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W W Wells

Publications and source records attributed to W W Wells.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Identification and characterization of the functional amino acids at the active center of pig liver thioltransferase by site-directed mutagenesis.

By using site-directed mutagenesis techniques, the essential amino acids at the catalytic center of porcine thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) were determined. Seven oligonucleotides were designed, synthesized, and used to construct mutants, ETT-C22S, ETT-C25S, ETT-C25A, ETT-R26V, ETT-K27Q, ETT-R26V: K27Q, and ETT-C78S:C82S, by altering their codons in pig liver thioltransferase cDNA/M13mp18 clones. Each of the thioltransferases was purified to homogeneity and its dithiol-disulfide exchange, and dehydroascorbate reductase activities were compared with those of the wild-type (ETT). Evidence was obtained that Cys22 was essential for catalytic activity, and the extremely low pKa value of its sulfhydryl group was facilitated primarily by Arg26. The role of Lys27 at the active center was different from that of Arg26 and may be important in stabilizing the E.S intermediate by electrostatic forces. The second pair of cysteines, Cys78 and Cys82, nearer the C terminus, were not directly involved in the active center, but may play a role in defining the native protein structure. The replacement of the original Cys with a Ser at position 25 increased rather than decreased the enzyme activity, suggesting that the proposed intramolecular disulfide bond between Cys22 and Cys25 is not necessary for the catalytic mechanism of the Ser25 mutant, but does not rule out such a mechanism for the wild-type enzyme.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Catalytic mechanism of thioltransferase.

To evaluate potential catalytic mechanism for thioltransferase thiol-disulfide exchange reactions, seven pig liver mutants were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. All the expressed enzymes, including wild-type and mutants with the exception of the inactive mutant, ETT-C22S, were variably inhibited by iodoacetamide, and similar results were obtained when these enzymes were preincubated with GSH. However, when preincubated with S-sulfocysteine or hydroxyethyl disulfide, the activity of the enzymes was totally or partially protected against inhibition by iodoacetamide, with the exception of the mutants, ETT-C25S and ETT-C25A. When simultaneously pretreated with GSH and S-sulfocysteine, all enzymes were highly protected. Isoelectric focusing analysis of the above preincubation mixtures showed that different enzyme-substrate intermediates occurred. Using radioactively labeled substrates, [U-14C]cystine and [glycine-2-3H] GSH, enzyme-substrate intermediates were detected. These data indicate that reduced thioltransferase reacts first with disulfide substrates, then with a thiol substrate, e.g. GSH. The formation of either enzyme-substrate mixed disulfide or protein intramolecular disulfide protected the enzyme from inactivation by iodoacetamide. Based on the experimental results, alternative methods of the catalytic mechanism for thioltransferases are proposed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Mammalian thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) and protein disulfide isomerase have dehydroascorbate reductase activity.

Homogeneous native and recombinant porcine liver thioltransferase (glutaredoxin), bovine thymus and human placenta thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) were examined for dehydroascorbate reductase activity (EC 1.8.5.1) involving the direct catalytic reduction of dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) by glutathione. Each enzyme had substantial activity with apparent Km and Vmax for dehydroascorbate between 0.2 and 2.2 mM and 6-27 nmol min-1, respectively, and for gluathione between 1.6 and 8.7 mM and 11-30 nmol min-1, respectively. In the presence of purified bovine liver thioredoxin reductase, homogeneous bovine liver thioredoxin failed to reduce DHA to ascorbic acid as measured by NADPH oxidation. Highly purified bovine liver protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) reacted directly with DHA and GSH to catalyze the reduction of DHA to ascorbic acid. The apparent Km for DHA was 1.0 mM and the Vmax was 8 nmol min-1, and for GSH were 3.9 mM and 14 nmol min-1, respectively. These results suggest that thioltransferase and PDI contribute to the regeneration of oxidized ascorbic acid in mammalian cells, and based on their cellular location, thioltransferase is proposed to be the major cytoplasmic activity, whereas interaction of DHA with microsomal membrane PDI may catalyze regeneration of ascorbic acid and initiate oxidation of intralumenal protein thiols to disulfides.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

High-level expression of pig liver thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) in Escherichia coli.

We report the first high-level expression of a mammalian thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) in Escherichia coli. A NcoI site (CCATGG) was introduced into the cDNA encoding pig liver thioltransferase (glutaredoxin) by site-directed mutagenesis, in which the first G of the original sequence, GCATGG, was replaced by a C. The altered cDNA was cloned into an expression vector, plasmid pKK233-2, between the unique NcoI and HindIII sites and expressed in E. coli JM105 at a high level (8% of total soluble protein) after 6 h of isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside induction. The soluble and unfused product was measured by the thiol-transferase thiol-disulfide exchange assay and immunoblotting analysis. The recombinant enzyme was purified to a single band as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. The amino acid composition of the expressed enzyme agreed with that of the known sequence of pig liver thioltransferase (glutaredoxin). N-terminal sequence analysis revealed that unlike the native pig liver protein which is N-acetylated, the recombinant enzyme was unblocked at the N terminus (alanine). Various kinetic properties of the recombinant enzyme with regard to the exchange reaction were identical with those of the native enzyme.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1990

Characterization of phosphate uptake in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes.

Phosphate uptake across the plasma membrane of rat hepatocytes was characterized in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Phosphate uptake by cultured rat hepatocytes consisted of a Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent component. A major portion of the uptake was Na(+)-dependent, which was saturable and exhibited Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Kinetic analysis showed that the apparent Km value for phosphate at 137 mM Na+ was 0.25 mM and Vmax was 13.3 pmol/microgram protein for 30 min. Hill coefficient was 1.76. This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of a phosphate carrier on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Cloning and sequencing the cDNA encoding pig liver thioltransferase.

We report here, the first successful cloning and sequencing of a full-length cDNA gene (TT) encoding the pig liver thioltransferase (TT). The TT cDNA was obtained by screening a commercial (Clonetech) pig liver cDNA library in lambda gt11, using polyclonal antibodies raised in rabbits against pig liver TT. Two positive clones were identified in 3.5 x 10(5) recombinants. For verification, we successfully hybridized three oligodeoxyribonucleotide nucleotide probes, synthesized according to three different regions of the pig liver TT amino acid (aa) sequence, to both of the positive clones. In addition, the size of the TT beta-galactosidase fusion protein, produced by the positive clone, was consistent with the length of the cDNA. The TT cDNA was subcloned into the EcoRI site of M13mp18 replicative form and sequenced by the dideoxy chain-termination method using 35S-labeled nucleotides. The aa sequence deduced from the cDNA sequence is in exact agreement with the previously reported primary aa sequence, except that the N terminus should be N-acetylalanine followed by glutamine, rather than the reverse, as originally interpreted by conventional mass spectrometry fast atom bombardment analysis of the tryptic peptide corresponding to the first 8 aa residues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

A revised sequence of calf thymus glutaredoxin.

The previously published structure of the glutaredoxin from calf thymus [Klintrot et al., (1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 144, 417-423] was reinvestigated by tandem mass spectrometry and found to have an N-terminal Ac-Ala-Gln-Ala-... sequence and an additional four amino acids inserted between positions 67 and 68.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Immunological characterization of thioltransferase from pig liver.

Polyclonal antibodies against pig liver thioltransferase were raised in a New Zealand rabbit. These antibodies completely neutralized the thioltransferase activity of the homogeneous enzyme and that in the crude cytosolic homogenate at an equivalent titer. The antibodies also cross-reacted equally with calf thymus glutaredoxin and calf liver thioltransferase, but not with Escherichia coli thioredoxin, suggesting that thioltransferase and glutaredoxin from the same species are identical. Immunoblotting analysis of the cytosolic proteins from 14 different pig tissues revealed that most pig tissues contain a 12-kDa protein which reacts with these antibodies. This protein is found in greater abundance in stomach, small intestine, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, heart, lung, and cerebral cortex, whereas retina, cerebellum, spleen, pancreas, and thymus have low levels of the protein. No reactive protein was detected in the lens. The tissue distribution of the protein was also determined by assay of the enzyme activity and was generally in good agreement with that obtained from the immunoblotting survey. Pig liver thioltransferase was cleaved by trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and cyanogen bromide. The selected peptides purified by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography or ion exchange fast protein liquid chromatography were subjected to reaction with the polyclonal antibodies against pig liver thioltransferase. Four antigenically reactive fragments were detected by dot-blotting analysis. These peptides are located in the first 30-amino acid residues from the NH2 terminus and the sequence from amino acid residues 39-67, indicating that the active site of the enzyme, Cys22 and Cys25, is located on one of the antigenic determinant domains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

The primary structure of pig liver thioltransferase.

The complete amino acid sequence of pig liver thioltransferase has been determined. The homogeneous protein was cleaved by trypsin, chymotrypsin, Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and cyanogen bromide. The resulting peptides were purified by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and ion-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography. Sequencing of the fragments was achieved with either automated Edman degradation or fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry. Pig liver thioltransferase is a single polypeptide with 105 amino acid residues and an acetylated glutamine N terminus. The protein has 2 cysteine pairs with sequences of -Cys-Pro-Phe-Cys- and -Cys-Ile-Gly-Gly-Cys-, the first pair of which (Cys22 and Cys25) is located at the potential active site of the enzyme. The sequence of pig liver thioltransferase displays close homology (82%) with calf thymus glutaredoxin, suggesting that they belong to the same evolutionary family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Identification and reactivity of the catalytic site of pig liver thioltransferase.

The active site cysteine of pig liver thioltransferase was identified as Cys22. The kinetics of the reaction between Cys22 of the reduced enzyme and iodoacetic acid as a function of pH revealed that the active site sulfhydryl group had a pKa of 2.5. Incubation of reduced enzyme with [1-14C]cysteine prevented the inactivation of the enzyme by iodoacetic acid at pH 6.5, and no stable protein-cysteine disulfide was found when the enzyme was separated from excess [1-14C]cysteine, suggesting an intramolecular disulfide formation. The results suggested a reaction mechanism for thioltransferase. The thiolated Cys22 first initiates a nucleophilic attack on a disulfide substrate, resulting in the formation of an unstable mixed disulfide between Cys22 and the substrate. Subsequently, the sulfhydryl group at Cys25 is deprotonated as a result of micro-environmental changes within the active site domain, releasing the mixed disulfide and forming an intramolecular disulfide bond. Reduced glutathione, the second substrate, reduces the intramolecular disulfide forming a transient mixed disulfide which is then further reduced by glutathione to regenerate the reduced enzyme and form oxidized glutathione. The rate-limiting step for a typical reaction between a disulfide and reduced glutathione is proposed to be the reduction of the intramolecular disulfide form of the enzyme by reduced glutathione.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Preparation of homogeneous pig liver thioltransferase by a thiol:disulfide mediated pI shift.

An enzyme catalyzing thiol-disulfide exchange, thioltransferase, was purified to homogeneity from pig liver. By taking advantage of the relatively large pI shift of the enzyme between its reduced and disulfide forms, the purification procedure, which included a heat step, ammonium sulfate precipitation, Sephadex G-75 and G-50 gel chromatography, and two CM-Sepharose chromatography separations, resulted in a 32% overall yield. The purified enzyme was demonstrated to be homogeneous by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and high-performance liquid chromatography. The protein had a Mr of approximately 11,000 and, in the reduced form, a pI of 6.4. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was similar to that of rat liver thioltransferase and calf thymus glutaredoxin and the N-terminus of the protein was blocked. The optimal pH for the enzyme activity was 9.0. The plots of thioltransferase activity as a function of S-sulfocysteine, 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide, and reduced glutathione concentrations did not display Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The enzyme was very sensitive to a sulfhydryl alkylating reagent. Preincubation of the enzyme with its disulfide substrates prevented the inactivation of the enzyme by iodoacetic acid while the other substrate, GSH, did not provide such protection. The results suggest that the active center of thioltransferase is cysteine dependent.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1986

Action of insulin on the subcellular metabolism of polyphosphoinositides in isolated rat hepatocytes.

The effect of insulin on 32Pi incorporation into phospholipids in various subcellular sites of isolated rat hepatocytes was investigated. After labeling the phospholipids of hepatocytes from rats previously starved for 24 h with 32Pi (10 mu Ci/10(6) cells) for 90 min, either saline or insulin (32 nM) was added. Following incubations of 1, 5, and 30 min, chilled cells were rapidly washed, homogenized in the presence of inhibitors of phospholipid degradation, and fractionated into the major subcellular organelles. Phospholipids were extracted from plasma membranes, microsomes, lysosomes, mitochondria, and nuclei with acidic chloroform:methanol. The aqueous deacylation products were separated by anion exchange high performance liquid chromatography, and the 32Pi incorporated into all the major diacylglycerophospholipids was determined. In parallel experiments, the specific radioactivity of 32Pi and [gamma-32P]ATP was determined. The results revealed that insulin had no effect on the turnover of the major phospholipids, including the polyphosphoinositides, of all subcellular compartments analyzed relative to the control. In addition, there were no significant differences in the amount and 32P labeling of cellular orthophosphate between saline- and insulin-treated cells. The specific radioactivity of [gamma-32P]ATP was increased by 20% after 30-min treatment with insulin, requiring appropriate correction of 32P-labeled phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate, and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate for estimation of mass changes at near steady-state labeling of cellular ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1986

Purification and properties of thioltransferase.

A protein, previously designated thioltransferase (Askelof, P., Axelsson, K., Eriksson, S., and Mannervik, B. (1974) FEBS Lett. 38, 263-267) was purified to homogeneity as judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and flatbed gel isoelectric focusing. The preparative procedure, a modification of that of Axelsson et al. (Axelsson, K., Eriksson, S., and Mannervik, B. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 2978-2984) and Hatakeyama et al. (Hatakeyama, M., Tanimoto, Y., and Mizoguchi, T. (1984) J. Biochem. (Tokyo) 95, 1811-1818) was faster and higher-yielding than the previous procedures. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 11,700 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a pI of 8.8. The amino acid composition of thioltransferase is reported, and it closely resembles that of calf thymus glutaredoxin. The optimal pH for this enzyme was 8.5 when S-sulfocysteine was used as a substrate. The plots of the activity of thioltransferase as a function of S-sulfocysteine and 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide concentrations showed sigmoidal relationships. The K0.5 for S-sulfocysteine was 0.6 mM. The enzyme was very sensitive to sulfhydryl alkylating reagents. Preincubation of the enzyme with disulfide compounds prevented the enzyme from inactivation by iodoacetamide but inhibited the thioltransferase activity in the absence of iodoacetamide. The results suggest that the active center of thioltransferase is cysteine dependent and that substrates may form mixed disulfides with the enzyme. Based on the iodoacetamide inactivation and disulfide protection of thioltransferase activity, a model for the catalytic mechanism of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreduction is proposed.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1986

Polyamine regulation of the microtubule-associated protein kinase.

Microtubule protein prepared by cycles of assembly-disassembly contains a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase that phosphorylates the high-molecular-weight microtubule-associated protein MAP-2. The polyamine spermine at 2mM affected the phosphorylation of MAP-2 in a manner that depended on the cyclic AMP concentration. At cyclic AMP concentrations below 10(-6) M, spermine increased the rate of phosphorylation, while at cyclic AMP concentrations above 10(-6) M, spermine decreased the rate of phosphorylation. Spermine also decreased the final extent of cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation but did not affect the protein substrate specificity of the microtubule-associated protein kinase. MAP-2 was the principal substrate both in the presence and in the absence of spermine. Because of these results, we propose that microtubule protein phosphorylation may be regulated in vivo by spermine as well as by cyclic AMP levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inositol and hepatic lipidosis. I. Effect of inositol supplementation and time from parturition on liver and serum lipids in dairy cattle.

Percutaneous liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained from 80 multiparous dairy cows in nine Michigan herds. Biopsies and samples were obtained serially over the peripartum period. Thirty-nine cows received 17 g of supplemental myoinositol in the diet to test its use as a possible lipotropic substance and 41 received a placebo. Liver biopsies were assayed for triglyceride (TG) and total myoinositol content. Serum was assayed for dextran precipitable cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Inositol supplementation had no effect on any of the lipid variables. There was a significant herd effect on liver inositol, serum dextran precipitable cholesterol and NEFA concentrations. Serum NEFA and liver TG concentrations increased in the immediate postpartum period, while dextran precipitable cholesterol decreased. A significant herd X period interaction existed for liver TG and serum dextran precipitable cholesterol concentrations. Liver TG and serum NEFA concentrations were positively correlated. Excessive infiltration of bovine liver with lipid at calving appears to be an exaggerated manifestation of normal metabolic changes.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inositol and hepatic lipidosis. II. Effect of inositol supplementation and time from parturition on serum insulin, thyroxine and triiodothyronine and their relationship to serum and liver lipids in dairy cows.

Percutaneous liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained from 80 dairy cows in nine Michigan herds over the peripartum period. Thirty-nine cows were fed 17 g of supplemental inositol and 41 were fed a placebo. Liver biopsies were assayed for total myoinositol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations. Blood samples were assayed for serum dextran precipitable cholesterol, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), insulin, thyroxine (T4), free (FT4), triiodothyronine (T3) and free T3 (FT3) concentrations. Serum concentrations of insulin and the thyroid hormones decreased near parturition, with lowest concentrations occurring in the immediate postpartum period. Concentrations of T3 correlated well with T4, and the concentrations of free thyroid hormones reflected concentrations of total thyroid hormones. The percentage of hormone in the free fraction remained constant over time. Serum insulin, T3 and T4 were negatively correlated with serum NEFA and liver TG concentrations. Thyroid hormone concentrations were positively correlated with serum dextran precipitable cholesterol concentrations. Inositol supplementation was associated with reduced circulating T3 and FT3 concentrations, but not T4 and FT4 concentrations. Changes in hormone concentrations at parturition and their relationship to liver TG and serum NEFA concentrations were consistent with a metabolic adaptation by the dairy cow to the negative energy balance of early lactation.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Characterization of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase in rat liver plasma membranes.

D-myo-Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate has been previously demonstrated to act as a second messenger for the hormonal mobilization of intracellular calcium in rat liver. In this study, the breakdown of D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate by a phosphatase activity was characterized. Using partially purified subcellular fractions, it was found that D-myo-inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate phosphatase (I-P3ase) specific activity was highest in the plasma membrane fraction, while D-myo-inositol 1,4-bisphosphate phosphatase specific activity was highest in the cytosolic and microsomal fractions. The plasma membrane I-P3ase was Mg2+-dependent with optimal activity observed at 0.5-1.5 mM free Mg2+. The enzyme had a neutral pH optimum, suggesting that it was neither an acid nor alkaline phosphatase. Neither LiCl nor NaF inhibited the I-P3ase activity. However, both L-cysteine and dithiothreitol stimulated the activity 2-fold. Spermine (2.0 mM) inhibited the I-P3ase activity by 50%, while putrescine and spermidine had little or no effect.

Animals↗