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Investigation of the mechanism of alkane reductive elimination and skeletal isomerization in Tp'Rh(CNneopentyl)(R)H complexes: the role of alkane complexes.

Experiments are described that provide indirect evidence for the involvement of alkane sigma-complexes in oxidative addition/reductive elimination reactions of Tp'Rh(L)(R)H complexes (Tp' = tris-3,5-dimethylpyrazolylborate, L = CNCH(2)CMe(3)). Reductive elimination rates in benzene-d(6) were determined for loss of alkane from Tp'Rh(L)(R)H, where R = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, and hexyl, to generate RH and Tp'Rh(L)(C(6)D(5))D. The isopropyl hydride complex Tp'Rh(L)(CHMe(2))H was found to rearrange to the n-propyl hydride complex Tp'Rh(L)(CH(2)CH(2)CH(3))H in an intramolecular reaction. The sec-butyl complex behaves similarly. These same reactions were studied by preparing the corresponding metal deuteride complexes, Tp'Rh(L)(R)D, and the scrambling of the deuterium label into the alpha- and omega-positions of the alkyl group monitored by (2)H NMR spectroscopy. Inverse isotope effects observed in reductive elimination are shown to be the result of an inverse equilibrium isotope effect between the alkyl hydride(deuteride) complex and the sigma-alkane complex. A kinetic model has been proposed using alkane complexes as intermediates and the selectivities available to these alkane complexes have been determined by kinetic modeling of the deuterium scrambling reactions.

Journal Article↗

Reactions of a platinum(III) dimeric complex with alkynes in water: novel approach to alpha-aminoketone, alpha-iminoketone, and alpha,beta-diimine via ketonyl-Pt(III) dinuclear complexes.

Reaction of the platinum(III) dimeric complex [Pt(2)(NH(3))(4)((CH(3))(3)CCONH)(2)(NO(3))(2)](NO(3))(2) (1), prepared in situ by the oxidation of the platinum blue complex [Pt(4)(NH(3))(8)((CH(3))(3)CCONH)(4)](NO(3))(5) (2) with Na(2)S(2)O(8), with terminal alkynes CH[triple bond]CR (R = (CH(2))(n)CH(3) (n = 2-5), (CH(2))(n)CH(2)OH (n = 0-2), CH(2)OCH(3), and Ph), in water gave a series of ketonyl-Pt(III) dinuclear complexes [Pt(2)(NH(3))(4)((CH(3))(3)CCONH)(2)(CH(2)COR)](NO(3))(3) (3, R = (CH(2))(2)CH(3); 4, R = (CH(2))(3)CH(3); 5, R = (CH(2))(4)CH(3); 6, R = (CH(2))(5)CH(3); 7, R = CH(2)OH; 8, R = CH(2)CH(2)OH; 9, R = (CH(2))(2)CH(2)OH; 10, R = CH(2)OCH(3); 11, R = Ph). Internal alkyne 2-butyne reacted with 1 to form the complex [Pt(2)(NH(3))(4)((CH(3))(3)CCONH)(2)(CH(CH(3))COCH(3))](NO(3))(3) (12). These reactions show that Pt(III) reacts with alkynes to give various ketonyl complexes. Coordination of the triple bond to the Pt(III) atom at the axial position, followed by nucleophilic attack of water and hydrogen shift from the enol to keto form, would be the mechanism. The structures of complexes 3.H(2)O, 7.0.5C(3)H(4)O, 9, 10, and 12 have been confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. A competitive reaction between equimolar 1-pentyne and 1-pentene toward 1 produced complex 3 and [Pt(2)(NH(3))(4)((CH(3))(3)CCONH)(2)(CH(2)CH(OH)CH(2)CH(2)CH(3))](NO(3))(3) (14) at a molar ratio of 9:1, suggesting that alkyne is more reactive than alkene. The ketonyl-Pt(III) dinuclear complexes are susceptible to nucleophiles, such as amines, and the reactions with secondary and tertiary amines give the corresponding alpha-amino-substituted ketones and the reduced Pt(II) complex quantitatively. In the reactions with primary amines, the once formed alpha-amino-substituted ketones were further converted to the iminoketones and diimines. The nucleophilic attack at the ketonyl group of the Pt(III) complexes provides a convenient means for the preparation of alpha-aminoketones, alpha-iminoketones, and diimines from the corresponding alkynes and amines.

Journal Article↗

Novel dimetal bridging carbene complexes derived from a terminal carbonyl dimetal compound. Syntheses, structures and reactivities of 7H-indene-coordinated diiron bridging carbene complexes.

Pentacarbonyl-7H-indenediiron, [Fe2(CO)5(eta3,eta5-C9H8)] (1), reacts with aryllithium, ArLi (Ar = C6H5, p-C6H5C6H4), followed by alkylation with Et3OBF4 to give novel 7H-indene-coordinated diiron bridging alkoxycarbene complexes [Fe2{mu-C(OC2H5)Ar}(CO)4(eta4,eta4-C9H8)] (2, Ar = C6H5; 3, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4). Complexes 2 and 3 react with HBF4.Et2O at low temperature to yield cationic bridging carbyne complexes [Fe2(mu-CAr)(CO)4(eta4,eta4-C9H8)]BF4 (4, Ar = C6H5; 5, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4). Cationic 4 and 5 react with NaBH4 in THF at low temperature to afford diiron bridging arylcarbene complexes [Fe2{mu-C(H)Ar}(CO)4(eta4,eta4-C9H8)] (6, Ar = C6H5; 7, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4). The similar reactions of 4 and 5 with NaSC6H4CH3-p produce the bridging arylthiocarbene complexes [Fe2{mu-C(Ar)SC6H4CH3-p}(CO)4(eta4,eta4-C9H8)] (8, Ar = C6H5; 9, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4). Cationic 4 and 5 can also react with anionic carbonylmetal compounds Na[M(CO)5(CN)] (M = Cr, Mo, W) to give the diiron bridging aryl(pentacarbonylcyanometal)carbene complexes [Fe2{mu-C(Ar)NCM(CO)5}(CO)4(eta4,eta4-C9H8)] (10, Ar = C6H5, M = Cr; 11, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = Cr; 12, Ar = C6H5, M = Mo; 13, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = Mo; 14, Ar = C6H5, M = W; 15, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = W). Interestingly, in CH2Cl2 solution at room temperature complexes 10-15 were transformed into the isomerized 7H-indene-coordinated monoiron complexes [Fe(CO)2(eta5-C9H8)C(Ar)NCM(CO)5] (16, Ar = C6H5, M = Cr; 17, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = Cr; 18, Ar = C6H5, M = Mo; 19, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = Mo; 20, Ar = C6H5, M = W; 21, Ar = p-C6H5C6H4, M = W), while complex 3 was converted into a novel ring addition product [Fe2{C(OC2H5)C6H4C6H5-p-(eta2,eta5-C9H8)}(CO)5] (22) under the same conditions. The structures of complexes 2, 6, 8, 14, 18 and 22 have been established by X-ray diffraction studies.

Journal Article↗

The transformation of the cytoplasmic oestradiol-receptor complex into the nuclear complex in a uterine cell-free system.

Experiments performed with a cell-free system in tris-EDTA buffer, pH 7.4, indicate that the high-speed supernatant fraction of the rat uterus contains all the factors necessary to transform the 8S cytoplasmic oestradiol-receptor complex to the nuclear complex. The transformation is temperature-dependent. This nuclear complex was extracted in the form of a 5S particle with 0.4m-KCl from sediments of either uterine or heart nuclei that had been incubated together with the cytoplasmic soluble fraction of the uterus at 2 degrees C for 30min. This complex can also be obtained similarly from the soluble fraction of the uterus, incubated in the absence of nuclei. Previous warming of the soluble fraction to 37 degrees C for 7min was necessary for the successful extraction of the nuclear particle under these conditions of incubation. After an incubation of the transformed complex with the nuclear sediment at 37 degrees C for 7min, the 5S complex was extractable from the uterine nuclear sediment but not from the heart nuclear sediment, which may indicate the tissue specificity of the nuclear acceptor sites for the transformed complex. The extracted uterine nuclear complex sediments in the 5S region, but whether it is the native complex or a subunit or other part of the native complex resulting from the extraction with salt is unknown.

Animals↗

Role of the proposed serpin-enzyme complex receptor recognition site in binding and internalization of thrombin-heparin cofactor II complexes by hepatocytes.

Several serpin-enzyme complexes bind to a receptor on hepatocytes that mediates their endocytosis and lysosomal degradation. Joslin et al. (Joslin, G., Fallon, R. J., Bullock, J., Adams, S. P., and Perlmutter, D. H.(1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 11282-11288) proposed that a sequence near the C-terminal end of the serpin (e.g. FVFLM in alpha1-antitrypsin) binds to the serpin-enzyme complex receptor (SEC receptor). In experiments with synthetic peptides, they found that substitution of alanine at the fourth or fifth position in this sequence reduced the affinity of peptide binding to Hep G2 cells. To test the hypothesis that the corresponding sequence in heparin cofactor II (HCII), FLFLI (residues 456-460), mediates binding and uptake of the thrombin-HCII complex by Hep G2 cells, we constructed five recombinant HCII variants, F456A, L457A, F458A, L459A, and I460A. At 4 degrees C, the 125I-thrombin-HCII(native) complex bound reversibly to 0.6-2.6 x 10(5) sites per Hep G2 cell with a Kd of 19-32 nM. Binding was inhibited by excess unlabeled thrombin-HCII(native), thrombin-antithrombin, or elastase-alpha1-antitrypsin, but not by free HCII or thrombin, which is consistent with the reported specificity of the SEC receptor. However, complexes of thrombin with each of the HCII variants inhibited binding as effectively as the complex with native HCII. Competitive binding experiments with various concentrations of unlabeled thrombin-HCII(native) or thrombin-HCII(I460A) indicated that these complexes bind to Hep G2 cells with equal affinity. At 37 degrees C, complexes of 125I-thrombin with each of the five HCII variants were internalized and degraded at the same rate as the complex with native HCII. Our data suggest that the pentapeptide FLFLI in HCII is not involved in binding, internalization, and degradation of thrombin-HCII complexes by Hep G2 cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Fractionation of Thylakoid Membranes with the Nonionic Detergent Octyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside: RESOLUTION OF CHLOROPHYLL-PROTEIN COMPLEX II INTO TWO CHLOROPHYLL-PROTEIN COMPLEXES.

The detergent octyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside (30 millimolar in 2 millimolar Tris-maleate, pH 7.0) preferentially extracts complexes containing protein and chlorophylls a plus b (CP) from spinach, leaving a residue highly enriched in CP I (P700-chlorophyll a protein). Use of the detergent results in a relatively gentle extraction since little free chlorophyll is formed and since sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis (on 10% acrylamide) of the extract also reveals the presence of two minor chlorophyll a complexes (apparent molecular weight, 47,000 and 43,000) instead of the usual single complex. The major complex preserved is CP 64, a chlorophyll a/b complex (apparent molecular weight, 64,000) which is an oligomer of another chlorophyll a/b complex, CP 27, the light-harvesting complex (apparent molecular weight, 27,000). Dissociation of each complex reveals two polypeptides (molecular weight, 32,000 and 28,000) and limited proteolysis confirms that those of CP 64 have the same structure as those of CP 27. An additional chlorophyll a/b complex (apparent molecular weight, 29,000) is clearly separable from CP 27, and differs from it and CP 64 in having a higher chlorophyll a/b ratio and a single polypeptide (molecular weight, 29,000) which differs structurally from those of the other complexes.

Journal Article↗

mFISH analysis reveals complexity of chromosome aberrations in individuals occupationally exposed to internal plutonium: a pilot study to assess the relevance of complex aberrations as biomarkers of exposure to high-LET alpha particles.

We recently demonstrated that a significant proportion of apparently stable insertions induced after exposure to a mean of one alpha particle/cell, detected using three-color FISH, were part of larger unstable complexes when visualized by 24-color FISH. Interestingly, regardless of the long-term persistence capability of the cell, the complexity of each alpha-particle-induced complex appeared to be specific to the nuclear traversal of a single alpha particle. To assess whether aberrations of a similar complexity are observed in vivo and also to examine the usefulness of detecting such aberrations as a biomarker of chronic exposure to alpha particles, we have carried out a limited pilot study of Russian workers with large body burdens of alpha-particle-emitting plutonium. We found unstable cells containing non-transmissible complex aberrations in all of the plutonium-exposed subjects analyzed by mFISH. In addition, all of the complexes seen were consistent with those previously observed in vitro. Non-transmissible complex aberrations were more common than transmissible-type complexes, consistent with ongoing/chronic exposure, and insertions were dominant features of both types of complex. Accordingly, this preliminary study supports the proposal that aberration complexity and non-transmissibility are the major cytogenetic features of alpha-particle exposure that could potentially be exploited as a specific indicator of chronic exposures to high-LET alpha particles.

Biomarkers↗

A complex between prostate-specific antigen and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin is the major form of prostate-specific antigen in serum of patients with prostatic cancer: assay of the complex improves clinical sensitivity for cancer.

We have studied the forms of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in serum of patients with prostatic cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Fractionation of serum by gel filtration and assay of the fractions for PSA showed that a considerable part of the PSA immunoreactivity in serum consisted of complexes that were larger than PSA. The complexes were assayed by time-resolved immunofluorometric assays based on an antibody against PSA on the solid phase and europium-labeled antibodies against various protease inhibitors as indicator antibodies. In addition to its monomeric form, PSA was found to occur in complex with alpha 1-antichymotrypsin. The proportion of the alpha 1-antichymotrypsin complex was a major form of PSA and it increased with increasing PSA concentrations, being over 85% at PSA levels exceeding 1000 micrograms/liter. A complex with alpha 1-protease inhibitor was also observed in serum of patients with prostatic cancer and very high levels of PSA. Complexes with alpha 2-macroglobulin and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor were detected, but their concentrations were low and similar in sera of cancer patients, normal men, and normal women, suggesting that they were not prostate derived. Commercial immunoradiometric assays for PSA were found to measure free PSA and its complexes with alpha 1-antichymotrypsin but not the complexes with alpha 2-macroglobulin and inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor. The proportion of the PSA-alpha 1-antichymotrypsin complex was higher in patients with prostatic cancer than in those with benign hyperplasia. Therefore, assay of the complex had a higher sensitivity for cancer than assay of total PSA immunoreactivity.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

Endocytosis and degradation of alpha 1-antitrypsin-protease complexes is mediated by the serpin-enzyme complex (SEC) receptor.

Alpha 1-Antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) is similar to other members of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) supergene family in that it undergoes structural rearrangement during the formation of a covalently stabilized inhibitory complex with its cognate enzyme, neutrophil elastase. We have recently demonstrated an abundant, high-affinity cell surface receptor on human hepatoma cells and human mononuclear phagocytes which recognizes a conformation-specific domain of the alpha 1-AT-elastase complex as well as of other serpin-enzyme complexes (Perlmutter, D. H., Glover, G. I., Rivetna, M., Schasteen, C. S., and Fallon, R. J. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 3753-3757). Binding to this serpin-enzyme complex (SEC) receptor activates a signal transduction pathway for increased expression of the alpha 1-AT gene and may be responsible for clearance of serpin-enzyme complexes. In this study, we show that there is time-dependent and saturable internalization of alpha 1-AT-elastase and alpha 1-AT-trypsin complexes in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Internalization is mediated by the SEC receptor as defined by inhibition by synthetic peptides corresponding to residues 359-374 of alpha 1-AT. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of intracellular radioactivity demonstrated that intact 75- and 66-kDa alpha 1-AT-trypsin complexes were internalized. Kinetic analysis of internalization at 37 degrees C showed that a single cohort of 125I-alpha 1-AT-trypsin complexes, prebound to cells at 4 degrees C, disappeared from the cell surface and accumulated intracellularly within 5-15 min at 37 degrees C. The intracellular concentration of radiolabeled complexes then decreased rapidly coincident with appearance of acid-soluble degradation products in the extracellular culture fluid. Intracellular degradation was inhibited by internalization at 18 degrees C or by internalization at 37 degrees C in the presence of weak bases ammonium chloride, primaquine, and chloroquine, indicating that degradation is lysosomal. These results indicate that in addition to its role in signal transduction the SEC receptor participates in internalization and delivery of alpha 1-AT-protease complexes to lysosome for degradation.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Complex I and complex III of mitochondria have common inhibitors acting as ubiquinone antagonists.

Mitochondrial complex I and complex III have common inhibitors with ubiquinone-like structure. The tridecyl analog of stigmatellin, which inhibits mitochondrial complex III at nanomolar concentrations, also inhibits the NADH:ubiquinone reductase activity of complex I at micromolar concentrations. The inhibitor titer depends upon the concentration of the mitochondrial particles and extrapolates to 0.2 microM at zero particle concentration. The stigmatellin analog is more powerful than its parent compound and is noncompetitive with exogenous ubiquinones, rotenone and piericidin. Myxothiazol, which is another potent inhibitor of complex III, is also found to inhibit the activity of complex I with a titer comparable to that of the tridecyl analog of stigmatellin. Additionally, piericidin, which is the most powerful inhibitor of complex I, inhibits the ubiquinol:cytochrome c reductase activity of complex III at micromolar concentrations in mitochondrial particles and at submicromolar concentrations in the isolated enzyme complex.

Animals↗

Electron-transfer complexes of Ascaris suum muscle mitochondria. III. Composition and fumarate reductase activity of complex II.

Complex II of the anaerobic respiratory chain in Ascaris muscle mitochondria showed a high fumarate reductase activity when reduced methyl viologen was used as the electron donor. The maximum activity was 49 mumol/min per mg protein, which is much higher than that of the mammalian counterpart. The mitochondria of Ascaris-fertilized eggs, which require oxygen for its development, also showed fumarate reductase activity with a specific activity intermediate between those of adult Ascaris and mammals. Antibody against the Ascaris flavoprotein subunit reacted with the mammalian counterparts, whereas those against the Ascaris iron-sulfur protein subunit did not crossreact, although the amino acid compositions of the subunits in Ascaris and bovine heart were quite similar. Cytochrome b-558 of Ascaris complex II was separated from flavoprotein and iron-sulphur protein subunits by high performance liquid chromatography with a gel permeation system in the presence of Sarkosyl. Isolated cytochrome b-558 is composed of two hydrophobic polypeptides with molecular masses of 17.2 and 12.5 kDa determined by gradient gel, which correspond to the two small subunits of complex II. Amino acid compositions of these small subunits showed little similarity with those of cytochrome b-560 of bovine heart complex II. NADH-fumarate reductase, which is the final enzyme complex in the anaerobic respiratory chain in Ascaris, was reconstituted with bovine heart complex I, Ascaris complex II and phospholipids. The maximum activity was 430 nmol/min per mg protein of complex II. Rhodoquinone was essential for this reconstitution, whereas ubiquinone showed no effect. The results clearly indicate the unique role of Ascaris complex II as fumarate reductase and the indispensability of rhodoquinone as the low-potential electron carrier in the NADH-fumarate reductase system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Unexpected similarities of the B800-850 light-harvesting complex from Rhodospirillum molischianum to the B870 light-harvesting complexes from other purple photosynthetic bacteria.

The B800-850 light-harvesting complex (also called LH2) was isolated from photosynthetic membranes of Rhodospirillum molischianum DSM 119 using molecular sieve and ion-exchange chromatography. Its two bacteriochlorophyll a-binding polypeptides (alpha-subunit and beta-subunit) were purified with a reverse-phase HPLC system. The complete amino acid sequences of both subunits have been determined. The alpha- and beta-subunits consist of 56 and 45 amino acids, respectively, corresponding to molecular weights of 5939 and 5133. In contrast to the B800-850 complexes from other photosynthetic bacteria, the native B800-850 complex from Rs. molischianum is most likely an octamer of monomers with a stoichiometry of three bacteriochlorophyll a and 1.5 lycopenes per alpha,beta-subunit. Resonance Raman spectra provide evidence for a 5-coordinated Mg2+ in the BChl, and a carotenoid mainly in the all-trans configuration. A comparison between resonance Raman data from different photosynthetic bacteria indicates that the BChl a-binding site of the B800-850 complex from Rs. molischianum is more similar to the B870 complexes (also called LH1) than to the B800-850 complexes of other photosynthetic bacteria. Sequence similarities especially between the beta-subunits of the B800-850 complex of Rs. molischianum and the B870 and B800-850 complexes of other photosynthetic bacteria agree with this result and provide information on the mode of pigment binding in bacterial antenna complexes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mitochondrial adenosinetriphosphatase inhibitor protein: reversible interaction with complex V (ATP synthetase complex).

Mitochondrial ATPase inhibitor protein (IF1) reacts reversibly with complex V and inhibits up to 90% of its ATPase activity. Both the rate and extent of inhibition are pH and temperature dependent and increase as the pH is lowered from pH 8 tp 6.7 (the lowest pH examined) or as the temperature is increased from 4 to 36 degrees C. Nucleotide triphosphates plus Mg2+ ions are required for inhibition of complex V ATPase activity by IF1. In the presence of Mg2+ ions, the effectiveness order of nucleotides is ATP greater than ITP greater than GTP greater than UTP. Highly purified complex V, which requires added phospholipids for expressing ATPase and ATP-Pi exchange activities, cannot be inhibited by IF1 plust ATP-Mg2+ unless phospholipids are also added. This indicates that the active state of the enzyme is necessary for the IF1 effect to be manifested, because F1-ATPase, which does not contain nor require phospholipids for catalyzing ATP hydrolysis, can be inhibited by IF1 plus ATP-Mg2+ in the absence of added phospholipids. The IF1-inhibited complex V, but not IF1-inhibited F1-ATPase, can be reactivated by incubation at pH greater than 7.0 in the absence of ATP-Mg2+. The reactivation rate is pH dependent and is influenced by temperature and enzyme concentration. Complex V preparations contain small and variable amounts of IF1. This endogenous IF1 behaves the same as added IF1 with respect to conditions described above for inhibition and reactivation and can result in 25-50% inhibition in different complex V preparations. However, complex V lacking endogenous IF1 can be reconstituted from F0, F1, oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein, and phospholipids. Inhibition of this reconstituted preparation in the presence of ATP-Mg2+ depends entirely on addition of IF1. In general, the ATP-Pi exchange activity of complex V is more sensitive to the chemical inhibitors of F1-AtPase tha its ATPase activity. This is not so, however, for IF1. Under conditions that IF1 caused approximately 75% inhibition of ATPase activity of complex V, no more than 10% of the ATP-Pi exchange activity was inhibited.

ATP Synthetase Complexes↗

Binding of soluble immune complexes to human lymphoblastoid cells. II. Use of Raji cells to detect circulating immune complexes in animal and human sera.

Cells from a human lymphoblastoid cell line (Raji), with B-cell characteristics, and having receptors for human IgG Fc, C3b, and C3d, were used in an immunofluorescence test as in vitro detectors of immune complexes in animal and human sera. By this test, as little as 200-300 ng aggregated human gamma globulin or immune complexes per ml serum could be detected. The receptors for IgG Fc on the Raji cells were shown to be inefficient in detecting aggregated human gamma globulin and binding of aggregates to these receptors was inhibited by physiologic concentrations of 7S human IgG. Enhancement of aggregated human gamma globulin binding and binding of immune complexes formed in vitro to Raji cells was observed when the receptors for complement on these cells were used. By using the receptors for complement on Raji cells, circulating immune complexes were detected in rabbits with acute serum sickness, in mice with acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection, and in humans with immune complex type glomerulonephritis. The Raji cell test may be useful in detecting complement fixing immune complexes in different disease states, in monitoring circulating complexes in patients with immune complex diseases and in identifying the antigen(s) responsible for the induction of pathogenic immune complexes in humans and animals.

Animals↗

Biochemical aspects of immune complex formation and immune complex diseases.

Formation of immune complexes is a normal part of the immune defence against soluble antigens. Immune complexes may nevertheless play a pathogenic role of their own. The present review discusses antigen antibody interactions with special regard to immune complex formation. A new classification of antigen antibody interactions is proposed, based on the antigenic valence. Oligovalent antigens and bivalent antibodies form genuine immune complexes. Experimental observations and theoretical considerations indicate that although a vast variety of complexes is possible genuine immune complex formation is a self-limiting process, so it is typical that the smallest possible complexes are formed in the largest amounts. Formation of immune complexes differs in mechanism from most other biological ligand binding reactions, and the extent to which immune complex formation follows its own laws is discussed. To explain the mechanism of precipitin reactions, a two-stage model is proposed. The outcome of antigen antibody interactions is further complicated because antibody preparations are typically heterogeneous, and the impact of antibody heterogeneity is also discussed.

Animals↗

Passive immune complex glomerulonephritis in mice: models for various lesions found in human disease. II. Low avidity complexes and diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with subepithelial deposits.

Intravenous injections of mice three times a day for 3 days with soluble complexes of 3 mg. of moderately avid rabbit antibody to chicken egg albumin prepared by dissolution of equivalence precipitates in 80 times the equivalence amount of antigen resulted in a combined mesangial and loop localization of immune complexes. With complexes formed from antibody of low avidity, injected four times a day for 3 days, a predominately subepithelial loop deposition of complexes was observed. Complexes formed from moderately avid antibody gave rise to a mainly mesangiopathic glomerulonephritis, whereas low avidity complexes were associated with a diffuse glomerulonephritis. These results, in combination with those of the previous paper, successfully reproduce the basic form of the lesions seen in active immune complex disease by passive means and suggest that antibody avidity is a major determinant of the site of localization of immune complexes and therefore of the morphologic form of the resulting glomerulonephritis. The importance of these observations for our understanding of the pathogenesis of human immune complex disease is considered.

Animals↗

MCM2-7 complexes bind chromatin in a distributed pattern surrounding the origin recognition complex in Xenopus egg extracts.

The MCM2-7 complex is believed to function as the eukaryotic replicative DNA helicase. It is recruited to chromatin by the origin recognition complex (ORC), Cdc6, and Cdt1, and it is activated at the G(1)/S transition by Cdc45 and the protein kinases Cdc7 and Cdk2. Paradoxically, the number of chromatin-bound MCM complexes greatly exceeds the number of bound ORC complexes. To understand how the high MCM2-7:ORC ratio comes about, we examined the binding of these proteins to immobilized linear DNA fragments in Xenopus egg extracts. The minimum length of DNA required to recruit ORC and MCM2-7 was approximately 80 bp, and the MCM2-7:ORC ratio on this fragment was approximately 1:1. With longer DNA fragments, the MCM2-7:ORC ratio increased dramatically, indicating that MCM complexes normally become distributed over a large region of DNA surrounding ORC. Only a small subset of the chromatin-bound MCM2-7 complexes recruited Cdc45 at the onset of DNA replication, and unlike Cdc45, MCM2-7 was not limiting for DNA replication. However, all the chromatin-bound MCM complexes may be functional, because they were phosphorylated in a Cdc7-dependent fashion, and because they could be induced to support Cdk2-dependent Cdc45 loading. The data suggest that in Xenopus egg extracts, origins of replication contain multiple, distributed, initiation-competent MCM2-7 complexes.

Animals↗

Characterisation of senescence-induced changes in light harvesting complex II and photosystem I complex of thylakoids of Cucumis sativus cotyledons: age induced association of LHCII with photosystem I.

Structure and function of chloroplasts are known to after during senescence. The senescence-induced specific changes in light harvesting antenna of photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) were investigated in Cucumis cotyledons. Purified light harvesting complex II (LHCII) and photosystem I complex were isolated from 6-day non-senescing and 27-day senescing Cucumis cotyledons. The chlorophyll a/b ratio of LHCII obtained from 6-day-old control cotyledons and their absorption, chlorophyll a fluorescence emission and the circular dichroism (CD) spectral properties were comparable to the LHCII preparations from other plants such as pea and spinach. The purified LHCII obtained from 27-day senescing cotyledons had a Chl a/b ratio of 1.25 instead of 1.2 as with 6-day LHCII and also exhibited significant changes in the visible CD spectrum compared to that of 6-day LHCII, indicating some specific alterations in the organisation of chlorophylls of LHCII. The light harvesting antenna of photosystems are likely to be altered due to aging. The room temperature absorption spectrum of LHCII obtained from 27-day senescing cotyledons showed changes in the peak positions. Similarly, comparison of 77K chlorophyll a fluorescence emission characteristics of LHCII preparation from senescing cotyledons with that of control showed a small shift in the peak position and the alteration in the emission profile, which is suggestive of possible changes in energy transfer within LHCII chlorophylls. Further, the salt induced aggregation of LHCII samples was lower, resulting in lower yields of LHCII from 27-day cotyledons than from normal cotyledons. Moreover, the PSI preparations of 6-day cotyledons showed Chl a/b ratios of 5 to 5.5, where as the PSI sample of 27-day cotyledons had a Chl a/b ratio of 2.9 suggesting LHCII association with PSI. The absorption, fluorescence emission and visible CD spectral measurements as well as the polypeptide profiles of 27-day cotyledon-PSI complexes indicated age-induced association of LHCII of PSII with PSI obtained from 27-day cotyledons. We modified our isolation protocols by increasing the duration of detergent Triton X-100 treatment for preparing the PSI and LHCII complexes from 27-day cotyledons. However, the PSI complexes isolated from senescing samples invariably proved to have significantly low Chl a/b ratio suggesting an age induced lateral movement and possible association of LHCII with PSI complexes. The analyses of polypeptide compositions of LHCII and PSI holocomplexes isolated from 6-day control and 27-day senescing cotyledons showed distinctive differences in their profiles. The presence of 26-28 kDa polypeptide in PSI complexes from 27-day cotyledons, but not in 6-day control PSI complexes is in agreement with the notion that senescence induced migration of LHCII to stroma lamellae and its possible association with PSI. We suggest that the migration of LHCII to the stroma lamellae region and its possible association with PSI might cause the destacking and flattening of grana structure during senescence of the chloroplasts. Such structural changes in light harvesting antenna are likely to alter energy transfer between two photosystems. The nature of aging induced migration and association of LHCII with PSI and its existence in other senescing systems need to be estimated in the future.

Chlorophyll↗