Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Cholates”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources

Reconstitution of M13 bacteriophage coat protein. A new strategy to analyze configuration of the protein in the membrane.

The configuration of M13 bacteriophage coat protein in a model membrane was analyzed using protease digestion followed by gel permeation chromatography on Fractogel TSK in formic acid/ethanol. Important information is contained in the chromatographic patterns of the membrane-bound fragments, as well as of the fragments released by the digestion. A new reconstitution was thereby developed which involves adding a small volume of a concentrated solution of cholate-solubilized coat protein to preformed vesicles (with the amount of detergent added being less than that required to solubilize the vesicles), freezing in liquid nitrogen, thawing, followed by dialysis to remove excess detergent. The coat protein is incorporated with high efficiency (95 percent) making subsequent fractionation unnecessary. In addition, the incorporated protein is not aggregated, and is incorporated with most molecules spanning the membrane, oriented in the same manner as in vivo (N-terminus outwards). Two previously described reconstitutions, using sonication or cholate dialysis, are analyzed and found to be less satisfactory.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Reconstitution of the glucose transporter from bovine heart.

Reconstitution of the glucose transporter from heart should be useful as an assay in its purification and in the study of its regulation. We have prepared plasma membranes from bovine heart which display D-glucose reversible binding of cytochalasin B (33 pmol sites/mg protein; Kd = 0.2 muM). The membrane proteins were reconstituted into liposomes by the freeze-thaw procedure. Reconstituted liposomes showed D-glucose transport activity which was stereospecific, saturable and inhibited by cytochalasin B, phloretin, and mercuric chloride. Compared to membrane proteins reconstituted directly, proteins obtained by dispersal of the membranes with low concentrations of cholate or by cholate solubilization showed 1.2- or 2.3-fold higher specific activities for reconstituted transport, respectively. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by electrophoretic protein transfer and labeling with antisera prepared against the human erythrocyte transporter identified a single band of about 45 kDa in membranes from both dog and bovine hearts, a size similar to that reported for a number of other glucose transporters in various animals and tissues.

Animals↗

Iodipamide uptake by rat liver plasma membrane vesicles enriched in the sinusoidal fraction: evidence for a carrier-mediated transport dependent on membrane potential.

Iodipamide, a cholecystographic agent, is known to be taken up by isolated hepatocytes by a mechanism similar or identical with the inward transport of bile salts (Petzinger, E., Joppen, C. and Frimmer, M. (1983) Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 322, 174-179). To elucidate its mode of transport, uptake of iodipamide was studied by rapid-filtration techniques on plasma membrane vesicles enriched in the sinusoidal fraction. Uptake was found to be dependent upon the temperature, the intravesicular volume, a gradient of monovalent cations (Na+, K+ or Li+) and the substrate concentration (saturation kinetics with respect to iodipamide: apparent Km = 70 microM, Vmax = 0.31 nmol per mg protein per min at 100 mM NaCl and 25 degrees C). Countertransport and transstimulation in tracer exchange experiments indicate that in vesicles, iodipamide uptake rather than binding occurs. Na+ could be replaced by K+ or Li+ in our system without any effect. However, in the presence of choline chloride a slight, but distinct reduction occurred. Iodipamide uptake was inhibited by cholate, phalloidin, 4,4'-diisothiocyanato-1,2-diphenylethane-2,2'-disulfonic acid and by bromosulfophthalein with inhibition being competitive in the case of cholate and non-competitive in the case of bromosulfophthalein. Alteration of the membrane potential by addition of NO3-, SCN- or SO4(2-) modified the uptake rate for iodipamide. The above results support our earlier hypothesis that the hepatocellular uptake of iodipamide is due to a carrier-mediated transport, probably similar to that of bile acids. However, translocation of iodipamide is assumed to be driven by the membrane potential only and not by Na+ contransport.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Evidence for glycoprotein components of the hepatocellular bile acid transporter.

The hepatocellular transporter, responsible for the uptake of bile acids and some foreign substances, can be shown to contain carbohydrate moieties. The hepatocellular uptake of cholate and phallotoxin is immediately inhibited by addition of wheat-germ agglutinin. Concanavalin A and lentil lectin reduce the uptake in a time-dependent manner. Apparently sialic acids or N-acetylglucosamine residues are involved in the translocation process. Polypeptides (Mr 50,000, 54,000) of the above transport system, identified by affinity labeling with [3H]isothiocyanatobenzamido cholate and [3H2]diisothiocyano-1,2-diphenylethane-2,2'-disulfonic acid, are heterogenously glycosylated. Binding of 80-90% of the 54, 50 kDa polypeptides to all immobilized lectins tested suggests that both high-mannose and complex type oligosaccharides with fucose and terminal sialic acid residues occur as carbohydrate chains. A 67 kDa labeled polypeptide is not glycosylated. Pilot experiments for purification of the above glycosylated membrane proteins on concanavalin A, lentil lectin and wheat-germ lectin columns are described. However, lectin affinity chromatography is not suitable as a one-step purification procedure for the labeled polypeptides.

4,4'-Diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-Disulfonic Acid↗

Solubilization and reconstitution of hepatic System A-mediated amino acid transport. Preparation of proteoliposomes containing glucagon-stimulated transport activity.

System A-mediated amino acid transport activity from rat liver plasma membrane vesicles has been solubilized and reconstituted into proteoliposomes using a freeze-thaw-dilution technique. The presence of cholate, at a cholate to protein ratio of 1:1, during the freeze-thaw step resulted in an enhancement in recoverable transport activity. The carrier required both phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine for optimal activity, but the addition of cholesterol to the reconstitution procedure appeared to have no significant effect on the resulting activity. A lipid to protein ratio of 20:1 yielded maximal transport activity. Sonication of the proteoliposomes provided some improvement in the accuracy of replicate assays for a given proteoliposome preparation. Isolated liver plasma membrane vesicles prepared from rats treated in vivo with glucagon in combination with dexamethasone contained stimulated System A activity. This enhanced transport activity could be solubilized and recovered in proteoliposomes generated from these plasma membranes. The data support the proposal that hormone regulation of the hepatic System A gene results in the de novo synthesis and plasma membrane insertion of the carrier protein itself.

Amino Acids↗

Rat liver plasma membrane Ca2+- or Mg2+-activated ATPase. Evidence for proton movement in reconstituted vesicles.

The Ca2+- or Mg2+-activated ATPase from rat liver plasma membrane was partly purified by treatments with sodium cholate and lysophosphatidylcholine, and by isopycnic centrifugation on sucrose gradients. The ATPase activity had high sensitivity to detergents, poor nucleotide specificity and broad tolerance for divalent cations. It was insensitive to mitochondrial ATPase inhibitors such as oligomycin and to transport ATPase inhibitors such as vanadate and ouabain. Using the cholate dialysis procedure, the partly purified enzyme was incorporated into asolectin vesicles. Upon addition of Mg2+-ATP, fluorescence quenching of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine (ACMA) was observed. The quenching was abolished by a protonophore, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone (FCCP). Asolectin vesicles or purified ATPase alone failed to promote quenching. These data suggest that the Ca2+- or Mg2+-activated ATPase from rat liver plasma membrane is able of H+-translocation coupled to ATP hydrolysis.

Animals↗

Entrapment of lipid vesicles and membrane protein-lipid vesicles in gel bead pores.

Phospholipid vesicles were entrapped in gel beads of Sepharose 6B and Sephacryl S-1000 during vesicle preparation by dialysis. Egg-yolk phospholipids solubilized with cholate or octyl glucoside were dialysed together with gel beads for 2.5 days in a flat dialysis bag. Some vesicles were formed in gel bead pores and vesicles of sufficient size became trapped. Red cell membrane protein-phospholipid vesicles could be immobilized in the same way. Non-trapped vesicles were carefully removed by chromatographic procedures and by centrifugation. The amount of entrapped vesicles increased with the initial lipid concentration and was dependent on the relative sizes of vesicles and gel pores. The largest amount of trapped vesicles, corresponding to 9.5 mumol of phospholipids per ml gel, was achieved when Sepharose 6B gel beads were dialysed with cholate-solubilized lipids at a concentration of 50 mM. In this case the vesicles had an average diameter of 60 nm and an internal volume of 15 microliters/ml gel. The amount of vesicles trapped in Sephacryl S-1000 gel beads upon dialysis under the same conditions was smaller: 2.2 mumol of phospholipids per ml gel. Probably most of the gel pores were too large to trap such vesicles. Larger vesicles, with an average diameter of 230 nm, were entrapped in the Sephacryl S-1000 matrix in an amount corresponding to 3.0 mumol phospholipids per ml gel upon dialysis of the gel beads and octyl glucoside-solubilized lipids at a concentration of 20 mM. The internal volume of these vesicles was 22 microliters/ml gel. The yield of immobilized phospholipids was up to 19%. The entrapped vesicles were somewhat unstable: 9% of the phospholipids were released during 9 days of storage at 4 degrees C. By the dialysis entrapment method vesicles can be immobilized in the gel beads without using hydrophobic ligands or covalent coupling.

Acrylic Resins↗

Study of the transcortin binding to human endometrium plasma membrane.

Transcortin complexed with progesterone was shown to bind specifically to the plasma membrane of human decidual endometrium. The binding reaction was characterized by a high affinity (an apparent Kd value was (1.0 +/- 0.2).10(-10) mol/l) and high selectivity: such human serum proteins as albumin, orosomucoid, transferrin, thyroxine-binding globulin and sex hormone-binding globulin did not compete with transcortin for the membrane binding sites. Transcortin binding to the membrane was steroid-dependent: transcortin-cortisol complex bound to the membranes substantially more weakly than transcortin-progesterone, and specific binding of transcortin devoid of steroid was not detected. Using a radioimmunoassay, we have measured the concentration of endogenous transcortin in highly purified membrane preparations solubilized with sodium cholate. It was found that an extensive washing of decidual strips with a physiological buffer prior to the membrane isolation resulted in a decrease of the endogenous transcortin level along with an increase of the specific membrane binding of exogenous 125I-labeled transcortin. Affinity chromatography on immobilized transcortin was used to isolate transcortin-binding components from 125I-labeled, cholate-solubilized plasma membrane of decidual endometrium. Along with lipid components, the structure of which was not investigated, a 125I-labeled transcortin-binding sialoglycoprotein with a minimal Mr of 20.0 +/- 1.5 kDa and a pI of approx. 3.3 was detected. In the presence of transcortin, this sialoglycoprotein could be precipitated with a monospecific antitranscortin antiserum. Using hydroxylapatite as a separating agent, the interaction of transcortin and the membrane sialoglycoprotein in model systems containing the two proteins and various steroid hormones was studied. It was found that the membrane sialoglycoprotein displayed a higher affinity for transcortin-progesterone than for transcortin-cortisol (the Kd values were, respectively, 2.10(-11) and 7.10(-11) mol/l) and it did not bind transcortin complexed with testosterone.

Blood Proteins↗

Solubilization of DMPC and DPPC vesicles by detergents below their critical micellization concentration: high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and freeze-fracture electron microscopy reveal two interaction sites of detergents in vesicles.

The interaction of sodium deoxycholate, sodium cholate and octyl glucoside with sonicated vesicles of L alpha-dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and L alpha-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) at concentrations below the critical micellization concentration (cmc) of the detergents was studied by high-sensitivity DSC (hs-DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. The two phospholipids exhibited a striking different thermotropic behaviour in the presence of these detergents. For DPPC vesicles, the detergents were found to interact exclusively in the aqueous interface region of the bilayer below the membrane saturation concentration Rsat while in DMPC vesicles two coexisting interaction sites below this concentration persist. These are detergents which interact at the aqueous interface region (site 1) and in the acyl chain region (site 2) of the DMPC vesicles. The partition coefficients K of the detergents between DPPC vesicles and the water phase were calculated from the hs-DSC results at two detergent/phospholipid molar ratios Rtot less than or equal to Rsat as 0.35, 0.049 and 0.040 mol-1 for sodium deoxycholate, sodium cholate and octyl glucoside, respectively. In contrast, for DMPC the K values for Rtot less than or equal to Rsat were found to be dependent on Rtot due to the occupation of site 2 by the detergents above a certain Rtot. The model is discussed on the basis of the detergents free energies of transfer from the water phase to site 1 and site 2 of the vesicles, respectively. The solubilization behaviour of DPPC vesicles, dependent on whether the total detergent concentration is above or below the cmc at Rsat, differed significantly as revealed by hs-DSC. This suggests that in the latter case an additional hydrophobic effect could facilitate the formation of disc shaped mixed micelles. Moreover, this different behaviour was employed to measure the cmc values of the detergents studied in the presence of the vesicles by hs-DSC.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

Preparation of an affinity chromatography matrix for the selective purification of the dopamine D2 receptor from bovine striatal membranes.

A ligand affinity matrix has been developed and utilized to purify the dopamine D2 receptor approx. 2100 fold from bovine striatal membranes. 3-[2-Aminoethyl]-8-[3-(4-fluorobenzoyl)propyl]-4-oxo-1-phenyl-1,3,8- triazaspiro[4.5]decan-4-one (AES) was synthesized and used to prepare the affinity matrix by coupling to epoxy-activated Sepharose 6B (AES-Sepharose). AES (Ki approximately 1.7 nM) is similar in potency to the parent compound, spiperone (Ki approximately 0.8 nM), in competing for [3H]spiperone-binding activity. AES has no significant potency in competing for the dopamine D1 receptor as assessed by competition for [3H]SCH23390 binding (Ki greater than 1 microM). Covalent photoaffinity labeling of the dopamine D2 receptor in bovine striatal membranes with N-(p-azido-m-[125I]iodophenethyl)spiperone [( 125I]N3-NAPS) was prevented by AES at nanomolar concentrations. The dopamine D2 receptor was solubilized from bovine striatal membranes using 0.25% cholate in the presence of high ionic strength, followed by precipitation and subsequent treatment with 0.5% digitonin. Nearly 100% of the [3H]spiperone-binding activity in the cholate-digitonin solubilized preparation was absorbed at a receptor-to-resin ratio of 2:1 (v/v). Dopamine D2 receptor was eluted from the affinity resin using a competing dopaminergic antagonist molecule, haloperidol. Recovery of dopamine D2 receptor activity from the affinity matrix was approx. 9% of the activity adsorbed to the resin. The [3H]spiperone-binding activity in AES-Sepharose affinity purified preparations is saturable and of high affinity (0.2 nM). Affinity-purified preparations maintain the ligand-binding characteristics of a dopamine D2 receptor as assessed by agonist and antagonist competition for [3H]spiperone binding.

Affinity Labels↗

The pH dependence of the hemolytic potency of bile salts.

The membrane damaging potential of dilute solutions of bile salts was evaluated by monitoring continuously the hemolysis of a small sample of red blood cells (RBC) introduced into a defined media containing the bile salts at various pH values. The strength of the hemolytic bile salt was characterized by the rate of the induced hemolysis and by the time that elapsed between the introduction of the RBC sample into the bile salt containing solution and the onset of hemolysis. The potency of the unconjugated bile acids was extremely sensitive to pH, e.g. the rate of hemolysis caused by a 7.5 mM cholate was 1.5%, 20% and 64% per min when the pH of the solution was 7.65, 7.3 and 6.85, respectively. At low pH values the membrane damaging effects of deoxycholate was clearly discerned at micromolar concentration range. The hemolytic potency of glycodeoxycholate was also enhanced significantly by lowering the pH. The taurine-conjugated cholate and deoxycholate were only slightly sensitive to variations in pH. Taurocholate at concentrations that were not hemolytic greatly enhanced the injurious potency of deoxycholate. These results imply that in acidic solutions the presence of bile acids can cause damage to cell membranes. It is suggested that the acidic environment in the proximal duodenum and acidosis developed during hypoxia in the liver are two situations in which the bile salts may constitute a pathogenic factor.

Animals↗

Membrane transport of conjugated and unconjugated bile acids into hepatocytes is susceptible to SH-blocking reagents.

The present study indicates that SH-groups are essential for the uptake of [3H]taurocholate and [14C]cholate into isolated rat hepatocytes. Several sulfhydryl-modifying reagents viz. p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (PCMBS), N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), dithio-bis(5-nitropyridine) (DTNP), bromosuccinimide and HgCl2 inhibited uptake of bile acids in a concentration-dependent manner. PCMBS was the most effective inhibitor in the uptake of taurocholate, while NEM is preferentially blocking the cholate uptake. PCMBS inhibited both the sodium- dependent and the sodium-independent bile acid uptake. Two different moieties of SH-groups seemed to be important for bile acid transport. One group was susceptible to DTNP and NEM, whereas PCMBS was able to block another type of SH-groups in addition. Cell viability was altered by SH-blockers, except by PCMBS. Efflux studies with 86Rb+ demonstrated that the transmembrane potential of hepatocytes was less effected by 100 microM PCMBS in contrast to 100 microM HgCl2. Efflux of tetra[3H]phenylphosphonium and of [3H]aflatoxin in PCMBS-treated hepatocytes documented membrane integrity during at least 10 min. PCMBS did not reduce cellular ATP levels significantly (minus 7%) nor did it markedly increase the amount of the Trypan-blue stained hepatocytes (plus 8.5%). The blocking effect of PCMBS was immediate and was completely reversed by the addition of 500 microM dithiothreitol (DTT), indicating a specific interaction with sulfhydryl-groups. This antagonizing effect of DTT depends on the concentration and exposure time of PCMBS. Six other thiols viz. 2-mercaptoethanol, 1,2-dimercaptoethane, 1,4-dimercaptobutane, 1,6-dimercaptohexane, L-cysteine and L-glutathione were less effective. The results suggest that free SH-groups on the outer surface of hepatocytes play an important role in the uptake process for conjugated and unconjugated bile acids.

4-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate↗

Alamethicin as a permeabilizing agent for measurements of Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity in proteoliposomes, sealed membrane vesicles, and whole cells.

The channel-forming antibiotic peptide alamethicin was used in measurements of Ca-ATPase activity in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles, proteoliposomes containing Ca(2+)-ATPase from SR, and native human platelets. Alamethicin was used as a permeabilizing agent providing for a free access of the whole cells or sealed vesicles interiors for ions, ATP, and other reactants. The experiments were carried out with the use of alamethicin preparations obtained in our laboratory and that purchased from the Upjohn Company (antibiotic U-22,324). A comparative study of the effects of Ca(2+)-ionophore A23187 and alamethicin was performed on native SR vesicles containing Ca(2+)-ATPase molecules with right orientation and SR vesicles treated with cholate in order to randomize Ca(2+)-ATPase molecules orientation in the membrane. It was found out that alamethicin, like A-23187, prevents the ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation by the vesicles and therefore activates the Ca(2+)-ATPase. Maximal specific activities of the Ca(2+)-ATPase in native SR vesicles in the presence of either alamethicin, or A23187, or both of them, are equal in all cases to 20 activity units (mumol Pi per min per mg protein). The operative range of alamethicin concentrations is 5-25 micrograms/ml and is a little wider than that for A23187. The ATPase activity of the SR vesicles treated with cholate reached 20 units in the presence of alamethicin while in the presence of A23187 it was only 10 units. These data suggest that alamethicin unlike A23187 allows ATP to reach the ATPase's active centers from the inside of the SR vesicles with 'randomized' membranes, the ATP transport through the membrane not being the rate-limiting stage of ATP hydrolysis. It was shown that diffusion flux of ATP through a BLM in the presence of alamethicin may reach 10% of the flux through the hole without the BLM. With the use of alamethicin it was found out that the quality of randomization of the ATPase molecules orientation in the membrane depends on the proteoliposome preparation technique. The ATP transport through the alamethicin pores makes possible the use of alamethicin in accurate measurements of Ca(2+)-ATPase activity in whole cells. A method was developed for determination of the activity of human platelets was found to be 90-100 nmol Pi per min per mg protein.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Hepatoselective carrier-mediated sodium-independent uptake of pravastatin and pravastatin-lactone.

Pravastatin and pravastatin-lactone are not taken up into extrahepatic cells such as fibroblasts, or hepatoma cells such as AS-30D ascites hepatoma cells or FAO cells. In contrast, pravastatin is taken up into isolated rat hepatocytes by a carrier mediated, saturable, temperature-dependent and energy-dependent mechanism. The kinetic parameters for the saturable uptake are Km 27 microM, Vmax 537 pmol/mg per min. The permeability coefficients were determined to be 9.829 x 10(-7) cm/s at 4 degrees C, 1.76 x 10(-6) cm/s at 7 degrees C, 3.85 x 10(-6) cm/s at 17 degrees C and 5.82 x 10(-6) cm/s at 37 degrees C. The activation energy is 60 kJ/mol for 100 microM pravastatin at 37 degrees C. The Q10 values are between 1.7 and 2.8. In the presence of metabolic inhibitors and in the absence of oxygen, transport is inhibited. Uptake of pravastatin is not dependent on an extracellular to intracellular sodium-gradient. Replacement of chloride by sulfate, nitrate, gluconate or thiocyanate significantly inhibits the uptake of pravastatin. Uptake is competitively inhibited by cholate and taurocholate in the presence and absence of sodium. Pravastatin, however, competitively inhibits the uptake of cholate and taurocholate only in the absence of sodium. In addition, pravastatin-lactone enters liver cells via an energy-dependent, carrier-mediated uptake system. For the saturable energy-dependent part of the hepatocellular uptake a Km value of 9 microM and a Vmax value of 621 pmol/mg per min was determined. The permeability coefficient of pravastatin-lactone uptake is calculated to be 5.41 x 10(-6) cm/s at 37 degrees C. The uptake of pravastatin-lactone is competitively-noncompetitively inhibited by pravastatin and by lovastatin and vice versa. These results indicate that the hepatoselectivity of pravastatin is due to its carrier-mediated uptake into rat hepatocytes via a sodium-independent bile acid carrier. Pravastatin-lactone resembles pravastatin-sodium in its hepatoselectivity.

Animals↗

The mode of action of primary bile salts on human platelets.

Cholate and its conjugated amide derivatives glycocholate and taurocholate solubilized human platelets differently as studied by the observations on: (1) the change in optical absorbance of platelet suspension, (2) marker leakiness and (3) component solubility. Cholate ruptures the membrane in an all-or-none process, while both conjugated derivatives shed off both proteins and lipids. The shed lipids formed vesicles and could be separated from the proteins. The conjugated salts gradually chop off the cell membrane into pieces causing the cells to become small spheres (1.5 microns in diameter) as revealed by scanning electron microscopy, which also revealed that morphological change of platelet in these bile salts depended on both concentration and incubation period. Platelets at the prelytic-stage concentration of these three salts deformed initially to spiculate disc and finally to a stretched-out flat form. Also, in the prelytic stage of these bile salts, platelets showed inhibited responses to thrombin which did not happen to platelets in deoxycholate (Shiao et al. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 980, 56-68.).

Bile Acids and Salts↗

Effects of detergents and choline-containing phospholipids on human spleen glucocerebrosidase.

1. Glucocerebrosidase, extracted from human spleen lysosomal membrane by sodium cholate and recovered in a high speed centrifugation supernatant, aggregated following removal of the detergent. 2. Re-solubilization of the enzymatic activity from the aggregate was achieved by treatment with the non-ionic detergents Triton X-100 and Tween 20. The anionic detergents sodium cholate and sodium taurocholate and the cationic detergents cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and cetylpyridinium chloride were also effective. The solubilizing capacity of the anionic detergents was smaller than that of the nonionic detergents. Quantitative evaluation of the solubilizing capacity of the cationic detergents was not feasible because of their being potent inhibitors of glucocerebrosidase activity. 3. Treatment of the enzyme aggregate with acetone rendered it buffer-soluble. 4. In addition to the above cationic detergents some choline-containing and highly hydrophobic phospholipids were found to inhibit the glucocerebrosidase activity.

Cholic Acids↗

Bile induction of 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases in Clostridium absonum.

Eight strains of Clostridium absonum grown in the presence of 4 . 10(-4) M deoxycholate contained both NADP-dependent 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities. In one strain studied in detail, significant amounts of NADP-dependent 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and NAD-dependent 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities were demonstrated only when cells were grown in the presence of deoxycholate or chenodeoxycholate, both optimal at 4 . 10(-4) M. When the bile salt was deleted from the medium, only a trace of 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was present and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was absent. Other bile salts including cholate, ursodeoxycholate and keto bile salts were less effective as inducers. Addition of cholate to medium already containing deoxycholate at a suboptimal concentration enhanced the induction, while addition of ursodeoxycholate suppressed the induction. Further enhancement of 7 alpha- and 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase could be obtained by additions of deoxycholate (up to a total of 6 . 10(-4) M) during the growth of the organisms (in log phase). As enzyme enhancement is blocked by addition of rifampicin to the medium, the authors conclude that the enzymes are bile salt-inducible. Growth curve studies revealed an optimal enzyme yield at a harvest time of approx. 6-9 h. We have preliminarily characterized several inducible enzyme components: an NADP-dependent 7 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase as well as both NAD- and NADP-dependent 7 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases.

Chenodeoxycholic Acid↗

Purification and properties of a phospholipid acyl hydrolase from plasma membranes of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The properties of a phospholipid acyl hydrolase bound to yeast plasma membranes are described in detail. The enzyme is capable of splitting all phospholipids which can be extracted from yeast cells. The specific activity with lysophosphatidylcholine as substrate was much higher than with phosphatidylcholine. With dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine as substrate a broad pH optimum was measured between pH 3.0 and 4.5. The membrane-bound enzyme was activated strongly by the anionic detergents SDS, deoxycholate and, to a lesser extent, by cholate. The uncharged detergent Triton X-100 and the zwitterionic detergent SB12 exerted an only slightly activating effect. KCl, NaCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2 were inhibitory in the presence of glycine/acetic acid buffer at pH 4.0. THe enzyme was solubilized by cholate or by SB12 in an active form from the plasma membrane and purified by acetone and (NH4)2SO4 precipitation or gel filtration with Sephadex G-200. THe phospholipid acyl hydrolase was identified as a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular weight of 145,000 by SDS slab gel electrophoresis.

Cell Membrane↗