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Biomedical subjects

T Uchida

Publications and source records attributed to T Uchida.

At least 1,333 records · Page 74Linked to original sources

Reconstitution of hybrid toxin from Fragment A of diphtheria toxin and a subunit of Wistaria floribunda lectin.

A hybrid protein was prepared in which Fragment A of diphtheria toxin was linked to a monovalent subunit of the lectin from Wistaria floribunda seeds by a disulfide bridge. The hybrid molecule was reconstituted effectively from a reduced mixture of Fragment A and the lectin subunit by oxidation with o-phenanthroline and CuSO4. The monovalent hybrid protein was partially purified and found to be toxic to L cells. The toxicity of the hybrid protein on the cells was blocked by the addition of either N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, which specifically binds to the lectin, or by anti-Fragment A antibody.

Acetylgalactosamine↗

Continuous production of NADP by immobilized Achromobacter aceris cells.

Several microorganisms having higher nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide kinase (NAD kinase, EC 2.7.1.23) activity were immobilized into polyacrylamide gel lattices. The enzyme activity field by immobilization was highest in Achromobacter aceris AKU 0120. By the incubation of the immobilized A. aceris cells at pH 4.0, the NAD kinase activity increased and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-degradation activity disappeared completely. Enzymatic properties of the immobilized A. aceris cells were investigated and compared with those of intact cells. The optimal pH and the optimal temperature of immobilized cells were the same as those of intact cells. Immobilized cell NAD kinase was more stable than that of intact cells. The operational half-life of immobilized cells was 20 days when the substrate solution was passed through a column packed with immobilized cells at a flow rate which gives a space velocity (SV) of 0.1 hr-1 at 37 degrees C. On the other hand, the half-life of the intact cells was only 6 hr.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

One molecule of diphtheria toxin fragment A introduced into a cell can kill the cell.

Erythrocyte ghosts containing a known number of molecules of purified fragment A of diphtheria toxin with a constant amount of FITC-BSA as a fluorescence marker were prepared by dialyzing a mixture of erythrocytes and these substances against hypotonic solution. These substances were then introduced into diphtheria toxin-resistant mouse L cells by virus-mediated cell fusion of the cells with the ghosts, and mononuclear recipients that has fused with only one erythrocyte ghost were separated in a flourescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) on the basis of their cell size and fluorescence intensity. After separation, the viability of cells containing known numbers of fragment A was examined by measuring colony-forming ability. The results demonstrated that a single molecule of fragment A was sufficient to kill a cell. This fact was confirmed by introduction into cells of fragment A from an immunologically related mutant toxin, CRM 176 (fragment A176); this has a completely functional fragment B region, but in cell extracts, the enzymic activity of its fragment A is about 10 fold less than that of wild toxin. The cytotoxicity of CRM 176 is about two hundredths of that of the wild-type (Uchida, Pappenheimer and Greany, 1973). As expected, about 100-200 fold excess of fragment A-176 was needed to kill the cells.

Cell Survival↗

Neutralization of diphtheria toxin in living cells by microinjection of antifragment A contained within resealed erythrocyte ghosts.

When human erythrocytes suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) containing lgG were first dialyzed against a hypotonic solution and then dialyzed against PBS, lgG molecules were entrapped within resealed erythrocyte ghosts. The concentration of lgG inside the ghosts was about 33% of its concentration in the dialysis bag. With the aid of HVJ (Sendai virus), ghosts containing rabbit lgG antibody against fragment A of diphtheria toxin were fused with toxin-sensitive FL cells. The fused FL recipients were found to be resistant to the action of diphtheria toxin. Clones derived from the resistant recipient cells, however, became sensitive to the toxin again. Antifragment A neutralized the enzymic activity of isolated fragment A in vitro, but did not protect FL cells or rabbit skin against the complete toxin.

Antitoxins↗

Isolation and some properties of a deoxyribonuclease from Turbo cornutus.

1. Four DNases were found in the dried liver extract of a top shell, Turbo cornutus. The major one was purified 120-fold by phosphocellulose column chromatography, sulfoethylcellulose column chromatography and gel-filtration on Sephadex G-150. The yield was 2.7%. 2. The enzyme activity was not affected by Mg2+ (10(-3)--10(-2)M), EDTA (10(-3)--10(-2)M), or NaCl (10(-1)M). It showed a pH optimum of 4.7--4.8. Ionic strength was found to be critical for the maximal activity. The isoelectric point was 8.5--9.0. On heating at 50 degrees C C for 5 min the enzymic activity fell to half the initial value. 3. The enzyme preparation degraded native as well as heat-denatured DNA, but not RNA. It degraded heat-denatured DNA endonucleolytically to give oligonucleotides with 3'-phosphates. 4. The 3'-phosphate and 5'-hydroxy termini of oligonucleotides were investigated. At both the 3'- and 5'-terminal positions, purine nucleotides were predominant.

Deoxyribonucleases↗

Purification and properties of an extracellular exonuclease from Thermus thermophilus HB8.

An extracellular exonuclease has been found and purified about 10,000-fold from the culture broth of an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8. The enzyme had an isoelectric point at pH 5.1 and seems to be of a multimolecular type, with molecular weights estimated to be ca. 530,000 (Peak I) and around 330,000 (Peak II) by gel filtration. The properties of the most highly purified enzyme fraction, Peak I were investigated. The enzyme requires divalent cations (Mg2+ greater than Sn2+ greater than Ca2+, Mn2+) and is inactive in the presence of EDTA. The pH optimum is 9.4-9.5 in glycine-NaOH buffer and the optimum temperature is 85 degrees C. The rate of hydrolysis increases in the order heat-denatured DNA greater than native DNA greater than RNA. The enzyme hydrolyzes deoxyoligonucleotides bearing 5'-monophosphate to liberate 5'-mononucleotides in an exonucleolytic manner. However, oligonucleotides lacking a 5'-phosphoryl group, irrespective of the presence or absence of phosphate at the 3'-termini, give both 5'-mononucleotides and dinucleoside monophosphates derived from the 5'-termini. It was also found that dinucleotides terminated with a 5'-phosphoryl group were cleaved to 5'-mononucleotides, but dinucleoside monophosphates were resistant to this enzyme. This exonuclease should be useful in the direct determination of sequence at the 5'-terminus and the penultimate position of oligonucleotides by the use of high-performance liquid chromatography.

Deoxyribonucleases↗

Isolation and some properties of two deoxyribonucleases from a snail, Achatina fulica.

1. Two main DNases were found in the dried liver extract of a snail, Achatina fulica. They were purified by the phosphocellulose batch method and by phosphocellulose column chromatography. The enzyme eluted earlier from the phosphocellulose column was designated as Achatina DNase-1 and the other as Achatina DNase-2. DNase-1 was purified further by QAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography (twice) just before use because of the instability of the purified enzyme. By these procedures, DNase-1 and 2 were purified 200- and 130-fold, respectively. 2. Divalent or monovalent cations had no marked effect on either enzyme. The showed pH optima of 4.8 (DNase-1) and 5.2 (DNase-2). Ionic strength was found to be critical for the maximal activity. The isoelectric points of DNase-1 and 2 were both 6.9. On heating at 70--75 degrees C for 5 min, each enzymic activity fell to half of the initial value. 3. The enzyme preparations degraded native DNA 1.5--2.5 times faster than heat-denatured DNA. They both degraded heat-denatured DNA endonucleolytically, to give oligonucleotides with 3'-phosphates. 4. The 3'-phosphoryl and 5'-hydroxy termini of the resulting oligonucleotides were analyzed. DNase-1 possessed marked specificity for dThd at 3'-termini and dAdo at 5'-termini in the early stages of degradation, but only for dAdo at 5'-termini in the later stages. DNase-2 showed some preference for purine nucleotides at both 3'- and 5'-termini in the later stages of degradation.

Chromatography↗

Characterization of anti-ApApA antibodies.

Antibodies to a trinucleotide, ApApA, were prepared by injecting bovine serum albumin conjugated with ApApA into rabbits. The specificities of the antibodies were determined by estimating the inhibiton of the binding of [14C]ApApA to the antibodies by various nonradioactive mono-, oligo-, and polynucleotides, using the ammonium sulfate precipitation method. The antibodies were found to react with ApApN sequences and oligoadenylic acids, but also reacted slightly with polyadenylic acid, RNA and DNA. Significant crossreactions were observed with other oligonucleotides containing adenosine.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Isolation of the L-phase variant from toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae C7(beta).

The L-phase variant was isolated from lysogenic strain C7(beta) of Corynebacterium diphtheriae by the penicillin disk tecnnique on an agar medium containing 3.7% brain heart infusion, 3% NaCl, 1.25% Grycine, 1% Noble agar, and 10% horse serum. The L-phase formed a "fried egg" colony; it was resistant to antibiotics that inhibit biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls but was susceptible to antibiotics that act on the protein-synthesizing system. After several transfers of the L-phase initially isolated, the L-phase of strain C7(beta) became stable, forming a typical L-phase colony on the agar even without penicillin. The L-phase variant retained lysogenicity and toxigenicity. The toxin production by this L-phase variant was, like that by the bacterial phase, inhibited by excess iron.

Bacterial Toxins↗

Quantitative introduction of a given macromolecule into cells by fusion with erythrocyte ghosts using a fluorescence activated cell sorter.

FITC-conjugated bovine serum albumin (FITC-BSA) molecules were quantitatively introduced into human erythrocyte ghosts by gradual hemolysis. When the ghosts and L cells were fused with UV-inactivated HVJ (Sendai virus), FITC-BSA was introduced into the cytoplasm of the L cells and fluorescence could be observed inthe cells with a fluorescence microscope. A mixture of L cells and ghosts was introduced into a fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS), which could separate the mononuclear cells on the basis of their light-scattering profile. Four distinct populations of mononuclear cells were found by fluorescence analysis. These populations were separated from the cell mixture and found to correspond to cells fused with one, two and three ghosts and unfused cells. After separation, the cells from each population could form colonies in culture. As a given macromolecule can be quantitatively introduced into erythrocyte ghosts with the FITC-BSA, after fusion of these ghosts with cells, this sorting method is useful for separating cells containing a definite number of macromolecules.

Cell Fusion↗