Involvement of 3-dehydroecdysone in the 3-epimerization of ecdysone.

The epimerization of ecdysone to 3-epiecdysone has been investigated in a dialysed cytosolic enzyme preparation from midgut of sixth instar Spodoptera littoralis larvae, with particular emphasis on establishing the intermediacy of 3-dehydroecdysone. Incubation of ecdysone with the dialysed cytosolic preparation furnished 3-dehydroecdysone as the only detectable product, the reaction being oxygen-dependent. The enzyme preparation catalysed reduction of 3-dehydroecdysone to 3-epiecdysone and ecdysone in the presence of NADH or NADPH. Whereas formation of 3-epiecdysone greatly predominated over that of ecdysone in the presence of NADPH, the converse applied when the cofactor was NADH. 3-Epiecdysone incubated with the enzyme preparation in the presence of various cofactors was not metabolized, indicating the irreversibility of the reduction of 3-dehydroecdysone to 3-epiecdysone and, hence, of the 3-epimerization process. The foregoing results, together with comparison of the metabolism of 3-dehydro[3H]ecdysone and [3H]ecdysone by the enzyme preparation in the presence of unlabelled ecdysone and NADPH, support the intermediacy of 3-dehydroecdysone in the 3-epimerization of ecdysone.     

In vivo studies on the metabolism of pyrimidine nucleosides (author's transl)]

3H-labelled metabolites were determined in the perchloric acid-soluble fraction of blood plasma and liver of adult male Wistar rats, following the application of [5 - 3H]uridine. Ten minutes after the injection of uridine, only 20% of the total 3H activity of the plasma could be attributed to [3H]uridine. The remaining radioactivity was found chiefly in [3H]uracil (40%) and 3H2O (20%). In the liver, at 10 min, [3H]-uridine and [3H]uracil together accounted for less than 0.5% of the total radioactivity; about 70% of the radioactivity was due to [3H]beta-alanine, and 15% to 3H2O. 45 min after the injection, 70% of the radioactivity in the plasma was due to 3H2O, whereas uridine and uracil represented about 4% and 6%, respectively. At this time, about 55% of the radioactivity in the liver was due to [3H]beta-alanine, about 40% to 3H2O, and about 5% to unidentified metabolites; [3H]uridine and [3H]uracil were not observed. A comparison of the rate of catabolism of [5-3H]-uridine, [5-3H]cytidine and [6-3H]thymidine showed that cytidine is degraded in the organism 25 times more slowly than uridine or thymidine. The biological half lives for the total degradation of the [3H]nucleosides to 3H2O, based on the values in the plasma, were: uridine 1.1 h; thymidine 1.3 h; cytidine 25 h. Furthermore, the turnover time of exogenous uridine in the plasma was found to be 9 min, which gives a half life of 6 min for the metabolism of exogenous uridine to uracil.     

Incorporation of l-[3H]fucose and d-[3H]glucosamine into cell-surface-associated glycoconjugates in epidermis of cultured pig skin slices.

1. Electron microscope autoradiography indicated that L-[3H]fucose and D-[3H]glucosamine were both incorporated into cell-surface-associated glycoconjugates in the epidermis of cultured pig skin slices. 2. Acid hydrolysis and paper chromatography of skin homogenates confirmed that there was little metabolic conversion of the labeled precursors to other sugars. 3. Epidermis was separated from dermis using CaCl2, and was extracted with 8 M-urea/5% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulphate and was then analysed by gel electrophoresis. The major component labelled with D-[3H]glucosamine had an apparent molecular weight in excess of 200 000. This material was not labelled with L-[3H]fucose. Lower molecular-weight components were labelled to a similar extent with both L-[3H]fucose and D-[3H]glucosamine. 4. The high molecular-weight material labelled with D-[3H]glucosamine was released into the medium when the epidermal cells were dispersed with trypsin, indicating that it was either surface-associated or was extracellular. It was also labelled with D-[14C]glucuronic acid, 35SO4(2-) and to a small extent with 14C-labelled amino acids indicating that it contained glycosaminoglycans derived from epidermal proteoglycans. This was confirmed by the fact that it was degraded by testicular hyaluronoglucosidase. It was not present in isolated membranes but was recovered in the soluble fraction from epidermal homogenates. It is therefore only very loosely bound at the cell surface or is present in the extracellular spaces. 5. Membrane-bound [3H]glycoproteins were identified after differential centrifugation of epidermal homogenates. The radioactivity profiles of membrane glycoproteins were similar whether L-[3H]fucose or D-[3H]glucosamine were used and both consisted of a major heterogeneous peak in the apparent mol.wt. range 70 000--150 000. [3H]Glycoproteins in this molecular-weight range were also major components of a plasma-membrane-enriched fraction. These glycoproteins were probably bound to the membrane by hydrophobic interactions, since they were only solubilized by treatment with detergent or organic solvent. They contained terminal sialic acid residues, since they were degraded by neuraminidase.     

Leukotriene C4 metabolism during its action on glucose and lactate balance and flow in perfused rat liver

Rat livers were perfused in a non-recirculating mode at constant pressure via the portal vein with media containing 5 mM glucose, 2 mM lactate, and 0.2 mM pyruvate. [3H]LTC4 was infused for a period of 5 min to a final concentration of 20 nM; it increased glucose and lactate output and reduced perfusion flow. 1) Leukotriene radioactivity was recovered 10 min after the onset of [3H]LTC4 infusion to about 40% in the effluent, to 20% in the bile, and to 40% in the liver. 2) Radioactivity in the effluent increased to a maximum 4-5 min after the onset and decreased again to essentially zero 3 min after completion of [3H]LTC4 infusion. [3H]LTC4 and [3H]LTD4 were the major labeled components in the effluent accounting for 45% and 38%, respectively, of the effluent radioactivity. 3) [3H]LTC4 and [3H]LTD4 were also the major components in bile; they accounted for 50% and 30%, respectively, of the radioactivity excreted, while more polar [3H]leukotriene metabolites accounted for the remainder. 4) In the liver, [3H]LTC4 and [3H]LTD4 were the major and [3H]LTE4, N-acetyl-[3H]LTE4 as well as omega-hydroxy-N-acetyl-[3H]LTE4 and omega-carboxy-N-acetyl-[3H]LTE4 were minor components detected 5 min after completion of [3H]LTC4 infusion. It is concluded from the present findings that during a 5 min infusion period about one third each of the infused LTC4 remained unchanged, was converted to LTD4, and was further degraded to LTE4 and polar metabolites including omega-oxidation products of N-acetyl-LTE4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of fructose concentration on carbohydrate metabolism, heat production and substrate cycling in isolated rat hepatocytes

1. Hepatocytes from starved rats were incubated with 5mm-glucose, labelled uniformly with (14)C and specifically with (3)H at positions 1, 2, 3 or 6, and with fructose at concentrations of 2.5, 7.5 or 25mm. 2. In the absence of other substrates only 1% of the radioactivity initially present in [U-(14)C]glucose appeared in the metabolic products, CO(2), lactate, pyruvate, amino acids and glycogen. 3. Fructose at 2.5mm caused a 30% increase in the glucose concentration and a 4-fold increase in the apparent oxidation of [U-(14)C]-glucose. 4. The formation of (3)H(2)O from [1-(3)H]-, [2-(3)H]-, [3-(3)H]- or [6-(3)H]-glucose was 2.4, 4.3, 2.15 or 1.6% respectively in the control incubations and 4.1, 10.4, 7.7 or 5.1% with 2.5mm-fructose. 5. Fructose at 7.5 and 25mm decreased the (3)H(2)O yields to less than the control values, but had no apparent effect on the amount of [U-(14)C]glucose metabolized. 6. In the incubations with 5mm-glucose and 25mm-fructose there were significant decreases in heat production, O(2) consumption and in the ratio of O(2) uptake to heat output. 7. Fructose at 2.5mm caused a 64% increase in heat output, but only a 43% increase in O(2) uptake. 8. The radioisotopic and calorimetric data demonstrate that physiological concentrations of fructose greatly increase metabolism in hepatocytes from starved rats. These data also indicate increased cycling at glucose/glucose 6-phosphate and at fructose 6-phosphate/fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in the presence of 2.5mm-fructose, although the rates of cycling were actually decreased relative to the amount of glucose catabolized. 9. At concentrations of 2.5, 7.5 and 25mm, fructose depressed hepatocyte ATP concentrations by 20, 65 and 80% respectively. Although fructose at 7.5 and 25mm increased glucose and lactate release, O(2) consumption, production of heat and formation of(3)H(2)O from [1-(3)H]-, [2-(3)H]-, [3-(3)H]- or [6-(3)H]-glucose were lowered to values equal to, or less than, controls. These effects probably reflect a severe derangement of hepatic metabolism due to excess phosphorylation of fructose when present at high concentrations.     

Molecular orbital study of complexes of zinc(II) with sulphide, thiomethanolate, thiomethanol, dimethylthioether, thiophenolate, formiate, acetate, carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, iminomethane and imidazole. Relationships with structural and catalytic zinc in some metallo-enzymes.

Geometry optimization and energy calculations have been performed at the density functional B3LYP/LANL2DZ level on hydrogen sulfide (HS-), dihydrogensulfide (H2S), thiomethanolate (CH3S-), thiomethanol (CH3SH), thiophenolate (C6H5S-), methoxyde (CH3O-), methanol (CH3OH), formiate (HCOO-), acetate (CH3COO-), carbonate (CO3(2-)), hydrogen carbonate (HCO3-), iminomethane (NH=CH2), [ZnS], [ZnS2]2-, [Zn(HS)]+, [Zn(H2S)]2+, [Zn(HS)4]2-, [Zn(CH3S)]+, [Zn(CH3S)2], [Zn(CH3S)3]-, [Zn(CH3S)4]2-, [Zn(CH3SH)]2+, [Zn(CH3SCH3)]2+, [Zn(C6H5S)]+, [Zn(C6H5S)2], [Zn(C6H5S)3]-, [Zn(HS)(NH=CH2)2]+, [Zn(HS)2(NH=CH2)2], [Zn(HS)(H2O)]+, [Zn(HS)(HCOO)], [Zn(HS)2(HCOO)]-, [Zn(CH3O)]+, [Zn(CH3O)2], [Zn(CH3O)3]-, [Zn(CH3O)4]2, [Zn(CH3OH)]2+, [Zn(HCOO)]+, [Zn(CH3COO)]+, [Zn(CH3COO)2], [Zn(CH3COO)3]-, [Zn(CO3)], [Zn(HCO3)]+, and [Zn(HCO3)(Imz)]+ (Imz, 1,3-imidazole). The computed Zn-S bond distances are 2.174A for [ZnS], 2.274 for [Zn(HS)]+, 2.283 for [Zn(CH3S)]+, and 2.271 for [Zn(C6H5S)]+, showing that sulfide anion forms stronger bonds than substituted sulfides. The nature of the substituents on sulfur influences only slightly the Zn-S distance. The optimized tetra-coordinate [Zn(HS)2(NH=CH2)2] molecules has computed Zn-S and Zn-N bond distances of 2.392 and 2.154A which compare well with the experimental values at the solid state obtained via X-ray diffraction for a number of complex molecules. The computed Zn-O bond distances for chelating carboxylate derivatives like [Zn(HOCOO)]+ (1.998A), [Zn(HCOO)]+ (2.021), and [Zn(CH3COO)]+ (2.001) shows that the strength of the bond is not much influenced by the substituent on carboxylic carbon atom and that CH3- and HO- groups have very similar effects. The DFT analysis shows also that the carboxylate Ligand has a preference for the bidentate mode instead of the monodentate one, at least when the coordination number is small.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of side-chain conformation of phenylalanine residue in [Met5]-enkephalin: solvent, pH, and temperature dependence.

[Met5]-Enkephalin and N-acetylphenylalanine methylamide containing (2S,3S)-[2,3-2H2]Phe were synthesized 270 MHz 1H NMR spectra of the normal and selectively deuterated species were analysed. The lower-field and higher-field beta-proton signals of the Phe4 residue of [Met5]-enkephalin were unambiguously assigned to the pro-S and pro-R protons, respectively. The same assignments apply to N-acetylphenylalanine methylamide in polar organic solvents and in 2H2O, but the alternative assignments apply in C2HCl3. For [Met5]-enkephalin, the vicinal spin coupling constants 3JalphabetaS and 3 JalphabetaR and the rotamer populations around the Calpha-Cbeta bond were determined in a variety of solvents. From the pH and temperature dependences of rotamer populations of [Met5]-enkephalin, the side-chain conformation of the Phe residue in 2H2O solution was found to be considerably different from that in (C2H3)2SO solution. Rotamer populations of the Phe4 residue of [Met5]-enkephalin in organic solvents depend on solvent polarity. As compared with the reference model molecule of N-acetylphenylalanine methylamide, the rotamer populations of Phe4 of [Met5]-enkephalin are affected possibly by steric repulsion with other residues; the rotamer I is primarily favored but the rotamer II is appreciably destabilized in weakly polar solvents.     

Cortisol-binding components of cytosol receptor in normal and adrenalectomized rat liver.

[3H] cortisol was found to be bound to two distinct components of receptor protein in hepatic cytosol of both normal and adrenalectomized adult male rats. In liver cytosol of normal rats, 78% of total bound [3H] cortisol to receptor was associated with the first receptor component, and about 20% to the second one. However, the first component of cytosol receptor in adrenalectomized rats was found to bind 95% of total [3H] cortisol bound to both receptor components, while only 4.5% of the bound hormone was found associated with the second receptor component. These alterations in binding capacity are discussed in relation to possible regulation of nuclear RNA synthesis by cortisol-receptor complexes.     

Copper complexes with heterocyclic sulfonamides: synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, microbiological and SOD-like activities: crystal structure of [Cu(sulfisoxazole)2(H2O)4] . 2H2O

The synthesis, characterization and comparative biological study of a series of antibacterial copper complexes with heterocyclic sulfonamides were reported. Two kinds of complexes were obtained with the stoichiometries [Cu(L)2] . H2O and [Cu(L)2(H2O)4] . nH2O. They were characterized by infrared and electronic spectroscopies and the crystal structure of [Cu(sulfisoxazole)2(H2O)4] . 2H2O was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallized in the C2/c with Z = 8 monoclinic space group C2/c with Z = 8. The Cu(II) is in a slightly tetragonal distorted octahedron formed by four oxygen atoms from water molecules and two nitrogen atoms from two isoxazole rings. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated for all the synthesized complexes and ligands using the agar dilution test. The results showed that the complexes with five-membered heterocyclic rings were more active than the free sulfonamides while the pyrimidine, pyridine and pyridazine complexes had similar or less activity than the free ligands. In order to find an explanation for this behavior lipophilicity and superoxide dismutase-like activity were tested, showing that the [Cu(sulfamethoxazol)2(H2O)4] . 3H2O presented the highest antimicrobial potency and a superoxide dismutase-like activity comparable with pharmacological active compounds.     

Vitamin C interaction with cobalt-ammine cations. Synthesis, spectroscopic and structural characterization of cobalt-pentammine and cobalt-tetrammine sugar complexes containing L-ascorbate anion

Interaction between [Co(NH3)5Cl]Cl2, [Co(NH3)4Cl2]Cl and L-ascorbic acid has been investigated in aqueous solution and solid complexes of the type [Co(NH3)5 ascorbate]Cl2 X H2O and [Co(NH3)4 ascorbate]Cl2 X H2O have been isolated and characterized by 13C-NMR, FT-IR and electron absorption spectroscopy. Spectroscopic and other evidence suggested that the sugar anion binds monodentately in the [Co(NH3)5 ascorbate]2+ cation via the ionized O3 oxygen atom and bidentately in [Co(NH3)4 ascorbate]2+ through the O1 and O4 oxygen atoms, resulting in a six-coordinate geometry around the Co(III) ion. The intermolecular sugar hydrogen-bonding network is perturbed upon sugar metalation and the sugar moiety shows a similar conformation to that of the sodium ascorbate compound in these series of cobalt-ammine complexes.     

Biosynthesis and glycosylation of the insulin receptor. Evidence for a single polypeptide precursor of the two major subunits

The biosynthesis and carbohydrate processing of the insulin receptor were studied in cultured human lymphocytes by means of metabolic and cell surface labeling, immunoprecipitation with anti-receptor autoantibodies, and analysis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels under reducing conditions. In addition to the two major subunits of Mr = 135,000 and Mr = 95,000, two higher molecular weight bands were detected of Mr = 210,000 and Mr = 190,000. The Mr = 210,000 band and the two major subunits were labeled by [3H]mannose, [3H]glucosamine, [3H]galactose, and [3H]fucose, and were bound by immobilized lentil, wheat germ, and ricin I lectins. On the other hand, the Mr = 190,000 band was labeled only by [3H]mannose and [3H]glucosamine and was bound only by lentil lectin. All four components could be labeled with [35S] methionine; however, in contrast with the other three polypeptides, the Mr = 190,000 band was not labeled by cell surface iodination with lactoperoxidase, suggesting that it is not exposed at the outer surface of the plasma membrane. Pulse-chase studies with [3H]mannose showed that the Mr = 190,000 was the earliest labeled component of the receptor; radioactivity in this band reached a maximum 1 h after the pulse, clearly preceded the appearance of the other components, and had a very brief half-life (t1/2 = 2.5 h). The Mr = 210,000, Mr = 135,000, and Mr = 95,000 bands were next in appearance and reached a maximum 6 h in the chase period. Monensin, an ionophore which interferes with maturation of some proteins, blocked both the disappearance of the Mr = 190,000 protein and the appearance of the Mr = 135,000 and Mr = 95,000 subunits. The mannose incorporated in the Mr = 190,000 component was fully sensitive to treatment with endoglycosidase H while that in the Mr = 210,000 band and the two major subunits was only partially sensitive. Tryptic fingerprints of the 125I-labeled Mr = 210,000 band suggested that this component contains peptides of both the Mr = 135,000 and Mr = 95,000 subunits. In conclusion, the Mr = 190,000 component appears to represent the high mannose precursor form of the insulin receptor that undergoes carbohydrate processing and proteolytic cleavage to generate the two major subunits. In addition, the Mr = 210,000 band is probably the fully glycosylated form of the precursor that escapes cleavage and is expressed in the plasma membrane.     

Phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Part 4: Design, synthesis and structure-activity relationships of dual PDE3/4-inhibitory fused bicyclic heteroaromatic-4,4-dimethylpyrazolones

(-)-6-(7-Methoxy-2-trifluoromethylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-4-yl)-5-methyl-4,5-dihydro-3-(2H)-pyridazinone (KCA-1490) is a dual PDE3/4 inhibitor that exhibits potent combined bronchodilatory and anti-inflammatory activity. Here we show that a 4,4-dimethylpyrazolone subunit serves as an effective surrogate for the 5-methyl-4,5-dihydropyridazin-3(2H)-one ring of KCA-1490 whilst lacking a stereogenic centre. The 2- and 7-substituents in the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine subunit markedly influence the PDE-inhibitory profile and can be adjusted to afford either potent PDE4-selective inhibitors or dual PDE3/4 inhibitors. A survey of bicyclic heteroaromatic replacements for the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine allowed further refinement of the inhibitory profile and identified 3-(8-methoxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-5-yl)-4,4-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-one as an orally active, achiral KCA-1490 analog with well-balanced dual PDE3/4-inhibitory activity.     

Differences between cytosol receptor complexes with corticosterone and dexamethasone in hippocampal tissue from rat brain.

The binding of [3H]corticosterone and [3H]dexamethasone to soluble macromolecules in cytosol of the hippocampal region of the brain has been studied in adrenalectomized male rats. Unlabeled dexamethasone appears to be a less effective competitor than corticosterone in the binding of [3H]corticosterone, while both unlabeled steroids compete equally well for the binding or [3H]dexamethasone. Further investigation of macromolecular complexes with [3H]dexamethasone and [3H]corticosterone revealed that they differ from each other in their behavior during ammonium sulfate precipitation, BioRad A-5M gel permeation chromatography, DE-52 anion exchange chromatography and DNA-cellulose chromatography. (1) After exposure to a 33% ammonium sulfate solution relatively more [3H]dexamethasone complex than [3H]corticosterone complex is precipitated. (2) Treatment of the cytosol with 0.3 M KCl gives disaggregation of the supramolecular 3H-labeled corticoid complexes which are seen eluting with the void volume during gel permeation chromatography on Biorad A-5M at low ionic strength. In 0.3 M KCl, the [3H]dexamethasone complex has an elution volume somewhat smaller than that of bovine serum albumin, while the [3H]-corticosterone complex in 0.3 M KCl is too unstable to survive chromatography with A-5M. (3) Chromatography on DE-52 resolved the 3H-labeled corticoid complexes into three binding components. The complex with [3H]dexamethasone contains a higher percentage (85%) of a component less firmly attached (i.e. eluted by 0.15 M KCl) to the anion exchange resin than is observed for the complex with [3H]corticosterone (49%). (4) The complexes with 3H-labeled corticoids display an enhanced affinity for calf thymus DNA adsorbed to cellulose following "activation", warming to 25 degrees C for 15 min. Concurrently, a fraction of the [3H]dexamethasone complex becomes able to more firmly attach to the DE-52 anion exchange resin. These results with the binding of the cytosol hormone-receptor complexes to DNA-cellulose do not explain the marked in vivo preference of hippocampus for the cell nuclear uptake of [3H] corticosterone. However, the other differences in the properties of the complexes formed with the two labeled glucocorticoids support our previous inference that there may be more than one population of adrenal steroid "receptors" in brain tissue.     

Characterization and crystal structure of cadmium(II) halide complexes with amino acids and their derivatives: VII. Crystal structures of aquadibromo(3-aminopropanoic acid)cadmium(II), dichloro(4-aminobutanoic acid)cadmium(II), diaquabis(aminohexanoic acid)cadmium(II) tetrachlorocadmium(II), and dibromo(azetidine-3-carboxylic acid)cadmium(II)

Seven cadmium complexes: [CdX2(Hapro)(H2O)n] (X: Cl(1), Br(2)), [CdX2(Hgaba)] (X: Cl(3), Br(4)), [Cd(Hahex)2(H2O)2][CdCl4] (5), and [CdX2(Haze-3)](H2O)n (X: Cl(6), Br(7)) have been prepared and investigated by means of IR and FT Raman spectra. The crystal and molecular structures of 2, 3, 5 and 7 were determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. In complex 2, the cadmium atom is in a distorted octahedral geometry, ligated by two carboxyl oxygen atoms of Hapro, a water molecule, and three bromine atoms; one is terminal and each of the other two is bridging two cadmium atoms to make a polymer. The structure of 3 consists of one-dimensional polymers bridged by two chlorine atoms and a carboxyl group. The carboxyl oxygen atoms of Hgaba coordinate forkedly to two cadmium atoms. The cadmium atom of [Cd(Hahex)2(H2O)2]2+ in complex 5 is in a distorted octahedral geometry, ligated by four carboxyl oxygen atoms of two molecules of Hahex and by two water molecules. [Cd(Hahex)2(H2O)2]2+ exists between two layers which are formed of infinite [CdCl4]2- chains. The carboxyl oxygen atoms of Hahex coordinate to the same cadmium atom. In complex 7, the cadmium atom is ligated by two carboxyl oxygen atoms and four bridging bromine atoms to make a polymer.     

Inter-conversion of 15-MC-5 to 12-MC-4 manganese metallacrowns: structure and bioactivity of metallacrowns hosting carboxylato complexes

Interaction of manganese with salicylhydroxamic ligands (shi) in methanol, in the presence of pyridine, leads to the formation of a series of 15-membered metallacrown (MC) Mn(II)(L)2[15-MCMn(III)N(shi)-5](py)6 or 7, (L=formato, benzoate or alkanoato ligand, py=pyridine). In the absence of pyridine, the Mn(II)(L)2[12-MCMn(III)N(shi)-4](MeOH)6 metallacrown was isolated and structurally characterized. The crystal structure of {[Mn(II)(HCOO)2][(15-MCMn(III)N(shi)-5)(py)7]}.py.1.9CH3OH.H2O (1) contains a neutral 15-membered metallacrown ring consisting of five Mn(III) and five shi(-3) ligands. The 15-membered metallacrown ring is formed by the succession of five structural moieties of the type [Mn(III)-N-O]. The diverse in the configuration (planar or propeller) for the ring Mn(III) ions gives the metallacrown core a bending structure. The crystal structure of {[Mn(II)(C6H5COO)2][(12-MCMn(III)N(shi)-4)(CH3OH)6]}.2CH3OH (2) contains a neutral 12-membered metallacrown ring consisting of four Mn(III) and four shi(-3) ligands. The 12-membered metallacrown ring is formed by the same way of succession of four structural moieties of the type [Mn(III)-N-O], while the presence of a planar only configuration of shi ligands around ring Mn(III) ions gives to the metallacrown core a planar structure. The encapsulated Mn(II) is six and seven-coordinate for (1) and (2), respectively, and is bound to the hydroximate oxygen of the metallacrown core and two oxygen atoms from the carboxylate ligands. Antibacterial screening data showed that, among all the compounds tested, manganese metallacrowns are more active compared to the simple manganese herbicide or carboxylate complexes, with increased efficiency for [15-MCMn(III)N(shi)-5] compared to the analogous [12-MCMn(III)N(shi)-4].     

Chromium(III)-mediated structural modification of glycoprotein: impact of the ligand and the oxidants

The interaction of three types of chromium(III) complexes, [Cr(salen) (H2O2]+, [Cr(en)3]3+, and [Cr(EDTA) (H2O)]- with AGP has been investigated. [Cr(salen) (H2O2]+, [Cr(en)3]3+ and [Cr(EDTA) (H2O]- bind to Human alpha1-acid glycoprotein with a protein:metal ratio of 1:8, 1:6, and 1:4, respectively. The binding constant, K(b) was estimated to be 1.37 +/- 0.12 x 10(5) M(-1), 1.089 +/- 0.05 x 10(5) M(-1) and 5.3 +/- 0.05 x 10(4) M(-1) for [Cr(salen) (H2O2]+, [Cr(en)3]3+, and [Cr(EDTA) (H2O)]-, respectively. [Cr(en)3]3+ has been found to induce structural transition of AGP from the native twisted beta sheet to a more compact alpha-helix. The complexes, [Cr(salen) (H2O2]+ and [Cr(EDTA) (H2O]-, in the presence of H2O2, have been found to bring about nonspecific cleavage of AGP, whereas [Cr(en)3]3+ does not bring about any protein damage. Treatment of [Cr(salen) (H2O)2]+-protein adduct with iodosyl benzene on the other hand led to site specific cleavage of the protein. These results clearly demonstrate that protein damage brought about by chromium(III) complexes depends on the nature of the coordinated ligand, nature of the metal complex, and the nature of the oxidant.     

Formation, size, and solubility in chloroform/methanol of products of protein synthesis in isolated mitochondria of rat liver and Zajdela hepatoma.

The number, size, solubility in chloroform/methanol and some aspects of the formation of the components labeled by radioactive amino acids in isolated mitochondria of rat liver and Zajdela hepatoma were studied. Isolated mitochondria were labeled with radioactive amino acids under various conditions, and the distribution of radioactivity in sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gels after electrophoresis of mitochondrial membrane fraction was analysed. 1. Isolated mitochondria of rat liver and Zajdela hepatoma incroporated radioactive amino acids almost exclusively into the membrane fraction. Electrophoretic analysis of this fraction revealed the presence of 15 distinct peaks of radioactivity with corresponding apparent molecular weights of 10 000 to 58 000. The electrophoretic mobility of the labeled components was identical and the general pattern of the radioactivity distribution in the gel for the rat liver and the tumour mitochondria was very similar. 2. Components of the membrane fraction of rat liver mitochondria labeled in vitro displayed an unequal solubility in acidic (2 mM HC1) chloroform/methanol (2/1) mixture; as detected by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis a single labeled component with apparent molecular weight of 10 000 was soluble in neutral chloroform/methanol. 3. Inverse relation was observed between amino acid incorporation activity of isolated mitochondria and the portion of the label incorporated into the component with apparent molecular weight 10 000. The identity of this component with that soluble in neutral chloroform/methanol mixture has been indicated. 4. The rate of incorporation of [3H]leucine by isolated Zajdela hepatoma mitochondria into the components with lower (10 000-25 000) apparent molecular weights decreased with time, whereas that into components with higher (above 25 000) apparent molecular weight remained approximately constant within the time interval tested (30 min). 5. From the total radioactivity incorporated into the membrane fraction during 5-min pulse labeling of isolated Zajdela hepatoma mitochondria by [3H]leucine up to 25% was recovered in the region of the gel corresponding to a component with apparent molecular weight 10 000. After 25 min chase the radioactivity in this region decreased about 3.5 times while the specific radioactivity of the total membrane fraction did not change significantly. The pattern of radioactivity distribution observed after the pulse was preserved by chloramphenicol. 6. Unlabeled sonicated mitochondria or postribosomal supernatant from rat liver regenerating in the presence of chloramphenicol were incubated with neutral chloroform/methanol extract of in vitro with [14C]leucine labeled rat liver mitochondria. After this incubation several labeled components with apparent molecular weights above 10 000 were recovered in the electrophoreograms of the originally unlabeled fractions.     

High affinity estrogen binding by rabbit liver

Macromolecular binding components for [3H]estradiol-17beta are present to cytosol prepared from rabbit liver. When cytosol from sexually mature male liver was incubated with [3H]estradiol and analyzed for binding on low ionic strength sucrose gradients, two peaks of binding activity were detected. One peak had a sedimentation coefficient of 4--5 S and the other had a sedimentation coefficient of 8--9 S. The two components differed from each other regarding steroid specificity and various physiocochemical parameters. [3H]estradiol binding to the 4--5 S component was not inhibited by estrogens, 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone, progesterone or cortisol. Binding to this component did not appear to be saturable and label was rapidly stripped from it by charcoal. Estradiol binding to the 8--9 S component was estrogen specific, saturable and of high affinity. The specific binder dissociates on high ionic strength sucrose gradients and sediments as a 4--5 S moiety. The specific binding protein has a Kd of 3.05 . 10(-10) M and a dissociation half-time of 33 h and there are 35.2 fmol of binding sites/mg cytosol protein. Estrogen binders are also present in liver cytosol from sexually mature female and sexually immature male rabbits. During prolonged incubation of [3H]estradiol with mature male liver cytosol at 0--5 degrees C polar metabolites of estradiol are produced.     

拟细羽束梗孢发酵菌丝体中自由基清除活性成分分析

用二苯基苦基苯肼(DPPH)自由基法,首次对拟细羽束梗孢(Isaria gracilioides RCEF3 279)菌丝体的不同溶剂提取物进行了自由基清除活性的定性定量分析,发现其甲醇提取物具有较强的清除自由基活性,当菌丝浓度为10 g/L时,其甲醇提取物的自由基清除率达到了92.4％±0.3％.DPPH自显影-薄层...     

The regiochemistry and stereochemistry of the biosynthesis of vitamin B6 from triose units

13C and 2H NMR spectroscopy has been employed to probe the biosynthesis of vitamin B6 in Escherichia coli. The 13C NMR spectrum of a sample of pyridoxol derived biosynthetically from D-[1,2,3,4,5,6-13C6]glucose shows that the bonds, C(2)-C(3) and C(4)-C(5), of the pyridine nucleus are the only two carbon-carbon bonds of pyridoxol which are generated de novo in the course of its biosynthesis from glucose. It follows that the pyridoxol skeleton is generated from two intact triose units and a triose-derived two-carbon unit, all of which are supplied by glucose. From the 2H NMR spectra of samples of pyridoxol derived from (R)-[1,1-2H2]glycerol and (S)-[1,1-2H2]glycerol, respectively, it can be deduced that the rehydroxymethyl group of glycerol enters C-2', C-4', and C-5' of the pyridoxol skeleton. It follows that each of the three fragments is derived from glycerol in stereo-specific fashion. These results answer questions concerning the regiochemistry and the stereochemistry of pyridoxol biosynthesis.