Grafting of different glycosides on the surface of liposomes and its effect on the tissue distribution of 125I-labelled γ-globulin encapsulated in liposomes

Different glycosides were grafted on the surface of liposomes containing ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin by two ways: (1) by using glycolipid and (2) by covalent coupling of $\text{p-}\text{aminophenyl-}\text{d}\text{-glycosides}$ to phosphatidylethanolamine liposomes using glutaraldehyde. The distribution of ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin was determined in mouse tissues from 5–60 min after a single injection of these liposomes. The liver uptake of encapsulated ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin was highest from liposomes having galactose and mannose on the surface. Competition experiments and cross-inhibition studies indicate that this uptake are mediated by specific recognition of the surface galactose and mannose residues of liposomes by the receptors present on the plasma membrane of liver cells. Stearylamine-containing liposomes were found to be more efficient in mediating the uptake of ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin by the lung, whereas in the case of spleen, phosphatidylethanolamine liposomes were more efficient. The extent of uptake of ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin from all types of liposome decreases as the amount of given liposomes increases. The uptake of ¹²⁵I-labelled γ-globulin from liposomes containing asialogangliosides depends upon the phospholipid/ glycolipid ratio. These experiments clearly demonstrate that enhanced liposome uptake by liver cells could be achieved by grafting galactose and mannose on the liposomal surface.     

Immunological properties of isolated protein fractions from Artemia ribosomes

Acid-soluble ribosomal proteins from cysts of Artemia salina were separated by high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 4.3. Three distinct protein bands, occurring in different parts of the electrophoretic pattern, were used for immunization in rabbits, and the γ-globulin fractions of the antisera were prepared. These preparations produced precipitation lines in agarose gel with protein extracted from whole 80S ribosomes and from 60S and 40S ribosomal subunits. With γ-globulin preparations from non-immune or anti-ovalbumin sera no reactions were obtained.     

Modification of the acceptor binding site of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase by the diazonium derivatives of p-aminohippurate and p-aminobenzoate

Hippurate and maleate have been shown to bind to the aminoacylglycine (acceptor) binding site of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, thereby stimulating the hydrolysis of γ-glutamyl compounds at the expense of transpeptidation (Thompson, G. A., and Meister, A. (1979) J. Biol. Chem.254, 2956–2960; Thompson, G. A., and Meister, A. (1980) J. Biol. Chem.255, 2109–2113). It has now been found that a number of benzoate derivatives also bind and modulate rat kidney transpeptidase, as indicated by their ability to enhance the rate of inactivation of transpeptidase by the glutamine antagonist l-(αS, 5S)-α-amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid (AT-125). Furthermore, rapid loss of transpeptidase activity results upon preincubation of the enzyme with the diazonium derivatives of p-aminohippurate and p-aminobenzoate. The modified enzyme can still hydrolyze γ-glutamyl substrates but is no longer modulated by hippurate and maleate. Loss of transpeptidase activity was not associated with incorporation of radioactive label from diazotized [¹⁴C]p-aminohippurate. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the modified enzyme revealed a nondissociable species, M_r 68,000, shown to result from crosslinking of the two subunits of transpeptidase (M_r 46,000 and 22,000, respectively). The crosslinking of the subunits paralleled the extent of inactivation of transpeptidation activity and both crosslinking and inactivation were prevented by treatment with the diazotized derivatives in the presence of either hippurate or maleate. These and other data indicate that the diazonium derivatives of p-aminohippurate and p-aminobenzoate interact with the acceptor binding site and produce a stable bond between amino acid residues in the vicinity of this site which, thus, appears to be located in the intersubunit contact region.     

A New Bacterial Agglutinin from Soybean: I. ISOLATION, PARTIAL PURIFICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION

A new bacterial agglutinin was isolated from seeds of the soybean cultivar Clark. Purification was carried out by ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion-exchange chromatography. The agglutinin is a heat-labile glycoprotein most active at pH 4.0. Addition of Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ did not enhance the agglutinating activity of this glycoprotein. Gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate showed that the agglutinin is composed of two subunits of approximately 50,000 daltons each. In the undissociated state, it agglutinates Xanthomonas phaseoli var. sojensis, the causal agent of bacterial pustule disease of soybean, at concentrations as low as 10 micrograms protein per milliliter but has no hemagglutinating activity. The agglutinin could be distinguished from previously reported soybean lectins on the basis of solubility in ammonium sulfate, lack of hemagglutinating activity, molecular weight, hapten specificity, and immunological determinants.     

Properties of water-insoluble matrix-bound lactate dehydrogenase.

Lactate dehydrogenase enzyme was immobilized by binding to a cyanogen bromideactivated Sepharose 4B-200 in 0.1 m phosphate buffer, pH 8.5. The immobilized enzyme was found to have lower K_m values for its substrates. K_m values for pyruvate and lactate were 8 × 10 ^?5m and 4 × 10^?3m, respectively, an order of magnitude less than the value for the native (free) enzyme. Chicken heart (H₄) lactate dehydrogenase was found to lose nearly all its substrate inhibition characteristics as a result of immobilization. The covalently bound muscle-type subunits of lactate dehydrogenase showed more favorable interaction with the muscle type than with the heart type subunits. An increase in thermal and acid stability of the dogfish muscle (M₄) lactate dehydrogenase as well as a decrease in the percentage of inhibition of enzyme activity by rabbit antisera and in the complement fixation was observed as a result of immobilization. The changes in the properties of the enzyme as a result of immobilization may be attributable to hindrance produced by the insoluble matrix as well as conformational changes in the enzyme molecules.     

Kerr effect study of the aqueous solutions of three globular proteins

A Kerr effect study is reported in which measurements have been made on the magnitudes of both the steady maxima and the decays of the birefringence of solutions of ovalbumin, bovine γ-globulin, and β-lactoglobulin. For each protein, results are presented on solutions covering the concentration range of 0.3–1.7 g./100 ml. in order to obtain by extrapolation, values of the specific Kerr constant K_sp, and the birefringence relaxation time τ_{25, w} at zero concentration. The relaxation times thus obtained for ovalbumin (18.3 nsec.) and γ-globulin (157 nsec.) have been shown to be compatible with molecular models and dimensions presented in the literature. All experiments showed the need for careful extrapolation to zero concentration if reliable parameters are to be obtained: for example a 1% solution of ovalbumin or l.5% solution of γ-globulin, would give values for τ which are 50% too high when compared with the true value at infinite dilution. The gradual fall in τ for γ-globulin as the pH was lowered from 6.7 to 3.0 was also studied for three solvents. Fisher's generalized model for the arrangement of the polar residues around the outside of a globular protein has been developed to account for ellipsoidal particles and has been used to demonstrate the suitability and usefulness of this treatment in predicting the conformation and dimensions of these proteins. Rather unusual birefringence traces for β-lactoglobulin were obtained, which may indicate the dissociation of aggregates, or of the parent molecule into its subunits, under the influence of strong electric fields.     

Binding of estrogens by α-fetoprotein in rat amniotic fluid

Amniotic fluid from 15–17-day rat fetuses bound estrone and 17β-estradiol specifically. Related steroids such as estriol, 6-ketoestradiol, 17α-estradiol and testosterone were not bound to any significant extent. The apparent K_a for 17β-estradiol was 2.6·10⁸ M⁻ at 4°C; 6 nmoles of 17β-estradiol were bound per ml of amniotic fluid. The binding component appears to be α-fetoprotein in that it migrates as an α₁-globulin upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and has an isoelectric pH of 4.7 as determined by isoelectric focusing. Furthermore, binding activity was precipitated by antiserum which was shown by immuno-electrophoresis to be specific for α-fetoprotein. Binding activity, partially purified by isoelectric focusing of amniotic fluid, was associated with one of two bands seen by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This band migrated as an α₁-globulin.     

Pancreatic CCK receptors: Characterization of covalently labeled subunits

¹²⁵I-CCK was crosslinked with ultraviolet light to its receptor on pancreatic plasma membranes. The predominant labeled species following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis had a molecular weight of 120,000 in the absence, and 80,000 in the presence of the reducing agent dithiothreitol. The M_r = 120,000 labeled band could be extracted, reduced and converted to M_r = 80,000. Moreover, peptide mapping with Staph aureus V8 protease showed a similar pattern for the 120,000 and 80,000 dalton bands. The crosslinked receptor could be solubilized with Triton X-100, absorbed to wheat germ agglutinin and eluted with N-acetylglucosamine. The results indicate, therefore, that the CCK receptor is a glycoprotein with subunits coupled by disulfide bonds.     

The Pharmacology of the Benzodiazepine Site of the GABA-A Receptor is Dependent on the Type of γ-Subunit Present

Abstract

The pharmacology of native and recombinant GABA-A receptors containing either γ1, γ2 or γ3 subunits has been investigated. The pharmacology of native receptors has been investigated by immunoprecipitating receptors from solubilised preparations of rat brain with antisera specific for individual γ-subunits and analysing their radioligand binding characteristics. Receptors containing a γ1-subunit do not bind benzodiazepine radioligands with high affinity. Those containing either a γ2 or γ3 subunit bind [³H]flumazenil with high affinity. Some compounds compete for these binding sites with multiple affinities, reflecting the presence of populations of receptors containing several different types of α-subunit. Photoaffinity-labelling of GABA-A receptors from a cell line stably expressing GABA-A receptors of composition α₁β3γ2 followed by immunoprecipitation of individual subunits revealed that the α and γ but not the β-subunit could be irreversibly labelled by [³H]flunitrazepam.

The properties of recombinant receptors have been investigated in oocytes expressing γ1, γ2, or γ3 subunits in combination with an α and a β-subunit. Some compounds such as zolpidem, DMCM and flunitrazepam show selectivity for receptors containing different γ-subunits. Others such as CL 218,872 show no selectivity between receptors containing different γ-subunits but exhibit selectivity for receptors containing different α-subunits. These data taken together suggest that the benzodiazepine site of the GABA-A receptor is formed with contributions from both the α and γ-subunits.     

cAMP-dependent protein kinases, their subunits, and cAMP-binding protein from four sources: a comparison of physical characteristics determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

The physical characteristics of cAMP-dependent protein kinases and their, regulatory subunits from calf uterus, human uterus, human mammary tumor, and rat pituitary and of cAMP-binding protein from calf uterus were determined by quantitative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in buffers containing the detergent, Triton X-100. In the four tissues, protein kinases of either type A¹, with molecular weight (M_r) = 200,000, or type B, of M_r = 80,000, or both, previously described were found. Trivial charge isomerism, or size isomerism, exists within each of the two classes, Protein Kinase A and B. The protein kinase recombined from the regulatory and catalytic subunits is not significantly different from the crude or isolated protein kinase. Protein Kinases A and B exist each in either one of the isozyme forms I and II but these are not reflected in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 10.2. Protein Kinase B appears to be a product of the partial proteolysis of Protein Kinase A. The regulatory subunits of Protein Kinases A from the four tissues are distinct from those of Protein Kinases B. No physical distinction exists between regulatory subunits derived from isozyme forms I and II. cAMP-Binding Proteins A and B are physically indistinguishable, by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 10.2, from the regulatory subunits of Protein Kinases A and B, respectively.     

Differentiation of rat lens epithelial cells in tissue culture. II. Effects of cytochalasins B and D on actin organization and differentiation

Cytochalasins B and D were used to investigate the involvement of microfilaments in the differentiation of rat lens epithelial cells in tissue culture. Two questions were asked: (1) Does the organization of microfilaments change upon morphological differentiation of the lens epithelial cell? (2) Is the change in the organization of microfilaments required for the production of the differentiation-specific protein, γ-crystallin? Cytochalasin B arborized differentiating lens epithelial cells and had no effect on the undifferentiated cells. Immunofluorescent staining of these two types of cells revealed significant differences in the organization of actin. Actin appeared as longitudinal filaments in the differentiating cells, while it appeared in a diffuse nonfibrillar form in the undifferentiated cells. This indicated changes in the organization of actin during differentiation. Cytochalasin B caused a decline in cell number at 10^?6–10^?5M. However, only that concentration which caused arborization of cells and disruption of microfilaments (10^?5M) inhibited morphological differentiation and production of γ-crystallin. Cytochalasin D (10^?7–10^?5M) did not cause a dramatic decrease in cell number; nevertheless, it induced the arborization of cells and disruption of microfilaments at lower concentrations (10^?7–10^?6M) and inhibited morphological differentiation and production of γ-crystallin at lower concentrations (10^?7–10^?6M) than did cytochalasin B. Thus, only those concentrations of cytochalasins which disrupt microfilaments and prevent their organization into filamentous form seem to inhibit differentiation. This suggests that the organization of actin is required for the program of differentiation of the lens epithelial cells.     

Characterization of human arylsulfatase a glycans

Despite numerous studies on arylsulfatase A, the structure of the glycans present in each of its two subunits has not been determined. This is important because the carbohydrate component of human arylsulfatase A synthesized in tumor tissues and transformed cells has been shown to undergo apparent changes. This study elucidates some of their major features.Glycan chain analysis of native and deglycosylated arylsulfatase A as well as its subunits was performed with the use of a Glycan Differentiation Kit and lectin affinity chromatography. Each of the two subunits of arylsulfatase A from placenta, separated electrophoretically on polyacrylamide gel in reducing conditions, reacted with digoxigenin-labelled Galantus nivalis agglutinin and Aleuria awantia agglutinin, while those from liver enzyme reacted with the former only. The subunits of both enzymes did not react with Sambucus nigra, Maakia amuriensis, Datura stramonium or Peanut agglutinin. Deglycosylation of arylsulfatase A with peptide N-glycosidase F and endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase F resulted in complete cleavage of its carbohydrate component from each subunit. Their molecular weights decreased by 3 kDa. Neuraminidase treatment of the enzyme from liver and placenta followed by isoelectrofocusing separation showed the presence of sialylated forms which constituted a small percentage of total enzyme activity. Placental arylsulfatase A became bound to Lens culinaris agglutinin agarose, while no interaction with Ricinus communis or Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin agarose was observed.The study shows that both subunits of arylsulfatase A from human placenta possess two high mannose/hybrid type glycans as major structures, with at least one 6-O-l-fucose bound to the innermost N-acetylglucosamine on each. The enzyme from liver does not possess fucose. Complex type glycans containing sialic acid constitute a small percentage of the total carbohydrate component.     

Sexual agglutinin of mating-type minus gametes inChlamydomonas reinhardtii

The sexual agglutinin from the mating-type minus gametes ofChlamydomonas reinhardtii was purified by gel filtration and hydroxyapatite chromotography. The minus agglutinin was identified as a single glycopolypeptide termed Agg(-) of very high molecular weight by SDS-poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. It was also observed as a glycoprotein with agglutinin activity on non-SDS polyacrylamide gels. The native agglutinin appeared to be composed of a complex of Agg(-) subunits. It consisted of about 60% protein and 40% carbohydrate and the activity was diminished by a mild periodate oxidation. When the plus agglutinin was also purified and compared with the minus agglutinin, it was found that both agglutinins migrate in the same position by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, whereas their behaviors on gel filtration and hydroxyapatite chromatography are different.Abbreviations mt ^+/– mating-tape plus or minus - SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate - V_e elution volume - V_o void volume - kDa kilodalton     

Co-expression of γ2 Subunits Hinders Processing of N-Linked Glycans Attached to the N104 Glycosylation Sites of GABAA Receptor β2 Subunits

GABA_A receptors, the major mediators of fast inhibitory neuronal transmission, are heteropentameric glycoproteins assembled from a panel of subunits, usually including α and β subunits with or without a γ2 subunit. The α1β2γ2 receptor is the most abundant GABA_A receptor in brain. Co-expression of γ2 with α1 and β2 subunits causes conformational changes, increases GABA_A receptor channel conductance, and prolongs channel open times. We reported previously that glycosylation of the three β2 subunit glycosylation sites, N32, N104 and N173, was important for α1β2 receptor channel gating. Here, we examined the hypothesis that steric effects or conformational changes caused by γ2 subunit co-expression alter the glycosylation of partnering β2 subunits. We found that co-expression of γ2 subunits hindered processing of β2 subunit N104 N-glycans in HEK293T cells. This γ2 subunit-dependent effect was strong enough that a decrease of γ2 subunit expression in heterozygous GABRG2 knockout (γ2^+/?) mice led to appreciable changes in the endoglycosidase H digestion pattern of neuronal β2 subunits. Interestingly, as measured by flow cytometry, γ2 subunit surface levels were decreased by mutating each of the β2 subunit glycosylation sites. The β2 subunit mutation N104Q also decreased GABA potency to evoke macroscopic currents and reduced conductance, mean open time and open probability of single channel currents. Collectively, our data suggested that γ2 subunits interacted with β2 subunit N-glycans and/or subdomains containing the glycosylation sites, and that γ2 subunit co-expression-dependent alterations in the processing of the β2 subunit N104 N-glycans were involved in altering the function of surface GABA_A receptors.     

A New Natural Quinone, 2-Methyl-3-II,III,VIII-hexahydromultiprenyl9-1,4-naphthoquinone

A new aryl-peptidyl amidase has been isolated from a Lactobacillus casei homogenate. Its ribosomal localization was shown by fractionation and its general properties studied after purification on Sepharose 6B and DEAE-Sephacel. The enzyme requires 1 mM Mg²⁺ for stability, while Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ca²⁺ result in only partial stability. No inhibitory effects were noted after treatment with phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride or EDTA. Enzymatic activity was totally inhibited by 5mM p-hydroxymercuribenzoate; activity was restored by dithiothreitol. The only substrates hydrolyzed by this enzyme were the succinyl-L-phenylalanine-p-nitroanilide type, with a pH optimum between 6 and 7 and a Michaelis constant of 0.76 mM. No hydrolysis could be detected using proteins, peptides, amides or esterase substrates. This enzyme would thus not be an endopeptidase (E.C. 3.4.21), but would to rather be considered as belonging to the group of amidases (E.C. 3.5.1)     

Subunit structure of γ-conglycinin in soybean seeds

Dissociated subunits of purified γ-conglycinin were isolated on a DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column. A single band was seen on two kinds of gel electrophoresis and isoleucine was shown as the only N-terminal amino acid. The isolated subunit reacted with antisera to the native γ-conglycinin. The M_r of the subunit was 51 000–51 500 estimated by urea-acetic acid and SDS-urea gel electrophoresis. A value of 50 000 was obtained by gel filtration with guanidine-hydrochloric acid on Sepharose CL-6B. The γ-conglycinin molecule was found to be made up of three subunits. This was determined by cross-linking the subunits and then submitting them to gel electrophoresis. Differences and similarities of subunit structure among γ-conglycinin, β-conglycinin and glycinin are discussed.     

Effect of removal or modification of subunit polypeptides on the coupling factor and hydrolytic activities of the Ca2+ and Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli

The effect of removal or modification of the polypeptide subunits (α, β γ, δ, and ?) of the Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺-activated ATPase of Escherichia coli was investigated. Removal of the δ-polypeptide, although giving some decrease in ATPase activity, resulted in complete loss of coupling activity, where coupling activity was measured by the restoration of the energy-dependent transhydrogenase activity of ATPase-stripped respiratory particles. Modification of the γ-polypeptide, as found in the ATPase of an energy transfer coupling mutant (etc-15), resulted in diminution of the ATPase and coupling activities. The diminished coupling activity could be overcome by using more of the enzyme which suggested that this enzyme may not be able to bind to the membrane as firmly as the enzyme from the wild type.     

Kinetics of ligand binding to ferrous heme groups of hemoglobin MSaskatoon.

Hemoglobin M_Saskatoon (α₂^Aβ₂^63tyr) has two α chains in the normal ferrous state, while its two β chains are in the ferric state. The reaction of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon with carbon monoxide at pH 7 and 20 °C in the presence and absence of dithionite was studied. In the absence of dithionite only the α chains react and the combination rate is slow and similar to that of normal deoxyhemoglobin. After the addition of dithionite the rate of reaction is greatly increased initially and then decreases to a rate similar to that seen in the absence of dithionite. The dissociation of oxygen from hemoglobin M_Saskatoon at pH 7 and 20 °C was found for the α subunits to be similar to that seen for normal oxyhemoglobin. This similarity in the kinetic properties of normal hemoglobin and the α subunits of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon in both ligand combination and dissociation reactions indicates that the α subunits of hemoglobin M_Saskatoon undergo a structural transition from a low to high affinity form on liganding. Since the β subunits react rapidly with carbon monoxide even when the α subunits are unliganded, it appears that the ligand binding sites of the β chains are uncoupled from the state of liganding of the α subunits.     

Lectins (haemagglutinins) in the haemolymph of Glossina fuscipes fuscipes: Isolation,partial characterization,selected physico-chemical properties and carbohydrate-binding specificities

Glossina fuscipes fuscipes haemolymph contained agglutinins (lectins), titre range 2⁻¹¹–2⁻¹⁸, against red blood cells (RBC) of human ABO(H) blood group with highest values detected against “AB” RBC. The use of protease- and neuraminidase-treated RBC in many cases increased titres whilst treatment with galactosidases or glucosidases caused decreased levels. Haemolymph adsorption with “O” RBC reduced titres against “O” and “AB” but to a lesser extent anti-A or -B activity indicating lectin heterogeneity. The carbohydrate-binding specificities for human RBC were directed towards N-acetylated and deoxy derivatives of glucose and/or galactose. In addition the haemagglutinins were reactive against some oligosaccharides, ribose, deoxymannose, deoxygalactose, xylose and xylan with certain of the RBC types. The agglutinins were glycoprotein in nature, thermo-labile, affected by storage, freezing and thawing treatments and exposure to a high dosage of γ-radiation, possessed limited disulphide and hydrogen bonds, and depended upon slightly acid to neutral conditions for optimum agglutination. The haemag-glutinins did not require the presence of divalent cations (Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺ or Cu²⁺ ions) for activity although an elevated concentration of Mg²⁺ ions resulted in increased endpoint titres. However heavy metal ions (Pb²⁺ and Fe²⁺) in the buffer lowered agglutinin levels. The intact lectin molecule had an isoelectric point of 6.2, a relative molecular weight of 710 kDa and comprised approx. 70 kDa subunits.