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RNA polymerases of maize. Purification and molecular structure of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II.

Nuclear DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II has been purified from leaves of Zea mays by a new procedure that improves enzyme stability and thus permits more manipulation during purification. The purification procedure includes a heating step, gel filtration on Sepharose 6B and 4B, and chromatography on DEAE- and DNA-celluloses. This method of purification yields an enzyme that exhibits maximal activity when denatured DNA is used as a template. Electrophoresis of highly purified enzyme on polyacrylamide gels containing sodium dodecyl sulfate indicates that maize RNA polymerase IIa is composed of several polypeptide subunits. The most highly purified preparations contain polypeptides with molecular weights of 200,000, 160,000, 35,000, 25,000, 20,000, and 17,000.

Chromatography↗

Functional expression of a fungal laccase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae by directed evolution.

Laccase from Myceliophthora thermophila (MtL) was expressed in functional form in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Directed evolution improved expression eightfold to the highest yet reported for a laccase in yeast (18 mg/liter). Together with a 22-fold increase in k(cat), the total activity was enhanced 170-fold. Specific activities of MtL mutants toward 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and syringaldazine indicate that substrate specificity was not changed by the introduced mutations. The most effective mutation (10-fold increase in total activity) introduced a Kex2 protease recognition site at the C-terminal processing site of the protein, adjusting the protein sequence to the different protease specificities of the heterologous host. The C terminus is shown to be important for laccase activity, since removing it by a truncation of the gene reduces activity sixfold. Mutations accumulated during nine generations of evolution for higher activity decreased enzyme stability. Screening for improved stability in one generation produced a mutant more stable than the heterologous wild type and retaining the improved activity. The molecular mass of MtL expressed in S. cerevisiae is 30% higher than that of the same enzyme expressed in M. thermophila (110 kDa versus 85 kDa). Hyperglycosylation, corresponding to a 120-monomer glycan on one N-glycosylation site, is responsible for this increase. This S. cerevisiae expression system makes MtL available for functional tailoring by directed evolution.

Benzothiazoles↗

[Selection of phage-resistent clones of streptococcus group A and their properties].

In studying the effects induced by virulent phage CAI in the sensitive cultures of streptococcus, group A, a possibility was shown of selection of phage-resistant clones with the altered enzymatic activity. These clones lost their capacity to produce proteinase and retained residual lipoproteinase activity. This evidence correlates with literature data indicating that phage-resistant streptococci served as good producers of M-protein--the main virulence factor. Infection of the culture producing streptokinase with phage CAI with a definite infection multiplicity led to an increase of the enzyme activity in the culture fluid. This process was accompanied by selection of the resistant strains characterized by greater streptokinase production and greater enzyme stability. As suggested, the latter could result from the absence of proteolytic activity in the phage-resistant clone.

Bacteriophages↗

Glucoamylase immobilization on a magnetic microparticle for the continuous hydrolysis of maltodextrin in a fluidized bed reactor.

Glucoamylase (GA) has been successfully immobilized through its carbohydrates previously oxidized with periodate onto a low-cost magnetic microparticle made of polyethyleneimine-coated magnetite crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (M-GAD) and derivatized with adipic dihydrazide (ADH). A stabilization posttreatment consisting of crosslinking its carbohydrates with ADH, increased the remaining activity from 54 to 71%, calculated on the Vm values and measured at 50 degrees C and pH 4.5 with maltodextrin (DE 11-14) as substrate. This treatment also improved the enzyme stability and lowered the deactivation rate constant kd to a third of its value. A 30% maltodextrin solution has been continuously hydrolyzed at 50 degrees C and pH 4.5 in a recycled, fluidized bed reactor (FBR) containing GA immobilized on these magnetic microparticles. They easily settled in this highly viscous medium because of their high density (5 g/mL), and washout of ultrafines was prevented by surrounding the top of the bed with an electromagnet. The small particle size (20 microns) allowed a high enzyme loading in the reactor and also a high bed voidage, which is recommended to avoid extensive pressure drop and consequent channeling problems. The kinetic of hydrolysis fitted with the plug-flow model; this is explained by the insignificant backmixing effects observed. After 2 wk of hydrolysis under process conditions leading to a conversion of 70%, which corresponds to a high-conversion syrup, the immobilized GA only lost 4% of its initial activity.

Biosensing Techniques↗

Bioinorganic and bioorganic studies of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.

Liver alcohol dehydrogenase (E.C.1.1.1.1) is an NAD(+)/NADH dependent enzyme with a broad substrate specificity being active on an assortment of primary and secondary alcohols. It catalyzes the reversible oxidation of a wide variety of alcohols to the corresponding aldehydes and ketones as well as the oxidation of certain aldehydes to their related carboxylic acids. Although the bioinorganic and bioorganic aspects of the enzymatic mechanism, as well as the structures of various ternary complexes, have been extensively studied, the kinetic significance of certain intermediates has not been fully evaluated. Nevertheless, the availability of computer-assisted programs for kinetic simulation and molecular modeling make it possible to describe the biochemical mechanism more completely. Although the true physiological substrates of this zinc metalloenzyme are unknown, alcohol dehydrogenase effectively catalyzes not only the interconversion of all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinal but also the oxidation of all-trans-retinal to the corresponding retinoic acid. Retinal and related vitamin A derivatives play fundamental roles in many physiological processes, most notably the vision process. Furthermore, retinoic acid is used in dermatology as well as in the prevention and treatment of different types of cancer. The enzyme-NAD(+)-retinol complex has an apparent pK(a) value of 7.2 and loses a proton rapidly. Proton inventory modeling suggests that the transition state for the hydride transfer step has a partial negative charge on the oxygen of retinoxide. Spectral evidence for an intermediate such as E-NAD(+)-retinoxide was obtained with enzyme that has cobalt(II) substituted for the active site zinc(II). Biophysical considerations of water in these biological processes coupled with the inverse solvent isotope effect lead to the conclusion that the zinc-bound alkoxide makes a strong hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl group of Ser48 and is thus activated for hydride transfer. Moderate pressure accelerates enzyme action indicative of a negative volume of activation. The data with retinol is discussed in terms of enzyme stability, mechanism, adaptation to extreme conditions, as well as water affinities of substrates and inhibitors. Our data concern all-trans, 9-cis, 11-cis, and 13-cis retinols as well as the corresponding retinals. In all cases the enzyme utilizes an approximately ordered mechanism for retinol-retinal interconversion and for retinal-retinoic acid transformation.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase↗

Properties of membrane-inserted protein kinase C.

Protein kinase C (PKC) interacted with phospholipid vesicles in a calcium-dependent manner and produced two forms of membrane-associated PKC: a reversibly bound form and a membrane-inserted form. The two forms of PKC were isolated and compared with respect to enzyme stability, cofactor requirements, and phorbol ester binding ability. Membrane-inserted PKC was stable for several weeks in the presence of calcium chelators and could be rechromatographed on gel filtration columns in the presence of EGTA without dissociation of the enzyme from the membrane. The activity of membrane-inserted PKC was not significantly influenced by Ca2+, phospholipids, and/or PDBu. Partial dissociation of this PKC from phospholipid was achieved with Triton X-100, followed by dialysis to remove the detergent. The resulting free PKC appeared indistinguishable from original free PKC with respect to its cofactor requirements for activation (Ca2+, phospholipid, and phorbol esters), molecular weight, and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) binding. The binding of PDBu to free and membrane-inserted PKC was measured under equilibrium conditions using gel filtration techniques. At 2.0 nM PDBu, free PKC bound PDBu with nearly 1:1 stoichiometry in the presence of Ca2+ and phospholipid. No PDBu binding to the free enzyme was observed in the absence of Ca2+. In contrast, membrane-inserted PKC bound PDBu in the presence or the absence of Ca2+; calcium did enhance the affinity of this interaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calcium↗

A novel ketone monooxygenase from Pseudomonas cepacia. Purification and properties.

A ketone monooxygenase was purified from cells of Pseudomonas cepacia grown on 2-tridecanone as sole carbon source. Enzyme stability is maintained by the addition of ethanol, EDTA, and dithiothreitol. Stoichiometric studies show that for 1 mol of undecyl acetate formed, 1 mol of O2 is consumed and 1 mol of NADPH is oxidized. The monooxygenase, purified to homogeneity, has a molecular weight of approximately 123,000 and consists of two equal subunits with molecular weights of 55,000. The enzyme contains FAD and exhibits absorption maxima at 375 and 488 nm. Enzyme activity is inhibited by thiol-active reagents and the inhibition by the cations, cadmium, copper, zinc, and mercury, is reversed by dithiothreitol, indicating the presence of essential sulfhydryl groups. Substrate specificity tests show that acetate esters are formed from methyl ketones from C-7 through C-14. The oxygenase is also active on isomers of 2-tridecanone forming esters from 3- through 7-tridecanone. With 6-tridecanone, two esters are formed, heptyl hexanoate and pentyl octanoate, indicating that oxygen is inserted on either side of the carbonyl group. In addition, the enzyme catalyzes the lactonization of the cyclic ketone, cyclopentanone, with the formation of 5-valerolactone.

Drug Stability↗

Studies on Cellulose Hydrolysis by Acetivibrio cellulolyticus.

Acetivibrio cellulolyticus extracellular cellulase extensively hydrolyzed crystalline celluloses such as Avicel (FMC Corp., Food and Pharmaceutical Products Div., Philadelphia, Pa.) but only if it was desalted and supplemented with Ca. The Ca effect was one of increased enzyme stability in the presence of the ion. Although preincubation of the cellulase complex at 40 degrees C for 5 h without added Ca had a negligible effect on endoglucanase activity or on the subseqent hydrolysis of amorphous cellulose, the capacity of the enzyme to hydrolyze crystalline cellulose was almost completely lost. Adsorption studies showed that 90% of the Avicel-solubilizing component of the total enzyme preparation bound to 2% Avicel at 40 degrees C. Under these conditions, only 15% of the endoglucanase and 25% of the protein present in the enzyme preparation adsorbed to the substrate. The protein profile of the bound enzyme, as analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was complex and distinctly different from the profile observed for total cellulase preparations. The specific activity of A. cellulolyticus cellulase with respect to Avicel hydrolysis was compared with that of commercially available Trichoderma reesei cellulase.

Journal Article↗

[Pharmacokinetic studies of the activity of a pH-labile alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase following i.v. injection into tumor-bearing mice].

In order to increase the selectivity of tumor chemotherapy, Graffi et al. have proposed the application of xenogenic enzymes, which are able to split transport forms of carcinostatics under the pH-conditions in the tumor more vigorously than in the normal tissues. This paper describes the distribution within the body and elimination of the activity of the pH-labile alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase from G. myabena compared with the pH-stable enzyme from A. niger, using tumor bearing mice. In vitro, the pH labile arabinosidase was irreversibly inactivated within a few minutes at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C; however at pH 6.5 it remained active even after several hours. After injection, this enzyme activity was eliminated from the organism by excretion and inactivation within a few hours. Hereby a relatively favourable distribution of the enzyme activity for therapeutic application was reached after 60 minutes. At this time higher activity than in the tumor was measured only in the kidney. The application of glucose led to a strong increase of the enzyme activity in both tumor and normal tissues. This effect was also seen in tumor free mice. In further experiments it will be tried to find out conditions which reduce the glucose induced acidosis. The activity and distribution of the pH-stabile enzyme from A. niger were not influenced by glucose application.

Animals↗

Oscillatory dynamics protect enzymes and possibly cells against toxic substances.

We have used the oscillating peroxidase-oxidase (PO) reaction as a model system to study how oscillatory dynamics may affect the influence of toxic reaction intermediates on enzyme stability. In the peroxidase-oxidase reaction reactive intermediates, such as hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and hydroxyl radical are formed. Such intermediates inactivate many cellular macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids. These reaction intermediates also react with peroxidase itself to form an inactive enzyme. The fact that the PO reaction shows bistability between an oscillatory and a steady state gives us a unique possibility to compare such inactivation when the system is in one of these two states. We show that inactivation of peroxidase is slower when the system is in an oscillatory state, and using numerical simulations we provide evidence that oscillatory dynamics lower the average concentration of the reactive intermediates.

Cells↗

Protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase from Comamonas testosteroni T-2: biochemical and molecular properties of a new subgroup within class III of extradiol dioxygenases.

Comamonas testosteroni T-2 degraded at least eight aromatic compounds via protocatechuate (PCA), whose extradiol ring cleavage to 2-hydroxy-4-carboxymuconate semialdehyde (HCMS) was catalysed by PCA 4,5-dioxygenase (PmdAB). This inducible, heteromultimeric enzyme was purified. It contained two subunits, alpha (PmdA) and beta (PmdB), and the molecular masses of the denatured proteins were 18 kDa and 31 kDa, respectively. PCA was converted stoichiometrically to HCMS with an apparent K(m) of 55 muM and at a maximum velocity of 1.5 mukat. Structure-activity-relationship analysis by testing 16 related compounds as substrate for purified PmdAB revealed an absolute requirement for the vicinal diol and for the carboxylate group of PCA. Besides PCA, only 5'-hydroxy-PCA (gallate) induced oxygen uptake. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of each subunit was identical to the corresponding sequences in C. testosteroni BR6020, which facilitated sequencing of the pmdAB genes in strain T-2. Small differences in the amino acid sequence had significant effects on enzyme stability. Several homologues of pmdAB were found in sequence databases. Residues involved in substrate binding are highly conserved among the homologues. Their sequences grouped within the class III extradiol dioxygenases. Based on our biochemical and genetic analyses, we propose a new branch of the heteromultimeric enzymes within that class.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Interrelation between the charge isoforms of mammalian ornithine decarboxylase.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) isolated from a variety of tissues has been separated, using DEAE ion-exchange chromatography, into multiple peaks of activity that appear to be related to control of this enzyme stability. Reports of these charge isoforms in current literature are generally unclear as to whether these represent a covalent posttranslational modification or merely an alteration in structural conformation or association. In this study we investigated the relationship of this form separation to the degree of enzyme polymerization, interaction with other proteins and buffer components, and the multiple isoelectric forms of this enzyme noted in denaturing concentrations of urea. High-performance chromatography techniques were used to demonstrate that two of the major enzyme forms, ODC I and II, are really monomers of the enzyme, while minor peaks of activity frequently observed to elute after ODC II contain various dimeric enzyme states. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (0.05 mM) added to isolated enzyme preparations composed of I and II monomers induced the formation of I and II dimers as well as a mixed I-II dimer. All three dimer forms were observed to be natural components of freshly isolated crude cell homogenates. The charge distinction between the monomer forms I and II was found to be maintained during ion-exchange chromatography in the presence of 8 M urea, and the enzyme isoforms demonstrated distinct bands on isoelectric focusing gels run in the presence of 9 M urea. Thus, although some of the multiple ornithine decarboxylase forms identified by ion-exchange chromatography of crude mammalian cell homogenates are related to enzyme conformation, the two major forms are distinctly charged protein states that can be visualized using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of highly purified samples.

Animals↗

NADPH-generating system: influence on microsomal mono-oxygenase stability during incubation for the liver-microsomal assay with rat and mouse S9 fractions.

Activity levels of 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ED), aminopyrine N-demethylase (APD), p-nitroanisole O-demethylase (p-NAD) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH) were determined in incubation mixtures for the liver-microsomal assay (LMA) at time 0 and after 1 and 2 h incubation under conditions for mutagenic assay. The experiments were performed with S9 liver fractions from mice (induced with Na-phenobarbital and beta-naphthoflavone) and rats (induced with Aroclor 1254) with and without G-6-PDH in the incubation mixtures. In the absence of G-6-PDH the activities were significantly lower at time 0 in the mouse. The pattern of stability, however, was similar for the activities, with an increase of stability after 1 and 2 h of pre-incubation (an exception for p-NAD). Only ED activity showed a similar behaviour in the rat. No differences were present for APD and p-NAD activities at time 0 in the rat, but the enzyme stabilities were significantly decreased after 2 h of incubation (about 15% and 10% for APD and p-NAD respectively) in the absence of G-6-PDH. At time 0, the amounts of G-6-PDH differed between mouse and rat fractions; however, during the incubations for LMA they decreased by about 57% and 53% for the two species, respectively. In addition to the above biochemical results, the presence of exogenous G-6-PDH in the incubations for the mutagenic assay, significantly increased the mitotic gene conversion and mitotic crossing-over of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) and AR2MNFN (a nitroimidazo[2,1-b]thiazole) in the D7 strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗

Immobilization of acetyl-CoA:arylamine N-acetyltransferase and the preparation of an enzyme reactor for the synthesis of N-[11C]acetylserotonin.

The enzyme arylamine acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA:arylamine N-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.5) from pigeon liver is immobilized onto differently derivatized controlled pore glass beads. Different silanes, spacer arms and reactive end-groups were tested, and immobilized enzyme stability tests were performed. From these experiments, the method of choice was selected: immobilization on controlled pore glass beads (24 nm pore size, 75-125 microns particle size) derivatized with gamma-aminopropyl and glutaraldehyde as the reactive end group. The kinetic properties of an enzyme reactor were investigated and optimized. The goal was to obtain a rapid high-yield conversion of 0.5-1 mumol acetyl-CoA to N-acetylserotonin, so that the reactor is useful for the 11C-labelling of N-acetylserotonin. Using an enzyme reactor (9.8 x 0.5 cm i.d.) containing 4.6 U active arylamine acetyltransferase immobilized onto 930 mg carrier, a 70% conversion of acetyl-CoA was obtained within 4 min.

Acetyltransferases↗

Chemoenzymatic synthesis: application to the study of carbohydrate recognition.

Reported here are useful strategies recently developed for the large-scale synthesis of complex and polyfunctional molecules using native or engineered enzymes as catalysts. Several important issues in the field regarding the problems of substrate specificity, product inhibition, reaction reversibility, enzyme stability and catalytic efficiency are addressed in the representative synthesis of carbohydrates and carbohydrate mimetics designed for use to study carbohydrate-mediated cell adhesion.

Carbohydrates↗

Topological mapping of the cysteine residues of N-carbamyl-D-amino-acid amidohydrolase and their role in enzymatic activity.

The N-carbamyl-D-amino-acid amidohydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter NRRL B11291, the enzyme used for the industrial production Of D-amino acids, was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The protein, a dimer constituted by two identical subunits of 34,000 Da with five cysteines each, was susceptible to aggregation under oxidizing conditions and highly sensitive to hydrogen peroxide. To investigate the role of the cysteines in enzyme stability and activity, mutant proteins were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis in which the five residues were substituted by either Ala or Ser. Only the mutant carrying the Cys172 substitution was catalytically inactive, and the other mutants maintained the same specific activity as the wild type enzyme. The crucial role of Cys172 in enzymatic activity was also confirmed by chemical derivatization of the protein with iodoacetate. Furthermore, chemical derivatizations using both acrylamide and Ellman's reagent revealed that (i) none of the five cysteines is engaged in disulfide bridges, (ii) Cys172 is easily accessible to the solvent, (iii) Cys193 and Cys250 appear to be buried in the protein core, and (iv) Cys243 and Cys279 seem to be located within or in proximity of external loops and are derivatized under mild denaturing conditions. These data are discussed in light of the possible mechanisms of enzyme inactivation and catalytic reaction.

Alanine↗

Insulin-degrading enzyme does not require peroxisomal localization for insulin degradation.

Although considerable evidence implicates insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) in the cellular metabolism of insulin in many cell types, its mechanism and site of action are not clear. In this study, we have examined the relationship between insulin-degrading enzyme's peroxisomal location and its ability to degrade insulin by mutation of its peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS), the carboxy terminal A/S-K-L tripeptide. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to destroy the peroxisomal targeting signal of human insulin-degrading enzyme by changing alanine to leucine (AL.pts), leucine to valine (LV.pts), or by deleting the entire tripeptide (DEL.pts). The alanine or leucine mutants, when expressed in COS cells, were indistinguishable from wild-type insulin-degrading enzyme with respect to size (110 kDa), amount of immunoreactive material, ability to bind insulin, in vitro activity, and cellular degradation of insulin. In contrast, the deletion mutant was shorter in size (approximately 0 kDa) and unable to bind the hormone. Thus, although the tripeptide at insulin-degrading enzyme's carboxy terminus appeared to confer enzyme stability, the conserved sequence was not required for insulin degradation. Finally, an immunocytofluorescence study showed that, whereas a significant amount of the wild-type protein was localized in peroxisomes, none of the peroxisomal targeting mutants could be detected in these organelles. These findings indicate that insulin-degrading enzyme does not require peroxisomal localization for insulin degradation and suggest that this enzyme has multiple cellular functions.

Alanine↗

Histidine decarboxylase measurement in brain by 14CO2 trapping.

A method for measuring histidine decarboxylase (HDC) in crude rat brain homogenates was developed by modification of existing 14CO2-trapping methods. The addition of EDTA to tissue homogenates and assay buffer reduced non-enzymatic decarboxylation, and improved assay sensitivity and reliability. Addition of polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 300, PEG300) to the homogenizing buffer increased enzyme stability, permitting storage of crude homogenates. Studies of time course, tissue dilution and blanks showed that up to 8 mg of tissue could be assayed successfully with a 3.5-hr incubation. S-alpha-Fluoromethylhistidine (FMH) and alpha-hydrazinohistidine, specific inhibitors of HDC, induced concentration-dependent reductions of enzyme activity by up to 90%, whereas inhibitors of other decarboxylases had little or no effect. Kinetic studies of the enzyme in crude homogenates yielded Km and Vmax values similar to those found previously with other HDC methods, although a poor fit was found to a single enzyme model. When determined by the new method, the distribution of HDC in seven regions of the rat brain agreed well with previous results. The method is rapid, simple to perform, and requires no specialized equipment other than a scintillation counter.

Animals↗