Digestive glucosidases in the midgut of Apodiphus amygdali Germar (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Apodiphus amygdali or stink bug of fruit trees is one of the polyphagous species from pentatomid bugs that attack many of fruit trees and ornamental trees. In the current study, activities of α- and β-glucosidases were measured in the midgut of A. amygdali adults. It was found the higher activity of β-glucosidase than α-glucosidase in addition to different enzymatic properties of the enzymes. Optimal pHs for enzymatic activities were found to be 5 and 7 for α- and β-glucosidases, respectively. Values regarding optimal temperatures were obtained at 30?°C for both α- and β-glucosidases. Among ions used on α-glucosidase activity, K⁺ and Ca²⁺ significantly increased enzymatic activity, Na⁺ had no effect, and Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺ and Mg²⁺ had the significant negative effects on the enzyme activity. Ca²⁺ and Fe²⁺ increased β-glucosidase activity in the midgut of A. amygdali, Na⁺ had no effect, and other ions significantly decreased the enzyme activity. Ethylene glycol-bis (β-aminoethylether) N,N,N?,N-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), citric acid, ethylenediamide tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) significantly decreased α-glucosidase activity but EGTA, triethylenetetramine hexaacetic acid (TTHA), EDTA and SDS decreased β-glucosidase activity in the midgut of A. amygdali. Characterisation of digestive enzymes, especially the effect of inhibitors on enzyme activity, could be useful for better understanding of enzyme roles in nutritional physiology of insects in addition to reach safe and useful controls of insect pests.     

EGTA, a calcium chelator, inhibits electron transport in photosystem II of spinach chloroplasts at two different sites

A fifteen minute incubation of spinach chloroplasts with the divalent Ca²⁺ chelator, EGTA, in concentrations 50–250 μM, inhibits electron transport through both photosystems. All photosystem II partial reactions, including indophenol, ferricyanide and the DCMU-insensitive silicomolybdate reduction are inhibited from 70–100%. The photosystem II donor reaction, diphenyl carbazide → indophenol, is also inhibited, indicating that the inhibition site comes after the Mn²⁺ site, and that the first Ca²⁺ effect noted (site II) is not on the water oxidation enzyme, as is commonly assumed, but between the Mn²⁺ site and plastoquinone A pool. The other photosystem II effect of EGTA (Ca²⁺ site I), occurs in the region between plastoquinone A and P700 in the electron transport chain of chloroplasts. About 50% inhibition of the reaction ascorbate + TMPD → methyl viologen is given by incubation with 200 μM EGTA for 15 min. Ca²⁺ site II activity can be restored with 20 mM CaCl₂. Ca²⁺ site I responds to Ca²⁺ and plastocyanin added jointly. More than 90% activity in the ascorbate + TMPD → methylviologen reaction can be restored. Various ways in which Ca²⁺ ions could affect chloroplast structure and function are discussed. Since EGTA is more likely to penetrate chloroplast membranes than EDTA, which is known to remove CF₁, the coupling factor, from chloroplast membranes, and since Mg²⁺ ions are ineffective in restoring activity, it is concluded that Ca²⁺ may function in the electron transport chain of chloroplasts in a hitherto unsuspected manner.     

Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of EDTA on sugar transport by rat soleus muscle

The uptake of D-[¹⁴C]xylose by rat soleus muscle was stimulated rapidly and transiently by brief exposure to EDTA (0.1–20 mM). EDTA also stimulated xylose uptake in the presence of insulin (0.1 U/ml). Prolonged exposure to EDTA (60 min) inhibited insulin-stimulated xylose uptake and depressed ¹²⁵I-insulin binding; these effects were associated with the lowering of muscle ATP. The stimulatory effect was abolished by the substitution of Ca-EDTA (or Mg-EDTA) for EDTA; Ca-EDTA did not eliminate the inhibitory effect. There was no inhibitory effect when Ca²⁺ (5 mM) was added along with Ca-EDTA, or when Zn-EDTA was used instead. There was no effect of EGTA (5 mM) on xylose uptake measured in the presence or absence of insulin. It is concluded (1) that the stimulatory effect of EDTA is most likely due to the chelation of Mg²⁺, (2) that the inhibitory effects of EDTA are due to the chelation of some metal ion whith a higher affinity for the chelator than either Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺.     

Stimulation of the (Na + + K + )-dependent adenosine triphosphatase by amino acids and phosphatidylserine: chelation of trace metal inhibitors

Amino acids stimulated the (Na⁺ + K⁺)-dependent ATPase activity of a rabbit kidney preparation without affecting the Mg²⁺-ATPase activity; the most effective was histidine, producing a 2-fold increase in activity. Similar stimulation was produced by the well-known chelators EDTA, EGTA, and 8-hydroxyquinoline, and by the chelating phospholipid phosphatidylserine. In the presence of maximally effective concentrations of one agent, the other agents were unable to produce additional stimulation. It is suggested that the amino acids, phosphatidylserine, and the conventional chelators all stimulate the ATPase by a common mechanism: the removal of inhibitory trace metal (s). From measurements of the metal content of the enzyme preparation and experiments with extracted reagents it was concluded that the chelatable inhibitor was in the reagents used in the incubation medium rather than being endogenous to the enzyme; attempts to identify the inhibitor (s) were unsuccessful. The chelators also stimulated the K⁺-dependent phosphatase activity in the preparation but had no major effect on Na⁺-dependent incorporation of ³²P from [³²P]ATP. On monovalent cation activation the chelators appeared to relieve an uncompetitive inhibition of Na³² activation and a noncompetitive inhibition of K³² activation, also suggesting an action of the chelatable inhibitor on the later stages of the ATPase reaction sequence.     

Bacteriophage MB78 DNA synthesis is specifically inhibited by the chelating agent ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid

The growth of bacteriophage MB78, a virulent phage of Salmonella typhimurium is extremely sensitive to the chelating agent EDTA. Other chelating agents like EGTA, a specific chelator for Ca²⁺ and orthophenanthroline which chelates Zn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ have no effect. EDTA stops phage MB78 DNA synthesis while synthesis of host DNA and other Salmonella phage DNA are not affected in presence of such low concentrations of EDTA. The present report indicates that some early phage function(s) and most probably the phage DNA synthesis are sensitive to EDTA which is probably due to chelation of Mg²⁺.     

Effeet of Metal Ions on Activity of Exopectic Acid Transeliminase of Erwinia sp.

Contrary to the exopectic acid transeliminase of Clostridium multifermentans, that of Erwinia sp. was activated strongly by Na⁺ and to a much less extent by Ca²⁺. K⁺ had a small stimulating effect on the enzyme activity. Mn²⁺ and Co²⁺, like Ca²⁺, activated the enzyme weakly. Ba²⁺ and Mg²⁺ showed no and a slight inhibitory effect, respectively, on the activity.

An almost total loss of activity was caused by the addition of EDTA to the reaction mixture. In the presence of Na⁺ the enzyme activity was restored by addition of divalent cations. Individual monovalent cations or each of the divalent cations was ineffective in restoring the activity.     

The divalent cation dependence of liver glycogen synthase phosphatase activity

Summary In a previous report it was shown that EDTA inhibition of liver glycogen synthase phosphatase activity in preparations from normal, fed rats could be increased upon glucagon or cAMP treatment. This occurred without a change in the half-maximum inhibitory concentration of EDTA. Glucose administration to animals resulted in decreased EDTA inhibition. The inhibitory action of EDTA has been further characterized by comparing its action with that of other chelators (CDTA and EGTA) and examining the effects of various divalent cations on chelator inhibition. Both CDTA and EDTA which differ structurally were inhibitory at 5 mm concentrations whereas EGTA which is structurally similar to EDTA was not inhibitory at concentrations up to 10 mm. The lack of inhibition by EGTA could be explained by its weak affinity for Mg⁺⁺ in the preparation. A comparison of CDTA and EDTA revealed that CDTA was a more potent inhibitor than EDTA (I_0.5, 0.15 mm vs 0.3 mm). Glucagon and glucose treatment of rats resulted in changes in CDTA inhibition which closely paralleled those of EDTA. A large group of divalent cations were tested but only Mg⁺⁺, Ca⁺⁺, and Mn⁺⁺ both prevented and reversed CDTA or EDTA inhibition. Fifty percent reversal using either chelator occurred at calculated free-metal ion concentrations of approximately 2 µm, 0.08 µm and 0.0004 µm, respectively. Thus, it is clear that EDTA inhibition is due to its chelation effect and is not due to a nonspecific anionic effect.     

Purification and properties of adenosinetriphosphatase from Zea mays seedling microsomes

A simple method was developed for selective solubilization of membrane ATPase from etiolated corn seedlings using 0.01% Triton X100 and 0.01% deoxycholate containing 200 mM KI. An 81-fold enriched enzyme preparation, with specific activity of 133 μmol Pi/mg protein/hr, was obtained. The enzyme stored in 25 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5) at 4° showed rapid loss of activity. The enzyme was stabilized by 1 mM EDTA with addition of 1.2 mM Mg²⁺°. Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ (1.2 mM) increased enzymatic activity by 12 and 10.8% respectively, whereas Na⁺ and K⁺ brought about a 20% increase in ATP-hydrolysis. The effect of combined mono- and di-valent ions was neither synergistic nor additive. Ouabain exerted no effect on enzyme activity. The enzyme showed two pH optima (6.0 and 7.5) in the presence of Na⁺ and K⁺, and one optimum at pH 6.5 in the absence of these ions. On polyacrylamide gel the enzyme was resolved into two protein bands, both exhibiting ATPase activity. It is suggested that the soluble enzyme from the microsomal fraction of corn seedlings contains two ATP-hydrolyzing enzymes, one of them being stimulated by Na⁺ and K⁺ ions.     

Stimulatory effect of calcium chelators on Na+-Ca2+ exchange in cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles

The calcium chelators EGTA, EDTA and cyclohexanediamine tetraacetic acid (CDTA) enhance initial rates of Na_i⁺-dependent Ca²⁺ uptake by cardiac sarcolemmal vesicles. The affinity of the exchanger for calcium is increased in the presence of the chelators to an extent dependent on chelator concentration and on the range of free calcium concentrations over which the phenomenon is measured. For free Ca²⁺ in the range of 4 μM or less, the apparent K_m is lowered to approximately 1 μM. The Ca-chelator complex appears to be the species which causes stimulation. The effect is not due to sequestration of contaminating heavy metal ions in the sarcolemmal membrane preparations or the solutions used in experiments. Caution is suggested in the use of EGTA or EDTA as calcium buffers when measuring calcium dependence of phenomena involving calcium binding and transport, because the added chelator may alter the properties of the system.     

Calcium and adenosine affect human sperm adenylate cyclase activity

The adenylate cyclase activity of human ejaculated spermatozoa in broken-cell preparations was investigated. In the presence of 5 mM metal cations and 0.1 mM ATP, the relative enzyme activity with Mn²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ba²⁺ was 1.00, 0.28, 0.22, and 0.03, respectively. Added Ca²⁺ appeared to activate the enzyme in the presence of Mn²⁺ or Mg²⁺. The human sperm adenylate cyclase was stimulated by ～ 2-fold by free Ca²⁺ (lmM) in the presence of Mg²⁺ (5 mM). If the GTP analogue, 5′-guanylyl imidophosphate (Gpp(NH)p) was added to the sperm homogenate in the presence of 200 μM ethylene-glycol-bis (β-aminoethylether) N,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), the adenylate cyclase activity was increased by approximately 25%, but with the addition of 280 μM Ca²⁺ there was a decrease in enzyme activity. A similar response to low concentrations of Ca²⁺ was obtained after complementation of the sperm enzyme with the guanine nucleotide regulatory component from human erythrocytes, where the addition of 40 μM Gpp(NH)p, 200 μM EGTA, and Ca²⁺ (≤ 160 μM) stimulated the sperm enzyme ～ 3–4-fold, but the further addition of Ca²⁺ (280 μM, final) neutralized the stimulatory effect. The addition of adenosine, and the nucleotides 5′-AMP and 5′-ADP inhibited the enzyme, whereas guanine and 5′-GMP had no appreciable effect. Human follicular fluid and serum also had little direct effect on the sperm adenylate cyclase. These resuls suggest that Ca²⁺ might be an important physiological modulator of the human sperm adenylate cyclase.     

The synthesis of 3-nonaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoate in rat liver mitochondria: the effect of Ca2 , Mg2+, chelators, and bacitracin on the activity of p-hydroxybenzoate-polyprenyl transferase

The formation of the first intermediate in ubiquinone-9 biosynthesis, 3-nonaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoate (NPHB), by the enzyme p-hydroxybenzoate:polyprenyl transferase, has been studied in isolated rat liver mitochondria using solanesol pyrophosphate and p-hydroxybenzoate as the substrates. Phosphate buffer (100 mm) is inhibitory but at 20 mm inhibition is not apparent compared to other buffers at the same concentration. With various buffers at low concentration (20 mm) both EDTA and Mg²⁺ stimulate formation of NPHB while Ca²⁺ inhibits. Release of Ca²⁺ inhibition can be achieved by the addition of Mg²⁺, or EDTA, or EGTA, with EGTA being less effective than EDTA. When Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, and EDTA are present together, a two- to threefold increase in activity of the enzyme is observed. The antibiotic bacitracin inhibits the synthesis of NPHB and the inhibition is increased when divalent cations are present. EGTA is more effective than EDTA in overcoming inhibition due to bacitracin. The possibility that these effects are partially due to alteration of mitochondrial membrane conformation as well as a direct effect on the enzyme is evaluated. The possible role of polyprenylphosphates in mitochondrial membrane function is discussed.     

Effects of various inhibitors on β-galactosidase purified from the thermoacidophilic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius</Emphasis> subsp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rittmannii</Emphasis> isolated from Antarctica

β-Galactosidase purified from the thermoacidophilic Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius subsp. rittmannii isolated from Antarctica is a member of the GH42 family. The enzyme was not effected by various concentrations of its reaction product glucose, but was greatly inhibited by the other reaction product galactose using both substrates, ONPG and lactose. Linewever-Burk plot analysis derived from both ONPG and lactose hydrolysis results showed that galactose is a mixed-type inhibitor of the purified β-galactosidase. The enzyme was slightly activated by Mg²⁺ (13% at 20 mM), while inhibited at higher concentrations of Ca⁺² (33% at 10 mM), Zn⁺² (86% at 8 mM) and Cu⁺² (87% at 4 mM). The enzyme activity was not significantly altered by the metal ion chelators EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline up to 20 mM, indicating that this enzyme is not a metalloenzyme. 2-Mercaptoethanol and DTT were found to enhance β-galactosidase activity, while p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB) completely inhibited enzymatic activity (97% at 1 mM; 99.7% at 2 mM), indicating at least one essential Cys residue modified by the reagents in the active site of β-galactosidase. Iodoacetamide and Nethylmaleimide had little effect on the β-galactosidase. Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) inhibited the enzyme strongly (19.8% at 1 mM; 71.9% at 10 mM), also showing the participation of serine for enzyme activity.     

The antifertility agent,gossypol, changes several mitochondrial functions in the presence of Mg2+

1. The effect of gossypol in the presence of K⁺ or Mg²⁺, or both, was studied on ATPase activity and respiration of rat liver mitochondria.2. Respiration was uncoupled in the presence of gossypol, Mg²⁺, and K⁺, whereas in the presence of gossypol and Mg²⁺ a partial inhibition was observed.3. Gossypol stimulated ATPase activity in the presence of K⁺ or Mg²⁺, but maximal activity was observed when both cations were in the incubation medium.4. Stimulation of ATPase activity in the presence of Mg²⁺ was dose related.5. EDTA reverted the stimulation produced by gossypol on ATPase activity.6. Gossypol had no effect on the ATPase activity of submitochondrial particles, which suggests an indirect action of gossypol on the enzyme.7. Mitochondrial membrane potential showed a higher collapse in the presence of gossypol and 1mM MgCl₂.8. The observed effects of gossypol could be explained by the collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential.     

Identification of brain ecto-apyrase as a phosphoprotein

The divalent cation requirements of NOS activity in bovine retina homogenate supernatant were investigated. Supernatants were assayed under standard conditions (in mM: EDTA 0.45, Ca²⁺ 0.25, Mg²⁺ 4.0). In order to investigate the enzyme's dependence on divalent cations, the tissue homogenate was depleted of di- and trivalent cations by passing it over a cation-exchange column (Chelex 100). Surprisingly, NOS activity was 50-100% higher in this preparation. However, addition of either EDTA (33 M) or EGTA (1 mM) almost fully inhibited NOS activity, suggesting a requirement for residual divalent metal cation(s). Phenanthroline or iminodiacetic acid at low concentrations had little effect on activity, suggesting no requirement for Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺ or Cu²⁺. Ca²⁺ had a moderate stimulatory effect, with an optimum activity around 0.01 mM. Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺ had little effect at concentrations < 0.25 mM. However, in the presence of EDTA, Mn²⁺ or Ca²⁺ markedly stimulated NOS activity with the optimum at 0.1 mM. At high concentrations (> 0.1-0.2 mM), all divalent cations tested (Ba²⁺, Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺), as well as La³⁺, dose-dependently inhibited NOS activity. We propose that retinal NOS requires low concentrations of naturally occurring divalent metal ions, most probably Ca²⁺, for optimal activity and is inhibited by high di- and trivalent metal concentrations, probably by competition with Ca²⁺.     

Interaction of Penicillium notatum phospholipase B with divalent cations

The interaction between Penicillium notatum phospholipase B and divalent cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+ was studied. When the purified enzyme, present at concentrations of submicrogram to microgram per ml, was incubated with submillimolar to millimolar concentrations of CaCl2 or MgCl2, the enzymatic activity was remarkably decreased (to no more than 30% of original activity, when the enzyme was incubated with 2 mM CaCl2 for 15 min). The inhibitory effect of divalent cations was reversible, since dialysis against a metal chelator, such as EDTA or EGTA, substantially restored the enzymatic activity. Atomic absorption analysis showed the purified enzyme molecule to be present in a complex with Ca2+ at a ratio approaching 1:1, and this Ca2+ binding was shown to be extremely tight, since repeated dialyses of the enzyme molecules against EDTA or EGTA could remove the divalent cations only in a gradual manner. During this process, the enzyme activity increased also gradually. The remnant fraction of tightly bound Ca2+ was released from the enzyme molecule after the denaturation of the enzyme by treatment with guanidine hydrochloride, and the apoenzyme recovered its substantial activity after removal of the denaturing agent by dialysis. On the other hand, the content of Mg2+ in the purified enzyme molecule was lower than that of Ca2+, and the association of Mg2+ with the enzyme was much weaker in comparison to that of Ca2+. Atomic absorption analysis of the enzyme exposed to exogenous Ca2+ showed a fast removal, by dialysis, of unbound and weakly bound divalent cation, followed by a gradual removal of endogenous Ca2+ and a concomitant increase of enzymatic activity, which are similar to data obtained for the purified enzyme. Results shown in this report suggest some regulatory roles of divalent cations, especially of Ca2+, in the enzymatic function of P. notatum phospholipse B.     

Differential effects of ca2+ and Mg2+ on endonuclease activation in isolated promyelocytic HL-60 cell nuclei

In autodigestion assays, endonucleaw activity in non-apoptotic HL-60 promydocytic leukemia cell nuclei cleaved the chromatin of he autologous cells to an oligonucleosomal length pattern. Both EGTA and EDTA inhibited the activation of endonuclease activity in isolated HL-60 cell nuclei. The inhibition by EDTA could be reversed by exogenous Ca²⁺. but not by exogenous Mg²⁺. In Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺-free nuclei digation buffer, addition of Ca^2→ (1-10 mmol/L) induced endonuclease activity in the isolated nuclei, while addition of Mg²⁺ had no effect. In the presence of Ca²⁺(0.1 mmol/L), endonuclease activity was enhanced by exogenous Mg²⁺ (0.1-10mmol/L). These results suggest that the endonuclease responsible for internucleosomal DNA fragmentation in HL-60 cells during apoptosis is activated by Ca²⁺ and further modulated by Mg²⁺ in the presence of ca²⁺.     

A survey of readily available chelators for buffering calcium ion concentrations in physiological solutions

Stability constants are reported for the binding of H⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions to the chelators commonly abbreviated EGTA, EDTA, HEDTA, DPA, NTA, ADA, and citrate, under uniform conditions of physiological temperature and ionic strength. Other compounds usable as calcium buffers are listed. The theoretical and practical considerations that influence the actual pCa attained in a chelator solution are discussed and a Hepes-bufferered saline solution is suggested as a standard of “physiological pH”. With these figures it is possible to make a rational choice of chelator to control the pCa and pMg of solutions for investigations in cell physiology, drug action, virus reproduction, and ion binding to proteins.     

Effects of affinity-purified antibodies on the Ca2+ pumping ATPase of erythrocyte membranes

Antibodies raised in rabbits against the purified erythrocyte membrane Ca²⁺ pumping ATPase were affinity-purified using an ATPase-Sepharose column. Addition of a few molecules of the purified antibody per molecule of ATPase was sufficient to inhibit the ATPase activity. Extensively washed ghosts or preincubated pure ATPase sometimes develop an appreciable Mg²⁺-ATPase activity. In such cases, the antibodies inhibited the Mg²⁺-ATPase as well as the Ca²⁺-ATPase. This is consistent with the hypothesis that a portion of the Mg²⁺-ATPase activity of ghosts is derived from the Ca²⁺-ATPase. When nitrophenylphosphatase activity was observed, both Mg²⁺ - and Ca²⁺-stimulated activities were observed. Only the Ca²⁺ activity was inhibited by the antibodies, confirming that this activity is due to the Ca²⁺ pump, and suggesting that the Mg²⁺-nitrophenylphosphatase is due to a separate enzyme. Amounts of antibody comparable to those which inhibited the Ca²⁺-ATPases had no effect on the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase; 4-fold higher amounts of antibody significantly stimulated the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase, but this effect of the antibody was not specific: Immunoglobulins from the nonimmune serum also significantly stimulated the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase.In resealed erythrocyte membranes, antibodies incorporated into the ghosts inactivated the Ca²⁺-ATPase, while antibodies added to the outside had no significant effect.     

Steryl glucoside and acyl glucoside biosynthesis in maturing pea seeds

Sterol glucosyltransferase activity was found in a particulate fraction of pea seeds. The activity was stimulated by Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ and inhibited by Zn²⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, EDTA and EGTA. Iodoacetamide was without effect but p-chloromercuribenzoate completely inhibited the enzyme. N -Ethylmaleimide gave 60–70 % inhibition over a wide range of concentrations. The activity was stimulated by ATP in the presence of Mg²⁺. Under such conditions, steryl acyl glucoside was formed. The acyl derivative was barely detectable in the presence of Ca²⁺ either with or without ATP. Both oleyl CoA and palmityl CoA stimulated acyl glucoside synthesis. Of the four nucleoside triphosphates, ATP, GTP, UTP and CTP both ATP and CTP stimulated acylation in the presence of Mg²⁺. The observations suggest that acyl donors other than digalactosyl diglyceride and phospholipids may function in steryl acyl glucoside synthesis in plants.