Chemical synthesis and cloning of a poly(arginine)-coding gene fragment designed to aid polypeptide purification

A 43-bp DNA duplex coding for poly(arginine) [poly(arg)] has been synthesised by modified phosphotriester procedures. It has been inserted into the BglII and BamHI restriction sites of a cloned synthetic β-urogastrone (Uro) gene, under the control of the trp promoter. Subsequent induction with 3β-indole acrylic acid produces β-Uro with a C-terminal poly(arg) fusion. The raised isoelectric point of this polypeptide fusion facilitates rapid purification by cation exchange chromatography. The C-terminal poly(arg) tail can be readily removed by treatment with carboxypeptidase B.     

ATP-dependent deoxyribonuclease in Bacillus subtilis and a mutant deficient in this activity

ATP-dependent DNAse activity was measured in rec⁺ and several rec strains of B. subtilis 168. One of the strains (marker recE₅) was found to lack this activity. The enzyme from the wild type was partially purified and some of its properties were determined. The pH optimum is 9.5. Activity is higher at 50° but inactivation occurs on standing at this temperature. The enzyme requires Mg²⁺ (10^?2M) or Mn²⁺ (2·10^?4M). ATP is an absolute requirement and the only other nucleoside triphosphate that can partially replace it is dATP. Lack of activity in the mutant does not seem to be due to the presence of an inhibitor. Results so far do not allow us to conclude as to whether or not the mutant produces an altered enzyme.     

Reversible inactivation of soluble liver guanylate cyclase by disulfides

A new amino acid was isolated from the cuticle collagen of $\text{Ascaris lumbricoides}$ and characterized by ultraviolet, mass and nmr spectroscopies and chemical degradation. The results indicate that the compound is an isomer of trityrosine, having an ether linkage. The name “isotrityrosine” is proposed. Its structure suggests that it serves as a crosslink and plays a role in the organization of the collagen structure.     

GTPase from rod outer segments: characterization by photoaffinity labeling and tryptic peptide mapping

The photoaffinity label [γ-³²P]8-N₃GTP has been used to identify GTP-binding components in highly purified preparations of GTPase from bovine rod outer segments. These preparations contain two major polypeptides of 37,000 and 39,000 daltons. In the presence of photolyzing radiation, [γ-³²P]8-N₃GTP is covalently attached to the 37,000 dalton polypeptide. Tryptic peptide mapping of this polypeptide indicates that it is highly related to the 39,000 dalton species that has been previously identified as a GTP-binding component.     

New insights into the binding mode of pyridine-3-carboxamide inhibitors of E. coli DNA gyrase

Previously we have reported on a series of pyridine-3-carboxamide inhibitors of DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV that were designed using a computational de novo design approach and which showed promising antibacterial properties. Herein we describe the synthesis of additional examples from this series aimed specifically at DNA gyrase, along with crystal structures confirming the predicted mode of binding and in vitro ADME data which describe the drug-likeness of these compounds.