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Biomedical subjects

J Engebrecht

Publications and source records attributed to J Engebrecht.

25 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Ketomethylureas. A new class of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.

The design rationale for a new series of tripeptide derived angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which we term "ketomethylureas", is described. Analogs of tripeptide substrates (i.e. N-benzoyl-Phe-Ala-Pro) in which the nitrogen atom of the scissile amide bond and the adjacent asymmetric carbon atom of the penultimate amino acid residue are formally transposed give rise to this novel class of inhibitors. The most potent ketomethylureas inhibit ACE with I50 values in the nM range.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Nucleotide sequence of the regulatory locus controlling expression of bacterial genes for bioluminescence.

Production of light by the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri and by recombinant hosts containing cloned lux genes is controlled by the density of the culture. Density-dependent regulation of lux gene expression has been shown to require a locus consisting of the luxR and luxI genes and two closely linked divergent promoters. As part of a genetic analysis to understand the regulation of bioluminescence, we have sequenced the region of DNA containing this control circuit. Open reading frames corresponding to luxR and luxI were identified; transcription start sites were defined by S1 nuclease mapping and sequences resembling promoter elements were located.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Measuring gene expression with light.

Light is produced by recombinant Escherichia coli that contain lux genes cloned from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. The bioluminescence phenotype requires genes for regulatory and biochemical functions, the latter encoded by five lux genes contained in a single operon. These lux genes were disconnected from their native promoter and inserted into the transposon mini-Mu. The resulting transposon, mini-Mulux, could induce mutations by insertional inactivation of a target gene, and the lux DNA was oriented to align target gene transcription with that of the lux genes. Genes in Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were mutagenized, and mutants containing transposon-generated lux gene fusions produced light as a function of target gene transcription. Light production offers a simple, sensitive, in vivo indicator of gene expression.

DNA Transposable Elements↗

Ketomethyldipeptides II. Effect of modifications of the alpha-aminoketone portion on inhibition of angiotensin converting enzyme.

Results of an investigation aimed at identifying the consequences of chemical modifications of the alpha-aminoketone moiety of ketomethyldipeptides on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition are reported. These studies lead to the conclusion that within this series, the optimal structural backbone formulation for inhibition of ACE is represented by 1. Introduction of a Sar-Pro C-terminal dipeptide in this system, in contrast to other inhibitor classes, is compatible with potent inhibitory activity. Other structure-activity relationships for ketomethyldipeptides and related derivatives are presented, and speculations on possible modes of binding of these inhibitors to ACE, and on the question of ketone rehybridization are offered.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Identification of genes and gene products necessary for bacterial bioluminescence.

Expression of luminescence in Escherichia coli was recently achieved by cloning genes from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. One DNA fragment on a hybrid plasmid encoded regulatory functions and enzymatic activities necessary for light production. We report the results of a genetic analysis to identify the luminescence genes (lux) that reside on this recombinant plasmid. lux gene mutations were generated by hydroxylamine treatment, and these mutations were ordered on a linear map by complementation in trans with a series of polar transposon insertions on other plasmids. lux genes were defined by complementation of lux gene defects on pairs of plasmids in trans in E. coli. Hybrid plasmids were also used to direct the synthesis of polypeptides in the E. coli minicell system. Seven lux genes and the corresponding gene products were identified from the complementation analysis and the minicell programing experiments. These genes, in the order of their position on a linear map, and the apparent molecular weights of the gene products are luxR (27,000), luxI (25,000), luxC (53,000), luxD (33,000), luxA (40,000), luxB (38,000), and luxE (42,000). From the luminescence phenotypes of E. coli containing mutant plasmids, functions were assigned to these genes: luxA, luxB, luxC, luxD, and luxE encode enzymes for light production and luxR and luxI encode regulatory functions.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Bacterial bioluminescence: isolation and genetic analysis of functions from Vibrio fischeri.

Recombinant E. coli that produce light were found in a clone library of hybrid plasmids containing DNA from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri. All luminescent clones had a 16 kb insert that encoded enzymatic activities for the light reaction as well as regulatory functions necessary for expression of the luminescence phenotype (Lux). Mutants generated by transposons Tn5 and mini-Mu were used to define Lux functions and to determine the genetic organization of the lux region. Regulatory and enzymatic functions were assigned to regions of two lux operons. With transcriptional fusions between the lacZ gene or transposon mini-Mu and the target gene, expression of lux operons could be measured in the absence of light production. The direction of transcription of lux operons was deduced from the orientation of mini-Mu insertions in the fusion plasmids. Induction of transcription of one lux operon required a function encoded by that operon (autoregulation). From these and other regulatory relationships, we propose a model for genetic control of light production.

Cloning, Molecular↗