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M K Johnson

Publications and source records attributed to M K Johnson.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Spectroscopic characterization of the novel iron-sulfur cluster in Pyrococcus furiosus ferredoxin.

Pyrococcus furiosus ferredoxin is the only known example of a ferredoxin containing a single [4Fe-4S] cluster that has non-cysteinyl ligation of one iron atom, as evidenced by the replacement of a ligating cysteine residue by an aspartic acid residue in the amino acid sequence. The properties of the iron-sulfur cluster in both the aerobically and anaerobically isolated ferredoxin have been characterized by EPR, magnetic circular dichroism, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. The anaerobically isolated ferrodoxin contains a [4Fe-4S]+,2+ cluster with anomalous properties in both the oxidized and reduced states which are attributed to aspartate and/or hydroxide coordination of a specific iron atom. In the reduced form, the cluster exists with a spin mixture of S = 1/2 (20%) and S = 3/2 (80%) ground states. The dominant S = 3/2 form has a unique EPR spectrum that can be rationalized by an S = 3/2 spin Hamiltonian with E/D = 0.22 and D = +3.3 +/- 0.2 cm-1. The oxidized cluster has an S = 0 ground state, and the resonance Raman spectrum is characteristic of a [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster except for the unusually high frequency for the totally symmetric breathing mode of the [4Fe-4S] core, 342 cm-1. Comparison with Raman spectra of other [4Fe-4S]2+ centers suggests that this behavior is diagnostic of anomalous coordination of a specific iron atom. The iron-sulfur cluster is shown to undergo facile and quantitative [4Fe-4S] in equilibrium [3Fe-4S] interconversion, and the oxidized and reduced forms of the [3Fe-4S] cluster have S = 1/2 and S = 2 ground states, respectively. In both redox states the [3Fe-4S]0,+ cluster exhibits spectroscopic properties analogous to those of similar clusters in other bacterial ferredoxins, suggesting non-cysteinyl coordination for the iron atom that is removed by ferricyanide oxidation. Aerobic isolation induces partial degradation of the [4Fe-4S] cluster to yield [3Fe-4S] and possibly [2Fe-2S] centers. Evidence is presented to show that only the [4Fe-4S] form of this ferredoxin exists in vivo.

Aerobiosis↗

Organophosphates and delayed neuropathy--is NTE alive and well?

Neuropathy target esterase (NTE) is a membrane-bound protein with high esterase catalytic activity. The physiological function of the protein is not known and the catalytic activity is not essential to health of nerve axons. Nevertheless there is overwhelming evidence that modification of the structure of NTE by covalent binding of some organophosphorus esters initiates an irreversible polyneuropathy: this event can be monitored. The experimental evidence for this conclusion is reviewed and some conceptual objections are resolved. Studies of NTE have generated successful predictions concerning (1) prophylaxis; (2) structure-activity relationships including stereospecificity; (3) the effects of prolonged low-level administration of neurotoxicants; and (4) extrapolations from (a) NTE responses seen after low doses to enzyme and clinical effects seen after high doses, (b) from in vitro to in vivo, and (c) from hen to human responses. The relationship of initiation on NTE to subsequent events in development of neuropathy is considered. Purification of NTE is reaching the point where antibodies may be obtained for neurobiological study. No single rigid protocol can be devised for incorporation of NTE assays into toxicological evaluations. A proposed two-stage procedure requires interpretation of Stage 1 to influence the design of Stage 2.

Animals↗

Unaltered drug metabolizing enzyme systems in type II diabetes mellitus before and during glyburide therapy.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with alterations in hepatic drug metabolizing enzyme activities in experimental animals. To determine whether Type II diabetes or glyburide affect hepatic drug metabolism, the authors used 13C-labeled aminopyrine and caffeine breath tests as in vivo probes of the hepatic cytochrome P450 and P(1)450 enzyme activities respectively in six subjects with Type II diabetes (4 women, 2 men). These subjects had been treated previously with diet, had an age range of 41-63 years, had a body mass index range of 24.1-43.3 kg/m2 and had a mean fasting plasma glucose of 14.6 +/- 1.2 mM and a mean hemoglobin A1c of 12.2 +/- 0.7%. These subjects did not drink alcohol or take drugs known to affect hepatic drug metabolism. The caffeine and aminopyrine breath tests (CBT, ABT) were performed sequentially while fasting before the start of glyburide treatment (5 mg daily) and at weekly intervals for 4 weeks. ABT and CBT values are expressed as cumulative percentage of dose exhaled through 2 hours. Before beginning glyburide, the mean ABT and CBT results were 10.2 +/- 0.7% and 4.2 +/- 0.7% respectively, well within the normal ranges for these tests (ABT 6.5-15%; CBT 2.5-10%). The ABT and CBT values remained unaltered during 4 weeks of glyburide therapy. However, FBS decreased to 10.2 +/- 1.1 mM and HbA1C to 10.1 +/- 0.8% by the end of drug treatment. Type II diabetes that is poorly controlled by diet alone is not associated with alterations of the hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes as judged by the caffeine and aminopyrine breath tests. Furthermore, glyburide does not induce or inhibit the drug metabolizing enzyme systems in the liver, thereby precluding drug-drug interactions of this type.

Adult↗

Delayed neuropathy and acute toxicity studies with pirimiphos-methyl in the hen.

This paper describes studies aimed at determining the acute anticholinergic and delayed neurotoxic potential of the organophosphate insecticide pirimiphos-methyl (O-2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-yl O,O-dimethyl phosphorothioate) in the hen. Delayed neuropathy was assessed by biochemical measurement of neuropathy target esterase (NTE) activities in the brain and spinal cord, clinical signs of neuropathy over two 21-day periods and histological assessment of nervous tissue. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was also determined in the brain and spinal cord. Hens were given a single oral dose of 100 mg kg-1 pirimiphos-methyl, which was followed by a repeated dose after 21 days. Tri-o-cresyl phosphate (TOCP), 500 mg kg-1, was used as a positive control. All pirimiphos-methyl-treated hens received prophylactic doses of N-methylpyridinium-2-aldoxime methanesulphonate (P2S) and atropine sulphate. Hens dosed with pirimiphos-methyl had very low AChE activities (less than 20% of control) in both the brain and spinal cord, 24 and 48 h after dosing. In the TOCP-treated hens, the activities were about 90% of control. NTE activities in the brain and spinal cord of pirimiphos-methyl-treated hens were identical to those in the controls, while they were profoundly inhibited (greater than 80%) in the TOCP-treated hens. All hens dosed with pirimiphos-methyl showed the expected signs of AChE inhibition and, following recovery, usually by Day 5, no clinical signs of delayed neuropathy were seen. The TOCP-treated hens developed clinical signs of neuropathy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylcholinesterase↗

Aging and qualitative characteristics of memories for perceived and imagined complex events.

Older and younger adults' memory for perceived and imagined events was examined with a procedure in which everyday situations are simulated in the laboratory. Subjects perceived some situations and imagined others. Later, they were asked to rate their memory for various aspects of these situations (e.g., amount of perceptual detail, thoughts and feelings). A recall test followed the ratings. On the rating scale, for both perceived and imagined events, older subjects reported better memory for their thoughts and feelings than did younger subjects. In addition, on the recall test, older subjects produced more thoughts and feelings than did younger subjects, whereas younger subjects produced more perceptual and spatial information. These results suggest that older subjects may not inhibit personal information (e.g., thoughts and feelings), and this information may interfere with memory for other aspects of information, such as perceptual and contextual details (Hasher & Zacks, 1988).

Adolescent↗

Site-directed mutagenesis of conserved cysteine residues in Escherichia coli fumarate reductase: modification of the spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of the [2Fe-2S] cluster.

Site-directed mutants of Escherichia coli fumarate reductase in which each of the four N-terminal cysteine residues in the FrdB subunit, residues 57, 62, 65, and 77, was mutated individually to serine have been constructed, overexpressed, and investigated in terms of enzymatic activity as well as the EPR and redox properties of the iron-sulfur centers. In each case, the mutant contains a functional fumarate reductase in which all three of the constituent iron-sulfur clusters (i.e., center 1, [2Fe-2S]; center 2, [4Fe-4S]; center 3, [3Fe-4S]) have been assembled. The mutations affect the properties of center 1 only and demonstrate that the anomalously high redox potential of this [2Fe-2S] center is essential for optimal enzymatic activity. The results are consistent with cysteines 57, 62, 65, and 77 providing the ligands to center 1 but leave open the possibility of noncysteinyl coordination for the localized valence Fe(III) site of the reduced cluster. The implications of the results for the role of center 1 in the electron-transfer pathway and the valence localization of reduced center 1 are discussed.

Cysteine↗

The role of pneumolysin in ocular infections with Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Pneumolysin, a cytolytic protein produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae, has many properties which suggest it may be an important virulence factor in pneumococcal ocular infections. To directly test this possibility, we have constructed pneumolysin-negative strains of S. pneumoniae and compared their virulence with that of the wild type in a rabbit model of intracorneal infection. A pneumolysin-negative strain produced by chemical mutagenesis (probably a point mutant) was found to be no less virulent than the parent strain. However, a strain bearing a deletion in the pneumolysin gene showed greatly reduced virulence. This strain produced less pathology while showing significantly higher bacterial counts. These results suggest that a property of the pneumolysin molecule other than its cytolytic (hemolytic) activity may be involved in its pathogenic mechanism of action. This property may be the ability to activate complement, known to be a function of pneumolysin, which results in influx of PMNs, reducing the bacterial counts but also producing tissue damage.

Animals↗

Magnetic circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance studies of hydrogenases I and II from Clostridium pasteurianum.

The two iron-only hydrogenases (I and II) from Clostridium pasteurianum have been investigated by variable temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. Samples were studied both reduced with dithionite under an atmosphere of H2 and after oxidation with thionine. The results are consistent with four and two [4Fe-4S]1+,2+ (F)-clusters in hydrogenases I and II, respectively. All four F-clusters are reduced and paramagnetic in reduced hydrogenase I, with up to one exhibiting an S = 3/2 ground state and the remainder having conventional S = 1/2 ground states. Both F-clusters have S = 1/2 ground states in reduced hydrogenase II; however, one appears to be only partially reduced under the conditions used for reduction. MCD studies of the oxidized enzymes show no temperature-dependent features in the visible region which can be attributed to the EPR-active S = 1/2 hydrogen-activating cluster, suggesting predominantly oxygen and nitrogen coordination for the iron atoms of this center. However, temperature-dependent MCD transitions arising from a hitherto undetected S greater than 1/2 Fe-S clusters are apparent in both oxidized hydrogenases. Detailed EPR studies of oxidized hydrogenase I revealed resonances from an S = 3/2 species, however, spin quantitation reveals this to be a trace component that is unlikely to be responsible for the observed low temperature MCD spectrum. The nature and origin of these S greater than 1/2 Fe-S clusters are discussed in light of the available spectroscopic data for these and other iron-only hydrogenases.

Circular Dichroism↗

Spectroscopic characterization of the iron-sulfur cluster in Bacillus subtilis glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase.

The properties of the [4Fe-4S] cluster in glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase from Bacillus subtilis have been investigated using low temperature magnetic circular dichroism, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and resonance Raman spectroscopies. The Raman spectra of the native enzyme in the Fe-S stretching region show a [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster that is structurally very similar to those in simple redox proteins. Photochemical reduction mediated by 5-deazaflavin with oxalate as the electron donor resulted in [4Fe-4S]+ clusters with a mixture of ground state spin multiplicities. Magnetic circular dichroism and EPR studies of samples ranging in concentration from 0.15 to 0.4 mM concur in finding S = 3/2 [4Fe-4S]+ clusters with predominantly axial and positive zero field splitting as the dominant species. The EPR studies also revealed minor contributions from S = 1/2 [4Fe-4S]+ centers and an S = 5/2 species. The latter becomes the dominant component in more concentrated samples (approximately 2 mM), and arguments are presented in favor of assignment to S = 5/2 [4Fe-4S]+ clusters rather than adventitiously bound high spin Fe(III) ions. The concentration-dependent spin state heterogeneity of the [4Fe-4S]+ cluster in glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase is discussed in light of the magnetic and electronic properties of the [4Fe-4S]+ centers in other enzymes and proteins.

Amidophosphoribosyltransferase↗

The magnetic and electronic properties of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain delta H) methyl coenzyme M reductase and its nickel tetrapyrrole cofactor F430. A low temperature magnetic circular dichroism study.

Variable temperature magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy has been used to characterize the magnetic and electronic properties of the Ni(II) tetrapyrrole, F430, which is the cofactor of the S-methyl coenzyme M methylreductase enzyme from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (strain delta H). 4-Coordinate forms are found to be diamagnetic (S = 0 ground state), whereas 6-coordinate forms are paramagnetic (S = 1 ground state). MCD studies, together with parallel low temperature UV-visible absorption and resonance Raman investigations, show that the equilibrium distribution of 4-coordinate square-planar and 6-coordinate bis-aquo forms of the native isomer of F430 in aqueous solution is affected by both temperature and the presence of glycerol. In the presence of 50% glycerol, the 12,13-diepimer of F430 is shown to be partially 6-coordinate in frozen solution at low temperature. Low temperature MCD magnetization data allow the determination of the axial zero-field splitting (D) of the S = 1 ground state of bis-ligand complexes of F430. The value of D is sensitive to the nature of the Ni(II) axial ligands: bis-aquo F430, D = +9 +/- 1 cm-1; bis-imidazole F430, D = -8 +/- 2 cm-1. Measurement of D = +10 +/- 1 cm-1 for F430 in the methylreductase holoenzyme argues strongly against histidine imidazole coordination to Ni(II) in the enzyme. The possible existence of alcoholic or phenolic oxygen-containing ligands (serine, threonine, tyrosine, water) to Ni(II) in the enzyme-bound cofactor is discussed.

Circular Dichroism↗

Magnetic circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance studies of iron(II)-metallothionein.

The electronic and magnetic properties of the Fe(II)-thiolate centers in Fe(II)-metallothionein have been investigated by low-temperature magnetic circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies at various levels of Fe(II) incorporation. In agreement with previous results [Good, M., & Vasák, M. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 8353-8356], rabbit liver metallothionein was found to bind a maximum of seven Fe(II) ions, with cluster formation occurring when more than four Fe(II) ions are bound at pH 8.5. The results indicate that all the iron in fully loaded Fe(II)-metallothionein is accommodated in Fe(II)-thiolate clusters that have either S = 0 or S = 2 ground states as a result of antiferromagnetic coupling between high-spin Fe(II) ions. By analogy with the cluster composition and mechanism of assembly that have been established for other divalent metal ions, the clusters with S = 0 and S = 2 ground states are attributed to tetranuclear and trinuclear centers, respectively. EPR signals indicative of S = 2 species were observed for samples containing monomeric tetrathiolate-Fe(II) centers and trinuclear Fe(II)-thiolate clusters. However, the nature of the zero-field splitting of the S = 2 ground states that is indicated by the EPR signals is not consistent with that deduced from Mössbauer and magnetic circular dichroism studies, suggesting heterogeneity in both types of center.

Animals↗

Degradation by rat tissues in vitro of organophosphorus esters which inhibit cholinesterase.

Hydrolytic "A"-esterase activities of various tissues of rat (plasma, liver, kidney, brain and intestinal mucosa) against selected OP esters of diverse structure as potential substrates (paraoxon, di-n-propyl paraoxon, di-n-butyl paraoxon, chlorpyrifos oxon, di-(4-phenyl butyl) phosphorofluoridate and the chiral isomers of ethyl 4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate) were studied. We have developed a sensitive and widely applicable assay depending on measuring decline in residual inhibitory power of any chosen OP against horse serum cholinesterase: for seven compounds examined so far I50s against BuChE ranged from 0.07 to 70 nM, and it is easy to monitor loss of OP starting from an initial 25 microM concentration. Progressive destruction rates were always highest in liver and plasma with activity sometimes detectable in kidney, brain but not in intestinal mucosa, but the ratios of activity between tissues differed for different substrates. At 25 microM/37 degrees/pH 7.2 hydrolysis rates ranged from 8500 nmol/min/g liver for di-(4-phenylbutyl) phosphorofluoridate down to 0.8 nmol/min for the butyl analogue of paraoxon; the rate for L(-) isomer of EPN oxon (23 nmol/min/g liver) was greater than 2x that for the D(+) isomer and for paraoxon. From our data we conclude that several OP hydrolases exist whose identity may be further characterised by use of selective substrates.

Animals↗

Electron paramagnetic resonance studies of the low temperature photolytic behavior of oxidized hydrogenase I from Clostridium pasteurianum.

The effects of CO and O2 on the EPR spectrum of oxidized Clostridium pasteurianum hydrogenase I have been investigated both before and after prolonged exposure to white light at 8 K and 30 K. Low concentrations of O2 were found to induce analogous changes in the EPR spectrum as CO, i.e. conversion of the rhombic signal with g approximately 2.10, 2.04, 2.00, a characteristic of the novel H2-activating center in oxidized Fe-hydrogenases, to an axial signal with g approximately 2.07, 2.01, 2.01. The results suggest a common binding site and mode of coordination for CO and O2 and permit rationalization of conflicting reports from different laboratories concerning the EPR properties of oxidized Fe-hydrogenases. The CO- and O2-induced axial EPR signals were found to be light-sensitive at low temperatures. Moreover, they exhibited indistinguishable and unusual photolysis behavior with the dominant photo-product being dependent on the temperature at which illumination was performed. At 8 K, photodissociation of CO or O2 occurs, resulting in an EPR signal identical with that of the oxidized enzyme in the absence of CO or O2. However, at 30 K, the dominant photoproduct is a rhombic EPR signal with g approximately 2.26, 2.12, 1.89. While the origin of this new EPR signal is uncertain, the g-value anisotropy and relaxation characteristics resemble those of a low spin Fe(III) center. These two photoproducts cannot be thermally or photolytically interconverted, but both are quantitatively reconverted to the original axial EPR signal on warming in the dark to 200 K. A tentative working hypothesis for the nature of the H2-activating center of Fe-hydrogenases is presented that is consistent with the available physiochemical data and permits rationalization of the novel photolysis behavior.

Carbon Monoxide↗

Biochemical and clinical tests of the delayed neuropathic potential of some O-alkyl O-dichlorophenyl phosphoramidate analogues of methamidophos (O,S-dimethyl phosphorothioamidate).

The interaction in vivo of four O-alkyl O-2,5-dichlorophenyl phosphoramidates with neural neuropathy target esterase (NTE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and their ability to cause delayed polyneuropathy in hens has been examined. Previous studies in vitro (Vilanova, Johnson & Vicedo, Pestic. Biochem. Physiol., 28 (1987) 224) had led to the prediction that these compounds would not be neuropathic but, rather, would be prophylactic agents against organophosphorus-induced delayed polyneuropathy. In vivo the effects of these esters on the enzymes differ in 2 respects from effects in vitro: (i) Relative sensitivity of the enzymes was different: thus greater than 50% of brain NTE remained 24 h after an oral dose of 15 mg/kg of the n-hexyl ester while only 10-30% of AChE remained although NTE was the more sensitive enzyme in vitro; (ii) In no case could the inhibited NTE or AChE in autopsy samples from birds dosed with any of the 4 esters be reactivated by treatment with potassium fluoride in vitro: the inhibited enzymes produced by incubation of tissue with the esters in vitro had been reactivatable. Prophylaxis, with therapy in some cases, was required to prevent acute anticholinesterase poisoning when doses were sufficient to cause high inhibition of neural NTE. Inhibition in brain was typically 5-10% more than in spinal cord and 10-15% more than in sciatic nerve. Unambiguous signs of polyneuropathy (Grade 3 or more on an 8-point scale) were not seen in birds observed up to 3 weeks after doses which caused less than 70% inhibition of NTE in brain and spinal cord or less than 60% inhibition in sciatic nerve of pair-dosed birds assayed 24 h after dosing. Doses of 300, 10, 100 and 65 mg/kg, respectively, of the methyl, ethyl, n-butyl and n-hexyl esters caused greater than 70% inhibition of NTE in all 3 neural tissues and neuropathy in the majority of observed birds. Analysis of consolidated dose/response data from 36 assayed and 51 observed birds showed that effects of Grade 3 or more were produced in about 90% of birds when inhibition of NTE was greater than 90% in brain, greater than 85% in spinal cord or greater than 75% in sciatic nerve.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Aging and source monitoring.

This experiment was designed to examine the ability of older and younger adults to remember the source of information. Three types of source monitoring tasks were investigated: discriminating between externally derived and internally generated memories, discriminating between two types of internally generated memories, and discriminating between two types of externally derived memories. Relative to younger adults, older adults had more difficulty discriminating between memories of the same class (external-external and internal-internal), but they did not have more difficulty discriminating between memories of different classes (external-internal). These findings indicate that the age-related difficulty in remembering the source of information should not be characterized as a general deficit. Factors that may account for age deficits in source monitoring are discussed drawing upon the Johnson-Raye (1981) reality monitoring framework.

Adult↗

Frequency judgements: the problem of defining a perceptual event.

In four experiments the conditions under which frequency judgments reflect the relative frequency of complex perceptual events were explored. Subjects viewed a series of 4 x 4 grids each containing seven items, which were letters and numbers in one of four typefaces. Later judgments of the relative frequency with which particular letters appeared in particular typefaces were unaffected by a warning about an upcoming frequency judgment task, but were affected by both the time available for processing the stimuli and the nature of the cover task subjects engaged in while viewing the grids. Frequency judgments were poor when exposure durations were less than 2 s and when the cover task directed subjects' attention merely to the locations of the items within the grids. Frequency judgments improved when the cover task directed subjects' attention to the identity of the stimuli, especially to the conjunction of letter and typeface. The results suggest that frequency estimation of complex stimuli may be possible only for stimuli that have been processed as phenomenal objects.

Attention↗

Species distribution of paraoxon-resistant brain polypeptides radiolabelled with diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate ([3H]DiPF): electrophoretic assay for the aged polypeptide of [3H]DiPF-labelled neuropathy target esterase.

Brain neuropathy target esterase is identified as a paraoxon-resistant, mipafox-sensitive esterase that can be labelled with [3H]diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate. During "aging" of the labelled (inhibited) esterase, half the label (one isopropyl group) is transferred to a site (of the same molecular weight in sodium dodecyl sulphate) whence it may be released in volatile form by treatment with alkali. Our previously published procedure for complete extraction in a form suitable for scintillation counting of tritium-labelled proteins from polyacrylamide gels includes treatment of part-solubilised gels with alkali. Particles from brain of the hen, pig, sheep, guinea-pig, and rat were preincubated with paraoxon with or without mipafox, treated with [3H]diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, and solubilised in sodium dodecyl sulphate. Labelled polypeptides (except from the rat) were separated by electrophoresis. Both mipafox-sensitive labelling and "volatilisable counts" were located principally in the 155-kilodalton region, with the residues dispersed throughout the gels. The quantities of paraoxon-resistant, mipafox-sensitive labelling sites and of "volatilisable counts" (in pmol/particles from 1 g) were, respectively, 12.2 and 8.65 in hen brain, 9.80 and 6.82 in pig, 8.48 and 5.46 in sheep, 4.46 and 4.01 in guinea-pig, and 4.91 and 2.08 in rat. The "volatilisable count" assay seems more specific for neuropathy target esterase and is easier and more precise than assays based on differences in labelling of two samples, each subjected to much processing. Hydrolytic activity of particles taken before labelling was measured against phenyl valerate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aging↗