Peptide-Induced Morphogenesis in the Nematode-Trapping Fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora

The present investigation shows the ability of peptides to induce capture organ formation in Arthrobotrys oligospora when applied in a synthetic low nutrient medium. Under certain conditions casitone was shown to induce capture organ formation. The active principle in casitone was concentrated and purified by alternating procedures of ion exchange chromatography and gel chromatography in pyridine-acetic acid buffers. Crude casitone solutions were applied to columns of Dowex 50 W-X2 and eluted stepwise with 0.1–1.0 M pyridine-acetic acid pH 3.2–5.1. Active portions, free from most acid and neutral amino acids, were further purified on columns of Sephadex G-10 in 0.1 M pyridine-acetic acid pH 4.6. Aromatic amino acids and large molecules in the void volume could be separated from an active peptide mixture which was subjected to renewed ion exchange chromatography on Bio-Rad AG 50 W-X2. By stepwise and/or gradient elution in 0.1–0.5 M pyridine-acetic acid pH 3.2 fairly purified peptides were obtained. The composition of the test medium is an important factor in spontaneous capture organ formation. The peptides isolated from casitone induced capture organ formation, when given to the fungus in a synthetic mineral salt medium supplied with thiamin and biotin. Similar effects were obtained with small synthetic peptides in the same concentration (0.1 mg/ml). A large variety of peptides seem to be active when applied in a suitable medium. This was especially true for peptides with Rf > Rf_leu on thin layers of cellulose developed with butanol-acetic acid-water (4: 1: 1). Of the peptides investigated valyl-peptides exerted the most drastic effect.     

Quantitative determination of methylamines using microelectrodes

A new method for measuring methylamino compounds such as choline, trimethylamine, trimethylamine-N-oxide, betaine, L-carnitine, and dimethylamine is described. A glass microelectrode is used to quantify methylamines in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 10.0 mM. Rapid time response and a good sensitivity are maintained by the microelectrode even when measurements are performed in solutions having high ionic strength and low pH. These characteristics make this assay suitable for use with conventional column chromatographic techniques of separation for these methylamines.     

Formation and breakdown of glycine betaine and trimethylamine in hypersaline environments

Glycine betaine is accumulated as a compatible solute in many photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic bacteria — the last being unable to synthesize the compound - and thus large pools of betaine can be expected to be present in hypersaline environments. A variety of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms degrade betaine to among other products trimethylamine and methylamine, in a number of different pathways. Curiously, very few of these betaine breakdown processes have yet been identified in hypersaline environments. Trimethylamine can also be formed by bacterial reduction of trimethylamine N-oxide (also by extremely halophilic archaeobacteria). Degradation of trimethylamine in hypersaline environments by halophilic methanogenic bacteria is relatively well documented, and leads to the formation of methane, carbon dioxide and ammonia.     

人肠道梭菌和甲烷马赛球菌协同代谢甜菜碱和胆碱产甲烷研究

【目的】根据人肠道富含胆碱和甜菜碱,同时肠道微生物组中具有裂解胆碱和还原甜菜碱产三甲胺的细菌,以及利用三甲胺产甲烷的古菌,本研究探讨肠道细菌与古菌协同代谢甜菜碱和胆碱产甲烷的可能性。【方法】调查不同年龄段人群粪便中的16S rRNA基因多样性,分析肠道中古菌的菌群组成;利用定量PCR(quantitativePCR,qPCR)定量甲烷马赛球菌(Methanomassiliicoccus)特异的甲醇甲基转移酶基因mtaB和甲烷八叠球菌(Methanosarcina)及细菌的16SrRNA基因拷贝数,分析肠道中甲基营养型产甲烷古菌及总细菌的含量;宏基因组组装基因组(metagenome-assembled genomes, MAGs)分析携带甜菜碱还原酶基因grdH和胆碱裂解酶基因cutC的细菌组成。从粪便中分离代谢甜菜碱及胆碱产生三甲胺的细菌,并与分离自人肠道的甲烷马赛球菌构建共培养物,测定其协同转化甜菜碱和胆碱产甲烷的能力。【结果】年轻人粪便中含有甲烷杆菌科(Methanobacteriaceae,82.16%)的甲烷短杆菌属(Methanobrevibacter,49.18%)和甲烷...     

Degradation of various amine compounds by mesophilic clostridia

From 60 species of the genus Clostridium tested 26 species were able to degrade one to three of the following compounds: betaine, choline, creatine, and ethanolamine. Degradation of betaine and choline was always associated with the formation of trimethylamine as one of the products. Creatine was converted to N-methylhydantoin and with one species (Clostridium sordellii) to sarcosine in addition. The diagnostic value of the ability of clostridial species to degrade the compounds mentioned is discussed. N,N-dimethylglycine, N,N-dimethylethanolamine or sarcosine were not metabolized by the strains tested.     

Purification and characterization of choline oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis

Choline oxidase was purified from the cells of Arthrobacter globiformis by fractionations with acetone and ammonium sulfate, and column chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose and on Sephadex G-200. The purified enzyme preparation appeared homogeneous on disc gel electrophoresis. The enzyme was a flavoprotein having a molecular weight of approx. 83,000 (gel filtration) or approx. 71,000 (sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis) and an isoelectric point (pI) around pH 4.5. Identification of the reaction products showed that the enzyme catalyzed the following reactions: choline + O2 leads to betaine aldehyde + H2O2, betaine aldehyde + O2 + H2O leads to betaine + H2O2. The enzyme was highly specific for choline and betaine aldehyde (relative reaction velocities: choline, 100%; betaine aldehyde, 46%; N,N-dimethylaminoethanol, 5.2%; triethanolamine, 2.6%; diethanolamine, 0.8%; monoethanolamine, N-methylaminoethanol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propionaldehyde, 0%). Its Km values were 1.2 mM for choline and 8.7 mM for betaine aldehyde. The optimum pH for the enzymic reaction was around pH 7.5.     

Mechanism of biosynthesis of trimethylamine oxide from choline in the teleost tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, under freshwater conditions

The mechanism of biosynthesis of trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) from dietary precursors in the teleost tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was investigated. Diets supplemented with quaternary ammonium choline, glycine betaine, carnitine or phosphatidylcholine were administered and significant increases in TMAO levels in the muscle were only observed with choline. [Methyl-14C] and [1,2-14C] cholines were given through dietary and intraperitoneal injection routes, but 14C-TMAO was detected only in fish with dietary administration of [methyl-14C] choline. Dietary treatment with [15N] choline resulted in the formation of [15N] TMAO in the muscle. The incorporation of radioactivity into TMAO was also observed both following dietary administration and intraperitoneal injection of [14C] trimethylamine (TMA). When choline was introduced into the isolated intestine, marked increases in TMA levels occurred. These increases were significantly suppressed in the presence of penicillin. [14C]-TMA derived from [methyl-14C] choline was detected in the cavity of the isolated intestine. The introduction of [15N] choline into the intestinal cavity resulted in the formation of [15N] TMA. TMA mono-oxygenase activities were detected in the liver and kidney. We conclude that tilapia possess the ability to produce TMAO from choline, which is related to intestinal microorganisms and tissue mono-oxygenase under freshwater conditions.     

Formation of trimethylamine from dietary choline by Streptococcus sanguis I, which colonizes the mouth

Choline is a component of the normal diet, and when humans ingest large amounts they excrete trimethylamine (which can impart a fishy body odor). In the presence of nitrite, trimethylamine can be converted to dimethylnitrosamine, a potent carcinogen. Bacteria in the large intestine metabolize choline to form trimethylamine. We determined that a bacterium normally present in the oral cavity also has this capacity. Mixed bacterial flora cultured from dental plaque and saliva converted choline to trimethylamine. The only organism with trimethylamine-forming capability isolated from these mixed cultures was identified as Streptococcus sanguis I (a facultative anaerobe). The other products formed when choline was cleaved were ethanol and acetate. The formation of trimethylamine by S. sanguis I was enzyme-mediated. Activity was destroyed by heating at 100 degrees C, and obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics (K(apparent) for choline = 184 +/- 58 microM; V(max apparent) = 1.7 +/- 0.1 micromol/mg protein/h). Activity was maximal at pH 7.5 to 8.5, was membrane-bound, and required a divalent metal cation (cobalt or iron). More trimethylamine was produced by bacteria incubated under a nitrogen than under an aerobic atmosphere. Activity was inhibited by deanol, betaine aldehyde, hemicholinium-3, iodoacetate, semicarbazide, and 2,4-dinitrophenol, and was enhanced by sulfhydryl-reducing agents (glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol, DL-dithiothreitol) and sodium bisulfite. The enzyme activity that we describe in S. sanguis I is similar to that previously described in the anaerobic bacteria isolated from intestinal flora.     

反相HPLC离子对色谱法测定植物组织中的甜菜碱

A reverse phase ion-pair HPLC assay has been developed for screening glycinebetaine content in plant tissues in studies of its relation to salinity tolerance. Separation was performed on a 250 mm×4.6 mm stainless steel column (packed with 10 μm irregular-H) eluted with 50　mmol/L KH 2PO4 (pH 4.45) containing ion-pair agent 0.1% PIC B-8 (1-octane sulfonic acid, Waters). Detection was performed by UV absorbance at 192 nm. The recovery rate of glycinebetaine in tissue extracts ranged from 85% to 96%. Glycinebetaine concentrations in leaf and root of Populus euphratica and P.`popularis 35-44' varied between 0.06 and 0.75 μg/g fresh weight (FW) with higher values in leaf tissue. Glycinebetaine level in suspension cells of P. euphratica increased from 0.45 to 0.77 μg/g FW following NaCl stress. The main assay procedure described here offers a number of advantages over other methods of estimating betaines: a) It increases precision and accuracy as compared with the periodide. b) Using a reverse HPLC column thus it decreases the expense for purchasing special equipment (such as strong cation-exchange columns). c) It avoids the need to generate derivatives thus allows rapid assay for betaines. This technique is not, however, suitable for use on crude, unpurified extracts and an ion-exchange clean up procedure is required. In the author's experiment, the extracts were passed through a 5 mL column of Dowex 1×8 (100-200 mesh, OH- form, Sigma) in series with a second column of a 5 mL Dowex 50W×2 (50-100 mesh, H+ form, Serva). Bound betaine was recovered from Dowex 50W×2 with 10mL of 2mol/L NH4OH and the eluate was evaporated to dryness at 65℃ in vacuum. 1 mL solution for the HPLC elution was used for dissolving betaine samples before separation on column.      

Formation of proline metabolites in chick embryo bone: Interference with the measurement of free hydroxyproline by ion-exchange chromatography

Metabolites of -[¹⁴C]proline were found in the trichloroacetic acid-soluble fraction of 16-day-old chick embryo frontal bones. In several ion-exchange procedures these metabolites interfered with the analysis of hydroxyproline derived from the metabolic breakdown of collagen. The major metabolite was identified as glutamic acid by its chromatographic and crystallization properties. It was eluted from AG50 cation-exchange resin with 1.0 HCL in the hydroxyproline region, but was separated from hydroxyproline on a DC-6A column in the amino acid analyzer. Another metabolite was identified as aspartic acid. It was not separated from hydroxyproline on either AG50 using 1 HCL for elution or on DC-6A using 0.1 sodium citrate, pH 3.25, for elution, but adequate separation was obtained by elution with 0.2 sodium citrate buffer at pH 2.91. Formation of these metabolites was not related either to protein synthesis or proline hydroxylation. Therefore, it is possible to analyze for hydroxyproline accurately by using a separate unhydroxylated sample to correct for the presence of the metabolites. The formation of glutamic acid suggested that proline oxidase activity might be present in bone tissue, but none was detected using a sensitive radioisotopic assay. Although the amount of radioactivity found in the metabolites was 36% of the amount of [¹⁴C]proline incorporated into protein, no radioactive glutamic or aspartic acid was present in protein hydrolyzates. This observation suggests that the metabolites did not enter the major amino acid pool used for protein synthesis.     

Partial purification of two forms of Choline kinase and separation of Choline kinase from sphingosine kinase of rat brain

Choline kinase of rat brain was purified approximately 200,000 fold using acid precipitation, ammonium sulphate fractionation, Q-Sepharose, Octyl-Sepharose and AH-Sepharose chromatography. The ability of this enzyme to catalyze the phosphorylation of choline, ethanolamine (Etn), monomethylethanolamine (MeEtn), dimethylethanolamine (Me₂Etn) and sphingosine was investigated. Choline kinase was separated from sphingosine kinase. The fraction with highly purified choline kinase had four major polypeptides with different molecular masses and possessed activities towards choline, Etn, MeEtn and Me₂Etn. Two forms of choline kinase were obtained when the enzymatically active fractions eluted from the Q-Sepharose column were subjected to a horizontal isoelectrofocusing electrophoresis. One form focused around pH 4.7 and is able to phosphorylate choline, Etn, MeEtn and Me₂Etn. The other form focused around pH 10 and possessed only choline kinase activity. The latter form of choline kinase did not display classical Michaelis-Menten's mechanism but revealed a positive co-operative pattern for two choline binding sites. This form was purified to apparent homogeneity with a approximate molecular mass of 14.4 kDa.Abbreviations Etn ethanolamine - MeEtn N-monomethylethanolamine - Me₂Etn N, N-dimethylethanolamine     

The production of labeled betaine by incubation of osmolyte-freePseudomonas aeruginosa with radioactive choline

A simple, efficient, and economical method is presented for the preparation of radioactive betaine. It involves the incubation of radioactive choline with osmolyte-freePseudomonas aeruginosa previously grown in hyperosmolar medium with choline as an osmoprotectant. The summarized procedure was as follows: (i) bacteria were grown in high P_i basal salt medium (HP_i-BSM) with 20mm succinate, 18.7mm NH₄Cl, 0.8m NaCl, and 1mm nonradioactive choline. After the bacterial pellet was obtained, it was suspended in deionized water to release osmolytes accumulated during growth; (ii) suspension of the pellet, free of osmolytes, in hyperosmolar HP_i-BSM with [methyl-¹⁴C]-choline (55 nCi/nmol) without the carbon and nitrogen sources. Incubation of the mixture at 37°C for 8–30 h. When only 10% of the initial radioactivity remained in the supernatant, it was withdrawn after centrifugation and the pellet suspended in deionized water. This step released the accumulated betaine plus some contaminants. Purification of betaine contained in the aqueous supernatant was carried out after rotoevaporation to dryness and solubilization of the residue in methanol. The methanolic extract was rotoevaporated to dryness, the residue solubilized in 10% acetic acid and transferred to a Dowex 50-X8 column. After the column was washed with water and 2m NH₄OH, betaine was eluted by the addition of 4m NH₄OH. The total procedure for obtaining pure radioactive betaine resulted in a yield of 80%. The product obtained was chemically and radiochemically pure, with a specific radioactivity of 54±1 nCi/nmol.     

Mechanistic studies of choline oxidase with betaine aldehyde and its isosteric analogue 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde

Choline oxidase catalyzes the four-electron oxidation of choline to glycine betaine via two sequential FAD-dependent reactions in which betaine aldehyde is formed as an intermediate. The chemical mechanism for the oxidation of choline catalyzed by choline oxidase was recently elucidated by using kinetic isotope effects [Fan, F., and Gadda, G. (2005) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 127, 2067-2074]. In this study, the oxidation of betaine aldehyde has been investigated by using spectroscopic and kinetic analyses with betaine aldehyde and its isosteric analogue 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde. The pH dependence of the kcat/Km and kcat values with betaine aldehyde showed that a catalytic base with a pKa of approximately 6.7 is required for betaine aldehyde oxidation. Complete reduction of the enzyme-bound flavin was observed in a stopped-flow spectrophotometer upon anaerobic mixing with betaine aldehyde or choline at pH 8, with similar k(red) values > or = 48 s(-1). In contrast, only 10-26% of the enzyme-bound flavin was reduced by 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde between pH 6 and 10. Furthermore, this compound acted as a competitive inhibitor versus choline. NMR spectroscopic analyses indicated that betaine aldehyde exists predominantly (99%) as a diol form in aqueous solution. In contrast, the thermodynamic equilibrium for 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde favors the aldehyde (> or = 65%) over the hydrated form in the pH range from 6 to 10. The keto species of 3,3-dimethylbutyraldehyde is reactive toward enzymic nucleophiles, as suggested by the kinetic data with NAD+-dependent yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase. The data presented suggest that choline oxidase utilizes the hydrated species of the aldehyde as substrate in a mechanism for aldehyde oxidation in which hydride transfer is triggered by an active site base.     

Liquid chromatographic determination of acetylcholine based on pre‐column alkaline cleavage reaction and post‐column tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) chemiluminescence detection

A method for the determination of acetylcholine (ACh) has been developed using liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection. This method is based on the pre‐column alkaline cleavage of ACh to form trimethylamine (TMA) and the post‐column tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) chemiluminescence detection of TMA. ACh was converted to TMA with high yield at 180°C in the presence of lithium hydroxide, and the produced TMA was separated on a cation‐exchange/reversed‐phase dual‐functional column using a mixture of 0.2 m potassium phosphate buffer (pH 5.9) and acetonitrile (20:1, v/v) as the mobile phase. The eluate was online mixed with acidic tris(2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) solution, and the generated chemiluminescence was detected. The detection limit (signal‐to‐noise ratio = 3) for ACh was 0.80 nmol/mL, which corresponded to 1.1 pmol TMA per injection volume of 5 µL. This is simple and robust method that does not need an expensive device and unstable enzymes, and was applied to the determination of ACh in pharmaceutical formulations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of a new bisphosphonate, YM175, in plasma, urine and bone by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of disodium dihydrogen(cycloheptylamino)methylenebisphosphonate monohydrate (YM175) in plasma, urine and bone is described. Plasma obtained in high-dose animal studies is pretreated by Method A, a simple method using 1 ml of plasma, which is based on deproteinization of plasma followed by coprecipitation of the drug with calcium phosphate and removal of excess calcium ions by AG 50W-X8 resin. Plasma obtained in lower-dose clinical studies is treated by Method B, a more sensitive method using 10 ml of plasma, which is based on solid-phase extraction using a Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridge coupled with Method A. Urine and bone are treated similarly to Method B. The chromatographic system consists of a mobile phase at pH 11, an alkali-stable column and an electrochemical detector operating in the oxidation mode. The determination limit is 5 ng/ml for Method A and 0.5 ng/ml for Method B in plasma, 1 ng/ml in urine, and 25 ng/g in bone.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantitating plasma levels of amiloride and its analogues

An assay for amiloride was devised for efficient use with the wide variety of analogues available. Amiloride was extracted from 1-ml plasma samples by elution from a C₈ preparative column with 6% acetonitrile—45% methanol—5.4% acetic acid, adjusted to pH 4.0 with trimethylamine. Samples were lyophilized, resuspended in 50% methanol, filtered through 0.22-μm Spin-X cartridges, applied to a reversed-phase C₁₈ column, and eluted in a 0–50% acetonitrile gradient in 0.4% acetic acid, pH 4.5 (1.2 ml/min). Detection by ultraviolet absorbance at 360 nm was linear from 1 to 1000 ng. Versatility of the method was demonstrated with the analogues benzamil, 6-hydro-, 6-iodo-, 5-hexamethylene-, and 5-chlorobenzyl-2',4'-dimethylbenzylamiloride.     

A Simple Preparative Method for the Isolation of Amylose and Amylopectin from Potato Starch

The defatted starch was dispersed in NaOH (1 M) and neutralized with HCl (1 M). The amylose 1-butanol complex is adsorbed on defatted cellulose powder in the solvent system containing acetate buffer (pH 4.8, 0.1 M) ± urea (2 M) ± 1-butanol (8.5 %, v/v). The complex adsorbed on cellulose powder is separated by centrifugation (2418 g). The sediment is washed with the solvent system-I to obtain the intermediate fraction. The adsorbed amylose is eluted with urea (2 M) in acetate buffer (pH 4.8, 0.1 M). The amylose, intermediate fraction and amylopectin were precipitated with ethanol, washed free of urea and air dried. They were characterized by determining their blue value and β -amylolysis limit.     

Betaine: New Oxidant in the Stickland Reaction and Methanogenesis from Betaine and l-Alanine by a Clostridium sporogenes-Methanosarcina barkeri Coculture

Growing and nongrowing cells of Clostridium sporogenes fermented betaine with l-alanine, l-valine, l-leucine, and l-isoleucine as electron donors in a coupled oxidation-reduction reaction (Stickland reaction). For the substrate combinations betaine and l-alanine and betaine and l-valine balance studies were performed; the results were in agreement with the following fermentation equation: 1 R- CH(NH(2))-COOH + 2 betaine + 2 H(2)O --> 1 R-COOH + 1 CO(2) + 1 NH(3) + 2 trimethylamine + 2 acetate. Growth and production of trimethylamine were strictly dependent on the presence of selenite in the medium. With cell suspensions it was shown that C. sporogenes was unable to catabolize betaine as a single substrate. Betaine, however, was reduced to trimethylamine and acetate under an atmosphere of molecular hydrogen. For the reduction of betaine by cell extracts of C. sporogenes, dimercaptans such as 1,4-dithiothreitol could serve as electron donors. No betaine reductase activity was detected in cells grown in a complex medium without betaine. The pH optimum of betaine reductase was at pH 7.3. When C. sporogenes was cocultured with Methanosarcina barkeri strain Fusaro on betaine together with l-alanine, an almost complete conversion of the two substrates to CH(4), NH(3), and presumably CO(2) was observed.     

Analysis of inositol by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed for identification and quantification of inositol isomers and monosaccharides in inositol-containing glycans. The method, which can determine 10 pmol of inositol, utilizes an Aminex HPX-87C column packed with an 8% crosslinked cation-exchange resin in the calcium form eluted with deionized water at 50 degrees C. NaOH solution is added to the column effluent through a postcolumn tee to increase the pH (pH greater than 11.6) before entering a pulsed amperometric detector which is highly sensitive for polyhydroxylated compounds. Samples in which inositol is linked to sugar through a glycosidic bond are hydrolyzed with 5.5 N trifluoroacetic acid, 100 degrees C, 4 h, and then reduced with NaBH4. Samples in which inositol is linked via a phosphate ester are hydrolyzed with 6 N HCl, 110 degrees C, 24 h. This method has been applied to the analysis of inositol in the hamster prion proteins (PrP) PrP27-30, and PrPSc.     

N-Terminal Sequence of Pig Brain Choline Acetyltransferase Purified by a Rapid Procedure

A procedure is reported that allows the purification and amino terminal sequencing of pig brain choline acetyltransferase. The enzyme (present in extremely low amounts in this tissue) is eluted together with its antibody from an affinity column by a mild pH shift and the resulting enzyme-antibody complex separated by gel electrophoresis. The band corresponding to the enzyme is electroeluted from the gel using volatile solutions allowing the direct determination of the amino acid composition and partial sequence. The first 11 residues are: Pro-Ile-Leu-Glu-Lys-Thr-Pro-Pro-Lys-Met-Ala.