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Biomedical subjects

T Oshima

Publications and source records attributed to T Oshima.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources

Nucleotide sequence of formylmethionine tRNA from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8.

The nucleotide sequence of formylmethionine tRNA from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8, was determined by a combination of classical methods using unlabeled samples to determine the sequences of the oligonucleotides of RNase T1 and RNase A digests and a rapid sequencing gel technique using 5'-32P labeled samples to determine overlapping sequences. Formylmethionine tRNA from T. thermophilus is composed of two species, tRNAf1Met and tRNAf2Met. Their nucleotide sequences are almost identical, and are also almost identical with that of E. coli tRNAfMet, except for slight modifications and replacements. Both species have modifications at three points which do not exist in E. coli tRNAfMet: 2'-O-methylation at G19, N-1-methylation at A59 and 2-thiolation at T55. Moreover U51 in E. coli tRNAfMet is replaced by C51 in both species, so that a G-C pair is formed between this C51 and G65. tRNAf2Met has a reversed G-C pair at positions 52 and 64 compared with those in tRNAf1Met and E. coli tRNAfMet. Other regions are mostly the same as those in all prokaryotic initiator tRNAs so far reported. The thermostability of these thermophile initiator tRNAs is discussed in relation to their unique modifications.

Base Sequence↗

Antiarrhythmic activity of dextro- and levo-isomers of 5-methyl-8-(2-hydroxy-3-t-butylamino-propoxy) coumarin hydrocholoride (bucumolol), a beta-adrenergic blocking agent, on aconitine-induced atrial and ouabain-induced ventricular arrhythmias in dogs.

The beta-blocking, antiarrhythmic, and local anesthetic effects of the racemic mixture and optical isomers of bucumolol, 5-methyl-8-(2-hydroxy-3-t-butylamino-propoxy) coumarin hydrochloride, were studied in dogs, guinea-pigs and frogs. In blocking the positive chrontropic response to isoproterenol, the levo-isomer of bucumolol was about 40 times more potent in dogs, and 270 times in guinea-pigs than its dextro-isomer and twice as effective in both species as the racemic mixture. In frog sciatic nerves bucumolol was 1/10-1/15 as potent in local anesthetic action as propranolol on a weight basis. Dextro- and levo-isomers and racemic bucumolol neither elevated electrical threshold for propagated impulses nor prolonged the effective refractory period of the dog right atrium. The levo-isomer and racemic bucumolol were capable of suppressing aconitine-induced atrial arrhythmia, while the dextro-isomer was less effective. Both isomers and racemic bucumolol were capable of reversing ventricular arrhythmia caused by ouabain, but the effective dose of the levo-isomer was significantly less than that of the dextro-isomer. The results suggest that both specific beta-blocking activity and non-specific membrane action of bucumolol suppressed experimental arrhythmias in dogs produced by aconitine and ouabain.

Aconitine↗

Bacteriophage phiNS11: a lipid-containing phage of acidophilic thermophilic bacteria. IV. Sedimentation coefficient, diffusion coefficient, partial specific volume, and particle weight of the phage.

The particle weight (molecular weight) of phiNS11 was determined from the sedimentation coefficient, diffusion coefficient, and partial specific volume of the phage. The sedimentation coefficient of the phage (S(0)20, W) is 416 +/- 2.7S. The diffusion coefficient D(0)20, W), which was determined by quasielastic light scattering measurement, is (0.57 +/- 0.03) x 10(-7) cm2/s. The partial specific volume was determined by the mechanical oscillation technique to be 0.747 +/- 0.007 cm3/g. Based on these values, the particle weight of the phage was calculated to be (70.3 +/- 4.3) x 10(6) daltons, which agrees well with the particle weight (69--72 x 10(6) daltons) estimated from the molecular weight of phage DNA and the content of DNA. The Stokes radius of the phage particle was calculated to be 37.7 +/- 2 nm and hydration of the phage was estimated to be 1.18 cm3/g of dry phage. From the particle weight and the chemical composition of the phage, we estimated that one phage particle contains one double-stranded DNA molecule, 16,000 residues of fatty acid, 72 protein I molecules, 920 protein II, 42 protein III, 48 protein IV, 290 protein V molecules, and 3,700 molecules of polyamines.

Bacteria↗

Kinetic studies on redox reactions of hemoproteins. II. Reduction of thermoresistant cytochrome c-552 and horse heart cytochrome c by ascorbic acid.

The reductions of thermoresistant cytochrome c-552 and horse heart cytochrome c by ascorbic acid were studied by the stopped-flow method between pH 4 and 10. The results were as follows (1) The reduction of horse heart cytochrome c showed two relaxation decays above pH 8.5, one of which was pseudo-first order, as was the case below pH 8, while the other was nearly concentration-independent. These results were consistent with those reported by Greenwood and Palmer (J. Biol. Chem. (1965) 240, 3660-3663). (2) For the reduction of cytochrome c-552, only a single relaxational decay that obeyed pseudo-first order kinetics was observed. (3) It seems most reasonable to assume that the concentration-independent relaxation process can be attributed to the isomerization reaction accompanying ligand exchange, since it is known that only horse heart cytochrome c exhibits ligand exchange, involving a residue with pK 9.3.

Animals↗

C-type cytochromes isloated from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8.

Two cytochromes of the C-type, c-554 and c-549, were isolated from the soluble fraction of an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. Highly purified cytochrome c-554 had absorption maxima at 554, 522, and 417 nm in the reduced state, and at 410 nm in the oxidized state. The alpha-band of the reduced state resembled that of "split-alpha" cytochromes. The isoelectric point was at pH 4.9, and the molecular weight was about 29,000. Cytochrome c-549, partially purified, had absorption maxima a6 549,520, and 416 nm in the reduced form, and at 408 nm in the oxidized form. The molecular weight was about 25,000. Both were slowly auto-oxidizable, and did not combine with CO.

Cytochrome c Group↗

Membrane properties of an extreme thermophile. I. Detection of the phase transition and its dependence on growth temperature.

Phase transition was detected by a fluorescence polarization technique in the membrane of Thermus thermophilus HB8: it was found to be a function of cell growth temperature when the cell growth temperature was varied between 50-80 degrees C. A systematic relation between the phase transition temperature and the growth temperature was observed. Differential scanning calorimetry was also applied. The phase transition was found to take place between 34 and 55 degrees C for cells grown at 50 degrees C and between 52 and 80 degrees C for cells grown at 80 degrees C.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Studies on polypeptide-chain-elongation factors from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. 1. Purification and some properties of the purified factors.

Polypeptide chain elongation factors have been purified from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. By chromatography on a DEAE-Sephadex column, the factors were separated into two peaks; peak I contained a complex of EF-Tu and EF-Ts, while peak II was composed of EF-Tu.gdp and EF-G. These factors were subsequently purified to homogeneous states and crystallized. The EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex could be resolved into EF-Tu and EF-Ts by chromatography on a Sephadex G-200 column in the presence of 8 M guanidine-HCl. The complex could be reconstituted from EF-Tu and the renatured EF-Ts. No immunological cross-reaction was detected between EF-Tu, EF-Ts, and EF-G from T. thermophilus and the antibodies to their corresponding Escherichia coli factors. The molecular weight of EF-Tu . GDP determined by sedimentation equilibrium and sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was 49000 and 51000 respectively. On the other hand, the molecular weight of EF-Ts was estimated as 27000 and 64000, respectively, by sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephadex gel filtration, suggesting that the protein existed probably as a dimer. The molecular weight of the EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex determined by sedimentation equilibrium and by gel filtration, was 142000 and 220000, respectively. Since the molar ratio of EF-Tu to EF-Ts in the EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex was one to one, it was suggested that the complex was composed of 2 mol each of EF-Tu and EF-Ts. The molecular weight of EF-G was estimated as 85000, 80000 and 78000 by equilibrium centrifugation, gel filtration, and sodium dodecylsulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis respectively.

Crystallization↗

Studies on polypeptide-chain-elongation factors from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. 2. Catalytic properties.

Catalytic properties of the elongation factors from Thermus thermophilus HB8 have been studied and compared with those of the factors from Escherichia coli. 1. The formation of a ternary guanine-nucleotide . EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex was demonstrated by gel filtration of the T. thermophilus EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex on a Sephadex G-150 column equilibrated with guanine nucleotide. The occurrence of this type of complex has not yet been proved with the factors from E. coli. 2. The dissociation constants for the complexes of T. thermophilus EF-Tu . EF-Ts with GDP and GTP were 6.1 x 10(-7) M and 1.9 x 10(-6) M respectively. On the other hand, T. thermophilus EF-Tu interacted with GDP and GTP with dissociation constants of 1.1 x 10(-9) M and 5.8 x 10(-8) M respectively. This suggests that the association of EF-Ts with EF-Tu lowered the affinity of EF-Tu for GDP by a factor of about 600 and facilitated the nucleotide exchange reaction. 3. Although the T. thermophilus EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex hardly dissociates into EF-Tu and EF-Ts, a rapid exchange was observed between free EF-Ts and the EF-Tu . EF-Ts complex using 3H-labelled EF-Ts. The exchange reaction was independent on the presence or absence of guanine nucleotides. 4. Based on the above findings, an improved reaction mechanism for the regeneration of EF-Tu . GTP from EF-Tu . GDP is proposed. 5. Studies on the functional interchangeability of EF-Tu and EF-Ts between T. thermophilus and E. coli has revealed that the factors function much more efficiently in the homologous than in the heterologous combination. 6. T. thermophilus EF-Ts could bind E. coli EF-Tu to form an EF-Tu (E. coli) . EF-Ts (T. thermophilus hybrid complex. The complex was found to exist in a dimeric form indicating that the property to form a dimer is attributable to T. thermophilus EF-Ts. On the other hand, no stable complex between E. coli EF-Ts and T. thermophilus EF-Tu has been isolated. 7. The uncoupled GTPase activity of T. thermophilus EF-G was much lower than that of E. coli EF-G. T. thermophilus EF-G formed a relatively stable binary EF-G . GDP complex, which could be isolated on a nitrocellulose membrane filter. The Kd values for EF-G . GDP and EF-G . GTP were 6.7 x 10(-7) M and 1.2 x 10(-5) M respectively. The ternary T. thermophilus EF-G . GDP . ribosome complex was again very stable and could be isolated in the absence of fusidic acid. The stability of the latter complex is probably the cause of the low uncoupled GTPase activity of T. thermophilus EF-G.

Escherichia coli↗

Studies on polypeptide-chain-elongation factors from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. 3. Molecular properties.

Molecular properties of the polypeptide chain elongation factors from Thermus thermophilus HB8 have been investigated and compared with those from Escherichia coli. 1. As expected, the factors purified from T. thermophilus were exceedingly heat-stable. Even free EF-Tu not complexed with GDP was stable after heating for 5 min at 60 degrees C. 2. GDP binding activity of T. thermophilus EF-Tu was also stable in various protein denaturants, such as 5.5 M urea, 1.5 M guanidine-HCl, and 4 M LiCl. 3. Amino acid compositions of EF-Tu and EF-G from T. thermophilus were similar to those from E. coli. On the other hand, amino acid composition of T. thermophilus EF-Ts was considerably different from that of E. coli EF-Ts. 4. In contrast to E. coli EF-Tu, T. thermophilus EF-Tu contained no free sulfhydryl group, but one disulfide bond. The disulfide bond was cleaved by sodium borohydride or sodium sulfite under native conditions. The heat stability of the reduced EF-Tu . GDP, as measured by GDP binding activity, did not differ from that of the untreated EF-Tu . GDP. 5. T. thermophilus EF-Ts contained, in addition to one disulfide bond, a sulfhydryl group which could be titrated only after complete denaturation of the protein. 6. Under native conditions one sulfhydryl group of T. thermophilus EF-G was titrated with p-chloromercuribenzoate, while the rate of reaction was very sluggish. The sulfhydryl group appears to be essential for interaction with ribosomes, whereas the ability to form a binary GDP . EF-G complex was not affected by its modification. The protein contained also one disulfide bond. 7. Circular dichroic spectra of EF-Tu from T. thermophilus and E. coli were very similar. Binding of GDP or GTP caused a similar spectral change in both. T. thermophilus and E. coli EF-Tu. On the other hand, the spectra of T. thermophilus EF-G and E. coli EF-G were significantly different, the content of ordered structure being higher in the former as compared to the latter.

Amino Acids↗

[Radioenzymatic assay for catecholamines (author's transl)].

Catecholamines are neurotransmitters produced and secreted by the central and autonomic nervous systems. In addition to being neurotransmitters, amines produced mainly by the adrenal medulla also act as hormones. Fluorometric measurements of amines yield variable results because of the poor sensitivity of the techniques, and the low concentration of these amines in tissues and biological fluids. The lack of specific and sensitive analytical methods has been an obstacle to resolving the mechanism of action of these neurotransmitters and hormones. The possibility of achieving qualitative and quantitative determination of picomole or femtomole amounts of these amines is a major need. Recently, radioenzymatic procedures for catecholamine assay have been developed and there has been a significant improvement in both sensitivity and accuracy of catecholamine assays. In this article, details of these radioenzymatic assay methods are reviewed.

Brain Chemistry↗

Intracellular recordings from the motor cortex during EEG arousal in unanaesthetized brain preparations of the cat.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from 92 neurones in the precruciate cortex of encéphale isolé and midpontine pretrigeminal preparations of the cat. 2. All but only one of these cells showed appreciable changes in the membrane potential during the transition from the cortical slow wave phase to the EEG arousal occurring spontaneously or induced by stimulating the midbrain reticular formation. Thus, 38 cells were depolarized (D-type cells), 48 cells hyperpolarized (H-type cells) and 5 cells showed an early hyperpolarization and a later depolarization (mixed type). 3. The latency of intracellular responses to reticular stimulation was shorter in the D-type cells than the H-type or mixed-type cells, and shorter for each of the D- and H-types in the cells of the superficial layers than those of the deep layers. 4. The D-type cells were distributed widely through laminae I to V, but the majority was sampled in lamina II. The H-type cells were located in laminae III-VI with the mode at the upper half of lamina III. The mixed-type cells were mostly located in laminge V and VI. 5. Antidromically identified slow pyramidal tract (PT) cells n=9) all belonged to the D-type, and fast PT cells either to the H- (n=11) or the mixed type (n=4). 6. These results suggest that the EEG arousal is a state composed of both excitatory and inhibitory responses of cortical cells which are processed from the superficial to the deep layers.

Animals↗

An intracellular analysis of EEG arousal in cat motor cortex.

1. Changes in the resting potential and the effective membrane resistance were measured in 77 cells in cat precruciate cortex during the transition from cortical slow wave phase to EEG arousal. 2. These 77 neurones were classified into the recipient cells of the following five different actions on the EEG arousal: (1) postsynaptic excitation (E cells), (2) postsynaptic inhbition (I cells), (3) disinhibition (DI cells), (4) disfacilitation (DF cells) and (5) disfacilitation followed by excitation (DF-E cells). 3. The location of E cells ranged from laminae I to V, but the majority was found in lamina II. Most I cells were located in the upper half of lamina III, and a few in lamina V. DF, DI and DF-E cells existed deeply from the lower half of lamina III to laminae V-VI. 4. Slow pyramidal tract (PT) cells (n = 6) all belonged to the E cell group, whereas fast PT cells were divided into the DF (n = 10) and DF-E cell groups (n = 4). 5. It is postulated that the EEG arousal is initiated with a direct excitation of laminae I-II cells, followed by excitation and inhibition to the upper lamina III cells and further processed to laminae III-VI cells with indirect excitation, inhibition, disinhibition and disfacilitation. The model of four vertical transmission relays is proposed to depict the casade pattern of information being processed through the cortex during the EEG arousal.

Animals↗