Characterization of phosphate absorption in maize root cortex segments

Uptake of phosphate ions by 1 mm segments of isolated maize root cortex layers was studied. Cortex segments (from roots of 8 days old maize plants) absorb phosphate ions from 1 mM KH₂PO₄ in 0.2 mM CaSCO₄ at the average rate of 34.3 ±3.2 μg P_i g^?1 (fr. m.) h^?1,i.e. 0.35± 0.02 μmol P_i g^?1 (fr. m.) h^?1. Phosphate uptake considerably increases after a certain period of “augmentation”,i.e. washing in aerated 0.2 mM CaSO₄. This increase is completely blocked by the presence of 10 μg ml^?1 cycloheximide. The relation of uptake rate to phosphate concentration in the medium was shown to have 3 phases in the concentration range of 0.02 - 40 mM. Transition points were found between 0.8–1 mM and 10–20 mM. Following K_m and V_max values were found: K_m[mM] : 0.37 - 3.82 - 27.67 V_max[μg P_i g^?1 (fr. m.) h^?1] : 3.33 - 39.40 - 66.67 We have found no sharp pH optimum for phosphate uptake. It proceeds at almost constant rate till pH 6.0 and then the uptake rate drops with increasing pH. At low phosphate concentrations (1 mM) the lowest uptake rate was found at 5 and 13 °C, while the uptake is higher at 5 °C than at 13 °C at phosphate concentrations higher than 1 mM. At these concentrations uptake rate at 35 °C is lower than at 25 °C. Phosphate uptake considerably decreased in anaerobic conditions. DNP and iodoacetate (0.1 mM) completely blocked phosphate uptake from 1 mM KH₂PO₄, while uptake from 5 and 10 mM KH₂PO₄ was left unaffected by these substances. The inhibitors of active - SH groups NEM and PCMB inhibited phosphate uptake: 10^?3 M NEM by 81.6%, 10⁴ M NEM by 42% and 10^?4 M PCMB by 42%.     

Thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of ion condensation to polynucleotides: Outer sphere complex formed by Mg++ ions

The coupling of ion binding to the single strand helix—coil transition in poly (A) and poly(C) is used to obtain information about both processes by ion titration and field-jump relaxation methods. Characterisation of the field-jump relaxation in poly(C) at various concentrations of monovalent ions leads to the evaluation of a stability constant K = 71 M^?1 for the ion binding to the polymer. The rate constant of helix formation is found to be 1.3 × 10⁷ s^?1, whereas the dissociation rate is 1.0 × 10⁶ s^?1. Similar data are presented for poly (A) and poly (dA).The interaction of Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ with poly (A) and poly (C) is measured by a titration method using the polymer absorbance for the indication of binding. The data can be represented by a model with independent binding “sites”. The stability constants increase with decreasing salt concentration from 2.7 × 10⁴ M^?1 at medium ionic strengths up to 2.7 × 10⁷ M^?1 at low ionic strength. The number of ions bound per nucleotide residue is in the range 0.2 to 0.3. Relaxation time constants associated with Mg⁺⁺ binding are characterised over a broad range of Mg⁺⁺ concentrations from 5 μM to 500 μM. The observed concentration dependence supports the conclusion on the number of binding places inferred from equilibrium titrations. The rate of Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ association to the polymer is close to the limit of diffusion control (k_R = 1 × 10¹⁰ to 2 × 10¹⁰ M^?1 s^?1). This high rate demonstrates that Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ ions do not form inner-sphere complexes with the polynucleotides. Apparently the distance between two adjacent phosphates is too large for a simultaneous site binding of Mg⁺⁺ or Ca⁺⁺, and inner sphere complexation at a single phosphate seems to be too weak. The data support the view that the ions like Mg⁺⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ surround the polynucleotides in the form of a mobile ion cloud without site binding.     

Phosphate transport in fertilized sea urchin eggs. II. Effects of metabolic inhibitors and studies on differentiation

Metabolic inhibitors were applied after the transport system was fully developed in concentrations sufficient to block cleavage. 0.5–1.0 × 10^?4 M cyanide and anaerobiosis caused from negligible to moderate (40%) inhibition of phosphate uptake. The inhibition occurred late in the breeding season, and the inhibitory action of cyanide on uptake was associated with irreversible developmental effects. Azide (3 × 10^?3 M) did not inhibit uptake when the chamber method was used, but the aliquot and Hopkins' tube methods gave considerable inhibition. Purified preparations of 2,4-dinitrophenol (1 × 10^?4 M) did not inhibit uptake. Sodium iodoacetate (up to 0.05 M) and phlorizin (0.005 M) exerted no effect. Calculations of the minimal work requirement for the transport process reveal that this amounts to only a small fraction (0.24% at an external phosphate concentration of 2 μM) of the total available metabolic energy. Exposure of eggs at five minutes after insemination (lag phase) to cyanide (5 × 10^?5 M), anaerobic conditions, or azide (3 × 10^?3 M) blocked the expected increase of phosphate uptake. Removal of the inhibitors led to resumption of development and the appearance of the phosphate transport system in an essentially normal pattern. Exposure of eggs to 1.4–2.0 × 10^?4 M p-chloromercuribenzoate (p-CMB) during the accumulation phase severely depressed phosphate uptake, but cleavage was not inhibited nor delayed; recovery from the inhibition was accelerated by 1 × 10^?3 M cysteine. Exposure to p-CMB during the lag phase blocked the appearance of the transport system; cleavage proceeded normally. After the removal of p-CMB little reversal occurred until the addtion of 1 × 10^?3 M cysteine, when the phosphate transport system developed in an essentially normal manner. Trypsin (0.001–0.01%) neither activates the transport system in unfertilized eggs, nor inactivates it in denuded fertilized eggs by removal of surface proteins. The data are consistent with the conclusion that (1) the phosphate transport system is newly synthesized at fertilization in energy dependent reactions, and (2) phosphate transport is a carrier mediated process not directly dependent on metabolic energy.     

The effect of arsenate and arsenite on photosynthesis in Scenedesmus obliquus. A Potentiometric study in a closed CO2-system

Abstract

A Potentiometric titration method was used to study the adverse effect of arsenate (As(V)) and arsenite (As(III)) on inorganic carbon uptake in suspensions of the green alga Scenedesmus obliquus. The measurements were performed in a closed CO₂-system with diluted synthetic seawater (1‰ salinity) as ionic medium. Usually, the algal chlorophyll concentration was 0.4 mg dm^?3, while the arsenate- and arsenite-concentrations were varied within the limits 0.1 to 200 μmol dm^?3. In some experiments arsenate toxicity was studied in the presence of 1 to 100 μmol dm^?3 of phosphate (P(V)).

With concentrations of arsenate or arsenite less than 0.1 μmol dm^?3 no toxic effects were observed. However, at As-concentrations of 200 μmol dm^?3, the algal carbon uptake was reduced by 41% with arsenate and 29% with arsenite, i.e., arsenate is more toxic to Scenedesmus obliquus than arsenite. The toxicity of arsenate was negligible in the presence of a ten fold excess of phosphate. This is probably due to chemical similarities between arsenate and phosphate causing competition between the ions for the binding sites.

The importance of taking the speciation as well as the buffer capacity of the algal system into account, when calculating the carbon uptake, is also discussed.     

Effects of beta-bungarotoxin on calcium uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

A fluorescent chelate probe and a Millipore filtration technique have been used to study the effects of β-bungarotoxin (β-toxin) on passive and active Ca⁺⁺ uptake and ATPase in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of rabbit skeletal muscle. β-Toxin at 3 × 10^?6 M did not affect ATPase activity. In the absence of ATP, β-Toxin increased the passive uptake of Ca⁺⁺; in the presence of ATP, active Ca⁺⁺ uptake was inhibited. The effect of β-toxin in SR can be detected at concentrations as low as 10^?9 M. The results suggest that β-toxin induces Ca⁺⁺ leakage in SR membranes.     

Abnormality of 2-deoxyglucose uptake kinetics in fibroblasts at low concentrations

2-deoxyglucose uptake rates at low sugar concentrations (less than 500 μM) appeared to be lower than those predicted by the Michaelis-Menten model which correctly described higher concentrations. This phenomenon which we will call concentration-dependent transport lag, was also observed for L-glucose uptake which suggest that this phenomenon is carrier-independent. A model involving the perimembrane space is developed which, for L-glucose, gives k₁ = 0.931 ± 0.072 × 10^?6 l. mg protein^?1. minute^?1, k₂ = 2.97 ± 0.19 × 10^?7 l. mg protein^?1. minute^?1 and So = 88,8 ± 4,3 μM; where k₁ is the diffusion constant in the cell membrane, k₂ is the diffusion constant in the perimembrane space and S_o the sugar concentration required in the external medium in order to provide an équivalent sugar concentration in the transport carrier area.     

Early Effects of Penconazole on H+ and K+ Transport,Electrolyte Leakage and Transmembrane Electrical Potential in Egeria densa Leaves

The early effects of penconazole (PCZ) at relatively high concentration (10^?4 to 5 × 10^?4 M) on changes in pH and in titratable acidity of the medium, transmembrane electrical potential difference (Em), electrolyte leakage and cell morphology were investigated in Egeria densa leaves. At the lowest (10^?4 M) concentration and in the presence of a very low (10 μM) K⁺ concentration, triazole induced an early, moderate hyperpolarization of Em, associated with a decrease of net K⁺ uptake, suggesting some increase in the passive permeability to K⁺. This Em hyperpolarization was no longer detectable at high (2 mM) K⁺_out concentration. At high PCZ concentrations (3 × 10^?4 M and 5 × 10^?4 M) the early hyperpolarization detectable in the presence of a low K⁺_out concentration became transient, and was followed by a marked depolarization. PCZ, at these concentrations, suppressed acidification of the medium, stimulated electrolyte leakage and, in the mesophyll cells, induced some shrinking of the cytoplasm and its disconnection from the cell walls. These results are interpreted as due to an early effect of this triazole leading to the disorganization of the plasma membrane.     

Uridine-cytidine kinase. Kinetic studies and reaction mechanism.

The initial velocity pattern has been determined for uridine-cytidine kinase purified from the murine mast cell neoplasm P815. With either uridine or cytidine as phosphate acceptor, and ATP as phosphate donor, the pattern observed was one of intersecting lines, ruling out a ping-pong reaction mechanism, and suggesting that the reaction probably proceeds by the sequential addition of both substrates to the enzyme to form a ternary complex, followed by the sequential release of the two products. This pattern was obtained whether the reaction was run in 0.01 m potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, or in 0.1 m Tris-HCl, pH 7.2. When analyzed by the Sequen computer program, the data indicated an apparent K_m of the enzyme for uridine of 1.5 × 10^?4m, an apparent K_m for cytidine of 4.5 × 10^?5m, and a K_m for ATP, with uridine or cytidine as phosphate acceptor, of 3.6 × 10^?3m or 2.1 × 10^?3m, respectively. The V was 1.83 μmol phosphorylated/min/mg enzyme protein for the uridine kinase reaction and 0.91 μmol for the cytidine kinase reaction.     

Characterization of Arsenate Uptake by Cultured Primary Rat Astrocytes

Arsenate is known to be accumulated by cultured astrocytes and to stimulate astrocytic glutathione export, but the arsenate uptake into astrocytes has not been characterized so far. To address this topic, we have exposed primary rat astrocyte cultures to arsenate and determined the cellular arsenic content by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Viable astrocytes accumulated arsenate in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Their cellular arsenic content increased almost proportional with time for up to 60 min after application of arsenate. Analysis of the concentration-dependent increase in the specific arsenic content of the cells after 30 min of arsenate exposure revealed that cultured astrocytes take up arsenate with saturable kinetics by a transport process that has apparent K_M- and V_max-values of 1.7 ± 0.2 mM and 28 ± 4 nmol/(mg protein × 30 min), respectively. Arsenate uptake in viable astrocytes was strongly inhibited by the presence of phosphate or by lowering the incubation temperature to 4 °C and was completely abolished in a sodium ion-free medium. These results strongly suggest that the saturable temperature-dependent arsenate uptake into astrocytes is mediated by a sodium-dependent phosphate cotransporter.     

25OHD, a circulating vitamin D metabolite in fish.

Serum and hepatic 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), and serum calcium, phosphate, 25OHD₃ binding capacity and binding affinity were measured in male and female trout. Both serum and hepatic 25OHD levels are decreased in female trout with elevations in protein bound calcium and phosphate. Whereas the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) for serum binding of 25OHD₃ of 1.0–2.0 × 10^?9M is similar in males and females, the 25OHD₃ binding capacity of hypercalcemic spawning trout (1.39 × 10^?7M) is significantly less than that of male fish (1.88 × 10^?7M). At circulating serum concentrations of 25OHD which average 9.5 × 10^?9M only 5–7% of trout serum 25OHD binding sites are occupied.     

Kinetics of phosphate uptake in excised maize root

The short term uptake of phosphate involving 10 min absorption followed by 5 min desorption, both at 30 °C, in the concentration range 1.0×10^?9 to 7.5×10^?2 M KH₂PO₄ by fresh and washed maize (Zea mays L. cv. Ganga Safed-2) roots can be described by a single isotherm having five phases (0 and I–IV) with regularly spaced kinetic constants. Almost identical kinetics were observed in both fresh and washed maize roots. The kinetics of phase 0 in the concentration range 1.0×10^?9–3.0×10^?5 M. was sigmoidal in fresh maize roots, however, in washed tissue exhibited 2 phases termed here as 0a and 0b. 0a covered the concentration range 1.0×10^?9–5.0×10^?6 M and 0b 6.0×10^?6–3.0×10^?5 M. In the concentration range 1.0×10^?4–7.5×10^?2 M four distinct phases, termed as I, II, III and IV were evident in both fresh and washed maize roots. Each phase obeyed Michaelis—Menten kinetics. The values of K_m and V_max have been estimated for each phase. The uptake isotherm was accompanied by discontinuous transitions.     

Noncompetitive Amine Uptake Inhibition by the New Antidepressant Pridefine

Abstract: Pridefine (AHR-1118) is a pyrrolidine derivative with clinically established antidepressant efficacy. Previous work from this laboratory indicates that pridefine is a reuptake blocker of catecholamines and serotonin with weak releasing activity. This study characterized the mode of amine uptake inhibition by pridefine as noncompetitive. The uptake experiments were performed utilizing ouabain instead of zero-degree controls to differentiate between the passive and active components of uptake. Furthermore, the passive component was resolved into diffusion and binding of substrate. Correction was made for the effects of ouabain on binding. Kinetic constants determined from Lineweaver-Burk plots were: K_m= 3 × 10^?7 M for NE, K_m= 9 × 10^?8 M for DA, and K_m= 3 × 10^?8 M for 5-HT. Dixon analyses of uptake at various pridefine concentrations indicated noncompetitive inhibition with K_i= 2.5 × 10^?6 M for NE uptake, K_i= 2.0 × 10^?6 M for DA uptake, and K_i= 1 × 10^?5 M for 5-HT uptake. These constants compare well with IC₅₀ values for the same transmitters: NE, IC₅₀= 2.4 × 10^?6 M; DA, IC₅₀= 2.8 × 10^?6 M; 5-HT, IC₅₀= 1.0 × 10^?5 M. The in vitro results indicate that pridefine is relatively specific as a catecholamine uptake blocker. It differs from tricyclic antidepressants which are reportedly competitive inhibitors of monoamine uptake. The possible mechanisms by which pridefine acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor are discussed.     

SILICON UPTAKE BY ALGAE WITH NO KNOWN Si REQUIREMENT. II. STRONG pH DEPENDENCE OF UPTAKE KINETIC PARAMETERS IN PHAEODACTYLUM TRICORNUTUM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE)1

Silicon uptake kinetics of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bohlin) were examined at pH 8.8 ± 0.1 and pH 9.1 ± 0.1. Uptake follows hyperbolic saturation kinetics at both pH's, but at the higher pH the half-saturation constant for uptake is 11.8 μM, as opposed to 54.8 μM at the lower pH. When the uptake rate is examined as a function of the calculated concentration of the monovalent conjugate base, SiO(OH)₃^?, the half-saturation constant for uptake is 6.6 μM at either pH.     

The isolation of pig liver monoamine oxidase

Monoamine oxidase from pig liver has been isolated and purified approximately three hundred-fold. This enzyme has a molecular weight of 1,200,000, is highly polymeric, and contains subunits of molecular weight 146,000, as determined by Sephadex chromatography. The apparent K_m at 25°C is 1.28 × 10^?6 M at pH 9.0 (0.05 M glycine) and 1.74 × 10^?5 M at pH 7.2 (0.2 M phosphate) using benzylamine as a substrate. This enzyme contains approximately 8 copper(II) ions per 1,200,000 molecular weight.     

Interactions des ions métalliques avec le DNA. IV. Fixation de i'ion cuivrique sur le DNA

The binding of cupric ion (Cu⁺⁺) to DNA was followed by spectrophotometry, melting profiles, and hydrodynamic techniques, in 0. 1M NaClO₄ and at pH 5. 6. A small amount of Cu⁺⁺ is bound specifically to bases (about 1 Cu⁺⁺ per 20 nucleotides), in agreement with polarographic and EPR data. A preferential stabilization of G–C pairs and only a slight increase of the flexibility of the molecule were observed. In 5 × 10^?3M NaClO₄, a higher number of nonhomogeneous binding sites is found by spectrophotometry. It is concluded that at least two types of sites are available for Cu⁺⁺. The first one, where Cu⁺⁺ is chelating N₇ of purines to phosphate, is observed only at low ionic strength and destabilizes the double helix. The second exists mainly at 0, 1M or higher ionic strength. All the sites are identical and could be attributed to two successive guanine residues in the same strand. Similar behavior was found for other divalent cations, e. g., Fe⁺⁺, Mn⁺⁺, and Co⁺⁺.     

Uptake by Yeast: Interaction of Rb+, Na+ and Phosphate

It has been shown that addition of phosphate to phosphate deficient yeast gives rise to an immediate increase in the rate of Na⁺ uptake and an immediate decrease in the rate of Rb⁺ uptake. In addition, phosphate uptake is enhanced specifically by Na ions presumably by a process with a very high affinity for phosphate with a K_m of about 2 × 10⁻⁶M at pH 7.2, whereas the K_m for phosphate uptake of the Na⁺ independent process amounts to 1.3 × 10⁻⁴M.     

Inhibition of the neutrophil oxidative response to a chemotactic peptide by inhibitors of arachidonic acid oxygenation

N-formylmethionylphenylalanine stimulates a short burst of antimycin A-insensitive O₂ uptake, O₂^? production and hexosemonophosphate shunt oxidation of glucose by guinea pig peritoneal neutrophils. The stimulated oxidative metabolism, as well as release of lysosomal enzymes ± cytochalasin B, are inhibited by 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (ID₅₀ 1.5 × 10^?5 M). High concentrations of indomethacin inhibit the peptide-stimulated oxidations (ID₅₀ 1.6 × 10^?4 M) while acetylsalicylic acid (2.5 × 10^?3 M) does not. Digitonin-stimulated oxidative metabolism and enzyme release are not inhibited by 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid or indomethacin at concentrations that depress effects of the N-formylated peptide.     

Growth kinetics of top and bottom cultures of Saccharomyces spp. in a chemostat using sugarbeet molasses

Growth kinetics were evaluated for three yeast strains of the genus Saccharomyces. Two topfloating strains, SF 115 and SF 116 and one flocculant yeast SF 104 were analyzed in pure and mixed cultures in 1-liter continuous fermentation experiments in a chemostat. Growth was monitored for 72 h at 30°C in a medium containing sugarbeet molasses and 1.0 g/liter each of NH₄H₂PO₄ and urea. SF 115 and SF 116 were found to have lower μ_max values of 0.290 and 0.296 h^?1, respectively, than SF 104, which had a μ_max of 0.364 h^?1. The two top-floating yeasts (SF 115 and SF 116) demonstrated greater affinity for the substrate and utilized substrates at a greater rate. They have K₈ values of 4.03 × 10^?3 M and 3.798 × 10^?3 M, respectively, compared to 9.06 × 10^?3 M for SF 104. A mixed culture of SF 116 and SF and SF 104 was found to have a μ_max of 0.426 h^?1 with a K_s of 6.924 × 10^?3 M. SF 115 grown in mixed culture with SF 104 exhibited a μ_max of 0.473 h^?1 with a K_s of 7.975 × 10^?3 M. In both cases, the SF 104 was the dominant microbe in mixed culture systems.     

MEMBRANE THIAMINE TRTPHOSPHATASE FROM RAT BRAIN: INHIBITION BY ATP AND ADP

—The hydrolysis of ThTP by rat brain membrane-bound ThTPase is inhibited by nucleoside diphosphates and triphosphates. ATP and ADP are most effective, reducing hydrolysis by 50% at concentrations of 2 × 10^?5m and 7·5 × 10^?5m respectively. Nucleoside monophosphates and free nuclcosides as well as P_i have no effect on enzyme activity. ThMP and ThDP also fail to inhibit hydrolysis in concentrations up to 5 × 10^?3m . Non-hydrolysable methylene phosphate analogs of ATP and ADP were used in further kinetic studies with the ThTPase. The mechanism of inhibition by these analogs is shown to be of mixed non-competitive nature for both compounds. An observed K_i, of 4 × 10^?5m for the ATP analog adenosine-PPCP and 9 × 10^?5m for the ADP analog adenosine-PCP is calculated at pH 6·5. Formation of the true enzyme substrate, the [Mg²⁺. ThTP] complex, is not significantly affected by concentrations of analogs producing maximal (>95%) inhibition of enzyme activity. Likewise the relationships between pH and observed K_m and pH and V_max are not shifted by the presence of similar concentrations of inhibitor.     

Photosynthesis of Ulva sp. II. utilization of CO2 and HCO−3 when submerged

The photosynthetic capacity of submerged Ulva sp. when utilizing CO₂ and HCO^?₃ as exogenous carbon forms has been investigated and compared with ambient carbon concentrations in sea water. Saturating concentrations of HCO^{? ₃} and CO₂ were 1200 and 100 μM, respectively at saturating light, and photosynthetic rates under such conditions averaged 700 μmolO₂·gDW^?1 ·h^?1. The HCO^?₃ concentration of sea water (≈2500μM), was thus found to be saturating for photosynthesis of Ulva. At the CO₂ concentration of sea water (≈ 10 μM), the contribution of this carbon form to photosynthesis could be 27% at the most. Under conditions of slow water movement, the relative importance of CO₂ utilization would probably be minimized in favour of HCO^?₃ utilization. It is concluded that HCO^?₃ uptake is not limiting photosynthesis for Ulva under natural conditions.