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Development of the biochemical and morphological changes induced by administration of a beta-xyloside to chick embryos.

4-Methylumbelliferyl beta-D-xyloside was administered to 9-day-old chick embryos, and the morphological and chemical changes in the embryo were followed daily. Increases in wet weight, Na and Cl content, and visible edema were detectable at 10 days and fully apparent at 11 days. Dry weight increased to the same extent in control and treated embryos for four days, but then diverged. The degree of sulfation of chondroitin sulfate was slightly less in treated than control embryos at 10 days, and reached a steady low value at 11 days. Analysis of glycosaminoglycans in skin, muscle, and aorta showed an increase in chondroitin and its sulfates in the two former tissues but not the latter. In muscle and aorta, the degree of sulfation of chondroitin sulfate was markedly reduced; but in skin the results suggested a more complex picture in which the normal metabolism of glycosaminoglycans was altered. A possible physiological role is suggested for chondroitin sulfate in embryonic soft tissues.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Fluid and glycosaminoglycan excretion by chick embryos treated with a beta-D-xyloside.

Wet weights and glycosaminoglycan content were determined for embryo, amnion, and allantois of control chick embryos and embryos injected with 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-xyloside at nine days of age. There was an immediate increase in total uronic acid content, but not in uronic acid concentration, in the embryo. No difference could be detected either in fluid volume, nor in content or type of glycosaminoglycan, in the amnion of the two groups. The fluid content of the allantois fo control eggs increased steadily between nine and 14 days, but in treated embryos the fluid content of the allantois remained low for at least a week. Less than 2 mg of uronic acid was present in allantoic fluid of control 16-day-old embryos, while treated embryos had accumulated more than 8 mg. More than 95% of the latter uronic acid was accounted for as chondroitin sulfate linked to methylumbelliferone and with a degree of sulfation of 50-60%. Thus beta-xyloside-treated embryos excrete large amounts of chondroitin sulfate and very little fluid.

Allantois↗

Chemical modification of human UDP-glucuronosyltransferase UGT1*6 by diethyl pyrocarbonate: possible involvement of a histidine residue in the catalytic process.

Chemical modification with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) of the recombinant human liver UDP-glucuronosyltransferase UGT1*6 in enriched membrane fractions from a V79 cell line resulted in a rapid inactivation of the glucuronidation reaction, measured with 4-methyl-umbelliferone as aglycone substrate, with a second-order rate constant of 3110 M-1.min-1 at pH 6.0 and 25 degrees C. The enzymatic activity was restored by hydroxylamine. Chemical modification with 0.2 mM DEPC for 60 s decreased the apparent Vmax 2.4-fold without significantly affecting the apparent Km toward 4-methylumbelliferone and UDP-glucuronic acid. Similarly, the binding of the photoactivatable cosubstrate analog [beta-32P]5-azido-UDP-glucuronic acid to the active site was not affected by the chemical modification. The enzyme was protected against this inactivation by 4-methylumbelliferone, suggesting that the modified residue was located in or near the aglycone binding site. In contrast, the cosubstrate UDP-glucuronic acid potentiated the irreversible inhibition, indicating a conformational change in the protein upon binding. The pH-dependence of the inactivation was in agreement with the modification of an amino acid residue with a pKa of 6.1. On the other hand, analysis of the variation of Vmax and Vmax/Km values of the glucuronidation reaction as a function of the pH revealed the presence of two essential residues with a pKa within the range 5.7-6.0. The data of the chemical modification of the recombinant enzyme together with that of the pH dependence of the activity strongly suggest the involvement of a histidine residue, highly reactive toward DEPC, which could be the base catalyst of the glucuronidation reaction supported by human UGT1*6.

Affinity Labels↗

Purification and characterization of a less randomly acting endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase from the culture filtrates of Fusarium oxysporum.

An extracellular endo-1,4-beta-D-glucanase from Fusarium oxysporum was purified by affinity chromatography and gel filtration. The enzyme purified in this way was homogeneous when judged by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein corresponded to a molecular mass and pI value of 41.7 kDa and 6.4, respectively. It was optimally active at pH 4.5 and at 55 degrees C. The enzyme hydrolyzed carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and unsubstituted and substituted cello-oligosaccharides but was inactive on Avicel, filter paper, xylan, cellobiose, p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside, and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside. However, the enzyme effected only a small change in viscosity of CMC per unit increase of reducing sugar. When cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose were used as substrates, the enzyme released mainly cellobiose. Use of 4-methylumbelliferyl cello-oligosaccharides and the determination of bond cleavage frequency revealed that the enzyme preferentially hydrolyzed the glycosidic bond adjacent to 4-methylumbelliferone. Thus, the purified enzyme appeared to be a less randomly acting endoglucanase.

Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium↗

A highly sensitive and fast nonradioactive method for detection of polymerase chain reaction products.

A novel system for the detection of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products has been developed. The system is based on a PCR in which one of the primers is biotinylated and digoxigenin-11-dUTP is incorporated during elongation. Biotinylated PCR products are captured on streptavidin-coated solid supports, and alkaline phosphatase conjugated to anti-digoxigenin antibody is subsequently bound to the incorporated digoxigenin. The detection may be obtained with colorimetric, fluorescent, or luminescent substrates for alkaline phosphatase. The detection system can be performed in microtiter plates allowing easy handling of multiple samples. The total assay time following the PCR is between 1 and 2 h dependent on the type of substrate and the type of solid support applied in the system. Within this period of time the system is capable of detecting 1 template in 29 cycles of PCR.

Adamantane↗

Transfer of modified sialic acids by Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase for attachment of functional groups to oligosaccharide.

Donor specificity of Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase (TcTs) has been investigated with modified 2-[4-methylumbelliferone]-alpha- ketoside of N-acetyl-D-neuraminic acid (4MU-NANA) as donor and lactose as acceptor. 4MU-NANA was treated with periodate under mild conditions to generate an aldehyde on the exocyclic side chain. The oxidized 4MU-NANA was derivatized with various primary amines by reductive amination to yield potential donors. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography equipped with pulsed amperometric detector was used to assay the transglycosylation activity of TcTs. Several modified 4MU-NANA derivatives served as substrates by TcTs and they may be utilized to make valuable intermediates, including those for fluorescence energy transfer measurement or photoaffinity labeling experiment.

Amination↗

Differential suppression of background mammalian lysosomal beta-galactosidase increases the detection sensitivity of LacZ-marked leukemic cells.

A method is described for the detection of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase-expressing leukemic cells in ex vivo bone marrow samples. 4-Methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside is used as a substrate in a kinetic assay. D-Galactose is used to suppress endogenous lysosomal beta-galactosidase activity, yielding a sixfold increase in sensitivity. With this assay, the detection limit is one leukemic cell per 10(4) normal bone marrow cells.

Animals↗

A rapid fluorescence bioassay for the determination of selenium on agar plates.

The essential trace element selenium (Se) is involved in the form of selenocysteine at the active site of several prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteins called selenoproteins. These proteins have recently attracted attention particularly in relation to their application to human health and new characteristics of the genetic code. We have recently described a selenium bioassay based on a recombinant DNA construct in which the expression of the lac' Z gene in Escherichia coli is proportionally and specifically driven by UGA-directed selenocysteine incorporation. Here we have further developed this bioassay for more rapid and sensitive detection and measurement of selenium that permits screening of the selenium status on agar plates. Again, the inclusion of selenium into the lac'Z-fusion product is reflected by the level of beta-galactosidase activity, which in turn is reflected by the intensity of fluorescence on agar plates. This fluorescing agent is a 4-methylumbelliferyl moiety which is released through the cleavage by the enzyme of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside. The intensity of the fluorescence is easily detected by uv irradiation and photographed by polaroid or video cameras.

Agar↗

A fluorescent microplate assay for diarrheic shellfish toxins.

A fluorescent enzyme inhibition assay for okadaic acid using 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate and fluorescein diphosphate as substrates for the enzyme phosphatase 2A was developed. In the inhibition assay, performed in a microtiter plate, the PP2A was inhibited by adding okadaic acid and the resulting fluorescence enhancement derived from enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate was quantified in a fluorescence plate reader. The measurable range of okadaic acid was 3.2 to 3200 pg/ml with an IC50 = 0.1 nM. The detection limit of okadaic acid was 2.56 pg/well in buffer solutions and 12.8 ng/g hepatopancreas in shellfish extracts. The coefficient of variation (CV, n = 22) for each point ranged from 18.80 to 37.90% (mean 28.35%). The proposed method is very convenient, rapid, and sensitive by using the enzyme inhibition assay system and fluorescent reaction as a detection system. This work demonstrates that the fluorescent assay can be used to quantify the amount of okadaic acid in shellfish samples and also is valid for very dilute samples, such as phytoplankton samples.

Animals↗

Chemical synthesis of 4-trifluoromethylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid glycoside and its use for the fluorometric detection of poorly expressed natural and recombinant sialidases.

When compared to bacterial or viral sialidases, eukaryotic sialidases are expressed at lower levels and frequently show poor specific activities. The identification and characterization of sialidases from eukaryotes have been slowed down due to the limited sensitivity of available sialidase substrates. Therefore, we chemically synthesized a fluorogenic compound, 4-trifluoromethylumbelliferyl-alpha-D-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CF3MU-Neu5Ac), and tested its use as a substrate for eight different sialidases, including enzymes from viral, bacterial, and eukaryotic sources. Kinetic analysis revealed CF3MU-Neu5Ac to be a very sensitive sialidase substrate. Furthermore, this substance proves to be perfectly suitable for the in vivo examination of sialidases and for the detection of recombinant sialidase by means of expression cloning.

Escherichia coli↗

Fluorometric assay of binding specificity of plant lectins to yeast cells by biotin-avidin system and its application to the classification of yeast cells.

A fluorometric assay of lectin binding to yeast cells is reported. The relative amount of biotinylated lectins bound to the yeast cells was estimated by enzyme activity using 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside as a substrate for the lectin-bound beta-galactosidase through biotin-avidin interaction. Binding properties of 4 mannose-specific and 3 glucose/mannose-specific lectins to 22 different species of yeast cells were studied. The binding reaction of biotinylated lectins to the yeast cells was rapid and became constant within 10 min. Each lectin showed its characteristic binding specificity to each yeast species. The relative fluorescent intensities observed for 4-methylumbelliferone released by the action of bound beta-galactosidase were good indicators for the classification of yeast cells in quantitative base. We found that the yeast cells of the Saccharomyces genus can be classified into three groups, and those of Pichia were grouped into two groups. The present method can examine many samples simultaneously and be completed within 3 h.

Agglutination↗

A quantitative mannose 6-phosphate receptor-based in vitro assay for recombinant human N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase.

An assay was developed, using two similar formats, to simultaneously measure both the lysosomal targeting receptor binding and enzyme activity of the recombinant human enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine-4-sulfatase. This assay also has potential application for all phosphorylated lysosomal enzymes that contain mannose-6-phosphate residues. The receptor was either purified from fetal bovine sera then adsorbed, or produced in situ by growing and fixing diploid human fibroblast-like cells, to a solid phase. The enzyme substrate was 4-methylumbelliferyl sulfate which fluoresces after cleavage of the sulfate moiety. Both the precursor and mature forms of the recombinant enzyme were used to demonstrate the specificity and usefulness of the assay. The assay is rapid and sensitive and has a wide dynamic range. Association between the receptor and the mannose-6-phosphate residues was abrogated in the presence of a competitive inhibitor, mannose 6-phosphate. However, partial activity was still measured when the mature enzyme was incubated in the presence of mannose 6-phosphate when using the fixed fibroblast format. This would indicate that the recombinant enzymes contain at least one terminal sugar moiety other than mannose 6-phosphate which can recognize receptors on the surface of human fibroblast-like cells. Other possible applications of this assay are also discussed.

Adsorption↗

A fluorescent microplate assay for microcystin-LR.

A fluorescent enzyme inhibition assay for microcystin-LR was developed using a new fluorescent substrate of protein phosphatases 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A), 6,8-difluoro-4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate. The PP1 and PP2A inhibition assay for microcystin-LR was performed in a microtiter plate and the fluorescence yielded by the enzymatic hydrolysis of the substrate was quantified in a fluorescence plate reader. The concentration of microcystin-LR causing 50% inhibition of PP1 and PP2A activity (IC50) was 0.01 nM for PP1 and 0.08 nM for PP2A. The measurable range of microcystin-LR was 800 to 0.08 pg/well for both enzymes. The described assay is fast and very sensitive for the detection of microcystin-LR. Furthermore, this assay can be successfully applied to the study of toxins that inhibit PP1 or PP2A.

Cyanobacteria↗

Fluorogenic substrates based on fluorinated umbelliferones for continuous assays of phosphatases and beta-galactosidases.

Fluorogenic substrates based on 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) have been widely used for the detection of phosphatase and glycosidase activities. One disadvantage of these substrates, however, is that maximum fluorescence of the reaction product requires an alkaline pH, since 4-MU has a pK(a) approximately 8. In an initial screening of five phosphatase substrates based on fluorinated derivatives of 4-MU, all with pK(a) values lower than that of 4-MU, we found that one substrate, 6,8-difluoro-4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate (DiFMUP), was much improved for the detection of acid phosphatase activity. When measured at the preferred acid phosphatase reaction pH (5.0), DiFMUP yielded fluorescence signals that were more than 10-fold higher than those of 4-methylumbelliferyl phosphate (MUP). DiFMUP was also superior to MUP for the detection of protein phosphatase 1 activity at pH 7 and was just as sensitive as MUP for the detection of alkaline phosphatase activity at pH 10. A beta-galactosidase substrate was also prepared based on 6, 8-difluoro-4-methylumbelliferone. This substrate, 6, 8-difluoro-4-methylumbelliferyl beta-d-galactopyranoside (DiFMUG), was found to be considerably more sensitive than the commonly used substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-d-galactopyranoside (MUG), for the detection of beta-galactosidase activity at pH 7. DiFMUP and DiFMUG should have great utility for the continuous assay of phosphatase and beta-galactosidase activity, respectively, at neutral and acid pH.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Hyaluronic-acid-deficient extracellular matrix induced by addition of 4-methylumbelliferone to the medium of cultured human skin fibroblasts.

The effects of xylosyl-beta-D-(4-methylumbelliferone) and its aglycone, 4-methylumbelliferone, on hyaluronic acid synthesis were investigated in cultured human skin fibroblasts. Xylosyl-beta-D-(4-methylumbelliferone) added to the medium of cultured cell reduced the synthesis of hyaluronic acid. Furthermore, 4-methylumbelliferone reduced the production of hyaluronic acid markedly. In addition, 4-methylumbelliferone had hardly any effect on proteoglycan synthesis, whereas xylosyl-beta-D-(4-methylumbelliferone) produced a large amount of glycosaminoglycan chains. The present results indicate that cells cultured with 4-methylumbelliferone produce a hyaluronic-acid-deficient extracellular matrix, which will be useful for functional studies of hyaluronic acid.

Cells, Cultured↗

Inhibition of proteoglycan synthesis influences regeneration of goldfish retinal axons on polylysine and laminin.

Previous studies have shown that goldfish retinal axons regenerating in vivo transport increased radioactivity in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) components of proteoglycans (PGs). During this enhanced transport, the ratio of chondroitin sulfate (CS) to heparan sulfate (HS) was 60/40. In the present investigation, PG synthesis was inhibited during in vitro axon growth from regenerating goldfish retinal explants. Explants growing on either poly-L-lysine (PLYS) or poly-L-lysine + laminin (PLYS + LN) incorporated 35SO4 into proteoglycan-bound CS and HS in an approximate 2/1 ratio. Addition of 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-D-xyloside (beta-xyloside) to the culture medium reduced the sulfate radioactivity in proteoglycan-bound CS and HS by 89 and 71%, respectively, on PLYS and by 89 and 72% on PLYS + LN. Morphological evaluation of explants revealed that beta-xyloside treatment reduced both the number of retinal axons per explant and their growth rate on PLYS; on PLYS + LN this treatment reduced the number of axons, but had no effect on growth rate. This study suggests that retinal ganglion cell PGs containing CS and/or HS GAG chains are required for both the initiation and the maintenance of axonal outgrowth on artificial polycationic substrata such as PLYS, but only for the initiation of outgrowth on laminin.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of N-acetylglucosaminidase from Trypanosoma cruzi.

N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity was recovered in cell-free extracts of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. This enzyme was identified on the basis of its ability to hydrolyze the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide. This activity was purified to apparent homogeneity by anion exchange and molecular sieve high-performance liquid chromatography. It eluted at a native molecular weight of approximately 48,000 Da and migrated as a single band upon reducing or nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimum pH of the activity was around pH 5.4 and the enzyme gave a single peak of activity on a chromatofocusing column with an isoelectric point of 4.2. The enzyme hydrolyzed 4-methylumbelliferyl-GlcNAc, suggesting that it should be characterized as a N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase, with a K(m) value of 1.5 mM from Lineweaver-Burk plots. Many inhibitors as potential enzyme effectors were investigated.

Acetylglucosamine↗