Inducibility of Rat Liver Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes as an Index of Food-Screeing for Safety Assessment

D-Lactate dehydrogenase (D-LDH) from Pediococcus pentosaceus ATCC 25745 was found to produce D-3-phenyllactic acid from phenylpyruvate. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 5.5 and 45 °C. The Michaelis-Menten constant (K _m), turnover number (k _cat), and catalytic efficiency (k _cat?K _m) values for the substrate phenylpyruvate were estimated to be 1.73 mmol/L, 173 s^?1, and 100 (mmol/L)^?1 s^?1 respectively.     

Purification and Characterization of Aspartic Protease Derived from Sf9 Insect Cells

An aspartic protease that is significantly produced by baculovirus-infected Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 insect cells was purified to homogeneity from a growth medium. To monitor aspartic protease activity, an internally quenched fluoresce (IQF) substrate specific to cathepsin D was used. The purified aspartic protease showed a single protein band on SDS–PAGE with an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme had a high homology to a Bombyx mori aspartic protease. The enzyme showed greatest affinity for the IQF substrate at pH 3.0 with a K _m of 0.85 μM. The k _cat and k _cat?K _m values were 13 s^?1 and 15 s^?1 μM^?1 respectively. Pepstatin A proved to be a potent competitive inhibitor with inhibitor constant, K _i, of 25 pM.     

Purification and Characterization of β-N-Acetylhexosaminidase from the Liver Prawn,Penaeus japonicus

β-N-Acetvlhexosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.52) was purified from the liver of a prawn, Penaeus japonicus, by ammonium sulfate fractionation and chromatography with Sephadex G-100, hydroxylapatite, DEAE-Cellulofine, and Cellulofine GCL-2000-m. The purified enzyme showed a single band keeping the potential activity on both native PAGE and SDS–PAGE. The apparent molecular weight was 64,000 and 110,000 by SDS–PAGE and gel filtration, respectively. The pI was less than 3.2 by chromatofocusing. The aminoterminal amino acid sequence was NH₂-Thr-Leu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Trp-Gly-Trp-Ala-?-Asp-Gln-Gly-VaI-?-Val-Lys-Gly-Glu-Pro-. The optimum pH and temperature were 5.0 to 5.5 and 50°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable from pH 4 to 11, and below 55°C. It was 39% inhibited by 10mM HgCl₂.

Steady-state kinetic analysis was done with the purified enzyme using N-acetylchitooligosaccharides (GlcNAc_n, n = 2 to 6) and p-nitrophenyl N-acetylchitooligosaccharides (pNp-β-GlcNAc_n, n= 1 to 3) as the substrates. The enzyme hydrolyzed all of these substrates to release monomeric GlcNAc from the non-reducing end of the substrate. The parameters of K_m and k_cat at 25°C and pH 5.5 were 0.137 mM and 598s^–1 for pNp-β-GlcNAc, 0.117 mM and 298s^–1 for GlcNAc₂, 0.055 mM and 96.4s^–1 for GlcNAc₃, 0.044 mM and 30.1 s^–1 for GlcNAc_4, 0.045 mM and 14.7 s^–1 for GlcNAc₅, and 0.047 mM and 8.3 s^–1 for GlcNAc₆, respectively. These results suggest that this β-N-acetylhexosaminidase is an exo-type hydrolytic enzyme involved in chitin degradation, and prefers the shorter substrates.     

Expression of Nicotiana glutinosa Ribonucleases in Escherichia coli

We previously isolated from Nicotiana glutinosa leaves three distinct cDNA clones, NGR1, NGR2, and NGR3, encoding a wound-inducible RNase NW, and putative RNases NGR2 and NGR3, respectively. In this study, we produced RNases NW and NGR3 in Escherichia coli and purified them to homogeneity. RNase NGR3 had non-absolute specificity toward polynucleotides, although RNase NW preferentially cleaved polyinosinic acid (Poly I). Both RNases NW and NGR3 were more active toward diribonucleoside monophosphates ApG, CpU, and GpU. Furthermore, kinetic parameters for RNase NW (K _m, 0.778 mM and k _cat, 1938 min^?1) and RNase NGR3 (K _m, 0.548 mM and k _cat, 408 min^?1) were calculated using GpU as a substrate.     

Radiation Chemistry of Foods

An intermediate radical, ?H₂OH, was produced in aqueous methanol solution containing nitrous oxide by γ-irradiation. Yields of ethylene glycol and formaldehyde, the major and the minor product from ?H₂OH, respectively, changed on the addition of some solutes. Cysteine lowered the both product yields to zero even at a low concentration of 5 × 10^?5m. Oxygen of low concentrations (2.5~7.5 × 10^?5 m) changed effectively the major product from ethylene glycol to formaldehyde. k _(CySH+?H2OH)/k_(O2+?H2OH) was calculated as 0.5.

Ascorbic acid (5 × 10^?5 m) lowered ethylene glycol yield to 48%, cystine (10^?3m) to 15%, methionine (10^?3m) to 31%, histidine (10^?3m) to 42%, tryptophan (10^?3m) 46%, tyrosine (10^?3m) to 77%, phenylalanine (10^?3m) to 73%, hypoxanthine (10^?3m) to 37%, adenine (10^?3m) to 52%, uracil (10^?3m) to 20%, thymine (10^?3m) to 10%, cytosine (10^?3 m) to 49%, rutin (10^?3m) to 23%, pyrogallol (10^?3m) to 41%, and gallic acid (10^?3m) to 78% of the control. These results suggest that the reactions of the secondary radicals such as ?H₂OH perform an important role in material change of foods irradiated with γ rays.     

Characterization of a Cellobiose Phosphorylase from a Hyperthermophilic Eubacterium,Thermotoga maritima MSB8

The cepA putative gene encoding a cellobiose phosphorylase of Thermotoga maritima MSB8 was cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli BL21-codonplus-RIL and characterized in detail. The maximal enzyme activity was observed at pH 6.2 and 80°C. The energy of activation was 74 kJ/mol. The enzyme was stable for 30 min at 70°C in the pH range of 6-8. The enzyme phosphorolyzed cellobiose in an random-ordered bi bi mechanism with the random binding of cellobiose and phosphate followed by the ordered release of D-glucose and α-D-glucose-1-phosphate. The K _m for cellobiose and phosphate were 0.29 and 0.15 mM respectively, and the k _cat was 5.4 s^-1. In the synthetic reaction, D-glucose, D-mannose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, D-glucosamine, D-xylose, and 6-deoxy-D-glucose were found to act as glucosyl acceptors. Methyl-β-D-glucoside also acted as a substrate for the enzyme and is reported here for the first time as a substrate for cellobiose phosphorylases. D-Xylose had the highest (40 s^-1) k _cat followed by 6-deoxy-D-glucose (17 s^-1) and 2-deoxy-D-glucose (16 s^-1). The natural substrate, D-glucose with the k _cat of 8.0 s^-1 had the highest (1.1×10⁴ M^-1 s^-1) k _cat/K _m compared with other glucosyl acceptors. D-Glucose, a substrate of cellobiose phosphorylase, acted as a competitive inhibitor of the other substrate, α-D-glucose-1-phosphate, at higher concentrations.     

Purification and some Properties of β-Xylosidase from Trichoderma viride

β-Xylosidase was purified 25 fold from a culture filtrate by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, column electrophoresis, gel filtration on Biogel P-100, and isoelectric focusing. The purified β-xylosidase was found to be homogeneous on SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and on disc electrophoresis. A molecular weight of 101,000 was estimated by chromatography on Sephadex G-200, and 102,000 was obtained by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified p-xylosidase had an isoelectric point at pH 4.45, and contained 4.5% carbohydrate residue. The optimum activity for the enzyme was found to be at pH 4.5 and 55°C. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg^{2 +}, and N-bromosuccinimide at a concentration of 1 x 10^?3 m. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed phenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o—13.0 sec”¹), p-nitrophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o=2l.3 sec^?1), o-nitrophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 22.2 sec^?1), o-chlorophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 20.0 sec^?1), p-methylphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o~9.0 sec^?1), o-methylphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o= 10.7 sec^?1), p-methoxyphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o=10.3 sec^?1), o-methoxyphenyl β-d-xyloside (&;_o=10.9 sec^?1), xylobiose (k_o = 36A sec^?1), xylotriose (k_o = 34.5 sec^?1), xylotetraose (k_o~HA sec^?1), and xylopentaose (k_o= 13.0 sec^?1). On enzymic hydrolysis of phenyl β-d-xyloside, the reaction product was found to be β-d-xylose with retention of configuration. The purified p-xylosidase was practically free of α-xylosidase and β-glucosidase activities.     

Identification and characterization of d-arabinose reductase and d-arabinose transporters from Pichia stipitis

d-xylose and l-arabinose are the major constituents of plant lignocelluloses, and the related fungal metabolic pathways have been extensively examined. Although Pichia stipitis CBS 6054 grows using d-arabinose as the sole carbon source, the hypothetical pathway has not yet been clarified at the molecular level. We herein purified NAD(P)H-dependent d-arabinose reductase from cells grown on d-arabinose, and found that the enzyme was identical to the known d-xylose reductase (XR). The enzyme activity of XR with d-arabinose was previously reported to be only 1% that with d-xylose. The k_cat/K_m value with d-arabinose (1.27 min^?1 mM^?1), which was determined using the recombinant enzyme, was 13.6- and 10.5-fold lower than those with l-arabinose and d-xylose, respectively. Among the 34 putative sugar transporters from P. stipitis, only seven genes exhibited uptake ability not only for d-arabinose, but also for d-glucose and other pentose sugars including d-xylose and l-arabinose in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Effect of Substrate Concentration on Plastein Productivity and Some Rheological Properties of the Products

A bacterial arginase was purified to homogeneity from a strain of Bacillus brevis. The native enzyme, with an estimated MW of 143,000, migrated on SDS-PAGE as a single polypeptide of estimated MW of 33,000. The enzyme, highly specific to l-arginine, showed the maximum activity at pH 11.0 in the presence of Mn²⁺ ions and the pI was 4.8 by isoelectric focusing. The enzyme activity was increased significantly by the addition of Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺, or Co²⁺ ions, and inhibited potently by chemicals such as HgCl₂, N-bromosuccinimide, or glutathione. The K_ms for l-arginine and l-canavanine were 0.69 and 22.2 mm, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited competitively by γ-guanidinobutyric acid, and non-competitively by l-lysine, l-ornithine, creatine, blasticidin S, and edeine B₁ Analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified bacterial enzyme found 33–36% homologies with the Agrobacterium, yeast, rat, and human enzymes.     

Purification and Properties of Formyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase from Spinach

Formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (E. C. 6. 3. 4. 3) was found in fresh spinach leaves and purified about 60-fold by treatments of ammonium sulfate, protamine sulfate, dialysis, and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Some properties of the enzyme were investigated. Optimum pH was found to be 7.5, and optimum temperature was observed to be at 37°C. In the enzyme reaction, FAH₄ and formate were required specifically as the substrates, and Mg⁺⁺ and ATP were essential components. The Michaelis constants for dl-FAH₄, formate, ATP and magnesium chloride were 1.7×10^?3 m, 1.7×10^?2 m, 4.1×10^?4 m and 3.3×10^?3 m, respectively. The primary product formed in the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme was suggested as N¹⁰-formyl-FAH₄ spectrophotometrically. It was observed that the enzyme also catalyzed the reverse reaction. The possible role of the enzyme in plants was discussed.     

Protective Effect of Some Anions on the Heat-Denaturation of Ovotransferrin

An alkaline serine-proteinase from Bacillus sp. PN51 isolated from bat feces collected in Phang Nga, Thailand, was purified and characterized. The molecular mass was estimated to be 35.0 kDa. The N-terminal 25 amino acid sequence was about 70% identical with that of Natrialba magadii halolysin-like extracellular serine protease. The enzyme showed the highest proteinase activity at 60 °C at pH 10.0. The activity was strongly inhibited by PMSF and chymostatin. The proteinase activity was not affected by the presence of 2% urea, 2% H₂O₂, 12% SDS, 15% triton X-100, or 15% tween 80. The proteinase preferred Met, Leu, Phe, and Tyr residues at the P₁ position, in descending order. The k _cat, K _m and k _cat/K _m values for Z-Val-Lys-Met-MCA were 16.8±0.14 min^?1, 5.1±0.28 μM, and 3.3±0.28 μM^?1 min^?1 respectively. This is the first report of an alkaline serine-proteinase with extremely high stability against detergents such as SDS.     

Archaeal Aldehyde Dehydrogenase ST0064 from Sulfolobus tokodaii,a Paralog of Non-Phosphorylating Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase,Is a Succinate Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase

Aldehyde dehydrogenase ST0064, the closest paralog of previously characterized allosteric non-phosphorylating glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (GAP) dehydrogenase (GAPN, ST2477) from a thermoacidophilic archaeon, Sulfolobus tokodaii, was expressed heterologously and characterized in detail. ST0064 showed remarkable activity toward succinate semialdehyde (SSA) (K _m of 0.0029 mM and k _cat of 30.0 s^?1) with no allosteric regulation. Activity toward GAP was lower (K _m of 4.6 mM and k _cat of 4.77 s^?1), and previously predicted succinyl-CoA reductase activity was not detected, suggesting that the enzyme functions practically as succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH). Phylogenetic analysis indicated that archaeal SSADHs and GAPNs are closely related within the aldehyde dehydrogenase superfamily, suggesting that they are of the same origin.     

Purification and Some Properties of β-Xylosidase from Emericella nidulans

β-Xylosidase was purified 662 fold from a culture filtrate by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Biogel P-100, DEAE-Sephadex chromatography, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. With isoelectric focusing, the purified β-xylosidase found to be homogeneous on SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight was estimated by gel filtration to be 240,000, and 116,000 by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified β-xylosidase had an isoelectric point at pH 3.25, and contained 4% carbohydrate residue. The optimum pH was found to be in the range of 4.5 ~ 5, and the optimum temperature was 55°C. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg^{2 +}, SDS, and N-bromosuccinimide at a concentration of 1 × 10^?3 m, and also p-chloromercuribenzoate at a concentration of 1 × 10^?4m. The purified enzyme hydrolyzed phenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 302.6 sec^?1),β-nitrophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 438.9 sec^?1), o-nitrophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 431.0 sec^?1), p-chlorophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 207.9 sec^?1), o-chlorophenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 211.8 sec^?1), β-methylphenyl β-d-xyloside k_o = 96.5 sec^?1), o-methylphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 83.1 sec^?1), p-methoxyphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o = 99.3 sec^?1), o-methoxyphenyl β-d-xyloside (k_o= 100.0 sec^?1), xylobiose (k_o = 992A sec^?1), xylotriose (k_o = 1321.9 sec^?1), xylotetraose (k_o = 7S9.1 sec^?1) and xylopentaose (k_o = 508.0 sec^?1). On enzymic hydrolysis of phenyl β-d-xyloside, the reaction product was found to be β-d-xylose with retention of the configuration. The purified β-xylosidase was practically free of a-xylosidase and β-glucosidase activities.     

Synthesis and Degradation of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid by Penicillium citrinum

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), which is a precursor of ethylene in plants, has never been known to occur in microorganisms. We describe the synthesis of ACC by Penicillium citrinum, purification of ACC synthase [EC 4.4.1.14] and ACC deaminase [EC 4.1.99.4], and their properties. Analyses of P. citrinum culture showed occurrence of ACC in the culture broth and in the cell extract. ACC synthase was purified from cells grown in a medium containing 0.05% L-methionine and ACC deaminase was done from cells incubated in a medium containing 1% 2-aminoisobutyrate. The purified ACC synthase, with a specific activity of 327 milliunit/mg protein, showed a single band of M _r 48,000 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular mass of the native enzyme by gel filtration was 96,000 Da. The ACC synthase had the K _m for S-adenosyl-L-methionine of 1.74 mM and k _cat of 0.56 s^-1 per monomer. The purified ACC deaminase, with a specific activity of 4.7 unit/mg protein, showed one band in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of M _r 41,000. The molecular mass of the native ACC deaminase was 68,000 Da by gel filtration. The enzyme had a K _m for ACC of 4.8 mM and k _cat of 3.52 s^-1. The presence of 7 mM Cu²⁺ in alkaline buffer solution was effective for increasing the stability of the ACC deaminase in the process of purification.     

Studies on d-Glucose-isomerizing Activity of d-Xylose-grown Cells from Bacillus coagulans,Strain HN-68

d-Glucose-isomerizing enzyme has been extracted in high yield from d-xylose-grown cells of Bacillus coagulans, strain HN-68, by treating with lysozyme, and purified approximately 60-fold by manganese sulfate treatment, fractionation with ammonium sulfate and chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex column. The purified d-glucose-isomerizing enzyme was homogeneous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation and was free from d-glucose-6-phosphate isomerase. Optimum pH and temperature for activity were found to be pH 7.0 and 75°C, respectively. The enzyme required specifically Co⁺⁺ with suitable concentration for maximal activity being 10^?3 m. In the presence of Co⁺⁺, enzyme activity was inhibited strongly by Cu⁺⁺, Zn⁺⁺, Ni⁺⁺, Mn⁺⁺ or Ca⁺⁺. At reaction equilibrium, the ratio of d-fructose to d-glucose was approximately 1.0. The enzyme catalyzed the isomerization of d-glucose, d-xylose and d-ribose. Apparent Michaelis constants for d-glucose and d-xylose were 9×10^?2 m and 7.7×10^?2 m, respectively.     

The Periodontopathogenic Bacterium Eikenella corrodens Produces an Autoinducer-2-Inactivating Enzyme

Two α-amylase isoforms designated VAAmy1 and VAAmy2 were purified from cotyledons of germinating seedlings of azuki bean (Vigna angularis). VAAmy1 apparently had lower affinity towards a β-cyclodextrin Sepharose column than VAAmy2. Molecular weights of VAAmy1 and VAAmy2 were estimated to be 47,000 and 44,000, respectively. However, no considerable difference was found between them in effects of pH, temperature, CaCl₂, and EDTA, as well as the kinetic parameters for amylose (average degree of polymerization 17): k _cat, 71.8 and 55.5 s^?1, K _m, 0.113 and 0.097 mg/ml; for blocked 4-nitrophenyl α-D-maltoheptaoside: k _cat, 62.4 and 85.3 s^?1, K _m, 0.22 and 0.37 mM, respectively. Primary structures of the two enzymes were analyzed by N-terminal sequencing, cDNA cloning, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, implying that the two enzymes have the same peptide. The results indicated that the low affinity of VAAmy1 towards β-cyclodextrin Sepharose was due to some modification on/near carbohydrate binding site in the limited sequence regions, resulting in higher molecular weight.     

Reactivity of sorbose dehydrogenase from Sinorhizobium sp. 97507 for 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol

Purified recombinant sorbose dehydrogenase from Sinorhizobium sp. 97507 exhibited high reactivity for 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol (1,5-AG) and l-sorbose, but little activity for the other sugars or sugar alcohols tested. Kinetic analysis revealed that its catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m) for l-sorbose and 1,5-AG is 1.8 × 10² and 1.5 × 10² s^?1·M^?1, respectively.     

Purification and Characterization of Extracellular Chitin Deacetylase from Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Chitin deacetylase, active in the presence of acetate (96% of the enzymatic activity was retained in the presence of 100 mm sodium acetate), was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from a culture filtrate of Colletotrichum lindemuthianum (944-fold with a recovery of 4.05%). The enzyme was induced in the medium after the eighth day of incubation simultaneously with the blackening of the medium. The molecular mass of the enzyme was 31.5 kDa and 33 kDa as judged by SDS–PAGE and gel filtration, respectively, suggesting that the enzyme is a single polypeptide. The optimum temperature was 60°C and the optimum pH was 11.5–12.0 when glycol chitin was used as substrate. The enzyme was active toward glycol chitin, partially N-deacetylated water soluble chitin, and chitin oligomers the degrees of polymerization of which were more than four, but was less active with chitin trimer and dimer, and inactive with N-acetylglucosamine. The K_m and k_cat for glycol chitin were 2.55 mm and 27.1s^?1, respectively, and those for chitin pentamer were 414 μm and 83.2s^?1, respectively. The reaction rates of the enzyme toward glycol chitin and chitin oligomers seemed to follow the Michaelis–Menten kinetics.     

Kinetic Resolution of 3-Fluoroalanine Using a Fusion Protein of D-Amino Acid Oxidase with Vitroscilla Hemoglobin

In this study, a fusion protein (VHb-DAAO) of D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) with Vitreoscilla hemoglobin (VHb) was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The k _cat value VHb-DAAO (47.1 s^?1) towards rac-3-flouroalanine was about 2-fold higher than that of DAAO (21.9 s^?1). rac-3-Flouroalanine (500 mM) was kinetically resolved into (R)-3-fluoroalanine with high enatiomeric excess (>99%) by VHb-DAAO with about 52% conversion.     

Purification,Characterization, and Molecular Cloning of a Pyranose Oxidase from the Fruit Body of the Basidiomycete,Tricholoma matsutake

A new H₂O₂-generating pyranose oxidase was purified as a strong antifungal protein from an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Tricholoma matsutake. The protein showed a molecular mass of 250 kDa in gel filtration, and probably consisted of four identical 62 kDa subunits. The protein contained flavin moiety and it oxidized D-glucose at position C-2. H₂O₂ and D-glucosone produced by the pyranose oxidase reaction showed antifungal activity, suggesting these compounds were the molecular basis of the antifungal property. The V _max, K _m, and k _cat for D-glucose were calculated to be 26.6 U/mg protein, 1.28 mM, and 111/s, respectively. The enzyme was optimally active at pH 7.5 to 8.0 and at 50°C. The preferred substrate was D-glucose, but 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol, L-sorbose, and D-xylose were also oxidized at a moderate level. The cDNA encodes a protein consisting of 564 amino acids, showing 35.1% identity to Coriolus versicolor pyranose oxidase. The recombinant protein was used for raising the antibody.