The effective proton conductance of the inner membrane of mitochondria from brown adipose tissue. Dependency on proton electrochemical potential gradient.

The nucleotide-sensitive H+ (OH-) conducting pathway of mitochondria from the brown-adipose tissue of cold-adapted guinea-pigs passes an effective proton current which is directly proportional to the proton electrochemical gradient. At 23 degrees C and pH 7.0 this conductance is 16 nmol H+ - min-1 - mg-1 - mV-1. Addition of 0.2 mM GDP results in a conductance which is linear and low (0.7 nmol H+ - min-1 - mg-1 - mV-1) until deltamicronH+ exceeds 220 mV. At higher values of deltamicronH+, which can be attained by glycerol 3-phosphate oxidation but not palmitoyl-L-carnitine plus malate oxidation, the membrane conductance greatly increases, effectively limiting the maximal deltamicronH+ to 240 mV. High glycerol 3-phosphate concentrations which have the thermodynamic potential to exceed this value of deltamicronH+ instead create a greatly increased rate of controlled respiration. The generality and significance of this device to limit deltamicronH+, and its relation to the nucleotide-sensitive conductance, are discussed.     

Parallel changes in brain tissue blood flow and mitochondrial function during and after 30 minutes of bilateral forebrain ischemia in the gerbil

Forebrain ischemia was induced in Mongolian gerbils by bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries for 30 minutes. These animals do not have a complete circulus arteriosus Willisii. Mitochondria were prepared from the forebrain tissue at the end of the 30 minutes occlusion period as well as at different time points after the release of the occlusion. Tissue blood flow in the forebrain was also determined by measuring the brain tissue accumulation of 14C-iodoantipyrine. Tissue blood flow in the forebrain decreased from a control level of 1.43 +/- 0.03 ml/min/gr to 0.13 +/- 0.03 ml/min/gr by the 30th minute of ischemia, increased to 1.12 +/- 0.25 ml/min/gr after 5 minutes of reflow, but decreased again to 0.41 +/- 0.07 ml/min/gr after 1 1/2 hours of reflow. Oxygen consumption rate of mitochondria prepared from the forebrain (glutamate + malate as substrates in the presence of ADP) was 98 +/- 13 nmoles O2/min/mg protein in control animals, decreased to 61 +/- 9 nmoles O2/min/mg protein after 30 minutes of occlusion, recovered to 106 +/- 9 nmoles O2/min/mg protein during the first 30 minutes of reperfusion. During extended reperfusion, mitochondrial respiratory activity declined reaching 20 +/- 5 nmoles O2/min/mg protein after 5 1/2 hours of reperfusion. Respiratory control ratio of the mitochondria (relative increase of respiration upon addition of ADP) was 9.2 +/- 1.3 in control animals, 7.0 +/- 1.5 after 30 minutes of carotid occlusion, 9.0 +/- 1.2 after 30 minutes of reperfusion, and 5.8 +/- 0.8 after 5 1/2 hours of reperfusion. Superoxide dismutase activity of the forebrain mitochondria was 5.10 +/- 0.7 I.U./mg protein in control animals, decreased to 3.3 +/- 1.6 I.U./mg protein after 30 minutes of occlusion and remained at this level throughout the reperfusion period. These data confirm earlier reports that deterioration of mitochondrial function may contribute to the development of ischemic and post-ischemic brain tissue damage. It also appears possible that postischemic damage of mitochondrial function develops secondary to postischemic deterioration of tissue blood flow.     

Generation of hydrogen peroxide during the oxidation of L-phenylalanine by Proteus mirabilis isolated membranes

In the process of L-phenylalanine oxidation by Proteus mirabilis cytoplasmic membrane, hydrogen peroxide was produced at a rate corresponding to 1-3 per cent of the total electron flow (30-110 nmoles min-1mg-1). Peroxide was estimated using a fluorimetric assay with horseradish peroxidase, or by anodic oxidation on a platinum electrode. When using the former method, superoxide dismutase decreased the apparent yield of peroxide, a fact suggesting that H2O2 was in part the dismutation product of superoxide radicals. However the superoxide dismutase effect could be an artefact due to the generation of some superoxide during the peroxidatic reaction in the assay. Adrenaline was the reagent used for the detection of superoxide. There was no significant emergence of superoxide as the result of phenylalanine oxidation by the membrane (specific activity lower than 1-2 nmoles min-1mg-1). Thus it seemed that superoxide was not an intermediate for the bulk of H2O2 formed in this system. According to the results, peroxide was probably formed at a stage of electron transport earlier than the cytochrome level. The membrane phenylalanine dehydrogenase could be a site where peroxide was evolved in these experiments.     

The relationship between extramitochondrial Ca2+ concentration, respiratory rate, and membrane potential in mitochondria from brown adipose tissue of the rat

The ability of isolated mitochondria from rat brown-adipose tissue to regulate extramitochondrial Ca2+ (measured by arsenazo) was studied in relation to their ability to produce heat (measured polarographically). The energetic state of the mitochondria was expressed as a membrane potential, delta psi (estimated with safranine), and was varied semi-physiologically by the use of different GDP concentrations. In these mitochondria GDP binds to the 32-kDa polypeptide, thermogenin, which regulates coupling. Ca2+ uptake (at 5 microM extramitochondrial Ca2+) was maximal at delta psi greater than 150 mV. Basal Ca2+ release increased from 1 to 2 nmol x min-1 x mg-1 below 150 mV. Na+ -stimulated rate of Ca2+ release was stable within the investigated delta psi span (100-160 mV). Initial Ca2+ levels were maintained below 0.2 microM for 100 mV less than delta psi less than 160 mV. Ca2+ levels maintained after Ca2+ challenge (20 nmol Ca2+ x mg-1) were below 0.4 microM for delta psi greater than 135 mM. Respiration was unstimulated for delta psi greater than 150 mV and was maximal at delta psi less than or equal to 135 mV. In the presence of well-oxidised substrates, the respiration at maximally activated thermogenin was markedly below fully uncoupled respiration and was probably limited by thermogenin activity--i.e. by a limited H+ reentry (OH- exit) and therefore by a membrane potential maintained at about 135 mV. It is concluded that at membrane potentials of 135 mV and above the mitochondria exhibit full Ca2+ control and are able to regulate thermogenic output up to maximum without interfering with this Ca2+ control. Membrane potential probably does not decrease below 135 mV in vivo. Therefore, Ca2+ homeostasis and thermogenesis are non-interfering and can be hormonally independently regulated, e.g. by alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic stimuli, respectively.     

Membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenase of Bacillus pumilus strain 5: effects of modulators of monoelectron transfer

The membrane-bound succinate dehydrogenase (SDH; EC 1.3.99.1) of Bacillus pumilus strain 5 was investigated as succinate:ferricyanide oxidoreductase activity at 27 degrees C. A Km of 8.3 x 10(-3) M was obtained, and the Vmax was 1.8 x 10(-6) mole succinate dehydrogenated min-1 mg-1 membrane protein, at a substrate (succinate) concentration below 40 x 10(-3) M. Above this succinate concentration the Km was 102 x 10(-3) M and the Vmax was 3.7 x 10(-6) mole succinate min-1 mg-1 membrane protein. Para-benzoquinone or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine, in micromolar amounts inhibited the enzyme by serving as an electron sink. Hydroxyl radical (OH.) scavengers, mannitol and benzoate, activated the enzyme, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) had no effect on the enzyme. Thus, the mechanism of electron transfer from succinate to Fe(CN)3-(6) through SDH does not involve superoxide (O2-) as a rate-limiting intermediate.     

Myofibril and sarcoplasmic reticulum changes with exercise and growth

The intent of this study was to observe the effects of different treadmill running programs upon selected biochemical properties of soleus muscle from young rats. Young 10 day litter-mates were assigned to endurance (E), spring (S) and control (C) groups. Each was partitioned into either 21 or 51 day exercising groups and 10 day controls. For C the myofibril ATPase activity at 21 and 51 days were lower than 10 day activity (p less than or equal to 0.05). In the 51 day E group ATPase activity (0.378 +/- 0.009 mumol Pi X mg-1 X min-1) was greater than at 10 and 21 days (0.307 +/- 0.006 and 0.323 +/- 0.008 mumol Pi X mg-1 X min-1) (p less than or equal to 0.05). No change occurred in the S group from 10 to 21 and 51 days (p greater than or equal to 0.05). Both the 21 and 51 day S (0.318 +/- 0.011 and 0.399 +/- 0.010 mumol Pi X mg-1 X min-1) and E (0.323 +/- 0.008 and 0.378 +/- 0.009 mumol Pi X mg-1 X min-1) groups had higher activity compared to the C group (0.193 +/- 0.029 and 0.172 +/- 0.031 mumol Pi X mg-1 X min-1) (p less than or equal to 0.05). Maturation (10--51 day) resulted in a lowered sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) yield and Ca2+ binding (p less than or equal to 0.05) while Ca2+ uptake ability did not change (p greater than or equal to 0.05). SR yield, Ca2+ binding and uptake were not altered with S training (p greater than or equal to 0.05). The E training resulted in greater Ca2+ uptake at 51 days compared to C and S (p less than or equal to 0.05), with no change in Ca2+ binding (p greater than or equal to 0.05). The data suggest that E training alters the normal development pattern of young rat soleus muscle.     

Ouabain-insensitive Na(+)-ATPase activity in Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes

In the present paper, the presence of a ouabain-insensitive Na(+)-stimulated, Mg(2+)-dependent ATPase activity in T. cruzi epimastigotes CL14 clone and Y strain was investigated. The increase in Na+ concentration (from 5 to 170 mM), in the presence of 2 mM ouabain, increases the ATPase activity in a saturable manner along a rectangular hyperbola. The Vmax was 18.0 +/- 1.0 and 21.1 +/- 1.1 nmoles Pi x mg-1 x min-1 and the half-activation value (K50) for Na+ was 34.3 +/- 5.8 mM and 37.7 +/- 5.3 in CL14 clone and in Y strain, respectively. The Na(+)-stimulated ATPase activity was inhibited by 5-[aminosulfonyl]-4-chloro-2-[(2-furanylmethyl)-amino] benzoic acid (furosemide) in a dose-dependent manner. The half-inhibition value (I50) was 0.22 +/- 0.03 and 0.24 +/- 0.07 mM, and the Hill number (n) was 0.99 +/- 0.2 and 2.16 +/- 0.29 for CL14 clone and Y strain, respectively. These data indicate that both cell types express the ouabain-insensitive Na(+)-ATPase activity, which might be considered the biochemical expression of the second Na+ pump.     

Impairment of cardiac contractility and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase activity by hypochlorous acid: reversal by dithiothreitol.

Isolated rat hearts perfused with 100 microM hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a powerful oxidant produced by activated neutrophils, exhibited progressive impairment of contractile performance suggestive of a cytosolic Ca2+ overload (increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, increased aortic root perfusion pressure, and depressed pulse pressure). Sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) enriched microsomal preparations isolated from HOCl-perfused hearts showed a significant decline, when compared with control hearts, in both Ca2+ ATPase activity (123 +/- 40 vs. 473 +/- 46 nmol Pi.mg-1 protein.min-1) and Ca2+ uptake (12 +/- 5 vs. 46 +/- 4 nmol Ca2+.mg-1 protein.min-1). The sulfhydryl content in Ca2+ ATPase and other proteins, as determined by [14C]iodoacetamide binding, was also progressively depleted in HOCl-perfused hearts. Perfusion of the HOCl-treated hearts with dithiothreitol (DTT), a disulfide reducing agent, resulted in a time-dependent attenuation, and eventual partial reversal, of the dysfunction in both contractility and SR Ca2+ ATPase activity. Protein thiol levels were concomitantly restored to near control values. The data indicate that HOCl-induced contractile dysfunction in heart is related to the inactivation of the SR Ca2+ ATPase as a result of thiol oxidation and suggest that DTT is capable of reversing this dysfunction in situ by reducing the oxidized sulfhydryls in the Ca2+ ATPase.     

Methylene blue inhibits hypoxic cerebral vasodilation in awake sheep.

Cerebral vasodilation in hypoxia may involve endothelium-derived relaxing factor-nitric oxide. Methylene blue (MB), an in vitro inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase, was injected intravenously into six adult ewes instrumented chronically with left ventricular, aortic, and sagittal sinus catheters. In normoxia, MB (0.5 mg/kg) did not alter cerebral blood flow (CBF, measured with 15-microns radiolabeled microspheres), cerebral O2 uptake, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, cerebral lactate release, or cerebral O2 extraction fraction (OEF). After 1 h of normobaric poikilocapnic hypoxia (arterial PO2 40 Torr, arterial O2 saturation 50%), CBF increased from 51 +/- 5.8 to 142 +/- 18.8 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1, cerebral O2 uptake from 3.5 +/- 0.25 to 4.7 +/- 0.41 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1, cerebral lactate release from 2 +/- 10 to 100 +/- 50 mumol.min- x 100 g-1, and heart rate from 107 +/- 5 to 155 +/- 9 beats/min (P < 0.01). MAP and OEF were unchanged from 91 +/- 3 mmHg and 48 +/- 4%, respectively. In hypoxia, 30 min after MB (0.5 mg/kg), CBF declined to 79.3 +/- 11.7 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1 (P < 0.01), brain O2 uptake (4.3 +/- 0.9 ml.min-1 x 100 g-1) and heart rate (133 +/- 9 beats/min) remained elevated, cerebral lactate release became negative (-155 +/- 60 mumol.min-1 x 100 g-1, P < 0.01), OEF increased to 57 +/- 3% (P < 0.01), and MAP (93 +/- 5 mmHg) was unchanged. The sheep became behaviorally depressed, probably because of global cerebral ischemia. These results may be related to interference with a guanylate cyclase-dependent mechanism.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Therapeutic doses of menadione reduce the rotenone-induced inhibition of respiration and membrane potential generation in mitochondria

Menadione restores the rotenone-inhibited respiration of diaphragm muscle pieces in approximately the same degree as the respiration of heart mitochondria, i.e., to 30-40%. The respiration of heart mitochondria induced by 2-5 microM menadione (after its inhibition by rotenone) is partly coupled with ATP synthesis whose rate is much lower than that of oxidation of NAD-dependent substrates. The effects of menadione and mitochondrial energetics inhibitors on lymphocyte respiration and rhodamine 123 fluorescence in individual lymphocytes and their suspensions were compared. Menadione (2--5 microM) increased the rotenone + oligomycin suppressed delta psi m in lymphocytes. At 5-40 microM menadione did not act as an uncoupler and had little effect on the uncoupled lymphocyte respiration. All these effects were observed at menadione concentrations close to therapeutic ones. Vicasol, a water-soluble analog of menadione, exerted a similar effect.     

Glyoxalase II in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: in situ kinetics using the 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) assay.

The determination of glyoxalase II (S-(2-hydroxyacyl)glutathione hydrolase, EC 3.1.2.6) activity is usually accomplished by monitoring the decrease of absorbance at 240 nm due to the hydrolysis of S-d-lactoylglutathione. However, it was not possible, using this assay, to detect any enzyme activity in situ, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae permeabilized cells. Glyoxalase II activity was then determined by following the formation of GSH at 412 nm using 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). Using this method we characterized the kinetics of glyoxalase II in situ using S-d-lactoylglutathione as substrate and compared the results with those obtained for cell-free extracts. The specific activity was found to be (4.08 +/- 0.12) x 10(-2) micromol min-1 mg-1 in permeabilized cells and (3.90 +/- 0.04) x 10(-2) micromol min1 mg-1 in cell-free extracts. Kinetic parameters were Km 0.36 +/- 0.09 mM and V (7.65 +/- 0.59) x 10(-4) mM min-1 for permeabilized cells and Km 0.15 +/- 0.10 mM and V (7.23 +/- 1.04) x 10(-4) mM min-1 for cell-free extracts. d-Lactate concentration was also determined and increased in a linear way with permeabilized cell concentration. gamma-Glutamyl transferase (EC 2.3.2.2), which also accepts S-d-lactoylglutathione as substrate and hence could interfere with glyoxalase II assays, was found to be absent in Saccharomyces cerevisiae permeabilized cells.     

Human T lymphocyte cAMP-dependent protein kinase: subcellular distributions and activity ranges of type I and type II isozymes.

The role of the type I and type II protein kinase A isozymes in the regulation of human T lymphocyte immune effector functions has not been ascertained. To approach this question, we first characterized the distribution and enzyme activities of the type I and type II protein kinase A (PKA) isozymes in normal, human T lymphocytes. T cells possess both type I and type II isozymes with an activity ratio of 5.0:1 +/- 0.71 (mean +/- SD). The type I isozyme associates predominately with the plasma membrane whereas the type II isozyme localizes primarily to the cytosol. Analyses of isozyme activities demonstrated that T cells from approximately one-third of 16 healthy donors exhibited significantly higher type II isozyme activities (higher type II, type IIH) than the remaining donors (lower type II, type IIL) (mean = 605 +/- 75 pmol.min-1.mg protein-1, P less than 0.001). Scatchard analyses of [3H]cAMP binding in the cytosolic fraction demonstrated similar Kd values (type IIH, 1.1 x 10(-7) M; type IIL, 9.0 x 10(-8) M); however, the Bmax (maximal binding) of the type IIH was 400 fmol/mg protein compared to the Bmax of the type IIL of 126 fmol/mg protein. Scatchard analysis of [3H]cAMP binding to the type I isozyme associated with membrane fragments had a Kd of 5.6 x 10(-8) M and a Bmax of 283 fmol/mg protein. Eadie-Hofstee plots of type IIH and type IIL gave a Km and Vmax of 2.3 mg/ml and 1.5 nmol.mg-1.min-1, and 2.1 mg/ml and 1.6 nmol.mg-1.min-1, respectively. The 3.2-fold higher maximal binding of the type II isozyme in one-third of healthy donors may reflect a greater amount of isozyme protein. The compartmentalization of type I PKA isozyme to the plasma membrane and type II PKA isozyme to the cytosol may serve to localize the isozymes to their respective substrates in T lymphocytes.     

Evidence for the role of malic enzyme in the rapid oxidation of malate by cod heart mitochondria

Mitochondria isolated from the heart of cod (Gadus morrhua callarias) oxidized malate as the only exogenous substrate very rapidly. Pyruvate only slightly increased malate oxidation by these mitochondria. This is in contrast with the mitochondria isolated from rat and rabbit heart which oxidized malate very slowly unless pyruvate was added. Arsenite and hydroxymalonate (an inhibitor of malic enzyme) inhibited the respiration rate of mitochondria isolated from cod heart, when malate was the only exogenous substrate. Inhibition caused by hydroxymalonate was reversed by the addition of pyruvate. In the presence of arsenite, malate was converted to pyruvate by cod heart mitochondria. Cod heart mitochondria incubated in the medium containing Triton X-100 catalyzed the reduction of NADP+ in the presence of L-malate and Mn2+ at relatively high rate (about 160 nmoles NADPH formed/min/mg mitochondrial protein). The oxidative decarboxylation of malate was also taking place when NADP+ was replaced by NAD+ (about 25 nmol NADH formed per min per mg mitochondrial protein). These results suggest that the mitochondria contain both NAD+- and NADP+-linked malic enzymes. These two activities were eluted from DEAE-Sephacel as two independent peaks. It is concluded that malic enzyme activity (presumably both NAD+- and NADP+-linked) is responsible for the rapid oxidation of malate (as the only external substrate) by cod heart mitochondria.     

Generation of hydrogen peroxide by cerebral-cortex synaptosomes. Stimulation by ionomycin and plasma-membrane depolarization

Guinea-pig cerebral cortex synaptosomes steadily release H2O2 into the suspending medium, at the rate of 20-30 pmol min-1 mg protein-1. A transient increase of the H2O2 release is induced by the addition of 1 mM Ca2+, which declines within 60-90 s to a rate identical or slightly higher than that before Ca2+. The extra H2O2 following Ca2+ addition varies between 40-100 pmol/mg protein and is insensitive to verapamil. The H2O2 release increases strongly (up to 250 pmol min-1 mg-1) upon depletion of the synaptosomal glutathione by treatment with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, a substrate for glutathione transferase. This treatment however has no effect on the Ca2+-induced H2O2 transient. In these treated synaptosomes a further increase of the output of H2O2 is rapidly induced upon addition of the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin. This increase (about 100 pmol min-1 mg-1) lasts several minutes and requires the presence of Ca2+. A similar, though less pronounced increased H2O2 release is obtained (also in the absence of Ca2+) upon depolarization of the synaptosomal plasma membrane with KCl or with veratridine.     

Effects of disuse on the function of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit M. gastrocnemius

A preparation method has been described to obtain a relatively pure and functionally intact fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles fraction from normal and atrophied muscles. Purified SR preparations from rabbit gastrocnemius muscle atrophied by disuse showed similar protein composition (gel electrophoresis; Laemmli 1970) and similar vanadate induced crystallization (Dux and Martonosi 1983) properties of Ca2+-ATPase as those of control preparations. In the early period of atrophy (1-2 weeks) both the Ca2+-ATPase activity and Ca2+ uptake showed a 2-3-fold increase (from 3.42 +/- 0.24 to 7.34 +/- 0.25 mumol Pi X mg-1 prot X min-1 and from 1.26 +/- 0.10 to 3.36 +/- 0.22 mumol/l Ca2+ X min-1 X mg-1 prot. respectively).     

Cellular energetics and the oxygen dependence of respiration in cardiac myocytes isolated from adult rat

The oxygen dependence of mitochondrial respiration was investigated using suspensions of mitochondria and quiescent ventricular myocytes isolated from adult rat hearts. A new optical method was used to determine oxygen concentration in the suspending media. The P50 for respiration for coupled mitochondria at a high [ATP]/[ADP].[Pi] ratio and oxidizing glutamate/malate was 0.45 +/- 0.03 microM but was increased to 0.57 +/- 0.02 microM by the addition of succinate to the substrate mixture. This value was decreased to less than 0.06 +/- 0.01 microM when the ATP/ADP.Pi ratio was decreased with the uncoupler, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone. The P50 value in resting myocytes was 2.23 +/- 0.13 microM at a Vmax of 13.22 +/- 1.38 nmol of O2/g, dry weight/min. During resting conditions, the creatine phosphate/creatine and ATPfree/ADPfree ratios were high in these cells, 6.81 +/- 1.11 and 1131 +/- 185, respectively. Addition of 1 mM Ca2+ to the suspending media increased the P50 by 50% whereas respiration rose by only 10%. Respiratory rate was increased up to about 10-fold by uncoupling the cells, but the P50 increased by less than 3-fold. When these uncoupled cells were inhibited with Amytal to lower the rate of oxygen consumption to that of resting cells, the P50 fell to 1.25 +/- 0.14 microM. Diffusion models indicate that in resting myocytes, the oxygen concentration difference from sarcolemma to cell core was approximately 1.84 microM with an additional difference of about 0.27 microM attributed to the unstirred layer of media surrounding each cell. The intracellular oxygen diffusivity coefficient in myocytes was calculated to be 0.30 x 10(-5) cm2/s. The results show that the oxygen dependence of respiration is modulated by the cellular metabolic state. At near maximal levels of respiration or on recovery from hypoxic episodes, oxygen diffusion may become an important determinant of the oxygen dependence of myocardial respiration.     

Calcium modulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release from neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid (NG108-15) microsomes

Subcellular fractions of neuroblastoma x glioma (NG108-15) hybrid cells were used to study the mechanism of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-induced calcium release. A microsomal fraction, enriched in endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes and almost devoid of mitochondria, was the most active in inositol trisphosphate- or GTP-dependent release of calcium. Neither GTP nor inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate affected the calcium efflux mediated by the other reagent, suggesting that inositol trisphosphate and GTP act on different calcium-sequestrating vesicles. The stimulation of calcium release by GTP was relatively slow (t1/2 = 90 s), dependent on polyethyleneglycol, and greater at 2 X 10(-5) M calcium (5 nmol X min-1 X mg-1) than at 10(-6) M calcium (0.8 nmol X min-1 X mg-1). The inositol trisphosphate-induced calcium efflux was not mimicked by inositol monophosphate; it was fast (t1/2 less than 10 s) and unaffected by 3% polyethyleneglycol. The amount of calcium released by inositol trisphosphate was greatest at 10(-6) M external calcium (1 nmol X min-1 X mg-1) and it was undetectable at 2 X 10(-5) M calcium. A feedback inhibition of the inositol trisphosphate-induced calcium release by cytoplasmic calcium provides a safety mechanism preventing deleterious effects of abnormally high calcium levels.     

Photosynthesis in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-type C4 plants: activity and role of mitochondria in bundle sheath cells

Mitochondria from bundle sheath cells of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-type C4 species Urochloa panicoides were shown to have metabolic properties consistent with a role in C4 photosynthesis predicted from earlier studies. The rate of O2 uptake in response to added malate plus ADP was at least five times the activity observed with NADH, glycine, or succinate. With malate plus ADP the O2 uptake rate averaged about 150 nmol O2 min-1 mg-1 protein, equivalent to about 0.6 mumol min-1 mg-1 of extracted chlorophyll. About half of this activity was apparently phosphorylation-linked with ADP/O2 ratios of about 4. Studies with electron transport inhibitors suggested that about 65% of this malate oxidation is cytochrome oxidase-terminated with a minor component mediated via the alternative oxidase. These mitochondria supported rapid rates of pyruvate production from malate and this activity was also stimulated by ADP but blocked by inhibitors of electron transport. Adding oxaloacetate increased pyruvate production but inhibited O2 uptake. The results were consistent with the notion that in this subgroup of C4 species mitochondrial-located NAD malic enzyme contributes substantially to total C4 acid decarboxylation. This enzyme is apparently also the primary source of NADH necessary to generate the ATP required for phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-mediated oxaloacetate decarboxylation.     

The effect of seasonality on oxidative metabolism in Nacella (Patinigera) magellanica

We studied the seasonal variation on aerobic metabolism and the response of oxidative stress parameters in the digestive glands of the subpolar limpet Nacella (P.) magellanica. Sampling was carried out from July (winter) 2002 to July 2003 in Beagle Channel, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Whole animal respiration rates increased in early spring as the animals spawned and remained elevated throughout summer and fall (winter: 0.09+/-0.02 micromol O2 h-1 g-1; summer: 0.31+/-0.06 micromol O2 h-1 g-1). Oxidative stress was assessed at the hydrophilic level as the ascorbyl radical content/ascorbate content ratio (A./AH-). The A./AH- ratio showed minimum values in winter (3.7+/-0.2 10(-5)AU) and increased in summer (18+/-5 10(-5) AU). A similar pattern was observed for lipid radical content (122+/-29 pmol mg-1 fresh mass [FW] in winter and 314+/-45 pmol mg-1 FW in summer), iron content (0.99+/-0.07 and 2.7+/-0.6 nmol mg-1 FW in winter and summer, respectively) and catalase activity (2.9+/-0.2 and 7+/-1 U mg-1 FW in winter and summer, respectively). Since nitrogen derived radicals are thought to be critically involved in oxidative metabolism in cells, nitric oxide content was measured and a significant difference in the content of the Fe-MGD-NO adduct in digestive glands from winter and summer animals was observed. Together, the data indicate that both oxygen and nitrogen radical generation rates in N. (P.) magellanica are strongly dependent on season.     

Mutants of Serratia marcescens lacking cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity and requiring cyclic 3',5'-AMP for the utilization of various carbohydrates.

Adenine requiring mutants of Serratia marcescens SM-6-F'lac+ have been found to grow well in minimal-glucose medium solely supplemented with cAMP. From one of these ade strains double mutants (called ade cpd) were isolated which could no longer utilize cAMP but which still grew on 5'AMP. Dialyzed cell extracts (soluble fraction) of the double mutants, assayed for cAMP phosphodiesterase, were unable to hydrolyze cAMP whereas cell extracts of the parental strains yielded 5'AMP at a rate of 1.6-2.0 mumoles min-1 mg-1 protein. The loss of the phosphodiesterase activity in S. marcescens cpd W 1181 did not cause an accumulation of large amounts of cAMP as was found for the diesterase-negative mutant AB257pc-1 of Escherichia coli. The induced synthesis of beta-galactosidase in mutant cpd W 1181 showed about the same sensitivity to transient and permanent catabolite (glucose) repression as the corresponding cpd+ strain. Starting from S. marcescens cpd W 1182 three independent double mutants (called cpd cya) were isolated which required exogenous cAMP for utilizing various carbohydrates as carbon source, for motility and for the formation of extracellular lipase and the red pigment prodigiosine. The intracellular concentration of cAMP in these mutants, grown in nutrient broth, was 40-60% of that of the parental strain which is about 4 x 10(-4) M. However, the adenylate cyclase in cell extracts of the mutants W 1237 and W 1270 was like that of the corresponding cya+ strain (about 2 x 10(-2) mumoles min-1 mg-1 protein).