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Membrane surface potential and the reactivity of the system II primary electron acceptor to charged electron carriers in the medium.

A hypothesis is proposed to explain the changes in the apparent rate constant for the reaction between the primary electron acceptor of System II situated in the thylakoid membrane and the artificial electron acceptors added in the medium. Dark oxidation rate of the primary acceptor by artificial electron acceptors was monitored by measuring the induction of chlorophyll fluorescence in the presence of an electron transport inhibitor, 3-(3',4'-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, in spinach chloroplasts. The apparent rate constant for the oxidation changed widely when the medium pH or salt concentrations were varied, or ionic detergents were added. The change was quantitatively ascribed (1) to the change in the local concentration of electron acceptors at the thylakoid surface due to the electrical potential difference between the surface and the bulk aqueous phase (Gouy-Chapman diffuse double layer theory) and (2) to the situation whereby the apparent rate constant is determined with respect to concentration in the bulk phase. Values for the surface potential in the vicinity of System II were estimated from the change in the apparent rate constant under various conditions. The results closely agreed with those obtained previously from the rate constant of the dark step of the System II-dependent Hill reaction with ferricyanide (Itoh, S. (1978) Plant Cell Physiol. 19, 149--166). Application of the hypothesis to various reactions between the added ionic reagents and the endogenous components in the membrane or between the endogenous components situated in different parts of the membrane is discussed.

Chloroplasts

Electron acceptors of bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers. II. H+ binding coupled to secondary electron transfer in the quinone acceptor complex.

The photoreduction of ubiquinone in the electron acceptor complex (QIQII) of photosynthetic reaction centers from Rhodopseudomonas sphaeroides, R26, was studied in a series of short, saturating flashes. The specific involvement of H+ in the reduction was revealed by the pH dependence of the electron transfer events and by net H+ binding during the formation of ubiquinol, which requires two turnovers of the photochemical act. On the first flash QII receives an electron via QI to form a stable ubisemiquinone anion (QII-); the second flash generates QI-. At low pH the two semiquinones rapidly disproportionate with the uptake of 2 H+, to produce QIIH2. This yields out-of-phase binary oscillations for the formation of anionic semiquinone and for H+ uptake. Above pH 6 there is a progressive increase in H+ binding on the first flash and an equivalent decrease in binding on the second flash until, at about pH 9.5, the extent of H+ binding is the same on all flashes. The semiquinone oscillations, however, are undiminished up to pH 9. It is suggested that a non-chromophoric, acid-base group undergoes a pK shift in response to the appearance of the anionic semiquinone and that this group is the site of protonation on the first flash. The acid-base group, which may be in the reaction center protein, appears to be subsequently involved in the protonation events leading to fully reduced ubiquinol. The other proton in the two electron reduction of ubiquinone is always taken up on the second flash and is bound directly to QII-. At pH values above 8.0, it is rate limiting for the disproportionation and the kinetics, which are diffusion controlled, are properly responsive to the prevailing pH. Below pH 8, however, a further step in the reaction mechanism was shown to be rate limiting for both H+ binding electron transfer following the second flash.

Bacteriochlorophylls

[ESR study of electron transport in photosynthetic systems. VII. Effects of temperature on the processes of electron transport between two photosystems and the structural state of the chloroplast membrane].

Redox transients of P700 in bean chloroplasts induced by far-red continuous light and brief flashes (t1/2 = 7 musec) of white light were studied under various temperatures. It has been shown that light-induced electron transport between two photosystems occurs at temperatures from -5 degrees to 45 degrees. At temperature interval 5 divided by 30 degrees photosystem 2 donates electrons to P700+ in response to the flash with the maximum efficiency. The number of electrons donated from photosystem 2 does not depend on the temperature in the range 5 divided by 30 degrees. The rate of electron transport between photosystems increases when the temperature is increased from -5 degrees to 20 degrees and does not depend on the temperature above 20 degrees. Structural states of the lipid region of the thylakoid membrane were studied by the spin label method. It was shown that the flexibility and the rate of molecular motion of different spin-labeled fatty acids were increased after temperature variations from -10 degrees to 50 degrees. A correlation between the structural state of the lipid region of thylakoid membrane and the rate of electron transport was found.

Cell Membrane

The relative electron affinities of the alpha and beta chains of oxyhaemoglobin as a function of pH and added inositol hexaphosphate. An electron spin resonance study.

Exposure of aqueous glasses of oxyhaemoglobin to 60Co gamma-rays at 77K results in electron addition to the FeO2 unit, the ESR spectrum for the alpha-chain electron adduct being well separated from that for the beta-chain. The relative yields of these two centres has been measured in the pH range 4.5 to 8.5, with or without added inositol hexaphosphate. We find that, in the absence of inositol hexaphosphate, the yield of beta-chain adduct is almost equal to that of the alpha-chains in the pH 4--5 region, but these rapidly diverge with increasing pH, the beta-yield increasing and the alpha-yield decreasing. After a plateau in the pH 6--8 region, the yield of beta-chain adduct decreases, but that of the alpha-chain adduct remains constant. In the presence of an excess of inositol hexaphosphate the pH change for the beta-adduct remains, but at low pH values the yield of the alpha-adduct is much greater than that of the beta-adduct. This constraint is removed with a pK of approx. 7.7 and at high pH values the yield of the beta-adduct is once again greater than that of the alpha-adduct. These results are significant in that they suggest that the electron affinities of the alpha and beta chains in oxyhaemoglobin are a function of pH, with that of the beta-chains being greater than that of the alpha-chains in the neutral region. Also inositol hexaphosphate clearly binds to one or both chains, and this has the effect of reversing the relative electron affinities of the two chains.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy

Applications of electronically controlled illumination in the conventional transmission electron microscope.

A device used to produce electronic cone illumination in an analog fashion in the conventional transmission electron microscope has been applied to a number of materials problems which require special diffraction conditions not readily achieved in the microscope's normal operating mode. The device manipulates the primary beam tilt to produce a variety of virtual condenser aperture conditions, and hence electron diffraction patterns can be recorded which reflect the manner in which the direct beam is tilted during the exposure of a micrograph. For single crystalline material, the device provides an improvement over convergent-beam electron diffraction for systematic row reflections and allows direct observation of dynamical beam interactions. It has also been applied to imaging defects in thin crystalline films which would often be obscured under normal microscope conditions. The device allows the imaging of polycrystalline material and the selection of given diffraction orders to determine the orientation of crystallites in a large field of view. It can also modify amorphous patterns to extend the information contained in dark-field images beyond normal tilted-beam dark-field imaging. Control of the incident beam can be accomplished digitally for more varied beam manipulation requirements. A few cases of manipulation of diffraction patterns will be considered.

Crystallography

Calcification in a pineal tumour studied by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and x-ray microanalysis.

The calcification in a totally calcified pineal tumour was studied. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the tumour was a pinealoma. The type of calcification was investigated by bright-field and dark-field transmission electron microscopy in addition to electron diffraction and electron-induced x-ray fluorescence. The calcified material consisted predominantly of amorphous calcium phosphate. The type of calcification differs from the normal calcification present in pineal acervuli which consists of crystalline hydroxypatite.

Brain Neoplasms

[Electron paramagnetic resonance study of photosensitized transport and localization of electrons in enzyme-substrate complexes. Lysozyme and its inhibitor].

Photosensitized electron transfer are studied in three systems: lysozyme, its inhibitors (oligosaccharides) and their enzyme-inhibitor complexes. Electron donors were either tryptophane amino acid residues of lysozyme or tryptophane. It is shown that N-acetyl group of inhibitor molecules is a single electron--acceptor group in the inhibitor molecule as well as in the lysozyme-inhibitor complex. It is stated that the localization of unpaired electrons in the mixtures of lysozyme modification products and substrate--inhibitors depends on the state of enzyme molecule.

Acetylglucosamine

Ionic effects on adrenal steroidogenic electron transport. The role of adrenodoxin as an electron shuttle.

We have shown (Seybert, D., Lambeth, D., and Kamin, H. (1978), J. Biol. Chem. 253, 8355-8358) that, whereas the 1:1 complex between adrenodoxin reductase and adrenodoxin is the active species for cytochrome c reduction, the complex is not sufficient to allow cytochrome P-45011 beta-mediated hydroxylations;adrenodoxin in excess of reductase is required. In the present studies, reduction by NADPH of excess adrenodoxin is shown to occur at a rate sufficient to support both cytochrome P-450 11 beta-mediated hydroxylation of deoxycorticosterone, and cytochrome P-450sec-mediated side chain cleavage of cholesterol. Oxidation-reduction potential and ion effect studies indicate that the mechanism of steroidogenic electron transport involves an adrenodoxin electron "shuttle" rather than a macromolecular complex of reductase, adrenodoxin, and cytochrome. The oxidation-reduction potential of adrenodoxin is shifted about -100 mV when bound to reductase, and reduction of the iron-sulfur protein thus promotes dissociation of the complex. The rate of adrenodoxin reduction is first stimulated, then inhibited by increasing salt; the effect is ion-specific, with Ca2+ approximately Mg2+ greater than Na+ greater than NH/+. Similar ion-specific rate effects are observed for both of the cytochrome P-450-mediated hydroxylations, indicating that the same reduction mechanism is required for these reactions. Increasing salt concentrations caused dissociation of the complex; dissociation of the form of the complex containing reduced adrenodoxin occurred at lower salt concentrations than that containing oxidized adrenodoxin. The order of effectiveness of ions in causing dissociation is the same as the order for stimulation of adrenodoxin reduction, suggesting a dissociation step in the mechanism. This proposed model, together with dissociation constants for the form of the complex containing either oxidized or reduced adrenodoxin, allows accurate prediction of the salt rate effects curve. For all ions, an activity maximum is seen at the ion concentration which produces the largest molar difference between associated-oxidized and dissociated-reduced states, and the model predicts the positions of the maxima for adrenodoxin reduction, 11 beta-hydroxylation, and side chain cleavage. Thus reduction-induced dissociation of adrenodoxin from adrenodoxin reductase appears to be a required step in steroidogenic electron transport by this system, and a role for adrenodoxin as a mobile electron shuttle is proposed.

Adrenal Cortex

Electron-dense deposits in the follicular basal lamina of obese strain chickens with spontaneous hereditary autoimmune thyroiditis. An electron microscopic study.

Thyroid glands of 36 chickens of the obese strain with hereditary spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis were examined by electron microscopy at 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 weeks of age with particular emphasis on basal lamina changes. All chickens were of the B1B1 genotype. The electron microscopic results were compared with six normal White Leghorn chickens of the same age. The major abnormality observed in obese strain chickens was the persistent presence of electron-dense deposits along the follicular basal lamina in the thyroid beginning with 7-week-old chickens. The deposits morphologically comparable to immune complexes were noted either between the basal plasma membrane and the follicular basal lamina or below the follicular basal lamina. In 14-week-old chickens, the electron-dense deposits were observed within abnormally thickened basal lamina. The deposits were not present in the vascular basal lamina adjacent to the thyroid follicles and were not observed in the thyroids of 1- to 5-week old chickens and were also not encountered in normal White Leghorn chickens. Indirect morphologic evidence suggests that these may be antigen-antibody complexes, but characterization of these deposits and their role remain to be determined.

Animals

Flash photolysis electron spin resonance studies of the electron acceptor species at low temperatures in photosystem I of spinach subchloroplast particles.

The light-induced electron spin resonance signals of Photosystem I spinach subchloroplast particles have been studied at approximately 6 degrees K. Using the technique of flash photolysis-electron spin resonance with actinic illumination at 647 nm, a kinetic analysis of the previously observed bound ferredoxin ESR signals was carried out. Signal I (P700+) exhibits a partial light-reversible behavior at 6 degrees K so it was expected that if the bound ferredoxin is the primary acceptor of Photosystem I, it should also exhibit a partial reversible behavior. However, none of the bound ferredoxin ESR signals showed any such light reversible behavior. A search to wider fields revealed two components which did exhibit the expected kinetic behavior. These components are very broad (about 80 G) and are centered at g equals to 1.75 and g equals to 2.07. These two components exhibit the expected characteristics of the primary electron acceptor. A model is presented to account for the reversible and irreversible photochemical changes in Photosystem I. The possible identity of the primary acceptor responsible for these two new components, is discussed in terms of the available information. The primary acceptor may be an iron-sulfur protein, but not of the type characteristic of the bound or water-soluble ferredoxins found so far in chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts

The reduction of porphyrin cytochrome c by hydrated electrons and the subsequent electron transfer reaction from reduced porphyrin cytochrome c to ferricytochrome c.

1. Hydrated electrons, produced by pulse radiolysis react with porphyrin cytochrome c with a bimolecular rate constant of 3-10(10) M-1 S-1 at 21 degrees C and pH 7.4. 2. After the reduction step an absorbance change with a half-life of 5 microns is observed with the spectral range of 430-470 nm. A relatively stable intermediate then decays with a half-life of 15 s. 3. The spectrum of the intermediate observed 50 microns after the generation of hydrated electrons shows a broad absorption band between 600 and 700 nm and a peak at 408 nm. The spectrum is attributed to the protonated form of an initially produced porphyrin anion radical. 4. Reduced porphyrin cytochrome c reacts with ferricytochrome c with a bimolecular constant of 2-10(5) M-1- S-1 in 2 mM phosphate pH 7.4, at 21 degrees C and of 2 - 10(6) M-1-S-1 under the same conditions but at 1 M ionic strength. It is proposed that electron transfer in an analogous exchange reaction between ferrocytochrome c and ferricytochrome c occurs via the exposed part of the haem.

Animals

The electron spin relaxation of the electron acceptors of photosystem I reaction centre studied by microwave power saturation.

Photosystem I particles from spinach were reduced by illumination at 77 K. Under these conditions the one-electrom transfer from P-700 resulted in a reduction of only one acceptor molecule of the reaction centre. The EPR signals at g=2.05, 1.94 and 1.86 were attributed to reduced centre A and the smaller signals at g=2.07, 1.92 and 1.89 to reduced centre B. Reduction of both centres by dithionite in the dark lead to signals at g=2.05, 1.99, 1.96, 1.94, 1.92 and 1.89. Thus, the features at g=2.07 and 1.86 disappeared and new signals at g=1.99 and 1.96 were observed. From the spectral changes it followed that the iron-sulphur centres A and B interact magnetically. Temperature dependent EPR spectra demonstrated a faster electron spin relaxation of centre A than of centre B. These conclusions were corroborated using microwave power saturation of the respective EPR signals. The saturation data of the fully reduced centres A and B could not be fitted using the saturation equation for a one-electron spin system. The magnetic interaction between the (4Fe-4S) CENTRes of the electron acceptors A and B resulted in saturation properties which are simular to those of the 2(4Fe-4S) ferredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum. For centre X a high proportion of homogeneous broadening of the EPR lines was inferred from the inhomogeneity parameter (b=1.83). It was, therefore, concluded that centre X is most probably an anion radical of chlorophyll. From the low temperature necessary for observing the EPR signal of centre X followed that the drastic relaxation enhancement has to be attributed to a magnetic interaction of the anion radical with iron.

Chloroplasts

Development of electron spin polarization in photosynthetic electron transfer by the radical pair mechanism.

We have extended the radical pair theory to treat systems of membrane-bound radicals with g tensor anisotropy. Analysis of the polarized electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals of P700+, originating from photosystem I of higher plants, in terms of the radical pair mechanism provides information about the sequence of early electron acceptors. To account for the orientation dependence of the line shape and integrated area of this polarized signal, we propose the electron transfer sequence to be P700 leads to A1 leads to X leads to Fd(A, B), where A1 is a small organic molecule (possibly chlorophyll), X is the acceptor species observed recently in low-temperature EPR studies, and Fd(A, B) are the ferredoxin iron-sulfur centers A and B. Our calculations provide information about the life-times of A1-, and X-, and their exchange interactions with P700+. We also find supporting evidence for the orientation of X- in the thylakoid membrane reported recently by G. C. Dismukes and K. Sauer (Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 504:431-445.).

Chlorophyll

A pulse-radiolysis study of the reaction of hydrated electrons with N'-formylkynurenine and related compounds: electron-transfer reactions with nucleic acid components.

The reactivity of N'-formylkynurenine (FK) derivatives towards eaq has been investigated. The reduced transient species have been characterized (lambda max approximately 340, 440 nm, epsilon lambda max approximately 3000-1000 M-1 cm-1, pKa approximately 7.8). Owing to the strong FK electron affinity, electron-transfer reactions occur from purine (except guanine) and pyrimidine electron adducts to FK (k approximately 2-7 x 10(9) M-1 s-1). As some FK derivatives bind to DNA (or polynucleotides) the protective effect of complexation on FK-DNA (or polynucleotides) adduct formation has been investigated.

DNA

Electron spin resonance investigations of mitochondrial electron transport in Neurospora crassa. Characterization of paramagnetic intermediates in a standard strain.

1. Submitochondrial particles from Neurospora strain inl-89601 have been analyzed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR). Numerous signals due to iron-sulfur proteins are observed at low temperatures. Analysis of these ESR signals at various temperatures allows the assignment of resonances to iron-sulfur centers 1-5 that have been described in other organisms. There are no discrepancies between the signals seen in Neurospora and those described in other organisms and it is likely that Neurospora mitochondria contain the same iron-sulfur centers that are observed elsewhere. 2. NADPH and NADH act to reduce the iron-sulfur centers of respiratory complex I. 3. The drug pyrrolnitrin [3-chloro-4-(2'-nitro-3'-chlorphenyl)pyrrole] is an effective inhibitor of both NADH-supported and succinate-supported electron transport in Neurospora. 4. Analysis of pyrrolnitrin inhibition curves, respiration studies, ESR spectra, and the steady-state level of reduction of cytochrome b in the presence and absence of the drug shows that pyrrolnitrin acts to inhibit electron transport in Neurospora mitochondria at multiple sites in the region between ubiquinone and cytochrome b.

Depression, Chemical

An unlabeled antibody macromolecule technique using hemocyanin for the identification of type B and type C retrovirus envelope and cell surface antigens by correlative fluorescence, transmission electron, and scanning electron microscopy.

The present resolution (75-100 A) of the conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) and its ability to image the surfaces of large numbers of whole cells in situ permit the approach of problems such as viral and cell surface antigen localization by immunological labeling with visual markers. Identification of virus and cell surface antigens in situ has been accomplished in indirect reactions by unconjugated markers. Hemocyanin (Hcy) from whelk, Busycon canniculatum, has been developed as an immunospecific marker for virion and cell surface labeling in the electron microscope. Its size (30 x 50 nm) and distinct cylindrical shape permit easy visualization in the SEM and the transmission electron microscope (TEM). The Hcy method involves the preparation of antisera to Hcy in appropriate hosts for use in an unlabeled antibody macromolecule procedure based exclusively on antigen-antibody affinity to couple the macromolecule to the antigen site. Further correlative data from fluorescence microscopy can be obtained from similarly labeled samples by binding fluorescein to the bridging antibodies used in the Hcy technique. The usefulness of the Hcy marker system was demonstrated by employing highly specific antisera to the major envelope and cell surface glycoprotein (gp70) of Rauscher murine leukemia virus (R-MuLV), a type C retrovirus. The antiserum was shown to bind to the virion and cell surfaces of virus-infected cells in the homologous virus-infected cell system. It also demonstrated the expression of R-MuLV gp70-related antigens on a murine cell line Mm5mt/c1 which produces mouse mammary tumor virus (MuMTV), a type B retrovirus. Furthermore, when used in the Hcy marker system the anti-gp70 serum was able to distinguish type B from type C budding virus on the same cell. Methods for the preparation of immunoreagents and labeling of cells are discussed.

Animals

Glomerulonephritis induced by high doses of ovalbumin. Studies by electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and immuno-electron microscopy.

Experimental glomerulonephritis was produced in 16 rabbits by intravenous injections of ovalbumin in high doses (0.1 g/day during the first week, 0.2 g x 6/day during the second). The animals were killed on day 14. At that time all animals had 2--4+ proteinuria and a serum C3 level reduced to about 50% of the control level; 11 animals had a significantly raised blood urea level. In all rabbits the antigen had induced severe proliferative glomerulonephritis. Electron microscopy showed that many of the cells accounting for the hypercellularity were monocytes. Surprisingly, electron dense deposits were few and small, mainly on the subendothelial and subepithelial aspects of the glomerular basement membrane. In all the animals ultrastructural immunoperoxidase technique revealed deposits containing ovalbumin, rabbit IgG and C3. With immunofluorescence sparse deposits were occasionally seen. It is concluded that a severe experimental glomerulonephritis can be produced in a state of antigen excess, with the deposition of immune complexes being minimal. Immuno-electron microscopy is essential, however, in detecting even the smallest animals of deposited immune reactants.

Animals

Electron-electron double resonance measurements on xanthine oxidase.

Electron-electron double resonance measurements were carried out on milk xanthine oxidase (xanthine:oxygen oxidoreductase EC 1.2.3.2) and the spectra obtained supported a previous model, based on EPR data, proposing a spin-spin interaction between unpaired electrons associated with Fe-S and Mo. The technique demonstrated that the additional apparently isotropic, splitting in the Mo EPR spectra observed at low temperature is produced by a single site giving two spectra interconverting at a rate consistent with the Fe-S spin lattice relaxation time. Other data concerning the model and the relaxation behaviour of the species are discussed.

Animals