Electrophoretic studies of several dehydrogenases in relation to the cold tolerance of alfalfa.

Two cultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), cold-tolerant Vernal and cold-sensitive Sonora, were grown under summer, winter, and dehardening conditions to determine the solubility characteristics and relationships of several dehydrogenases to cold tolerance.Soluble enzymatic proteins, extracted with three extractants, from lyophilized crown and root tissues, were separated by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis.Gels assayed for glutamate, NAD-malate, NADP-malate, isocitrate, lactate, 6-phosphogluconate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases showed quantitative differences in isoenzymes that were influenced by cultivar, extractant, and environmental differences.For both cultivars, enzyme activity was lowest during summer, increased in winter, and decreased during dehardening. Dehydrogenase activity, therefore, was closely associated with the fluctuations in soluble protein concentration, which were related to environmental changes and cold tolerance.Additional isoenzymes of isocitrate, lactate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases were detected in the winter samples of both cultivars; however, most of the qualitative differences observed were generally due to the differential solubilities of isoenzymes in the three extractants.Comparison of data obtained from the use of frozen and unfrozen extracts indicated differential stabilities of the dehydrogenases to freezing in the different extractants. Glutamate, NAD-malate, and NADP-malate dehydrogenases were fairly stable to freezing whereas isocitrate, lactate, 6-phosphogluconate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases were labile. Detectable levels of the latter dehydrogenases in frozen extracts were evident only in certain extracts of winter samples, indicating the importance of the nature of the extraction medium in protecting against enzyme denaturation.Since both cultivars showed similar changes in dehydrogenase activities at most times, the increased enzyme levels during winter coincided with increased levels of soluble protein and soluble sugars, which are indicative of the broad spectrum of metabolic changes involved in the attainment of the cold-tolerant state.     

Intracellular location of nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase. II. Wheat roots

Approximately 15% of the total nitrite reductase of crude homogenates of wheat roots applied to sucrose gradients was separated with an organelle whose isopycnic density was about 1.22 g·cm⁻³. The activity recovered in the supernatant was thought to be particulate in origin, because similar ratios of activity of isoenzyme 1 and 2 of nitrite reductase were found in both particulate and supernatant fractions. The particle with nitrite reductase activity also contained glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, triose phosphate isomerase and NADPH diaphorase. This root particle and whole chloroplasts from leaves had a similar isopycnic density as well as these enzymes, and thus the data suggest that the root particle may be a proplastid.

Nitrate reductase was found only in the supernatant and it was not associated with any of the root organelles.

Mitochondria from wheat roots had an equilibrium density of 1.18 g·cm₋₃ and contained both NAD and NADP glutamate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, triosephosphate isomerase and NADPH diaphorase but not nitrite reductase. Microbodies of wheat roots had an equilibrium density of about 1.20 g·cm⁻³ on the sucrose gradient and contained catalase and glycollate oxidase.     

Studies on the Isoenzymes of Several Dehydrogenases during Dedifferentiation and Redifferentiation of Cucumis melo Cotyledons

Callus could be induced from the cotyledon segments of Cucumis redo L. in Miller’s medium supplement with high concentration of kinetin (10–15 mg/L) or with NAA 2 mg/L plus kinetin 0.5 mg/Ll. The calli induced by NAA plus kinetin were much different from those by kinetin alone. The former was loose and soft. While the latter was tight and gradually developed new buds. Isoenzymes of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases, isocitrate dehydrogenases, malate dehydrogenases and glutamate dehydrogenases were detemineted at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 d after inoculation. The results showed that both type of calli contained four dehydrogenases during their growth period. This indicates that the pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle and glutamate metabolism are present in calli of both types during their growth. The isoenzymes of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases and malate dehydrogenases in shoots developing calli are different from those in shootless ones.     

Enzyme histochemistry of the sheep uterus during the oestrous cycle

Enzyme histochemical techniques were applied to frozen sheep uteri from different stages of the oestrous cycle. The localization and activities of succinate, lactate, glucose-6-phosphate, and isocitrate (NADP+) dehydrogenases and acid and alkaline phosphatases were studied in the luminal and glandular epithelia, caruncle and myometrium. Enzyme activity in the sections was scored on a scale of 0--5. In general the enzyme activity in the uterine caruncles and epithelia was higher than in the myometrium. The myometrium did not show any alkaline phosphatase activity and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+) activity was negligible. The low activities of acid phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase and the moderate levels of glucose-6-phosphate and succinate dehydrogenases in the myometrium were constant. The caruncular tissue showed high levels of phosphatases and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, moderate levels of lactate and succinate dehydrogenases, and low levels of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+) throughout the oestrous cycle. Much lower phosphatase and isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP+) levels were found in the epithelium of deep glands compared with superficial glands. The high activity of acid and alkaline phosphatases in the luminal epithelium and the superficial glands was constant from mid-cycle to ovulation, but a significant decrease was observed immediately after ovulation. The level of dehydrogenases in epithelia was generally high and did not change during the oestrous cycle.     

Plant Leaf and Stem Proteins. II. Isozymes and Environmental Cabbage

The activity of 10 enzymes separated by acrylamide disc gel electrophoresis of leaf and stem extracts from Dianthus grown under summer and winter conditions was studied. While banding was constant and highly reproducible under each environment, differences between the 3 cultivars and between the tissues were evident. No significant differences in the isozyme patterns of glutamate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, and catalase were observed between the 2 environments. Loss of activity was observed under winter conditions with amylase and lactate dehydrogenase and loss of certain isozymic components was evident with acid phosphatase and esterase. Prominent changes were observed in peroxidase isozymes, the hardy cultivars developing additional isozymic components under winter conditions. Only minor changes in the total protein banding were seen. The enzymes showed considerable stability in those tissues killed by the freezing conditions.     

Liver dehydrogenase levels in rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, fed cyclopropenoid fatty acids and aflatoxin B1

Cyclopropenoid fatty acids in the diet of rainbow trout caused significant reductions in liver protein and activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, NADP-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase, and malate dehydrogenase. Changes in total activity were usually accompanied by similar changes in specific activity. The activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase appeared to be more sensitive to the ingestion of cyclopropenoid fatty acids than the other dehydrogenases studied. Feeding 20 ppb aflatoxin B(1) to rainbow trout did not significantly change the activity of the dehydrogenases except for a small increase in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase after 21 days of feeding. Relationships of these changes to the cocarcinogenicity of cyclopropenoid fatty acids and the carcinogenicity of aflatoxin are discussed.     

Cytochemical research on cysts of the sarcosporidian Sarcocystis bovicanis. II. Oxidation-reduction enzymes

By the means of light-microscopic cytological enzymatic methods, the presence of several enzymes (NAD.H and NADP.H-tetrazolium reductases, in addition to alcohol, succinate, isocitrate, glucose-6-phosphate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and glutamate dehydrogenases) has been studied in the tissue cysts of S. bovicanis. A mixed character of oxidative metabolism in the cyst stages is suggested, the involvement of gluconeogenesis being proposed. Neither beta-hydroxybutyrate nor alcohol dehydrogenase activity was demonstrated indicating the absence or a very low rate of lipid metabolism, and suggesting that the process of glycolysis may end with malate formation. From the low activity level of succinate dehydrogenases it is concluded that the citric acid cycle plays presumably a secondary role, if at all, in the energy supply of the cyst stages. Also, a low activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases is pointed out. Thus, it is proposed that glycolysis may be primary, if not the only, oxidative pathway in the cyst stages.     

Dehydrogenases of the pentose phosphate pathway in rat liver peroxisomes

Subcellular distribution of pentose-phosphate cycle enzymes in rat liver was investigated, using differential and isopycnic centrifugation. The activities of the NADP+-dependent dehydrogenases of the pentose-phosphate pathway (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) were detected in the purified peroxisomal fraction as well as in the cytosol. Both dehydrogenases were localized in the peroxisomal matrix. Chronic administration of the hypolipidemic drug clofibrate (ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxyisobutyrate) caused a 1.5-2.5-fold increase in the amount of glucose-6-phosphate and phosphogluconate dehydrogenases in the purified peroxisomes. Clofibrate decreased the phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, but did not alter glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in the cytosolic fraction. The results obtained indicate that the enzymes of the non-oxidative segment of the pentose cycle (transketolase, transaldolase, triosephosphate isomerase and glucose-phosphate isomerase) are present only in a soluble form in the cytosol, but not in the peroxisomes or other particles, and that ionogenic interaction of the enzymes with the mitochondrial and other membranes takes place during homogenization of the tissue in 0.25 M sucrose. Similar to catalase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase are present in the intact peroxisomes in a latent form. The enzymes have Km values for their substrates in the millimolar range (0.2 mM for glucose-6-phosphate and 0.10-0.12 mM for 6-phosphogluconate). NADP+, but not NAD+, serves as a coenzyme for both enzymes. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was inhibited by palmitoyl-CoA, and to a lesser extent by NADPH. Peroxisomal glucose-6-phosphate and phosphogluconate dehydrogenases have molecular mass of 280 kDa and 96 kDa, respectively. The putative functional role of pentose-phosphate cycle dehydrogenases in rat liver peroxisomes is discussed.     

A note on stability of purified enzymes to dehydration

Highly purified enzymes from commercial sources were dried from aqueous solutions over CaCl₂ or CaSO₄ at 25° c, 4° c or −4° C. Several heat stable enzymes containing SS groups (chymotrypsin, lipase, pepsin and trypsin) retained most of their activity following drying while papain and ribonuclease retained about one-fourth of their original activity. Most SH containing enzymes lost most if not all activity during drying (catalase, hexokinase, glucose and xanthine oxidases, alcohol, glutamate, isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases). Lactic dehydrogenase was the exception in this group retaining 75% of its original activity after drying. Neither sucrose nor mannitol were effective in protecting ribonuclease against inactivation during drying. Temperature during drying had little effect on inactivation.     

Histochemical studies of some myocardial oxido-reductive enzymes after experimental beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol.

Histochemical studies of some myocardial oxido--reductive enzymes after a beta--adrenergic blockade with propranolol have been carried out. Succinate, isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases did not indicate any changes in activity, whereas the changes in reaction intensities concerning NADH and NADPH tetrazole reductases and glutamate dehydrogenase have rather a transitory and reversible character. Only lactate dehydrogenase showed an increase in the enzymatic activity which speaks for an increase in the glycolysis process in the heart muscle. In the light of our own presented research results we assume that the experimental beta--adrenergic blockade of the heart muscle in rats does not evoke more important enzymatic changes which are noticeable in histochemical microscope examination.     

Histochemical studies of some myocardial oxido-reductive enzymes after experimental beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol

Summary Histochemical studies of some myocardial oxido-reductive enzymes after a beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol have been carried out. Succinate, isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases did not indicate any changes in activity, whereas the changes in reaction intensities concerning NADH and NADPH tetrazole reductases and glutamate dehydrogenase have rather a transitory and reversible character. Only lactate dehydrogenase showed an increase in the enzymatic activity which speaks for an increase in the glycolysis process in the heart muscle. In the light of our own presented research results we assume that the experimental beta-adrenergic blockade of the heart muscle in rats does not evoke more important enzymatic changes which are noticeable in histochemical microscope examination.     

Histochemical observations on the exoerythrocytic malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei in rat liver

Enzyme histochemical methods were performed on sporozoite infected liver tissue of rats in order to gain insight into the nutrition and metabolism of exoerythrocytic forms of Plasmodium berghei. The following enzymes were demonstrated in the hepatocytic stages of the parasites, obtained 41 and 48 h after inoculation of sporozoites: acid phosphatase, cytochrome oxidase, NADH-tetrazolium reductase, succinate dehydrogenase, NAD+ and NADP+ dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase, NADP+-dependent malate dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenases, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases and alpha-glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase. The results suggest that a conventional Embden-Meyerhoff pathway, pentose phosphate pathway and Krebs' citric acid cycle may in part be present in these exoerythrocytic parasites. Alkaline phosphatase, nucleoside polyphosphatase, 5' nucleotidase, glucose-6-phosphatase, alpha-glucan phosphorylase, NAD+ dependent malate dehydrogenase, amino-peptidase M and non-specific esterases were not detected by our techniques in the parasite. The enzyme distribution of this intrahepatocytic malaria parasite revealed by histochemistry is compared with the enzyme distribution in the other phases of the parasite's life cycle.     

Dietary induction of hepatic malic enzyme activity: differentiation of the induction process

The activity of rat liver malic enzyme shows a marked increase when the animals are maintained on a restricted protein diet. Of the NADP-linked dehydrogenases tested (malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase), the response is confined only to malic enzyme. Dietary sucrose is not required for the increase in activity, but elevated dietary levels of this disaccharide increase hepatic malic enzyme regardless of dietary protein. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity is increased by dietary sucrose provided adequate dietary protein is supplied. The specificity of the response to lowered dietary protein shown by malic enzyme suggests that the control of the hepatic enzyme is mediated by processes different from those controlling the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.     

Isoenzyme Patterns in Developing Xanthium Leaves

The isoenzyme patterns of individual Xanthium leaves at various stages of development were determined by acrylamid electrophoresis. The Leaf Plastochron Index was used to measure leaf and plant age. The nature of the changes occurring during leaf development differed from enzyme to enzyme and from gfrom isoenzyme to isoenzyme; for instance, one of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases was peculiar to very young leaves, another to rapidly expanding leaves, and yet another to still older ones. On the other hand, the number of amylase isoenzymes merely increased with leaf age. Many of the changes in the isoenzyme patterns coincide with the cessation of cell division in the leaf or with the completion of leaf growth. The particular isoenzyme patterns of a given leaf depended on both leaf and plant age. While the isoenzyme patterns of leaves from maximum aldolase activity per unit protein and at a later stage than the leaves from the vegetative plants.     

Chloral hydrate anesthesia alters cerebral enzymes in the rat. A histochemical study

Cerebral forebrain arterioles and neuropil were analyzed histochemically to determine the effects of chloral hydrate anesthesia on key enzymes of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, as well as the hexose monophosphate shunt in rats. Significant decreases were observed in cytochrome oxidase, and beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase in arterioles, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and isocitric dehydrogenase showed a significant increase and lactate dehydrogenase showed no significant change. In the neuropil, cytochrome oxidase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase showed significant increases following chloral hydrate administration, while beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase showed no significant changes. These data suggest that surgical anesthetic levels of chloral hydrate can impair forebrain metabolism which may lead to altered electrophysiological responses.     

Studies on the function of proplastids in the metabolism of in vitro-cultured tobacco cells III. Source of reducing power for amino acid synthesis from nitrite

Evidence to show the presence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase,6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase, and NADP-dependent malicenzyme in proplastids of in vitro-cultured tobacco cells wasobtained. Amino acid synthesis from nitrite and 2-oxoglutaratein the proplastids was stimulated by addition of 20 mM glucose-6-phosphate.6-Phosphogluconate, malate, and isocitrate did not affect thesynthesis. Nitrite reduction and glutamate synthesis in theproplastids are assumed to be supplied with NADPH₂ as the sourceof reducing power through the reactions catalyzed by glucose-6-phosphatedehyrdogenase and 6-phosphoglyconate dehydrogenase. (Received March 22, 1977; )     

Coenzymic activity of NADP derivatives alkylated at 2'-phosphate and 6-amino groups

Coenzymic activities of the following NADP derivatives were investigated: 2'-O-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphono-NAD (I), N6-(2-carboxyethyl)-NADP (II), 2'-O-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphono-N6-(2-carboxyethyl)-NAD (III), 2'-O-[N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoylethyl]phosphono-NAD (IV), N6-[N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoylethyl]-NADP (Va), 2',3'-cyclic NADP, and 3'-NADP. Derivatives I and IV show the effects of modification at the 2'-phosphate group, and derivatives II and Va show those at the 6-amino group of NADP. As for enzymes, alcohol, isocitrate, 6-phosphogluconate, glucose, glucose-6-phosphate, and glutamate dehydrogenases were used. These enzymes were grouped on the basis of the ratio of the activities for NAD and NADP into NADP-specific enzymes (ratio less than 0.01), NAD(P)-specific enzymes (0.01 less than ratio less than 100), and NAD-specific enzymes (ratio greater than 100). For NADP-specific enzymes, modifications at the 2'-phosphate group of NADP caused great loss of cofactor activity. The relative cofactor activities (NADP = 100%) of derivatives I and IV for these enzymes were 0.5-20 and 0.01-0.5%, respectively. On the other hand, NAD(P)-specific enzymes showed several types of responses to the NADP derivatives. The relative cofactor activities of I and IV for Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Bacillus stearothermophilus glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases and beef liver glutamate dehydrogenase were 60-200%; whereas, for B. megaterium glucose dehydrogenase and L. mesenteroides alcohol dehydrogenase, the values were 0.8-8%. For NAD-specific enzymes, these values were 20-50%. The relative cofactor activities of 2',3'-cyclic NADP and 3'-NADP were very low (less than 0.2%) except for beef liver glutamate dehydrogenase, B. stearothermophilus glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Kinetic studies showed that the losses of the cofactor activity of NADP by these modifications were mainly due to the increase of the Km value. The mechanisms of coenzyme specificity of dehydrogenases are discussed. Unlike the 2'-phosphate group, the 6-amino group is common to NAD and NADP, and the effects of modification at the 6-amino group were independent of the coenzyme specificity of enzymes used for the assay. Derivatives II and Va had high relative cofactor activities (65-130%) for most of the enzymes except for isocitrate and glucose dehydrogenases (less than 1%) and L. mesenteroides alcohol dehydrogenase (20-60%). The cofactor activity of derivative III was generally lower than those of I and II.     

Aspects of nitrogen metabolism in the rice seedling

The effects of nitrogen source NO₃⁻ or NH₄⁺ on nitrogen metabolism during the first 2 weeks of germination of the rice seedling (Oryza sativa L., var. IR22) grown in nutrient solution containing 40 μg/ml N were studied. Total, soluble protein, and free amino N levels were higher in the NH₄⁺-grown seedling, particularly during the 1st week of germination. Asparagine accounted for most of the difference in free amino acid level, in both the root and the shoot. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities were present mainly in the shoot and were higher in the NO₃⁻-grown seedling, whereas the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase and glutamine synthetase in the root tended to be lower than that of the NH₄⁺-grown seedling during the 1st week of germination. Glycolate oxidase and catalase activities were present mainly in the shoot. Maximum activity of the above five enzymes occurred 7 to 10 days after germination. Differences in the zymograms of nitrate reductase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and catalase were mainly between shoot and root and not from N source. Nitrite reductase bands were observed only in plants grown in plants grown in NO₃⁻.     

Air pollution by SO2 amplifies the effects of water stress on enzymes and total soluble proteins of spruce needles

Measurements of soluble protein levels and catalytic capacity (maximum extractable activity) of isocitrate, glucose-6-phosphate and glutamate dehydrogenases were performed in needles of Picea abies L. Karst. under phytotron-controlled conditions in filtered or SO₂ polluted (0.08 ppm, 3.1 μmol m⁻³) air. In watered plants, pollution had no significant effects, although sulphur accumulated in the needles. Water deprivation (1 or 2 weeks depending on the experiments) of non-polluted plants decreased protein concentration and modified enzyme capacity, particularly for isocitrate and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases. These effects were amplified in the polluted plants. Visible damage occurred only in plants subjected to both pollution and water stress. The results indicate that in spruce needles vulnerability of cell metabolism to the effects of a drought period is increased when water deprivation occurs under SO₂ pollution.     

甘蓝型油菜子油分的积累与某些生理变化关系的研究

油菜种子发育过程中,其内部的生理代谢过程发生了规律性的变化。伴随着种子的发育进程,６－磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶、异柠檬酸裂解酶、异柠檬酸脱氢酶和琥珀酸脱氢酶的活性均有不同程度的增强。在油分旺盛合成期,６－磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶和异柠檬酸裂解酶的活性均达到了最大值,而此时,异柠檬酸脱氢酶和琥珀酸脱氢酶的活属于匀增加较慢;在种子的不同发育时期,高含油量品系的６－磷酸葡萄糖脱氢酶和异柠檬酸裂解酶的活性均高于低含油量的