Evidence for separate initiation and inhibitory sites in the regulation of membrane potential of electroplax. I. Kinetic studies with alpha-bungarotoxin

The minimum reaction mechanism for the irreversible reaction of α-bungarotoxin with membrane preparations of $\text{Electrophorus electricus}$ involves a rapid reversible phase (K_diss = 0.2 μM) followed by an irreversible reaction (k = 0.038 min^?1). Compounds which initiate changes in membrane potential of electroplax affect only the rate of reaction but not the binding of toxin to the membrane. d-Tubocurare which inhibits membrane potential changes, as does α-bungarotoxin, is a competitive inhibitor which affects toxin binding but does not affect the rate of reaction. The simplest explanation of this is that membrane potential changes are controlled by two different sites, one for initiators and the other for inhibitors.     

Immunological properties of membrane fractions from wild type and dnaA mutants of Escherichia coli

Membrane vesicles from Escherichia coli wild type and an otherwise isogenic $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant were used to immunize rabbits. In addition, a membrane protein fraction, containing the material found deficient in $\text{dna}$A mutants, was purified by preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecylsulfate, and used for immunization. The antisera produced were analyzed by immunoelectrophoresis and immunofluorescence microscopy. The antisera obtained by immunization with membrane vesicles from either wild type or $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant membrane preparations were qualitatively similar in the precipitin bands seen after immunoelectrophoresis. The antisera obtained by immunization with the purified protein fraction contained a subset of the antibodies seen when whole vesicles were used for immunization. In a semiquantitative precipitin assay, the antisera prepared against whole membrane vesicles or the isolated protein fraction both caused the precipitation of more protein from sodium dodecylsulfate-solubilized membranes of wild type than of $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutants. No difference was seen by immunoelectrophoresis between the protein composition of wild type or $\text{dna}\text{A}$ membrane preparations. Thus, the $\text{dna}\text{A}$ mutant appears to differ from the wild type in the quantitative composition of its membrane proteins, whereas no qualitative differences were detected.Fluorescein-conjugated antiserum preparations were employed to assess the reactivity of intact cells, spheroplasts and membrane vesicles with the antisera studied above. Wild type cells of E. coli have a barrier to reaction with the antisera; this barrier is removed when the cells are converted to spheroplasts or to membrane vesicle. Similarly, a highly permeable mutant of E. coli permits reaction of the antisera with unaltered cells. Antisera to both whole membrane vesicles and to the isolated protein fraction react identically with the cellular and subcellular preparations. Thus, antisera prepared from membrane proteins isolated after sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis can still recognize some antigens present in membrane vesicle preparations.     

Saturable binding to cell membranes of the presynanptic neurotoxin, β-Bungarotoxin

Brief exposure to the protein neurotoxin, β-bungarotoxin, is known to disrupt neuromuscular transmission irreversibly by blocking the release of transmitter from the nerve terminal. This neurotoxin also has a phospholipase A2 activity, although phospholipases in general are not very toxic. To determine if the toxicity of this molecule might result from specific binding to neural tissue, we have looked for high affinity, saturable binding using ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin. At low membrane protein concentration ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin binding was directly proportional to the amount of membrane; at fixed membrane concentration ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin showed saturable binding. It was unlikely that iodination markedly changed the toxin's properties since the iodinated toxin had a comparable binding affinity to that of native toxin as judged by competition experiments. Comparison of toxin binding to brain, liver and red blood cell membranes showed that all had high affinity binding sites with dissociation constants between one and two nanomolar. This is comparable to the concentrations previously shown to inhibit mitochondrial function. However, the density of these sites showed marked variation such that the density of sites was 13.0 pmol/mg protein for a brain membrane preparation, 2.4 pmol/mg for liver and 0.25 pmol/mg for red blood cell membranes.In earlier work we had shown that calcium uptake by brain mitochondria is inhibited at much lower toxin concentrations than is liver mitochondrial uptake. Both liver and brain mitochondria bind toxin specifically, but the density of ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin binding sites on brain mitochondrial prepartions ($\text{3.3 ± 0.3}\text{pmol/mg}$) exceeded by a factor of ten the density on liver mitochondrial preparations ($\text{0.3 ± 0.05}\text{pmol/mg}$). It is also shown that the labeled toxin does not cross synaptosomal membranes, suggesting that mitochondria may not be the site of action of the toxin in vivo. We conclude the β-bungarotoxin is an enzyme which can bind specifically with high affinity to cell membranes.     

Glycoprotein characteristics of the sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component from mammalian sarcolemma

The saxitoxin-binding component of the excitable membrane sodium channel exhibits glycoprotein characteristics as evidenced by its specific interaction with various agarose-immobilized lectins. The detergent-solubilized saxitoxin-binding component interacts quantitatively with immobilized wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A and fractionally with immobilized Lens culinaris hemagglutinin and Ricinus communis agglutinin. These lectins preferentially bind $\text{N-}\text{acetylglucosamine}$ and sialic acid (wheat germ agglutinin), mannose (concanavalin A and Lens cunilaris and galactose (Ricinus communis). Removal of terminal sialic acid residues by neuraminidase markedly decreases binding to immobilized wheat germ agglutinin but uncovers sites capable of interacting with lectins specific for galactose and $\text{N-}\text{acetylgalactosamine}$. $\text{β-N-}\text{acetylglucosaminidase}$, an exoglycosidase has no effect on the binding of the channel protein to wheat germ agglutinin. Similarly, phospholipase C has no effect on binding of the solubilized toxin binding component to this lectin. Neither wheat germ agglutinin nor concanavalin A free in solution alters the number of toxin binding sites or their affinity for toxin. The sodium channel saxitoxin-binding component appears to be a glycoprotein containing terminal sialic acid residues and internal mannose, galactose, $\text{N-}\text{acetylglucosamine}$, and $\text{N-}\text{acetylgalactosamine}$ residues. The toxin binding site is spatially separated from the binding sites for the lectins studied. The effect of these sugar moieties must be considered when evaluating the biophysical parameters of the sodium channel.     

Lectin and cholera toxin binding to guinea pig tumor (104C1) cell surfaces before and after glycosphingolipid incorporation

¹²⁵I-Labeled $\text{Dolichos biflorus}$ lectin and cholera toxin were used as probes for identification of Forssman- and GM1-type receptor sites on guinea pig tumor (104C1) cell surfaces. Increased binding of ¹²⁵I-labeled lectin and toxin to 104C1 cell surfaces was observed after the cells were treated with exogenous Forssman glycosphingolipid and GM1 ganglioside, respectively. Biosynthesis $\text{in vitro}$ of these two glycosphingolipids from their precursor molecules was established using a membrane preparation isolated from confluent cultures of guinea pig tumor 104C1 cells.     

Relation of cation binding sites on synaptic vesicles to opiate action.

The protein-sensitized fluorenscence of Tb³+ has been used to characterize cation binding sites on synaptic vesicles. In the presence of 100 mM KC1, the vesicles display a single class of sites having affinities for Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the mM range. Of subcellular fractions synaptic vesicles have the greatest number of sites, which involve tyrosine residues. Morphine, which is known to deplete Ca from nerve terminals $\text{in vivo}$ by a mechanism possibly involving low affinity sites on synaptic vesicles, does not compete $\text{in vitro}$ for the sites monitored by Tb fluorescence. In addition, acute morphine treatment does not alter the binding of Tb to the synaptic vesicle fraction. It is suggested that the depletion of brain Ca induced by morphine is not mediated by a direct action of opiates on these membrane sites.     

Transfer of toxin susceptibility to plant protoplasts via the hemlmintosporoside binding protein of sugarcane.

The eyespot disease of sugarcane is caused by $\text{Helminthosporium sacchari}$. Helminthosporoside, a host-specific toxin produced by $\text{H. sacchari}$, is essential for the pathogenicity of this fungus. The presence of the helminthosporoside-binding protein in sugarcane likewise appears to be essential for susceptibility to the toxin. The results of this report show that leaf cell protoplasts of tobacco and toxin resistant sugarcane effectively adsorbed the toxin-binding protein derived from membranes of susceptible sugarcane. These protoplasts then became susceptible to the helminthosporoside. They also functioned to takeup raffinose, a trisaccharide structurally related to the toxin. Tobacco protoplasts were treated with [¹⁴C] - binding protein, ruptured, and fractionated on a sucrose density gradient column. A peak of radioactivity was associated with the enriched plasma membrane fraction. The results support the hypothesis that the binding protein is the primary recognition site governing susceptibility of sugarcane to helminthosporoside.     

Kinetic characterization and substrate requirement for the Ca2+ uptake system in platelet membrane

An ATP-dependent mechanism for Ca²⁺ uptake in human platelet membrane fractions has been identified and characterized. Ca²⁺ uptake into a membrane fraction is shown to be stimulated at low concentrations of ATP and Ca²⁺ and to require magnesium ions. Initial rate kinetics, using Eadie-Scatchard analysis, indicated a single class of calcium uptake sites in the presence of ATP, with a $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ for free [Ca²⁺] of 0.145 μM. Ca²⁺ uptake in the presence of several ATP concentrations demonstrates that ATP binds to at least two sites, representing high and low affinities of 3.21 and 80.1 μM, respectively. The neuroleptic drug fluphenazine inhibited ATP-stimulated calcium uptake ($\text{IC}{}_{50}\text{= 55 μ}\text{M}$), suggesting this ATP-dependent Ca²⁺ uptake system may provide a useful ion-transport model with which to study neuroleptic therapy in humans.     

The pharmacokinetics of tritiated ethinylestradiol in the rabbit

The disappearance of ethinylestradiol from the blood of rabbits has been studied, following the intravenous administration of this steroid. The disappearance followed two exponentials, the first having a half life ($\text{t}\text{1}\text{2}$) of 5.5 min and the second, apparently terminal exponential was also rapid ($\text{t}\text{1}\text{2}\text{= 69}\text{min}$). The plasma clearance was 150 ml/min which suggests almost total clearance of this steroid during a single passage through the liver. Bile contained a significant concentration of EE conjugates and thus this steroid could undergo enterohepatic recirculations. A large oral dose of unlabelled EE, given prior to intravenous administra tion of tritiated EE, considerably altered the pharmacokinetics of the latter by saturating both phase one metabolism (changes of the steroid nucleus) and the secretion of conjugates into bile. It was not clear whether phase two metabolism (conjugation) was also saturated.     

Binding of scorpion and sea anemone neurotoxins to a common site related to the action potential Na+ ionophore in neuroblastoma cells.

The protein neurotoxin II from the venom of the scorpion $\text{Androctonus}\text{australis}$ Hector was labeled with ¹²⁵I by the lactoperoxidase method to a specific radioactivity of about 100 μCi/μg without loss of biological activity. The labeled neurotoxin binds specifically to a single class of non intereacting binding sites of high affinity (K_D = 0.3 – 0.6 nM) and low capacity (4000 – 8000 sites/cell) to electrically excitable neuroblastoma cells. Relation of these sites to the action potential Na⁺ channel is derived from identical concentration dependence of scorpion toxin binding and increase in duration and amplitude of action potential. The protein neurotoxin II from the sea anemone $\text{Anemona sulcata}$ also affects the closing of the action potential Na⁺ ionophore in nerve axons. The unlabelled sea anemone toxin modifies ¹²⁵I-labeled scorpion toxin II binding to neuroblastoma cells by increasing the apparent K_D for labeled scorpion toxin without modification of the number of binding sites. It is concluded that both $\text{Androctonus}$ scorpion toxin II and $\text{Anemona}$ sea anemone toxin II interact competitively with a regulatory component of the action potential Na⁺ channel.     

Quantitative separation of spinach thylakoids into Photosystem II-enriched inside-out vesicles and Photosystem I-enriched right-side-out vesicles

Yeda press disruption of thylakoids in the presence of magnesium followed by aqueous polymer two-phase partitioning fractionated the total thylakoid membrane material into two distinctly different fractions. One fraction comprised approx. 60% of the material on a chlorophyll basis and contained inside-out vesicles while the other fraction (40%) contained right-side-out vesicles. The sidedness of the vesicles was determined from the direction of their light-induced proton translocation. The inside-out vesicles showed a pronounced Photosystem (PS) II enrichment as judged by their high PS II and low PS I activities. Moreover, they showed a high ratio between the PS II reaction centre chlorophyll-protein complex and the PS I reaction centre chlorophyll-protein complex (CP I). The chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{b}$ ratio was as low as 2.3 compared to 3.2 for the starting material. In contrast, the right-side-out vesicles showed a pronounced PS I enrichment. Their chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{b}$ ratio was 4.3–4.9. The tight stacking induced by Mg²⁺ allows a quantitative formation of inside-out vesicles from the appressed thylakoid regions while mainly non-appressed thylakoids turn right-side-out. The possibility of fractionating all of the thylakoid material into two sub-populations with markedly different composition with respect to PS I and PS II argues against a close physical association between the two photosystems and in favour of their spatial separation in the plane of the membrane. This fractionation procedure, which can be completed within 1 h and gives high yields of both PS II inside-out thylakoids and PS I right-side-out thylakoids, should be very useful for facilitating and improving studies on both the transverse and lateral organization of the thylakoid membrane.     

Structure and action of heteronemertine polypeptide toxins Binding of cerebratulus lacteus toxin B-IV to axon membrane vesicles

The binding of the crustacean selective protein neurotoxin, toxin B-IV, from the nemertine Cerebratulus lacteus to lobster axonal vesicles has been studied. A highly radioactive, pharmacologically active derivative of toxin B-IV has been prepared by reaction with Bolton-Hunter reagent. Saturation binding and competition of ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin B-IV by native toxin B-IV have shown specific binding of ¹²⁵I-labeled toxin B-IV to a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant of 5–20 nM and a binding site capacity, corrected for vesicle sidedness, of 6–9 pmol per mg membrane protein. This compares to a value of 3.8 pmol [³H]saxitoxin bound per mg in the same tissue. Analysis of the kinetics of toxin B-IV association ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{+1}}\text{=7.3·10}{}^5\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{·s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$) and dissociation ($\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{?\; 1}}\text{=2·10}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}\text{s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$) shows a nearly identical $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ of about 3 nM. There is no competition of toxin B-IV binding by purified toxin from Leiurus quinquestriatus venom while Centruroides sculpturatus Ewing toxin I appears to cause a small enhancement of toxin B-IV binding.     

Galactose uptake by human platelets in vitro

Galactose transport by human platelets has been studied by measuring the cellular accumulation of the radiolabeled sugar during brief periods of suspension in varying concentrations of galactose. Weighted least-squares regression curves fitted to the measurements (initial velocity versus galactose concentration) indicate that a kinetic model with two saturable components is statistically more consistent with the data than a model based upon a single process ($\text{P < 0.001}$). For the two-component model $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext><mtext>1</mtext>}}\text{= 0.29}$ mM, $\text{V}{}_1\text{= 1.2}\text{mmol/min per 10}{}^{15}\text{platelets}$, $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext><mtext>2</mtext>}}\text{= 46}\text{mM}$, $\text{V}{}_2\text{= 117}\text{mmol/min per 10}{}^{15}\text{platelets}$. The fact that galactose metabolites did not accumulate during the initial phase of uptake indicates that the uptake process is not mediated by enzymatic catalysis. Surface binding also appears inadequate to explain the uptake. The most likely basis for the kinetic data, therefore, is membrane transport. The kinetics are consistent with transport by coexistent membrane structures as well as with transport by a single structure manifesting negative cooperativity.     

Excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the mammalian central nervous system associated with an increase in the membrane resistance

The effects of stimulations of the rat habenulo-interpeduncular pathway on the membrane potentials and conductance changes in the interpeduncular neurones were examined in an $\text{in}$$\text{vitro}$ slice preparation. Low frequency stimulations produced short latency conventional type excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs). When the pathway was stimulated at higher frequencies, however, a slow and prolonged EPSP could be elicited. Both the slow and the fast EPSPs were abolished by the removal of calcium and the addition of manganese to the perfusion solution, indicating that they were produced by the release of a chemical transmitter. The slow, but not the fast EPSP, appears to be associated with an increase in the membrane resistance.     

Inactivation of bean ornithine carbamoyltransferase by phaseotoxin: effect of phosphate.

The results of kinetic studies of the inactivation of bean ornithine carbamoyltransferase by phaseotoxin, the extracellular toxin of $\text{Pseudomonas}$$\text{phaseolicola}$, are consistant with the notion that the toxin is an active site directed irreversible inhibitor of the enzyme. Phosphate, an end product of the enzymatic reaction, protects the enzyme from inactivation by the toxin. It is proposed that phaseotoxin is one of a few naturally occurring affinity labels.     

Adenyl cyclase of oxyntic cells its association with different cellular membranes

The adenyl cyclase of the oxyntic, or acid-secreting, cells of bullfrog gastric mucosa has been found to be a membrane-bound enzyme. A method has been developed to isolate the adenyl cyclase rich membrane fractions in a hypotonic medium containing dithiothreitol, which has been found to protect the hormonal resposivenes of the adenyl cyclase.Highest specific activity of adenyl cyclase was localized in a light membrane fraction which also had abundant K⁺-stimulated ATPase and K⁺-stimulated $\text{p-}\text{nitrophenyl}$ phophatase and very low cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase activty. The three gastric secretagogues tested, namely histamine, pentagastrin and methylcholine, significantly stimulated the adenyl cyclase activity of the light membrane fraction.After treatment with 10 mM Mg⁺ further subfractionation of the light membrane fraction on a sucrose density gradient yielded light membrane subfraction 1, light membrane subfraction 2 and light membrane subfraction 3 in order of increasing densities. The three subfractions had different enzymatic and chemical properties. Adenyl cyclase activity has been found to be distributed in all three subfractions. However, the hormonal responsiveness of the three fractions was quite different. Light membrane subfraction 2 could be stimulated by all three secretagogues, light membrane subfraction 1 by histamine and methylcholine, while light membrane subfraction 3 was refractory to all three secretagogues. On the basis of the cholesterol to phospholipid molar ratio, RNA content, glycoprotein content and the enzymatic data it is suggested that light membrane subfraction 1 and light membrane subfraction 2 are of general plasma-membrane type, while light membrane subfraction 3 is largely of cytoplasmic origin.     

Arrest of mammary tumor growth in vivo by L-arginine: stimulation of NAD-dependent activation of adenylate cyclase

$\text{In}\text{vivo}$ growth of hormone-dependent rat mammary tumors was arrested by daily injections of L-arginine (L-arginine·HCl 50 mg/200g rat s.c.). Arginine + N⁶,O^2′-dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (DBcAMP) acted synergistically to enhance the growth inhibitory effect. Growth arrest by arginine was accompanied by a sharp increase in cellular cAMP content, which was preceded by parallel increases in NAD-dependent ADP-ribosylation of the membrane proteins and NAD-dependent activation of adenylate cyclase. The ADP-ribosylation of the membrane proteins required GTP and was catalyzed similarly by the 105,000 × g supernatant fraction of the tumor and by cholera toxin. These results suggest a specific role for arginine in the cAMP-mediated inhibition of mammary tumors.     

A dynamic x-ray diffraction study of anaesthesia action. Changes in myelin structure and electrical activity recorded simultaneously from frog sciatic nerves treated with n-alkanes

Changes induced in the structure and electrical activity of myelin were recorded simultaneously from frog sciatic nerves treated with $\text{n-}\text{alkanes}$. The results suggest that the effect of $\text{n-}\text{alkanes}$ seems to be two-fold: (a) there is an initial reversible phase, in which a significant modification of the X-ray diffraction patterns, concomitant with the continuous fall of the action potential, is observed; (b) there is a final phase which is irreversible. This occurs some time after the complete abolition of the electrical activity. At this stage, further changes of the X-ray diffraction patterns are detected, the most significant of them being in the $\text{n-}\text{pentane-treated}$ myelin, and consist of an increase in the membrane bilayer thickness.