Amino acid and dipeptide absorption in rats fed chemically defined diets of differing fiber composition

In rats chronically fed a fiber-free diet or one of the three nutritionally equivalent fiber-containing diets, in vivo jejunal absorption of L-leucine from a free amino acid mixture of L-leucine and glycine as well as equimolar solutions of the dipeptides, L-leucyl-glycine and glycyl-L-leucine, were compared. In addition, total and brush border amino peptidase activities for the two dipeptide substrates were examined in small bowel segments. With two of three fiber diet groups, absorption of L-leucine from the free amino acid solution was reduced without a detectable change in peptide transport or aminopeptidase activities. This investigation provides evidence that peptide transport mechanisms are relatively spared with long-term feeding of fiber-containing diets similar to observations recorded in disease states associated with protein-energy malnutrition.     

Invertase immobilization via its carbohydrate moiety

After periodate oxidation of its glycosidic component, invertase was covalently bound onto three types of modified solid supports: glycidyl methacrylate, styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers, and bead cellulose. Direct reaction of the invertase aldehyde groups that were formed with amino groups of the support and use of the modified Ugi reaction have been employed as immobilization procedures. Apart from binding methods, the important effects of the buffer, support, conditions of periodate oxidation, and the length of the spacer on the activity of the enzyme conjugate have been investigated. Superior conjugate activity was obtained, via modified Ugi reaction, by the immobilization of a suitably oxidized invertase to a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer having free amino groups.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of a folate-targeted rhaponticin conjugate

To improve the therapeutic effect of rhaponticin (RHA), a folate receptor (FR) targeted RHA conjugate was synthesized by utilizing a hydrophilic peptide spacer linked to folic acid (FA) via a releasable disulfide linker. This water-soluble conjugate was found to retain high affinity for FR-positive cells, and it produced specific, dose-responsive activity in vitro. Treatment of FRHA with a reducing agent indicated that the amino-reactive derivative of RHA would be released spontaneously following disulfide bond reduction within the endosomes. FRHA also proved to be active predominantly specific against FR-positive syngeneic and xenograft models in vivo, and possible curative activity resulted with minimal to moderate toxicity. The FRHA conjugate greatly enhanced the therapeutic effects and reduced the toxicity of RHA. In conclusion, FRHA represents a folate-targeted chemotherapeutic that can produce potent activity against established sc tumors. Hence, this report has a great significance in pharmacology and clinical medicine as well as methodology.     

Novel trifunctional carrier molecule for the fluorescent labeling of haptens

We developed a novel trifunctional carrier molecule for the synthesis of hapten-fluorophore conjugates as reporter molecules in immunoassays. This carrier eliminates some of the disadvantages associated with currently used fluorophore-labeling procedures including high nonspecific binding. The backbone of the carrier consists of the 21 amino acid residues of the insulin A-chain molecule. This polypeptide provides a single site (terminal amino group) for covalent coupling of the hapten, three carboxyl groups for the attachment of fluorophores, and four sulfhydryl groups for derivatization with hydrophilic residues to compensate for the hydrophobic effect of the attached fluorophores. The sites for fluorophore attachment are 4, 17, and 21 amino acids away from the hapten attachment site. This spatial separation minimizes quenching of the fluorescence signal due to interaction of the fluorophores with each other and with the attached hapten. In this study, 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) was selected as model hapten, fluorescein as label, and S-sulfonate groups as hydrophilic residues. The properties of the DNP-insulin A-chain-fluorescein conjugate (DNP-Ins-Fl) were compared to those of a DNP derivative labeled with a single fluorescein moiety via a small lysine spacer (DNP-Lys-Fl). The DNP-Ins-Fl conjugate exhibited a 3-fold lower nonspecific adsorption to immobilized non-immune IgG contributing to an approximately 3-fold more efficient displacement from the binding sites of an immobilized monoclonal anti-DNP antibody by the antigen DNP-lysine. Furthermore, at equimolar concentrations the DNP-Ins-Fl generated a 2.6-fold higher fluorescent signal than DNP-Lys-Fl.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Activation of glutamate dehydrogenase by L-leucine

The activation of glutamate dehydrogenase (L-glutamate: NAD(P)+ oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.1.3) by L-leucine has been studied. Apparently homogeneous preparations from ox liver and brain were found to respond similarly. Commercially obtained preparations of the enzyme, which had suffered limited proteolysis during the purification procedure, were shown to behave similarly to preparations which had not suffered such proteolysis when the effects of L-leucine on the oxidative deamination reaction were studied using either NAD+ or NADP+ as the coenzyme. There was also no significant difference in the responses when the reductive reaction was determined with NADPH or with 40 microM NADH. At higher concentrations of NADH (160 microM) the unproteolysed preparations were activated by L-leucine to a considerably greater extent than those which had suffered limited proteolysis. These results accord with the greater sensitivity of the former preparations to inhibition by high concentrations of NADH and the relief of such inhibition by L-leucine. This amino acid was also found to relieve the inhibition of the enzyme by GTP, resulting in an apparent increase in the activation observed in the presence of this nucleotide. In contrast, under the conditions used in this work, the apparent degree of activation by L-leucine was found to be decreased in the presence of the activators ATP or ADP. The presence of high concentrations of NADH (200 microM) potentiated the high substrate inhibition by 2-oxoglutarate, and L-leucine significantly reduced this effect. The effects of L-leucine on the activity of glutamate dehydrogenase thus appear to be composed of a direct effect on the activity of the enzyme together with a relief of high substrate inhibition. The effects of GTP and 2-oxoglutarate in potentiating inhibition by NADH can account for their effects in enhancing the apparent activation by L-leucine. The marked differences in the responses of proteolysed and unproteolysed preparations of the enzyme result from the effects of proteolysis in decreasing the sensitivity to high concentrations of NADH.     

L—亮氨酸发酵条件的研究

对L-亮氨酸产生菌57-4s菌株进行了接种量、装量、pH、发酵时间、碳源、天然营养成份、氨基酸以及生物素、硫酸铵、碳酸钙对L-亮氨酸产量影响的考察,在适宜的条件下,主酸产量高、副酸含量低,L-亮氨酸产量经氨基酸分析仪测定可达24.46mg/ml。     

Artificial peptides with unnatural components designed for materializing protein function

In order to design functional peptides, we employed two strategies. The first one is to incorporate rigid unnatural amino acids into peptides to make the peptide backbone rigid. Functions were expected to appear through the conformational control by the strategy. A series of cyclic peptides constituted of alternating natural amino acids and 3-aminobenzoic acid, used as an unnatural amino acid, were synthesized. These cyclic peptides were found to function as strong binders for phosphomonoester, catalysts for ester hydrolysis, and/or ion channels. The second strategy is to conjugate peptides with unnatural and inherently functional molecules. Following this strategy, oligo(L-leucine)- or oligo(L-phenylalanine)-modified ruthenium tris(bipyridine) complexes were synthesized. Distance dependence of the photoinduced electron transfer from the ruthenium complexes and the function as sensors for phosphate anion (H(2)PO(-)(4)) are discussed.     

The affinity of human, rabbit and bovine thrombins for sepharose-lysine and other conjugates.

Human, rabbit and bovine thrombins are shown to possess marked affinities for Sepharose-lysine. Using either Xa-activated crude prothrombins (human, rabbit) or a commercial thrombin sample (bovine), the enzyme was isolated in a single chromatographic step by the affinity medium and preparations of high specific activity were obtained. The relevance of bound-lysine for the affinity of the thrombins was studied using other Sepharose conjugates with structures related to Sepharose-lysine. Using freshly activated prothrombins it was found that human and rabbit thrombin uptake required a conjugate with a spacer chain containing a minimum of four carbon atoms in length which supported a terminal amino group. As the thrombin activity aged, affinity for the terminal amino group decreased but the hydrophobic spacer chain became essential for enzyme binding. The active centre of thrombin was not involved in binding to Sepharose-lysine.     

Mechanism of RNA cleavage catalyzed by sequence specific polyamide nucleic acid-neamine conjugate

In earlier studies, we found that a conjugate of neamine-polyamide nucleic acid targeting transactivation response element of HIV-1 RNA genome (HIV-1 TAR) displayed anti-HIV-1 activity and sequence-specific cleavage of the target RNA in vitro. Here we show that both the position of conjugation of polyamide nucleic acid (PNA) on neamine and the length of the spacer are critical parameters for conferring cleavage activity to the conjugate. The conjugation of PNA via a spacer incorporating 11 atoms to the 5-position of ring I of the neamine core conferred sequence-specific RNA cleavage activity on the conjugate, while conjugation to the 4'-position of ring II abolished this activity. Similarly, 5-neamine PNA complementary to TAR sequence of HIV-1 genome (PNA(TAR)) conjugates having either a 23-atom spacer or a bulky dansyl group between PNA and the neamine core also resulted in complete loss of cleavage activity. Based on these observations, we propose a mechanism for the observed RNA cleavage catalyzed by the conjugate involving unprotonated and protonated amino groups at the 3-position of ring I and the 6'-position of ring II of the neamine core, respectively.     

Poly(ethylene glycol) multiblock copolymer as a carrier of anti-cancer drug doxorubicin

The synthesis of a novel water-soluble polymer drug carrier system based on biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymer is described in this paper. The copolymer consisting of PEG blocks of molecular weight 2000 linked by means of an oligopeptide with amino end groups was prepared by interfacial polycondensation of the diamine and PEG bis(succinimidyl carbonate). The structure of the oligopeptide diamine consisting of glutamic acid and lysine residues was designed as a substrate for cathepsin B, a lysosomal enzyme, which was assumed to be one of the enzymes responsible for the degradation of the polymer carrier in vivo. Each of the oligopeptide blocks incorporated in the carrier contained three carboxylic groups of which some were used for attachment of an anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox), via a tetrapeptide spacer Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly. This tetrapeptide spacer is susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis. In vitro release of Dox and the degradation of the polymer chain by cathepsin B as well as preliminary evaluation of in vivo anti-cancer activity of the conjugate are also demonstrated.     

Altered intestinal transport of amino acids in cirrhotic rats: the effect of insulin-like growth factor-I

The intestine is an important target organ for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), an anabolic hormone synthesized in the liver upon growth hormone (GH) stimulation. Levels of IGF-I are reduced in cirrhosis, and altered GH/IGF-I axis may contribute to malnutrition in cirrhotic patients. Our aim was to study Na(+)-dependent jejunal transport of amino acids (L-leucine, L-proline, L-glutamic acid, and L-cysteine) in cirrhotic rats and to analyze the effect of IGF-I on this function. IGF-I or saline was administered for 2 wk to rats with CCl(4)-induced cirrhosis and saline was administered to healthy control rats. Transport of amino acids was assessed in brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) using (14)C- or (35)S-labeled amino acids, and the kinetic constants V(max) and K(t) were determined. Na(+)-independent uptake of L-leucine, L-proline, L-glutamic acid, and L-cysteine by BBMV was similar in all groups. Na(+)-dependent uptake of all four amino acids was significantly diminished in cirrhotic rats compared with both controls and IGF-I-treated cirrhotic rats. The latter two groups exhibited similar V(max) and K(t), whereas untreated cirrhotic rats had reduced V(max) and increased K(t) compared with normal controls and IGF-I-treated cirrhotic animals. In conclusion, the transport of all four tested amino acids by BBMV is impaired in cirrhotic rats, and low doses of IGF-I can correct this defect.     

Malate dehydrogenase, circular dichroism difference spectra of porcine heart mitochondrial and supernatant enzymes, binary enzyme-coenzyme, and ternary enzyme-coenzyme-substrate analog complexes.

Circular dichroism spectra and circular dichroism difference spectra, generated when porcine heart mitochondrial and supernatant malate dehydrogenase bind coenzymes or when enzyme dihydroincotinamide nucleotide binary complexes bind substrate analogs, are presented. No significant changes are observed in protein chromophores in the 200- to 240-nm spectral range indicating that there is apparently little or no perturbation of the alpha helix or peptide backbone when binary or ternary complexes are formed. Quite different spectral perturbances occur in the two enzymes with reduced coenzyme binding as well as with substrate-analog binding by enzyme-reduced coenzyme binding. Comparison of spectral perturbations in both enzymes with oxidized or reduced coenzyme binding suggests that the dihydronicotinamide moiety of the coenzyme interacts with or perturbs indirectly the environment of aromatic amino acid residues. Reduced coenzyme binding apparently perturbs tyrosine residues in both mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase and lactic dehydrogenase. Reduced coenzyme binding perturbs tyrosine and tryptophan residues in supernatant malate dehydrogenase. The number of reduced coenzyme binding sites was determined to be two per 70,000 daltons in the mitochondrial enzyme, and the reduced coenzyme dissociation constants, determined through the change in ellipticity at 260 nm, with dihydronicotinamide adenine dinucleotide binding, were found to be good agreement with published values (Holbrook, J. J., and Wolfe, R. G. (1972) Biochemistry 11, 2499-2502) obtained through fluorescence-binding studies and indicate no apparent extra coenzyme binding sites. When D-malate forms a ternary complex with malate dehydrogenase-reduced coenzyme complexes, perturbation of both adenine and dihydronicotinamide chromophores is evident. L-Malate binding, however, apparently produces only a perturbation of the adenine chromophore in such complexes. Since the coenzyme has been found to bind in an open conformation on the surface of the enzyme and the substrate analogs bind at or very near the dihydronicotinamide moiety binding site, protein conformational changes are implicated during ternary complex formation with D-malate which can effect the adenine chromophore at some distance from the substrate binding site.     

Intermolecular complexes between N-methyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and flavines. The influence of steric and electronic factors on complex formation and the rate of flavine-dependent dihydronicotinamide dehydrogenation.

The reaction of N-methyldihydronicotinamide (NMNH) with flavine analogs saturates at high dihydronicotinamide concentrations. Complex formation between the reactants depends mainly on steric but not on electronic factors. Thus flavine analogs that differ up to 243 mV in their oxidation-reduction potential vary only between 0.09 and 0.17 M in Kd. When the flavine plane becomes blocked by bulky substituents, however, complex stability decreases by more than an order of magnitude. NMNH-flavine complexes show long wave optical absorption. The energy of the long wave transition decreases with increasing oxidation-reduction potential of the flavine as expected for charge transfer complexes. The first-order rate constants of flavine-dependent dihydronicotinamide dehydrogenation increase with increasing oxidation-reduction potential of the flavine but they are almost independent of Kd. The reaction is not subject to general acid-base catalysis. Thus flavine-dependent dihydronicotinamide dehydrogenation may be interpreted to proceed via a charge transfer complex between oxidized flavine and reduced nicotinamide. In the rate-limiting conversion of the charge transfer complex into products hydrogen is transferred directly, the rate being governed by the difference in oxidation-reduction potential between flavine and dihydronicotinamide. An alternative mechanism where the observed charge transfer complex is not on the reaction pathway appears to be improbable but cannot be eliminated.     

Mutation of a single amino acid converts germ cell alkaline phosphatase to placental alkaline phosphatase

Human placental and germ cell alkaline phosphatases (PLAP and GCAP, respectively), are characterized by their differential sensitivities to inhibition by L-leucine, EDTA, and heat. Yet, they differ by only 7 amino acids at positions 15, 67, 68, 84, 241, 254, and 429 within their respective 484 residues. To determine the structural basis and the amino acid(s) involved in these physicochemical differences, we constructed three GCAP mutants by site-directed mutagenesis and six GCAP/PLAP chimeras and then expressed these alkaline phosphatase mutants in COS-1 cells. We report that the differential reactivity of PLAP and GCAP depends critically on a single amino acid at position 429. GCAP with Gly-429 is strongly inhibited by L-leucine, EDTA, and heat, whereas PLAP with Glu-429 is resistant. By substituting Gly-429 of GCAP with a series of amino acids, we demonstrate that the relative sensitivities of these mutants to L-leucine, EDTA, and heat inhibition are, in general, parallel. Mutants in the order of resistance to these treatments are: Glu (most resistant), Asp/Ile/Leu, Gln/Val/Lys, Ser/His, and Arg/Thr/Met/Cys/Phe/Trp/Tyr/Pro/Asn/Ala/Gly (least resistant). However, the Ser-429 and His-429 mutants were more resistant to EDTA and heat inhibition than the wild-type GCAP, but were equally sensitive to L-leucine inhibition. Structural analysis of mammalian alkaline phosphatase modeled on the refined crystal structure of Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase indicates that the negative charge of Glu-429 of PLAP, which simultaneously stabilizes the protein as a whole and the metal binding specifically, probably acts through interactions with the metal ligand His-320 (His-331 in E. coli alkaline phosphatase). Replacement of codon 429 with Gly in GCAP leads to destabilization and loosening of the metal binding. The data suggest that the natural binding site for L-leucine may be near position 429, with the amino and carboxyl groups of L-leucine interacting with bound phosphate and His-432 (His-412 in E. coli alkaline phosphatase), respectively.     

Mechanism of energy coupling to entry and exit of neutral and branched chain amino acids in membrane vesicles of Streptococcus cremoris

The energetics of neutral and branched chain amino acid transport by membrane vesicles from Streptococcus cremoris have been studied with a novel model system in which beef heart mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase functions as a proton-motive force (delta p) generating system. In the presence of reduced cytochrome c, a large delta p was generated with a maximum value at pH 6.0. Apparent H+/amino acid stoichiometries (napp) have been determined at external pH values between 5.5 and 8.0 from the steady state levels of accumulation and the delta p. For L-leucine napp (0.8) was nearly independent of the pH. For L-alanine and L-serine napp decreased from 0.9-1.0 at pH 5.5 to 0-0.2 at pH 8.0. The napp for the different amino acids decreased with increasing external amino acid concentration. At pH 6.0, first order rate constants for amino acid exit (kex) under steady state conditions for L-leucine, L-alanine, and L-serine were 1.1-1.3, 0.084, and 0.053 min-1, respectively. From the pH dependence of kex it is concluded that amino acid exit in steady state is the sum of two processes, pH-dependent carrier-mediated amino acid exit and pH-independent passive diffusion (external leak). The first order rate constant for passive diffusion increased with increasing hydrophobicity of the side chain of the amino acids. As a result of these processes the kinetic steady state attained is less than the amino acid accumulation ratio predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium. The napp determined from the steady state accumulation represents, therefore, a lower limit. It is concluded that the mechanistic stoichiometry (n) for L-leucine, L-alanine, and L-serine transport most likely equals 1.     

Synthesis of octa- and dodecamers of D-ribitol-1-phosphate and their protein conjugates

The bacterial cell-wall-associated teichoic acids contain predominantly D-ribitol residues interconnected by phosphodiester linkages. Because of their location, these antigens may be vaccine candidates as part of conjugate vaccines. Here, we describe the synthesis of extended oligomers of D-ribitol-1-phosphate linked to a spacer having an amino group at its terminus. The synthesis utilized a fully protected D-ribitol-phosphoramidite that was oligomerized in a stepwise fashion followed by deprotection. The free oligomers were connected to bovine serum albumin using oxime chemistry. Thus, the ribitol phosphate oligomers were converted into keto derivatives, and the albumin counterpart was decorated with aminooxy groups. Reaction of the functionalized saccharide and protein moieties afforded conjugates having up to 20 ribitol phosphate chains.     

Disulfide spacer between methotrexate and poly(D-lysine). A probe for exploring the reductive process in endocytosis

Poly(D-lysine) is taken up avidly by cultured cells through adsorptive endocytosis and can serve as a carrier to increase cellular uptake of other molecules. While direct conjugation of methotrexate to poly(D-lysine) yields a conjugate devoid of cytotoxic effects because poly(D-lysine) is not digested in lysosomes, the indirect conjugation using a triglycine spacer or a disulfide spacer strongly inhibits the growth of both the wild type and the methotrexate transport-defective Chinese hamster ovary cells. Cell treatment with 3 mM NH4Cl or 50 micrograms/ml leupeptin prevents the effect of conjugate with the triglycine spacer, but not of conjugate with the disulfide spacer. On the other hand, preincubation with 2-mercaptoethanol abolishes the effect of the drug-disulfide conjugate in the methotrexate transport-defective mutant, but not the effect of the drug-triglycine conjugate. The disulfide conjugate shows an identical cytotoxic effect in alpha-minimal essential medium and RPMI 1640 media, even though cells grown in the latter have only half the glutathione content as cells grown in the former medium. We conclude that the reductive process through which methotrexate is released from the disulfide spacer (a) occurs inside cells and not at the cell surface, (b) requires neither acid pH nor lysosomal enzymes, and (c) is not mediated by a glutathione-disulfide exchange reaction requiring high glutathione concentrations. Although the cellular compartment in which this reductive process occurs is not yet identified, there are reasons to assume that it is prelysosomal.     

Synthesis of N-(1-deoxyhexitol-1-yl)amino acids, reference compounds for the nonenzymic glycosylation of proteins

The N-(1-deoxy-D-mannitol-1-yl) and N-(1-deoxy-D-glucitol-1-yl) derivatives of L-valine, L-alanine, L-threonine, and L-leucine were prepared by reductive amination of D-mannose and D-glucose with the appropriate amino acids, in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride. N epsilon-(1-Deoxy-D-mannitol-1-yl)- and N epsilon-(1-deoxy-D-glucitol-1-yl)-L-lysine were prepared by similar reactions of hexoses with N alpha-tert-butoxycarbonyl and N alpha-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-lysine, followed by removal of the protecting groups. The structures were confirmed by 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy, which showed that each compound was completely free of its C-2 epimer. The synthetic compounds may be used as reference compounds for the identification of N-(1-deoxyhexitol-1-yl)amino acids formed when N-(1-deoxy-D-fructose-1-yl) groups of nonenzymically glycosylated proteins, of the hemoglobin A1c type, are reduced with sodium borohydride, and the protein is subjected to acid-catalyzed hydrolysis.     

Ferrocene-avidin conjugates for bioelectrochemical applications.

Coupling of ferrocene moieties to avidin via a flexible spacer molecule yields a conjugate which combines the unique biotin-binding properties of avidin with the reversible redox characteristics of ferrocenes. Synthesis of the conjugate has been optimised and the conjugates were characterised bio- and electrochemically. Covalent immobilisation of the conjugate on gold electrodes in a dense monolayer results in electrodes with a high binding capacity for biotinylated molecules as well as good electron transfer properties. The application potential of such electrodes for bioelectrochemical systems is demonstrated by electrochemical reduction of hydrogen peroxide under mild conditions catalysed by a bound biotin-microperoxidase MP11 conjugate.     

Candida L-norleucine,leucine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase. Purification and properties

A new enzyme which catalyzes the transamination of L-norleucine (2-aminohexanoic acid) and L-leucine with 2-oxoglutarate was purified to homogeneity from cells of Candida guilliermondii var. membranaefaciens. The relative molecular mass determined by gel filtration was estimated to be close to 100,000. The transaminase behaved as a dimer which consists of two subunits identical in molecular mass (Mr 51,000). The enzyme has a maximum activity in the pH range of 8.0-8.5 and at 55 degrees C. 2-Oxoglutarate, and to a lesser extent pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, were effective protecting agents against increasing temperature. The enzyme exhibits absorption maximum at 330 nm and 410 nm. L-Norleucine, and L-leucine to a lesser extent, are the best amino donors with 2-oxoglutarate as amino acceptor. The Km values for L-norleucine, L-leucine and 2-oxoglutarate determined from the Lineweaver-Burk plot were 1.8 mM, 6.6 mM and 2.0 mM respectively. A ping-pong bi-bi mechanism of inhibition with alternative substrates is found when the enzyme is in the presence of both L-norleucine and L-leucine. The inhibitory effect of various amino acid analogs on the transamination reaction between L-norleucine and 2-oxoglutarate was studied and Ki values were determined.