Purification and characterization of a ribonuclease from barley roots

A ribonuclease isolated from barley malt roots exhibited characteristics that conformed to those of RNase I (EC 3.1.27.1). It differed from RNase I from barley leaves and barley seeds in its action on polynucleotides and on 3′,5′-dinucleoside monophosphates, and from barley seed RNase I in its optimum pH. Gel electrophoresis indicated that the enzyme was present in the embryo, roots, shoot and endosperm of germinating barley. The enzyme showed pH optimum at 5.0, isoclectric pH at 4.5, a thermal optimum of 50°, and an apparent molocular weight of 19 000.     

Purification and properties of a β-N-acetylaminoglucohydrolase from malted barley

β-N-Acetylaminoglucohydrolase (β-2-acetylamino-2-deoxy-D-glucoside acetylaminodeoxyglucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.30) was extracted from malted barley and purified. The partially purified preparation was free from α-and β-glucosidase, α- and β-galactosidase, α-mannosidase and β-mannosidase. This preparation was free from α-mannosidase only after affinity chromatography with p-amino-N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidine coupled to Sepharose. The enzyme was active between pH 3 and 6.5 and had a pH optimum at pH 5. A MW of 92000 was obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis and a sedimentation coefficient of 4.65 was obtained from sedimentation velocity experiments. β-N-Acetylaminoglucohydrolase had a K_m of 2.5 × 10^?4 M using the p-nitrophenyl N-acetyl β-D-glucosaminidine as the substrate.     

Purification and properties of barley leaf ribonuclease

The principal ribonuclease from young barley plants was purified 29 200-fold by a six-step procedure. The enzyme showed a high specific activity (15 5OO ΔA₂₆₀ units/min/mg protein) and a molecular weight of about 25 000 was indicated by gel filtration and equilibrium sedimentation. Kinetic analysis of the cleavage of dinucleoside monophosphates and of yeast RNA indicated a base preference of Gua > Ade ≥ Ura ? Cyt, and was sensitive to the base located on either side of the phosphodiester bond. The enzyme resembles the Type I class of plant ribonucleases (E.C. 2.7.7.x).     

Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I)

A number of phosphodiesterases, some of which possess additional biological activities (e.g., antitumor, immunosupressive, and so on), have been considered for use in targeted tumor therapy. We propose Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I), a compact, monomeric enzyme, as a very attractive candidate for targeting to tumor cells. Only a small amount of enzyme targeted to a cell needs to enter the nucleus in order to degrade the chromosomal DNA, making a cell incapable of further replication. We describe preliminary data on the construction of a potent single-chain antibody (scFv) immunotoxin based on bovine pancreatic DNase I. The use of a mammalian enzyme should be much less toxic and less immunogenic than current immunotoxins and may expand the current limits of immunotoxin therapy.     

Partial purification and properties of nuclease 1 from barley malt

A sugar-unspecific nuclease has been purified 260-fold from barley malt diastase. The enzyme, a glycoprotein of 37 000 MW, is highly active on single-stranded polynucleotides at pH 5–6. The nuclease is inhibited by several adenine nucleotides, and it binds weakly to NADP-agarose and ATP-agarose.     

An aminotransferase specific for the d-enantiomorph of methionine

An enzyme was isolated from germinating peanut seed and shown to be an aminotransferase specific for the d-enantiomorph of methionine. The keto acid of methionine, α-keto-γ-methylthiobutyrate, was isolated from the reaction mixture and identified. Of the keto acids tested pyruvic acid was the most effective acceptor for the amino group of methionine. A small amount of enzyme was isolated which gave only one band on disc gel electrophoresis.     

Mycobiota and mycotoxins in malted barley and brewer's spent grain from Argentinean breweries

Aims: To evaluate mycobiota and aflatoxins B₁ (AFB₁), B₂ (AFB₂), G₁ (AFG₁), G₂ (AFG₂) and fumonisin B₁ (FB₁) contamination in different malted barley types and brands and brewer’s grain collected from a major Argentinean brewery. Methods and Results: Total fungal counts were performed using the plate count method. Aflatoxin B₁, AFB₂, AFG₁, AFG₂ and Zearalenone (ZEA) analyses were performed by thin‐layer chromatography (TLC). Fumonisin B₁ was determined by HPLC. Eighty‐three percentage of the malted barley (100% M1, 50% M2 and 100% M3) and 61% of brewer’s grain samples had a count >1 × 10⁴ CFU g^?1. Yeasts were isolated from all malt and brewer’s grain samples. Genera containing some of the most important mycotoxin producer species –Fusarium ssp., Aspergillus ssp., Penicillium ssp. and Alternaria ssp. – were isolated from the analysed samples, along with other environmental saprophytic fungi such as Geotrichum ssp., Mucorales and Cladosporium ssp. All samples were contaminated with 104–145 μg kg^?1 FB₁. Eighteen per cent of brewer’s grain samples were contaminated with 19–44·52 μg kg^?1 AFB₁. Aflatoxin B₂, AFG₁, AFG₂ and ZEA were not detected in any of the analysed samples. Conclusions: Fungal and mycotoxin contamination in malt and brewer’s grain is an actual risk for animal and human health. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study may be useful for assessing the risk of mycotoxins in Argentinean beers and especially in animal feeds.     

大麦种子萌发过程核酸分解酶的研究

大麦种子萌发后,幼苗中存在着丰富的磷酸酯酶,主要五种磷酸酯酶在幼根中活性最高,其次是胚乳(RNase,DNase,PDase)或幼芽(PMase,5′-NDase)未萌发种子五种酶活性均低。五种磷酸酯酶在种子萌发过程中的消长表现了明显的规律性,幼芽五种酶的活性峰出现在种子萌发后第二天,胚乳在5～6天,幼根的RNase,DNase,PMase消长规律类似胚乳,PDase和5′-NDase类似幼芽。说明大麦磷酸酯酶的活性和种子萌发过程有一定的相关性。大麦幼苗五种磷酸酯酶都有很高的最适反应温度,一般在50～70℃之间,反应温度低于20℃活性急剧下降,低于10℃活性趋于零。五种磷酸酯酶的最适pH都偏酸性,一般在pH 5～6,但PDase和DNase除在酸性区有一最适pH外,在碱性区也各有一最适pH,推测大麦幼苗RNase,PMase,5′-NDase均只有一种酸性的酶,而PDase和DNase各有一种酸性酶和碱性酶。     

Studies on brain opiate receptor stability in vitro: inhibition of opiate receptor binding by adenosine-5'-diphosphate

Incubation of rat brain homogenates at 37° causes a time-dependent decrease in opiate receptor binding which does not occur with a washed membrane fraction. The supernatant fraction contains a heat-stable inhibitor which is partially destroyed by apyrase and completely removed by activated charcoal. ADP causes a similar inhibitory effect in homogenates, but not with washed membranes, which is characterized by a decrease in both opiate agonist and antagonist binding in the absence or presence of NaCl. The ADP inhibition is antagonized by ATP, α,β-methyleneADP, β-thioADP and EDTA. It is concluded that ADP, unlike the guanine nucleotides, facilitates the nonspecific degradation of opiate receptors by an endogenous soluble factor.     

Notes or Technic

A progressive silver staining method is described, which permits microscopic examination of the sections during the staining process. After formaldehyde fixation, dehydration and embedding in paraffin or celloidin, fine fibers and synaptic endings may be demonstrated. After formaldehyde fixation and mordanting in 3% K₂Cr₂O₇, myelinated fibers and mitochondria are specifically stained.

The unique feature of this method is, that the silver solution (0.5% protargol) is mixed with the reducing solution: 1.6% Rochelle salts, containing traces of Ag NO₃, MgSO₄, and K₂S (U.S.P.). The sections are placed directly into this mixture, which is then warmed to 45-55° C. Sections are removed when progressive staining is completed, washed in water, dehydrated and mounted.

In the fiber stain, nerve fibers and synaptic endings are dark brown or black, and nuclear chromatin is deep brown, against a pale yellow background. When the myelin sheath procedure is followed, the fiber bundles are deep brown, and the intensity of the staining remains the same for specific tracts, aiding in their identification.     

Characterization of bovine pancreatic ductal cells isolated by a perfusion-digestion technique

Summary Bovine pancreatic ductal cells isolated by perfusing an enzyme solution into the lumen of the main duct were obtained as sheets of cells. Morphologic features of these cells were those of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. These cells also contained alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff positive material and bound lectins, and they stained for keratin in the same manner as intact ductal epithelium. In culture, the plating efficiency was high (13.6%) as determined by DNA content before and after 24 h plating, perhaps due to the gentle isolation technique and the isolation of sheets of cells rather than a single cell. Cell doubling time was 34.4 h in Eagle's minimal essential medium with 10% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum and antibodies, and over 95% of the cell incorporated [³H]thymidine during a 6 h labeling period after 4 d in primary culture. Isolated cells grew best in medium CMRL 1066 with 10% heat inactivated fetal bovine serum as determined by measuring DNA content. The paper is Publication 1100 from the Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine. This study was supported in part by National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD) Contract NO1-CP-75947 and Grant CA-19197-06 through the National Pancreatic Cancer Project.     

Extraction of Sorghum vulgare and hordeum vulgare α-glucosidase

Sorghum and barley grain α-glucosidase are both insoluble in water. They are, nevertheless, active in the insoluble state. Limited extraction of the     

青稞中β-1,3葡聚糖酶的纯化及部分性质研究

β-1,3-葡聚糖酶[EC．3．2．1．39]存在于大多数的高等植物中,它们由一个小的基因家族编码,在植物不同的生理活动中起着重要的作用。采用NaCl抽提、硫酸铵分部沉淀和2步离子交换法和分子筛从青稞的胚芽中提纯得到了一种β-1,3-葡聚糖酶。在非变性电泳中纯化的β-1,3-葡聚糖酶用银染只有一条蛋白带,运用底物进行的活性染色时在相同位置也只显示一条酶活性带。此活性染色可以直接在电泳胶板上快速鉴定和检验β-1,3-葡聚糖酶。纯化的β-1,3-葡聚糖酶在还原及非还原条件下的SDS-PAGE变性电泳中,呈现一条分子量为32kD的主要蛋白带及2条低分子量的弱带,表明此酶无链内二硫键存在。等电聚焦分析显示其等电点为8．1。上述结果表明纯化得到的是一种碱性β-1,3-葡聚糖酶。     

Extraction of a salt-insoluble α-glucosidase from Sorghum vulgare grain

Sorghum grain α-glucosidase may be either insoluble in sodium chloride under alkaline conditions, or partially soluble, depending upon the sorghum variety. A good correlation was found between the degree of sodium chloride insolubility of the grain α-glucosidase and the degree of water-insolubility of the malt amylases. Peptone, in the presence of sodium chloride, was effective in liberating sodium chloride insoluble α-glucosidase from grain. Similarly, the water-insoluble amylases of malt were solubilized by peptone in water. Maximum liberation of grain ga-glucosidase was only achieved, however, by using a combination of 8 M urea, 0·1 M sulphite, 5% peptone and 1% Triton. It is suggested that the insolubility in both enzymes is caused by insoluble tannin-enzyme complexes.