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Biomedical subjects

M W Bitensky

Publications and source records attributed to M W Bitensky.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

A link between rhodopsin and disc membrane cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. Action spectrum and sensitivity to illumination.

Frog (Rana pipiens) rod outer segment disc membranes contain guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.1.c) which, in the presence of ATP, is stimulated 5- to 20-fold by illumination. The effectiveness of monochromatic light of different wavelengths in activating phosphodiesterase was examined. The action spectrum has a maximum of 500 nm, and the entire spectrum from 350 to 800 nm closely matches the absorption spectrum of rhodopsin, which is apparently the pigment which mediates the effects of light on phosphodiesterase activity. trans-Retinal alone does not mimic light. Half-maximal activation of the phosphodiesterase occurs with a light exposure which bleaches 1/2000 of the rhodopsins. Half-maximal activation can also be achieved by mixing 1 part of illuminated disc membranes in which the rhodopsin is bleached with 99 parts of unilluminated membranes. Regeneration of bleached rhodopsin by addition of 11-cis-retinal is illuminated disc membranes reverses the ability of these membranes to activate phosphodiesterase in unilluminated membranes. If the rhodopsin regenerated by 11-cis-retinal is illuminated again, it regains the ability to activate phosphodiesterase. These studies show that the levels of cyclic nucleotides in vetebrate rod outer segments are regulated by minute amounts of light and clearly indicate that rhodopsin is the photopigment whose state of illumination is closely linked to the enzymatic activity of disc membrane phosphodiesterase.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1975

Cholera toxin activation of adenylate cyclase in cancer cell membrane fragments.

Activation of adenylate [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] by cholera toxin (84,000 daltons, 5.5 S) is demonstrated in plasma membrane fragments of mouse ascites cancer cells. The activation of adenylate cyclase is mediated by a macromolecular cyclase activating factor (MCAF), which has a sedimentation constant of 2.7 S and a molecular weight of about 26,000. MCAF is derived from, and may be identical to the "A fragment" of cholera toxin. Generation of MCAF depends on prior interaction of cholera toxin with either dithiothreitol, NADH, NAD, or a low-molecular-weight component (less than 700 daltons) present in cytoplasm. Subsequent exposure of this pretreated cholera toxin to cell membranes from a variety of mouse ascites cancer cells is followed rapidly by the appearance of MCAF, which no longer requires dithiothreitol, NADH, or NAD for the activation of adenylate cyclase. Activation of adenylate cyclase by MCAF in ascites cancer cell membrane fragments is not reversed by repeated washing of these membrane fragments. Adenylate cyclase in normal cell membrane fragments fails to respond either to cholera toxin or MCAF in the presence of dithiothreitol. In striking contrast, the adenylate cyclase in membrane fragments from five ascites cancer cells responds to either MCAF or native cholera toxin preincubated with dithiothreitol, NADH, or NAD.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1973

Regulation of cyclic nucleotide concentrations in photoreceptors: an ATP-dependent stimulation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase by light.

Regulation of cyclic nucleotide concentrations in rod outer segments (Rana pipiens) has been further examined. The present studies show that illumination markedly diminishes the concentration of cyclic nucleotides in suspensions of photoreceptor membranes, but the locus of regulation is cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.c) (light-stimulated) and not adenylate cyclase. There is a marked disproportionality between bleaching of rhodopsin and stimulation of phosphodiesterase. Bleaching only 0.6% of the rhodopsin produces half the stimulation produced by bleaching 100% of the rhodopsin. The process of activation of phosphodiesterase by light is in two steps, a light-dependent step followed by an ATP-dependent step. Illumination (in the absence of ATP) produces a trypsin-resistant, heat-labile, macromolecular stimulator. In the presence of 0.75 mM ATP (GTP or ITP) this stimulator produces a greater than 5-fold increases in the V(max) of photoreceptor phosphodiesterase without changing the K(m). At physiological substrate concentrations (10(-7) M) the rate of hydrolysis of cyclic GMP is 23 times greater than that of cyclic AMP. The light-produced stimulator appears unique to the photoreceptor membranes and does not activate phosphodiesterase in other tissues.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1973

A temperature-sensitive change in the energy of activation of hormone-stimulated hepatic adenylyl cyclase.

We describe an abrupt increase (at 32 degrees ) in the energy of activation for the reaction of hepatic adenylyl cyclase in the presence of glucagon or epinephrine. This increase is not seen in the presence of fluoride, prostaglandin E(1), or 1-propanol, or in the absence of cyclase stimulators. The change in energy of activation found with hormones is abolished by 1-propanol. This change does not represent differences in hormone or substrate binding at different temperatures, but seems to reflect interactions among elements of the cyclase stimulation sequence. Similar changes in energy of activation were not observed for alkaline phosphatase, cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase, 5'-nucleotidase, or ouabain-sensitive ATPase. Since the mole fraction of cholesterol in liver membranes is sufficiently high to preclude a phase change in bulk membrane lipids, our observation suggests either that cyclase is restricted to cholesterol-poor membrane regions or that the change in its energy of activation is largely restricted to protein components of the cyclase apparatus. The data are compatible with fundamental differences in the stimulation process(es) for the hormones (glucagon and epinephrine) as compared with those for fluoride and prostaglandin E(1).

1-Propanol↗