxins in having two extra residues at positions 10 and 14 compared with other chloroplast-type ferredoxins. Sequence comparison among blue-green algal ferredoxins suggests that Nostoc muscorum ferredoxin is more closely related to Spirulina ferredoxins than to Aphanothece major ferredoxin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The tryptophanase from Proteus rettgeri, improved purification and properties of crystalline holotryptophanase.

The inducible tryptophanase (L-tryptophan indole-lyase (deaminating) EC 4.1.99.1) was crystallized in holoenzyme from the cell extract of Proteus rettgeri. The purification procedure included ammonium sulfate fractionation, heat treatment at 60 degrees C, DEAE-Sephadex and hydroxylapatite column chromatographies. Crystallization was performed by the addition of ammonium sulfate to the purified enzyme solution containing 20% (v/v) glycerol, 0.1 mM pyridoxal phosphate and 10 mM mercaptoethanol. The crystallized enzyme was yellow and showed absorption maxima at 340 and 420 nm. The crystalline holotryptophanase preparation was homogeneous by the criteria of ultracentrifugation and disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was calculated as approx. 222 000. The amount of pyridoxal phosphate bound to the enzyme was determined to be 4 mol per mol of the enzyme. The enzyme is composed of four subunits of identical molecular size (mol. wt 55 000) and irreversibly dissociates into these subunits in the presence of a high concentration of sodium dodecylsulfate or guanidine hydrochloride. The NH2-terminal amino acid of the enzyme was identified as alanine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Equisetum (horsetail) ferredoxin: characterization of the active centre and position of the four cysteine residues in this 2Fe-2S protein.

Analysis of the ferredoxin of the primitive vascular plant Equisetum indicates that the cysteine residue normally found at position 18 of plant-type ferredoxins is replaced by a valine, although the spectroscopic properties of the ferredoxins are unaffected. It is concluded that the iron--sulphur cluster in plant-type ferredoxins is attached to cysteine residues 39, 44, 47 and 77.

Amino Acid Sequence↗