Regulation of nitrogenase activity in aerobes by MG2+ availability: An hypothesis

Nitrogenase functions at or near its maximum capacity $\text{in}\text{vivo}$, despite a reported energy charge in the cell that should severely inhibit the enzyme. Deenergizing cellular membranes, which is postulated to release magnesium in mitochondria, has been reported to produce rapid inhibition of nitrogenase activity while giving only small changes in energy charge and $\text{NAD}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{NADH}$ ratio. It is proposed that the level of magnesium available for complexation by the potent inhibitor ADP is the rate controlling variable for nitrogenase activity.     

ATP synthetase associated with the nitrogenase of Azotobacter vinelandii.

Preparations of nitrogenase from $\text{Azotobacter vinelandii}$ show an ATP synthetase activity when incubated in the presence of ADP, phosphate, ammonium chloride and an oxidizing agent. The synthesis is linked to an oxidation-reduction and the activity parallels nitrogenase activity through purification and in a step gradient sedimentation. The reductive dephosphorylation of nitrogen fixation may possibly be reversed to yield an oxidative phosphorylation.     

A mutant of Anabaena sp. CA with oxygen-sensitive nitrogenase activity.

Studies on the O₂ protection mechanism for nitrogenase in a mutant (PM10) of $\text{Anabaena}$ sp. CA indicated that the ability to protect nitrogenase from O₂ was functionally impaired. Growth rates of PM10 were substantially improved when cells were cultured under microaerobic conditions. Nitrogenase activity was totally inhibited by exposure to O₂ for 30 min; partial restoration of activity was attained when cell suspensions were subsequently made microaerobic. Experiments in which induction of nitrogenase activity was followed indicated that the synthesis of the O₂ protection mechanism was temporally separated from synthesis of heterocysts and nitrogenase.     

Comparison of plasma membranes and endoplasmic reticulum fractions obtained from whole white adipose tissue and isolated adipocytes

The influence of the mode of preparation upon some of the characteristics of white adipose tissue plasma membranes and microsomes has been reported. Plasma membrane fractions prepared from mitochondrial pellet were shown to have higher specific activities of $\text{(Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+ Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+ K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-ATPase}$ than plasma membranes originating in crude microsomes. Isolation of fat cells by collagenase treatment was found to result in a decrease in specific activity of the plasma membrane enzymes; in plasma membranes prepared from isolated fat cells, the specific activity values obtained for $\text{(Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{+ Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+ K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-ATPase}$ and 5′-nucleotidase were only 42% and 6.3% respectively of those obtained in plasma membranes prepared from whole adipose tissue. Purification of whole adipose tissue crude microsomes by hypotonic treatment caused extensive solubilization of the endoplasmic reticulum marker enzymes, NADH oxidase and NADPH cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase. The lability of endoplasmic reticulum marker enzymes, however, was found to be greatly diminished in the preparations from isolated fat cells. The possibility that NADH oxidase and NADHPH cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase activities found in the plasma membranes are microsomal enzymes adsorbed by the plasma membranes is discussed. The peptide patterns as well as the NADH oxidase and NADPH cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase activity patterns of plasma membranes and purified microsomes were compared by means of sodium dodecyl sulfate or Triton X-100 polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

Interaction between the nitrate respiratory system of Escherichia coli K12 and the nitrogen fixation genes of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Hybrids were constructed between $\text{E. coli}$ K12 $\text{chl}$^? mutants defective in nitrate respiration and an F′ plasmid carrying nitrogen fixation genes from $\text{K. pneumoniae}$. Examination of these hybrids showed that expression of $\text{nif}$_Kp⁺ genes does not require a functional nitrate respiratory system, but that nitrate reductase and nitrogenase do share some Mo-processing functions. For nitrate repression of nitrogenase activity, reduction of nitrate to nitrite is not necessary, but the Mo-X cofactor encoded by $\text{chl}$ genes is essential. Nitrate probably inhibits nitrogen fixation by affecting the membrane relationship of the nitrate and fumarate reduction systems such that the membrane cannot be energized for nitrogenase activity.     

Reconstitution of cyanobacterial photophosphorylation by a latent Ca2+-ATPase.

Photosynthetic membranes derived from sonic extracts of the cyanobacterium $\text{Spirulina}\text{platensis}$ contain a latent Ca⁺²-ATPase which is activated by exposure to trypsin. When sonic membranes are washed with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, the ATPase is removed from these membranes with an accompanying loss of photophosphorylation activity. The latent ATPase activity solubilized by washing has been partially purified, and addition of the enzyme to depleted membranes restores photophosphorylation activity to levels approaching 50% of the rates observed in unwashed membranes. These data indicate that this ATPase is the coupling factor responsible for photosynthetic energy transduction in $\text{Spirulina}\text{platensis}$.     

Pyruvate and nitrogenase activity in cell-free extracts of the blue-green alga Anabaena cylindrica

When extracts of $\text{Anabaena cylindrica}$ are prepared in the absence of dithionite, they catalyze pyruvate-dependent acetylene reduction, a reaction not observable in assays containing dithionite. Ferredoxin and coenzyme-A, but not NADP and ferredoxin-NADP reductase, are required for maximal pyruvate-dependent activity. These acetylene-reducing extracts do not exhibit NADP-pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. However, pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase is present at levels of activity sufficient to support the $\text{in vitro}$ rate of pyruvate-supported acetylene reduction. These $\text{in vitro}$ data support earlier $\text{in vivo}$ evidence that pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase transfers electrons from pyruvate to nitrogenase in $\text{A. cylindrica}$.     

Rapid isolation and lipid characterization of plasma membranes from normal and malignant lymphoid cells of mouse

A rapid isolation method was developed for plasma membranes from mouse lymphoid cells such as lymph node lymphocytes, thymocytes, radiation-induced thymoma cells and L1210 cells. Lysates of these lymphoid cells were prepared by Dounce homogenization under hypotonic conditions and directly layered on sucrose step density gradients containing 2 mM CaCl₂ and 5 mM MgCl₂, and centrifuged at $\text{52 000 ×}\text{g}$ for 1 h. Plasma membrane fractions appeared at the interface between 20 and 42% sucrose in the gradients. The procedure permitted purified membranes from cells to be obtained within 3 h, and the preparations appeared to be uniform by electron microscopy. Specific activities of ($\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-}\text{ATpase}$, Mg²⁺-ATPase and 5′-nucleotidase of the isolated plasma membranes were enriched 23- to 61-fold, 12- to 15-fold and 18- to 34-fold, respectively, in comparison with those of the corresponding cell homogenates. Cholesterol content of the malignant cell membranes was lower than that of the normal membranes and the molar ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid of the malignant cell membranes was also lower than that of the normal membranes. A decreased plasmalogen content was observed in the malignant plasma membranes, together with a higher percentage of phosphatidylethanolamine and a lower percentage of phosphatidylserine. In the normal cell membranes, thymocytes contained a higher percentage of phosphatidylcholine and a lower percentage of sphingomyelin than those of the lymph node lymphocytes. At all temperature ranges (5 to 40°C) the plasma membranes of the malignant cells had lower microviscosity than those of the normal cells.     

Regulation of nitrogenase activity in soybean nodules by ATP and energy charge

Nonphosphorylating condition under anaerobiosis stopped nitrogenase activity in nodules of soybean ($\text{Glycine}$$\text{max}$ var. Chippewa) in less than three minutes and aeration quickly activated the enzyme. This stop-and-go treatment can be repeatedly applied on excised nodules, and a concomitant low-and-high ATP and energy charge (EC) was observed. After 2 minutes under anaerobiosis, nodule ATP and EC were decreased, respectively, to 20 and 40% of the control. These decreases were not as great with longer anaerobic treatments, and there was no change in the content of total adenosine phosphates. Oxygen enrichment (40%) stimulated the activity of nitrogenase by 2.5 fold in four minutes with a concomitant increase of ATP and EC by 40% and 14%, respectively, and an exhaustion of AMP. Longer treatments of oxygen enrichment lessened the initial effects. These findings indicate that ATP and energy charge probably regulate the activity of nitrogenase $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$ and an active adenylate kinase must be operating in the nodules to maintain an energy supply for the basal metabolism and for the nitrogenase under temporary stressed conditions.     

Immunological properties of membrane fractions from wild type and dnaA mutants of Escherichia coli

Membrane vesicles from Escherichia coli wild type and an otherwise isogenic $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant were used to immunize rabbits. In addition, a membrane protein fraction, containing the material found deficient in $\text{dna}$A mutants, was purified by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecylsulfate, and used for immunization. The antisera produced were analyzed by immunoelectrophoresis and immunofluorescence microscopy. The antisera obtained by immunization with membrane vesicles from either wild type or $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant membrane preparations were qualitatively similar in the precipitin bands seen after immunoelectrophoresis. The antisera obtained by immunization with the purified protein fraction contained a subset of the antibodies seen when whole vesicles were used for immunization. In a semiquantitative precipitin assay, the antisera prepared against whole membrane vesicles or the isolated protein fraction both caused the precipitation of more protein from sodium dodecylsulfate-solubilized membranes of wild type than of $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutants. No difference was seen by immunoelectrophoresis between the protein composition of wild type or $\text{dna}\text{A}$ membrane preparations. Thus, the $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant appears to differ from the wild type in the quantitative composition of its membrane proteins, whereas no qualitative differences were detected.Fluorescein-conjugated antiserum preparations were employed to assess the reactivity of intact cells, spheroplasts and membrane vesicles with the antisera studied above. Wild type cells of E. coli have a barrier to reaction with the antisera; this barrier is removed when the cells are converted to spheroplasts or to membrane vesicle. Similarly, a highly permeable mutant of E. coli permits reaction of the antisera with unaltered cells. Antisera to both whole membrane vesicles and to the isolated protein fraction react identically with the cellular and subcellular preparations. Thus, antisera prepared from membrane proteins isolated after sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis can still recognize some antigens present in membrane vesicle preparations.     

Liver plasma membranes from essential fatty acid-deficient rats: Isolation,fatty acid composition,and activities of 5′-nucleotidase,ATPase and adenylate cyclase

To determine whether changes in unsaturation of fatty acids in rat liver plasma membranes might alter activities of membrane-associated enzymes, liver plasma membranes were prepared from rats fed purified diets lacking or supplemented with essential fatty acids. Two methods of membrane purification were used. A similar degree of purification was obtained with both methods for both depleted and control membranes, as indicated by marker enzyme purification. The proportion of essential fatty acids of the linoleate series was significantly lower in phospholipids from depleted rats. The specific activity of 5′-nucleotidase was lower, and the activity, $\text{V}$ and apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ for total $\text{(}\text{Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{)-}\text{ATPase}$ were higher in the depleted liver plasma membranes. Arrhenius plots of total ATPase activity showed a discontinuity at the same temperature for both the depleted and control membranes. Activity with the depleted membranes was higher at all temperatures tested. Supplementation of deficient rats with a source of essential fatty acids (corn oil) restored $\text{V}$ and apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ values to normal. Adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of fluoride, glucagon or glucagon plus GTP was significantly lower in the depleted plasma membranes.     

Studies on the purification and properties of teleost prolactin

A protein fraction containing prolactin activity from the pituitary tissue of a teleost fish, $\text{Tilapia mossambica}$, has been purified by a combination of ion-exchange and exclusion chromatographic procedures. The purified $\text{Tilapia}$ prolactin was characterized by disc gel electrophoresis, amino-terminal group identification, and amino acid analysis. Its amino acid composition was found to be similar to ovine prolactin. The purified fish prolactin was found to be 40–50 times more potent than ovine prolactin in the $\text{Tilapia}$ sodium-retaining bioassay. However, it was found to be devoid of $\text{Gillichthys}$ yellow pigment-dispersing activity which was previously thought to be a property of teleost prolactin.     

Messenger RNA of mouse immune interferon (MuIFN-gamma)

A lysate of $\text{Staphylococcus aureus}$ ($\text{S. aureus}$) induced high-titered (10^3.6 ～ 10^4.6 units/ml) mouse immune interferon (MuIFN-γ) in spleen cell cultures. mRNA was extracted from such cells, purified by oligo(dT) cellulose chromatography and sucrose gradient centrifugation, and injected in $\text{Xenopus laevis}$ oocytes. Fractions containing RNA of 15 to 16 S gave rise to IFN activity, that was characterized as IFN-γ by virtue of its acid lability, neutralization by antiserum to partially purified MuIFN-γ, and lack of neutralization by antiserum to NDV-induced L-cell IFN.     

Carbamylcholine-induced rapid cation efflux from reconstituted membrane vesicles containing purified acetylcholine receptor.

Membrane preparations containing essentially only the four polypeptides considered to constitute the acetylcholine receptor are purified from $\text{Torpedo}\text{californica}$ electroplax. Treatment of these membranes with 2% ($\text{w}\text{v}$ aqueous sodium cholate followed by removal of all insoluble matter results in a solubilized purified receptor preparation that can be reassociated with phospholipids during dialysis to remove the detergent. Such reconstituted receptor is shown to retain the capability of translocating ²²Na⁺ across the membrane in response to carbamylcholine binding in a highly reproducible manner. The dose response for this effect is similar to that observed for the original electroplax membrane preparation and the carbamylcholine induced signal is completely blocked by α-bungarotoxin.     

Nitrogen fixation in cultured cowpea Rhizobia: inhibition and regulation of nitrogenase activity.

Nitrogenase activity in agar cultures of cowpea rhizobia, strain 32H1, was rapidly inhibited by $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ but this was relieved by increased O₂ tension. Inhibition was more rapid than that caused by inhibitors of protein synthesis and was not relieved by methionine sulfoximine or methionine sulfone. Under conditions were nitrogenase activity was inhibited by $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$, glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase were substantially unaffected. Glutamate dehydrogenase was undetected in either nitrogenase active or $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ inhibited cultures. These results indicate that $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ inhibition of nitrogenase activity in strain 32H1 is not effected through glutamine synthetase regulation of nitrogenase synthesis.     

Labeling of bovine corpus luteal plasma membrane human chorionic gonadotropin or luteinizing hormone (hCG/LH) receptor and its purification and properties.

A method has been developed for labeling receptors for human chorionic gonadotropin or luteinizing hormone ($\text{hCG}\text{LH}$) present on bovine corpus luteal plasma membranes. It consists of four steps: (a) protection of the receptor by treating the plasma membranes with hCG; (b) iodination of the membranes with KI using glucose, glucose oxidase, and lactoperoxidase; (c) unmasking the receptor with either 2 m NaCl, 1 m guanidine hydrochloride, or rabbit anti-hCG; and (d) reiodination of the membranes using Na¹³¹I. After solubilization by successive treatments with Sepharose-concanavalin A and Sepharose-hCG and finally by preparative disc electrophoresis, the resulting purified receptor after electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel showed a single radioactive band containing receptor activity. This highly purified receptor is fairly stable and retains its hormonal specificity, binding affinity, and pH optimum. It was observed that the receptor alone or as a complex with the hormone tends to aggregate. The receptorhormone complex does not dissociate during polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis.     

Release and purification of micrococcus lysodeikticus ATPase from membrane extracted with n-butanol

The ATPase associated with the membranes of Micrococcus ysodeikticus has been released into the aqueous phase (i.e. solubilized) by extracting the membranes with $\text{n-}\text{butanol}$ in a two-phase system modified from the procedure of Maddy, A.H. (164) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 88, 448–449. A procedure for the release and purification of the ATPase from the membranes extracted with $\text{n-}\text{butanol}$ is described as an alternate method to that previously used for the shock-wash ATPase. Upon extracting the membrane suspensions with $\text{n-}\text{butanol}$ the soluble ATPase released into the buffer phase no longer exhibits stimulation by trypsin in contrast to the shock-wash type of ATPase. As shown by Salton, M. R. J. and Schor, M. T. (1972) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 49, 350–357, the shock-wash ATPase possesses associated protein(s) as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis whereas these are absent from the purified ATPase released by the $\text{n-}\text{butanol}$ method. The specific activities of the purified ATPase released by the two methods were generally similar, the $\text{n-}\text{butanol}$ type being consistently somewhat higher.     

Effect of oxygen tension on nitrogenase and on glutamine synthetases I and II in Rhizobium jaonicum 61A76.

When grown under aerobic conditions, $\text{Rhizobium japonicum}$ 61A76 contains two forms of glutamine synthetase, GSI and GSII, as previously described. In contrast, cells grown under the low O₂ tensions required for nitrogenase synthesis contain only GSI. GSII activity disappears completely at O₂ levels below 0.4%. GSI activity decreases by only 50%, but the enzyme appears to become highly adenylylated under the low O₂ tensions required for nitrogenase synthesis.     

Effects of L-methionine-DL-sulfoximine and beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid on nitrogenase biosynthesis and activity in Rhodopseudomonas capsulata.

Inhibitors of glutamine synthetase cause derepression of nitrogenase biosynthesis in the presence of $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas capsulata. A new derepressor of nitrogenase biosynthesis, β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (ODAP), is here compared with the widely used L-methionine-DL-sulfoximine (MSX). With both compounds, a quantitative correlation has been observed between inhibition of glutamine synthetase and derepression of nitrogenase biosynthesis. We also find that both MSX and ODAP inhibit nitrogenase activity in vivo in R. capsulata. The latter effect seems to be indirect and related to the previously reported reversible inhibition of nitrogenase activity in vivo by $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$. As a control it was observed that neither $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ nor MSX nor ODAP inhibit nitrogenase activity in vivo in Clostridium pasteurianum.     

Effect of carbamyl phosphate on the regulation of nitrogenase in Clostridium pasteurianum

One mM carbamyl phosphate inhibited the $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ acetylene reduction activity of nitrogenase 30% whereas at high concentrations a maximum inhibition of 50% was observed. When 1 mM carbamyl phosphate was added to a culture growing of N₂ 1) nitrogenase synthesis was completely repressed and 2) after a period of 2.5 hrs in the absence of growth, the specific activity decreased to less than 50% of its activity just before the addition of the inhibitor.