Overexpression and purification of the galactose operon enzymes from Escherichia coli

A convenient new procedure for the purification of galactokinase, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, and UDP-galactose 4-epimerase overexpressed in Escherichia coli is presented. The procedure is shorter than any other described in the literature and facilitates the purification of the three recombinant enzymes in considerable amounts and at high purity and specific activity. The purified gal operon enzymes were biochemically cheracterized by gel-filtration column chromatography and isoelectric focusing, and the K_m values for their substrates were determined.     

Purification and comparative studies of alcohol dehydrogenases

Alcohol dehydrogenases from various animal and plant sources were purified by a common procedure which employed DEAE, Sephadex-G100 and affinity chromatographies. The procedure achieves an 80-130 fold purification for animal enzymes. However, only a 5-15 fold purification for plant enzymes was attained because of the instability of these enzymes. Purified alcohol dehydrogenases from animal and plant sources differ in coenzyme and substrate specificities. The enzymes from mammalian, avian and fish livers display aldehyde oxidizing and esterolytic activities in addition to alcohol oxidizing activity. However, the enzymes from plants and yeast show only the oxidative activity toward alcohols. Chemical modifications have been performed to identify amino acid residues which are essential to the oxidative and esterolytic activities of alcohol dehydrogenases.     

Purification and Characterization of Four NADPH-Dependent Aldehyde Reductases from Pig Brain

By a procedure involving ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and affinity chromatography, four aldehyde reductases (ALRs) were purified to enzymatic homogeneity from pig brain. These enzymes, designated ALR1, ALR2, ALR3, and succinic semialdehyde reductase were chemically and physically identical with, respectively, the high-Km aldehyde reductase, the low-Km aldehyde reductase, carbonyl reductase, and succinic semialdehyde reductase of other tissues and species. The purification procedure allows the purification of these enzymes from the same tissue homogenate in amounts sufficient for characterization and other enzymatic studies. This methodology should be applicable to the simultaneous and rapid purification of aldehyde reductases from other tissues.     

A simple and high yield purification of Crotalus adamanteus phospholipases A2.

A new, high yield, procedure for the purification of the phospholipases A2 of Crotalus adamanteus venom is described. The procedure involves precipitation of the bulk of venom proteins with 50% isopropanol, precipitation of the enzymes from the isopranol soluble material with neodynium chloride, and final purification on DEAE cellulose. An overall yield of approximately 80% is achieved.     

Rapid purification of two lipase isoenzymes from Candida rugosa

Summary We describe a two-step method for the purification of two lipases (lipases A and B) from C. rugosa. The purification procedure includes Phenyl-Sepharose and Sephacryl HR 100 chromatographies. The enzymes obtained were pure according to criteria of specific activity and neutral sugar content.     

Simultaneous purification of DNA topoisomerase I and II from eukaryotic cells

We have developed a procedure for the simultaneous purification of DNA topoisomerase I and II from calf thymus. Both enzymes were first extracted from isolated nucleoprotein complexes. After batchwise chromatography on hydroxylapatite the two enzyme activities were separated on a FPLC phenylsuperose column. The enzymes were further purified by a second chromatography on phenylsepharose (topo I) or FPLC Mono Q (topo II). The purification can be finished within three days, yielding 0.5-1.0 mg quantities of homogeneous, enzymatic active preparations of the two proteins from 200 g of starting material.     

Simultaneous preparation from human placenta of several enzymes of glucose metabolism

A procedure for the simultaneous purification to homogeneity of hexokinase, phosphoglucomutase 1 and 2, aldolase, phosphoglucose isomerase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from human origin has been developed. Human placenta homogenate was first chromatographed on DE-52 column which retains hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase while the other enzymes are recovered in the unabsorbed protein fraction. The other steps in the purification involve Matrex gel and specific affinity chromatography for the DE-52 retained enzymes and phosphocellulose and Matrex gel chromatography for the other enzymes. All the enzymes mentioned were obtained in one week, with recoveries from 14 percent for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase to 75 percent for hexokinase. Thus, the procedures utilized seem to be useful in obtaining large amounts of enzymes in a a homogeneous form from an easily available human tissue.     

Proteases from purulent sputum. Purification and properties of the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes.

A procedure is described for the purification of the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes from purulent sputum. This procedure permitted the isolation of 132 mg and 120 mg of the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes, respectively, from 230 g of purulent sputum. The elastase enzymes consist of a family of five isozymes, and at least three isozymes comprise the chymotrypsin-like enzyme system. The elastases proved to be immunologically identical with the corresponding enzyme of human leukocytes. These enzymes were characterized with respect to molecular weight, amino acid and carbohydrate composition, several kinetic parameters, and inhibition by various synthetic and natural inhibitors. The properties so found were comparable to those which had been previously reported by others for the elastase and chymotrypsin-like enzymes isolated directly from leukocytic granules.     

Enolase from spores and cells of Bacillus megaterium: two-step purification of the enzyme and some of its properties.

A simple two-step procedure for purification of enolase from germinated spores or vegetative cells of Bacillus megaterium is described. The procedure resulted in a 1,200-fold purification with production of homogeneous enzyme in approximately 75% yield; the enzymes from spores and cells seemed identical. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was 335,000, with a subunit molecular weight of 42,000. The enzyme required Mg2+ and was inhibited by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and fluoride ions. The Michaelis constants for 2-phosphoglyceric acid and Mg2+ were 7.1 X 10(-4) and 4.7 X 10(-4) M, respectively.     

Purification of rat kidney glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, and glutathione reductase enzymes using 2',5'-ADP Sepharose 4B affinity in a single chromatography step

The enzymes of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), and glutathione reductase (GR) were purified from rat kidney in one chromatographic step consisting of the use of the 2',5'-ADP Sepharose 4B by using different elution buffers. This purification procedure was accomplished with the preparation of the homogenate and affinity chromatography on 2',5'-ADP Sepharose 4B. The purity and subunit molecular weights of the enzymes were checked on SDS-PAGE and purified enzymes showed a single band on the gel. The native molecular weights of the enzymes were found with Sephadex G-150 gel filtration chromatography. Using this procedure, G6PG, having the specific activity of 32 EU/mg protein, was purified 531-fold with a yield of 88%; 6PGD, having the specific activity of 25 EU/mg protein, was purified 494-fold with a yield of 73%; and GR, having the specific activity of 33 EU/mg protein, was purified 477-fold with a yield of 76%. Their native molecular masses were estimated to be 144 kDa for G6PD, 110 kDa for 6PGD, and 121 kDa for GR and the subunit molecular weights were found to be 68, 56, and 61 kDa, respectively. A new modified method to purify G6PD, 6PGD, and GR, namely one chromatographic step using the 2',5'-ADP Sepharose 4B, is described for the first time in this study. This procedure has several advantages for purification of enzymes, such as, rapid purification, produces high yield, and uses less chemical materials.     

Adipose-tissue phosphofructokinase. Rapid purification and regulation by phosphorylation in vitro.

A new procedure for the purification of phosphofructokinase using Blue Dextran-Sepharose is described. This allowed an approx. 1000-fold purification of phosphofructokinase from rat white and brown adipose tissue to be achieved in essentially a single step. The purified enzymes from both tissues were found to exhibit hyperbolic kinetics with fructose 6-phosphate, to be inhibited by ATP and citrate, and to be activated by 5'-AMP, phosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. The enzymes were phosphorylated by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, and phosphorylation was found to be associated with increases in activity when the enzymes were assayed under appropriate sub-optimal conditions. In particular, the phosphorylated enzymes exhibited less inhibition by ATP and the white-adipose-tissue enzyme was more sensitive to activation by fructose 2,6-bisphosphate. It is suggested that an increase in the cytoplasmic concentration of cyclic AMP in tissues other than liver may result in an increase in glycolysis through the phosphorylation of phosphofructokinase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.     

A new procedure for the simultaneous large-scale purification of bacteriophage-T4-induced polynucleotide kinase, DNA ligase, RNA ligase and DNA polymerase

A procedure for simultaneous large-scale purification of the bacteriophage-T4-induced polynucleotide kinase, DNA ligase, RNA ligase and DNA polymerase has been developed. The method involves bacterial cell disruption by sonication, fractionation of cell extract with polymin P, salt elution from the polymin pellets, ammonium sulfate precipitation, and subsequent column chromatography purification of the enzymes. To enrich the enzyme content highly in the initial source non-permissive Escherichia coli B-23 cells infected with T4 amN82 phage were used. The procedure described is rapid, reproducible, high in yield, and able to handle preparations using from 1 g to 200 g cell paste. It can be easily scaled up. The method results in large amounts of the enzymes with very high specific activities, good stability essential lacking exonuclease and endonuclease contamination. The final enzyme preparations were efficiently used in DNA sequencing and in multiple experiments on construction of various recombinant DNAs for cloning and expression in vivo.     

A new procedure for the purification of spinach leaf photosynthetic fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase by affinity chromatography on mercaptoethylamine-Sepharose

A new purification procedure for spinach leaf fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase is proposed, which includes the use of affinity chromatography on mercaptoethylamine-Sepharose. A homogeneous preparation of the enzyme can be obtained in 48 hr, with a specific activity of 67 U/mg and a yield of 23%. The method may also be useful for the purification of other thioredoxin-activated chloroplast enzymes.     

Partial purification of rat and human serum factors inhibiting the G1-S transition in rat hepatocytes

A low molecular weight compound, which inhibits the G1-S transition in rat hepatocytes, was purified from rat trypsin-treated serum by DEAE-cellulose chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography on three different stationary phases. This procedure led to a 34500-fold purification with a 29% yield. Inactivation of the purified material by specific enzymes showed that the inhibitor is a glycopeptide containing a peptide moiety, N-acetylneuraminic acid and galactose residues. Amino acid analyses indicated the possible existence of a pentapeptide structure. The same purification procedure was applied to the corresponding human inhibitor. Inactivation by specific enzymes showed that it is also a glycopeptide.     

Purification and characterization of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase from human erythrocyte membranes.

Two species of PtdIns 4-kinase with molecular masses of 50 kDa and 45 kDa were detected in human erythrocyte membranes using SDS/PAGE. These enzymes were purified to near homogeneity and found to display very similar enzymatic characteristics. The purification scheme consisted of solubilization from erythrocyte membranes in the presence of Triton X-100, followed by Cibacron-blue-Sephadex, phosphocellulose and Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography. The final step in the purification protocol was preparative SDS/PAGE, followed by electroelution and renaturation of the enzyme. This procedure afforded an about 4000-fold purification of the enzyme from erythrocyte membranes. Characterization of the [32P]PtdInsP products formed by the purified PtdIns kinases indicated that these enzymes specifically phosphorylated the D-4 position of the inositol ring. The Km values of both PtdIns 4-kinase species for PtdIns and ATP were found to be 0.2 mM and 0.1 mM, respectively. The enzymes are both activated by Mg2+, and inhibited by Ca2+ and by adenosine. The potential importance of these effectors for the regulation of PtdIns phosphorylation in cells is discussed.     

High-level expression and one-step purification of cyclic amidohydrolase family enzymes

The cyclic amidohydrolase family enzymes, including hydantoinase, dihydropyrimidinase, allantoinase and dihydroorotase, are metal-dependent hydrolases and play a crucial role in the metabolism of purine and pyrimidine in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. With the increasing demand for the elucidation of enzyme structures and functions, along with industrial applications, the research on the family enzymes has recently been proliferating, but the related enzymes had been purified conventionally by multistep purification procedures. Here, we reported the expression in Escherichia coli cells of maltose-binding protein-fused family enzymes and their one-step purification. The expression levels of the fusion proteins account for 20-35% of the total protein in E. coli, allowing approximately 2-3 mg of the purified proteins by affinity chromatography to be obtained per 0.3 L of bacterial culture. As more promising results, their nascent biochemical properties, after the cleavage of the fusion proteins with Factor Xa, in terms of oligomeric structure, optimal pH, specific activity, and kinetic property, were also conserved as those from the native enzymes. The availability of the family enzymes to fusion strategy shows potential as a convenient procedure to recombinant protein purification and accelerates the structure-function study of the related family enzymes.     

An affinity-column procedure for the purification of veratrate O-demethylase from fungi.

An affinity column procedure is reported for purifying veratrate O-demethylase from higher fungi. The procedure is based on the affinity of the fungal demethylases for veratrate, which was coupled to AH-Sepharose 4B. An over 300-fold purification of the enzyme from an Ascomycete (Chaetomium piluliferum), and a lower degree of purification (20-fold) from a Basidiomycete (Xerocomus badius), were obtained. The O-demethylases from higher fungi require NADH and oxygen. The enzyme activity is sensitive to exposure to oxygen. The pH optima are 5 for enzyme from Chaetomium, and 7 for demethylase from Xerocomus, respectively. The enzymes are not specific for veratrate. They also demethylate p- and m-anisate and 3,4-dimethoxycinnamate, but to a lower degree.     

Fractionation of rat fibroblasts in a zonal rotor by means of a viscosity barrier.

Cell fractionation procedures involving differential sedimentation followed by resuspension of pellets and isopycnic centrifugation are very difficult to apply to the small amounts of material available from tissue culture cells. We have explored the possibility of successive differential and isopycnic sedimentation in a zonal rotor using a short viscosity barrier for the differential sedimentation. The marker enzymes used were cytochrome oxidase, acid phosphatase, catalase, and 5′-nucleotidase. The results of these procedures are compared to the results of one-step isopycnic separations in gradients of sucrose and Stractan. The Stractan gradient was much more effective than the sucrose gradient in separating the marker enzymes from the proteins of a postnuclear supernatant, but neither type of gradient could significantly purify the marker enzymes one from another. A two-step procedure using a viscosity barrier was effective in separating particles carrying catalase from the other marker enzymes assayed and from most of the protein. A three-step procedure resulted in similar purification of mitochondria. Modification of barrier composition and centrifugation times would probably result in further improvement of separations according to individual requirements for yield, purification, and freedom from specific contamination by other subcellular particles.     

Purification of subtilisin by single-step affinity chromatography

The dye 4-(4-aminophenylazo)phenylarsonic acid was coupled to activated CH-Sepharose 4B and the resulting affinity matrix was shown to be highly efficient for the purification of subtilisin. A crystalline subtilisin was purified to homogeneity using this affinity chromatography procedure with a purification fold of 1.4 and with an enzyme activity yield of 98%. Similarly subtilisin from a crude enzyme preparation was purified to 211 fold by this single step procedure with 94% recovery of the enzyme activity. The purified enzymes were shown to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.     

Isolation and characterization of the proteolytic enzyme component from commercially available crude trypsins

A purification procedure for the isolation of a mixture of the major proteolytic pancreatic enzymes (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase) from commercial crude trypsins is described. These enzymes are apparently the enzymes responsible for tissue dispersal in numerous cell culture systems. Materials toxic to cell cultures, present in certain crude trypsin samples, are removed during a purification involving centrifugation, dialysis, treatment with a cellulose ion-exchange resin, removal of salts, and lyophilization. While the fundamental use of this proteolytic mixture would be to prepare primary cell culture, the broad peptide bond specifleity of this mixture would suggest application in cases where a general protease, free of other enzymatic activities, is required.