Inactivation of yeast hexokinase B by triethyltin bromide

Triethyltin bromide was found to demonstrate temperature-dependent inactivation of yeast hexokinase B. At temperatures of 20 degrees C or lower, little or no inactivation of the enzyme was detected after 2 h of reaction with 50-300 microM concentrations of the reagent. However, incubation at 25 degrees C or higher resulted in an increased rate and extent of loss of the enzyme activity with increasing incubation temperatures. The Arrhenius plot for the inactivation process showed a sharp break at approximately 30 degrees C, with a heat of activation (delta H*) above this temperature of 55.2 kcal, indicating that a triethyltin-induced conformational change occurred at the elevated temperatures. Sugar substrates provided protection against the inactivating effect by reducing the binding of triethyltin to the enzyme. In the absence of glucose, two sites of different affinity for triethyltin exist in the hexokinase monomer. Binding of triethyltin to the enzyme shifted its monomer-dimer equilibrium toward the monomeric form in an early stage of the interaction. Inactivation of the enzyme was associated with a slower subsequent event. Comparative effects of various organotin compounds on the activity of the enzyme indicated that inhibitory potency was associated with increasing hydrophobicity of the alkyl groups attached to the tin.     

Inhibition of NADH-methemoglobin reductase by organic phosphates.

The organic phosphate allosteric effectors of hemoglobin, inositol hexaphosphate, 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, and ATP, interact with NADH-methemoglobin reductase (NADH-diaphorase). Significant inhibitory effects on the enzyme were found when dichlorophenolindophenol, or ferricyanide were used as electron acceptors in place of methemoglobin. In contrast, apparent stimulation of enzyme activity was observed when adult human methemoglobin was used as the electroganic phosphate on the rate of reaction due to its interaction with the substrate methemoglobin to produce the favored T type of quaternary conformation. The inhibitory effect of inositol hexaphosphate on the enzyme is associated with a perturbation in the reactivity of essential sulfhydryl group(s) on the enzyme. It is suggested that the interaction of the organic phosphate with the enzyme as well as with the substrate is significant in determining the overall rate of methemoglobin reduction.     

Aging in the colonial chordate,Botryllus schlosseri

What mechanisms underlie aging? One theory, the wear-and-tear model, attributes aging to progressive deterioration in the molecular and cellular machinery which eventually lead to death through the disruption of physiological homeostasis. The second suggests that life span is genetically programmed, and aging may be derived from intrinsic processes which enforce a non-random, terminal time interval for the survivability of the organism. We are studying an organism that demonstrates both properties: the colonial ascidian, Botryllus schlosseri. Botryllus is a member of the Tunicata, the sister group to the vertebrates, and has a number of life history traits which make it an excellent model for studies on aging. First, Botryllus has a colonial life history, and grows by a process of asexual reproduction during which entire bodies, including all somatic and germline lineages, regenerate every week, resulting in a colony of genetically identical individuals. Second, previous studies of lifespan in genetically distinct Botryllus lineages suggest that a direct, heritable basis underlying mortality exists that is unlinked to reproductive effort and other life history traits. Here we will review recent efforts to take advantage of the unique life history traits of B. schlosseri and develop it into a robust model for aging research.