Immunochemical Analysis of Serologically Active Lipids of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

The major complement-fixing antigen of Mycoplasma pneumoniae is found in the lipid fraction of the organism. When the lipids of M. pneumoniae were fractionated by column chromatography on silicic acid, serological activity against both rabbit and human immune sera was found in two fractions, B and D. Fraction B, eluted with chloroform-methanol (9:1), was a minor component in terms of total complement-fixing activity and contained a complex of lipids which were detected in the region characteristic of phosphatidic acids by thin-layer chromatography on Silica Gel G. Fraction D, eluted with ethyl acetate-methanol (3.5:2), had approximately the same complement-fixing antigen titer as the original lipid extract and appeared as a "comet-shaped" spot between phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine on Silica Gel G plates charred with sulfuric acid. However, by thin-layer chromatography on Silica Gel H impregnated with sodium tetraborate, it was demonstrated that fraction D did contain multiple components, all but one of which were carbohydrate-containing lipids (giving positive reactions when sprayed with orcinol-sulfuric acid reagent). Fraction D was found to contain glycerol and phosphate in equimolar ratios but did not contain nitrogen. Two sugars were detected which migrated on paper chromatograms with glucose and galactose.     

Transfer of phosphatidylcholine between different membranes in Tetrahymena as studied by spin labeling.

A permeability factor was extracted in a latent form from guinea pig skin and separated by ammonium sulfate fractionation into the pseudoglobulin fraction (30--50% saturation). The activation of the latent form of the permeability factor seemed to be caused in the desalting step by gel filtration with Sephadex G-50. The factor was partially purified by streptomycin treatment and column chromatography using hydroxyapatite, diethylaminoethyl cellulose and Sephadex G-75, in this order. Gel filtration showed that its molecular weight was approx. 35000. Its permeability activity was heat stable at 61 degrees C for 60 min at neutral pH, resistant at pH 5--10 and at ionic strengths from deionized water to 1 M NaCl at 4 degrees C. Its activity was transient and suppressed by guinea pig serum, but insensitive to an anti-histamic agent (triprolidine). Furthermore, its permeability activity was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, soybean trypsin inhibitor and leupeptin, and completely adsorbed by soybean trypsin inhibitor affinity column. These findings suggested that the permeability factor was a serine-type protease.     

“Spore Plate Method” for Transformation of Steroids by Fungal Spores Entrapped in Silica Gel G

A new technique for investigating steroid biotransformations involving the use of glucose-treated Silica Gel G thin-layer chromatography plates spotted with fungal spores and steroid substrates is described. The conversion is followed by the detection and identification of steroid metabolites and is carried out on single plates by using the spores of different fungi. During the entire process, the spores remain on the original spots and microscopical examination revealed no germination. The method was successfully applied to as little as 30 μg of substrates, and a single plate could be used to detect the steroid metabolizing activity of spores of as many as 15 different cultures.     

山东产野生大豆胰蛋白酶抑制剂的初步研究

该实验建立了HPLC测定大豆胰蛋白酶抑制剂(STI)活性的方法,并对山东产野生大豆(G.soja)与同地区产的黑豆和黄豆(G.max)的胰蛋白酶抑制活性差异进行了比较.用耦合了胰蛋白酶的亲合色谱柱对野生大豆的STI进行分离纯化,紫外分光光度法比较3种大豆的STI含量;PCR结合TA克隆技术对野生大豆STI中的Kunitz型(KSTI)蛋白基因编码区的氨基酸顺序进行初步测定.结果发现,山东产野生大豆的STI活性和含量均高于同地区产的黑豆和黄豆;山东产野生大豆的KSTI蛋白基因编码区的氨基酸顺序与已知的Tia型基本一致,仅第59位氨基酸由于单核苷酸的置换发生了Ser→Thr的转变,此位置位于活性中心附近.研究表明,山东产野生大豆胰蛋白酶抑制活性较强,且含量高.     

"Spore plate method" for transformation of steroids by fungal spores entrapped in silica gel g

A new technique for investigating steroid biotransformations involving the use of glucose-treated Silica Gel G thin-layer chromatography plates spotted with fungal spores and steroid substrates is described. The conversion is followed by the detection and identification of steroid metabolites and is carried out on single plates by using the spores of different fungi. During the entire process, the spores remain on the original spots and microscopical examination revealed no germination. The method was successfully applied to as little as 30 μg of substrates, and a single plate could be used to detect the steroid metabolizing activity of spores of as many as 15 different cultures.     

Endogenous platelet-activating factor and anti-platelet-activating factor in patients with renovascular hypertension

Renovascular hypertension is relieved by percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty. In four patients with renovascular hypertension, platelet-activating factor (PAF) was found to be released into the ipsilateral renal venous blood after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty, but was not found in the contralateral renal venous blood following this procedure. Anti-platelet-activating factor with a lipid-like property was also found, and its polarity was slightly lower than that of PAF judging by its behavior on thin layer chromatography. Anti-platelet-activating factor completely blocked the aggregation of rabbit platelets induced by PAF, ADP or arachidonic acid. These results indicate that PAF and anti-platelet-activating factor are released into renal venous blood following percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty in patients with renovascular hypertension.     

Thrombocytin, a serine protease from Bothrops atrox venom. 1. Purification and characterization of the enzyme.

Thrombocytin, a platelet-activating enzyme from Bothrops atrox venom, has been purified to homogeneity by precipitation with sodium salicylate and chromatography on heparin--agarose. Thrombocytin is a single-chain glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 36 000 which contains 5.6% carbohydrate. It causes platelet aggregation, release of platelet serotonin, and activation of factor XIII. The most sensitive substrate for the amidolytic activity of thrombocytin was Tos-Gly-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide hydrochloride. The activity of thrombocytin on this substrate and on platelets was inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), soybean trypsin inhibitor, and several arginine chloromethyl ketones. Active site titration with nitrophenyl guanidinobenzoate demonstrated that approximately 86% of the preparation was in the active form. These experiments demonstrate the presence of serine and histidine in the active site of thrombocytin and suggest that thrombocytin is a classical serine protease with a platelet-activating activity similar to thrombin.     

Vitelline layer lytic activity in sperm extracts of sea urchin,Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus

A factor which dissolves the vitelline layer was extracted from sperm of the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. Turbidity of the suspension was reduced when isolated vitelline layers were mixed with this sperm factor. When the mixture was subjected to SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, some of the protein bands of the vitelline layer were seen to be missing. The lytic activity of the factor was heat labile, completely inhibited by L-1-tosyl-amide-2-phenyl-ethylchloromethyl ketone and partially inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor. Chymotrypsin activity was detected, but not trypsin, arylsulfatase, or glycosidase. These results suggest that a chymotrypsin-like enzyme participates in lysis of the vitelline layer by the fertilizing spermatozoon.     

A protease-like permeability factor in the guinea pig skin 1. Patial purification and characterization

A permeability factor was extracted in a latent from from guinea pig skin and separated by ammonium fraction into the pseudoglobulin fraction (30–50% saturation). The activation of the latent form of t he permeability factor seemed to be caused in the desalting step by gel filtration with Sephadex G-50. The factor was partially purified by streptomycin treatment and column chromatography using hydroxyapatite, diethylaminoethyl cellulose and Sephadex G-75, in this order. Gel filtration showed that its molecular weight was approx. 35 000. Its permeability activity was heat stable at 61δC for 60 min at neutral pH, resistant at pH 5–10 and at ionic strengts from deionized water to 1 M NaCl at 4°C. Its activity was transient and suppressed by guneia pig serum, but insensitive to an anti-histamic agent (triprolidine). Furthermore, its permeability activity was inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate, soybean trypin inhibitor and leupeptin, and completely adsorbed by soybean trypsin inhibitor affinity column. These findings suggested that the permeability factor was a ser ine-type protease.     

Low molecular weight serine proteinase inhibitors of the human intervertebral disc

Human lumbar disc tissue when extracted with 4M GuHCl and subjected to dissociative CsCl density gradient ultracentrifugation yielded trypsin inhibitor activity in the low bouyant density fractions (rho less than or equal to 1.38 g/ml). Disc proteoglycans sedimented in the high bouyant density fractions (rho greater than or equal to 1.5 g/ml). Sephadex G75F gel filtration of the low bouyant density protein fractions afforded a major low molecular weight (Kav = 0.5) trypsin inhibitor pool which was further purified by trypsin affinity chromatography. This latter step facilitated separation of the trypsin inhibitors from neutral proteinase activity also present. The trypsin inhibitor fraction so isolated was shown to possess potent inhibitory activity against a range of human serine proteinases including leukocyte elastase and cathepsin G, urokinase, kallikrein, plasmin and thrombin. Significantly this serine proteinase inhibitor preparation effectively prevented degradation of proteoglycans by a neutral proteinase also isolated from the human intervertebral disc.     

Isolation of a unique peptide inhibitor of hormone-responsive adenylate cyclase.

We have perfused isolated rat livers with hypocalcemic (4.4 mg 100 ml) Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate albumin buffer. After 15 min of perfusion, a substance appeared in the perfusate which decreased rat renal adenylate cyclase activation by parathyroid hormone (PTH). The material in the perfusate was purified greater than 50,000-fold by Bio-Gel P-10 chromatography. The purified antagonist decreased the activation of rat renal cortical adenylate cyclase by PTH, glucagon, and epinephrine 75 to 100%. Concentration response curves for each of the hormones indicated a noncompetitive interaction of the inhibitor with the hormone. The inhibition was not species-specific, as the activation of the parathyroid hormone-responsive adenylate cyclase in cat renal cortex was also abolished by the inhibitor from the perfused rat liver. The inhibitor is a peptide, Mr equal to similar to 1000, which is heat-stable, acid-stable, alkai-labile, and is destroyed by trypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, and elastase. It is not destroyed by phosphodiesterase, 5'-nucleotidase, alkaline phosphatase, neuraminidase, RNase, or phospholipase A. The inhibitor is not produced by isolated rat livers perfused with normocalcemic perfusion media. It is unclear whether the peptide is synthesized by the liver or whether it is a breakdown product of a larger peptide or protein in the liver. This is the first reported peptide inhibitor of adenylate cyclase.     

枯草芽孢杆菌HS-A38产抗菌脂肽Bacillomycin D的组分分析及鉴定

对一株枯草芽孢杆菌HS-A38产生的脂肽类物质进行分离鉴定及抑菌活性研究。通过酸沉淀分离和有机溶剂抽提的方法,从枯草芽孢杆菌HS-A38发酵液中得到脂肽粗提物LP,产率为1.956 g/L。利用薄层色谱和茚三酮染色法确定该脂肽粗提物中存在四个组分,分别为LP1、LP2、LP3和LP4;抑菌活性检测显示,组分LP3对两株海洋致病菌副溶血性弧菌和铜绿假单胞杆菌的活性较高。组分LP3经硅胶柱层析纯化分离后,应用反相高效液相色谱(RP-HPLC)和基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间质谱(MALDI-TOF-MS)对该组分做进一步纯化和鉴定。分析表明,LP3样品在保留时间20 min~28 min产生单峰团LP3-1,其纯度为85.24%;经MALDI-TOF-MS分析和数据比对,组分LP3-1中的主要成分为杆菌霉素Bacillomycin D。     

Concurrent isolation of a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor with antifungal activity and a novel lectin from Pseudostellaria heterophylla roots

A simple purification protocol, involving ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose and fast protein liquid chromatography-gel filtration on Superdex 75, was employed to isolate a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor with antifungal activity and a novel lectin from Pseudostellaria heterophylla roots. Both the trypsin inhibitor and the lectin were unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and adsorbed on CM-cellulose. They could be separated from one another by gel filtration on Superdex 75 in which the 36-kDa lectin appeared as the first peak and the 20.5-kDa trypsin inhibitor as the second peak. P. heterophylla trypsin inhibitor exhibited a trypsin inhibitory potency similar to that of soybean trypsin inhibitor. It also demonstrated antifungal activity toward Fusarium oxysporum like aprotinin and Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors from soybeans and lima beans. P. heterophylla lectin was devoid of antifungal activity and exhibited low thermostability and also lability in the presence of acid and alkali. The novel aspects of the present report include demonstration of antifungal activity in Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors and isolation of a novel lectin as well as a trypsin inhibitor from roots.     

A plant lipid and the platelet-activating factor stimulate ATP-dependent H+ transport in isolated plant membrane vesicles

A plant lipid was isolated from zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) membranes and from soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr) phospholipids by thinlayer chromatography and further purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. This plant lipid was chromatographically very similar to the platelet-activating factor, an ether phospho-lipid with hormone-like properties found in mammals. Both the plant lipid and the platelet-activating factor stimulated ATP-dependent H⁺ transport in isolated membrane vesicles from zucchini hypocotyls.Abbreviations HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography - PAF platelet-activating factor     

Origin of some derivatives of retinoic acid found in rat bile

After the intraportal injection of retinoic acid-15-(14)C into rats, all-trans methyl retinoate, a cis isomer of methyl retinoate, retinoyl beta-glucurono-gamma-lactone, retinoic acid, and retinoyl beta-glucuronide were isolated from methanol extracts of rat bile by chromatography on anion-exchange resin and silicic acid columns and characterized on thin-layer plates of Silica Gel G. On the other hand, when bile was extracted with n-butanol or analyzed directly by thin-layer chromatography, only retinoyl beta-glucuronide and a very small amount of retinoic acid could be detected. Butanol extracts of the liver and the intestine, however, still contained a small radioactive nonpolar fraction. When retinoyl beta-glucuronide was incubated with an anion-exchange resin in the presence of methanol, several nonpolar products appeared. Apparently the methyl retinoate, retinoyl beta-glucurono-gamma-lactone, and most of the retinoic acid previously found in bile after retinoic acid administration are produced from retinoyl beta-glucuronide during the isolation procedure.     

Kallikrein activation of a high molecular weight atrial peptide

Mammalian atrial extracts contain bioactive peptides that exert profound effects upon renal function and isolated smooth muscle preparations. Gel filtration chromatography of rat atrial extract separates the activity into two peaks having apparent molecular weights of 20,000 to 30,000 and less than 10,000. Mild proteolytic treatment (trypsin 1 U/ml) of the high molecular weight fraction enhances the smooth muscle relaxant activity of this fraction and concomitantly reduces the apparent molecular weight of this fraction to less than 10,000. In this report we show that urinary and submaxillary kallikrein enhances the activity of rat atrial extracts in a similar fashion. Pretreatment of the high molecular weight fraction with either kallikrein (1 microgram/ml) enhances the smooth muscle relaxant activity of this fraction. Similar treatment of the low molecular weight fraction had no effect. The enhancement of the bioactivity of the high molecular weight substance(s) by the kallikreins was abolished by aprotinin but was unaffected by soybean trypsin inhibitor. These results suggest that exogenous addition of tissue kallikrein activates a high molecular weight peptide by limited proteolysis. Analysis of the kallikrein-treated high molecular weight peptide fraction by gel filtration indicates that the biological activity comigrates with the low molecular weight peptides present in the original atrial extract.     

A species-specific sperm factor dispersing the jelly coat of the egg of the sea urchin,Anthocidaris crassispina

A species-specific factor capable of disersing the jelly coat surrounding eggs has been purified from sperm of the sea urchin, Anthocidaris crassisina. It does not exert its effect on the vitelline layer. The purification has been accomlished by a four-step procedure involving ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Sepharose CL-4B, ion-exchange column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, and affinity column chromatograhy on heparin-Seharose CL-6B. The isolated factor is homogenous in sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrohoresis in the presence or absence of β-mercatoethanol, estimated molecular weight being about 140,000. The jelly dispersion by the present factor is activated by CaCl₂, and inhibited by KCl, MnCl₂, EDTA, and EGTA, and by sulfated saccharides such as chondroitin sulfate A and C, heparin, and glucose-6-sulfate, Inorganic sulfated such as (NH₄)₂SO₄ and Na₂SO₄ have no effect on jelly dispersion. This factor is heat-labile, its activity in 30 min at 50°C. The present factor is found also in the seminal Plasma, and released from sperm themselves by treatment with Triton X-100 .These results suggest that this factor is loosely bound to the serm surface. Although glycosidase and arylsulfatase activities are detectable in the seminal plasma, these enzyme activities are not detectable in the purified jelly disersing factor. Only trypsin and α chymotrysin among commercial enzymes tested dispersing activity is inhibited neither by trypsin inhibitors such as N-α-p-tosyl-L-lysine-chloromethyl ketone, soybean trypsin inhibitor, ovomucoid trypsin inhibitor, nor by chymotrypsin inhibitors such as L-1-tosylamide-2 pheny-ethylcholoromethyl ketone and chymostatin Participation of trysin-like and chymotrypsin-like enzymes in jelly dispersion seems unlikely.     

Characterization of soybean trypsin inhibitor sensitive protease from unfertilized sea urchin eggs

A serine protease from sea urchin eggs has been isolated by affinity chromatography on soybean trypsin inhibitor-agarose. Benzamidine hydrochloride was included to minimize autodegradation. We present data on the properties of the protease with respect to molecular weight and its interaction with trypsin inhibitors and substrates. The molecular weight of the enzyme is 47 000 by gel filtration under nonreducing conditions and 35 000 by electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol. The pH optimum and Km with N alpha-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) are 8.0 and 75 microM, respectively. The specific activity is comparable to that of bovine pancreatic trypsin. Proteolytic activity was measured by beta-casein hydrolysis. The caseinolytic activity is completely inhibited by 1 mumol of soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) per micromole of enzyme. BAEE esterase activity is inhibited competitively by SBTI (Ki = 1.6 nM), lima bean trypsin inhibitor (150 nM), chicken ovomucoid (100 nM), and leupeptin (130 nM). Bowman-Birk inhibitor, benzamidine hydrochloride, and antipain are also inhibitors of the purified enzyme. Inhibition by phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride and N alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone indicates the presence of serine and histidine residues in the active center, respectively. The chymotrypsin inhibitor L-1-(tosylamido)-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone is ineffective. The protease is susceptible to autodegradation which can result in the appearance of a minor 23-kilodalton component. The egg protease appears to be similar in many respects to trypsins and trypsin-like enzymes isolated from a wide variety of sources, including sea urchin and mammalian sperm.     

alpha-L-Fucopyranosylceramide, a novel glycolipid accumulated in some of the human colon tumors.

A fucosylceramide was isolated from a ceramide monohexoside fraction of human colon carcinomas by acetylation followed by preparative thin layer chromatography on Silica Gel G developed with butylacetate. It contained only fucose as the carbohydrate component and the ceramide moiety was characterized as N-palmitoyloctadecasphingenine as a predominant component. The structure of the compound was determined as alpha-L-fucopyranosylceramide by methylation analysis, mass spectrometry of permethylated and reduced glycolipid, and by enzymatic hydrolysis with alpha-L-fucosidase. The chemical concentration of this compound in colon tumor tissue depends on degree of malignancy: highly malignant metastatic deposits from colon cancers were 3 to 70 ng/mg of residue protein, whereas that of localized colon tumor was 0 to 2 ng/mg of protein residue. The present observation offers additional support for the occurrence of metabolic abnormality of fucolipids as membrane phenotype of malignancy as was suggested in previous studies (Yang, H-J., and Hakomori, S. (1971) J. Biol. Chem. 246, 1192-1200; Steiner, S., Brennan, P.J., Melnick, J. L. (1973) Nature New Biol. 245, 19-21).     

胰蛋白酶抑制物对尼罗非鲫生长的影响

本实验研究了生、熟大豆中含有的胰蛋白酶抑制物(TI)对尼罗非鲫生长的影响。实验结果表明:沸水热处理不仅使生大豆中81.4％的TI失去活性,而且还显著地提高了大豆蛋白质系数,PER从1.12提高到1.76。当颗粒饲料的Tl含量低于0.9mg/g时,尼罗非鲫的生长正常;但高于此量吋,其生长速度明显降低。