Interaction of benzo[c]phenanthridine and protoberberine alkaloids with animal and yeast cells

We compared the effects of four quaternary benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids – chelerythrine, chelilutine, sanguinarine, and sanguilutine – and two quaternary protoberberine alkaloids – berberine and coptisine – on the human cell line HeLa (cervix carcinoma cells) and the yeastsSaccharomyces cerevisiae andSchizosaccharomyces japonicus var. versatilis. The ability of alkaloids to display primary fluorescence, allowed us to record their dynamics and localization in cells. Cytotoxic, anti-microtubular, and anti-actin effects in living cells were studied. In the yeasts, neither microtubules nor cell growth was seriously affected even at the alkaloid concentration of 100 μg/ml. The HeLa cells, however, responded to the toxic effect of alkaloids at concentrations ranging from 1 to 50 μg/ml. IC₅₀ values for individual alkaloids were: sanguinarine IC₅₀ = 0.8 μg/ml, sanguilutine IC₅₀ = 8.3 μg/ml, chelerythrine IC₅₀ = 6.2 μg/ml, chelilutine IC₅₀ = 5.2 μg/ml, coptisine IC₅₀ = 2.6 μg/ml and berberine IC₅₀ >10.0 μg/ml. In living cells, sanguinarine produced a decrease in microtubule numbers, particularly at the cell periphery, at a concentration of 0.1 μg/ml. The other alkaloids showed a similar effect but at higher concentrations (5–50 μg/ml). The strongest effects of sanguinarine were explained as a consequence of its easy penetration through the cell membrane owing to nonpolar pseudobase formation and to a high degree of molecular planarity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Interaction of Eu3+ with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

The activity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase is markedly enhanced by Eu³⁺ ions. At pH 7.0 two binding constants for Eu³⁺, 1.0 × 10^–2 and 2.0 × 10^–3 M, were obtained using a Scatchard plot. The presence of Zn²⁺ ions restricts the Eu³⁺-induced increase in the activity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. Studies on the tryptophan fluorescence of the enzyme in the absence and presence of Eu³⁺ or Zn²⁺ ions showed that Eu³⁺ affects tertiary or quaternary structures, which is consistent with its activation of the enzyme. The presence of Zn²⁺ reverses the conformational changes caused by Eu³⁺. Comparison of the effects of Eu³⁺ with Zn²⁺ for apo-yeast alcohol dehydrogenase indicates that their binding sites on the protein are different.     

Quaternary protoberberine alkaloids

This contribution reviews some general aspects of the quaternary iminium protoberberine alkaloids. The alkaloids represent a very extensive group of secondary metabolites with diverse structures, distribution in nature, and biological effects. The quaternary protoberberine alkaloids (QPA), derived from the 5,6-dihydrodibenzo[a,g]quinolizinium system, belong to a large class of isoquinoline alkaloids. Following a general introduction, the plant sources of QPA, their biosynthesis, and procedures for their isolation are discussed. Analytical methods and spectral data are summarized with emphasis on NMR spectroscopy. The reactivity of QPA is characterized by the sensitivity of the iminium bond CN(+) to nucleophilic attack. The addition of various nucleophiles to the protoberberine skeleton is discussed. An extended discussion of the principal chemical reactivity is included since this governs interactions with biological targets. Quaternary protoberberine alkaloids and some related compounds exhibit considerable biological activities. Recently reported structural studies indicate that the QPA interact with nucleic acids predominantly as intercalators or minor groove binders. Currently, investigations in many laboratories worldwide are focused on the antibacterial and antimalarial activity, cytotoxicity, and potential genotoxicity of QPA.     

Interaction of nad with rape alcohol dehydrogenase

Rape alcohol dehydrogenase is competitively inhibited with respect to NAD by nicotinamide, as well as by compounds containing adenine (adenine, adenosine, AMP, ADP, ATP). Adenine and adenosine are bound more firmly to the enzyme than nicotinamide. The two types of compound, as component parts of the NAD coenzyme, are bound to different sites on the enzyme. Adenine and adenosine compete for the adenine nucleotide bonding site, but they do not compete for the o-phenanthroline bonding site. Nicotinamide competes with o-phenanthroline for the binding site at which the metal is apparently present.     

The protoberberine alkaloids of Stephania suberosa

Six new protoberberines were found in Stephama suberosa root extracts: (−)-tetrahydrostephabine, (−)-stephabinamine, stephabine, 8-oxypseudopalmatine, (−)-trans-xylopinine N-oxide and (−)-cis-xylopinine N-oxide. Ten known alkaloids were also detected: (−)-tetrahydropalmatine, (−)-tetrahydropalmatrubine, (−)-stepholidine, (−)-kikemanine, (−)-capaurimine, (−)-coreximine, (−)-corytenchine, (−)-discretine, pseudopalmatine and (−)-xylopinine.     

Rapid purification of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

Making use of the unusual stability of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase in the presence of ethanol, a simple, rapid procedure for isolating this enzyme in high yield is presented. Once-crystallized enzyme is obtained within 5 h of commencing the procedure; this is undegraded and substantially free of proteolytic activity.     

Stability of immobilized yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

The effects of substrate on stabilities of native (NA) and three kinds of immobilized yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (IMA), namely PGA (the carrier; porous glass), SEA (agarose gel) prepared covalently, and AMA (anion-exchange resin) prepared ionically, were studied. The following results were obtained. (1) The deactivations of NA and IMA free from the substrate or in the presence of ethanol obey the first-order kinetics, whereas, in the presence of butyraldehyde, their deactivation behaviors are explained on the basis of coexistence of two components of YADHs, namely the liable E₁, and the comparatively stable E₂, with different first-order deactivation constants. (2) A few attempts for stabilization of IMA were carried out from the viewpoint of the effects of crosslinkages among the subunits of YADH for PGA and the multibonding between the carrier and enzyme for SEA. The former is effective for the stabilization, whereas the later is not.     

Studies of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase with 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide

Summary 3-Aminopyridine mononucleotide, a nicotinamide mononucleotide analog, was prepared by enzymatic cleavage of 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide by a snake venom phosphodiesterase and isolated by means of ion exchange chromatography. The spectrophotometric and fluorometric properties of this analog were studied. Several anions were shown to quench the fluorescence intensity of this analog. pH was shown to have a pronounced effect on the fluorescence intensity. 3-Aminopyridine mononucleotide was shown to be a coenzyme-competitive inhibitor of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. The 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide was diazotized with the use of nitrous acid. A time dependent irreversible inactivation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase resulted from incubation with the diazotized 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide at pH 7.0. Incubation of the enzyme with NAD prior to the addition of the diazotized 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide protected the enzyme against inactivation.Recently, 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide (AAD) and 3-aminopyridine adenine dinucleotide phosphate (AADP), NAD and NADP analogs respectively, were synthesized by either chemical or enzymatic processes. The chemical, spectrophotometric properties of these dinucleotides have also been reported. It was demonstrated that these nucleotides serve as coenzyme-competitive inhibitors of dehydrogenases but did not function as coenzymes for oxidation-reduction reactions catalyzed by these enzymes. The pyridine amino group of AAD was diazotized and the diazotized derivative was shown to inactive yeast alcohol dehydrogenase irreversibly. Isolation of modified cysteine residue from the modified yeast alcohol dehydrogenase resulting from inactivation by diazotized AAD has been reported. Thus, diazotized AAD proved to be a site specific label for the coenzyme binding site of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. It was of interest to prepared and determine the properties of a NMN analog, 3-aminopyridine mononucleotide (APMN). The preparation of APMN was accomplished by enzymatic cleavage of AAD with snake venom phosphodiesterase according to a method previously reported. This report deals with the preparation, properties and studies of APMN with yeast alcohol dehydrogenase.This work was supported in part by Research Grant GR-IX from Old Dominion University Research Foundation.     

Studies on methylated yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

The incubation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase with formaldehyde in the presence of NaBH₄ methylates lysine residues to form ?N,?N-dimethyl lysine with a concurrent decrease in enzymic activity which is not alleviated by the presence of coenzymes. The modification causes structural change(s) in yeast alcohol dehydrogenase as evidenced by a hyperchromic shift in the uv spectrum, the sensivitity to heat inactivation, the reactivity to sulfhydryl reagents, and a change in Stokes' radius. Kinetic studies indicate that the reduced activity of the methylated enzyme to oxidize alcohols is associated with decreased maximum velocities by retarding the interconversion of the ternary complexes. The catalytic efficiency of the control enzyme to oxidize primary alcohols is affected by the steric interaction which is absent in the methylated enzyme.     

The zinc content of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

Analyses for zinc in high specific activity preparations of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) indicate a metal content of 1.8–1.9 moles of zinc per mole of enzyme subunit. This zinc content is observed for YADH prepared from Bakers yeast by recrystallization from Am₂SO₄ containing 1 mM EDTA, followed by chromatography on DE-52 and Sephadex-G-200. YADH obtained from Boehringer-Mannheim is characterized by a variable specific activity: preparations with Sp. Ac. = 380–400 U/mg contain 1.8–1.9 moles of zinc per mole of subunit. Dialysis of YADH against EDTA (pH 8.5, 25°, under N₂) reduces the specific activity and zinc content in an approximately linear fashion down to a Sp. Ac. = 150 U/mg, consistent with the preferential loss of a single, weakly bound zinc per subunit which is essential for catalytic activity. Dialysis of YADH against 1 mM ZnCl₂ (pH 6.5–8.5, 25°, under N₂) does not lead to an increase in the zinc content of the enzyme, indicating that under these conditions zinc does not bind adventitiously to YADH. Dialysis against 50 mM CoSO₄ (pH 5.5, 25°, under N2, 60–90 hr) leads to an exchange of ≈ 40% of the enzyme-bound zinc by cobalt. Our preparations of YADH are consistently characterized by a zinc content of ≈ 2 per subunit and we are unable to reduce the zinc content of YADH by dialysis against EDTA without a concomitant loss in enzyme activity, in contrast to reports of one zinc per subunit [Veillon, C. and Sytkowski, A.J., BBRC $\text{67}$: 1499 (1975); Vallee, B.L. and Hoch, F.L., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA $\text{41}$: 327 (1955)]. The findings reported here, together with the observed structural similarities between YADH and horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase [Jornvall, H., Woenckhaus, C. and Johnscher, G., Eur. J. Biochem. $\text{53}$: 71 (1975)], suggest a role for zinc at both a structural and catalytic site in YADH.     

Subunit conformation of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase.

The primary structure of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase has been compared to the known tertiary structure of the corresponding horse liver enzyme after proper alignment of the two proteins. Possible influences on the subunit conformations of all amino acid exchanges, which affect 75% of the positions, were examined from interactions in the x-ray model of the horse enzyme. In spite of the differences, 90 of 93 strictly internal residues are similar, 18 space-restricted glycine residues are conserved, 16 structurally compensated exchanges occur, all functionally essential residues are similar or identical, and 41 gaps in either sequence may be accommodated in the model. These results show that the general subunit conformations and enzymatic mechanisms of the two enzymes are largely identical. Four surface areas are changed, affecting a region with differing charges, a noncommon loop, a structure around the second zinc atom, and residues at the main dimer interface. Although the subunit interactions in the yeast enzyme cannot be determined, the surface changes probably correlate with differences in quaternary structure between the proteins.     

Dye affinity labelling of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

The interaction of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) with the reactive chlorotriazine dye Vilmafix Blue A-R (VBAR) was studied. VBAR was purified to homogeneity on lipophilic Sephadex LH-20 and characterised by reverse phase HPLC and analytical TLC. Incubation of ADH with purified VBAR at pH 8.0 and 37 degrees C resulted in a time-dependent inactivation of the enzyme. The observed rate of enzyme inactivation (kobs) exhibited a non-linear dependence on VBAR concentration from 22 to 106 nmol, with a maximum rate of inactivation (k3) of 0.134 min-1 and kD of 141.7 microM. The inhibition was irreversible and activity could not be recovered by gel-filtration chromatography. The inactivation of ADH by VBAR was competitively inhibited by the nucleotides NADH and NAD+. These results suggest that VBAR acts as an affinity label at the nucleotide binding site of yeast ADH.     

Aldehyde dismutase activity of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase

Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) is able to catalyze the oxidation of acetaldehyde by NAD+ with a concomitant formation of ethanol, at pH 8.8 and pH 7.1; the stoichiometry of aldehyde oxidation vs. ethanol formation is 2:1. This enzymatic reaction obeys the Michaelis-Menten kinetics and was characterized by a high KM for acetaldehyde (68 mM) and a low kcat (2.3 s–1), at pH 8.8, 22°C. There is no visible burst of NADH during the reaction, from pH 7.1–10.1. Therefore, we have concluded that the enzyme catalyzes an apparent dismutation of two molecules of acetaldehyde into a molecule of acetic acid and a molecule of ethanol.     

Interaction of alcohol dehydrogenase with tert-butylhydroperoxide: stimulation of the horse liver and inhibition of the yeast enzymes

Preincubation of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH) with the oxidative agent, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBOOH) results in a twofold stimulation of the ethanol dehydrogenase activity of this enzyme. This stimulation was dependent on tBOOH concentration up to 100 mM; above this concentration tBOOH did not further stimulate ethanol oxidation by HLADH. Active-site-directed reagents and classical ADH binary complexes were used to probe the possible mechanism of this activating effect. The rate and extent of stimulation by tBOOH is strongly reduced by binary complexes with NAD(+) or NADH, whose pyrophosphate groups bind to Arg-47 and Arg-369. In contrast stimulation by tBOOH was not prevented by AMP or the sulfhydryl reagents dithiothreitol and glutathione, suggesting, respectively, a lack of role for Lys-228 and sulfhydryl group oxidation in the stimulation by tBOOH. In contrast to the liver enzyme, treatment of yeast ADH (YADH) with tBOOH irreversibly inhibited its ethanol dehydrogenase activity. Inhibition of YADH by tBOOH approximated first-order rate kinetics with respect to enzyme at fixed concentrations of tBOOH between 0.5 to 300 mM. Four -SH groups per molecule of YADH were modified by tBOOH, whereas only two -SH groups were modified in HLADH. The stimulation of HLADH by tBOOH is suggested to be due to destabilization of the catalytic Zn-coordination sphere and amino acids associated with coenzyme binding in the active site, while inactivation of YADH appears to be associated with -SH group oxidation by the peroxide.