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Satoshi Sano

Publications and source records attributed to Satoshi Sano.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Purification and cDNA cloning of chloroplastic monodehydroascorbate reductase from spinach.

The chloroplastic isoform of monodehydroascorbate (MDA) radical reductase was purified from spinach chloroplasts and leaves. The cDNA of chloroplastic MDA reductase was cloned, and its deduced amino acid sequence, consisting of 497 residues, showed high homology with those of putative organellar MDA reductases deduced from cDNAs of several plants. The amino acid sequence of the amino terminal of the purified enzyme suggested that the chloroplastic enzyme has a transit peptide consisting of 53 residues. A southern blot analysis suggested the occurrence of a gene encoding another isoform homologous to the chloroplastic isoform in spinach. The recombinant enzyme was highly expressed in Eschericia coli using the cDNA, and purified to a homogeneous state with high specific activity. The enzyme properties of the chloroplastic isoform are presented in comparison with those of the cytosolic form.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of monodehydroascorbate radical reductase from cucumber.

Monodehydroascorbate (MDA) radical reductase (EC 1.6.5.4) is an FAD enzyme that catalyzes the univalent reduction of MDA radical to ascorbate using NAD(P)H as an electron donor. The recombinant MDA reductase from cucumber was crystallized using polyethylene glycol 6000 as a precipitant. The crystals belong to space group P2(1), with unit-cell parameters a = 60.8, b = 138.6, c = 61.7 A, beta = 114.5 degrees, and contained two molecules per asymmetric unit. The Matthews coefficient (VM) and the solvent content are 2.46 A3 Da(-1) and 50.0%, respectively. Diffraction data were collected to a resolution of 2.4 A at 100 K using Cu Kalpha radiation with a multi-wire area detector and gave a data set with an overall Rsym of 10.0% and a completeness of 92.5%.

Crystallization↗

Numerical analysis of the depletion zone formation around a growing protein crystal.

It is expected that a protein depletion zone and an impurity depletion zone are formed around a crystal during protein crystal growth if the diffusion field around the crystal is not disturbed. The growth rate of the crystal may be decreased and the impurity uptake may be suppressed to result in highly ordered crystals if these zones are not disturbed. It is well known that a microgravity environment can reduce convective fluid motion, and this is thought to disturb the depletion zones. Therefore, we expect that crystals grown in space can attain better quality than those grown on the ground. In this study, we estimate the depletion zone formation numerically and discuss the results of crystallization in space experiments. In case of alpha-amylase, most of the crystals form a cluster-like morphology on the ground using PEG 8000 as a precipitant. However, in space, we have obtained a single and high-quality crystal grown from the same sample compositions. We have measured the viscosity of the solution, the diffusion coefficient, and the growth rate of protein crystals on the ground. Applying numerical analysis to these values a significant depletion zone was expected to form mainly due to higher values of the viscosity. This might be one of the main reasons for better quality single crystals grown in space, where the depletion zone is thought to remain undisturbed. For protein crystallization experiments, salts are widely used as a precipitant. However, in that case, reduced concentration depletion zone effects can be expected because of a low viscosity. Therefore, if it is possible to increase the viscosity of the protein solution by means of an additive, the depletion zone formation effect would be enhanced to provide a technique that would be especially effective in space.

Aspergillus oryzae↗

A simplified counter diffusion method combined with a 1D simulation program for optimizing crystallization conditions.

We developed a new protein crystallization method has been developed using a simplified counter-diffusion method for optimizing crystallization condition. It is composed of only a single capillary, the gel in the silicon tube and the screw-top test tube, which are readily available in the laboratory. The one capillary can continuously scan a wide range of crystallization conditions (combination of the concentrations of the precipitant and the protein) unless crystallization occurs, which means that it corresponds to many drops in the vapor-diffusion method. The amount of the precipitant and the protein solutions can be much less than in conventional methods. In this study, lysozyme and alpha-amylase were used as model proteins for demonstrating the efficiency of this method. In addition, one-dimensional (1-D) simulations of the crystal growth were performed based on the 1-D diffusion model. The optimized conditions can be applied to the initial crystallization conditions for both other counter-diffusion methods with the Granada Crystallization Box (GCB) and for the vapor-diffusion method after some modification.

Capillary Action↗

Stable form of ascorbate peroxidase from the red alga Galdieria partita similar to both chloroplastic and cytosolic isoforms of higher plants.

Depletion of the electron donor ascorbate causes rapid inactivation of chloroplastic ascorbate peroxidase (APX) of higher plants, while cytosolic APX is stable under such conditions. Here we report the cloning of cDNA from Galdieria partita, a unicellular red alga, encoding a novel type of APX (APX-B). The electrophoretic mobility, Km values, kcat and absorption spectra of recombinant APX-B produced in Escherichia coli were measured. Recombinant APX-B remained active for at least 180 min after depletion of ascorbate. The amino-terminal half of APX-B, which forms the distal pocket of the active site, was richer in amino acid residues conserved in chloroplastic APXs of higher plants rather than cytosolic APXs. In contrast, the sequence of the carboxyl-terminal half, which forms the proximal pocket, was similar to that of the cytosolic isoform. The stability of APX-B might be due to its cytosolic isoform-like structure of the carboxyl-terminal half.

Amino Acid Sequence↗