Cell-free synthesis of the enzymes of peroxisomal beta-oxidation

Three enzymes of peroxisomal β-oxidation of rat liver were synthesized in a cell-free protein-synthesizing system derived from rabbit reticulocyte lysate. The $\text{in}\text{vitro}$ products of acyl-CoA oxidase and enoyl-CoA hydratase-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase multifunctional protein were similar in size to or slightly larger than the subunit of the respective mature enzymes. The $\text{in}\text{vitro}$ product of peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase was about 3,000 daltons larger than the mature subunit. The hepatic levels of translatable mRNAs coding for these three enzymes were about 10 times higher in rats fed a di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate-containing diet than in control animals.     

The kinetics of enzyme changes in yeast under conditions that cause the loss of mitochondria

1. Aerobically grown yeast having a high activity of glyoxylate-cycle, citric acid-cycle and electron-transport enzymes was transferred to a medium containing 10% glucose. After a lag phase of 30min. the yeast grew exponentially with a mean generation time of 94min. 2. The enzymes malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate lyase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase lost 45%, 17%, 27% and 46% of their activity respectively during the lag phase. 3. When growth commenced pyruvate kinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, alcohol dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase (NADP⁺-linked) and NADPH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase increased in activity, whereas aconitase, isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺- and NADP⁺-linked), α-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, fumarase, malate dehydrogenase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH oxidase, NADPH oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺-linked), glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase, isocitrate lyase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased. 4. During the early stages of growth the loss of activity of aconitase, α-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase, fumarase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase could be accounted for by dilution by cell division. The lower rate of loss of activity of isocitrate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺- and NADP⁺-linked), glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD⁺-linked), glutamate–oxaloacetate transaminase, NADPH oxidase and cytochrome c oxidase implies their continued synthesis, whereas the higher rate of loss of activity of malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate lyase, succinate–cytochrome c oxidoreductase, NADH–cytochrome c oxidoreductase and NADH oxidase means that these enzymes were actively removed. 5. The mechanisms of selective removal of enzyme activity and the control of the residual metabolic pathways are discussed.     

Relationship of the reduction-oxidation state to protein degradation in skeletal and atrial muscle

Changes in proteolysis were correlated with the cell reduction-oxidation state in rat diaphragm and atrium. Protein degradation was measured in the presence of cycloheximide as the linear release of tyrosine into the medium. Intracellular ratios of lactate/pyruvate, total $\text{NADH}\text{NAD}$, and malate/pyruvate were used as indicators of the muscle reduction-oxidation state. Incubation of diaphragms with leucine (0.5–2.0 mm) or its transamination product, sodium α-ketoisocaproate (0.5 mm), resulted in a lower rate of proteolysis and a higher ratio of lactate/pyruvate and $\text{NADH}\text{NAD}$. These effects of leucine could be abolished by inhibiting its transamination with l-cycloserine. Unlike leucine, neither isoleucine nor valine alone produced any change in these parameters. Incubation of diaphragms with glucose (20 mm) or atria with sodium lactate (2 mm) produced a diminution of tyrosine release from the muscles and a rise in the ratio of total $\text{NADH}\text{NAD}$. Similarly, in incubated diaphragms of fasted rats, the anabolic effects of insulin, epinephrine and isoproterenol on protein degradation were associated with a higher malate/pyruvate ratio. In catabolic states, such as fasting, cortisol treatment of fasted, adrenalectomized rats or traumatization, enhanced muscle proteolysis was observed. Fresh-frozen diaphragms from these rats had both lower lactate/pyruvate and malate/pyruvate ratios than did muscles from control animals. These data show that diminution of proteolysis in diaphragm is accompanied by an increase of the $\text{NAD(P)H}\text{NAD(P)}$ ratios. In contrast to these findings, chymostatin and leupeptin, which inhibit directly muscle proteinases, caused a decrease of the lactate/pyruvate and malate/pyruvate ratios. These results suggest that protein degradation in diaphragm and atrium is linked to the cellular redox state.     

The development of lactate and malate dehydrogenases in the C57BL-6 mouse kidney

The development of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; EC 1.1.1.27) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH; EC 1.1.1.37) was measured in the kidney of male and female $\text{C57BL}\text{6}$ mice from ages prenatal 16 days to 80 days. Maximum reactions rates of the enzymes were measured in vitro by following the reduction of the nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide spectrophotometrically.Analysis of variance showed no significant sex difference for LDH and MDH. There was a significant sex difference for the ratio LDH:MDH and a significant age difference for LDH, MDH, and the ratio LDH:MDH. In the male and female, LDH activity increased from prenatal 16 days to 30 days. Malate dehydrogenase activity reached adult values at 22 days in the male and at 30 days in the female. The ratio LDH:MDH in the male decreased from prenatal 16 days to 3 days, after which the ratio continued to decline to 20 days at a less rapid rate. This general pattern was also found in the female followed by a further decline in the ratio at 50 days.The development of LDH and MDH in the $\text{C57BL}\text{6}$ mouse is tissue specific and probably parallels the development of the tissue's function. In the case of the kidney, LDH and MDH development may reflect maturation of mitochondrial function and the kidney's ability to concentrate urine.     

EPR study of the effect of formate on cytochrome C oxidase

The addition of formate to oxidized cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase (ferrocytochrome $\text{c}$: oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.9.3.1) causes the appearance of a high spin heme signal at g = 6 and a splitting of g = 3 signal to g = 2.98 and 3.07. When formate-cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase is reduced, the g = 2.98 signal decreases significantly. The spectrophotometric studies showed that formate is a specific ligand to cytochrome $\text{a}$₃. Data suggest that binding of formate to oxidized cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase produces a ligand-$\text{a}$₃ interaction leading to the splitting of g = 3 signal hitherto considered as due to cytochrome $\text{a}$. Thus both cytochrome $\text{a}$ and $\text{a}$₃ contribute to the resonance of g = 3 signal of cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase.     

Changes in the electron transport chain of pea leaf mitochondria metabolizing malate

Pea leaf mitochondria showed complex kinetics for malate metabolism. O₂ uptake increased as malate concentration increased from 0 to 10 mm, reached a plateau between 10 and 20 mm malate, and then increased again up to 40 mm malate. Analysis of the products of malate oxidation by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the first phase of O₂ uptake coincided with the synthesis of both pyruvate and oxalacetate (OAA) while the second phase of O₂ uptake at higher malate levels usually occurred with a large increase in OAA formation. The biphasic response in O₂ uptake and the changing ratios of pyruvate and OAA synthesis did not appear to be the direct result of the differing K_m values of malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme. Rather, they resulted from thermodynamic properties of these two malate oxidases and the kinetics of the two NADH dehydrogenases found in plant mitochondria. At low malate concentrations the rotenone-sensitive NADH dehydrogenase was active and could accept electrons from both malate oxidases. This NADH dehydrogenase became saturated at about 10 mm malate. At higher malate concentrations the rotenone-insensitive NADH dehydrogenase was increasingly important and its increased electron transport capacity was best exploited by malate dehydrogenase. At the higher malate concentrations an increasing portion of the electrons from malate reduce O₂ through the alternative oxidase. Although this coincided with the second phase of malate-dependent O₂ uptake it was not required for this phase to be seen.     

Resonance Raman spectroscopy of cytochrome c oxidase and electron transport particles with excitation near the Soret band

We report the resonance Raman spectra of cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase, both solubilized and in electron transport particles using laser excitation near the Soret band. As in the spectra of other hemoproteins, such as cytochrome $\text{c}$, the shape and intensity of a number of bands change when the oxidation state is varied. However, one of the hemes of solubilized cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase shows redox behavior which is anomalous. Spectra of electron transport particles are dominated by cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase. There are, however, definite differences between spectra of solubilized cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase and electron transport particles in the oxidized states.     

Bile acid biotransformation rates of selected gram-positive and gram-negative intestinal anaerobic bacteria.

Treatment of whole cell suspensions of $\text{Eubacterium aerofaciens}$ and $\text{Bacteroides fragilis}$ with lysozyme resulted in a marked increase (>100-fold) in the rates of biotransformation of cholate to 7-ketodeoxycholate (7-KD) in the former but only a 2-fold increase in the latter bacterium. In $\text{B. fragilis}$ the total activity of both NAD-dependent 7-α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7-α-OHSDH) and bile salt hydrolase (BSH) increase markedly during the stationary growth phase. Both enzymes were found in the spheroplast lysate and the Triton-soluble washed membrane fractions but only BSH was found in the spheroplast medium.     

The effects of quipazine on serotonin metabolism in rat brain.

Quipazine, 2-(1-piperazinyl)-quinoline, is a drug that has been reported to stimulate serotonin receptors in brain. We therefore studied the effect of quipazine on several parameters of serotonin metabolism in rat brain. Quipazine caused a slight, dose-related elevation of serotonin levels and decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels for 2–4 hrs after it was administered. The decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels was probably due primarily to a depression of 5-hydroxyindole synthesis, since quipazine also decreased the rate of 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation after NSD 1015, the rate of serotonin decline after α-propyldopacetamide, and the rate of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid accumulation after probenecid. The elevation of serotonin was probably due to weak inhibition of monoamine oxidase. Quipazine reversibly inhibited the oxidation of serotonin by rat brain monoamine oxidase $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ and protected against the irreversible inactivation of the enzyme $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$. Quipazine also was a potent inhibitor of serotonin uptake into brain synaptosomes $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ and attained concentrations in brain higher than the $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ IC₅₀. However, quipazine did not prevent the depletion of brain serotonin by p-chloroamphetamine $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$. In addition to stimulating serotonin receptors in brain, quipazine may inhibit monoamine oxidase and serotonin reuptake $\text{in}$$\text{vivo}$.     

Properties of rat liver mitochondria with intermembrane Cytochrome c.

When rat liver mitochondria were suspended in 0.15 m KCl, the cytochrome c appeared to be solubilized from the binding site on the outside of the inner membrane and trapped in the intermembrane space. When the outer membrane of these mitochondria was disrupted with digitonin at a digitonin concentration of 0.15 mg/mg of protein, the solubilized cytochrome c could be released from mitochondria along with adenylate kinase. When mitochondria were suspended in 0.15 m KCl instead of 0.33 m sucrose, the $\text{ADP}\text{O}$ ratio observed with succinate, β-hydroxybutyrate, malate + pyruvate or glutamate as substrates was little affected. A number of cycles of State 4-State 3-State 4 with ADP was observed. The respiratory control ratios, however, were decreased, particularly when glutamate was used as the substrate. Cytochrome c oxidase activity was also decreased to 55% when assayed using ascorbate + N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine (TMPD) as substrates. Suspension of mitochondria in 0.15 m KCl resulted in an enhancement of the very low NADH oxidation by intact mitochondria and a twofold enhancement of sulfite oxidation. Trapped cytochrome c in outer membrane vesicles prepared from untreated and trypsin-treated intact mitochondria was found to be readily reduced by NADH and suggests that some cytochrome b₅ is located on the inner surface of the outer membrane. The enhanced NADH oxidase could therefore reflect the ability of cytochrome c to mediate intermembrane electron transport. The enhanced sulfite oxidase activity was sensitive to cyanide inhibition and coupled to oxidative phosphorylation ($\text{ADP}\text{O}\text{< 1}$) unlike the activity of mitochondria in sucrose medium. These results suggest that free cytochrome c in the intermembrane space can mediate electron transfer between the sulfite oxidase and the inner membrane.     

Energy metabolism in developing Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. II, The steady state content of intermediary metabolites.

The steady state levels of intermediary metabolites were measured in freeze clamped, developing, dormant, and activated infective Ascaris lumbricoides eggs. The $\text{[ATP]}\text{[ADP]}$ ratio is low in the developmental stages and rises sharply in the dormant egg; on activation of the dormant egg the $\text{[ATP]}\text{[ADP]}$ ratio falls. The levels of the phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates of acetyl-CoA and of isocitrate do not change markedly during development, but the levels of lactate, citrate, 2-oxoglutarate, glutamate, succinate, and malate all show significant changes in the developing, dormant, and activated egg. The dormant egg also appears to be characterized by a low cytoplasmic redox potential.     

Transient kinetic studies of malic enzyme. A conformational change associated with substrate inhibition by malate.

The oxidative decarboxylation of l-malate catalyzed by malic enzyme has been studied by stopped-flow spectrophotometry and by initial rate measurements with large concentrations of NADP⁺, malate, and Mn²⁺. The results show that hybride transfer is fast, $\text{t}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>1</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{< 0.7}$ ms. The formation of enzyme-bound NADPH in an amount equivalent to about half of the enzyme active center concentration is followed by turnover at a rate which is initially faster than the steady-state rate, under conditions such that substrate inhibition by malate is observed in the steady state. The steady-state rate is reached after about 0.5 s. It is suggested that a conformational change in the abortive complex of enzyme, manganese, NADPH, and malate is responsible for the malate inhibition and for the slow approach to the true steady state. The relief of malate inhibition by increasing Mn²⁺ concentrations is described, and the results are described in relation to other evidence of nonidentical binding sites for, or negatively cooperative binding of, substrate and activator and possible half-of-the-sites reactivity.     

The cytochrome c binding site on cytochrome c oxidase.

Cytochrome $\text{c}$ was chemically coupled to cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase using the reagent 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) which couples amine groups to carboxyl residues. The products of this reaction were analyzed on 2.5–27% polyacrylamide gradient gels electrophoretically. Since cytochrome $\text{c}$ binds to cytochrome oxidase electrostatically in an attraction between certain of its lysine residues and carboxyl residues on the oxidase surface, EDC is an especially appropriate reagent probe for binding-subunit studies. Coupling of polylysine to cytochrome oxidase using EDC was also performed, and the products of this reaction indicate that polylysine, an inhibitor of the cytochrome $\text{c}$ reaction with oxidase, binds to the same oxidase subunit as does cytochrome $\text{c}$, subunit IV in the gel system used.     

Changes in lysosomal cathepsins during liver regeneration

The effect if $\text{2}\text{3}$ hepatectomy in the adult rat on the specific and total activities of two lysosomal endopeptidases, cathepsins B₁ and D, has been examined. The specific activity of both enzymes fell rapidly following hepatectomy when compared to paired, sham-operated controls. When changes in total protein were compared to changes in cathepsins B₁ and D, all three decreased in a parallel fashion for the first 18 h. At 24 h, total liver protein increased rapidly while cathepsins B₁ and D continued to decrease. Cathepsin B₁ fell to a level of 12% of non-operated control levels at 36 h, while total protein was already back to 40% of control levels. In contrast to the decreases in the activities of the cathepsins, there was an increase in the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase during the first two days of regeneration. The clear lag in replacement of the cathepsins relative to other liver proteins following partial hepatectomy suggests that cathepsin activity is selectively controlled and that lowering the levels of cathepsins B₁ and D may play an important role in the decreased degradation of protein seen during the early phases of liver regeneration.     

Subcellular distribution of serine hydroxymethyltransferase in Plasmodium lophurae.

Subcellular fractions of the bird malaria, $\text{Plasmodium lophurae}$ were prepared by differential centrifugation. Cytochrome oxidase activity was located in the mitochondrial fraction. A major portion of glutamate dehydrogenase activity was found in the mitochondrial fraction with the remainder in the ribosomal and cytosolic fractions. Malate dehydrogenase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase activities were located primarily in the cytosolic fraction.     

Establishment and characterization of a cell line from embryos of the Indianmeal moth,Plodia interpunctella

A cell line, UMN-PIE-1181, initiated in November, 1981, from embryos of a malathion-resistant strain of Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella, was in the 83rd passage on January 28, 1985. The line consists of single, small, fibroblastlike cells that are polyploid with chromosome numbers ranging from 56 to 180. Growth rate is dependent on seeding density, there being no growth at or below seeding densities of $\text{2 ×}\text{10}{}^5\text{5}\text{,}\text{ml}$; optimum growth requires a fetal bovine serum concentration of at least 5%. Twenty-nine isozymes were examined. Five enzymes from the cell lines resolved well and subsequently were compared to enzymes extracted from 4-day-old embryos and other life stages of the insects. Phosphomannose isomerase, malic enzyme, malate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucose isomerase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in extracts from the cultured cells and from the insects had identical patterns. Two bands for glutamate-oxalacetate transaminase, present in the cell line, were not observed in the tissue extracts. Furthermore, lactate dehydrogenase from the cultured cells appeared as four bands but was not detectable in any of the samples run from the various life stages of the insects.     

Two routes for synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate from C4-dicarboxylic acids in Escherichia coli

Mutants of $\text{E. coli}$ defective in both phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase are unable to use C₄-dicarboxylic acids such as succinate and malate as carbon and energy sources for growth. Revertants that have restored function for either one of these enzymes can grow in a malate-mineral medium, but at a reduced rate compared with the growth of wild-type cells. $\text{E. coli}$ appears to use two pathways for synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate from C₄-dicarboxylic acids. One of these involves decarboxylation of oxalacetate catalyzed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. The second pathway makes use of the combined action of malic enzyme and phosphoenolpyruvate synthetase.     

Immunological titration of rat liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from animals fed high and low carbohydrate diets.

Recent work (Hizi and Yagil [1974] Eur. J. Biochem. $\text{45}$: 211–221, and Kelly $\text{et. al.}$ [1975] Fed. Proc. $\text{34}$: 881) suggests that the marked increase in rat liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity which is observed upon feeding an animal a high carbohydrate diet does not involve an increase in the total amount of enzyme present. In contrast, the data presented herein involving immunological titrations of rat liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase indicates that the increase in enzyme activity resulting from feeding a high carbohydrate diet does involve an increase in the total amount of enzyme present.     

Behaviour of some mitochondrial enzymes in ripening tomato fruit

The activities of four mitochondrial enzymes were studied in four stages of ripening tomato fruit. The highest enzyme activity was recorded for malate dehydrogenase followed by cytochrome c oxidase. Succinate dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase levels were low and could only be determined in the green stage of the fruit. However, peaks of various enzyme activities coincided in identical mitochondrial fractions on the sucrose density gradient. Moreover, the levels of malate dehydrogenase and cytochrome c oxidase were constant during the ripening process while the other two enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase and NADH oxidase, declined. This might indicate that mitochondria retain some of their essential functions through the ripening process.     

Evidence for ceruloplasmin as a copper transport protein.

Rats fed a copper-deficient diet for eight weeks showed a large decrease in cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase in heart, spleen, liver, lung, and pancreas but no significant change in kidney and brain. Three injections of human or rat ceruloplasmin over a five day period greatly increased cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase activity in spleen, liver, heart and lung. Rats receiving CuCl₂, Cu-histidine, and Cu-albumin produced a smaller and slower increase in cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase compared to ceruloplasmin treated animals. In Cu-histidine treated rats, the increase in enzyme activity did not occur until after the plasma ceruloplasmin level reached a maximal value. It is concluded that ceruloplasmin functions as a primary copper transport protein from which copper atoms are transferred to cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase and probably other copper containing proteins.