Ester Production by Pseudomonas fragi IV. Demonstration of Esterase Activity

Assay of the esterase activity of sonically treated cell-free extracts, whole cell suspensions, and supernatant fluid of Pseudomonas fragi cultures with a differential respirometer revealed that the esterases were intracellular. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis demonstrated six bands of esterase activity, which revealed substrate specificity differences. Band 1 exhibited slow mobility, bands 2, 3, and 4 moderate mobility, and bands 5 and 6 rapid mobility. Six bands were active with alpha-naphthyl acetate, four bands with alpha-naphthyl propionate, and 5 bands with alphanaphthyl butyrate. These esterases appeared to be more active with aromatic esters than with aliphatic esters.     

Characterization of Nasutitermes globiceps (Isoptera: Termitidae) Esterases

Esterases of Nasutitermes globiceps termites which occur on the Upper Paraná River floodplain (Brazil) were characterized. The electrophoretic pattern of the termite esterases Nasutitermes globiceps was obtained by starch gel electrophoresis. Six esterase activity zones were obtained and numbered, with esterase-1 being the most anodall one and esterase-6 the most cathodal one. Esterase-2 was detected only with substrates derived from the 4-methylumbelliferyl radical. The esterases of N. globiceps present wide substrate specificity, having been observed with substrates derived from alpha-naphthyl (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) and beta-naphthyl (acetate, butyrate) and from 4-methylumbelliferyl (acetate, propionate and butyrate). Esterase-6 is a caste-specific enzyme detected in soldiers. Only esterases 1, 3 and 5 were detected in nymphs. No genetic polymorphism has been detected thus far in the esterases of Nasutitermes globiceps. This study suggests that allozyme variation can be explored to understand Nasutitermes social structure.     

Preliminary characterisation of esterase and platelet-activating factor (PAF)-acetylhydrolase activities from cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) salivary glands

Naphthyl esterase and platelet-activating factor (PAF)-acetylhydrolase activities were detected in the salivary glands of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. Salivary naphthyl esterase activity is disgorged during exploratory probing. Whole extracts of salivary glands contain esterase activity against the short-chain naphthyl esters alpha-naphthyl acetate (approximately 210pmol/min/gland pair; 10.0micromol/min/mg specific activity; K(m) approximately 59microM) and beta-naphthyl acetate (approximately 110pmol/min/gland pair; 5.2micromol/min/mg specific activity; K(m) approximately 132microM). Salivary gland extracts have PAF-acetylhydrolase activity (approximately 5pmol/min/gland pair; 0.24micromol/min/mg specific activity) but do not have detectable acetylcholinesterase activity. Native-PAGE and IEF resolve three and six salivary gland naphthyl esterase bands, respectively, and both patterns are different from carcass esterases. Salivary gland naphthyl esterase activity binds reversibly to Concanavalin A, and enzymatic deglycosylation with glycopeptidase F produced a new, fast-migrating salivary gland naphthyl esterase band on Native-PAGE. Renaturation of esterase activity after SDS-PAGE gave approximately 56kDa, approximately 57kDa and approximately 58kDa naphthyl-esterase-positive bands. On gel filtration naphthyl esterase and PAF-acetylhydrolase activities co-elute as a single peak with an apparent molecular weight of approximately 59kDa. This partially purified pool of enzyme had esterase activity against a series of short-chain alpha- and beta-naphthyl esters. The heterogeneity of salivary gland esterases, their relationship to PAF-acetylhydrolase, and the possible physiological functions of salivary gland PAF-acetylhydrolase activity are discussed.     

Purification and Properties of Undecyl Acetate Esterase from Pseudomonas cepacia Grown on 2-Tridecanone

Undecyl acetate esterase has been purified from Pseudomonas cepacia grown on the methyl ketone, 2-tridecanone. The K(m) for undecyl acetate was 2.3 x 10(-2) M. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that two esterase bands were being recovered during purification. These bands were separated by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Molecular weights were estimated to be approximately 34,500 by several methods. Molecular sieve polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the two esterases had the same molecular weight but different charge, which is indicative of isoenzymes.     

Purification and properties of three esterases from Brevibacterium sp. R312

C. LAMBRECHTS, J. ESCUDERO AND P. GALZY. 1995. The esterases of Brevibacterium sp. R312 were found to have an intracellular location. Electrophoresis of lysed cell supernatant fluids revealed seven bands of esterase activity in the presence of α-naphthyl acetate. Eight esterases were separated by anion exchange chromatography. The three main esterases (esterase 4b, 2 and 4a) of Brevibacterium sp. R312 were purified. The molar masses, the pH optima, the temperature optima and heat stabilities were determined. Esterase 2 differed from the two others in sensitivity to inhibitors. Esterase 4b differed from esterases 2 and 4a in its substrate specificity. This enzyme hydrolyses aliphatic and nitrophenyl esters. The spectrum of activity of the two other esterases is narrower. They hydrolysed only naphthyl esters and, in the case of esterase 2, tributyrate and ethyl butyrate.     

Multiple Hydrolases in Bean Leaves (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and the Effect of the Halo Blight Disease Caused by Pseudomonas phaseolicola (Burkh.) Dowson

Multiple forms of hydrolytic enzymes were demonstrated in extracts of healthy bean leaves (Phascolus vulgaris L.) and bean leaves infected with the halo blight organism [Pseudomonas phaseolicola (Burkh.) Dowson] by polyacrylamide disc electrophoresis.Bean leaves contained up to 4 acid phosphatase bands, 9 esterase bands active towards alpha-naphthyl acetate, and 7 esterase bands towards alpha-naphthyl butyrate. Only low or no activity was found for alkaline phosphatase, lipase, and aminopeptidase.Two artifacts are described which were observed with the lead phosphate method for acid phosphatase and the Tween method for demonstration of lipase.After infection with the halo blight organism the major acid phosphatase of the host increased during early and decreased at later infection stages. An acid phosphatase of bacterial origin with a more neutral pH optimum could be demonstrated in infected leaves. It is suggested that the bacterial acid phosphatase plays a role in uptake of metabolites by the pathogen.Several esterase bands decreased after infection. One host band with activity towards alpha-naphthyl butyrate increased. Also the pathogen showed an esterase band with high activity towards alpha-naphthyl butyrate.     

Characterization of nonspecific esterase activity in macrophages and intestinal epithelium of the rat.

We determined the histochemical characteristics of nonspecific esterase in different populations of rat macrophages. The cells included alveolar and peritoneal macrophages recovered by lavage and a mixed cell population obtained by collagenase digestion of the small intestine. The histochemically localized enzyme activity of alveolar and peritoneal macrophages was cytoplasmic, diffuse, and inhibited by sodium fluoride. Both populations were effectively stained using alpha-naphthyl acetate and alpha-naphthyl butyrate as the esterase substrate. When the intestinal cells were examined for activity, a greater percentage of cells showed positive nonspecific esterase than would be predicted by differential counts for macrophages on the basis of morphological criteria. We confirmed, using cell smears and tissue sections, that rat intestinal epithelial cells, a prominent component of the isolated cell population, possessed esterases that react similarly to macrophage esterases with histochemical procedures.     

Alpha naphthyl acetate esterase activities in guinea pig Kurloff cells: a cytochemical and electrophoretic study

We established the presence of nonspecific esterases in the Kurloff cell (KC) by cytochemical methods at both light and electron microscope levels. Acid alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activities were localized on the external face of the plasma membrane and on the external surface of the membrane surrounding the Kurloff body. Different cytosoluble KC extracts were obtained from purified splenic KC suspensions. About 18 isoenzymes were observed by isoelectric focusing, whereas after polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis in native conditions almost all activity was observed on a few broad bands with very high apparent molecular weights, suggesting their oligomeric arrangement. After a first aqueous extraction step which released only a few isoenzymes, the remaining pellet was subjected to Triton X-100. This released almost all the isoenzymes observed after direct Triton X-100 extraction. These data suggest that almost all the KC esterases are membrane-bound enzymes, in agreement with the subcellular enzyme distribution. Different substrates were also used to characterize the different specificities of the KC isoesterases. Weak activity was detected with alpha-naphthyl butyrate by light cytochemistry, which essentially corresponded, on zymograms, to the membrane-bound esterase activity.     

Purification and characterization of trans-permethrin metabolizing microsomal esterases from workers of the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)

Three alpha-naphthyl acetate hydrolyzing esterase isozymes were purified from microsomes prepared from Reticulitermes flavipes workers. The two step process involved sequential preparative IEF followed by continuous elution preparative electrophoresis on a 5% non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel. The first IEF run resulted in 5.4-fold purification with a yield of 46.1%. Subsequent IEF further purified the esterases 14.3-fold and 12% yield. Preparative electrophoresis of the pooled IEF fractions produced three major peaks of alpha-naphthyl acetate hydrolyzing activity. The esterases were correspondingly designated microsomal esterase (ME) 1, ME 2, and ME 3 based on increasing molecular retention on a native PAGE gel. ME 1, ME 2, and ME 3 were acidic proteins with pI values of 4.61, 4.70, and 4.77, respectively. Molecular mass as determined by gel filtration chromatography of ME 1, ME 2, and ME 3 was 69, 64, and 62 kDa, respectively. SDS-PAGE gels produced a single band for each of the isozymes with a molecular mass of 63 kDa indicating that the esterases were monomers. Specific activities of ME 1, ME 2, and ME 3 increased with increasing pH and the enzymes were active over a broad temperature range (25-55 degrees C). The three purified isozymes were inhibited at low concentration by paraoxon (10(-10) M), chlorpyrifos (10(-6) M), DEF (10(-6) M), and PMSF (10(-6) M) indicating that they were "B" type serine esterases. Conversely, inhibition was not observed at 10(-4) M eserine, PHMB, or CaCl(2), further supporting the conclusion that the microsomal esterases were of the "B" type. None of the isozymes was inhibited by 10(-4) M imidacloprid, fipronil, or PBO. Quantitatively, ME 1, ME 2 and ME 3 metabolized t-permethrin at 21.8, 21.0, and 38.8 nmol/h/mg protein, representing a purification factor of 333-, 318-, and 591-fold over microsomes, respectively. The three isozymes produced the same type and number of t-permethrin metabolites.     

Studies on acid lipase, and E 600-resistant acid esterase activities in human tissue homogenates.

Detailed comparison of acid lipase and acid esterase activities of human spleen, liver and kidney homogenates has been carried out by means of the following substrates: 14C-tripalmitin, alpha-naphthyl acetate, alpha-naphthyl butyrate, alpha-naphthyl laurate, p-nitro-phenyl acetate, butyrate and laurate. In addition, homogenates of the three tissues were subjected to isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels and histochemical staining with the above mentioned naphthyl substrates in the presence and absence of the organophosphate esterase inhibitor diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate (E 600). These studies provide extensive support for the proposal that E 600-resistant acid naphthyl butyryl and lauryl esterase activities in human tissues derive largely from the enzyme acid lipase. The studies suggest that the most specific chromogenic substrate for this enzyme at a biochemical and histochemical level is alpha-napthyl laurate in the presence of E600 (3 X 10(-6) M).     

Electrophoretic separation of esterases of Alaria marcianae (La Rue, 1917) (Trematoda).

1. Disc electrophoresis was used to determine the esterase isoenzymes present in adults of the strigeoid trematode Alaria marcianae (La Rue, 1917). 2. Eight esterase bands were found with alpha-naphthyl acetate as the substrate and Fast Blue RR as the dye. 3. From results obtained with inhibitors, four different types of esterases were tentatively identified; cholinesterase (one band), ali-esterase or B-type (one band), arylesterase or A-type (2 bands) and acetylesterase or C-type (4 bands).     

Characterization of [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate-binding proteins in hen brain. Rates of phosphorylation and sensitivity to neurotoxic and non-neurotoxic organophosphorus compounds.

The experiments described in this paper were designed to isolate [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate-binding proteins by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis for the purpose of characterizing and identifying potential initiation sites for organophosphorus-compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity. The major Paraoxon-insensitive Mipafox-sensitive binding protein (Mr 160 000) was found to be identical with one previously identified as neurotoxic esterase, an enzyme that has been proposed to be the target site for organophosphorus-compound-induced delayed neurotoxicity. However, two other binding proteins with suitable binding characteristics were also found in smaller amounts, one of which has not been detected previously. Di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate was found to phosphorylate all three of these proteins at rates similar to the rate at which neurotoxic esterase is inhibited by di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate. Varying the concentration of di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate or the time of incubation produced similar increases in binding to each of the labelled proteins. This suggests that the reaction rates of di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate with proteins may be described by first-order kinetics, and the concentration of the Michael is complex formed during binding is minimal for all the phosphorylated proteins. The recovery of the binding activity in the 160 000-Mr band was found to be similar to the recovery of neurotoxic esterase activity, lending further support to the contention that this band is identical with neurotoxic esterase.     

Production, Purification, and Properties of Extracellular Carboxyl Esterases from Bacillus subtilis NRRL 365

Bacillus subtilis NRRL 365 produced high extracellular carboxyl esterase activity in submerged culture media containing wheat bran, corn steep liquor, and salts. Supplementation of this medium with glucose reduced esterase activity to 37% of that in the unsupplemented control. Esterase activity was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, DEAE-Sephadex A-50 ion-exchange chromatography with sodium chloride gradient elution, and preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The resultant purified components, esterases I and II, manifested single bands following silver staining of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels and had final specific activities of 80 and 520 U/mg, respectively. Molecular weights for components I and II were 36,000 and 105,000 to 110,000, respectively. Esterases I and II both had a pH optimum of 8.0, with relative activities of 10 and 85%, respectively, at pH 9.0. K_ms with p-nitrophenylacetate were 0.91 mM for esterase I and 0.67 mM for esterase II. In general, patterns of enzyme inhibition were similar for both components. Differences were observed in the relative activities of esterases I and II towards p-nitrophenyl esters of acetate, propionate, and butyrate; Activity ratios for components I and II were 100:94:48 and 100:36:23, respectively. The purified components did not hydrolyze long-chain triglycerides and did not manifest proteolytic activity.     

Esterases of developing human brain

Abstract The free and bound nonspecific esterases occurring in, respectively, the saline and triton X-100 extracts of adult and developing human brain were studied by starch gel electrophoresis (zymograms). Zymograms of the free esterase fraction visualized with NA as substrate were qualitatively similar at 5-12 days of age to the electrophoretic patterns observed in adult material. In both adult and developing brain, zymograms of bound esterase resembled those of the free enzyme, the major difference being the presence in the former of a slow, broad, anodic zone of diethyl-p-nitrophenyl phosphate-inhibited enzyme. Esterases characteristic of adult white matter and having preferential affinity for alpha-naphthylpropionate, alpha-naphthyl butyrate and alpha-naphthyl valerate were not identified in infant brain until about 4 months postnatal age. A far-moving, anodic enzyme was distinctly evident in zymograms of brains of less than 1 month of age. This enzyme hydrolysed NP, NB, and NV more actively than alpha-naphthyl acetate. It was present in the adult brain but, in contrast to the infant, was no longer electrophoretically-separable from another enzyme which had greater affinity for NA and had previously been designated the A₁₀ band. Quantitative assays demonstrated that the bound esterase increased in cerebral and cerebellar cortex during development. In contrast, the proportion of free to bound esterase showed little change in white matter. Acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase zymograms became identical to adult patterns from 1 to 4 months of age. Thiolacetic acid esterase was present at 38 weeks gestation. Some functional and anatomical correlations were attempted in explanation of the biochemical observations.     

Non-lipolytic and lipolytic sequence-related carboxylesterases: A comparative study of the structure–function relationships of rabbit liver esterase 1 and bovine pancreatic bile-salt-activated lipase

To differentiate esterases from lipases at the structure–function level, we have compared the kinetic properties and structural features of sequence-related esterase 1 from rabbit liver (rLE) and bile-salt-activated lipase from bovine pancreas (bBAL). In contrast to rLE, bBAL hydrolyses water-insoluble medium and long chain esters as vinyl laurate, trioctanoin and olive oil. Conversely, rLE and bBAL are both active on water-soluble short chain esters as vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, tripropionin, tributyrin and p-nitrophenyl butyrate. However, the enzymes show distinctive kinetic behaviours. rLE displays maximal activity at low substrate concentration, below the critical micelle concentration, whereas bBAL acts preferencially on emulsified esters, at concentration exceeding the solubility limit. Comparison of the 3D structures of rLE and bBAL shows, in particular, that the peptide loop at positions 116–123 in bBAL is deleted in rLE. This peptide segment interacts with a bile salt molecule thus inducing a conformational transition which gives access to the active site. Inhibition studies and manual docking of a bulky ester molecule as vinyl laurate in the catalytic pocket of rLE and bBAL show that the inability of the esterase to hydrolyse large water-insoluble esters is not due to steric hindrance. It is hypothesized that esterases lack specific hydrophobic structures involved both in the stabilization of the lipase–lipid adsorption complex at interfaces and in the spontaneous transfer of a single substrate molecule from interface to the catalytic site.     

Histochemical evidence of three types of esterases in the adrenal medulla of the rat

Summary Esterases of the adrenal medulla have been studied histochemically using alpha-naphthyl acetate and butyrate as substrates, Blue RR Salt as a coupler and eserine and E, 600 as inhibitors. Three types of esterase activity were thus demonstrated: (1) cholinesterase activity in the nerve fibres, ganglion cells and secretory medullary cells; (2) eserine resistant but E. 600 sensitive esterase activity in the ganglion cells and secretory cells; (3) E. 600 resistant activity in strongly positive, unidentified cells scattered in the medulla. The histochemical picture was essentially similar in sections of formalin-fixed tissue and in fresh sections subjected to the voltage gradient employed for electrophoretic separation of esterases. It is concluded that esterases histochemically demonstrable in sections are desmo-enzymes and at least to a major part different from the lyo-enzymes which can be separated by starch gel electrophoresis.With 6 Figures in the Text     

Human mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase substrate specificity: comparison of esterase with dehydrogenase reaction.

Substrate specificity of human mitochondrial low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) E2 isozyme has been investigated employing p-nitrophenyl esters of acyl groups of two to six carbon atoms and comparing with that of aldehydes of one to eight carbon atoms. The esterase reaction was studied under three conditions: in the absence of coenzyme, in the presence of NAD (1 mM), and in the presence of NADH (160 microM). The maximal velocity of the esterase reaction with p-nitrophenyl acetate and propionate as substrates in the presence of NAD was 3.9-4.7 times faster than that of the dehydrogenase reaction. Under all other conditions the velocities of dehydrogenase and esterase reactions were similar; the lowest kcat was for p-nitrophenyl butyrate in the presence of NAD. Stimulation of esterase activity by coenzymes was confined to esters of short acyl chain length; with longer acyl chain lengths or increased bulkiness (p-nitrophenyl guanidinobenzoate) no effect or even inhibition was observed. Comparison of kinetic constants for esters demonstrates that p-nitrophenyl butyrate is the worst substrate of all esters tested, suggesting that the active site topography is uniquely unfavorable for p-nitrophenyl butyrate. This fact is, however, not reflected in kinetic constants for butyraldehyde, which is a good substrate. The substrate specificity profile as determined by comparison of kcat/Km ratios was found to be quite different for aldehydes and esters. For aldehydes kcat/Km ratios increased with the increase of chain length; with esters under all three conditions, a V-shaped curve was produced with a minimum at p-nitrophenyl butyrate.     

A phosphorylation site in brain and the delayed neurotoxic effect of some organophosphorus compounds

1. It is proposed that part of a neurotoxic dose of di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate will be covalently bound in vivo to a specific component in the brain and spinal cord as the initial biochemical event in the genesis of the lesion. 2. A test system in vitro was devised that removes many di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate-binding sites and indicates that the specific component may be a protein present in brain at a concentration comparable with that of the cholinesterases. 3. The site was found to be present and capable of binding di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate in vitro in brain samples taken from either normal hens or those dosed with organophosphorus esterase inhibitors that are not neurotoxic. 4. Very little of the specific binding activity was found in brain samples from hens pre-dosed with a variety of neurotoxic organophosphorus compounds. 5. A solubilized preparation of the active brain component was obtained, suitable for further purification and study.     

Biochemical characterization of insecticide resistance in the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, from Malaysia

The possible insecticide resistance mechanisms of four Malaysian field-collected strains of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (Linnaeus) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), were characterized with biochemical assays and native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Elevated esterase activity (at low to moderate frequency) and altered acetylcholinesterase (low frequency) were detected in all field strains, while elevated glutathione S-transferase levels were present in only two strains. Seven esterase bands were separated by native PAGE; a greater intensity occurred in three bands in the resistant strains compared to the susceptible strain. Inhibition studies using specific inhibitors on polyacrylamide gels suggested that the slowest of these three esterases is a cholinesterase, while the other two are carboxylesterases with a preference for beta- over alpha-naphthyl acetate.     

Nature of human spleen red pulp cells with special reference to sinus lining cells

Summary A histological and cytological as well as enzyme histo- and cytochemical analysis (alpha-naphthyl acetate esterases, naphthol AS acetate esterases, naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterases, acid and alkaline phosphatases) of human spleen cells in sections and imprints was carried out with special reference to sinus lining cells. These cells show strong naphthol AS esterase activity and no or only little alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase and acid phosphatase activity. Thus they can be distinguished from reticular cells in pulp cords and from other macrophages in cords and sinuses. From the morphological and enzyme histochemical aspect it can be deduced that the sinus lining cells are a distinct cell type of the human spleen. The comparison of these enzyme cytochemical findings with the results of biochemical and electron microscopical investigations suggests that reticular cells of pulp cords and littoral cells of sinuses also have different functions: reticular cells seem to have a high phagocytotic activity while littoral cells seem to be only facultatively phagocytic.This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.