Purification, Immobilization, and Some Properties of Glucose Isomerase from Streptomyces flavogriseus

Glucose isomerase (EC 5.3.1.5) produced from Streptomyces flavogriseus was purified by fractionation with (NH₄)₂SO₄ and chromatography on diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-cellulose and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 columns. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as shown by ultracentrifugation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Benzyl DEAE-cellulose, triethylaminoethyl-cellulose, and DEAE-cellulose were effective in the immobilization of partially purified glucose isomerase. Several differences in properties were found between purified soluble enzyme, immobilized enzyme (DEAE-cellulose-glucose isomerase), and heat-treated whole cells. Glucose and xylose served as substrate for the enzyme. Whole cells had the highest K_m values for glucose and xylose; the soluble enzyme had the lowest values. The optimum temperature for activity of the soluble and immobilized enzymes was 70°C; that for whole cells was 75°C. The pH optimum for the three enzyme preparations was 7.5. Magnesium ion or Co²⁺ was required for enzyme activity; an addition effect resulted from the presence of both Mg²⁺ and Co²⁺. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg²⁺, Ag⁺, or Cu²⁺. The conversion ratio of the enzyme for isomerization was about 50%. The soluble and immobilized enzymes showed a greater heat stability than whole cells. The soluble enzyme was stable over a slightly wider pH (5.0 to 9.0) range than the immobilized enzyme and whole cells (pH 5.5 to 9.0). The molecular weight of the enzyme determined by the sedimentation equilibrium method was 171,000. A tetrameric structure for the enzyme was also indicated. After operating at 70°C for 5 days, the remaining enzyme activity of the immobilized enzyme and whole cells, which were used for the continuous isomerization of glucose in a plug-flow type of column in the presence of Mg²⁺ and Co²⁺, was 75 and 55%, respectively. Elimination of Co²⁺ decreased operational stability.     

Purification and Characterization of an Aminopeptidase from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2

An aminopeptidase was purified to homogeneity from a crude cell extract of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2 by a procedure that included diethyl-aminoethane-Sephacel chromatography, phenyl-Sepharose chromatography, gel filtration, and high-performance liquid chromatography over an anion-exchange column. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme showed a single protein band with a molecular weight of 95,000. The aminopeptidase was capable of degrading several peptides by hydrolysis of the N-terminal amino acid. The peptidase had no endopeptidase or carboxypeptidase activity. The aminopeptidase activity was optimal at pH 7 and 40°C. The enzyme was completely inactivated by the p-chloromecuribenzoate mersalyl, chelating agents, and the divalent cations Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺. The activity that was lost by treatment with the sulfhydryl-blocking reagents was restored with dithiothreitol or β-mercapto-ethanol, while Zn²⁺ or Co²⁺ restored the activity of the 1,10-phenantroline-treated enzyme. Kinetic studies indicated that the enzyme has a relatively low affinity for lysyl-p-nitroanilide (K_m, 0.55 mM) but that it can hydrolyze this substrate at a high rate (V_max, 30 μmol/min per mg of protein).     

Characterization of a Novel Metal-Dependent D-Psicose 3-Epimerase from Clostridium scindens 35704

The noncharacterized protein CLOSCI_02528 from Clostridium scindens ATCC 35704 was characterized as D-psicose 3-epimerase. The enzyme showed maximum activity at pH 7.5 and 60°C. The half-life of the enzyme at 50°C was 108 min, suggesting the enzyme was relatively thermostable. It was strictly metal-dependent and required Mn²⁺ as optimum cofactor for activity. In addition, Mn²⁺ improved the structural stability during both heat- and urea-induced unfolding. Using circular dichroism measurements, the apparent melting temperature (T _m) and the urea midtransition concentration (C _m) of metal-free enzyme were 64.4°C and 2.68 M. By comparison, the Mn²⁺-bound enzyme showed higher T _m and C _m with 67.3°C and 5.09 M. The Michaelis-Menten constant (K _m), turnover number (k _cat), and catalytic efficiency (k _cat/K _m) values for substrate D-psicose were estimated to be 28.3 mM, 1826.8 s⁻¹, and 64.5 mM⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. The enzyme could effectively produce D-psicose from D-fructose with the turnover ratio of 28%.     

Purification and Characterization of a Dimethoate-Degrading Enzyme of Aspergillus niger ZHY256, Isolated from Sewage

A dimethoate-degrading enzyme from Aspergillus niger ZHY256 was purified to homogeneity with a specific activity of 227.6 U/mg of protein. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 66 kDa by gel filtration and 67 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The isoelectric point was found to be 5.4, and the enzyme activity was optimal at 50°C and pH 7.0. The activity was inhibited by most of the metal ions and reagents, while it was induced by Cu²⁺. The Michaelis constant (K_m) and V_max for dimethoate were 1.25 mM and 292 μmol min⁻¹ mg of protein⁻¹, respectively.     

Biochemical and Genetic Characterization of an FK506-Sensitive Peptidyl Prolyl cis-trans Isomerase from a Thermophilic Archaeon, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus

A peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) was purified from a thermophilic methanogen, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus. The PPIase activity was inhibited by FK506 but not by cyclosporine. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 16 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 42 kDa by gel filtration. The enzyme was thermostable, with the half-lives of its activity at 90 and 100°C being 90 and 30 min, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies (k_cat/K_m) measured at 15°C for the peptidyl substrates, N-succinyl-Ala-Leu-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide and N-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, were 0.35 and 0.20 μM⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively, in chymotrypsin-coupled assays. The purified enzyme was sensitive to FK506 and therefore was called MTFK (M. thermolithotrophicus FK506-binding protein). The MTFK gene (462 bp) was cloned from an M. thermolithotrophicus genomic library. The comparison of the amino acid sequence of MTFK with those of other FK506-binding PPIases revealed that MTFK has a 13-amino-acid insertion in the N-terminal region that is unique to thermophilic archaea. The relationship between the thermostable nature of MTFK and its structure is discussed.     

Purification and Characterization of α-Amylase from Bacillus licheniformis CUMC305

α-Amylase produced by Bacillus licheniformis CUMC305 was purified 212-fold with a 42% yield through a series of four steps. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and discontinuous gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme showed maximal activity at 90°C and pH 9.0, and 91% of this activity remained at 100°C. The enzyme retained 91, 79, and 71% maximal activity after 3 h of treatment at 60°C, 3 h at 70°C, and 90 min at 80°C, respectively, in the absence of substrate. On the contrary, in the presence of substrate (soluble starch), the α-amylase enzyme was fully stable after a 4-h incubation at 100°C. The enzyme showed 100% stability in the pH range 7 to 9; 95% stability at pH 10; and 84, 74, 68, and 50% stability at pH values of 6, 5, 4, and 3, respectively, after 18 h of treatment. The activation energy for this enzyme was calculated as 5.1 × 10⁵ J/mol. The molecular weight was estimated to be 28,000 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. The relative rates of hydrolysis of soluble starch, amylose, amylopectin, and glycogen were 1.27, 1.8, 1.94, and 2.28 mg/ml, respectively. V_max values for hydrolysis of these substrates were calculated as 0.738, 1.08, 0.8, and 0.5 mg of maltose/ml per min, respectively. Of the cations, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺, showed stimulatory effect, whereas Hg²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Ag⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Cd²⁺, Al³⁺, and Mn²⁺ were inhibitory. Of the anions, azide, F⁻, SO₃²⁻, SO₄³⁻, S₂O₃²⁻, MoO₄²⁻, and Wo₄²⁻ showed an excitant effect. p-Chloromercuribenzoic acid and sodium iodoacetate were inhibitory, whereas cysteine, reduced glutathione, thiourea, β-mercaptoethanol, and sodium glycerophosphate afforded protection to enzyme activity. α-Amylase was fairly resistant to EDTA treatment at 30°C, but heating at 90°C in presence of EDTA resulted in the complete loss of enzyme activity, which could be recovered partially by the addition of Cu²⁺ and Fe²⁺ but not by the addition of Ca²⁺ or any other divalent ions.     

Purification and Characterization of an Acetyl Xylan Esterase from Bacillus pumilus

Bacillus pumilus PS213 was found to be able to release acetate from acetylated xylan. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has been purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme was secreted, and its production was induced by corncob powder and xylan. Its molecular mass, as determined by gel filtration, is 190 kDa, while sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band of 40 kDa. The isoelectric point was found to be 4.8, and the enzyme activity was optimal at 55°C and pH 8.0. The activity was inhibited by most of the metal ions, while no enhancement was observed. The Michaelis constant (K_m) and V_max for α-naphthyl acetate were 1.54 mM and 360 μmol min⁻¹ mg of protein⁻¹, respectively.     

Partial purification and properties of phleinase induced in stem base of orchardgrass after defoliation

Phleinase induced in stem base of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) after defoliation was partially purified with ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, gel filtration, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of phleinase was 57,000 as determined by gel chromatography. The enzyme showed normal Michaelis-Menten kinetics and its K_m value was 91 millimolar for phlein of mean degree of polymerization 60 as substrate. Reaction velocity of the enzyme was proportional to molarity of phlein irrespective of its chain length (mean degree of polymerization, 30 to 314). Phleinase attacked terminal fructosyl linkage of phlein by multi-chain mechanism. Phleinase cleaved β-2,6 linkage, β-2,6 linkage branched with β-2,1 linkage, and β-2,1 linkage of fructan in order of affinity, but not sucrose. Phleinase exhibited an optimum activity at pH 5.5 at 40°C. Its complete inactivation occurred at 60 and 70°C without and with phlein, respectively. Heat inactivation of the enzyme was enhanced by p-chloromercuribenzoate and protected partially by l-cysteine. The enzyme was inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents such as p-chloromercuribenzoate and Hg²⁺. The modes of action of phleinase were compared with those of the related enzymes.     

A Novel 2-Aminomuconate Deaminase in the Nitrobenzene Degradation Pathway of Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes JS45

2-Aminomuconate, an intermediate in the metabolism of tryptophan in mammals, is also an intermediate in the biodegradation of nitrobenzene by Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes JS45. Strain JS45 hydrolyzes 2-aminomuconate to 4-oxalocrotonic acid, with the release of ammonia, which serves as the nitrogen source for growth of the microorganism. As an initial step in studying the novel deamination mechanism, we report here the purification and some properties of 2-aminomuconate deaminase. The purified enzyme migrates as a single band with a molecular mass of 16.6 kDa in 15% polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. The estimated molecular mass of the native enzyme was 100 kDa by gel filtration and 4 to 20% gradient nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, suggesting that the enzyme consists of six identical subunits. The enzyme was stable at room temperature and exhibited optimal activity at pH 6.6. The K_m for 2-aminomuconate was approximately 67 μM, and the V_max was 125 μmol · min⁻¹ · mg⁻¹. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme did not show any significant similarity to any sequence in the databases. The purified enzyme converted 2-aminomuconate directly to 4-oxalocrotonate, rather than 2-hydroxymuconate, which suggests that the deamination was carried out via an imine intermediate.     

Two Structurally Different Dienelactone Hydrolases (TfdEI and TfdEII) from Cupriavidus necator JMP134 Plasmid pJP4 Catalyse Cis- and Trans-Dienelactones with Similar Efficiency

In this study, dienelactone hydrolases (TfdEI and TfdEII) located on plasmid pJP4 of Cupriavidus necator JMP134 were cloned, purified, characterized and three dimensional structures were predicted. tfdEI and tfdEII genes were cloned into pET21b vector and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). The enzymes were purified by applying ultra-membrane filtration, anion-exchange QFF and gel-filtration columns. The enzyme activity was determined by using cis-dienelactone. The three-dimensional structure of enzymes was predicted using SWISS-MODEL workspace and the biophysical properties were determined on ExPASy server. Both TfdEI and TfdEII (M_r 25 kDa) exhibited optimum activity at 37°C and pH 7.0. The enzymes retained approximately 50% of their activity after 1 h of incubation at 50°C and showed high stability against denaturing agents. The TfdEI and TfdEII hydrolysed cis-dienelactone at a rate of 0.258 and 0.182 µMs⁻¹, with a K_m value of 87 µM and 305 µM, respectively. Also, TfdEI and TfdEII hydrolysed trans-dienelactone at a rate of 0.053 µMs⁻¹ and 0.0766 µMs⁻¹, with a K_m value of 84 µM and 178 µM, respectively. The TfdEI and TfdEII k_cat/K_m ratios were 0.12 µM⁻¹s⁻¹and 0.13 µM⁻¹s⁻¹ and 0.216 µM⁻¹s⁻¹ and 0.094 µM⁻¹s⁻¹ for for cis- and trans-dienelactone, respectively. The k_cat/K_m ratios for cis-dienelactone show that both enzymes catalyse the reaction with same efficiency even though K_m value differs significantly. This is the first report to characterize and compare reaction kinetics of purified TfdEI and TfdEII from Cupriavidus necator JMP134 and may be helpful for further exploration of their catalytic mechanisms.     

Production, Purification, and Characterization of β-(1-4)-Endoxylanase of Streptomyces roseiscleroticus

Twelve species of Streptomyces that formerly belonged to the genus Chainia were screened for the production of xylanase and cellulase. One species, Streptomyces roseiscleroticus (Chainia rosea) NRRL B-11019, produced up to 16.2 IU of xylanase per ml in 48 h. A xylanase from S. roseiscleroticus was purified and characterized. The enzyme was a debranching β-(1-4)-endoxylanase showing high activity on xylan but essentially no activity against acid-swollen (Walseth) cellulose. It had a very low apparent molecular weight of 5,500 by native gel filtration, but its denatured molecular weight was 22,600 by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It had an isoelectric point of 9.5. The pH and temperature optima for hydrolysis of arabinoxylan were 6.5 to 7.0 and 60°C, respectively, and more than 75% of the optimum enzyme activity was retained at pH 8.0. The xylanase had a K_m of 7.9 mg/ml and an apparent V_max of 305 μmol · min^-1 · mg of protein^-1. The hydrolysis rate was linear for xylan concentrations of less than 4 mg/ml, but significant inhibition was observed at xylan concentrations of more than 10 mg/ml. The predominant products of arabinoxylan hydrolysis included arabinose, xylobiose, and xylotriose.     

Characterization of the Highly Efficient Sucrose Isomerase from Pantoea dispersa UQ68J and Cloning of the Sucrose Isomerase Gene

Sucrose isomerase (SI) genes from Pantoea dispersa UQ68J, Klebsiella planticola UQ14S, and Erwinia rhapontici WAC2928 were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The predicted products of the UQ14S and WAC2928 genes were similar to known SIs. The UQ68J SI differed substantially, and it showed the highest isomaltulose-producing efficiency in E. coli cells. The purified recombinant WAC2928 SI was unstable, whereas purified UQ68J and UQ14S SIs were very stable. UQ68J SI activity was optimal at pH 5 and 30 to 35°C, and it produced a high ratio of isomaltulose to trehalulose (>22:1) across its pH and temperature ranges for activity (pH 4 to 7 and 20 to 50°C). In contrast, UQ14S SI showed optimal activity at pH 6 and 35°C and produced a lower ratio of isomaltulose to trehalulose (<8:1) across its pH and temperature ranges for activity. UQ68J SI had much higher catalytic efficiency; the K_m was 39.9 mM, the V_max was 638 U mg⁻¹, and the K_cat/K_m was 1.79 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, compared to a K_m of 76.0 mM, a V_max of 423 U mg⁻¹, and a K_cat/K_m of 0.62 × 10⁴ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ for UQ14S SI. UQ68J SI also showed no apparent reverse reaction producing glucose, fructose, or trehalulose from isomaltulose. These properties of the P. dispersa UQ68J enzyme are exceptional among purified SIs, and they indicate likely differences in the mechanism at the enzyme active site. They may favor the production of isomaltulose as an inhibitor of competing microbes in high-sucrose environments, and they are likely to be highly beneficial for industrial production of isomaltulose.     

Enzymes in cancer: Asparaginase from chicken liver

1. A procedure for partial purification of asparaginase from chicken liver is presented. 2. The bulk of the enzyme is located in the soluble fraction of chicken liver. 3. Molecular weights of chicken-liver asparaginase and of the guinea-pig serum enzyme, estimated by gel filtration, were 306000 and 210000 respectively. The Michaelis constants (K_m) at 37° and pH8·5 were 6·0×10⁻⁵m and 7·2×10⁻⁵m respectively. 4. At 50° the chicken-liver enzyme was moderately stable, some activity being lost by aggregation; in dilute electrolyte solutions the activity rapidly diminished. 5. The anti-lymphoma effect of guinea-pig serum in mice carrying the 6C3HED tumour was confirmed. Chicken-liver asparaginase also showed an effect but in this case the enzyme preparation had to be administered repeatedly. 6. Guinea-pig serum asparaginase was stable for several days in mouse blood, after intraperitoneal injection, whereas chicken-liver asparaginase rapidly disappeared. 7. Aspartic acid β-hydrazide was shown to be a competitive inhibitor of chicken-liver asparaginase with K_i approx. 5·6×10⁻⁴m. In mice it produced an anti-lymphoma effect, as reported previously.     

Purification and Characterization of a Tripeptidase from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2

A tripeptidase from a cell extract of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2 has been purified to homogeneity by DEAE-Sephacel and phenyl-Sepharose chromatography followed by gel filtration over a Sephadex G-100 SF column and a high-performance liquid chromatography TSK G3000 SW column. The enzyme appears to be a dimer with a molecular weight of between 103,000 and 105,000 and is composed of two identical subunits each with a molecular weight of about 52,000. The tripeptidase is capable of hydrolyzing only tripeptides. The enzyme activity is optimal at pH 7.5 and at 55°C. EDTA inhibits the activity, and this can be reactivated with Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, and partially with Co²⁺. The reducing agents dithiothreitol and β-mercaptoethanol and the divalent cation Cu²⁺ inhibit tripeptidase activity. Kinetic studies indicate that the peptidase hydrolyzes leucyl-leucyl-leucine with a K_m of 0.15 mM and a V_max of 151 μmol/min per mg of protein.     

Isolation, Purification, and Some Properties of Penicillium chrysogenum Tannase

Tannase isolated from Penicillium chrysogenum was purified 24-fold with 18.5% recovery after ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Optimum enzyme activity was recorded at pH 5.0 to 6.0 and at 30 to 40°C. The enzyme was stable up to 30°C and within the pH range of 4.0 to 6.5. The K_m value was found to be 0.48 × 10⁻⁴ M when tannic acid was used as the substrate. Metal salts at 20 mM inhibited the enzyme to different levels.     

Purification and Characterization of a Dipeptidase from Streptococcus cremoris Wg2

A dipeptidase was purified to homogeneity from a crude cell extract of Streptococcus cremoris Wg2 by DEAE-Sephacel column chromatography followed by preparative disc gel electrophoresis. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme showed a single protein band with a molecular weight of 49,000. The dipeptidase is capable of hydrolyzing a range of dipeptides, but not peptides with longer chains. The enzyme was shown to be a metallo-Mn²⁺ enzyme with a pH optimum of 8 and a temperature optimum of 50°C. The enzyme is strongly inhibited by thiol-reducing reagents but not by sulfhydryl reagents. Kinetic studies indicated that the enzyme has a relatively low affinity for leucyl-leucine and alanyl-alanine (K_m, 1.6 and 7.9 mM, respectively) but can hydrolyze these substrates at very high rates (V_max, 3,700 and 13,000 μmol/min per mg of protein, respectively).     

Thermophilic, reversible gamma-resorcylate decarboxylase from Rhizobium sp. strain MTP-10005: purification, molecular characterization, and expression

We found the occurrence of thermophilic reversible γ-resorcylate decarboxylase (γ-RDC) in the cell extract of a bacterium isolated from natural water, Rhizobium sp. strain MTP-10005, and purified the enzyme to homogeneity. The molecular mass of the enzyme was determined to be about 151 kDa by gel filtration, and that of the subunit was 37.5 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; in other words, the enzyme was a homotetramer. The enzyme was induced specifically by the addition of γ-resorcylate to the medium. The enzyme required no coenzyme and did not act on 2,4-dihydroxybenzoate, 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate, 3,5-dihydroxybenzoate, 2-hydroxybenzoate, or 3-hydroxybenzoate. It was relatively thermostable to heat treatment, and its half-life at 50°C was estimated to be 122 min; furthermore, it catalyzed the reverse carboxylation of resorcinol. The values of k_cat/K_m (mΜ⁻¹·s⁻¹) for γ-resorcylate and resorcinol at 30°C and pH 7 were 13.4 and 0.098, respectively. The enzyme contains 327 amino acid residues, and sequence identities were found with those of hypothetical protein AGR C 4595p from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58 (96% identity), 5-carboxyvanillate decarboxylase from Sphingomonas paucimobilis (32%), and 2-amino-3-carboxymuconate-6-semialdehyde decarboxylases from Bacillus cereus ATCC 10987 (26%), Rattus norvegicus (26%), and Homo sapiens (25%). The genes (graA [1,230 bp], graB [888 bp], and graC [1,056 bp]) that are homologous to those in the resorcinol pathway also exist upstream and downstream of the γ-RDC gene. Judging from these results, the resorcinol pathway also exists in Rhizobium sp. strain MTP-10005, and γ-RDC probably catalyzes a reaction just before the hydroxylase in it does.     

Partial Purification and Characterization of a Thermostable Actinomycete β-Amylase

A thermostable amylase, possibly a β-amylase from Thermoactinomyces sp. no. 2 isolated from soil, is reported. The enzyme was purified 36-fold by acetone precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration, and the molecular weight was estimated at 31,600. The enzyme was characterized by demonstration of optimum activity at 60°C and pH 7 and by retention of 70% activity at 70°C (30 min). It was stimulated by Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ but strongly inhibited by Hg²⁺. Maltose was the only detectable product of hydrolysis of starches and was quantitatively highest in plantain starch hydrolysate.     

Warm growth temperatures decrease soybean cholinephosphotransferase activity

The activity of cytidine 5′-diphosphate (CDP) choline: 1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2) in developing soybean (Glycine max L. var Williams 82) seeds was 3 to 5 times higher in cotyledons grown at 20°C than in those grown at 35°C. Some characteristics of the enzyme from cotyledons cultured at 20 and 35°C were compared. In preparations from both growth temperatures, the enzyme showed a pH optimum of 7, K_m of 7.0 micromolar for CDP-choline, and an optimum assay temperature of 45°C. Both enzyme preparations were stimulated by increasing concentrations of Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺, up to 10 millimolar and 50 micromolar, respectively, though Mn²⁺ produced lower activities than Mg²⁺. Enzymes from both 20 and 35°C show the same specificity for exogenous diacylglycerol. No metabolic effectors were detected by addition of heat treated extracts to the assay mixture. The above findings suggest that the higher enzyme activity at 20°C can be attributed to a higher level of the enzyme rather than to the involvement of isozymes or metabolic effectors. Enzyme activity decreased rapidly during culture at 35°C, indicating a rapid turnover of the enzyme. The level of temperature modulation was found to be a function of seed developmental stage.     

NAD-Linked Isocitrate Dehydrogenase: Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of the Protein from Pea Mitochondria

The NAD⁺-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase from etiolated pea (Pisum sativum L.) mitochondria was purified more than 200-fold by dye-ligand binding on Matrix Gel Blue A and gel filtration on Superose 6. The enzyme was stabilized during purification by the inclusion of 20% glycerol. In crude matrix extracts, the enzyme activity eluted from Superose 6 with apparent molecular masses of 1400 ± 200, 690 ± 90, and 300 ± 50 kD. During subsequent purification steps the larger molecular mass species disappeared and an additional peak at 94 ± 16 kD was evident. The monomer for the enzyme was tentatively identified at 47 kD by sodium dodecyl-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The NADP⁺-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase activity from mitochondria eluted from Superose 6 at 80 ± 10 kD. About half of the NAD⁺ and NADP⁺-specific enzymes remained bound to the mitochondrial membranes and was not removed by washing. The NAD⁺-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase showed sigmodial kinetics in response to isocitrate (S_0.5 = 0.3 mm). When the enzyme was aged at 4°C or frozen, the isocitrate response showed less allosterism, but this was partially reversed by the addition of citrate to the reaction medium. The NAD⁺ isocitrate dehydrogenase showed standard Michaelis-Menten kinetics toward NAD⁺ (K_m = 0.2 mm). NADH was a competitive inhibitor (K_i = 0.2 mm) and, unexpectedly, NADPH was a noncompetitive inhibitor (K_i = 0.3 mm). The regulation by NADPH may provide a mechanism for coordination of pyridine nucleotide pools in the mitochondria.