Adenylate cyclase assay with [alpha-32P]ATP as substrate. A simple modification for lowering blanks

In the assay of adenylate cyclase using [α-³²P]ATP as the substrate and alumina chromatography as the separating procedure for labeled nucleotides, blank levels are dependent on the quality of the labeled ATP and also on that of the alumina. In order to lower the blanks by eliminating the radioactive material contaminating the commercial [α-³²P]ATP preparations, the following treatment is proposed: The reaction mixture resulting from the incubation is heated for 4 min at 95°C in 0.165 n HCl, then it is chromatographed on a selected alumina (Woelm) column. In the conditions used, cyclic AMP was unaffected, while blank values were low. The detection limit of [³²P]cyclic AMP was thus higher and the precision of enzyme activity determination was improved, while the advantages of one-step chromatography were retained.     

Uptake and metabolism of 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate and N,O′-dibutyryl 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate in isolated bovine thyroid cells

1.

1. Accumulation of intracellular radioactivity was measured during incubation of isolated bovine thyroid cells with cyclic [³²P]AMP, cyclic [8-³H]AMP and dibutyryl cyclic [8-³H]AMP. With cyclic [³²P]AMP, ³²P cell/medium ratios ranged from 0 to to 0.04 compared to a maximum ³H cell/medium ratio of 0.29 with cyclic [³H]AMP and 0.16 with dibutyryl cyclic [³H]AMP. The excess of intracellular cyclic [³H] over cyclic [³²P]AMP radioactivity was due to extracellular formation of more penetrable dephosphorylated cyclic AMP metabolites which probably served as precursor of intra-cellular cyclic AMP.     

An easy and rapid method for the measurement of [γ-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts obtained from in vitro rat heart preparations labeled with 32Pi

A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts containing other ³²P-labeled compounds is described. The neutralized acid extract is incubated with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP and casein. The incorporation of ³²P into casein from [γ-³²P]ATP is measured by perchloric acid precipitation of the protein on filter paper. ³²P-Casein formation is linearly related to the specific radioactivity of the [γ-³²P]ATP. Separation of ATP from other ³²P-labeled compounds is not required for the assay. Application of this method in the evaluation of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in two rat cardiac muscle preparations exposed to ³²P_i is demonstrated.     

In vivo preparation of (32P) adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate

A simple method for the preparation of [³²P]adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) is described. A culture of Escherichia coli mutant deficient in cyclic AMP receptor protein is incubated with [³²P]orthophosphate of known specific activities (up to 4000 Ci/mole) for several cell doublings. 10¹² cells of this mutant excrete approximately 1.4 μmoles of cyclic AMP/hr. The extracellular cyclic AMP can be purified by adsorption to charcoal, chromatography on an alumina plate, and paper chromatography.     

An easy and rapid method for the measurement of [γ-P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts obtained from in vitro rat heart preparations labeled with Pi

A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts containing other ³²P-labeled compounds is described. The neutralized acid extract is incubated with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP and casein. The incorporation of ³²P into casein from [γ-³²P]ATP is measured by perchloric acid precipitation of the protein on filter paper. ³²P-Casein formation is linearly related to the specific radioactivity of the [γ-³²P]ATP. Separation of ATP from other ³²P-labeled compounds is not required for the assay. Application of this method in the evaluation of [γ-³²P]ATP specific radioactivity in two rat cardiac muscle preparations exposed to ³²P_i is demonstrated.     

Reciprocal periodicity in cyclic AMP binding and phosphorylation of differentiating Dictyostelium discoideum cells.

The binding of [³H]cyclic AMP to cell surface receptors of differentiated D. discoideum cells at 25° is an oscillatory process with a periodicity of 2 min. This alternating change in the cells' binding capacity for cyclic AMP may be the basis for the refractory period to cyclic AMP stimulation, an essential feature of the chemotactic system. The incorporation of [³²P] by whole cells from [γ³²P]ATP is also oscillatory with a periodicity identical to that of [³H]cyclic AMP binding. However, the two processes are inversely related in time such that periods of maximal cyclic AMP binding correspond to periods of minimal cellular phosphorylation. These results suggest a receptor kinase/phosphatase mediated desensitization of the cyclic AMP receptor.     

A high-performance liquid chromatography assay of brain adenylate cyclase using [3H]ATP as substrate

A sensitive, reproducible assay for adenylate cyclase is described which separates labeled cyclic AMP from ATP and other nucleotides by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on reverse-phase columns. The technique utilizes [³H]ATP as substrate, and the principal compound contaminating the [³H]cyclic AMP peak, adenosine, is removed by incubation of assay tubes with small amounts of adenosine deaminase. The HPLC elution utilizes high resolution (3 m) short (10 cm) C-18 columns for increased resolution and decreased flow rates. Since cyclic AMP elutes at 4 min following injection, this procedure can easily process large numbers of samples per day when combined with automated techniques of sample injection and collection.     

Cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase from Mucor rouxii: regulation of enzyme activity by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation.

Crude preparations of cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate phosphodiesterase were activated 1.5 to 2 fold by incubation with ATP, Mg²⁺ and cyclic AMP in a reaction which was both, time and temperature dependent. Cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase remained in an activated state upon filtration of the enzymatic preparation through Sephadex G-25 and ion-exchange chromatography. Activation of the enzyme in the presence of [γ ³²P]ATP resulted in a significant amount of [³²P] protein-bound radioactivity. Reversible deactivation of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was enhanced by Mg²⁺ and was accompanied by the release of [³²P] protein bound radioactivity. The evidence is consistent with a mechanism for controlling cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase through phosphorylation-dephosphorylation sequence.     

Effect of ascorbic acid on ACTH-induced cyclic AMP formation and steroidogenesis in isolated adrrenal cells of vitamin E-deficient rats

Isolated adrenal cells from Vitamin E-deficient and control rats were prepared by a trypsin digestion method. Cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) formation was studied in response to adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) in the presence and absence of ascorbate by measuring the conversion of prelabeled adenosine 5′-triphosphate [¹⁴C]ATP to cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP. Ascorbate (0.5 mM) inhibited ACTH-induced cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP formation in adrenal cells isolated from Vitamin E-deficient rats but had no effect in the control cells. The inhibitory effect of ascorbate on ACTH-induce cyclic AMP formation in Vitamin E-deficient rats decreased as the concentration of ACTH increased. In Vitamin E-deficient rats ascorbate inhibited ACTH-induced cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP formation after 30 min of incubation. There was no further significant accumulation of cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP at 60 min or 120 min although in the absence of ascorbate cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP continued to be formed. The in vitro addition of α-tocopherol reduced the inhibition of ACTH-induced cyclic [¹⁴C]AMP formation by ascorbate in Vitamin E-deficient rats.These studies suggest that α-tocopherol and ascorbate may affect ACTH-induced cyclic AMP formation through interaction with membrane-bound enzyme adenylate cyclase.     

Protein phosphorylation in a dopamine-sensitive homogenate of rat caudate: Effect of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate and putative neurotransmitters

Adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and its 8-methylthio derivative stimulate the incorporation of ³²P into proteins endogenous to a homogenate of rat caudate nucleus when 4 μM [γ?³²P] ATP is usedas substrate. Higher concentrations of ATP reduced the effect of the cyclic nucleotide until at 400 μM no significant increase in protein phosphorylation was seen.Incubation of the homogenate with 400 μM ATP and 100 μM dopamine resulted in an approx. 2-fold increase in cyclic AMP but did not alter caudate protein phosphorylation suggesting that the catecholamine could not stimulate protein phosphorylation under the experimental conditions used in the present study.     

Endogenous phosphorylation of platelet membrane proteins.

The characteristics of the phosphorylating activity of platelet membranes have been studied. Plasma membranes of human platelets isolated by the glycerol lysis technique were shown to incorporate significant amounts of [³²P]phosphate into specific membrane proteins. This activity was only partially cyclic 3′:5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP)-dependent but had most of the other characteristics of protein kinases derived from other sources. Maximal stimulation of endogenous phosphorylation was obtained at 1 × 10^?7, m cyclic AMP and exceeded by approximately 30% the [³²P]phosphate incorporation in the absence of this cyclic nucleotide. The platelet membrane protein kinase was able to phosphorylate exogenous proteins, e.g., histone, fibrinogen etc., as well as endogenous membrane proteins. The latter solubilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate and separated by dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis incorporated [³²P]phosphate into three polypeptides of apparent molecular weights 52,000, 31,000, and 20,000. The phosphorylation of the polypeptide of molecular weight 52,000 was cyclic AMP-dependent.     

Assay for adenylate cyclase and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases and the preparation of high specific activity 32-P-labeled substrates.

Simple one step assay methods for adenylate cyclase (ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing) EC 4.6.1.1) and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (3',5'-cyclic nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase EC 3.1.4.17) have been developed. [alpha-32-P] ATP is used as the substrate for adenylate cyclase. Acid-heat destruction of [32-P] ATP remaining after the cyclase reaction followed by Zn-Ba treatment quantitatively leaves cyclic [32-P] AMP in the supernatant essentially free from other 32-P-containing compounds. This assay method requires no corrections for recovery and routinely yields blank values less than 0.03 per cent. If higher sensitivity is desired, a simple 5 min alumina column step can be introduced into the procedure which quantitatively elutes cyclic [32-P] AMP directly into a liquid scintillation vial and lowers the blank values to less than 0.002 per cent. This method is rapid and easily performed, without sacrificing high reliability, specificity, or sensitivity. One step phosphodiesterase assays are easily accomplished using 32-P-labeled cyclic nucleotides as substrates. Descending paper chromatography of the reaction mixture on individual 2 cm wide paper strips gives a complete and quantitative separation of all possible products including [5'-32-P] AMP and [5'-32-P] GMP from their respective 32-P-labeled 3',5'-cyclic nucleotides in 1-2 h. The paper strips are cut, inserted in scintillation vials without scintillant and the 32-P-products determined by Cerenkov counting. Low blank values of less than 0.5 per cent and the use of high specific activity 32-P-labeled cyclic nucleotide substrates make this method the most reliable and most sensitive phosphodiesterase assay described to date. Because of the simplicity, specificity, and high sensitivity obtainable with these assay methods using 32-P-labeled substrates, we have also devised simple conditions for the preparation and purification of [alpha-32-P] ATP, cyclic [32-P] AMP and cyclic [32-P] GMP with specific activities in excess of 100 Ci/mmol. These high specific activity 32-Plabeled cyclic nucleotides are important for these new assay methods and are also useful to follow purification recovery of endogenous cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP from biological materials before protein binding or radioimmunological isotope displacement assays when performed in the femtomole range.     

Preparation and properties of a cell-free, hormonally responsive adenylate cyclase from guinea pig brain

—The accumulation of cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) was studied in cell-free homogenates of guinea pig brain. Homogenates, prepared in Krebs-Ringer buffer, responded markedly to the addition of neurohormones with an increased rate of cyclic AMP synthesis; preparations from cerebellum, cerebral cortex, and hippocampus responded to a degree approximating that achieved with slices of these areas of guinea pig brain. Adenylatc cyclase activity was seen only when cyclic AMP was measured by a [³H]adenine prelabelling technique or when total cyclic AMP was measured by radioimmunoassay; [³²P]ATP did not serve as a substrate for this preparation of the enzyme. The adenylate cyclase was paniculate and required a Krebs Ringer buffer; use of tris, or tris with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺, resulted in a preparation totally devoid of hormonal stimulation. Digestion by purified beef heart cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, Dowex chromatography, solubility in Ba(OH)₂-ZnSO₄ mixtures, and two thin layer chromatographic systems demonstrated that the product of the hormonally stimulated adenylate cyclase preparation was cyclic AMP. The selectivity of hormonal stimulation and the adrenergic character of the hormonal receptors from different brain areas were maintained in the cell-free preparation. However, simultaneous stimulation with two different neurohormones resulted in additive responses, rather than in the potentiation observed in preparations of slices of brain.     

Effect of hexoses and mannoheptulose on cyclic AMP accumulation and insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets

The effects of various sugars on the simultaneous release of insulin and accumulation of cyclic AMP were studied in collagenase isolated rat pancreatic islets. d-Glucose stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP at 3 and 60 min of incubation, whether measured by a label incorporation technique, or by the protein kinase binding assay of Gilman. Only d-glucose and d-mannose were able to stimulate insulin release and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation in the absence of other substrate. d-fructose had a stimulatory effect in the presence of 3.3 mM d-glucose only at a high concentration (38.8 mM), and enhanced the effects of 8.3 mM glucose when added at the concentration of 8.3 mM. d-Galactose was effective only together with 8.3 mM d-glucose. The order of potency of these hexoses, both regarding insulin secretion and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation, was glucose-mannose-fructose-galactose.l-Glucose and 3-O-methylglucose had no effects at 60 min when incubated together with 8.3 mM d-glucose, whereas at 3 min, 3-O-methylglucose induced a small stimulation of the cyclic [³H]AMP response.d-mannoheptulose and d-glucosamine inhibited the insulin and cyclic [³H]-AMP responses to 27.7 mM glucose. Mannoheptulose suppressed completely the glucose effect on cyclic nucleotide accumulation within 90 s.Although under all incubation conditions, the threshold stimulatory or inhibitory concentration of a given agent was identical for insulin release and cyclic [³H]AMP accumulation, these two variables showed quantitative differences in incubations of 60 min, the magnitude of the changes in insulin secretion being larger than that for the cyclic nucleotide. It is suggested that modulation of islet cyclic AMP level is an important step in the transmission of the effect of various sugars on insulin release; however, glucose and possibly other sugars may also enhance insulin release by additional mechanisms not involving the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system of the β-cell.     

Use of hydrophilic interaction chromatography for the study of tyrosine protein kinase specificity

A new HPLC method has been developed to assay tyrosine protein kinase activity. Using hydrophilic interaction chromatography, it is possible to resolve the four components of the incubation medium: substrate peptide, [³²P]phosphorylated peptide, unreacted [γ-³²P]ATP, and ³²P-labelled inorganic phosphate. ATP interacts so strongly with the stationary phase material that it can be removed selectively from the incubation medium with solid-phase extraction cartridges packed with the same type of material. The three remaining components of interest can then be resolved by reversed-phase or hydrophilic interaction HPLC. This procedure permits the evaluation of almost every type of peptide as a substrate of tyrosine protein kinase.     

Partial characterization of protein kinase-catalyzed phosphorylation of low molecular weight proteins in purified preparations of pigeon heart sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum

Pigeon heart microsomes contain three minor size protein kinase substrates of minimal molecular weights of 22 000, 15 000, and 11 500, as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the microsomes were partially loaded with calcium oxalate and subjected to rate zonal and isopynic centrifugations in sucrose density gradient columns, the 22 000 and the 15 000 dalton proteins settled in the heaviest fraction, which was composed mainly of vesicles of sarcoplasmic reticular membranes; the 11 500 dalton protein was concentrated in the lightest fractions, which consisted chiefly of vesicles of sarcolemmal origin. During incubation of the membrane fractions with Mg[γ-³²P]ATP significant amounts of ³²P were incorporated into all these proteins. Incorporation of ³²P into the 15 000 dalton protein was moderately and ³²P incorporation into the 22 000 dalton protein was markedly enhanced in the presence of exogenous soluble cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and cyclic AMP. The phosphorylation of the three proteins was virtually unaffected by CA²⁺ concentrations up to 0.1 mM and by ethyleneglycol-bis(β-aminoethylether)-N,N′-tetraacetic acid in the absence of added Ca²⁺.Phosphorylation of the 22 000 and the 11 500 dalton proteins occurred mainly at serine residues. In the 15 000 dalton protein threonine residues were the main site of endogenous phosphorylation. Nearly equal amounts of [³²P]-phosphate were incorporated into threonine and serine residues of this protein when phosphorylation was supported by exogenous cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and cyclic AMP.The 15 000 dalton protein could be removed from its membrane attachment by extraction with an acidic chloroform/methanol mixture. This step opens the way for the purification of this membrane-bound protein kinase substrate.     

Determination of phosphorylase kinase activity in crude homogenates by affinity chromatography on 5′-AMP Sepharose

A sensitive method for measuring phosphorylase kinase activity by the incorporation of ³²P from [γ-³²]ATP into phosphorylase in the presence of other phosphorylation reactions is described. The kinase reaction is carried out in a crude homogenate. After stopping the reaction, a portion of the reaction mixture is withdrawn for assay of phosphorylase conversion and the rest is applied on a 5′-AMP Sepharose column. Phosphorylase in both forms is retained on the column while other phosphorylated proteins and [γ-³²P]ATP are washed out. The phosphorylase is then eluted by 10 mm AMP and the radioactivity incorporated is counted.     

Cyclic AMP synthesis in Xenopus laevis oocytes inhibition by progesterone

[α-³²P] ATP was microinjected into Xenopus oocyte and neosynthesized cyclic AMP was isolated. Cholera toxin inhibited progesterone-induced maturation and stimulated after 3 h of preincubation the amount of neosynthesized cyclic AMP. Progesterone decreased the neosynthesis of cyclic AMP during the first hour following addition of the hormone.     

A new method for separating cyclic AMP from 5′-AMP with application to the assay for cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase

A new method for assay of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (EC 3.1.4.17) has been developed based on the observation that a mixture of cyclic AMP and AMP can be resolved on a column of florisil (activated magnesium silicate) at pH 7.0. The cyclic nucleotide is retained by the silicate and the AMP which is not adsorbed is virtually quantitatively recovered. The adsorption of cyclic AMP by florisil is greatly influenced by the pH of the buffer but independent of its ionic strength. In the actual assay cyclic[³H]AMP is incubated with the enzyme source in the presence of Mg²⁺ and the reaction is stopped by the addition of CCl₃COOH (0.3 m). The mixture is then neutralized by dilution with 10 vol of 0.5 m sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, and applied on a small (0.4 × 4.0-cm) florisil column equilibrated with the same buffer. The column is eluted with 3 vol of the buffer and the radioactivity of the eluate which contains only [³H]AMP is measured. The use of cyclic[³H]AMP of high specific activity in the assay allows a high degree of sensitivity while the addition of CCl₃COOH instantaneously terminates the reaction allowing for increased precision. The assay compares favorably in simplicity and speed with those currently employed for cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase.     

Abnormally high rate of cyclic AMP excretion from an Escherichia coli mutant deficient in cyclic AMP receptor protein

By labeling adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) with [³²P] phosphate and chromatographing it on a thin-layer alumina plate, we have determined the extra- and intracellular amounts of cyclic AMP in an $\text{Escherichia coli}$ CRP^? mutant (deficient in a cyclic AMP receptor protein) and its isogenic CRP⁺ cell. The CRP^? cell was found to excrete cyclic AMP at an abnormally high rate as compared to the CRP⁺ cell when growing on glucose or glycerol, which can be correlated with the abnormally high intracellular levels of cyclic AMP in the CRP^? cell.