Partial purification of galactocerebroside sulfotransferase in the rat brain

We describe a method of partial purification of rat brain 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate galactocerebroside sulfotransferase (EC 2.8.2.11, CST). The first steps consist of a Triton X-100 extraction of the enzyme from delipidated microsomes and the fractionation of this extract by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, followed by successive chromatography on hydrophobic gel (phenyl sepharose), heparin, gel filtration (Trisacryl GF2000), hydroxy-apatite and cation exchange resin (SP trisacryl). The denaturation of the enzyme and its instability account for the low enrichment achieved in terms of specific activity, but an evident simplification of the electrophoretic pattern was obtained.     

Immunochemical characterization of developmental changes in rat hepatic hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase.

A major isoenzyme of hepatic androsterone-sulfating sulfotransferase (AD-ST) was purified from adult female rats. The activity was purified 122-fold over that found in the cytosol and showed a single protein band with a subunit molecular mass of 30 kDa after sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme exhibited four isoelectric variants of subunits on denaturing isoelectrofocusing gels (pI = 5.8, 6.1, 6.7 and 7.2). Rabbit antiserum raised against the enzyme specifically detected AD-ST polypeptide in rat liver cytosol. Immunoblot analysis of liver cytosol from female and male rats at various ages showed good correlation between the levels of AD-ST activity and AD-ST polypeptide. Significant levels of AD-ST activity and polypeptide were detected in senescent male rats, though normal adult male rats have very low levels of AD-ST activity and protein. The relative content of the isoelectric variants of AD-ST were different in liver cytosol of weanling and adult females, indicating that age- and gender-related alterations of hepatic AD-ST activity are primarily determined by the levels of AD-ST polypeptide and the relative amounts of the four isoelectric variants of the enzyme.     

Topography of cerebroside sulfotransferase in Golgi-enriched vesicles from rat brain

Cerebroside sulfotransferase (CST) catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of sulfatide (sulfogalactocerebroside) by transferring the sulfate from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) to galactocerebroside. Orientation of CST was studied in vesicles enriched in this enzyme obtained from 21-d-old rat brain. Several lines of evidence indicate that CST is located on the luminal side of these vesicles. (a) Sulfation of endogenous galactocerebroside occurred in vesicles only in the presence of a detergent to render the membranes permeable to exogenous PAPS. (b) There is a pool of latent enzyme within the vesicle, which is released by Triton X-100. (c) CST is not destroyed by trypsin unless the vesicle membranes are first made permeable by Triton X-100. (d) Glycolipid substrate, when covalently attached to agarose beads, was not sulfated unless the enzyme was solubilized. These results are similar to those obtained with thiamine pyrophosphatase, which is known to be located within the lumen of the vesicles. This study establishes that an enzyme synthesizing a complex glycolipid is localized within Golgi-enriched vesicles. Since the product of the CST reaction must also be localized to the luminal side of the vesicles, it is most likely that sulfatide is located at the intraperiod line (outer layer) of myelin. The orientation of CST within the vesicle provides a mechanism for the asymmetrical assembly of glycolipids in bilayers.     

Subcellular localization of enzymes oxidizing citrate in the rat brain

¹RSA was calculated as the ratio: percentage of total recovered activity found in fraction to percentage of total protein found in the same fraction.     

Subcellular distribution of diacylglycerol lipase in rat and mouse brain

Rat Brain has a lipase which hydrolyzes diacylglycerol at an optimal pH of 4.8 (1). The subcellular distribution of this acid diacylglycerol lipase was studied in brain tissue of rats and mice; in the latter case neurological mutants and their normal controls were used. Several other acidic hydrolases were employed as normal controls were used. Several other acidic hydrolases were employed as lysosomal markers. In mouse brain, the specific activity which is about 50-100 times lower than in rat brain, was greatest in the lysosomal fraction. In contrast, no enrichment of DG-lipase was observed in any subcellular fraction of the active enzyme of rat brain. Activities were about equally distributed in the microsomal, myelin-synaptosomal and lysosomal fractions.     

Subcellular particles involved in the translocation of proteins in rat brain

Protein translocation systems which are inhibited by vinblastine, colchicine, and low calcium concentrations have been found in the cells of the brain slice. The early steps in the translocation pathways of newly synthesized protein have been studied by use of a double-label experiment in conjunction with subcellular fractionation. Certain subcellular particles have been positioned on the pathways with reference to vinblastine-sensitive translocation steps. There appears to be many subcellular organelles that are located downstream from a vinblastine-sensitive translocation step and which receive significant quantities of translocated protein within an hour of its synthesis. Some of these organelles co-enrich with the enzyme marker 5'-AMPase. Myelinated axons, Golgi derived vesicles, and smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum all are enriched in fractions which contain a net vinblastine-sensitive importation of protein. The major particles, which lie upstream from a vinblastine-sensitive translocation step and are net exporters of protein on this system, are found in a brain capillary fraction. It is suggested that the most likely exporter present in these capillaries are the end feet of astrocyte glial cells.     

Regional distribution, developmental changes, and cellular localization of CNTF-mRNA and protein in the rat brain

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a potent survival molecule for a variety of embryonic neurons in culture. The developmental expression of CNTF occurs clearly after the time period of the physiological cell death of CNTF-responsive neurons. This, together with the sites of expression, excludes CNTF as a target-derived neuronal survival factor, at least in rodents. However, CNTF also participates in the induction of type 2 astrocyte differentiation in vitro. Here we demonstrate that the time course of the expression of CNTF-mRNA and protein in the rat optic nerve (as evaluated by quantitative Northern blot analysis and biological activity, respectively) is compatible with such a glial differentiation function of CNTF in vivo. We also show that the type 2 astrocyte-inducing activity previously demonstrated in optic nerve extract can be precipitated by an antiserum against CNTF. Immunohistochemical analysis of astrocytes in vitro and in vivo demonstrates that the expression of CNTF is confined to a subpopulation of type 1 astrocytes. The olfactory bulb of adult rats has comparably high levels of CNTF to the optic nerve, and here again, CNTF-immunoreactivity is localized in a subpopulation of astrocytes. However, the postnatal expression of CNTF in the olfactory bulb occurs later than in the optic nerve. In other brain regions both CNTF-mRNA and protein levels are much lower.     

Cholecystokinin activation: evidence for an ordered reaction mechanism for the tyrosyl protein sulfotransferase responsible for the peptide sulfation.

The kinetics of the forward tyrosyl protein sulfotransferase (TPS) reaction were examined using an assay based on the 35SO4 transfer from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho(35S)sulfate [( 35S]PAPS) to tyrosyl residues of the non-sulfated cholecystokinin derivative, BocCCK-8(ns). TPS present in the microsomal membranes from rat cerebral cortex was used for these studies. Initial velocity measurements performed over a wide range of PAPS, BocCCK-8(ns), 3'-PAP and BocCCK-8(s) concentrations, indicated that the reaction follows an ordered mechanistic pathway. The KM value determined for BocCCK-8(ns) was 160 +/- 18 microM, and that for [35S]PAPS was 0.15 +/- 0.03 microM. 3'-Phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (3'-PAP) was found to be a product inhibitor with a Ki = 0.30 +/- 0.02 microM. BocCCK-8(s) produced an uncompetitive inhibition pattern on the TPS reaction. Adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) behaved as a competitive inhibitor versus PAPS with a Ki = 3.0 +/- 0.3 microM. ATP inhibited competitively the reaction when PAPS was the varied substrate with a Ki = 3.6 +/- 0.5 microM. The results of product and substrate inhibition studies and the patterns of dead end inhibition obtained with APS are best fit by an ordered Bi-Bi reaction mechanism where PAPS is the first substrate to bind and 3'-PAP is the last product to be released.     

Subcellular distribution of lysophosphatidylinositol and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases in rat brain.

Lysophosphatidylinositol acyltransferase utilizing arachidonoyl CoA and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase utilizing linoleoyl CoA were measured in subcellular fractions of rat brain. In general, the distribution of activities paralleled that of NADPH--cytochrome c reductase. It is concluded that the endoplasmic reticulum is the major site of these acyltransferase activities in rat brain.