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Purification and characterization of human erythrocyte purine nucleoside phosphorylase and its subunits.

Purine nucleoside phosphorylase (EC 2.4.2.1; purine nucleoside:orthophosphate ribosyltransferase) from fresh human erythrocytes has been purified to homogeneity in two steps with an overall yield of 56%. The purification involves DEAE-Sephadex chromatography followed by affinity chromatography on a column of Sepharose/formycin B. This scheme is suitable for purification of the phosphorylase from as little as 0.1 ml of packed erythrocytes. The native enzyme appears to be a trimer with native molecular weight of 93,800 and the subunit molecular weight of 29,700 +/- 1,100. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme under denaturing conditions revealed four major separable subunits (numbered 1 to 4) with the same molecular weight. The apparent isoelectric points of subunits 1 to 4 in 9.5 M urea are 6.63, 6.41, 6.29, and 6.20, respectively. The different subunits are likely the result of post-translational modification of the enzyme and provide an explanation of the complex native isoelectric focusing pattern of purine nucleoside phosphorylase from erythrocytes. Three of the four subunits are detectable in two-dimensional electrophoretic gels of crude hemolysates. Knowing the location of the subunits of purine nucleoside phosphorylase in a two-dimensional electropherogram allows one to characterize the purine nucleoside phosphorylase in crude cell extracts from individuals with variant or mutant purine nucleoside phosphorylase as demonstrated in a subsequent communication. Partial purification of the phosphorylase from 1 ml of erythrocytes on DEAE-Sephadex increases the sensitivity of detection of the subunits to the 0.3% level.

Erythrocytes↗

The effect of solvents on nucleotide regulation of glycogen phosphorylase.

The activity of glycogen phosphorylase is controlled by two nucleotide sites. We have found that organic solvents affect the regulatory properties of phosphorylase by altering the binding at these two sites. At the activator site, the Ka for AMP is lowered 10-fold in the presence of 10% 1,2-dimethoxyethane while, at the inhibitor site, the Ki for caffeine is increased 6-fold. The stimulation of activity by organic solvents is highly dependent on the enzyme's activity state. Phosphorylase b, which has a requirement for a nucleotide activator, loses this requirement in the presence of organic solvents, while the active form of the enzyme, phosphorylase a, is only slightly stimulated by organic solvents. The activation profile obtained with rabbit liver phosphorylase suggests that differences in the properties of this enzyme from rabbit muscle phosphorylase might be explained by a change in the relative affinity for AMP at the two nucleotide sites. The results also suggest that 1,2-dimethoxyethane may be useful to determine accurately the activities of different forms of liver phosphorylase.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

Effects of the specific cAMP antagonist, (Rp)-adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphorothioate, on the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-induced activity of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase and glycogen synthase.

The cAMP-dependent protein kinase-induced effects on phosphorylase and glycogen synthase activities and glucose production were studied in hepatocytes isolated from fed rats in the presence of the diastereomers of adenosine cyclic 3',5'-phosphorothioate, (Sp)-cAMPS and (Rp)-cAMPS. Incubation of hepatocytes with (Sp)-cAMPS or glucagon, both of which lead to cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation, resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity and a decrease in glycogen synthase activity. Incubation of hepatocytes with the cAMP-dependent protein kinase antagonist, (Rp)-cAMPS, in the absence of an agonist, had no significant effect on phosphorylase or glycogen synthase activities. Incubation of hepatocytes with a half-maximally inhibitory concentration of (Rp)-cAMPS shifted the agonist-induced activation curves for phosphorylase and the agonist-induced inhibition curves for glycogen synthase to 5-fold higher concentrations for both (Sp)-cAMPS and glucagon. Phosphorylase activity was very sensitive to the rapid, concentration-dependent inhibition by (Rp)-cAMPS of agonist-induced activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The effects on phosphorylase activity were observable in 30 s and were concentration-dependent with half-maximal inhibition at 10 microM, similar to that observed for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In contrast, glycogen synthase activity was less sensitive to (Rp)-cAMPS inhibition of agonist-induced activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The effects on glycogen synthase activity lagged behind those on phosphorylase activity and the concentration dependence did not parallel the cAMP-dependent protein kinase effect, but was shifted to higher concentrations of (Rp)-cAMPS with half-maximal inhibition at 60 microM. Glucose (10 to 40 mM) increased the sensitivity of glycogen synthase to (Rp)-cAMPS inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase over a narrow range of agonist concentration, but had no significant effect throughout most of the agonist-induced activation range. Thus, the diastereomers, (Sp)- and (Rp)-cAMPS, influence glycogen metabolism and the glycogenolytic enzymes through their modulation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase levels.

Animals↗

Inhibition by calmodulin of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase activation of phosphorylase kinase.

Calmodulin is shown to inhibit both the activation and phosphorylation of phosphorylase kinase by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Maximal inhibition of both processes was approximately 66% at the highest calmodulin concentration tested (5.5 microM). It was found that the inhibition of phosphorylation was calcium-dependent, reversible by trifluoperazine, and specific for the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase with no significant inhibition of phosphorylation of the alpha subunit. This inhibitory activity of calmodulin appears to be due to an interaction between calmodulin and the substrate, phosphorylase kinase. This finding implies either that the site of exogenous calmodulin interaction with phosphorylase kinase is at the beta subunit or that this interaction results in a conformational change of phosphorylase kinase that inhibits the interaction between cAMP-dependent protein kinase and the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase. The beta subunit may contain a regulatory site that is recognized by either protein kinase or calmodulin. These findings further substantiate the role of the beta subunits in the activation of phosphorylase kinase and provide an additional example of substrate-directed control of phosphorylation.

Animals↗

Phosphorylation of rat liver glycogen synthase by phosphorylase kinase.

Phosphorylation of rat liver glycogen synthase by rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase results in the incorporation of approximately 0.8-1.2 mol of PO4/subunit. Analyses of the tryptic peptides by isoelectric focusing and thin layer chromatography reveal the presence of two major 32P-labeled peptides. Similar results were obtained when the synthase was phosphorylated by rat liver phosphorylase kinase. This extent of phosphorylation does not result in a significant change in the synthase activity ratio. In contrast, rabbit muscle glycogen synthase is readily inactivated by rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase; this inactivation is further augmented by the addition of rabbit muscle cAMP-dependent protein kinase or cAMP-independent synthase (casein) kinase-1. Addition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase after initial phosphorylation of liver synthase with phosphorylase kinase, however, does not result in an inactivation or additional phosphorylation. The lack of additive phosphorylation under this condition appears to result from the phosphorylation of a common site by these two kinases. Partial inactivation of liver synthase can be achieved by sequential phosphorylation with phosphorylase kinase followed by synthase (casein) kinase-1. Under this assay condition, the phosphate incorporation into the synthase is additively increased and the synthase activity ratio (-glucose-6-P/+glucose-6-P) is reduced from 0.95 to 0.6. Nevertheless, if the order of the addition of these two kinases is reversed, neither additive phosphorylation nor inactivation of the synthase is observed. Prior phosphorylation of the synthase by phosphorylase kinase transforms the synthase such that it becomes a better substrate for synthase (casein) kinase-1 as evidenced by a 2- to 4-fold increase in the rate of phosphorylation. This increased rate of phosphorylation of the synthase appears to result from the rapid phosphorylation of a site neighboring that previously phosphorylated by phosphorylase kinase.

Animals↗

[Activation of phosphorylase kinase from rabbit muscle by actin and calmodulin].

The activation of different forms of muscle phosphorylase kinase by actin has been studied. F-actin which is polymerized by 2 mM MgCl2 is a more effective activator of phosphorylase kinase than F-actin polymerized by 50 mM KCl. There is evidence suggesting that the activation of phosphorylase kinase b by actin is not due to the presence of trace amounts of calmodulin in actin preparations: (1) Troponin I and trifluoperazine inhibit the activation of phosphorylase kinase by calmodulin but do not inhibit the activation by actin. (2) The activation induced by saturating concentrations of calmodulin and actin is additive. (3) The activation of phosphorylase kinase by calmodulin and actin has different pH profiles. An addition of F-actin does not affect the apparent Km value for ATP but increases the sensitivity to phosphorylase b and the value of V. F-actin has no stimulating effect on the phosphorylated form (a) of phosphorylase kinase or on the form a previously activated by proteolysis.

Actins↗

Submolecular characterization of a mutant human purine-nucleoside phosphorylase.

Purine-nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency in humans is associated with a severe defect in thymus-derived lymphocyte function. We have used the consanguineous parents of one purine-nucleoside phosphorylase-deficient patient as a source of mutant protein since the enzyme is totally lacking in the homozygous deficient child. When analyzed by denaturing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, purified erythrocytic purine-nucleoside phosphorylase from normal individuals has four major and two minor subunits of identical molecular weight (29,700) but different isoelectric points. Similar analysis of phosphorylase purified from the parents of the purine-nucleoside phosphorylase-deficient child reveals the presence of two additional, more alkaline subunits with molecular weights significantly greater (approximately 500) than the normal subunits. Comparison of the two-dimensional thin layer peptide maps of the complete tryptic hydrolysates of the 125I-labeled subunits demonstrates that all eight subunits have a majority of their peptides in common, and thus, the structures of all are closely related. Peptide maps of the major subunits of normal purine-nucleoside phosphorylase are all identical with each other but different in several peptides from those of the normal minor subunits. Peptide maps of the mutant subunits differ from those of the normal major subunits only in the loss of one normal peptide and the presence of two new peptides. Tryptic peptide analysis of overlapping partial proteolytic cleavage fragments of the mutant and normal major subunits of purine-nucleoside phosphorylase has been used to determine the order of the iodinated tryptic peptides in the molecule. These results indicate that the mutant subunits are altered at an internal position rather than at the termini of the protein. A likely explanation of this internal alteration is an insertion of several tandem amino acid residues, perhaps resulting from an unequal genetic crossover or an intron processing abnormality.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Studies on the alpha-adrenergic activation of hepatic glucose output. I. Studies on the alpha-adrenergic activation of phosphorylase and gluconeogenesis and inactivation of glycogen synthase in isolated rat liver parenchymal cells.

Epinephrine and the alpha-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine activated phosphorylase, glycogenolysis, and gluconeogenesis from lactate in a dose-dependent manner in isolated rat liver parenchymal cells. The half-maximally active dose of epinephrine was 10-7 M and of phenylephrine was 10(-6) M. These effects were blocked by alpha-adrenergic antagonists including phenoxybenzamine, but were largely unaffected by beta-adrenergic antagonists including propranolol. Epinephrine caused a transient 2-fold elevation of adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) which was abolished by propranolol and other beta blockers, but was unaffected by phenoxybenzamine and other alpha blockers. Phenoxybenzamine and propranolol were shown to be specific for their respective adrenergic receptors and to not affect the actions of glucagon or exogenous cAMP. Neither epinephrine (10-7 M), phenylephrine (10-5 M), nor glucagon (10-7 M) inactivated glycogen synthase in liver cells from fed rats. When the glycogen synthase activity ratio (-glucose 6-phosphate/+ glucose 6-phosphate) was increased from 0.09 to 0.66 by preincubation of such cells with 40 mM glucose, these agents substantially inactivated the enzyme. Incubation of hepatocytes from fed rats resulted in glycogen depletion which was correlated with an increase in the glycogen synthase activity ratio and a decrease in phosphorylase alpha activity. In hepatocytes from fasted animals, the glycogen synthase activity ratio was 0.32 +/- 0.03, and epinephrine, glucagon, and phenylephrine were able to lower this significantly. The effects of epinephrine and phenylephrine on the enzyme were blocked by phenoxybenzamine, but were largely unaffected by propranolol. Maximal phosphorylase activation in hepatocytes from fasted rats incubated with 10(-5) M phenylephrine preceded the maximal inactivation of glycogen synthase. Addition of glucose rapidly reduced, in a dose-dependent manner, both basal and phenylephrine-elevated phosphorylase alpha activity in hepatocytes prepared from fasted rats. Glucose also increased the glycogen synthase activity ratio, but this effect lagged behind the change in phosphorylase. Phenylephrine (10-5 M) and glucagon (5 x 10(-10) M) decreased by one-half the fall in phosphoryalse alpha activity seen with 10 mM glucose and markedly suppressed the elevation of glycogen synthase activity. The following conclusions are drawn from these findings. (a) The effects of epinephrine and phenylephrine on carbohydrate metabolism in rat liver parenchymal cells are mediated predominantly by alpha-adrenergic receptors. (b) Stimulation of these receptors by epinephrine or phenylephrine results in activation of phosphorylase and gluconeogenesis and inactivation of glycogen synthase by mechanisms not involving an increase in cellular cAMP. (c) Activation of beta-adrenergic receptors by epinephrine leads to the accumulation of cAMP, but this is associated with minimal activation of phosphorylase or inactivation of glycogen synthase...

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗

Relations between glycogen phosphorylase activity and activities of amylolytic enzymes in rabbit skeletal muscle.

In previous studies an inverse relation was found between glycogen phosphorylase activity and activities of amylolytic enzymes (a-amylase, neutral and acid glucoamylase) in extracts from various muscles. The present study was carried out in an attempt to explain this phenomenon in enzyme systems isolated from rabbit skeletal muscles: glycogen phosphorylase--a-amylase, glycogen phosphorylase--neutral glucoamylase, and a-amylase--neutral glucoamylase. Inhibition of a-amylase activity in presence of glycogen phosphorylase, as previously observed in muscle extracts, was absent in the system of purified enzymes, but was restored by addition of proteins of the muscle extract, particularly proteins of the mitochondrial fraction which form a complex with glycogen. The mechanism of inhibition of a-amylase activity depends on competition for the altered substrate: glycogen phosphorylase degrades the glycogen-protein complex as well as free glycogen, whereas a-amylase acts mainly on the free polysaccharide. In presence of glucoamylase, activity of glycogen phosphorylase decreases, mainly because of the inhibitory influence of glucose liberated by glycoamylase. In the a-amylase--glucoamylase system, activity of glucoamylase increases due to its greater affinity to the breakdown products of glycogen by a-amylase compared with affinity to intact molecules of the polysaccharide. These results explain the antagonism between glycogen phosphorylase and amylolytic enzymes and permit its schematic presentation.

Amylases↗

Studies on the specificity of phosphorylase kinase using peptide substrates.

The action of phosphorylase kinase on synthetic peptides is reported. These peptides are variants of the amino acid sequence. Ser-Asp-Gln-Glu-Lys-Arg-Lys-Gln-Ile-Ser-Val-Arg-Gly-Leu, found in the natural substrate, phosphorylase b. The effects of size, the cluster of basic groups at the NH2-terminal side, the phosphorylatable seryl residue, the hydrophobic groups surrounding serine, and the arginyl function at the COOH-terminal side were tested and analyzed by evaluation of the kinetic parameters, Km and Vmax. The first 6 residues were found to be nonessential, but substitution of residues in the sequence. Lys-Gln-Ile-Ser-Val-Arg, had a large effect on phosphorylation. A comparison was made between the action of nonactivated and activated phosphorylase kinase on selected peptides and phosphorylase b. Various forms of phosphorylase b were tested as substrates for cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase in the presence of effectors and salts. Although phosphorylase would not serve as a substrate for protein kinase, the aforementioned synthetic peptide of the phosphorylase b sequence would do so, indicating that the primary sequence surrounding the phosphorylatable serine did not block phosphorylation, which suggests that higher order structural features prohibit the phosphorylation.

Amino Acids↗

Synthesis of AMP analogs and their use for studies on the allosteric site of rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b.

In order to obtain a better understanding of the allosteric site of rabbit muscle phosphorylase b, nine AMP analogs having a bulky hydrophobic benzene ring were synthesized and tested for activity as activators or inhibitors. N6-Benzyl-AMP derivatives activated phosphorylase b to the same extent as AMP but bound to the enzyme more tightly than AMP. N6-p-nitrobenzyl-AMP had the highest affinity (Ka = 7.7 X 10(-7) M) for the AMP site. In an attempt to irreversibly modify the allosteric site of phosphorylase b, N6-p-bromoacetaminobenzyl-AMP was synthesized. Phosphorylase b was maximally activated upon incorporation of 1.0 mol of N6-p-bromoacetaminobenzyl-AMP per enzyme subunit, and its activity was approximately 90% of that of native phosphorylase b measured in the presence of AMP. The modified enzyme showed characteristics (e.g., kinetic parameters, stability, solubility, inhibition by glucose-6-phosphate, and state of aggregation) quite similar to those observed for the native enzyme in the presence of AMP. These results indicate that the AMP site of phosphorylase was specifically labeled by N6-p-bromoacetaminobenzyl-AMP. The nature of the allosteric site of phosphorylase b is discussed based on the results obtained.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

A continuous spectrophotometric assay for phosphorylase kinase.

A continuous spectrophotometric assay for the determination of the initial rate of the phosphorylase kinase catalyzed reaction at pH 7.0 is presented. The assay incorporates two coupling enzyme systems: (a) recombinant rabbit skeletal muscle type 1 protein phosphatase catalytic subunit which dephosphorylates the phosphorylase a product of the phosphorylase kinase reaction, and (b) the system of Webb (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 4884-4887, 1992), which uses purine nucleoside phosphorylase and its chromophoric substrate, 7-methyl-6-thioguanosine, for the quantitation of the resultant inorganic phosphate. The effects of reaction components on the enzyme activities were studied. The system was standardized and validated. The continuous coupled enzyme system was used for the kinetic analysis of nonactivated phosphorylase kinase at pH 7.0. Km and kcat values of 15.36 +/- 0.2 microM (phosphorylase b monomer) and 21 +/- 1.12 s-1, respectively, were determined.

Animals↗

Dephosphorylation and inactivation of phosphorylase kinase: subunit specificity of rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatases.

The dephosphorylation of phosphorylase kinase by four rabbit skeletal muscle protein phosphatases was studied. The four enzymes used were preparations of protein phosphatases C-I, C-II, H-I, and H-II. Phosphatases C-I, C-II, and H-II were obtained as homogeneous preparations using procedures previously developed. Phosphatase H-I was purified 644-fold from rabbit skeletal muscle for the purposes of this study, and was the major phosphorylase phosphatase activity in the tissue extract. Phosphatases C-I and H-I were relatively specific for removal of the beta subunit phosphate of phosphorylase kinase, this occurring at rates approximately 100 times more rapidly than the removal of the alpha subunit phosphate. In contrast, phosphatases C-II and H-II readily dephosphorylated both the alpha and beta subunits, although the alpha subunit phosphate release occurred at rates about twice that of the beta subunit phosphate. These studies show that skeletal muscle contains two phosphatases capable of acting on phosphorylase kinase, and that these have different specificities as represented by phosphatases H-I and C-I on the one hand, and phosphatases C-II and H-II on the other hand. These studies also provided unequivocal evidence that dephosphorylation of the beta subunit of phosphorylase kinase is solely involved in the inactivation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-activated enzyme. When autophosphorylated phosphorylase kinase was used as the substrate, the four phosphatases displayed similar general specificities as they did toward the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-activated enzyme. With none of the phosphatases examined was there any evidence that alpha subunit phosphorylation affected the rate of beta subunit dephosphorylation.

Animals↗

Modulation by phosphorylation of glycogen phosphorylase-sarcoplasmic reticulum interaction.

Glycogen phosphorylase b at concentrations close to those found in skeletal muscle interacts with sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes, but not with liposomes made of lipids extracted from these membranes, and is inhibited upon binding to the membrane. The interaction of glycogen phosphorylase with the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane is modulated by phosphorylation, for the a form of this enzyme shows a K0.5 of interaction about 10-fold lower than the b form. Upon association to the membrane the fluorescence properties of the coenzyme of glycogen phosphorylase, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, are strongly altered, for the fluorescence at 535 nm is partially quenched and the fluorescence at 415-420 nm increases. Using fluorescein labeled sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes we have found that the average conformation of the Ca2+ + Mg(2+)-ATPase is also altered on binding of phosphorylase b. In conclusion, the results reported in this paper suggest that glycogen phosphorylase and Ca2+ + Mg(2+)-ATPase directly interact under experimental conditions similar to those found in the sarcoplasm, and that this interaction is modulated by phosphorylation of the phosphorylase.

Animals↗

Effects of 1,2-dimethoxyethane on the catalytic and coenzyme properties of glycogen phosphorylase.

Dimethoxyethane, a good activator of phosphorylase b, has been used to study mechanisms of phosphorylase activation and the catalytic reaction. Activation can be explained best by an alteration of the allosteric equilibrium in favor of the active R conformation. Lesser effects are seen with phosphorylase a, and activation does not alter appreciably the equilibrium between the dimeric and tetrameric forms. With 20% 1,2-dimethoxyethane, the Vm value of phosphorylase b is 74% of that obtained in the presence of adenosine monophosphate. In the presence of 10% 1,2-dimethoxyethane, the Ki value for glucose inhibition is increased 3-fold, but inhibition by 1,5-gluconolactone is increased. The allosteric activation of glycogen phosphorylase results in a change in pK1 for the pH-activity profile. The formation of the dianionic form of the phosphoryl group of the coenzyme, pyridoxal phosphate, may account for this change. By analogy to the effects of anions and a change in dielectric on the acid hydroylsis of glucose 1-phosphate, it is suggested that the dianion of the coenzyme could stabilize the developing positive charge of an oxonium ion intermediate. Dimethoxyethane also affects the interaction of pyridoxal phosphate with phosphorylase. It influences the rates of both resolution and reconstitution. Good preparations of apophosphorylase a can be made by using 1,2-dimethoxyethane in the resolution medium.

Animals↗

The catalytic activity of phosphorylase b in the liver. With a note on the assay in the glycogenolytic direction.

1. The activity and the kinetic properties of purified hepatic phosphorylases a and b from rabbit and rat have been investigated in the glycogenolytic direction with a radiochemical assay. 2. In contrast with the a form, phosphorylase b has an absolute requirement for both AMP and a lyotropic salt. When the latter effectors are included, the b/a-form activity ratio remains low (0.03-0.15) at the hepatic concentration of Pi, because the b form has an exceedingly low affinity for this substrate. 3. Only phosphorylase b is significantly inhibited by glucose, glucose 6-phosphate and MgATP2-. Assays in the presence of substrastes, stimulators and inhibitors in the physiological concentration range indicate that glycogenolysis in the liver depends strictly on the conversion of phosphorylase b into a. Even at 1 mM-AMP the b/a-form activity ratio does not exceed 0.01. 4. Current spectrophotometric procedures for the glycogenolytic assay of phosphorylase in crude liver preparations are highly specific for the a form; the measurement of total phosphorylase (a + b) would require impractical modifications, and is better performed in the direction of glycogen synthesis.

Acetates↗

The hepatic glycogenolysis induced by reversible ischaemia or KCN is exclusively catalysed by phosphorylase a.

1. Ischaemia was applied for 30 min to the liver of Wistar rats and of gsd/gsd rats, which have a genetic deficiency of phosphorylase kinase. The rate of glycogenolysis corresponded closely to the concentration of phosphorylase a. The loss of glycogen from Wistar livers was accounted for by the intrahepatic increase in glucose plus lactate. Further, the accumulation of oligosaccharides was negligible in the gsd/gsd liver. 2. Isolated hepatocytes from Wistar and gsd/gsd rats were incubated for 40 min in the presence of either KCN or glucagon. Again, the production of glucose plus lactate was strictly dependent on the presence of phosphorylase a. However, the catalytic efficiency of phosphorylase a was about 2-fold higher in the presence of KCN. 3. We conclude that the hepatic glycogenolysis induced by anoxia and by KCN is solely mediated by phosphorylase a. The higher catalytic activity of phosphorylase a under these circumstances could be due to an increased concentration of the substrate Pi.

Animals↗

Phosphorylase a activity as an indicator of neutrophil activation by chemotactic peptide.

The activity of glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme that is activated by both cAMP and calcium, was used as an indicator of the state of the cytoplasm after chemotactic stimulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (neutrophils). The activity of the enzyme showed a clear dependence on cytoplasmic calcium. Addition of the calcium ionophore A23187 caused a 4-5-fold increase in activity of phosphorylase a. In the absence of external Ca2+, A23187 caused only brief transient activation of phosphorylase; probably reflecting release of sequestered intracellular Ca2+. Addition of the chemotactic peptide N-formylnorleucylleucylphenylalanine (FNLLP) caused a transient 2-3-fold activation of the enzyme. The dose-dependence of activation by FNLLP showed a peak at 10(-8) M, near the Kd of the receptor for FNLLP. The phosphorylase activity peaks by 90 s and then declines, returning to basal levels by 20 min after stimulation with 10(-8) M peptide and by 60 min with 10(-7) M peptide. This finding suggests that the cells do not need to maintain elevated cytoplasmic calcium levels to exhibit stimulated locomotion. Thus, if calcium continues to modulate the motility, there either must be highly localized changes that are not detected in measures of the total cytoplasm, or the sensitivity to calcium must be variable such that basal levels are sufficient to maintain locomotion. Cells loaded with the fluorescence calcium probe quin2 (0.6 mM) in the presence or absence of external Ca2+ had elevated phosphorylase levels before addition of FNLLP. Thus, the presence of quin2 may alter the cytoplasmic Ca2+ level, and it clearly alters some aspects of the neutrophil physiology. Phosphorylase a appears to be a sensitive, nonperturbing indicator of the cytoplasmic calcium levels.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗