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Physicochemical modifications of lysosomal hydrolases during intracellular transport.

1. The following fractions were prepared from rat kidney and characterized ultrastructurally, biochemically and enzymically: (a) an ordinary rough microsomal (RM(1)) fraction; (b) a special rough microsomal (RM(2)) fraction enriched seven- to nine-fold in acid hydrolases over the homogenate; (c) a smooth microsomal (SM) fraction; (d) a Golgi (GM) fraction enriched 2.5-fold in acid hydrolases and 10-, 15- and 20-fold in sialyltransferase, N-acetyl-lactosamine synthetase and galactosyltransferase respectively; (e) a lysosomal (L) fraction enriched 15- to 23-fold in acid hydrolases. The frequency of Golgi sacs and tubules seen in the electron microscope and the specific activity of the three glycosyltransferases in these fractions increased in the order: RM(2)<RM(1)<SM<GM. 2. Five lysosomal hydrolases, acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetyl-hexosaminidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase and arylsulphatase, were characterized in these fractions with respect to (a) solubility on freeze-thawing and (b) electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gels. 3. In the RM(2) fraction each of these hydrolases occurred largely or exclusively as a single bound basic form coincident with cationic glycoprotein bands in gels (Goldstone et al., 1973). 4. In the L fraction these hydrolases were present largely as soluble, acidic (anionic) forms. 5. The solubility, electrophoretic heterogeneity and anodic mobility of these hydrolases increased progressively in subcellular fractions in the order: RM(2)<RM(1)<SM<GM<L. 6. These findings, together with evidence cited in the text showing that N-acetylneuraminic acid residues are responsible for the solubility and electronegative charge of these acidic forms and incorporation of these residues into the Golgi apparatus, support the following scheme for the biosynthesis of lysosomal enzymes. Each hydrolase is synthesized as a bound basic glycoprotein enzyme in a restricted portion of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The soluble, acidic forms are generated as the nascent glycoprotein enzymes migrate through the Golgi apparatus through the attachment of sugar sequences containing N-acetylneuraminic acid.

Acetamides↗

Cloning and analysis of cDNA encoding rat bleomycin hydrolase, a DNA-binding cysteine protease.

We isolated and characterized almost the entire cDNA encoding BLM hydrolase from rat spleen cDNA libraries. The cDNA encoded a polypeptide composed of 454 amino acids, that had a slightly larger molecular mass than that was previously estimated by SDS-PAGE for purified BLM hydrolase subunit. Amino acid sequence alignments showed that rat BLM hydrolase is homologous to that of rabbit (94% identity of partial amino acid sequence), yeast cysteine protease (39% identity), and the pepC gene products of three bacteria (34-40% identity). In addition, it contained the three regions that are conserved in other cysteine proteases and thought to constitute the catalytic center. These results indicated that rat BLM hydrolase is a member of the papain superfamily of cysteine proteases. Sequencing revealed several putative sites phosphorylated by different types of protein kinases, but no signal sequence, transmembrane domain, N-linked glycosylation site or DNA-binding motif. The yeast homolog is a DNA-binding cysteine protease [Xu et al. (1994) J. Biol. Chem, 269, 21177-21183]. We demonstrated that rat BLM hydrolase also binds the single-stranded form of the Ga14 DNA-binding site oligonucleotide with high affinity compared with that of the double-stranded form. Northern blots revealed that the level of BLM hydrolase mRNA expression was very low in the rat skin, lung, and skeletal muscle. Furthermore, BLM hydrolase mRNA was ubiquitously expressed in the human cell lines, HeLa, SKG-IIIa, FL, KB, HEp-2, U373 GM, P3HR-1, Raji, THP-1, Jurkat, and Molt-4. These results suggested that BLM hydrolase plays important physiological roles, including the metabolism of antibiotics.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor regulates both activities of neutral and acidic cholesteryl ester hydrolases in human monocyte-derived macrophages.

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) regulates cholesterol metabolism in vivo and in vitro. We studied the effects of M-CSF on enzyme activities of acidic cholesteryl ester (CE) hydrolase, neutral CE hydrolase, and acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT), all of which are involved in cellular cholesterol metabolism in macrophages. During the differentiation of monocytes to macrophages, these enzyme activities were induced and further enhanced in response to M-CSF. M-CSF (100 ng/ml) enhanced acidic and neutral CE hydrolase and ACAT activities by 3.2-, 4-, and 2.3-fold, respectively, in the presence of acetyl LDL. The presence of acetyl LDL influenced these enzyme activities. ACAT and acidic CE hydrolase activities were increased and neutral CE hydrolase activity was decreased, indicating that these enzymes are regulated by intracellular cholesterol enrichment. M-CSF increased the ratios of acidic CE hydrolase to ACAT activity and of neutral CE hydrolase to ACAT activity. The results suggest that M-CSF enhances net hydrolysis of CE by stimulating the two CE hydrolases to a greater extent than ACAT, and M-CSF may reduce the rate of atherogenesis.

Base Sequence↗

[A comparative study on hydrolase activities in Acanthamoeba culbertsoni and A. royreba]

Specific or non-specific cytolytic processes of free-living amoebae causing meningoencephalitis have been emphasized and the cytolytic ability related to hydrolases in Entamoeba sp. and Naegleria sp. has also been reported since the latter half of 1970's. However, no information on hydrolase activities in Acanthamoeba sp. is available. Hydrolases in Acanthamoeba culbertsoni, a pathogenic species of free-living amoebae, were assayed and compared with those in a non-pathogenic species, A. royreba. Pathogenicity of these two species was confirmed through experimental infection to BALB/c mice. Hydrolase activities and cytotoxic effects between pathogenic and non-pathogenic species were compared in the trophozoites cultured in CGV media and in CHO cell line, respectively. The results are summarized as follows: The mice infected with A. culbertsoni were all dead 15 days after nasal inoculation, and the mean survival time was 8.5 days. Also the mice infected with this pathogenic species mani fested typical meningoencephalitis, whereas the mice infected with A. royreba did not. Hydrolases detected both in the cell extracts and culture media were acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetyl galactosaminidase, beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase, neutral proteinase and acid proteinase, all of which were detected with remarkably higher rate in A.culbertsoni than in A. royreba. A. culbertsoni revealed strong cytotoxicity for the target CHO cells, whereas A. royreba did not show any specific cytotoxicity. About 80% of the target cells mixed with A. culbertsoni were dead 48 hours after cultivation, and more than 95% of the target cells were dead 72 hours after cultivation. Hydrolase activities in A. culbertsoni cultured with the target cell line were assayed according to the culture time. The activities of acid phosphatase, beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, beta-N-acetyl glucosaminidase, alpha-mannosidase and acid proteinase in this pathogenic amoeba were detected higher in amoeba extracts than in culture media up to 120 hours after cultivation, but after 120 hours of cultivation those activities were detected higher in culture media than in the amoeba lysates. Neutral proteinase activity in A. culbertsoni increased more in EBSS medium than in the lysate specimens although the activity in the extracts was generally steady according to the cultivation time. Summarizing the above results, it is concluded that there were differences in hydrolase activities between pathogenic A. culbertsoni and non-pathogenic A. royreba, and that some hydrolase activities were detected remarkably higher in A. culbertsoni which revealed strong cytotoxicity to the target CHO cell line.

Journal Article↗

Cloning and expression analysis of human bleomycin hydrolase, a cysteine proteinase involved in chemotherapy resistance.

A cDNA encoding human bleomycin hydrolase, a member of the cysteine proteinase family of proteins, has been cloned from a human brain cDNA library. The isolated cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 456 amino acids that contains all of the structural features characteristic of cysteine proteinases, including the cysteine, histidine, and asparagine residues that are essential for the catalytic properties of these enzymes. The deduced amino acid sequence for human bleomycin hydrolase shows 92, 40, and about 35% of identities with those determined for rabbit bleomycin hydrolase, yeast bleomycin hydrolase, and bacterial aminopeptidase C, respectively. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ RNAs isolated from a variety of human tissues demonstrated that human bleomycin hydrolase is expressed in all examined tissues, which is consistent with a putative role of this protein as a proteolytic enzyme involved in norman cellular protein degradation and turnover. Preliminary expression analysis of bleomycin hydrolase in different human tumors showed increased expression of the enzyme in a series of head and neck carcinomas when compared with paired adjacent normal mucosa. We also observed a variable degree of bleomycin hydrolase expression in different types of lymphoma, with low or undetectable levels in Hodgkin's disease samples and higher levels in Burkitt's lymphomas. These results are consistent with a proposed role for human bleomycin hydrolase in resistance of some tumor to bleomycin chemotherapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Induction of rat hepatic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolases by various peroxisome proliferators.

Induction of cytosolic long-chain acyl-CoA hydrolases was investigated in rat liver after administration of various peroxisome proliferators and related compounds. Treatment of rats with di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate, di-(2-ethylhexyl)-adipate or tiadenol induced hydrolases I and II, while acetylsalicylic acid induced only hydrolase II. Among the various phenoxyacetic acid derivatives and related compounds, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylacetic acid, 2-(2-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionic acid and clofibric acid induced both hydrolases I and II, whereas 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid induced only hydrolase II. All nine of the above-mentioned inducers also markedly increased the activity of peroxisomal beta-oxidation. Other compounds tested (2-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-chlorophenol, phenoxyacetic acid and phenoxy-2-methylacetic acid) were ineffective as inducers. These results suggest that inducers of acyl-CoA hydrolase II also enhance peroxisomal beta-oxidation activity, but do not necessarily induce acyl-CoA hydrolase I. The structure-inducing activity relationships of these compounds are discussed.

Adipates↗

Characterization of active-site residues in diadenosine tetraphosphate hydrolase from Lupinus angustifolius.

Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to characterize the functions of key amino acid residues in the catalytic site of the 'nudix' hydrolase, (asymmetrical) diadenosine 5',5"'-P1,P4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A) hydrolase (EC 3.6.1.17) from Lupinus angustifolius, the three-dimensional solution structure of which has recently been solved. Residues within the nudix motif, Gly-(Xaa)5-Glu-(Xaa)7-Arg-Glu-Uaa-Xaa-(Glu)2-Xaa-Gly (where Xaa represents unspecified amino acids and Uaa represents the bulky aliphatic amino acids Ile, Leu or Val) conserved in 'nudix enzymes', and residues important for catalysis from elsewhere in the molecule, were mutated and the expressed proteins characterized. The results reveal a high degree of functional conservation between lupin asymmetric Ap4A hydrolase and the 8-oxo-dGTP hydrolase from Escherichia coli. Charged residues in positions equivalent to those that ligate an enzyme-bound metal ion in the E. coli 8-oxo-dGTP hydrolase [Harris, Wu, Massiah and Mildvan (2000) Biochemistry 39, 1655-1674] were shown to contribute to catalysis to similar extents in the lupin enzyme. Mutations E55Q, E59Q and E125Q all reduced kcat markedly, whereas mutations R54Q, E58Q and E122Q had smaller effects. None of the mutations produced a substantial change in the Km)for Ap4A, but several extensively modified the pH-dependence and fluoride-sensitivities of the hydrolase. It was concluded that the precisely positioned glutamate residues Glu-55, Glu-59 and Glu-125 are conserved as functionally significant components of the hydrolytic mechanism in both of these members of the nudix family of hydrolases.

Acid Anhydride Hydrolases↗

Factors affecting the activity and stability of the palmitoyl-coenzyme A hydrolase of rat brain.

Palmitoyl-CoA hydrolase (EC 3.1.2.2) catalyses the irreversible hydrolysis of long-chain acyl-CoA thioesters. This enzyme is found primarily in the postmicrosomal supernatant fraction prepared from homogenates of rat brain. Either of two forms of the hydrolase, a lower-molecular-weight species of approx. 70000 or a higher-molecular-weight species of approx. 130000 can be isolated by gel filtration. The higher-molecular-weight form is obtained from columns of Sephadex G-200 eluted with buffer containing 10mum-palmitoyl-CoA or 20% (v/v) glycerol, whereas the lower-molecular-weight form is obtained when the eluting buffer does not contain palmitoyl-CoA or glycerol. The two forms of the hydrolase have the same pH optimum of 7.5, are equally sensitive to the thiol-blocking reagents p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, HgCl(2), and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), and exhibit the same K(m) (1.8mum) with palmitoyl-CoA as substrate. The two forms differ in the availability or reactivity of certain external thiol groups, as determined by covalent chromatography with activated thiol Sepharose. Dilute solutions of the lower-molecular-weight form of the hydrolase rapidly lose activity (50% in 60min at 0 degrees C), but there is no change in the K(m) with palmitoyl-CoA as substrate during this progressive inactivation. Dilutions of the hydrolase in buffer containing 10mum-palmitoyl-CoA retain full activity. However, addition of palmitoyl-CoA to solutions of the lower-molecular-weight form will not restore previously lost hydrolase activity. The evidence supports the conclusion that the substrate palmitoyl-CoA promotes the formation of a relatively stable dimer from two unstable subunits. This process may not be reversible, since the removal of palmitoyl-CoA or glycerol from solutions of the higher-molecular-weight form does not result in the appearance of the lower-molecular-weight form of the hydrolase.

Animals↗

YZGD from Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus, a pyridoxal phosphatase of the HAD (haloacid dehalogenase) superfamily and a versatile member of the Nudix (nucleoside diphosphate x) hydrolase superfamily.

YZGD from Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus is a novel bifunctional enzyme with both PLPase (pyridoxal phosphatase) and Nudix (nucleoside diphosphate x) hydrolase activities. The PLPase activity is catalysed by the HAD (haloacid dehalogenase) superfamily motif of the enzyme, and the Nudix hydrolase activity is catalysed by the conserved Nudix signature sequence within a separate portion of the enzyme, as confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. YZGD's phosphatase activity is very specific, with pyridoxal phosphate being the only natural substrate, while YZGD's Nudix activity is just the opposite, with YZGD being the most versatile Nudix hydrolase characterized to date. YZGD's Nudix substrates include the CDP-alcohols (CDP-ethanol, CDP-choline and CDP-glycerol), the ADP-coenzymes (NADH, NAD and FAD), ADP-sugars, TDP-glucose and, to a lesser extent, UDP- and GDP-sugars. Regardless of the Nudix substrate, one of the products is always a nucleoside monophosphate, suggesting a role in nucleotide salvage. Both the PLPase and Nudix hydrolase activities require a bivalent metal cation, but while PLPase activity is supported by Co2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+, the Nudix hydrolase activity is Mn2+-specific. YZGD's phosphatase activity is optimal at an acidic pH (pH 5), while YZGD's Nudix activities are optimal at an alkaline pH (pH 8.5). YZGD is the first enzyme reported to be a member of both the HAD and Nudix hydrolase superfamilies, the first PLPase to be recognized as a member of the HAD superfamily and the first Nudix hydrolase capable of hydrolysing ADP-x, CDP-x and TDP-x substrates with comparable substrate specificity.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Cloning and expression analysis of a novel human serine hydrolase with sequence similarity to prokaryotic enzymes involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds.

A full-length cDNA coding for a novel human serine hydrolase has been cloned from a breast carcinoma cDNA library. Nucleotide sequence analysis has shown that the isolated cDNA contains an open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 274 amino acids and a complete Alu repetitive sequence within its 3'-untranslated region. The predicted amino acid sequence contains the Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly motif characteristic of serine hydrolases and displays extensive similarity to several prokaryotic hydrolases involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds. The highest degree of identities was detected with four serine hydrolases encoded by the bphD genes of different strains of Pseudomonas with the ability to degrade biphenyl derivatives. On the basis of these sequence similarities, this novel human enzyme has been tentatively called Biphenyl hydrolase-related protein (Bph-rp). The Bph-rp cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli, and after purification, the recombinant protein was able to degrade p-nitrophenylbutyrate, a water-soluble substrate commonly used for assaying serine hydrolases. This hydrolytic activity was abolished by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, a covalent inhibitor of serine hydrolases, providing additional evidence that the isolated cDNA encodes a member of this protein superfamily. Northern blot analysis of poly(A)+ RNAs isolated from a variety of human tissues revealed that Bph-rp is mainly expressed in liver and kidney, which was also confirmed at the protein level by Western blot analysis with antibodies raised against purified recombinant Bph-rp. According to structural characteristics, hydrolytic activity and tissue distribution of Bph-rp, a potential role of this enzyme in detoxification processes is proposed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

On the regulation of cold-labile cytosolic and of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA hydrolase in rat liver.

The discovery of a cold-labile cytosolic acetyl-CoA hydrolase of high activity in rat liver by Prass et al. [(1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 5215-5223] has questioned the importance of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA hydrolase for the formation of free acetate [Grigat et al. (1979) Biochem. J. 177, 71-79] under physiological conditions. Therefore this problem has been reevaluated by comparing various properties of the two enzymes. Cold-labile cytosolic acetyl-CoA hydrolase bands with an apparent Mr of 68000 during SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, while the native enzyme elutes in two peaks with apparent Mr of 136000 and 245000 during gel chromatography in the presence of 2 mM ATP. The mitochondrial enzyme elutes under the same conditions with an apparent Mr of 157000. Under conditions where the cold-labile enzyme binds strongly to DEAE-Bio-Gel and ATP-agarose, the mitochondrial enzyme remains unbound. The cold-labile enzyme can be activated 14-fold by ATP, half-maximal activation occurring already at 40 microM ATP. AdoPP[NH]P, AdoPP[CH2]P and GTP have a similar though weaker effect. ADP as well as GDP can completely inhibit the cold-labile enzyme with 50% inhibition occurring for both nucleotides at about 1.45 microM. The binding of ATP and ADP is competitive. Acetyl phosphate and pyrophosphate have no effect on the activity of the cold-labile enzyme. The mitochondrial acetyl-CoA hydrolase is not affected by these nucleotides. CoASH is a strong product inhibitor (approximately equal to 80% inhibition at 40 microM CoASH) of the cold-labile enzyme, but only a weak inhibitor of the mitochondrial enzyme. Under in vivo conditions the activity of the cold-labile cytosolic acetyl-CoA hydrolase can be no more than 7% of the activity calculated for mitochondrial acetyl-CoA hydrolase under the same conditions. Accordingly the mitochondrial enzyme seems to be mainly responsible for the formation of free acetate by the intact liver, especially in view of the fact that the substrate specificity of the mitochondrial enzyme is much higher (activity ratios acetyl-CoA/butyryl-CoA 4.99 and 1.16 for the mitochondrial and the cold-labile enzyme respectively). Alloxan diabetes neither increased the activity of the cold-labile enzyme nor that of the mitochondrial enzyme. No experimental support has been found yet for the hypothesis that the acetyl-CoA hydrolase activity of the cold-labile enzyme represents the side-activity of an acetyl-transferase.

Acetyl-CoA Hydrolase↗

Immunochemical characterization of human lung epoxide hydrolases.

Immunochemical techniques were used to investigate the biochemical properties of human lung epoxide hydrolases. Two epoxide hydrolases with different immunoreactive properties were identified. These two epoxide hydrolases were found in both cytosolic and microsomal cell fractions. Immunotitration of enzyme activity showed that enzymes that catalyze the hydration of benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide react with antiserum to rat microsomal epoxide hydrolase; those that hydrate trans-stilbene oxide do not. Immunotitration and Western blot experiments showed that microsomal and cytosolic benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolases have significant structural homology. Immunohistochemical staining of human lung benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolase showed that the enzyme is localized primarily in the bronchial epithelium. No cell type-specific localization was observed. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed which allows direct quantitation of benzo(a)pyrene 4,5-oxide hydrolase protein. Levels of enzyme protein detected by this assay correlated well with enzyme levels determined by substrate conversion assays.

Animals↗

Comparative kinetics of phosphomannosyl receptor-mediated pinocytosis of fibroblast secretion acid hydrolases and glycopeptides prepared from them.

In a previous report we demonstrated that phosphorylated oligosaccharides isolated from acid hydrolases were subject to pinocytosis by phosphomannosyl receptors present on the cell surface of human fibroblasts [9]. However, limiting quantities of oligosaccharides precluded detailed comparison of the kinetics of pinocytosis of these phosphorylated oligosaccharides to those of the acid hydrolases from which they were derived. In this report we present studies comparing the kinetics of pinocytosis of acid hydrolases from NH4Cl-induced fibroblast secretions with those of concanavalin A-binding glycopeptides prepared from them by pronase digestion. The uptake of both secretion acid hydrolases and 125I-labeled glycopeptides was linear for at least 3 hr, saturable, inhibited competitively by mannose 6-phosphate, and destroyed by prior treatment of the ligand with alkaline phosphatase. The inhibition constants of excess unlabeled glycopeptide for the uptake of 125I-labeled glycopeptides (Ki of 1.5 X 10(-6) M) and for the uptake of secretion acid hydrolases (Ki of 2.2 X 10(-6) M) were remarkably similar. Furthermore, the Ki for mannose 6-phosphate inhibition of pinocytosis of glycopeptide uptake (3 X 10(-5) M) compares closely to that previously determined for the pinocytosis of intact "high-uptake" acid hydrolases (3-6 X 10(-5) M). "High-uptake" fractions of both ligands were prepared and quantified by affinity chromatography on immobilized phosphomannosyl receptors purified from bovine liver. Only 10% of the concanavalin A-binding glycopeptides bound to the immobilized phosphomannosyl receptors, while 80% of the acid hydrolases from which they were prepared bound and were eluted with 10 mM mannose 6-phosphate. However, the fraction of each type of ligand that binds to the immobilized phosphomannosyl receptors accounts for all the uptake activity of that ligand.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Expression of rat liver AdoHcy hydrolase in a Rhodobacter capsulatus ahcY mutant restores pigment formation and photosynthetic growth.

An amino acid alignment of fourteen S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolases shows that sequences from six photosynthetic species and one species possibly derived from algae have an internal 36 to 41 amino acid sequence that is not present in hydrolase sequences from seven non-photosynthetic species. In the photosynthetic eubacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus, the StLB1 strain has a disrupted hydrolase gene, and hydrolase activity is not detectable. Photopigment synthesis and photosynthetic growth are significantly reduced in the StLB1 strain. Introduction of rat hydrolase cDNA into the StLB1 strain restored hydrolase activity, photopigment synthesis and photosynthetic growth. The results show that the 36 amino acid sequence of Rhodobacter capsulatus S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase does not have a photosynthesis specific function.

Adenosylhomocysteinase↗

Studies on trypsin-modified bovine and human lens acylpeptide hydrolase.

Acylpeptide hydrolase removes the N -acetylated amino acids from the peptide substrates but not from intact proteins. Cleavage between amino acid residues 203--204 of the native acylpeptide hydrolase results in the formation of a 55 kDa truncated active enzyme in the bovine lens, in vivo. In this study we explored the hydrolytic properties of the truncated enzyme using lens beta- and gamma-crystallins as substrates. SDS--PAGE analysis indicated that the beta B2-crystallin was cleaved by truncated acylpeptide hydrolase into several protein fragments (10--26 kDa). No cleavage of the gamma-crystallins was observed under similar conditions. Both the acylpeptide hydrolase activity and the protease activity of the 55 kDa enzyme were completely inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, p -chloromercuribenzoate and ebelactone, and moderately inhibited by N -tosyl phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone. SDS--PAGE analysis followed by fluorography of ((3)H) diisopropylfluorophosphate labeled human lens acylpeptide hydrolase preparation showed the presence of the 55 kDa truncated form of the enzyme, as observed in the bovine lens. The peptide (d)-AIKGDQFL-NH(2)--the amino acid sequence 200--207 of the native bovine acylpeptide hydrolase with an in vivo cleavage site of native protein--was hydrolysed by the lens protease(s) suggesting that the in vivo generation of the 55 kDa acylpeptide hydrolase may be mediated through a proteolytic processing. The protease(s) responsible for the cleavage of this peptide was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate and p -chloromercuribenzoate.

Adolescent↗

A molecular model for the active site of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase.

S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase (AdoHcy hydrolase, EC 3.3.1.1), a specific target for antiviral drug design, catalyzes the hydrolysis of AdoHcy to adenosine (Ado) and homocysteine (Hcy) as well as the synthesis of AdoHcy from Ado and Hcy. The enzyme isolated from different sources has been shown to contain tightly bound NAD+. Based on the 2.0 A-resolution X-ray crystal structure of dogfish lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), which is functionally homologous to AdoHcy hydrolase, and the primary sequence of rat liver AdoHcy hydrolase, we have derived a molecular model of an extended active site for AdoHcy hydrolase. The computational mutation was performed using the software MUTAR (Yeh et al., University of Kansas, Lawrence), followed by molecular mechanics optimizations using the programs AMBER (Singh et al., University of California, San Francisco) and YETI (Vedani, University of Kansas). Solvation of the model structure was achieved by use of the program SOLVGEN (Jacober, University of Kansas); 56 water molecules were explicitly included in all refinements. Some of these may be involved in the catalytic reaction. We also studied a model of the complex of AdoHcy hydrolase with NAD+, as well as the ternary complexes of the enzyme, NAD+, and substrate or inhibitor molecules. Our refined model is capable of explaining part of the redox reaction catalyzed by AdoHcy hydrolase and has been used to differentiate the relative binding strength of inhibitors.

Adenosylhomocysteinase↗

The increase in activity of acid hydrolases in muscles of rats after subcutaneous administration of dimethyl-para-phenylene diamine. A combined histochemical and biochemical investigation. I. The histochemical investigation.

The activity of acid hydrolases in skeletal muscles of normal rats and of rats after subcutaneous administration of dimethyl-para-phenylene diamine (DPPD) was studied with a combined histochemical and biochemical investigation. In this communication the histochemical findings are presented. After 4 days of DPPD treatment, coagulation necrosis, fragmentation and disintegration of fibres were seen in the muscles. An inflammatory infiltrate was seen between the muscle fibres. These pathological changes reached maximum intensity after 7 to 9 days. After 11 days the changes became less, despite continued treatment with DPPD. From the histochemical findings it appeared that the activity of acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and E600 resistant non-specific esterase was increased in both a granular and a diffuse pattern in the skeletal muscles of the DPPD rats. The increase in activity of leucine aminopeptidase was much less pronounced and was mainly granular. The increase in the activity of acid hydrolases ran parallel to the severity of the pathological changes and reached a maximum after 7 to 9 days of DPPD treatment. The statistical calculations of the histochemical findings revealed that the increased activity of one acid hydrolase was significantly paralleled by an increased activity of a second hydrolase. There was a moderate probability that the activity of all other histochemically studied acid hydrolases, with the exception of leucine aminopeptidase, was increased. There was no difference in activity and localization of the acid hydrolases studied in aerobic type I and anaerobic type II fibres. The localization of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase activity in muscle fibres and in inflammatory infiltrate mostly coincided. In cases where these enzymes were localized both centrally and in the subsarcolemnal areas of the muscle fibres, the activity of E600 resistant non-specific esterase was usually, and the activity of leucine aminopeptidase was exclusively located in the subsarcolemnal areas. All of the acid hydrolases examined were found to be present in the inflammatory exudate and in the connective tissue.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Conjugated bile salts regulate turnover of rat intestinal brush border membrane hydrolases.

The mechanisms whereby the conjugated bile salts regulate the activities of the brush border membrane hydrolases and its physiological significance were investigated in rat small intestine, and comparisons were made with the action of pancreatic protease. Rat brush border membrane proteins were metabolically labeled with [35S]methionine, and isolated brush border membrane was incubated with taurocholate or pancreatic elastase. The activity of solubilized hydrolases was assayed and the molecular forms of the hydrolases were examined by SDS-PAGE. The activity and protein bands of alkaline phosphatase and sucrase-isomaltase were solubilized by taurocholate, while alkaline phosphatase was not solubilized by elastase. Solubilized sucrase-isomaltase molecules were proteolytically degraded by elastase, whereas the intact molecule of sucrase-isomaltase was solubilized by taurocholate. Next the physiological role of bile salts in brush border membrane hydrolase turnover were investigated using metabolic labeling of brush border membrane hydrolase and immunoprecipitation in biliary diversion rats. After three days of biliary diversion, a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase activity was observed. Although synthesis of alkaline phosphatase in biliary diversion rats was similar to that observed in control rats, biliary diversion rats showed 1.5-fold slower turnover of alkaline phosphatase when compared with control rats. These results suggest that conjugated bile salts in the intestinal lumen may cause a rapid turnover of brush border membrane hydrolases, which may be increased by the enhanced enzyme degradation. The mechanisms for the enhanced degradation appeared to be solubilization of hydrolases caused by the detergent activity of bile salts. Therefore, conjugated bile salts may play an important physiological role in the regulation of expression of the protease-resistant enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗