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The isolation, identification and synthesis of two metabolites of guanethidine formed in pig and rabbit liver homogenates.

1. Two metabolites of radioactively labelled guanethidine were isolated from rabbit and pig liver homogenates by ion-exchange chromatography on a sulphonic acid resin. 2. One of the metabolites was eluted from the column with ammonia and identified as 2-(6-carboxyhexylamino)ethylguanidine on the basis of the elemental analysis, i.r. spectrum and pH titration curve of the pure compound, and the observed partial loss of tritium for ring-labelled guanethidine during the formation of this metabolite. 3. This identification was confirmed by synthesis. 4. 2-(6-Carboxyhexylamino)ethylguanidine underwent ring-closure in hot alkaline solution to 1-(6-carboxyhexyl)-2-iminoimidazolidine. 5. The other metabolite of guanethidine was eluted from the ion-exchange column with 6m-hydrochloric acid along with the unchanged drug. It was purified by countercurrent distribution and shown to be identical with synthetic guanethidine N-oxide. 6. The two metabolites and the product of ring-closure had less than one-tenth of the antihypertensive activity of guanethidine in the renal-hypertensive rat and are unlikely to contribute to the pharmacological properties of the drug.

Animals

Changes in the DNA content of amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum during growth and development.

A fluorimetric assay has been used to determine the DNA content of amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum during growth and development. Amoebae grown in axenic culture tended to be multinucleate and had a greater DNA content than amoebae grown with a bacterial substrate, which were mononucleate. During the first 10 h of development there was little change in the DNA content of amoebae grown with a bacterial substrate, but the average DNA content per cell in amoebae grown axenically decreased as the amoebae became virtually mononucleate. Amoebae at 10 h development that had been harvested during exponential axenic growth were divided into two populations by countercurrent distribution in a polymer two-phase system. DNA content indicated that one population was largely in the G2-phase of the cell cycle, whereas the other population was largely in the G1-phase. Similar results were obtained at 10 h development with amoebae harvested during the stationary phase of axenic growth, although these amoebae start development all in the G2-phase of the cell cycle. Spores had a low DNA content, indicating that they were in G1-phase. It is proposed that all amoebae in G2-phase after early development differentiate, after mitosis, into spores and that stalk cells are formed from amoebae that remain in G1-phase after 10 h development.

Cell Nucleus

A comparative study of cytokinesins I and II and zeatin riboside: a reply to Carlos Miller.

Two cell-division-promoting factors, which have partition coefficients of 1.9 and 2.75 determined by 500-tube countercurrent distribution in a butanolwater system, have been repeatedly isolated in this laboratory from crown gall tumor tissues of Vinca rosea L. These substances have been given the trivial names cytokinesin I and cytokinesin II, respectively. Chemical and mass spectrometric analyses suggest that both cytokinesins are substituted hypoxanthines and are thus very different compounds from the 6-substituted adenyl cytokinins. Carlos Miller, using a very different and far more drastic isolation procedure, obtained one main cell-division-promoting factor from these same tumor tissues, which he identified as ribosyl-trans-zeatin. On the basis of this finding, and without an attempt to repeat our studies, questions have been raised by Miller concerning the existence of the cytokinesins as biologically active substances. We have, therefore, compared some pertinent physical, chemical, and biological properties of the cytokinesins with those of zeatin riboside, have demonstrated that these three substances can be cleanly separated from one another by a number of different methods and that each behaves as a pure substance in the several systems, and, finally, we have shown that the cytokinesins are not contaminated with ribosyl-trans-zeatin and thus do not owe their biological activity to such a contaminant.

Amino Alcohols

Quantitative determination of cross-linkage of bacteriophage DNA and protein by ionizing radiation.

Coliphage T7 was dissolved in tryptone broth and exposted to 60C gamma-radiation. Cross-linkage of DNA and protein of the virion was assayed using phenol-water countercurrent distribution. The results are interpreted in terms of a statistical model of cross-linkage and double-strand breaks. It was found that protein--DNA cross-links accumulate linearly with dose at a rate of o.74 X 10(-11) cross-links per rad per nucleotide pair, which is of the order of 5 per cent of the formation rate of double-strand breaks.

Cobalt Radioisotopes

Preparation and characterization of an immuno-electron microscope tracer consisting of a heme-octapeptide coupled to fab.

A heme-octapeptide (mol wt 1,550) has been obtained from cytochrome c by successive pepsin and trypsin hydrolysis and purified by gel filtration and countercurrent distribution. It possesses peroxidatic activity characterized by an apparent K(m) of 0.2 M, an apparent v(max) of 4 mmol/min per mg of peptide, and a pH optimum of 7.0. Using a novel two-step conjugation procedure, the heme-octapeptide was coupled to rabbit Fab antibody fragments by first derivatizing it with the N-hydroxysuccinimide ester of p-formylbenzoic acid and subsequently allowing it to form a Schiff base with the amino groups of Fab. Stable covalent linkages were then obtained by reduction of the Schiff bases with sodium borohydride. The conjugate consists of approximately 2 heme-octapeptides attached to each Fab molecule. The molecular weight is 45,000 daltons when coupled to sheep Fab and 50,000 daltons with a Stokes radius of 32 A, when conjugated to rabbit Fab. Its peroxidatic activity is characterized by an apparent K(m) of 0.4 M, an apparent v(max) of 0.4 mmol/min and per mg of attached heme-octapeptide and a pH optimum of 7.0. The conjugate has been used for the localization at the electron microscope level of secretory immunoglobulins in the mammary gland of lactating rabbits.

Animals

Further characterization of the ovine lutropin alpha and beta subunits prepared by the salt precipitation method.

The subunits of ovine lutropin prepared by acid dissociation and salt precipitation were characterized by end group analysis, tryptic peptide mapping, SDS gel electrophoresis and biological activity. No evidence of internal peptide cleavage was found in the alpha subunit. The subunits possessed low activity. The alpha and beta subunits recombined effectively to generate a complex that had full receptor binding activity and in vitro biological activity. The recombinants of subunits prepared by countercurrent distribution showed only 50% activity in both assays. The salt precipitation method alpha subunit could be completely reduced and reoxidized in the absence of denaturants. The reoxidized alpha subunit combines with the native beta subunit generating full activity. However, this recombined hormone tends to lose activity with time, suggesting that the reoxidation may not fully restore the native structur of the reduced alpha subunit. The native lutropin alpha subunit effectively combined with follitropin beta subunit generating complete follitropin activity.

Amino Acid Sequence

Synthesis of somatostatin and [D-Trp8]-somatostatin.

Experimental details for practical syntheses of somatostatin and D-Trp8-somatostatin are described. The peptides were assembled from three fragments which permit further syntheses of analogs with modifications at positions 1, 2 or 8. N alpha-Bpoc protecting groups were used for the two major fragments and these were selectively removed in the presence of the tert.-butyl derived amino acid side chain functionalities. The two cysteine residues were protected by acetamidomethyl groups. All the peptide intermediates were fully characterized and a 10-g synthesis of the protected tetradecapeptide is reported. Major fragments were coupled by the azide method in good yield. Dihydrosomatostatin and D-Trp8-dihydrosomatostatin were isolated, purified, characterized and cyclized. Polymeric side-product was successfully recycled (by reduction with dithiothreitol and reoxidation) to give an overall yield for the oxidation of 52%. Somatostatin and D-Trp8-somatostatin were purified by gel filtration or countercurrent distribution and the final products were fully characterized and determined to be > 97% pure by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography.

Amino Acid Sequence

Solid-phase peptide synthesis of somatostatin using mild base cleavage of N alpha-9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonylamino acids.

Experimental details for the "Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis" of somatostatin are described. The 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl group was rapidly and quantitatively cleaved by 55% piperidine in dimethylformamide and monitored (u.v.) manually. For a kinetic study, a centrifugal reactor with a photometric control system and reference cell was used at each stage. The symmetrical anhydride coupling reaction was rapid and either acetic anhydride or fluorescamine termination was incorporated to minimize formation of deletion peptides. Anchor-bond cleavage was effected with trifluoroacetic acid which simultaneously removed all the acid labile tert.-butyl side chain protecting groups. N alpha-9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl peptides may be obtained by omitting the piperidine deprotection step after the last cycle of synthesis. From several syntheses, analytically pure di-S-protected somatostatin 14-peptide was obtained in 55-60% overall yield. The S-protecting groups were removed and the product was purified by gel filtration to give homogeneous dihydrosomatostatin (91%) yield. Oxidation of dihydrosomatostatin with potassium ferricyanide and purification by countercurrent distribution provided analytically pure homogeneous somatostatin.

Amino Acid Sequence

Synthesis of 8-L-tryptophan-oxytocin and determination of one of its conformational parameters.

The hormone analog 8-L-tryptophan-oxytocin was synthesized in solution by stepwise chain lengthening from the C-terminal residue. Active esters of 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-amino acids were used for the incorporation of individual residues and thereby exposure to the tryptophan-containing intermediates both to acid conditions and to alkylation could be avoided. In a parallel experiment the parent compound, oxytocin, was prepared similarly. The final products were purified by countercurrent distribution. The presence of tyrosine (donor) and tryptophan (acceptor) in the chain was used for the measurement of the average intramolecular Tyr2-Trp8 distance by evaluation of intramolecular resonance energy transfer between their fluorescent side chains. Since the 8-L-tryptophan analog has high affinity for oxytocin receptors, it is reasonable to assume that its conformation is similar to that of the parent molecule and that in the latter the leucine-tyrosine distance is of about the same length. The distance of 13.5 Ao between the side chains of tyrosine and tryptophan measured in aqueous solution is compatible with the Tyr2-Leu8 distance determined with molecular models built according to the proposals of Walter for the biologically active conformation of oxytocin.

Amino Acid Sequence

Solid-phase synthesis of peptides via alpha, beta-unsaturated amino acids: oxytocin, simultaneous incorporation of amide functions in COOH-terminal and endo-positions.

Oxytocin was synthesized via the solid-phase method using dehydroalanine as pseudo-protecting group of the carboxyl-terminal as well as the omega-amide functions of asparagine and glutamine in endo-position. Starting with Boc-Gly-Dha-resin and using Boc-L-Asp(Dha-NHEt)-OH and Boc-L-Glu(Dha-NHEt)-OH as precursors of asparagine and glutamine, respectively, oxytocin was assembled in stepwise manner under solid phase synthesis conditions. Treatment of the protected [Glu(Dha-NHEt)4, Asp(Dha-NHEt)5]-oxytocin-Dha-resin with 1 n HCl in glacial acetic acid in the presence of 3 equiv. water removed the peptide from the support with the simultaneous formation of the asparagine and glutamine residues to give the protected nonapeptide amide: Cbz-Cys(Bzl)-Tyr(Bzl)-Ile-Gln-Asn-Cys(Bzl)-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2, which was deprotected with sodium in liquid ammonia and then oxidized with diiodoethane to give oxytocin. After purification by gel chromatography and countercurrent distribution, the product displayed the chemical and physical properties and oxytocic activity (533 +/- 301U/mg) of a standard oxytocin preparation.

Amino Acids

The primary structure of tRNAIIArg from brewers' yeast. 1. Complete digestions with pancreatic and T1 ribonucleases.

tRNAIIArg purified from bulk brewers' yeast tRNA by countercurrent distribution followed by two column-chromatographic steps was completely digested with pancreatic and T1 ribonucleases. Isolations of the products have been carried out either by column chromatography or by high-voltage electrophoresis. Analyses of the isolated nucleotides and olignoucleotides were in good agreement and indicate that this tRNA is composed of 76 nucltotide residues including 13 minor nucleotides. Overlaps resulting from the end-products of the two complementary digests led to a sequence of 25 residues. The primary structure of tRNAIIArg has been determined after partial digestion with T1 ribonuclease as described in the following paper.

Arginine

Bromomonamycins, unnatural analogues of the monamycin cyclodepsipeptide antibiotics: production, isolation, and biological activity.

Growth of Streptomyces jamaicensis in a low-chloride medium supplemented with NaBr resulted in the biosynthesis of brominated analogues of the natural chlorinated monamycins. Purification of these new compounds was undertaken by Craig countercurrent distribution studies. Diffusion and dilution assays indicated that antibiotic activity of a monamycin was inversely proportional to its unsolvated molecular weight. The bromo analogues were the least active of the series.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Na+/H+ antiporter in membrane populations resolved from a renal brush border vesicle preparation.

A conventional brush border membrane preparation, obtained by divalent cation precipitation of homogenates of rabbit renal cortex, was analyzed by countercurrent distribution in an aqueous dextran:polyethylene glycol two-phase system. The resulting fractions were assayed for the presence of the Na+/H+ antiporter and for a variety of biochemical marker enzymes. This analysis revealed four physically distinct membrane populations (A-D). Population A consisted of two subpopulations, A' and A", which were enriched an average of 49-fold in maltase; they were also highly enriched in alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, and Na+/H+ antiporter. On the basis of their marker contents, populations A' and A" appear to represent highly purified, functional brush border membrane vesicles. Population B was enriched twofold in NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and population C was enriched 12-fold in galactosyltransferase. Populations B and C accounted for 25% of the protein in the starting material and appear to reflect contamination of the brush border membrane preparation by subpopulations of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi fragments. Population D was enriched in Na+/H+ antiporter, alkaline phosphatase, leucine aminopeptidase, Na-K-ATPase, and acid phosphatase but not maltase, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, galactosyltransferase, or succinate dehydrogenase. Its identity is unclear, and it might consist of a multiplicity of populations from different origins.

Animals

Isolation of gamma-amino butyric acid from pig hypothalami and demonstration of its prolactin release-inhibiting (PIF) activity in vivo and in vitro.

A non-retarded fraction with prolactin-release inhibiting factor (PIF) activity obtained by chromatography of a concentrate of porcine hypothalami on carboxymethyl-cellulose was chromatographically distinct from catecholamines. This fraction was purified further by six steps involving chromatography on Sephadex G-25, countercurrent distribution, free-flow electrophoresis, and chromatography on triethylaminoethyl cellulose. The PIF-active substance was isolated and identified as gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) by: 1) amino acid analyses using sodium as well as lithium-based buffers for resolution of biological fluids, 2) thin-layer chromatography of underivatized material as well as phenylthiocarbamyl derivatives, and 3) mass spectroscopy. Natural and synthetic GABA inhibited prolactin, but not LH release in vitro from isolated rat pituitary halves at doses as low as 0.1 microgram/ml. The inhibition was proportional to the dose; natural and synthetic GABA possessed identical PIF activity. Synthetic GABA also decreased prolactin release in monolayer cultures of rat pituitary cells and inhibited TRH-stimulated prolactin release. The inhibition of prolactin release in vitro by GABA could not be blocked by perphenazine, which inhibits PIF activity of catecholamines. GABA also suppressed prolactin release in vivo, although large doses were needed. Either rapid iv injection or infusion of GABA in doses of 1 to 100 mg in rats significantly decreased serum prolactin levels, which were previously elevated by pretreatment with monoiodotyrosine perphenazine, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, or sulpiride. beta-hydroxy GABA significantly depressed prolactin release, but beta-(p-chlorophenyl)-GABA (Lioresal, CIBA) and 4 other analogs of GABA were not effective in vivo and/or in vitro. The results indicate that GABA can inhibit prolactin release by a direct action on the pituitary gland, but whether this effect is physiologically meaningful still remains to be determined.

Animals

Isolation and characterization of hamster luteinizing hormone.

Hamster pituitaries were collected over an 8-yr period to obtain 3.5 g of dried pituitaries that were submitted to fractionation by extraction with 40% ethanol-acetate buffer at pH 5.5. The 80% acetone precipitate contained all of the gonadotropin activity. This enriched fraction was further purified by Sephadex G-100 and CM-Sephadex chromatography to obtain 4 mg purified hamster LH (haLH). From 1.5 mg haLH, 0.6 mg of the alpha- and beta-subunits were isolated by countercurrent distribution. haLH assayed 0.53 times NIH-LH-S19 by radioligand assay or 0.16 times NIH-LH-S19 by rat Leydig cell steroidogenesis assay. The amino acid N-terminal sequence was: haLH alpha, L-P-D-G-D-F-T-M-Q-G-C-P-; and haLH beta, S-R-G-P-L-R-P-L-C-R-P-I-N*-A-, as represented by the single letter code. The asparagine residue marked by an asterisk was placed by analogy, as this is apparently a carbohydrate-bearing residue. The amino acid compositions of haLH and its subunits are presented. Both subunits are glycoproteins.

Amino Acid Sequence

Isolation and characterization of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and its subunits from snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) pituitaries.

Highly purified luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone have been isolated from extracts of snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) pituitaries. Both hormones are potent in non-mammalian gonadotropin bioassays (1.8 X NIH-LH-S1 and 30 X NIH-FSH-S1). The materials have been characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, amino terminal group analysis, amino acid and carbohydrate content, and, in the case of turtle luteinizing hormone, ultracentrifugation. The luteinizing hormone was shown to dissociate and subunits were prepared by the countercurrent distribution technique and characterized. Biological activity of the hormone could be regenerated by recombination of the subunits. In addition, it was shown that the snapping turtle luteinizing hormone subunits could be combined with subunits from ovine luteinizing hormone with generation of significant biological activity. Comparisons in properties of the turtle gonadotropins have been made with ovine gonadotropins, showing, in many cases, similarities in properties, suggesting structural features which have been conserved during evolution.

Animals

Heterogeneity in porcine pituitary luteinizing hormone: amino acid and carbohydrate analysis.

Pituitary LH from porcine pituitary glands was purified by a buffered ethanol extraction procedure, ion exchange on DEAE- and carboxymethyl-cellulose, and molecular exclusion on Sephacryl S-200. Purity was assessed by amino acid composition, N-terminal sequence, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Subunits were isolated by countercurrent distribution and reverse phase HPLC. Four major forms of the alpha-subunit were detected: 1-96 (50%), 3-96 (23%), 4-96 (16%), and 7-96 (11%). [The original sequence report described only the 7-96 form, but we have detected the other forms in our studies of porcine FSH and in this and other species of LH.] Comparable N-terminal heterogeneity was not observed for the beta-subunit. Additional heterogeneity was observed for both subunits, attributable to heterogeneity in the N-linked oligosaccharide moieties. The isolated subunits were submitted to detailed compositional carbohydrate analysis, using pulsed amperometric detection of the HPLC-resolved sugar monomers after trifluoroacetic acid hydrolysis. Sialic acid and sulfate esters were estimated on separate hydrolyzates. The compositional data suggest that the two alpha-subunit N-linked moieties are hybrid complex biantennary structures with sulfated N-acetylgalactosamine (40-50%). Sixty to 70% of the alpha-subunit oligosaccharides are fucosylated. The beta-subunit of porcine LH has a single glycosylation site, which contains a mixture of biantennary oligosaccharide chains (80-90%) ending in N-acetylgalactosamine, half of which are sulfated. The balance (10-20%) are hybrid chains ending in sialylated galactose. The majority of the oligosaccharide on the beta-subunit is fucosylated.

Amino Acid Sequence

Studies on phenolic studies in human subjects. XX. In vivo conjugation and metabolism of estradiol-17beta in the human kidney.

Labeled estradiol-17beta (E2) was injected into one of the renal arteries of two human subjects. At the same time, an equimolar amount of differently labeled E2 was injected into a peripheral vein. The urinary metabolites were analyzed by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 column chromatography, countercurrent distribution (CCD) and enzyme hydrolyses. Identification was made by statistical analysis of data from CCD, thin layer chromatography (TLC) and co-crystallization upon admixture with authentic compounds. The major urinary metabolites were E2-17glucosiduronate (E2-17G), E2-3G and estriol-16G (E3-16G). The E2-17G was excreted immediately following injection of 14C-E2 into the renal artery of subject no. 1, at a rate which decreased gradually with time; whereas 3H-E2-17G did not appear in the urine until 5 min after injection of 3H-E2 into a peripheral vein. The excretion of 14C-E2-17G was very prominent as opposed to that of 3H-E2-17G; however, the excretion of both 14C- and 3H-E2-17G terminated within 30 min. 14C-E2-3G was excreted immediately following injection, whereas 3H-E2-3G did not appear until 5 min after the injection. Also, the excretion of 14C-E2-3G was more prominent as opposed to that of 3H-E2-3G. The excretion of these compounds was rapid in the initial 15 min after injection and then continued slowly for 1 h. On the other hand, 14C- and 3H-E2-16G appeared at 30 min after injection and the 3H/14C ratio was almost the same as that of the injected compounds. When subject no.2 was injected with the labeles reversed, the results were very similar to those described above. The results indicate that E2 is conjugated directly in the human kidney to form the 17G and 3G and excreted into the urine, whereas the conversion of E2 to E3 occurs systematically rather than in the kidney. In contrast of E3, the kidney appears to play a minor role (no more than 10% of the total E2 is involved) in the conjugation and/or metabolism of E2 in the human.

Estradiol