Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Tosa

Publications and source records attributed to T Tosa.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Immobilized aspartase-containing microbial cells: preparation and enzymatic properties.

The immobilization of asparatase-containing Escherichia coli was investigated by various methods, and the most active immobilized cells were obtained by entrapment in a polyacrylamide gel lattice. Other asparatase-containing bacteria were also entrapped by the same method, and the enzymatically active immobilized cells were obtained. The aspartase activity of the immobilized E. coli cells was increased nine- to tenfold by autolysis of the cells entrapped in the gel lattice. Enzymatic properties of the immobilized E. coli cells were investigated and compared with those of the intact cells. The optimal pH was 8.5 for the immobilized cells and 10.5 for the intact cells. The aspartase activities of immobilized and intact cells were not activated by Mn(2+), which can activate the immobilized and native aspartases. The heat stability of the immobilized cells was somewhat higher than that of the intact cells. Bivalent metal ions such as Mn(2+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+) protected against thermal inactivation of the aspartase activity of the immobilized and intact cells.

Acrylamides↗

Basic studies for continuous production of L-aspartic acid by immobilized Escherichia coli cells.

By using a column packed with immobilized Escherichia coli cells entrapped in a polyacrylamide gel lattice, conditions for continuous production of L-aspartic acid from ammonium fumarate were investigated. When a solution of 1 M ammonium fumarate (pH 8.5) containing 1 mM Mg(2+) was passed through the immobilized cell column at a flow rate of space velocity (SV) = 0.8 at 37 C, the highest rate of reaction was attained. From the column effluents, L-aspartic acid was obtained in good yield. The immobilized cell column was very stable.

Acrylamides↗

L-Asparaginase from Proteus vulgaris.

To produce an immunologically and enzymologically new type of l-asparaginase, 108 strains of bacteria were screened for enzyme production. As a result, 13 bacteria belonging to the genera Alcaligenes, Bacterium, and Proteus were found to produce l-asparaginases in high levels. Among these l-asparaginases, partially purified l-asparaginases from B. cadaveris and P. vulgaris showed antitumor activity. A partially purified l-asparaginase preparation of P. vulgaris did not react with the antibody of Escherichia colil-asparaginase on the Ouchterlony agar plate. Culture conditions for the production of l-asparaginase by P. vulgaris were investigated in detail. The enzyme was produced in high yields when cells were grown aerobically in a medium containing sodium fumarate and corn steep liquor. The addition of glucose or ammonium ion to the medium, however, resulted in depressed production of l-asparaginase. Under the optimum conditions, 3,700 international units of l-asparaginase was obtained from 1 liter of culture medium.

Aerobiosis↗

Effect of serine hydroxamate on the growth of Escherichia coli.

The structural analogue of l-serine, l-serine hydroxamate, inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli K-12. Of the other amino acid hydroxamates tested, only l-lysine hydroxamate reduced the rate of growth. Inhibition of growth by l-serine hydroxamate was rapidly reversed by the addition of l-serine to the bacterial culture or by removal of the analogue by filtration. The reversal of inhibition was specific for l-serine. l-Alanine, glycine, or adenine had no effect on an inhibited culture. No evidence for active transport of the analogue was obtained.

Adenine↗

Biochemical bases for the antimetabolite action of L-serine hydroxamate.

The amino acid analogue l-serine hydroxamate, which is bacteriostatic for Escherichia coli, has been shown to inhibit protein synthesis. The antimetabolite is a competitive inhibitor of seryl-transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) synthetase with a K(i) value of 30 mum. Mutants resistant to l-serine hydroxamate have been selected, and three were shown to have seryl-tRNA synthetases with increased K(i) values. One mutant contains a 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase which is insensitive to inhibition by l-serine.

Bacterial Proteins↗