Partial deficiency of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase with reduced affinity for PP-ribose-P in four related males with gout

Summary A family is described in which four affected males, spanning two generations, have hyperuricemia and gout accompanied by hematuria but are without severe neurologic involvement. The affected males were found to have markedly reduced levels of erythrocytic hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) activity; these were 5–12% with hypoxanthine and 0.5–3% with guanine as compared to controls. Erythrocytic adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) was approximately three-fold elevated in the affected individuals.The residual HGPRT activity in affected males enabled characterization of some of the properties of this mutation. The apparent Michaelis constants (km) for both hypoxanthine and guanine were essentially unchanged, whereas the km for PP-ribose-P was approximately 10–20-fold elevated for all four affected males. The enzyme was more sensitive to product inhibition by IMP and GMP than controls, and exhibited greater thermal lability at 65°C than found with control lysates.     

Models for molybdenum coordination during the catalytic cycle of periplasmic nitrate reductase from Paracoccus denitrificans derived from EPR and EXAFS spectroscopy.

The periplasmic nitrate reductase from Paracoccus denitrificans is a soluble two-subunit enzyme which binds two hemes (c-type), a [4Fe-4S] center, and a bis molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide cofactor (bis-MGD). A catalytic cycle for this enzyme is presented based on a study of these redox centers using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopies. The Mo(V) EPR signal of resting NAP (High g [resting]) has g(av) = 1.9898 is rhombic, exhibits low anisotropy, and is split by two weakly interacting protons which are not solvent-exchangeable. Addition of exogenous ligands to this resting state (e.g., nitrate, nitrite, azide) did not change the form of the signal. A distinct form of the High g Mo(V) signal, which has slightly lower anisotropy and higher rhombicity, was trapped during turnover of nitrate and may represent a catalytically relevant Mo(V) intermediate (High g [nitrate]). Mo K-edge EXAFS analysis was undertaken on the ferricyanide oxidized enzyme, a reduced sample frozen within 10 min of dithionite addition, and a nitrate-reoxidized form of the enzyme. The oxidized enzyme was fitted best as a di-oxo Mo(VI) species with 5 sulfur ligands (4 at 2. 43 A and 1 at 2.82 A), and the reduced form was fitted best as a mono-oxo Mo(IV) species with 3 sulfur ligands at 2.35 A. The addition of nitrate to the reduced enzyme resulted in reoxidation to a di-oxo Mo(VI) species similar to the resting enzyme. Prolonged incubation of NAP with dithionite in the absence of nitrate (i.e., nonturnover conditions) resulted in the formation of a species with a Mo(V) EPR signal that is quite distinct from the High g family and which has a g(av) = 1.973 (Low g [unsplit]). This signal resembles those of the mono-MGD xanthine oxidase family and is proposed to arise from an inactive form of the nitrate reductase in which the Mo(V) form is only coordinated by the dithiolene of one MGD. In samples of NAP that had been reduced with dithionite, treated with azide or cyanide, and then reoxidized with ferricyanide, two Mo(V) signals were detected with g(av) elevated compared to the High g signals. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that azide and cyanide displayed competitive and noncompetitive inhibition, respectively. EXAFS analysis of azide-treated samples show improvement to the fit when two nitrogens are included in the molybdenum coordination sphere at 2.52 A, suggesting that azide binds directly to Mo(IV). Based on these spectroscopic and kinetic data, models for Mo coordination during turnover have been proposed.     

Thermal sensitivity of scope for activity in Pagothenia borchgrevinki, a cryopelagic Antarctic nototheniid fish

The thermal sensitivity of scope for activity was studied in the Antarctic nototheniid fish Pagothenia borchgrevinki. The scope for activity of P. borchgrevinki at 0°C was 189 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (factorial scope 6.8) which is similar to that of temperate and tropical species at their environmental temperatures, providing no evidence for metabolic cold adaptation of maximum activity. The scope for activity increased to a maximum value of 266 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (factorial scope 8.3) at 3°C and then decreased from 3 to 6°C. The thermal sensitivity of critical swimming speed was also investigated and followed a similar pattern to aerobic scope for activity, suggesting oxygen limitation of aerobic performance. Oxygen consumption rates and ventilation frequencies were monitored for 24 h after the swimming challenge and the recovery of both parameters to resting levels was rapid and independent of temperature.     

The determination of inorganic orthophosphate in biological systems

A simple and rapid method is described for determining P_i by spectrophotometric measurement of a soluble complex of phosphomolybdic acid and Cirrasol ALN-WF, a non-ionic detergent formerly known as Lubrol W. The measured complex has a molar extinction coefficient of 4.59 · 10³ at 390 nm and little interference is found with relatively high concentrations of chelating agents, salts, and other compounds which interfere with most other P_i assays. Linearity is observed in the range 0–1.2 μmoles P_i and developed assay samples are stable for 8 h at 20 °C or 24 h at 4 °C. The method is suitable for use in the presence of moderate concentrations of protein or ATP.After suitable modification the assay can be used at pH 4.0. Sensitivity is reduced at this pH (ε_{M, 390nm} = 2.79 · 10³) but linearity is maintained up to 1 μmole P_i and the coloured complex is stable for 4 h at 20 °C. The pH-4 procedure is suitable for measurement of P_i in the presence of very labile phosphate esters such as creatine phosphate.The phosphomolybdic acid-Cirrasol complex can be reduced at ambient temperature in both the above systems. A blue complex results with ε_{M, 820nm} of 9.9 · 10³ at pH 4.0, and 1.8 · 10⁴ under more acidic conditions.