Biomedical subjects

J Visser

Publications and source records attributed to J Visser.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Induction, purification and characterisation of arabinases produced by Aspergillus niger.

The induction of arabinases in Aspergillus niger N400 was studied on different simple and complex carbon sources. Sugar beet pulp was found to be an inducer of three arabinan degrading enzymes (alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase A, alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase B and endoarabinase). These enzymes were purified from A. niger culture fluid after growth of the fungus in medium employing sugar beet pulp as the carbon source and were characterised both physico-chemically (Mw 83,000, 67,000, 43,000 Da and, pI 3.3, 3.5 and 3.0 for alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases A and B and endo-arabinase, respectively) and kinetically (Km on p-nitrophenyl-alpha-L-arabinofuranoside 0.68 and 0.52 mM for alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases A and B, resp.; Km on sugar beet arabinan 0.24 and 3.7 g/l for alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase B and endoarabinase, resp.). The amino acid compositions of the three enzymes were determined also. The enzymic properties were compared with those of arabinases purified from a commercial A. niger enzyme preparation. Differences were found though the kinetic data suggest considerable similarity between the enzymes from the different sources. Antibodies raised in mice against the three enzymes were found to be highly specific and no crossreactivity with other proteins present in culture filtrates was observed. A mixture of these antibodies has been used to analyze specific induction of these individual enzymes on simple and complex substrates by Western blotting.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1991

Expression and sequence comparison of the Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubigensis genes encoding polygalacturonase II.

The structure and expression of the polygalacturonase-encoding pgaII genes of two recently recognized species, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus tubigensis, was investigated. While the structure of the pgaII genes is very similar, showing 83% DNA sequence identity and 94% identity at the amino acid level, they have diverged significantly. The NH2-terminal sequence suggests that these PGs are made as pre pro-proteins and the secretory propeptide of the PGII precursors shows sequence homology with some other fungal pro-peptides. The expression of the pgaII genes is strongly regulated by the carbon source and the A. tubigensis gene is expressed and regulated in A. niger transformants. The low similarity of the fungal PGs with those of bacterial and plant origin is discussed in relation to the possible functional role of specific amino acids.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Structure of the Aspergillus niger pelA gene and its expression in Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus nidulans.

Aspergillus niger pectin lyases are encoded by a multigene family. The complete nucleotide sequence of the pectin lyase PLA-encoding gene pelA has been determined. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with the deduced amino acid sequence of the other characterized pectin lyase, PLD, shows that the proteins share 69% amino acid identity. When grown on media with pectin as the sole carbon source, A. niger transformants containing multiple copies of the pelA gene show raised mRNA levels and overexpression of the gene product PLA compared with the wild-type strain. PLA was purified and characterized. In A. nidulans transformants PLA is also produced in medium containing a high concentration of glucose and no pectin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Identification and characterization of a second polygalacturonase gene of Aspergillus niger.

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger produces several endopolygalacturonases that are involved in the degradation of pectin. PGI, the enzyme representing the second most abundant activity in a commercial enzyme preparation, was further characterized and the corresponding gene was isolated. The nucleotide sequence of the pgaI gene was determined and the protein coding region was found to be interrupted by two short introns, one of which has a unusual donor splice site. The deduced 368 amino acids long protein with a putative prepropeptide of 31 amino acids shows 60% sequence identity to PGII in the mature protein. PGI overproducing A. niger strains were obtained by cotransformation with the cloned gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Neoglycoproteins as carriers for antiviral drugs: synthesis and analysis of protein-drug conjugates.

In order to investigate whether neoglycoproteins can potentially act as carriers for targeting of antiviral drugs to certain cell types in the body, various neoglycoproteins were synthesized using thiophosgene-activated p-aminophenyl sugar derivatives. These neoglycoproteins were conjugated with the 5'-monophosphate form of the antiviral drug AZT. For a proper characterization of these preparations, both protein and drug content have to be determined. Comparison of the Lowry and the Bio-Rad protein assays revealed that for both the neoglycoprotein carriers themselves and the AZTMP conjugates, the Lowry assay yielded the most reliable and reproducible results. It was demonstrated that both the reagent used for drug conjugation (ECDI) as well as the introduction of phenyl-sugar groups in the protein interfered with the analysis of bound nucleotide as based on spectral differences between protein and protein-drug conjugate. Therefore, we developed a rapid HPLC system for determination of the drug-protein coupling ratio through acid hydrolysis of the covalently bound nucleotide. With the ECDI-mediated conjugation of 5'-monophosphate drug derivatives to neoglycoproteins, products with molar ratios of drug to protein ranging from 1.2 to 5.6 were obtained. The drug-neoglycoprotein conjugates appeared to be fairly stable during storage, in lyophilized form, at -20 degrees C. The anti-HIV-1 activity of the neoglycoprotein-drug conjugates, as determined in vitro in MT-4 cells, was shown to be dependent on glycosylation of the albumin and also on the kind of sugar present in the neoglycoprotein. The anti-HIV-1 activity of the AZTMP-mannose-albumin conjugate exceeded that of the parent drug by more than 4 times.

Antiviral Agents↗

PubMed1991

Low molecular weight proteins as carriers for renal drug targeting: naproxen-lysozyme.

Low molecular weight proteins (LMWPs), such as lysozyme, may be suitable carriers to target drugs to the kidney. In this study the antiinflammatory drug naproxen was covalently bound to lysozyme (1:1). Pharmacokinetics of the conjugate, naproxen-lysozyme (nap-LYSO), were compared to that of an equimolar mixture of uncoupled naproxen with lysozyme in freely moving rats. Similar plasma kinetics and organ distribution for native lysozyme and the drug conjugate were observed (Clp = 1.2 and 1.1 ml/min; t1/2,beta = 85 and 75 min, respectively). In case of the uncoupled naproxen-lysozyme mixture, a monoexponential plasma disappearance of naproxen with a t1/2 of 2.8 hr was observed, coinciding with urinary excretion of naproxen metabolites (mainly 6-desmethylnaproxen sulfate; 6-DMN-S) between 2 and 8 hr after injection. Urinary recovery of total metabolites was 59% of the naproxen dose. In contrast, after injection of covalently bound naproxen, plasma levels of the parent drug were below the detection level, whereas naproxen was recovered as 6-DMN-S in urine over a period from 4 to 30 hr. However, only 8% of the administered dose was recovered as 6-DMN-S in urine, whereas 50% of the dose was recovered as naproxen metabolites in feces. Incubation experiments using purified renal tubular lysosomal lysates revealed that naproxen-lysozyme degradation ultimately results in a stable naproxen amino acid catabolite, naproxen-lysine (nap-lys). Hepatic uptake and biliary excretion of this catabolyte were demonstrated in isolated perfused rat livers. Further, an equipotent pharmacological activity relative to parent naproxen was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Glycerol catabolism in Aspergillus nidulans.

Glycerol is catabolized in Aspergillus nidulans by glycerol kinase and a mitochondrial FAD-dependent sn-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The levels of both enzymes are controlled by carbon catabolite repression and by specific induction. Biochemical and genetical analyses show that dihydroxyacetone and D-glyceraldehyde are converted into glycerol and then catabolized by the same pathway. D-Glyceraldehyde can be reduced by NADP(+)-dependent glycerol dehydrogenase or by alcohol dehydrogenase I, while dihydroxyacetone is only reduced by the first enzyme. Three new glycerol non-utilizing mutants have been found. These three mutations define three hitherto unknown loci, glcE, glcF and glcG. The mutation in glcG leads to a greatly decreased sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

PubMed1990

Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence and expression of the gene encoding prepro-polygalacturonaseII of Aspergillus niger.

PolygalacturonaseII of Aspergillus niger was fragmented using CNBr and the NH2-terminal fragment and another fragment were partially sequenced. The polygalacturonaseII (pgaII) gene was then isolated by using an oligonucleotide mixture based on the internal amino acid sequence as a probe. The nucleotide sequence of the pgaII structural gene was determined. It was found that polygalacturonaseII is synthesized as a precursor having an NH2-terminal prepro-sequence of 27 amino acids. The cloned gene was used to construct polygalacturonaseII over-producing A. niger strains. PolygalacturonaseII was isolated from one such strain and was determined to be correctly processed and to be fully active.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Screening method for large numbers of dye-adsorbents for enzyme purification.

A method is described by means of which 96 different dye-adsorbents can be tested simultaneously for their ability to bind enzymes and to test their biospecific elution. Small amounts of cell-free extract are applied to dye-adsorbents which are packed in a 96-well transplate cartridge. After biospecific elution, the amount of the eluted enzyme is tested in a microtitre plate assay. The method is illustrated by the purification of glycerol dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.72), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.44) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.49) from the hyphal fungus Aspergillus nidulans.

Aspergillus nidulans↗

PubMed1990

Isolation and structure of the pectin lyase D-encoding gene from Aspergillus niger.

The filamentous fungus, Aspergillus niger, produces a number of extracellular pectin-degrading enzymes. We present here the isolation and the complete nucleotide sequence of the gene, pelD, coding for a pectin lyase D (PLD), which was previously described as pectin lyase I (Van Houdenhoven, Ph.D. Thesis, Wageningen, 1975). The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence corresponds to 373 aa residues including a signal peptide of 19 aa. The coding region is interrupted by four short introns (57-65 bp). The nucleotide sequence of the 5'- and 3'-flanking regions is also presented and shows no unusual features. By comparing the deduced aa sequences of the A. niger PLD and a number of bacterial pectate lyases, short regions of homology were found despite the different substrate specificities (high methoxyl-pectin versus low methoxyl-pectin or polygalacturonate) of these enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

Genetic localization of a series of genes affecting glucose oxidase levels in Aspergillus niger.

A number of mutants of Aspergillus niger, affected in glucose oxidase (GOX) expression, are described. The overproducing mutants could be classified into seven complementation groups whereas two glucose oxidase-negative complementation groups were recognized. These nine gox loci were assigned to linkage groups using master strains with marked chromosomes. Three gox loci are in linkage group II, one is in III, two are in V and two are in linkage group VII. One weak glucose oxidase-overproducing mutant could not be assigned to one of the linkage groups. These genetically well characterized mutants will be used in a strain improvement program based on genetic recombination.

Aspergillus niger↗

PubMed1990

Cloning and expression of a second Aspergillus niger pectin lyase gene (pelA): indications of a pectin lyase gene family in A. niger.

Using the previously cloned Aspergillus niger N756 pectin lyase D gene as a probe, the corresponding pelD gene has been isolated from a genomic library of the laboratory strain A. niger N400. This gene encodes PLD, previously described as PLI, which is one of the two major pectin lyases isolated from the commercial pectinase preparation Ultrazym. Heterologous hybridization of the A. niger N400 genomic library with the pelD gene led to the isolation of another five genes: pelA, B, C, E, and F. These genes differ in their hybridization patterns with probes containing either the entire pelD gene, or 5' or 3' parts thereof. By partial sequencing, and expression in an A. niger transformant containing multiple copies of the pelA gene, we show that this gene, which hybridizes strongest with the pelD gene, encodes the other major pectin lyase from Ultrazym, PLII.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1990

A translocation activating the cryptic nitrogen regulation gene areB inactivates a previously unidentified gene involved in glycerol utilisation in Aspergillus nidulans.

The chromosome VIII translocation breakpoint of the areB-404 translocation, selected for its ability to activate the cryptic nitrogen metabolism regulatory gene areB, and the mutation glcD-100 both lead to loss of mitochondrial FAD-dependent sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Aspergillus nidulans. These two lesions therefore define glcD, a second gene (in addition to glcB) where mutation can result in loss of this enzyme. The glcD gene has been localised to a centromere-proximal region of the right arm of chromosome VIII. Although all six known areB-activating mutations involve chromosomal rearrangements and presumably therefore gene fusions, areB-404 is the first such rearrangement where the gene involved in an areB fusion has been identified.

Aspergillus nidulans↗

PubMed1990

The development of a heterologous transformation system for the cellulolytic fungus Trichoderma reesei based on a pyrG-negative mutant strain.

Six uridine auxotroph mutants of Trichoderma reesei QM 9414 were isolated by resistance to 5-fluoroorotic acid and one strain was identified as OMP-decarboxylase negative (pyr-) by a radiometric enzyme assay. Transformation to uridine prototrophy was achieved with the pyr4 gene of Neurospora crassa (up to 1500 transformants/micrograms) and with pyrA of Aspergillus niger (700-800 transformants/micrograms). In many transformants the PYR+ function seems to be present as extrachromosomal DNA. There is evidence for a correlation between the stability of transformants and integration of the vector in the genome whereas unstable transformants are obtained when autonomous replication of the plasmid occurs.

Blotting, Southern↗

PubMed1990

The influence of pH on rectal absorption of sodium benzoate studied in man by rectal lumen perfusion.

The influence of pH on rectal absorption of sodium benzoate in man was studied by means of a rectal lumen perfusion method and compared with in vitro measurements on diffusional transport of sodium benzoate across an octanol/water interface. For nonbuffered solutions of benzoate in vitro, it was shown that mass flux across an octanol/water interface occurs in agreement with the pH-partition model. In vivo however, mass flux increases less with decreasing pH of unbuffered perfusate than is anticipated on the basis of the pH-partition model. Probably an alkaline flow across the rectal mucosa into the lumen is present as a physiological neutralization mechanism. In contrast, buffered solutions of benzoate show a linear relationship between mass flux and decreasing pH in vitro as well as in vivo. The effect of buffer on the concentration profile of benzoic acid is qualitatively explained. It is shown that an alkaline flow across the rectal mucosa only slightly influences absorption of benzoic acid from strongly buffered solutions in the rectal lumen. It is concluded that the use of strong buffers in rectal solutions induces a drastic effect on the pH of the boundary layer, an effect not seen for unbuffered solutions. This phenomenon does not invalidate the pH-partition hypothesis but can be explained by it.

Benzoates↗

PubMed1990

The pharmacokinetics of beta-cyclodextrin and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin in the rat.

Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin was analyzed by HPLC using postcolumn complexation with phenolphthalein and negative colorimetric detection, with a detection limit of 20 micrograms/ml. The pharmacokinetics of beta-cyclodextrin and of hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin were studied after intravenous administration to permanently cannulated rats. The pharmacokinetic behavior of both cyclodextrins was similar to that of inulin, showing rapid distribution over extracellular fluids. Elimination occurred through glomerular filtration. When a dose of 200 mg/kg beta-cyclodextrin was administered the elimination rate was decreased, probably as a result of nephrotoxicity of beta-cyclodextrin. Within 24 hr after administration most of the cyclodextrin dose was recovered unchanged in urine. After oral administration, only insignificant amounts of intact beta-cyclodextrin were absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.

2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin↗

PubMed1990

Purification and properties of NADP(+)-dependent glycerol dehydrogenases from Aspergillus nidulans and A. niger.

Glycerol dehydrogenase, NADP(+)-specific (EC 1.1.1.72), was purified from mycelium of Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger using different purification procedures. Both enzymes had an Mr of approximately 38,000 and were immunologically cross-reactive, but had different amino acid compositions and isoelectric points. For both enzymes, the substrate specificity was limited to glycerol and erythritol for the oxidative reaction and to dihydroxyacetone (DHA), diacetyl, methylglyoxal, erythrose and D-glyceraldehyde for the reductive reaction. The A. nidulans enzyme had a turnover number twice that of the A. niger enzyme at pH 6.0, whereas inhibition by NADP+ was less (Ki = 45 microM vs 13 microM). It is proposed that both enzymes catalyse in vivo the reduction of DHA to glycerol and that they are regulated by the anabolic reduction charge.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1990

Characterization of a glycerol kinase mutant of Aspergillus niger.

A glycerol-kinase-deficient mutant of Aspergillus niger was isolated. Genetic analysis revealed that the mutation is located on linkage group VI. The phenotype of this mutant differed from that of a glycerol kinase mutant of Aspergillus nidulans in its ability to utilize dihydroxyacetone (DHA). The weak growth on glycerol of the A. niger glycerol kinase mutant showed that glycerol phosphorylation is an important step in glycerol catabolism. The mutant could still grow normally on DHA because of the presence of a DHA kinase. This enzyme, probably in combination with an NAD(+)-dependent glycerol dehydrogenase, present only in the mutant, is responsible for the weak growth of the mutant on glycerol. Enzymic analysis of both the mutant and the parental strain showed that at least three different glycerol dehydrogenases were formed under different physiological conditions: the NAD(+)-dependent enzyme described above, a constitutive NADP(+)-dependent enzyme and a D-glyceraldehyde-specific enzyme induced on D-galacturonate. The glycerol kinase mutant showed impaired growth on D-galacturonate.

Aspergillus niger↗