Calcium-induced changes in thyroglobulin conformation

Polyethylene glycol solutions (10% w/v) were used to detect the effect of mono- and divalent cations on some properties of thyroglobulin. It is shown that in presence of 10% w/v polyethylene glycol in 0.01 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, calcium (less than 0.05 M) modifies the solubility, the sedimentation rate, and the Stokes' radius of thyroglobulin, while monovalent cations up to 0.6 M do not effect any of these properties. These findings can be explained by an increase in molecular compactness of thyroglobulin. Furthermore, it was shown that a synthetic polymer, polyethylene glycol, could be used to detect conformational changes.     

Preferential solvation of methylmercurated calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid.

The changes in polymer-solvent interactions that occur when native calf thymus DNA is dialyzed against Na₂SO₄ solutions of a given ionic strength and buffer concentration but of varying concentrations in methylmercuric hydroxide have been investigated with the help of solution density measurements at 25 °C and pH 6.8–7.0. From measurements executed under equilibrium dialysis conditions at the three salt levels 5 mm, 0.05 m, and 0.5 m Na₂SO₄ (m refers to molality) and in the presence of 5 mm cacodylic acid buffer, the density increments $\text{(}\text{??}\text{?c}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}{}^0$ for native calf thymus DNA were determined as a function of CH₃HgOH concentration. $\text{(}\text{??}\text{?c}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}{}^0$ was found not to vary with organomercurial concentration, irrespective of the concentration of supporting electrolyte, until a certain CH₃HgOH concentration level has been reached, viz., , beyond which $\text{(}\text{??}\text{?c}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}{}^0$ increases strongly with increasing concentration of CH₃HgOH. As is shown by optical melting, $\text{(}\text{??}\text{?c}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}{}^0$ becomes a function of organomercurial concentration the moment DNA undergoes denaturation brought about by the complexing of CH₃HgOH with the various N-binding sites of the base residues in the DNA double helix.Polymer-solvent interactions, expressed in terms of preferential water interactions (“net hydration”) and preferential salt interactions (“salt solvation”), were derived from the $\text{(}\text{??}\text{?c}{}_2\text{)}{}_{\mathrm{\mu }}{}^0$ data in combination with data obtained on the preferential interaction of CH₃HgOH with denatured DNA and data on the partial specific volumes of all major solution components, gathered from density measurements on solutions with fixed concentrations of diffusible components. Evidence is presented which shows that denaturation in general decreases the net hydration while salt becomes preferentially associated with the polyelectrolyte. This process is further amplified by the interaction of CH₃HgOH with denatured DNA: Methylmercurated DNA alters the redistribution of diffusible components at dialysis equilibrium to such an extent that in a formal sense large amounts of water are rejected from the immediate vicinity of the polymer. The molecular implications of these findings are explored. The results are further discussed in the light of previous findings where the methylmercury-induced denaturation of DNA had been studied with the help of buoyant density measurements in a Cs₂SO₄ density gradient and by velocity-sedimentation in a variety of sulfate media.     

Enzymatic dephosphorylation of endogenous and exogenous dolichyl monophosphate by calf brain membranes

Calf brain membranes have been shown to enzymatically dephosphorylate endogenous and partially purified, exogenous dolichyl [³²P]monophosphate. The properties and specificity of the dolichyl monophosphatase activity have been studied by following the release of [³²P]phosphate from exogenous dolichyl [³²P]monophosphate added in a dispersion with Triton X-100. The calf brain phosphatase (1) is inhibited by Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, fluoride, and phosphate; (2) exhibits a neutral pH optimum; and (3) has an apparent K_m of 200 μm for dolichyl monophosphate. Dolichyl monophosphatase activity can be distinguished from phosphatidate phosphatase on the basis of their responses to fluoride and phosphate. Based on differential thermolability and the effects of divalent cations and EDTA, the calf brain dolichyl monophosphatase can also be discriminated from the general phosphatase activity assayed with p-nitrophenyl phosphate. Dolichyl monophosphatase activity can be solubilized by treating microsomes with Triton X-100. The enzymatic dephosphorylation of exogenous dolichyl [³²P]monophosphate catalyzed by particulate and detergent-solubilized preparations is negligibly affected by equimolar concentrations of ATP and an assortment of phosphomonoesters, including phosphatidic acid and hexadecyl phosphate. A reduction of approximately 40% in dolichyl monophosphatase activity is observed in the presence of equimolar amounts of retinyl monophosphate. Overall, these results represent good evidence for the presence of a neutral polyisoprenyl monophosphatase in central nervous tissue.     

Effects of fatty acids on activity of cGMP-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from calf liver

Effects of fatty acids, prostaglandins, and phospholipids on the activity of purified cGMP-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from calf liver were investigated. Prostaglandins A2, E1, E2, F1 alpha, and F2 alpha, thromboxane B2, and most phospholipids were without effect; lysophosphatidylcholine was a potent inhibitor. Several saturated fatty acids (carbon chain length 14-24), at concentrations up to 1 mM, had little or no effect on hydrolysis of 0.5 microM [3H]cGMP or 0.5 microM [3H]cAMP with or without 1 microM cGMP. In general, unsaturated fatty acids were inhibitory, except for myristoleic and palmitoleic acids which increased hydrolysis of 0.5 microM [3H]cAMP. The extent of inhibition by cis-isomers correlated with the number of double bonds. Increasing concentrations of palmitoleic acid from 10 to 100 microM increased hydrolysis of [3H]cAMP with maximal activation (60%) at 100 microM; higher concentrations were inhibitory. Palmitoleic acid inhibited cGMP hydrolysis and cGMP-stimulated cAMP hydrolysis with IC50 values of 110 and 75 microM, respectively. Inhibitory effects of palmitoleic acid were completely or partially prevented by equimolar alpha-tocopherol. Palmitelaidic acid, the trans isomer, had only slightly inhibitory effects. The effects of palmitoleic acid (100 microM) were dependent on substrate concentration. Activation was maximal with 1 microM [3H]cAMP and was reduced with increasing substrate; with greater than 10 microM cAMP, palmitoleic had no effect. Inhibition of cGMP hydrolysis was maximal at 2.5 microM cGMP and was reduced with increasing cGMP; at greater than 100 microM cGMP palmitoleic acid increased hydrolysis slightly. Palmitoleic acid did not affect apparent Km or Vmax for cAMP hydrolysis, but increased the apparent Km (from 17 to 60 microM) and Vmax for cGMP hydrolysis with little or no effect on the Hill coefficient for either substrate. These results suggest that certain hydrophobic domains play an important role in modifying the catalytic specificity of the cGMP-stimulated phosphodiesterase for cAMP and cGMP.     

Neutron-scattering studies of the ribosome of Escherichia coli: a provisional map of the locations of proteins S3, S4, S5, S7, S8 and S9 in the 30 S subunit.

Results of neutron-scattering experiments to determine the distances between seven pairs of proteins within the 30 S ribosomal subunit are presented. These results, combined with earlier data (Engelman et al., 1975; Moore et al., 1977) lead to the construction of a three-dimensional map of the positions of the centers of mass of proteins S3, S4, S5, S7, S8 and S9. The properties of this map and its relationship to other information on the structure of the 30 S subunit are discussed.     

Structural features and some binding properties of proteoheparan sulfate enzymatically labeled by calf brain microsomes

Previous studies established that brain microsomes catalyze the transfer of [35S]sulfate from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phospho[35S]sulfate to an O-linked oligosaccharide chain of a membrane glycoprotein and sulfamino groups of a membrane-associated proteoheparan sulfate (R. R. Miller and C. J. Waechter (1979) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 198, 31-41). A large fraction of the proteoheparan [35S]sulfate can be released by treating the enzymatically labeled membranes from calf brain with 1 M NaCl. The salt-extracted 35S-labeled proteoglycan has been partially purified by a combination of ion-exchange and gel filtration chromatography. Based on chromatographic analyses, the 35S-labeled proteoglycan labeled in vitro is proposed to be a family of proteoheparan [35S]sulfates having an average molecular weight estimated to be 55,000. Variation in the length of the 35S-labeled polysaccharide chains partially accounts for the differences in molecular size of the proteoheparan [35S]sulfates. Binding studies reveal that the intact proteoheparan [35S]sulfates, as well as the free 35S-labeled polysaccharides released by mild alkali treatment, rapidly reassociate with calf brain membrane preparations. The association with calf brain membranes is saturable and reversible. Consistent with the binding being a specific interaction, only iduronic acid-containing glycosaminoglycans inhibit the association of the 35S-labeled proteoglycan with calf brain membranes and facilitate the disassociation. Neither the binding of the 35S-labeled proteoglycan to membranes nor the displacement was affected by hyaluronic acid, chondroitin 4-sulfate, or chondroitin 6-sulfate. The binding of the enzymatically labeled proteoheparan sulfate is reduced by preincubating membranes with either trypsin or chymotrypsin, but not with neuraminidase or phospholipase D. These results suggest that at least one class of proteoheparan sulfates could be specifically bound to one or more brain membrane proteins. The results also suggest a role for iduronosyl residues, and perhaps the stereochemical relationship of the carboxyl group to the O-sulfate moiety at C-2, in the recognition process.     

Conformation-specific precipitation of human α2-macroglobulin by divalent zinc or calf thymus histone H3

Highly purified native α₂-macroglobulin (α₂M), α₂M-trypsin, and α₂M-methylamine were compared in experiments designed to study protein precipitation. Significant turbidity developed within 30 min in solutions containing histone H3 and either α₂M-methylamine or α₂M-trypsin, as determined by absorbance at λ = 550 nm. No turbidity was detected in solutions that contained histone H3 and native α₂M or histone H3 alone. Experiments with radioiodinated histone H3 or radioiodinated proteinase inhibitor confirmed that both the H3 and the α₂M “fast” forms (α₂M-methylamine, α₂M-trypsin) were present in the precipitates generated. As much as 70% of the ¹²⁵I-α₂M-methylamine was recovered in the precipitate after incubation with a 120-fold molar excess of H3 (concentration of α₂M-methylamine, 0.28 μm). The ratio of histone to proteinase inhibitor by weight in the precipitate was approximately two. Under comparable conditions, somewhat less α₂M-trypsin precipitated from solutions containing H3 than did α₂M-methylamine; however, inactivation of the α₂M-trypsin with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride prior to incubation increased the level of precipitation significantly. Solutions containing poly-l-lysine (M_r ~ 13,000) instead of histone did not form precipitates with any of the forms of α₂M studied. In a second set of experiments, radioiodinated native α₂M, α₂M-trypsin, and α₂M-methylamine were incubated in solutions containing ZnCl₂, BaCl₂, CdCl₂, CuSO₄, MgCl₂, or NiCl₂ (concentration of divalent cation between 5 μm and 1.0 mm). Native α₂M was soluble in all of these salts. By contrast, α₂M-methylamine and α₂M-trypsin precipitated extensively from solutions containing greater than 100 μm ZnCl₂. Precipitation was greater than 90% complete at 1 mm ZnCl₂. A similar effect was not observed with any of the other divalent cations.     

Acetylcholinesterase: Differential affinity chromatographic purification of 11 S and 18 S plus 14 S forms; the importance of multiple-site interactions and salt concentration

A revised synthesis of 10-methyl-9-[Nβ-(6-aminohexanoyl)-β-aminopropylamino]acridinium-Sepharose 2B is presented. Conditions for the individual purification of either 11 S (globular) or 18 S plus 14 S (asymmetric) acetylcholinesterase are described and the selective purification of either 11 S or 18 S plus 14 S enzyme from mixtures of the species is shown to be possible. The mechanism resulting in selective purification is discussed and the postulate that multiple-site interaction takes place between enzyme and immobilized ligand is presented.     

Differences in iodinated peptides and thyroid hormone formation after chemical and thyroid peroxidase-catalyzed iodination of human thyroglobulin

The distribution of iodine among the polypeptides of human goiter thyroglobulin (Tg) was examined. Tg was iodinated in vitro with ¹³¹I to levels of 2 to 84 gram atoms (g.a.)/mol using thyroid peroxidase (TPO) or a chemical iodination system. The samples were reduced, alkylated, and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two low-molecular-weight peptides appeared preferentially in radioautograms of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gels of TPO-iodinated samples. Iodination of these peptides increased sharply in the TPO-treated Tg as the level of total iodine/ molecule rose. Radioiodine was incorporated into these same gel regions in the chemically treated Tg, but only after much higher levels of total iodination were reached. Differences in iodoamino acid distribution were also noted between the chemically and enzymatically iodinated thyroglobulins. In the chemically iodinated samples, little thyroxine (T₄) was synthesized, even at high iodine levels. In the TPO-treated samples only small amounts of T₄ were seen below 14 g.a. total I/mol, while at or above that level of iodination T₄ formation increased sharply. To examine the coupling process, Tg was chemically iodinated, excess I^? removed, and the samples treated with TPO and a H₂O₂-generating system in the absence of iodide. Radioautograms obtained from SDS-polyacrylamide gels of reduced and alkylated protein from such coupling assays showed an increase in the level of iodine in the low-molecular-weight peptides after TPO treatment. Thyroxine production also increased with TPO treatment. The addition of free DIT (a known coupling enhancer) to the [¹³¹I]Tg/TPO incubation increased both the production of T₄ and the amount of iodine in the smaller polypeptides. Two-dimensional maps prepared from CNBr-digested TG showed differences between the coupled and uncoupled samples. Our observations confirm the importance of the lowmolecular-weight peptides derived from Tg in thyroid hormone synthesis. At total iodine levels above 14 g.a./mol Tg in enzymatically treated samples there is selective incorporation of iodine into both the low-molecular-weight polypeptides and into thyroid hormone.     

Structure and gene organization in the transformed Hind III-G fragment of Ad12

The nucleotide sequence of the transforming Hind III-G fragment of Ad12 DNA which encompasses the left 6.8% of the genome has been determined. The fragment was 2320 nucleotides long, and contained a GC cluster at positions 126-155 and a region extremely rich in AT at positions 1098-1142 (number from the leftmost end). Possible coding regions for the two transforming gene products were assigned. The predicted coding region for T antigen g is positions 502-1069 and positions 1144-1373, which are joined by splicing (266 amino acid residues, 30 kd), and that for T antigen f is positions 1845-2126 (94 amino acid residues, 10 kd). The sequence of the Hind III-G fragment was compared with that of the transforming DNA fragment of Ad5 which encompasses the left 8.0% of the genome (2809 nucleotides). There are several discrete regions with significant sequence homology. The comparison suggests that the regions in the left two thirds of the Ad5 and Ad12 transforming DNA fragments (map units 0-4.7% in Ad5 and 0-4.4% in Ad12) bear some resemblance in their gene organizations, and code for proteins containing structurally homologous regions.     

Solubilization of 20S acetylcholinesterase from chick retina

A 20S form of acetylcholinesterase has been solubilized from young chick retinas by means of a buffered salt-detergent solution containing EDTA. The release of this fast-sedimenting form of the enzyme is selectively blocked by the presence of even small amounts of Ca⁺⁺ in the homogenization medium. The collagen-tailed nature of this molecular species of acetylcholinesterase has been ascertained by collagenase digestion. This finding suggests that the avian central nervous system contains asymmetric, collagen-tailed quaternary structural forms of acetylcholinesterase as is the case in skeletal muscle and cholinergic ganglia.     

Ribosomal components required for binding protein S1 to the 30 S subunit of Escherichia coli.

30 S subunits of Escherichia coli ribosomes washed with 3 m-NH₄C1 lose proteins S2, S3, S9, S10, S14, S20 and S21, as well as their ability to bind S1 with high affinity (Laughrea and Moore, 1978). Binding activity is restored when the split proteins are added back to the protein-deficient cores. Here we show that, among the split proteins, S9 is by far the most effective in restoring S1 binding capability to 3 m-NH₄Cl cores.     

Molecular characterization of choline acetyltransferase from Drosophila melanogaster

Purified acetyl-CoA: choline O-acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.6) from Drosophila melanogaster has been shown to contain two major polypeptides of 67 and 54 K Daltons. However, all enzyme activity is found in a single molecular weight form of approx 67 K Daltons as determined by sucrose gradient sedimentation and molecular exclusion chromatography. The latter showed both the 67 and 54 K Dalton polypeptides on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium lauryl sulfate (10% acrylamide). Analysis of purified choline acetyltransferase on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium lauryl sulfate (15% acrylamide) revealed the presence of an additional polypeptide at 13 K Daltons. Tryptic-peptide maps of the 67, 54 and 13 K Dalton components showed all three to be structurally related. In addition to several common tryptic peptides, the 13 K Dalton polypeptide contained three tryptic-peptides that were also found in the 67 K Dalton polypeptide, but were absent from the 54 K Dalton polypeptide. This evidence suggests that native Drosophila choline acetyltransferase may exist in two forms, one a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 67 K Daltons and the other consisting of two noncovalently bound polypeptide chains with molecular weights of 54 and 13 K Daltons. The latter form is the major one isolated and may be generated by limited proteolysis of the single chain 67 K Dalton form.     

An experimental study of the somitomeric organization of the avian segmental plate

The segmental plate mesoderm of chicken and Japanese quail embryos HH stages 9 to 16 was studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging. The segmental plates were found to exhibit a metameric pattern consisting of tandemly stacked somitomeres. It was found that the numbers of somitomeres in segmental plates removed from the same embryo were nearly identical. Furthermore, the number of somitomeres in a segmental plate was found to be quite consistent (10.0 ± 1.5) and independent of the length of the segmental plate. These results are very similar to those obtained in previous experimental studies in which “prospective somites” were detected in avian segmental plates. Further experiments showed that for each somite that is formed by a cultured segmental plate-containing explant, the somitomere complement of the segmental plate is reduced by one. It was concluded that the segmental plate mesoderm is already organized into a metameric pattern consisting of somitomeres and that the somitomeres undergo further morphogenesis to become somites. The specification of the somite pattern in birds may occur at the level of Hensen's node and the cephalic primitive streak.     

Molecular distortions in 1-nitro-9-methylacridine and 1-nitro-9-aminoacridine

The high antitumor activity of certain 1-nitroacridines has been reported, and Ledakrin (1-nitro-9-(3-dimethylaminopropylimino)-acridine) is used clinically in Poland as an antineo-plastic agent. To investigate the role of the 1-nitro group in enhancing antitumor activity, the crystal structures of 1-nitro-9-aminoacridine and 1-nitro-9-methylacridine have been determined. 1-Nitro-9-methylacridine crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca, with Z = 8 and a = 13.822(4), b = 9.927(3), c = 17.248(6) Å, V = 2217(1) ų. The final R value, after least-squares refinement, is 0.056, for 2155 observed intensities. The structure of 1-nitro-9-aminoacridine is approximately isomorphous with that of the 9-methyl derivative, with unit cell dimensions a = 13.217(2), b = 10.011(1), c = 16.373(1) Å, V = 2166.4(5) ų. The final R value, after least-squares refinement, is 0.058, for 1534 observed intensities. The structures were solved independently by direct methods. The steric interference between the 1-nitro and the 9-methyl- or 9-amino-substituents on the acridine ring system causes considerable deviations from planarity in both structures. There are two possible intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the amino group and the disordered nitro group in 1-nitro-9-aminoacridine. Unlike N⁹-alkyl derivatives of 1-nitroacridines that have been previously described, in the 9-amino derivative the exocyclic nitrogen adopts the amino rather than the imino form.