Cardiolipin is associated with the terminal oxidase of an extremely halophilic archaeon

Membranes having an a high content of cardiolipin were isolated from an extremely halophilic archaeon Halorubrum sp. Absorbance difference spectra of detergent-solubilized plasma membranes reduced by dithionite suggested the presence of b-type cytochromes. Non-denaturing gel electrophoresis revealed only one fraction having TMPD-oxidase activity in which cardiolipin was the major lipid component. The electroeluted fraction showed a cytochrome c oxidase activity characterized by the reduced minus oxidized difference spectra as a terminal heme-copper oxidase. The cytochrome c oxidase activity of the archaeal cardiolipin-rich membranes was inhibited by the cardiolipin-specific fluorescent marker 10-N-nonyl acridine orange (NAO) in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that an archaeal analogue of cardiolipin is tightly associated to archaeal terminal oxidases and is required for its optimal functioning.     

Isoelectric focusing studies of aldehyde dehydrogenases, alcohol dehydrogenases and oxidases from mammalian anterior eye tissues

1. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) and zymogram methods were used to examine the tissue distribution, multiplicity and substrate specificities of alcohol dehydrogenases (ADHs), aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) and ocular oxidases (EOXs) from mammalian anterior eye tissues. 2. Baboon, cattle, pig and sheep corneal extracts exhibited high ALDH activities; the corneal ALDHs were distinct from the major liver ALDHs and distinguished by their preference for medium-chain aldehydes. 3. Baboon and pig corneal extracts also showed high ADH activities, by comparison with ovine and bovine samples. Moreover, the ADHs were distinct from the major liver isozymes in pI value and substrate specificity. 4. Mammalian lens extracts exhibited significant ALDH activity of a form corresponding to the major liver cytosolic isozyme. Minor activity of the corneal enzyme was also observed in some species. 5. Lens ADH phenotypes were species-specific, and consisted of either Class II activity (baboon and sheep), Class III ADH activity (pig), or activities of both ADH classes (cattle). 6. Lens extracts also exhibited a complex pattern of ocular oxidase (EOX) activities following IEF. 7. A role in peroxidatic aldehyde detoxification is proposed for these enzymes in anterior eye tissues.     

Effect of ionic concentration on the higher-order structure of prophenol oxidase in Drosophila melanogaster

Phenol oxidase in Drosophila melanogaster occurs as precursors designated prophenol oxidases A₁ and A₃. Crossing experiments between isozyme variants proved that prophenol oxidase in this species is a homodimer. Prophenol oxidases were partially purified using ammonium sulfate fractionation, phenyl Sepharose, and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The preparations were mixed, then dialyzed against buffer containing varying salt concentrations. The resulting prophenol oxidase was analyzed by gel electrophoresis. At 20 mM KCl or NaCl, two bands of phenol oxidase were observed, corresponding to the parental ones as monomer, whereas at 200 mM KCl or NaCl, three bands appeared in the gel, one being a dimer. The monomer–dimer reversibility of the Drosophila prophenol oxidase depends on the salt concentrations. The phenol oxidase activity remained unaffected within the KCl concentrations tested. Considering the ionic concentration of Drosophila hemolymph, these results indicate that prophenol oxidase exists as a dimer in vivo, and the higher-order structure of prophenol oxidase can be altered reversibly by ionic concentrations in vitro.     

植物乙醇酸氧化酶分离纯化方法的改进

通过缩短DEAE-Cellulose柱长度,加快流速并采用pH8.8的80mmol.L-1Tris-HCl为洗脱液,可在9小时内快速地从菠菜、菜心和豆角绿叶中纯化得到乙醇酸氧化酶。该酶具高活性(54.6～197.0U.mg-1)及高等电点(pI>10.0)。产率为4.1%～71.5%,纯化倍数为21.6～122.68。经SDS-PAGE检测均有40kD带,表明3种植物乙醇酸氧化酶的亚基大小无区别。     

Cytokinin oxidase: Biochemical features and physiological significance

The catabolism of cytokinin in plant tissues appears to be due, in large part, to the activity of a specific enzyme, cytokinin oxidase. This enzyme catalyses the oxidation of cytokinin substrates bearing unsaturated isoprenoid side chains, using molecular oxygen as the oxidant. In general, substrate specificity is highly conserved and cytokinin substrates bearing saturated or cyclic side chains do not serve as substrates for most cytokinin oxidases tested to date. Despite variation in molecular properties of the enzyme from a number of higher plants, oxygen is always required for the reaction. Cytokinin oxidases from several sources have been shown to be glycosylated. Cytokinin oxidase activity appears to be universally inhibited by cytokinin-active urea derivatives. Auxin has been reported to act as an allosteric regulator which increases activity of the enzyme.
Cytokinin oxidase activity is subject to tight regulation. Levels of the enzyme are controlled by a mechanism sensitive to cytokinin supply. The up-regulation of cytokinin oxidase expression in response to exogenous application of cytokinin suggests that the metabolic fate of exogenously applied cytokinins may not accurately mimic that of the endogenous compounds.
Cytokinin oxidase is believed to be a copper-containing amine oxidase (EC 1.4.3.6). Considerable evidence strongly supports a common mechanism for amine oxidases. It is possible that advances in understanding of other amine oxidases could be extrapolated to increase our understanding of cytokinin oxidase at the molecular level. This is discussed with reference to what is currently known about the catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. The possibility of pyrroloquinoline quinone, or a closely related compound, as a redox cofactor of cytokinin oxidase is considered, as are the implications of the glycosylated nature of the enzyme for its regulation and compartmentalisation within the cell.     

Liver aldehyde oxidase and xanthine oxidase genetics in the mouse

A 'null' activity variant for the major liver isozyme of aldehyde oxidase (AOX-1) in adult male mice and an electrophoretically distinct, high activity variant of the second liver isozyme (AOX-2) were used to examine the segregation of the genetic loci encoding these enzymes (Aox-1 and Aox-2 respectively) in breeding studies. A single recombinant between these loci was observed among the 147 backcross progeny examined, which confirms a previous report (Holmes, 1979) for close linkage and genetic distinctness of the two loci. An activity variant for mouse liver xanthine oxidase (XOX) is also reported which behaved as though controlled by codominant alleles at a single locus (designated Xox-1 ). Genetic analyses showed that the Xox-1 locus segregated independently of the multiple- A ox loci.     

Identification and Partial Purification of a Stage-Specific 33 kDa Mitochondrial Protein as the Alternative Oxidase of the Trypanosoma brucei brucei Bloodstream Trypomastigotes

ABSTRACT. The glycerophosphate oxidase (GPO), the unique terminal oxidase of bloodstream trypanosome (TAO), appears to be functionally similar to the alternative oxidases of some plants and higher fungi. Immunoblotting of mitochondrial proteins of bloodstream trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma brucei brucei with monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies to Sauromatum guttatum (voodoo lily) and Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage) alternative oxidases respectively revealed two proteins of about 33 kDa (p33) and 68 kDa (p68). These proteins are not present in procyclic trypomastigotes. Electrophoresis under rigorous denaturing conditions indicated p68 to be the dimer of p33. Indirect immunofluorescent studies of bloodstream and procyclic trypomastigotes with monoclonal antibody to plant alternative oxidase also showed the localization of 33 kDa protein in the mitochondria of the bloodstream trypomastigotes. The functional TAO activity could be solubilized efficiently from the mitochondrial membrane of the bloodstream trypomastigotes by 1% NP-40 or 10 mM lauryl maltoside. When fractionated by Superose 12 gel filtration chromatography, p33 was co-purified with the TAO enzymatic activity. The apparent molecular size of the active enzyme complex was found to be 160 kDa. Gradual disappearance of the 33 kDa protein and the TAO enzymatic activity were well correlated during in vitro differentiation of the bloodstream to procyclic trypomastigotes. This study implies that the net biosynthesis of p33, an essential subunit of TAO, is decreased during differentiation from bloodstream to procyclic trypomastigotes.     

寡糖氧化酶研究进展

寡糖氧化酶（oligosaccharide oxidase）是一种新型氧化酶,属于辅助活性家族7（auxiliary activity family 7,AA7）。其可作用的底物范围较广,能够催化多种寡糖氧化成相应的醛酸,并在反应过程中产生过氧化氢。根据寡糖氧化酶的作用底物,可将已报道的寡糖氧化酶分为葡糖寡糖氧化酶（gluco-oligosaccharide oxidase,GOOX）、木寡糖氧化酶（xylo-oligosaccharide oxidase,XOOX）和壳寡糖氧化酶（chito-oligosaccharide oxidase,COOX）等。寡糖氧化酶用途广泛,可应用于食品、医药、饲料、生物燃料等多种领域。但目前国内外对寡糖氧化酶的研究较少。基于此,从基本酶学性质、分子结构、作用机理、酶分子改良及应用等方面对寡糖氧化酶进行了综述,以期为寡糖氧化酶的实际研究及应用提供参考。     

Regulation of Cytochrome c- and Quinol Oxidases,and Piezotolerance of Their Activities in the Deep-Sea Piezophile Shewanella violacea DSS12 in Response to Growth Conditions

The facultative piezophile Shewanella violacea DSS12 is known to have respiratory components that alter under the influence of hydrostatic pressure during growth, suggesting that its respiratory system is adapted to high pressure. We analyzed the expression of the genes encoding terminal oxidases and some respiratory components of DSS12 under various growth conditions. The expression of some of the genes during growth was regulated by both the O₂ concentration and hydrostatic pressure. Additionally, the activities of cytochrome c oxidase and quinol oxidase of the membrane fraction of DSS12 grown under various conditions were measured under high pressure. The piezotolerance of cytochrome c oxidase activity was dependent on the O₂ concentration during growth, while that of quinol oxidase was influenced by pressure during growth. The activity of quinol oxidase was more piezotolerant than that of cytochrome c oxidase under all growth conditions. Even in the membranes of the non-piezophile Shewanella amazonensis, quinol oxidase was more piezotolerant than cytochrome c oxidase, although both were highly piezosensitive as compared to the activities in DSS12. By phylogenetic analysis, piezophile-specific cytochrome c oxidase, which is also found in the genome of DSS12, was identified in piezophilic Shewanella and related genera. Our observations suggest that DSS12 constitutively expresses piezotolerant respiratory terminal oxidases, and that lower O₂ concentrations and higher hydrostatic pressures induce higher piezotolerance in both types of terminal oxidases. Quinol oxidase might be the dominant terminal oxidase in high-pressure environments, while cytochrome c oxidase might also contribute. These features should contribute to adaptation of DSS12 in deep-sea environments.     

Temperature profile of oxygen activation and defense against oxygen toxicity in a psychrophilic member of the Bacteroidaceae

Abstract The temperature profiles have been determined for O₂ reduction by activating substrates for whole cells and cell extracts of the psychrophilic, obligately anaerobic bacterium, strain B6, belonging to the Bacteroidaceae. The profiles were similar whether the cells were grown at 15 or 1°C, and also for cells harvested in the exponential or stationary phase. The H₂O producing pyruvate oxidase displayed in cell-free extracts a considerably higher activity than the H₂O₂ producing NADH and NADPH oxidases at all temperatures in the range 30–1°C, and characteristically makes up a larger proportion of the total O₂ reduction capacity the lower the temperature. It thus seems that the O₂ scavenging property of the pyruvate oxidase, postulated to be utilized in a defense mechanism against the detrimental effects of the H₂O₂ producing pyridine nucleotide oxidases, is particularly well adapted to function at the low temperatures of the Barents Sea, from which this obligately anaerobic organism originates.     

甘蔗ACC氧化酶基因片段的克隆与序列分析

1- 氨基环丙烷-1-羧酸（ACC）氧化酶是植物乙烯合成的一个关键酶,乙烯作为一种内源激素,对植物生长、老熟过程有多方面的调节作用。根据报道的各种植物ACC氧化酶氨基酸序列上前后两个保守区设计两个简并引物,以甘蔗总DNA为模板,通过PCR扩增到一个940bp的基因片段。将片段序列在MCBI的BLAST软件上进行同源性搜寻,显示的63个序列全部是ACC氧化酶基因,因而认为克隆到的片段就是甘蔗ACC氧化酶基因的一个成员。经对不同植物来源的ACC氧化酶基因家族进行比较分析,去除一个103bp的“内含子“后,推导的氨基酸序列为279个残基,占推测全长氨基酸残基总数的86％左右。经同源性分析,序列与毛竹和水稻ACC氧化酶的同源率达到86％。系统进化分析表明,该序列最先与水稻、其次和香蕉的ACC氧化酶聚类,然后再与双子叶植物的ACC氧化酶聚类,符合按形态特征分类的血缘关系。基因的获得对下一步了解乙烯的合成表达与甘蔗生长、成熟过程之间的关系奠定了基础。     

A New Enzyme Species of p-Hydroxybenzoate Hydroxylase during Oxygenating Process Observed by the Stopped-flow Method

Sulfite ion (HSO₃ ^-) is one of the products when elemental sulfur is oxidized by the hydrogen sulfide:ferric ion oxidoreductase of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans AP19-3. Under the conditions in which HSO₃ ^- is accumulated in the cells, the iron oxidase of this bacterium was strongly inhibited by HSO₃ ^-. Since cytochrome c oxidase is one of the most important components of the iron oxidase enzyme system in T. ferrooxidans, effects of HSO₃ ^- on cytochrome c oxidase activity were studied with the plasma membranes of HSO₃ ^--resistant and -sensitive strains of T. ferrooxidans, OK1-50 and AP19-3. The enzyme activity of AP19-3 compared with OK1-50 was strongly inhibited by HSO₃ ^-. To investigate the inhibition mechanism of HSO₃ ^- in T. ferrooxidans, cytochrome c oxidases were purified from both strains to an electrophoretically homogeneous state. Cytochrome c oxidase activity of a purified OK1-50 enzyme was not inhibited by 5 mM HSO₃ ^-. In contrast, the same concentration of HSO₃ ^- inhibited the enzyme activity of AP19-3 50%, indicating that the cytochrome c oxidase of OK1-50 was more resistant to HSO₃ ^- than that of AP19-3. Cytochrome c oxidases purified from both strains were composed of three subunits. However, the molecular weight of the largest subunit differed between OK1-50 and AP19-3. Apparent molecular weights of the three subunits of cytochrome c oxidases were 53,000, 24,000, and 19,000 for strain AP19-3 and 55,000, 24,000, and 19,000 for strain OK1-50, respectively.     

Use of a bioelectrochemical cell for the synthesis of (bio)chemicals

A bioelectrochemical cell containing either d-glucose oxidase (β-d-glucose:oxygen 1-oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.3.4) or xanthine oxidase (xanthine:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.3.2) plus dichlorophenol-indophenol as electron acceptor in one half-cell, and chloroperoxidase (chloride:hydrogen-peroxide oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.10) in the other half-cell is described. Due to a combination of chemical, biochemical and electrochemical reactions, electricity and specific (bio)chemicals can be produced in the cell simultaneously and in both compartments. Furthermore, the oxidases in a bioelectrochemical cell are not inactivated by H₂O₂ and as a result the operational lifetimes of the oxidases were increased about five-fold.     

Lys296 and Arg299 residues in the C-terminus of MD-ACO1 are essential for a 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase enzyme activity

The 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase catalyzes the last step in the biosynthesis of ethylene from ACC in higher plants. The complex structure of ACC oxidase/Fe(2+)/H(2)O derived from Petunia hybrida has recently been established by X-ray crystallography and it provides a vast structural information for ACC oxidase. Our mutagenesis study shows that both Lys296 and Arg299 residues in the C-terminal helix play important roles in enzyme activity. Both K296R and R299K mutant proteins retain only 30-15% of their enzyme activities with respect to that of the wild-type, implying that the positive charges of C-terminal residues are involved in enzymatic reaction. Furthermore, the sequence alignment of ACC oxidases from 24 different species indicates an existence of the exclusively conserved motif (Lys296-Glu301) especially in the C-terminus. The structure model based on our findings suggests that the positive-charged surface in the C-terminal helix of the ACC oxidase could be a major stabilizer in the spatial arrangement of reactants and that the positive-charge network between the active site and C-terminus is critical for ACC oxidase activity.     

D-Aspartate oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase are localised in the peroxisomes of terrestrial gastropods

D-Aspartate oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase were found in high activity in the tissues of representative species of terrestrial gastropods. Analytical subcellular fractionation demonstrated that both of these oxidases co-localised with the peroxisome markers, acyl-CoA oxidase and catalase, in the digestive gland homogenate. Electron microscopy of peak peroxisome fractions showed particles of uniform size with generally well preserved variably electron-dense matrices bounded by an apparently single limiting membrane. Many of the particles exhibited a core region of enhanced electron density. Catalase cytochemistry of peak fractions confirmed the peroxisome identity of the organelles. Peroxisome-enriched subcellular fractions were used to investigate the properties of gastropod D-aspartate oxidase and D-amino acid oxidase activities. The substrate and inhibitor specificities of the two activities demonstrated that two distinct enzymes were present analogous to, but not identical to, the equivalent mammalian peroxisomal enzymes.     

Tissue-specific and substrate-specific detection of aldehyde and pyridoxal oxidase in larval and imaginal tissues of Drosophila melanogaster

The substrate specificities of aldehyde and pyridoxal oxidases in Drosophila melanogaster have been determined with a variety of aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes. This analysis has led to the discovery that 2,4,5-trimethoxy-benzaldehyde is a specific substrate for pyridoxal oxidase, as based on the histochemical distribution of oxidase activity, the absence of enzymatic activity in the lpo ¹strains, and the dosage dependence on the number of lpo ⁺genes present. The tissue-specific localization of aldehyde oxidase (AO) and pyridoxal oxidase (PO) in the larval and adult structures showed that AO was present in all the major internal organs of the larvae and adults, including brain, imaginal discs, Malpighian tubules, digestive system, and reproductive structures. Pyridoxal oxidase is present in many of the same structures which possess AO, but is missing from the cardia, crop, imaginal discs, ovarian follicle cells, paragonia, pericardial cells, and wreath cells. The only structure which possesses PO but lacks AO is the larval salivary gland. These histochemical differences in AO and PO distribution were also confirmed by enzymatic analysis of the activities present in homogenates of ovaries, paragonia, and salivary glands. The general pattern of enzyme expression appears to be established during embryogenesis and maintained throughout the life of the individual.This work was supported by NIH Grants AG01975 and GM27866.This paper is dedicated to Professor Donald F. Poulson, Yale University, a pioneer in Drosophila developmental genetics.     

Catabolism of polyamines

Summary. Owing to the establishment of cells and transgenic animals which either lack or over-express acetylCoA:spermidine N¹-acetyltransferase a major progress was made in our understanding of the role of polyamine acetylation. Cloning of polyamine oxidases of mammalian cell origin revealed the existence of several enzymes with different substrate and molecular properties. One appears to be identical with the polyamine oxidase that was postulated to catalyse the conversion of spermidine to putrescine within the interconversion cycle. The other oxidases are presumably spermine oxidases, because they prefer free spermine to its acetyl derivatives as substrate. Transgenic mice and cells which lack spermine synthase revealed that spermine is not of vital importance for the mammalian organism, but its transformation into spermidine is a vitally important reaction, since in the absence of active polyamine oxidase, spermine accumulates in blood and causes lethal toxic effects.Numerous metabolites of putrescine, spermidine and spermine, which are presumably the result of diamine oxidase-catalysed oxidative deaminations, are known as normal constituents of organs of vertebrates and of urine. Reasons for the apparent contradiction that spermine is in vitro a poor substrate of diamine oxidase, but is readily transformed into N⁸-(2-carboxyethyl)spermidine in vivo, will need clarification.Several attempts were made to establish diamine oxidase as a regulatory enzyme of polyamine metabolism. However, diamine oxidase has a slow turnover. This, together with the efficacy of the homeostatic regulation of the polyamines via the interconversion reactions and by transport pathways renders a role of diamine oxidase in the regulation of polyamine concentrations unlikely. 4-Aminobutyric acid, the product of putrescine catabolism has been reported to have antiproliferative properties. Since ornithine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase activities are frequently elevated in tumours, it may be hypothesised that diamine oxidase converts excessive putrescine into 4-aminobutyric acid and thus restricts tumour growth and prevents malignant transformation. This function of diamine oxidase is to be considered as part of a general defence function, of which the prevention of histamine and cadaverine accumulation from the gastrointestinal tract is a well-known aspect.     

Amine Oxidase from Lentil Seedlings: Energetic Domains and Effect of Temperature on Activity

Copper/TPQ amine oxidases from mammalian and plant sources have shown many differences in substrate specificity and molecular properties. In this work the activity of lentil seedling amine oxidase was followed at various temperatures in 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7, using benzylamine as substrate. The discontinuous Arrhenius plot of lentil amine oxidase showed two distinct phases with a jump between them. Thermal denaturation of the enzyme, using differential scanning calorimetry under the same experimental conditions, showed a transition at the same temperature ranges in the absence of substrate, indicating the occurrence of conformational changes, with an enthalpy change of about 175.9 kJ/mole. The temperature-induced changes of the activity of lentil amine oxidase are compared with those of bovine serum amine oxidase (taken from the literature).     

HISTOCHEMISTRY OF OXIDASES IN SEVERAL TISSUES OF BIVALVE MOLLUSCS

Various tissues of the marine bivalveMytilus galloprovincialiswere analysed histochemically for oxidases capable of generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) using the cerium-DAB technique. Incubations were performed on unfixed cryostat sections using polyvinyl alcohol and semipermeable membranes. High xanthine oxidoreductase andd -amino acid oxidase (DAOX) activities were observed in kidney epithelial cells of mussels. DAOX also presented a strong activity in all the digestive epithelia. No xanthine oxidase activity was observed in any of the mussel tissues tested suggesting the presence of an enzyme only showing dehydrogenase activity. Mannitol oxidase, associated with special organelles called ‘mannosomes’ of terrestrial gastropods, presented a weak activity in the stomach epithelium and a strong specific activity in the haemocytes. Only DAOX presented a discrete granular distribution compatible with a peroxisomal compartmentalization. No urate oxidase activity could be demonstrated in tissues of mussels. These observations suggest a role for peroxisomes in ROS generation and determine the tissues capable of producing oxygen radicals in the digestive gland. This study raises the question of the behaviour of these enzymes in conditions in which ROS-generating organic xenobiotics are accumulated in the digestive gland of molluscs.     

Simultaneous presence of two terminal oxidases in the respiratory system of dark aerobically grown Rhodospirillum rubrum

Rhodospirillum rubrum CAF10, a spontaneous cytochrome oxidase defective mutant, was isolated from strain S1 and used to analyze the aerobic respiratory system of this bacterium. In spite of its lack of cytochrome oxidase activity, strain CAF10 grew aerobically in the dark although at a decreased rate and with a reduced final yield. Furthermore, aerobically grown mutant cells took up O₂ at high rates and membranes isolated from those cells exhibited levels of NADH and succinate oxidase activities which were similar to those of wild type membranes. It was observed also that whereas in both strains O₂ uptake (intact cells) and NADH and succinate oxidase activities (isolated membranes) were not affected by 0.2 mM KCN, the cytochrome oxidase activity of the wild type strain was inhibited about 90% by 0.2 mM KCN. These data indicate the simultaneous presence of two terminal oxidases in the respiratory system of R. rubrum, a cytochrome oxidase and an alternate oxidase, and suggest that the rate of respiratory electron transfer is not limited at the level of the terminal oxidases. It was also found that the aerobic oxidation of cellular cytochrome c ₂ required the presence of a functional cytochrome oxidase activity. Therefore it seems that this electron carrier, which only had been shown to participate in photosynthetic electron transfer, is also a constituent of the respiratory cytochrome oxidase pathway.Abbreviations DCIP 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol - DMPD N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine - TMPD N,N,N,N-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine - Tricine N-[2-hydroxy-1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)-ethyl]-glycine