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PubMed2002

Investigation of homo- and heterodimer alkali metal cation complexes of resorc[4]arenes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Resorc[4]arenes are compounds with interesting properties, mainly because of their ability to form host-guest complexes with the guest located inside the cavity. The size of the guest limits the complexation, as shown by a competition experiment with tetraalkylammonium ions of different size. By electroscopy ionization tandem mass spectrometric experiments on resorc[4]arene heterodimers bearing an alkali metal ion as guest, it was found that there must be two different binding mechanisms for alkali metal ions with high surface charge density (Li(+) and Na(+)) on the one hand compared with those with a lower surface charge density on the other hand (K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+)).

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Cation selective promotion of tubulin polymerization by alkali metal chlorides.

A role for charge-based interactions in protein stability at the monomer or dimer level is well known. We show here that such interactions can also be important for the higher-order structures of microtubule assembly. Alkali metal chlorides increase the rate of polymerization of pure tubulin driven by either taxol or dimethyl sulfoxide. The effect is cation selective, exhibiting a sequence Na+ > K+ > Li+ > Cs+, with optimal concentrations for Na+ at approximately 160 mM. Hofmeister anion effects are additive with these rate stimulations. Sodium is less potent than guanidinium ion stimulation reported previously, but produces a larger fraction of normal microtubules. Alkali metal cations lower the critical concentration by a factor of approximately 2, produce cold reversible polymers whose formation is sensitive to podophyllotoxin inhibition, increase the fraction of polymers present as microtubules from approximately 0.9 to 0.99, and reverse or prevent urea-induced depolymerization of microtubules. In the presence of microtubule-associated proteins, the promotion of polymerization is no longer cation selective. In the polymerization of tubulin S, in which the acidic C termini of both monomers have been cleaved, the cation enhancement is markedly decreased, although selective persists. Because the selectivity sequence is similar to that of the coil/helix transition of polyglutamic acid, we suggest that a major part, although not all, of the cation selective enhancement of polymerization results from shielding of the glutamate-rich C termini of the tubulin monomers.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Attachment of alkali cations on beta-D-glucopyranose: matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight studies and ab initio calculations.

In matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry, carbohydrates ionize by attachment of an alkali cation, and the ion yield varies with the nature of the cation. In an attempt to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms involved, we have conducted matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) experiments on the simple glucose molecule with the alkali cations Li+, Na+ and K+, and have also performed ab initio calculations. The calculations show that, for the most stable carbohydrate-cation geometry, the carbohydrate ring is twisted and the cation is coordinated to four oxygen atoms. Calculations also show that in these complexes the positions of the three cations are very similar, and the smaller the cation, the closer it is to the oxygen atoms. Finally, the calculated formation enthalpies of the different complexes agree with the experimental results obtained for the order of stability of these complexes.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗
PubMed1995

Sequence and expression of amphioxus alkali myosin light chain (AmphiMLC-alk) throughout development: implications for vertebrate myogenesis.

The lower chordate amphioxus, widely considered the closest living invertebrate relative of the vertebrates, is a key organism for understanding the relationship between gene duplications and evolution of the complex vertebrate body plan. In tetrapod vertebrates, the alkali myosin light chain genes (MLC-alk), which code for proteins associated with the globular head of the myosin heavy chain, constitute a large family with stage-, tissue-, and fiber-type-specific expression of different isoforms thought to have arisen by duplication of a single ancestral gene. In protostome invertebrates, e.g., arthropods, molluscs, and nematodes, only one MLC-alk gene has been found, but the number of such genes in deuterostome invertebrates and lower vertebrates is unknown. The present report, describing the sequence and expression throughout development of the amphioxus gene for alkali myosin light chain (AmphiMLC-alk), thus fills a major gap in understanding the relation between gene duplication and increasing diversity of muscle-cell types. A full-length clone (1 kb) of AmphiMLC-alk was isolated from a larval amphioxus cDNA library. It coded for a 149-amino-acid protein most closely related to the vertebrate embryonic form of MLC-alk. Southern blot analysis revealed only one copy of AmphiMLC-alk and suggested that it is the only MLC-alk gene in amphioxus. Northern blot analysis indicated that this gene produces only one transcript, which is expressed at all stages of development and in adults. In situ hybridizations showed expression initially in the myotomes of somites 2-5 of neurula embryos and soon thereafter in the myotomes of somite 1 and of newly forming somites progressively added posteriorly. Myotomal expression continues throughout larval development and into the adult stage as the myotomal cells differentiate into striated, mononucleate muscle cells--unlike vertebrate striated muscle cells, those of amphioxus never become multinucleate. In late larvae and adults myotomal expression of AmphiMLC-alk is localized along the medial edge of the myotome and at the ends of the cells. This is the first demonstration of intracellular localization of MLC transcripts in muscle cells of any animal. Expression of AmphiMLC-alk was also detected in smooth muscles as well as in striated muscles not derived from the myotome. These expression data are consistent with the Southern blot analysis in suggesting that there is only one MLC-alk gene in amphioxus. Thus, duplication of an ancestral vertebrate MLC-alk gene probably occurred after the vertebrate and amphioxus lineages split.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Dynamics of the expression of cytoskeleton components and adherens molecules by fibroblastic cells in alkali-burned and lacerated corneas.

To provide a better understanding of the role of fibroblastic cells during corneal wound-healing, we examined the expression of cytoskeleton components (i.e. smooth muscle alpha-actin (alpha-SMA), vimentin, desmin), adherens molecules (vinculin and talin) and cellular fibronectin in alkali-burned and lacerated rabbit corneas. Alkali-burned and lacerated corneas, which had healed for various periods of time (1 day to 45 days), were excised and subjected to immunohistochemical studies with monoclonal antibodies against alpha-SMA, vimentin, desmin, vinculin, talin and cellular fibronectin. Monoclonal antibody against alpha-SMA reacted with fibroblastic cells in injured corneas but did not react with keratocytes in normal corneas. Anti-desmin antibody did not react with any corneal cells in normal or injured corneas except the muscle cells in the newly-formed capillary of injured corneas. The results indicate that the fibroblastic cells in injured corneas have the characteristics of myofibroblasts. The number of myofibroblasts in granulation tissues increased and peaked within 3 weeks of injury and then declined. Electron microscopy revealed that some fibroblastic cells in the lacerated cornea which had healed for 4 weeks contained dense chromatins. In situ 3'-end labeling with terminal nucleotide transferase indicating that some of the fibroblastic cells contained nicked genomic DNA. These observations imply that apoptosis plays a role in regulating the number of myofibroblasts in the injured corneas. Antibodies against cellular fibronectin, vinculin and talin react with the fibroblastic cells in the injured corneas, but not with the keratocytes of normal corneas. Examination with transmission electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of microtendon and fibronexis associated with fibroblastic cells and the presence of stress fiber within fibroblastic cells. The results indicate that the fibroblastic cells may cause corneal wound contraction, which in turn contributes to the formation of opaque scar tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Amniotic membrane patching promotes healing and inhibits proteinase activity on wound healing following acute corneal alkali burn.

Amniotic membrane (AM) contains basement membrane components and various proteinase inhibitors. Furthermore, when used as a graft, the basement membrane of AM could block inflammatory insults to a damaged corneal surface. Thus, we evaluated whether amniotic membrane patching could promote the healing process by inhibiting proteolytic damage. Alkali wounds were inflicted on the central corneas of rabbits by applying a round filter paper, 6.0 mm in diameter, soaked in 1 N NaOH for 30 sec. Amniotic membrane patching was performed over the perilimbal sclera immediately after wounding. A total of 115 rabbits were divided into four groups: (1) immediately covered by AM with the amnion cell side down up to the perilimbal sclera (n =26); (2) covered by AM with the stromal side down up to the perilimbal sclera (n =19); (3) anchored to the fornix (n =29); and (4) uncovered as a control (n =41). AM was removed 3 days postoperatively. During follow-ups, epithelial defects, corneal thickness and its opacity of each eye were measured. Some corneas were removed for histopathologic studies and for proteinase activity assay and zymography. The epithelial healing was faster and the corneal thickness was thicker in all three AM-covered groups than in the control (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between covered and anchored groups (P>0.05). Corneal opacity was least in the amnion cell side down group. Infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) was much less in AM-covered groups than in the control. Pathological results were associated with zymographic findings, which revealed much higher proteinase activity in uncovered group than AM-covered groups. Immediate intervention for acute alkali burns with AM as a temporary patch promotes wound healing by inhibiting proteinase activity and PMNs infiltration.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Solid-phase extraction for the decontamination of alkali metal, alkaline Earth metal, and ammonium salts from heavy metal ions.

Salicylaldoxime-immobilized silica gel was characterized and used as a potential sorbent for heavy metal ions, viz. Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), and Zn(II). The experimental conditions were optimized both in batch and column processes to achieve the maximum efficiency. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters as well as isotherm constants were evaluated to test the feasibility of the process. The role of various metal ions and different anions were tested in order to monitor the process in case of real samples. The alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, and ammonium salts do not have any effect on the said process. This differential behavior can be effectively used for the decontamination of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, and ammonium salts from Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), and Zn(II) ions via solid phase extraction following AAS measurement. The purification of the salts was confirmed by voltammetric experiment.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1986

Inactivation of metalloenzymes by lysinoalanine, phenylethylaminoalanine, alkali-treated food proteins, and sulfur amino acids.

Synthetic lysinoalanine (LAL) may be a more effective inhibitor of the zinc-containing enzyme carboxypeptidase A than is ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The enzyme is also inactivated by alkali-treated, lysinoalanine-containing food proteins such as casein, high-lysine corn protein, lactalbumin, soy protein isolate, and wheat gluten, and by alkali-treated zein, which contains no lysinoalanine. Zinc sulfate regenerates only part of the enzymatic activity after exposure to the treated proteins. The extent of inhibition increases with protein concentration and time of treatment. Any inhibition due to phytate is distinct from that due to the treatment. Phenylethylaminoalanine (PEAA), derived from biogenic phenylethylamine, inhibited enzymatic activity of the metalloenzyme carboxypeptidase A (CPA). The inhibition was maximal at pH 7.0 in the pH range 7 to 8.5. The extent of inhibition increased with time of treatment and PEAA concentration. N-acetyl-PEAA did not inhibit the enzyme, suggesting that the free alpha-NH2 group is required for inhibition. PEAA, LAL, sodium phytate, and cysteine also inactivated the copper enzyme, polyphenol, oxidase (tyrosinase) which plays a major role in enzymatic (oxidative) browning of foods. Analogous comparative studies with LAL, EDTA, and sodium phytate suggest that the potency of PEAA as an inhibitor of CPA is similar to that of sodium phytate, and that of the four compounds tested, PEAA is least effective against tyrosinase. Related studies of the iron and copper containing enzyme cytochrome C oxidase showed that EDTA was not inhibitory, PEAA was slightly inhibitory, and LAL and sodium phytate were stronger inhibitors. Mechanistic explanations are offered to account for some of these observations. The possible relevance of these findings to in vivo protein digestion, enzymatic (oxidative) browning of foods, and the mechanism of the lysinoalanine effect on kidney cells are also discussed.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1977

Inhibitory effect of mercaptoamino acids on lysino-alanine formation during alkali treatment of proteins.

Alkali treatment of food proteins converts some amino acid residues to the unnatural amino acid lysinoalanine which has been found to cause kidney damage when fed to rats. Formation of lysinoalanine was essentially prevented when isolates of soy protein and casein were exposed to alkali in the presence of thio-alamino acids such as cysteine. The results suggest that added thiols minimize the formation of potentially toxic lysinoalanine.

Alanine↗
PubMed1989

Chromosomal assignment of two myosin alkali light-chain genes encoding the ventricular/slow skeletal muscle isoform and the atrial/fetal muscle isoform (MYL3, MYL4).

In all eukaryotes, myosin plays a major role in the maintenance of cell shape and in cellular movement; in association with actin and other contractile proteins it is also a major structural component of the muscle sarcomere. Several isoforms of myosin alkali light chain have been identified, associated with different muscle types. We have recently localized the gene encoding the fast skeletal muscle alkali light-chain isoforms MLC1F and MLC3F (HGM symbol, MYL1) to human chromosome 2q32.1-qter (Cohen-Haguenauer 1988). We present here the chromosomal assignment of two loci encoding the ventricular muscle isoform MLC1V (equivalent to the slow skeletal muscle isoform MLC1Sb) and the atrial muscle isoform MLC1A (equivalent to the fetal isoform MLC1emb) using a panel of 25 independent man-rodent somatic cell hybrids. The MLC1V gene (HGM symbol, MYL3) was mapped to human chromosome 3 using a human full-length cDNA probe that hybridizes to a single major human TaqI2.8-kb fragment. The MLC1A probe (HGM symbol, MYL4) was a 360-bp mouse cDNA fragment that gave a distinct signal with human DNA using low stringency conditions of hybridization and washings and after presaturation of the Southern blots with rodent DNA. A single PstI 7.8-kb fragment gives an intense signal, and its presence correlates with the presence of chromosome 17 among the hybrids. These data are in keeping with the localizations of the MLC1V gene to mouse chromosome 9, and of the MLC1A gene to mouse chromosome 11, which share some markers in common with human chromosomes 3 and 17 respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Fish myosin alkali light chains originate from two different genes.

We have determined the amino acid sequences of mullet white skeletal muscle myosin alkali light chains, LC1 and LC3. These are the first available fish myosin sequences. There are 29 differences between the mullet LC1 and LC3 sequences, spread throughout all regions of their polypeptide chains, leading us to conclude that fish myosin alkali light chains originate from two different genes. This finding is in sharp contrast to all previous studies on vertebrate fast skeletal muscle myosins, which showed that in birds and mammals LC1 and LC3 are produced from a single gene by alternative RNA transcription and splicing, yielding proteins which differ only in their N-terminal segments.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Effects of nystatin on intracellular contents and membrane transport of alkali cations, and cell volume in HeLa cells.

Nystatin (50 micrograms/ml) had strong influence on the intracellular contents and membrane transports of monovalent ions and water in HeLa cells. The nystatin-induced changes in the intracellular ion content and cell volume were inhibited by sucrose, and Donnan and osmotic equilibria were attained. Using cells under conditions for these equilibria, the concentrations of intracellular impermeant solutes, their mean valence, the differences of their intra- and extracellular osmotic concentrations, and the circumferential tension of the cell membrane were determined. Stimulation by nystatin of the influx of one cation species, e.g. Rb, was inhibited by another cation species, e.g. Na. The stimulatory effect of nystatin on cation fluxes was reversible within 1 hr after ionophore addition, and after 1-hr treatment the intracellular contents of Na and K became proportional to their extracellular concentrations, provided that the sum of these concentrations was constant (300 mM). Similar proportionality was also observed in the presence of choline, provided that the choline concentration was less than those of the alkali cations. The implications of these results in relation to the osmotic properties of cultured cells, and the experimental regulation of alkali cations in the cells, are discussed.

Biological Transport, Active↗
PubMed1982

Enzymatic activity of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase in the alkali-burned rabbit cornea.

Rabbit eyes burned with 1 n NaOH were studied for enzymatic activity by biochemical methods. The activity of beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (E.C. 3.2.1.50), one of the hydrolases, was found to be significantly increased in corneal epithelium and stroma 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after alkali burns. The increase in enzyme activity seemed to be in correlation with the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) infiltration of the stroma, as found by histopathologic studies. Therefore the PMNs might be the source of the increasing activity of this enzyme after alkali burns.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed2004

Rice Na+/H+-antiporter Nhx1 partially complements the alkali-metal-cation sensitivity of yeast strains lacking three sodium transporters.

A triple mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae lacking its own Na+-ATPases and Na+/H+ antiporters (enal-4delta nha1delta nhx1delta) was used for the expression of the Oryza sativa NHX1 gene encoding a putative vacuolar Na+/H+ exchanger. Upon expression in yeast cells, the OsNhx 1p is not a transport system specific only for sodium cations but it has a broad substrate specificity for at least four alkali metal cations (Na+, Li+, K+ and Rb+) and is able to substitute for the endogenous yeast ScNhx1 antiporter. Its activity contributes to sequestration of alkali metal cations in intracellular vesicles.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Alkali-labile precursors of dimethyl sulfide in marine benthic cyanobacteria

By the method of cold alkali hydrolysis, 29 marine benthic cyanobacteria were screened for production of alkali-labile precursors of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) including dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a compound of significant importance in marine environments. Concentrations of DMS precursors ranged from undetectable to 0.8 mmol (g Chl a)-1. The data correspond to some previous investigations concerning DMSP content of marine cyanobacteria and suggest that marine benthic cyanobacteria are only minor producers of DMSP.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Isolation and properties of obligately chemolithoautotrophic and extremely alkali-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria from Mongolian soda lakes.

Five mixed samples prepared from the surface sediments of 20 north-east Mongolian soda lakes with total salt contents from 5 to 360 g/l and pH values from 9.7 to 10.5 were used to enrich for alkaliphilic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Successful enrichments at pH 10 were achieved on carbonate mineral medium containing 0.6 M total Na(+) and < or =4 mM NH(4)Cl. Five isolates (ANs1-ANs5) of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria capable of growth at pH 10 were obtained from the colonies developed on bilayered gradient plates. The cells were motile and coccoid, with well-developed intracytoplasmic membranes (ICPM) and carboxysomes. At pH 10.0, ammonia was toxic for growth at concentrations higher than 5 mM NH(4)Cl. The bacteria were able to grow within the salinity range of 0.1-1.0 M of total Na+ (optimum 0.3 M). In media containing 0.3-0.6 M total Na(+), optimal growth in batch cultures occurred in the presence of a bicarbonate/carbonate buffer system within the pH range 8.5-9.5, with the highest pH limit at pH 10.5. At pH lower than 8.0, growth was slower, most probably due to decreasing free ammonia. The pH profile of the respiratory activity was broader, with limits at 6.5-7.0 and 11.0 and an optimum at 9.5-10.0. In pH-controlled, NH(3)-limited continuous culture, isolate ANs5 grew up to pH 11.3, which is the highest pH limit known for ammonia-oxidizing bacteria so far. This showed the existence of extremely alkali-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the soda lakes. Comparative 16S rDNA sequence analysis of the five isolates demonstrated that they possess identical 16S rDNA genes and that they are closely related to Nitrosomonas halophila (sequence similarity 99.3%), a member of the beta-subclass of the Proteobacteria. This affiliation was confirmed by comparative sequence analysis of the amoA gene, encoding the active-site subunit of the ammonia-monoxygenase, of one of the isolates. DNA-DNA hybridization data further supported that the soda lake isolates are very similar to each other and represent an alkali-tolerant subpopulation of N. halophila whose species description is herewith amended.

Ammonia↗
PubMed2005

Presence of glucosylceramide in yeast and its relation to alkali tolerance of yeast.

Glycosylceramide is a membrane lipid that has physiological functions in eukaryotic organisms. The presence of glucosylceramide has been confirmed in some yeast; however, the extent of the role of glucosylceramide in yeast is unknown. Thus, the extent of presence of glucosylceramide in yeast was surveyed using 90 strains of 24 genera. The strains were divided into two groups according to whether they had glucosylceramide (45 strains) or not (45 strains). The distribution of the ceramide glucosyltransferase gene (EC 2.4.1.80), which catalyzes glucosylation to a sphingoid lipid in glucosylceramide synthesis, and the phylogenetic classification of the strains were in agreement with those of glucosylceramide. Thus, the presence of glucosylceramide in yeast was caused by the presence of the gene involved in glucosylceramide synthesis and was closely associated with yeast evolution. Furthermore, the relationship between glucosylceramide presence and alkali tolerance of yeast was evaluated. The yeast with glucosylceramide tended to grow at higher pH, and a ceramide-glucosyltransferase-defective mutant from Kluyveromyces lactis did not grow at pH 8.5 even though the parent strain could grow under the same conditions. These results indicate that glucosylceramide in yeast might be a component that enables yeast to grow under alkali conditions.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗