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T Unemoto

Publications and source records attributed to T Unemoto.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Partial purification and properties of respiratory chain-linked l-glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase from a marine bacterium, Vibrio alginolyticus.

Respiratory chain-linked L-glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.99.5] of marine bacterium, Vibrio alginolyticus, was extracted from the membrane fraction by treatment with Tween 20, and fractionation on DEAE-Sephacel and QAE-Sephadex in the presence of 0.05% Liponox DCH(alkyl polyoxyethylene ether) yielded a preparation having a specific activity of 22.1 units/mg protein when assayed by phenazine methosulfate (PMS)-coupled reduction of thiazolyl blue tetrazolium (MTT). The purified enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 300,000 as determined by chromatography on Sepharcyl S-300 in 0.05% Liponox DCH, and had noncovalently bound FAD as its coenzyme. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 8.5-9.0, and required 200 mM NaCl or KCl and an appropriate detergent (such as Tween, Brij or Liponox DCH) for maximum activation. The activating effect of NaCl was due to a decrease in Km for G3P and that of Tween 20 was due to both a decrease in Km and an increase in Vm. Triton X-100 could not activate the enzyme and was inhibitory in the presence of phospholipids. The reaction followed a ping-pong mechanism. IN addition to PMS, 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol and duroquinone, the enzyme could reduce ubiquinone-5 (Q-5) in the presence of Liponox DCH at a rate of 46% of the PMS reductase activity. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by heavy metal ions and by p-chloromercuribenzoate. The activity for Q-5, but not for PMS, was inhibited by o-phenanthroline and bathophenanthroline, suggesting the participation of nonheme iron protein in the Q-5 reduction.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1980

Streptococcus faecalis mutants defective in regulation of cytoplasmic pH.

We have isolated two acid-sensitive mutants of Streptococcus faecalis (ATCC 9790), designated AS13 and AS25, which grew at pH 7.5 but not at pH below 6.0. The ionophore gramicidin D, which collapsed the pH gradient between the cytoplasm and the medium, had little effect on the growth of these mutants, indicating that growing cells maintain only a small pH gradient. In the presence of gramicidin D the growth rates of the parent and mutant strains were identical over a range of pH values. When glucose was added to a cell suspension at pH 6.4, the parent strain generated a pH gradient of 1.0 unit, interior alkaline; AS13 generated a pH gradient of only 0.5 units, and AS25 generated no measurable pH gradient. The proton permeability of the mutant strains was the same as that of the parent strain. These results suggest that a cytoplasmic pH of around 7.5 is required for the growth of the cells and that the mutant strains are unable to establish a neutral cytoplasmic pH in acidic medium because of damage to the regulatory system of the cytoplasmic pH. Mutant strains also have a reduced capacity to extrude protons and take up potassium. Therefore, it is likely that these cation transport systems are involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic pH.

Cell Membrane Permeability↗
PubMed1979

NADH: quinone oxidoreductase as a site of Na+-dependent activation in the respiratory chain of marine Vibrio alginolyticus.

The site of Na+-dependent activation in the respiratory chain of the marine bacterium, Vibrio alginolyticus, was investigated. The respiratory chain system contained ubiquinones (Q), menaquinones (MK), cytochromes b(560), c(553), d(630), and o(560). The membrane-bound and partially purified NADH dehydrogenase was stimulated 2- to 3-fold by the addition of 0.2 M Na+ or K+ and no specific requirement for Na+ was observed in this reaction step. The cytochrome oxidase showed no requirement for monovalent cations. The respiratory activity (NADH oxidase) of the membrane was lost on removal of the quinones, and the reincorporation of authentic Q-10 or MK-4 restored the activity. The rate of MK-4 reduction by NADH (menaquinone reductase) as measured using MK-4 incorporated membrane was activated by Na+, but only slightly by K+. The apparent Ka for Na+ was 78 mM for both menaguinone reductase and NADH oxidase. The requirement for Na+ of menaquinone reductase was greatly reduced in the presence of 0.2 M K+. Ubiquinone reductase as measured by using Q-10 incorporated membrane was also activated more effectively by Na+ than by K+. These results strongly suggested that the site of Na+-dependent activation in the respiratory chain of marine V. alginolyticus was at the step of NADH; quinone oxidoreductase.

Cytochromes↗
PubMed1979

Regulation of internal solute concentrations of marine Vibrio alginolyticus in response to external NaCl concentration.

Slightly halophilic marine Vibrio alginolyticus grown in the range of NaCl from 0.2 to 1.5 M maintained the total internal solute concentration always higher than the external medium by about 0.25 osM. The concentrations of macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, and protein were little affected by the increase in medium NaCl. The internal K+ concentration was kept to about 400 mM in the range of medium NaCl from 0.4 to 0.8 M; it rose to 510 mM when the bacterium was grown in 1.5 M NaCl, indicating that K+ increased only slightly in response to the large increase in medium NaCl. Thus, in contrast to the case of nonhalophilic and extremely halophilic bacteria, K+ was unlikely to act as a major component to regulate the internal solute concentration of marine V. alginolyticus. The internal Na+ and Cl- concentrations were maintained always lower than those in the growth medium, but they increased in response to the increase in medium NaCl. The concentration of internal Na+ was close to that of K+ at the concentration of medium NaCl that supports the optimal growth of this organism. The total amino acid content of V. alginolyticus increased from 76 to 413 mM by the increase in medium NaCl from 0.2 to 1.5 M. The concentrations of glutamic acid and prolined were 254 and 72 mM, respectively, when grown in 1.5 M NaCl. These results indicated that Na+, Cl- and amino acids, especially glutamic acid and proline, contributed to the regulation of internal solute concentration of V. alginolyticus in response to the increased external NaCl.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1977

Lysis of halophilic Vibrio alginolyticus and Vibrio costicolus induced by chaotropic anions.

High concentration (1.0 M) of KSCN, but not of NaSCN, induced lysis of slightly halophilic Vibrio alginolyticus and moderately halophilic Vibrio costicolus, and the decrease in absorbance of the cell suspension was complete after 30 min at 25 degrees C. Replacement of K+ with Na+ effectively prevented the lysis by SCN-.K+ salts of NO3-, Br- and I-, however, induced no significant lysis. In electron micrographs, a prolonged exposure of the cells of V. alginolyticus to 1.0 M KSCN displaced the nucleoplasm to maintain close contact with the cell membranes. After 40 min of interaction, 50% of the cellular protein, 96% of RNA and 94% of DNA were recovered in the lysed cells. In contrast to lysis in hypotonic conditions, the lysis induced by KSCN is due mainly to a partial release of protein from the cells. V. costicolus was more susceptible to SCN- than V. alginolyticus, whereas nonhalophilic Escherichia coli was resistant to 1.0 M KSCN. Thus, lysis by SCN- is characteristic of halophilic bacteria and cell membranes of more halophilic bacteria are more susceptible to chaotropic anions. The protective effect of Na+ observed here was considered to be manifested by specific interactions of Na+ with components of cell membranes, thereby rendering their structures resistant to the action of chaotropic anions.

Bacteriolysis↗
PubMed1977

Na+-dependent activation of NADH oxidase in membrane fractions from halophilic Vibrio alginolyticus and V. costicolus.

Membrane-bound NADH oxidase activities from slightly halophilic marine Vibrio alginolyticus and moderately halophilic V. costicolus required 0.3 and 0.5 M Na+, respectively, for maximum activity; other cations such as Li+,K+,Rb+,Cs+,Mg2+, and Ca2+ were relatively ineffective as replacements for Na+. The concentration of Na+ required to give half-maximum activity with the NADH oxidase from V. alginolyticus was 82 mN. This value was reduced to 6.4 and 13.8 mM in the presence of 400 mM K+ and 10 mM Mg2+, respectively, indicating that K+ and Mg2+ cooperated with Na+ for activation. The same pattern of cation dependence was observed with the NADH oxidase from V. costicolus. The NADH oxidase from nonhalophilic Escherichia coli, however, had no specific requirement for Na+. Thus, Na+-dependent activation of NADH oxidase appeared to be a characteristic feature of these halophilic bacteria. All NADH oxidases examined were influenced by the species of anion present and the order of activating effect followed the lyotropic series:SO4(2-), CH3COO- greater than Cl- greater than NO3- greater than SCN-. Chaotropic anions such as NO3- and SCN- were inhibitory to the NADH oxidases, irrespective of the halophilic nature of the bacterial source.

Cations, Monovalent↗
PubMed1975

Capacity of the outer membrane of a gram-negative marine bacterium in the presence of cations to prevent lysis by Triton X-100.

Cells of marine pseudomonad B-16 (ATCC 19855) washed with a solution containing 0.3 M NaCl, 50 mM MgCl2, and 10 mM KCl (complete salts) could be protected from lysis in a hypotonic environment if the suspending medium contained either 20 mM Mg2+, 40 mM Na+, or 300 mM K+. When the outer double-track layer (the outer membrane) of the cell envelope was removed to yield mureinoplasts, the Mg2+, Na+ or K+, requirements to prevent lysis were raised to 80, 210, and 400 mM, respectively. In the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100, 220, 320, and 360 mM Mg2+, Na+ or K+, respectively, prevented lysis of the normal cells. Mureinoplasts and protoplasts, however, lysed instantly in the presence of the detergent at all concentrations of Mg2+, Na+, or K+ tested up to 1.2 M. Thus, the structure of the outer membrane appears to be maintained by appropriate concentrations of Mg2+ or Na+ in a form preventing the penetration of Triton X-100 and thereby protecting the cytoplasmic membrane from dissolution by the detergent. K+ was effective in this capacity with cells washed with complete salts solution but not with cells washed with a solution of NaCl, suggesting that bound Mg2+ was required in the cell wall membrane for K+ to be effective in preventing lysis by the detergent. At high concentrations (1 M) K+ and Mg2+, but not Na+, appeared to destabilize the structure of the outer membrane in the presence of Triton X-100.

Bacterial Proteins↗