Isolation,purification and characterization of adenosine triphosphatase from mitochondria of rice seedlings

A new and improved procedure is described for the isolation and purification of adenosine triphosphatase (F₁ ATPase) from rice seedling mitochondria. The enzyme has a multi-subunit structure, as revealed by electron microscopy and SDS-mercaptoethanol gel electrophoresis. Oligomycin sensitivity as well as cold lability of this enzyme clearly prove that the mitochondria of monocotyledons have an ATPase similar to the F₁ ATPases from other sources.     

Agmatine deiminase in rice seedlings

Agmatine deiminase activity in rice embryos increased gradually upto 24 hr during germination and then decreased. Gibberellic acid and kinetin inhibited the activity when added to the germination medium. The enzyme was purified 717 fold with specific activity 788.5 nkat/mg protein and yield 8.8%. The M_r of the native enzyme was 18.3 x 10⁴ and the enzyme was a dimer of two identical subunits. The pH and temperature optimum of the enzyme were 6.0 and 28° respectively. The enzyme followed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a K_m value of 1.5 x 10^?2 M. The enzyme activity was inhibited by various divalent cations and spermidine and spermine, but putrescine showed no effect.     

Isolation and characterization of two phytoalexins from rice as momilactones A and B

Two phytoalexins were isolated as chromatographically homogeneous amorphous solids from UV-irradiated, dark-grown rice coleoptiles. From their mass and ¹H NMR spectra, the compounds were characterized as the known diterpenes, momilactones A and B. The same compounds were also produced in blast-infected, WL 28325-treated rice leaves. They appear to be the first clearly identified cereal phytoalexins.     

Purification and characterization of diamine oxidase from rice embryos

Diamine oxidase of rice seedlings has been purified 1800-fold to homogeneity. The MW of the enzyme as determined by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration was 12.3 × 10⁴ and the enzyme contained two identical subunits each with a MW of 6.12 × 10⁴. The optimal temperature and pH for the enzyme were 30° and 7.5 respectively and the enzyme followed typical Michaelis kinetics with a K_m of 10^?5 M. Each enzyme molecule contained four molecules of FAD.     

Differential extraction of isoperoxidases from Pisum shoots

When green or etiolated Alaska pea shoots are extracted with water or 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6·5, or macerated without addition of buffer, the elution profile of the resulting supernatant lacks several isoperoxidase components which are readily extracted from the residue with 10 mM EDTA at pH 6·5. Subsequent extraction with 270 mM NaCl does not solubilize any further components. These results cast doubt on the validity of earlier reports on isoperoxidase patterns in Pisum and other plants.     

Isolation and characterization of two isoperoxidases from tobacco tissue cultures

Two isoperoxidases (A_f and C_n) from the medium of tobacco tissue suspension culture WR-132 grown in darkness have been purified to apparent homogeneity and partially characterized. C_n and A_f have MWs of ca 30 000 and 54 000, respectively. A_f has ca 5.1% carbohydrate, but none could be detected in C_n. Both isoperoxidases appear to follow simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics with respect to guaiacol as the substrate. The K_ms for guaiacol are 4 and 13.3 mM for Af and C_n, respectively, while both isoperoxidases have a pH optimum at 6.5. C_n, is dissimilar to other isoperoxidases from tobacco tissue cultures, but A_f is very similar to isoperoxidase A₃ from W-38 tobacco tissue culture.     

Purification of an anionic isoperoxidase from peach seeds and its immunological comparison with other anionic isoperoxidases

A soluble anionic isoperoxidase (EC 1,11,1,7) was purified from peach ( Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. Merry) seeds. Purification was achieved by DEAE-Sephacel, Sephacryl S-300 and CM-cellulose chromatography. The purified isoperoxidase de-carboxylated indole-3-acetic acid (S_0.5 0.13 m M , Hill coefficient 1.7). Molecular mass, determined by gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was ca 60 kDa. Polyclonal antibodies were raised in rabbit against this isoperoxidase. Using immunoprecipitation this isoenzyme was found to be immunologically different from other soluble anionic isoperoxidases isolated from peach seeds.     

Genotype, ploidy and physiological state in relation to isoperoxidases in Nicotiana

Peroxidase and isoperoxidase patterns of tobacco have been comparatively analyzed in relation to parental origin and ploidy level (including hypohaploidy status) at different ages and physiological states. The interspecific hybrid N. sylvestris × N. tomentosiformis shows an additive pattern of parental peroxidases, which also resembles that of N. tabacum cv. Wisconsin and cv. Samsun. Enzyme activity (on dry weight and protein bases, decreases from the diploid to the hypohaploid forms of Wisconsin and Samsun with respective quantitative differences in the zymograms, when the plants are compared at the same chronological and vegetative stages. Abnormally vegetatively ageing hypohaploids recover all peroxidasic isoenzymes and reach an enzyme activity as high as those of haploids and diploids. Flowering hypohaploids, however, generally behave like haploids and diploids in changing their balance between acidic and basic peroxidases.     

Isolation and characterization of five rice telomere-associated sequences

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Inactivation of nitrate reductase from wheat and rice leaves

In fresh leaves, the inactivation of nitrate reductase was rapid at high temperatures as compared to low temperatures. In leaves subjected to freeze-thaw treatment, the loss of enzyme activity was extremely rapid particularly at high temperatures. Pre-incubation with NADH not only protected the enzyme against inactivation, but also stimulated its activity. In dialysed extracts of rice leaves, NADH alone offered some protection while nitrate alone did not protect the enzyme from inactivation. Addition of both NADH and nitrate during pre-incubation enhanced the enzyme activity considerably. It is suggested that stimulation of nitrate reduction by NADH and nitrate may be of physiological significance to the plant, in the sense that in the presence of sufficient supplies of reluctant and nitrate, the process of nitrate assimilation would be accelerated.     

Properties of glutelin from mature and developing rice grain

Aminograms and SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis of milled rice glutelin of 12 Oryza sativa samples showed similar composition and ratio of 1 : 1 : 1 for subunits with MW 38 000:25 000: 16 000, indicating little possibility of finding variants of rice glutelins. Fractionation of S-cyanoethyl glutelin of 3 rices on polyacrylamide-agarose gels gave MW subunits differing in amino acid analysis of which the subunits with MW > 38 000 had the highest lysine content. Of the solubility fractions of endosperm glutelin, the fraction extracted by 0.5 M NaCl-0.6 % β-mercapto-ethanol-0.5% SDS was closest to glutelin in properties. In the developing grain of two varieties, appearance of protein bodies and rapid synthesis of glutelin from 7 days after flowering onward coincided with a drop in lysine content and appearance of MW 38 000 and 25 000 of crude glutelin. The MW 38 000 subunit is thus unique to endo-sperm glutelin.     

Isolation and characterization of phytochelatin synthase in rice seedlings

Rice plants were treated with 50 microM copper sulfate to induce the synthesis of phytochelatins by means of a series of enzymatic reactions, including that of photochelatin synthase. Phytochelatin synthase extracted from 3-week-old rice seedlings was purified through a series of steps including precipitation with ice-chilled acetone, QAE A-50 anion exchange column, Amicon XM-50 ultrafiltration and Polybuffer Exchange (PBE) 94 chromato-focusing. This enzyme had a molecular mass of about 100 kDa with an isoelectric point of 4.0. The temperature and pH optima of this enzyme were 55 degrees C and pH 7.5, respectively. The enzyme was thermal tolerable and unstable under refrigeration at 4 or -20 degrees C. Cadmium was the most effective stimulator, followed by lead, copper, silver, cobalt and other divalent cations. Calcium and magnesium had no effect.     

Properties of albumins of milled rice

Extraction studies on IR36 milled rice showed that albumins solubilized by 0.1–0.15 M (NH₄)₂SO₄ consisted of about 20% high(～5%) lysine, fast-migrating proteins on electrophoresis at pH 8.3 and about 80% lower ～2%) lysine proteins of slower mobility. The 2%-lysine albumins were insoluble in 1.8 M (NH₄)₂SO₄ while the higher lysine albumins required 4 M (NH₄)₂SO₄ to precipitate. The 2%-lysine albumins were not fractionated by gel filtration and gave only one major fraction with MW 19 000. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed the major subunit to be of MW 17 000. These albumins were separated by DEAE-Sephacel chromatography at pH 8.5 into three fractions of similar aminograms but differing in analytical get electrophoretic and isoelectric focusing patterns.     

Fractionation of globulins of milled rice

Globulins were prepared by repeated precipitation with 1.3 M (NH₄)₂SO₄ from a 0.7 M NaCl extract of milled rice. Isoelectric precipitation at pH 4.5 did not effectively remove the α-globulin from the others. A major fraction that remained in solution during dialysis of the globulin precipitate against water was similar in properties to the globulin soluble at pH 4.5 during the isoelectric precipitation process. Some properties of this water-soluble globulin fraction are reported. Proteins extracted from milled rice at 50° with 0.5 M NaCl and precipitated as 1- to 3-μm particles on cooling were verified to be globulins.     

Mono- and triglycosylsterols from the leafy stem of rice

Two sterylglycosides have been isolated from rice plants and identified as β-d-glucopyranosyl (1 → 3)-sitosterol and β-d-glucopyranosyl(1     

Sequential release of both basic and acidic isoperoxidases to the media of suspension cultured cells of Capsicum annuum

Summary The establishment of suspension cell cultures from trimmed cotyledons of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) provides a new experimental system for studying the relationship between release of peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) into the free intercellular spaces and plant cell growth. In contrast with several other species, the total peroxidase activity in the medium increased continuously during the post-exponential growth phase of the pepper cell culture, and this was correlated with the growth inhibition of pepper cells cultivated in suspension. The increase in the peroxidase activity in the culture medium was the consequence of a differential release of isoperoxidases, prominently marked by a primary release of basic isoperoxidases, followed by a strong increase in the level of acidic isoperoxidases. Thus, pepper cells cultures constitute a new experimental system for studying the regulation of the sequential release of basic and acidic isoperoxidases, which occurs during the growth cessation of plant cells.     

Growth and germination inhibitors in rice husks

A search for growth and germination inhibitors in rice husk (Oryza sativa L. cv Koshihikari) revealed four compounds, ineketone, S(+)-dehydrovomifoliol, momilactone-C and p-coumaric acid, in addition to the previously known momilactones-A and -B. The isolation and structural determination of these inhibitors are reported. The flavonoid tricin and three steroids were also detected in the husk but none showed any inhibitory activity.     

Purification and characterization of an alkaline invertase from shoots of etiolated rice seedlings

One alkaline invertase and two acid invertase activities were detected in the shoots of etiolated rice ( Oryza sativa ) seedlings. The alkaline invertase (AIT) was purified to homogeneity through steps of ammonium sulphate fractionation, concanavalin A-Sepharose affinity chromatography (non-retained), DEAE-Sephacel chromatography and preparative electrophoresis. The pH optimum of AIT was 7.0 and the molecular mass, determined by gel filtration, was 240 kDa. It is apparently a homotetrameric enzyme (subunit molecular mass 60 kDa). The isoelectric point was 4.4 by isoelectric focusing. The best substrate of the enzyme was sucrose, with a K _m of 2.53 mM. The enzyme also hydrolysed raffinose, but not maltose or lactose, so it is a β-D-fructofuranosidase. It gave negative glycoprotein staining. Of the hydrolysis products, fructose was a competitive inhibitor and glucose was a non-competitive inhibitor. Treatment with an alkaline phosphatase could activate AIT, whereas other proteins such as BSA, concanavalin A and urease had no effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Tris, thiol reagents and heavy metal ions.     

Extraction and composition of rice endosperm glutelin

“Crude” glutelin was prepared from milled rice (Oryza sativa) flour by sequential extraction of the albumin-globulin fraction with 0.5 M NaCl and prolamin with 70% ethanol-0.6% β-mercaptoethanol. The solvent, 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)-0.6% β-mercaptoethanol, extracted 91% of the endosperm glutelin without gelatinizing starch granules, whereas chaotropic solvents such as urea and guanidine caused extensive gelatinization. The S-cyanoethyl glutelin (Ce-glutelin) prepared by SDS extraction of the “crude” glutelin (9.5% protein) of IR480-5-9 rice gave three major subunits with MW 38000, 25000 and 16000 in the ratio 2:1:1 as determined by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A similar preparation from “crude” glutelin of a lower protein containing rice had the corresponding subunits in the ratio of 16:3:1. The MW 38000 subunit was unique to glutelin and was not present in C3-albumin-globulin or prolamin; the subunits were only partially purified by SDS Sephadex G-150 gel-filtration. The C3-glutelin was also prepared from a crude glutelin-prolamin preparation from IR480-5-9 by NaOH extractions followed by precipitation at pH 10 and ethanol extraction of the precipitate (C3-glutelin). This preparation had the same three major subunits and in the same ratio as C3-glutelin prepared by the SDS method. The subunits of the former preparation were separated by carboxymethyl Sephadex C-50 chromatography; the MW 38000 subunit eluted between pH 6.2–8.5, the MW 25000 in an impure state at pH values above 9, and the MW 16000 subunit was eluted at pH 8.6—9.2. Amino acid composition of the Ce-glutelin preparations were similar to each other. The MW 38000 and 16000 subunits had lower lysine contents than whole C3-glutelin, whereas the MW 25000 subunit had a higher lysine content.