Aconitase activity and expression during the development of lemon fruit

Citrus fruits are characterized by the accumulation of high levels of citric acid in the juice sac cells and a decline in acid level toward maturation. It has been suggested that changes in mitochondrial aconitase (EC 4.2.1.3) activity affect fruit acidity. Recently, a cytosolic aconitase (cyt-Aco) homologous to mammalian iron-regulated proteins was identified in plants, leading us to re-evaluate the role of aconitase in acid accumulation. Aconitase activity was studied in 2 contrasting citrus varieties, sweet lime ( Citrus limettioides Tan., low acid) and sour lemon ( Citrus limon var. Eureka, high acid). Two aconitase isozymes were detected. One declined early in sour lemon fruit development, but was constant throughout sweet lime fruit development. Its reduction in sour lemon was associated with a decrease in aconitase activity in the mitochondrial fraction. Another isozyme was detected in sour lemon toward maturation, and was associated with an increase in aconitase activity in the soluble fraction, suggesting a cytosolic localization. The cyt-Aco was cloned from lemon juice sac cells, but in contrast to the changes in isozyme activity, its expression was constant during fruit development. We present a model, which suggests that reduction of the mitochondrial aconitase activity plays a role in acid accumulation, while an increase in the cyt-Aco activity reduces acid level toward fruit maturation.     

In the Aging Housefly Aconitase Is the Only Citric Acid Cycle Enzyme to Decline Significantly

The main objective of this study was to determine if the activities of the mitochondrial citric acid cycle enzymes are altered during the normal aging process. Flight muscle mitochondria of houseflies of different ages were used as a model system because of their apparent age-related decline in bioenergetic efficiency, evident as a failure of flying ability. The maximal activities of each of the citric acid cycle enzymes were determined in preparations of mitochondria from flies of relatively young, middle, and old age. Aconitase was the only enzyme exhibiting altered activity during aging. The maximal activity of aconitase from old flies was decreased by 44% compared to that from young flies while the other citric acid cycle enzymes showed no change in activity with age. It is suggested that the selective age-related decrease in aconitase activity is likely to contribute to a decline in the efficiency of mitochondrial bioenergetics, as well as result in secondary effects associated with accumulation of citrate and redox-active iron.     

Aconitase and ATP synthase are targets of malondialdehyde modification and undergo an age-related decrease in activity in mouse heart mitochondria

The main purpose of this study was to identify mitochondrial proteins that exhibit post-translational oxidative modifications during the aging process and to determine the resulting functional alterations. Proteins forming adducts with malondialdehyde (MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, were identified by immunodetection in mitochondria isolated from heart and hind leg skeletal muscle of 6-, 16-, and 24-month-old mice. Aconitase, very long chain acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase, ATP synthase, and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase were detected as putative targets of oxidative modification by MDA. Aconitase and ATP synthase from heart exhibited significant decreases in activity with age. Very long chain acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase activities were unaffected during aging in both heart and skeletal muscle. This suggests that the presence of a post-translational oxidative modification in a protein does not a priori reflect an alteration in activity. The biological consequences of an age-related decrease in aconitase and ATP synthase activities may contribute to the decline in mitochondrial bioenergetics evident during aging.     

Metabolic control analysis of mitochondrial aconitase: influence over respiration and mitochondrial superoxide and hydrogen peroxide production

Abstract

The Fe-S cluster of mitochondrial aconitase is rapidly and selectively inactivated by oxidants, yielding an inactive enzyme that can be reactivated by reductants and iron in vivo. In order to elucidate the metabolic impact of oxidant-dependent aconitase inhibition over the citric acid cycle, the respiratory chain reactions, and reactive species formation, we performed a metabolic analysis using isolated mitochondria from different rat tissues. Titrations with fluorocitrate showed IC₅₀ for aconitase inhibition ranging from 7 to 24 μM. The aconitase inhibition threshold in mitochondrial oxygen consumption was determined to range from 63 to 98%. Of the tissues examined, brain and heart exhibited the highest values in the flux control coefficient (> 0.95). Aconitase-specific activity varied widely among tissues examined from ?60 mU/mg in liver to 321 mU/mg in kidney at 21% O₂. In brain and heart, aconitase-specific activity increased by 42 and 12%, respectively, at 2% O₂ reflecting aconitase inactivation by oxygen-derived oxidants at 21% O₂. Both mitochondrial membrane potential and hydrogen peroxide production significantly decreased upon aconitase inhibition in heart and brain mitochondria. These results indicate that aconitase can exert control over respiration (with tissue specificity) and support the hypothesis that inactivation of aconitase may provide a control mechanism to prevent O₂^●? and H₂O₂ formation by the respiratory chain.     

Immunological comparison of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complexes from pea mitochondria and chloroplasts

The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) in pea (Pisum sativum L., cv. Little Marvel) was studied immunologically using antibodies to specific subunits of mammalian PDC. Pea mitochondria and chloroplasts were both found to contain PDC, but distinct differences were noted in the subunit relative molecular mass (M_r) values of the individual enzymes in the mitochondrial and chloroplast PDC complexes. In particular, the mitochondrial E3 enzyme (dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase; EC 1.8.1.4) has a high subunit M_r value of 67 000, while the chloroplast E3 enzyme has a subunit M_r value of 52 000, similar in size to the prokaryotic, yeast ad mammalian E3 enzymes. In addition, component X (not previously noted in plant PDC) was also found to be present in two distinct forms in pea mitochondrial and chloroplast complexes. As in the case of E3, mitochondrial component X has a higher subunit M_r value (67 000) than component X from chloroplasts (48 000), which is similar in size to its mammalian counterpart. The subunit M_r value of E2 (dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase; EC 2.3.1.12) in both mitochondria and chloroplasts (50 000) is lower than that of mammalian E2 (74 000) but similar to that of yeast E2 (58 000), and is consistent with the presence of only a single lipoyl domain. Neither mitochondria nor chloroplasts showed any appreciable cross-reactivity with antiserum to mammalian E1 (pyruvate dehydrogenase; EC 1.2.4.1). However, mitochondria cross-reacted strongly with antiserum to yeast E1, giving a single band (M_r 41 000) which is thought to be E1_a. Chloroplasts showed no cross-reactivity with yeast E1, indicating that the mitochondrial E1_a subunit and its chloroplast equivalent are antigenically distinct polypeptides.Abbreviations E1 pyruvate dehydrogenase - E2 dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase - E3 dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase - M_r relative molecular mass - PDC pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate The financial support of the Agricultural and Food Research Council is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Steve Hill (Department of Botany, University of Edinburgh, UK) for advice on mitochondrial isolation, and James Neagle (Department of Biochemistry, University of Glasgow) and Ailsa Carmichael for helpful discussion.     

The aggregation states of spinach phosphoribulokinase

Phosphoribulokinase (PRK; EC 2.1.7.19) is active in illuminated chloroplasts and inactive in darkened chloroplasts. This regulatory mechanism is mediated by thioredoxin-dependent reduction of a kinase disulfide in vivo. Extracts of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves in the presence of 10 mM dithiothreitol contain a single 80-kDa form of PRK as judged by gel filtration. Gel filtration of thiol-free extracts of light-harvested tissue shows the presence of two inactive forms of PRK, the 80-kDa form and an aggregate (> 550 kDa) form, but treatment of both forms with dithiothreitol restores kinase activity. Gel filtration following extraction of dark-harvested tissue in the absence of dithiotreitol demonstrates the presence of only the heavier form. Inclusion of 400 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ in the homogenization buffer during extraction of light-harvested tissue suppresses the formation of the high-M _r form of PRK, but does not eliminate the aggregate form observed in extracts of dark-harvested leaves. However, prolonged treatment of extracts from dark-harvested tissue with 400 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ results in conversion of the high-M _r form of phosphoribulokinase to the low-M _r form. The data are consistent with the heavier form of phosphoribulokinase being the normal in-vivo aggregation state in the dark, while the lighter form is the normal aggregation state in the light.This research was sponsored jointly by the science and education administration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Grant No. 88-37130-3722 from the Competitive Research Grants Office and by the Office of Health and Environmental Research, U.S. Department of Energy under Contract DE-AC05-84OR21400 with Martin Marietta Energy Systems Inc., Oak Ridge, Tenn., USA. The author is Postdoctoral Investigator supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through Subcontract No. 88-37130-3722 from the Biology Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to the University of Tennessee.     

A Novel A3 Group Aconitase Tolerates Oxidation and Nitric Oxide

Achromobacter denitrificans YD35 is an NO₂⁻-tolerant bacterium that expresses the aconitase genes acnA3, acnA4, and acnB, of which acnA3 is essential for growth tolerance against 100 mm NO₂⁻. Atmospheric oxygen inactivated AcnA3 at a rate of 1.6 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹, which was 2.7- and 37-fold lower compared with AcnA4 and AcnB, respectively. Stoichiometric titration showed that the [4Fe-4S]²⁺ cluster of AcnA3 was more stable against oxidative inactivation by ferricyanide than that of AcnA4. Aconitase activity of AcnA3 persisted against high NO₂⁻ levels that generate reactive nitrogen species with an inactivation rate constant of k = 7.8 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹, which was 1.6- and 7.8-fold lower than those for AcnA4 and AcnB, respectively. When exposed to NO₂⁻, the acnA3 mutant (AcnA3Tn) accumulated higher levels of cellular citrate compared with the other aconitase mutants, indicating that AcnA3 is a major producer of cellular aconitase activity. The extreme resistance of AcnA3 against oxidation and reactive nitrogen species apparently contributes to bacterial NO₂⁻ tolerance. AcnA3Tn accumulated less cellular NADH and ATP compared with YD35 under our culture conditions. The accumulation of more NO by AcnA3Tn suggested that NADH-dependent enzymes detoxify NO for survival in a high NO₂⁻ milieu. This novel aconitase is distributed in Alcaligenaceae bacteria, including pathogens and denitrifiers, and it appears to contribute to a novel NO₂⁻ tolerance mechanism in this strain.     

The vectorial orientation of human monoamine oxidase in the mitochondrial outer membrane.

1. The localization of monoamine oxidase in the mitochondrial outer membrane was studied in preparations of human liver mitochondrial and brain-cortex non-synaptosomal and synaptosomal mitochondria. 2. Immunochemical accessibility in iso-osmotic and hypo-osmotic mitochondrial preparations was used to localize the enzyme. 3. It was shown that the immunochemically accessible tyramine-oxidizing activity was distributed approximately equally on both surfaces of the membrane in human liver and brain-cortex non-synaptosomal mitochondria. However, the immunochemically accessible beta-phenethylamine-oxidizing activity was situated predominantly on the outer surface, and the immunochemically accessible 5-hydroxytryptamine-oxidizing activity was situated predominantly on the inner surface of the mitochondrial outer membrane in liver and brain-cortex non-synaptosomal mitochondrial preparations. 4. Considerable variation in the distribution of the enzyme in preparations of synaptosomal mitochondria was seen. 5. The simplest model consistent with our observations is that, in liver and brain-cortex non-synaptosomal mitochondria, the tyramine-oxidizing activity is distributed on both sides of the mitochondrial outer membrane, the beta-phenethylamine-oxidizing activity is located on the outer surface of the outer membrane and the 5-hydroxytryptamine-oxidizing activity is located on the inner surface of the mitochondria outer membrane.     

Inhibition of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter by antibodies against a 40-kDa glycorproteinT

Polyclonal rabbit antibodies against a Ca²⁺-binding mitochondrial glycoprotein were found to inhibit the uniporter-mediated transport of Ca²⁺ in mitoplasts prepared from rat liver mitochondria. Spermine, a modulator of the uniporter, decreased the inhibition. This glycoprotein ofM _r 40,000, isolated from beef heart mitochondria and earlier shown to form Ca²⁺-conducting channels in black-lipid membranes, thus is a good candidate for being a component of the uniporter. Antibody-IgG was found to specifically bind to mitochondria in human fibroblasts.     

H2O2 production and response to stress conditions by mitochondrial fractions from rat liver

Rat liver mitochondria, in different steps of the maturation process, were resolved by differential centrifugation at 1000g (M₁), 3000g (M₃), and 10,000g (M₁₀), and their characteristics determining susceptibility to stress conditions were investigated. Some parameters did not show gradual changes in the transition from M₁₀ to M₁ fraction because of the contamination of the M₁₀ fraction by microsomes and damaged mitochondria with relatively high lipid content. The highest and lowest rates of O₂ consumption and H₂O₂ production were exhibited by M₁ and M₁₀ fractions, respectively. Vitamin E and coenzyme Q levels were significantly higher in M₁₀ than in M₁ fraction, whereas whole antioxidant capacity was not significantly different. The degree of oxidative damage to lipids and proteins was higher in M₁ and not significantly different in M₃ and M₁₀ fractions. The order of susceptibility to both oxidative challenge and Ca²⁺-induced swelling was M₁ > M₃ > M₁₀. It seems that the Ca²⁺-induced swelling is due to permeabilization of oxidatively altered inner membrane and leads to discard mitochondria with high ROS production. If, as previous reports suggest, mitochondrial damage is initiating stimulus to mitochondrial biogenesis, the susceptibility of the M₁ mitochondria to stressful conditions could be important to regulate cellular ROS production. In fact, it should favor the substitution of the oldest ROS-overproducing mitochondria with neoformed mitochondria endowed with a smaller capacity to produce free radicals.     

In vitro mucosal digestion of synthetic gliadin-derived peptides in celiac disease

Two celiac-active synthetic peptides derived from the A-gliadin structure corresponding to residues 8–19 (LQPQNPSQQQPQ) and to 11–19 were digestedin vitro with small intestinal mucosa from children with celiac disease in remission and from normal children. The products of digestion were separated into two fractions on the basis of M_r<400 and M_r>400 by gel permeation chromatography and subjected to amino acid analysis. After digestion of the dodecapeptide with celiac mucosa, 71±14% (molar) of the total digestion products remained in the M_r>400 fraction. Glutamine, proline, serine, and asparagine were the major amino acids present. Glutamine, proline, and leucine were the major amino acids in the M_r<400 fraction. The M_r>400 fraction from the celiac mucosal digestion of the nonapeptide was of similar composition to the corresponding fraction from the dodecapeptide and represented 78±15% of the total products. Digestion of the two peptides with normal mucosa gave lower amounts of products in the M_r>400 fraction, but they were of similar composition to the corresponding fractions from the celiac mucosal digestion. Peptides such as NPSQQQP and QNPSQQQ may be present in the M_r>400 fractions since glutamine and proline are present in the approximate ratio of 21, respectively. The results indicate a defect in the mucosal digestion of peptides which are active in an animal model of celiac disease.     

The Drosophila PROS-28.1 gene is a member of the proteasome gene family

In the present communication, we report the identification of a new gene family which encodes the protein subunits of the proteasome. The proteasome is a high-M_r complex possessing proteolytic activity. Screening a Drosophila λgt11 cDNA expression library with the proteasome-specific antibody N19-28 we isolated a clone encoding the 28-kDa No. 1 proteasome protein subunit. In accordance with the nomenclature of proteasome subunits in Drosophila, the corresponding gene is designated PROS-28.1, and it encodes an mRNA of 1.1 kb with an open reading frame of 249 amino acids (aa). Genomic Southern-blot hybridization shows PROS-28.1 to be a member of a family of related genes. Analysis of the predicted aa sequence reveals a potential nuclear targeting signal, a potential site for tyrosine kinase and a potential cAMP/cGMP-dependent phosphorylation site. The aa sequence comparison of the products of PROS-28.1 and PROS-35 with the C2 proteasome subunit of rat shows a strong sequence similarity between the different proteasome subunits. The data suggest that at least a subset of the proteasome-encoding genes belongs to a family of related genes (PROS gene family) which may have evolved from a common ancestral PROS gene.     

Do vanadium ions exert any specific effect on brain protein phosphrylation

It has been shown previously (1) that vanadate stimulates phosphorylation of the overall protens from the synaptic membranes of rat cerebral cortex. The aim of the present experiments was to investigate whether the action of vanadate and also of vanadyl ions could exert any specific effect on endogenous phosphorylation of proteins from subcellular fractions of the rat brain cortex. Both vanadate and vanadyl ions stimulate phosphorylation of the overall proteins from synaptic membranes and to lesser extent from mitochondria. An attempt was made to estimate the contribution of inhibition of ATPase activity to nonspecific stimulation of phosphate labeling in the synaptic membrane fraction. A band of M_r approx. 37 kDa from synaptic membranes was particularly sensitive to vanadate. In mitochondria both vanadate and vanadyl caused a marked, concentration dependent inhibition of phosphorylation of a band corresponding to M_r approx. 34 kDa. The effect was confined exclusively to the mitochondrial fractions (total, perikaryal and two synaptic types). It was absent in all subcellular fractions tested, including the nuclear one. Phosphorylation of the mitochondrial 34 kDa band is not influenced by cyclic AMP, Ca-calmodulin, shift of pH from 6.6 to 8.1. Alkaline hydrolysis removed almost all phosphatelabeled bands of mitochondria, including that of 34 kDa.     

Human mononuclear leukocyte transglutaminase activity is enhanced by streptococcal erythrogenic toxin and a staphylococcal mitogenic factor associated with toxic shock syndrome

Transglutaminase activity in human peripheral lymphocytes is enhanced after incubation of the cells with concanavalin A. Streptococcal proliferative factor toxin (erythrogenic toxin) from Streptococcus pyogenes and Toxic shock syndrome toxin from Staphylococcus aureus were purified and tested for their ability to enhance transglutaminase activity. Mononuclear leukocyte transglutaminase activity was enhanced 3–5-fold 30 min after incubation with either toxin. Enhancement occurred only when toxin was incubated with intact cells; addition of toxin to cell lysates was without effect. Transglutaminase was not measurable extracellularly. Histamine and dansyl cadaverine, competitive substrates for transglutaminase, inhibited [³H]putrescine incoporation into casein and [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA. Incubation of lymphocytes with cycloheximide and either toxin or concanavalin A did not inhibit enzyme activity. These bacterial toxins, like phytomitogens, may perturb the cellular membrane and mediate their effect by transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking of membrane proteins.     

真核细胞顺乌头酸酶活性检测新技术——胶内酶活性分析法

顺乌头酸酶（aconitase,Aco）是细胞内重要的铁硫蛋白酶,它催化细胞内柠檬酸经中间产物顺乌头酸生成异柠檬酸. 真核细胞中顺乌头酸酶有两种,分别定位在细胞质的顺乌头酸酶1（c-Aco）和定位在线粒体的顺乌头酸酶2（m-Aco）.检测它们活性的变化能敏感地反映出细胞中能量代谢、自由基产生、铁硫簇组装及铁代谢水平的改变. 顺乌头酸酶活性的传统检测方法通常是测定细胞中总的顺乌头酸酶活性,该方法难以准确区分出c-Aco和m-Aco各自的活性变化.因此我们建立一种胶内酶活性分析法检测顺乌头酸酶活性. 该方法利用非变性电泳技术将c-Aco和m-Aco浓缩分离,通过泡染底物显色,条带颜色深浅反映了酶活性的强弱. 同时,比较了胶内酶活性分析法和分光光度法检测细胞内c-Aco和m-Aco的活性,并对比检测了过氧化氢处理细胞前后Aco活性的变化.结果显示,这两种方法均可敏感地检测出Aco的活性改变,并有广泛的细胞系实用性,但胶内酶活性分析法可区别测定c-Aco和m-Aco活性,不需繁琐的细胞质和线粒体分离,简便易行.文中介绍的线粒体分离纯化技术也为线粒体功能深入研究提供了一个快速、高效的分离纯化方法.     

Analysis of the exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCFB 2772 grown in continuous culture on glucose and fructose

The exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCFB 2772 grown in defined medium were investigated. At equal cell densities, the strain produced 95 mg l⁻¹ exopolysaccharides with glucose and 30 mg l⁻¹ with fructose as the carbohydrate source. High-performance size-exclusion chromatography of the exopolysaccharides produced on glucose showed the presence of two fractions with relative molecular masses (M _r) of 1.7 × 10⁶ and 4 × 10⁴ in almost equal amounts. The exopolysaccharides produced on fructose contained mainly a fraction of low M _r of 4 × 10⁴. The high-M _r fraction of the purified exopolysaccharides produced on glucose appeared to have a sugar composition of galactose, glucose and rhamnose in the molar ratio of 5:1:1, whereas the low-M _r weight fraction contained galactose, glucose and rhamnose in the molar ratio of approximately 11:1:0.4. The purified exopolysaccharide fractions produced on fructose showed comparable ratios. The high-molecular-mass fractions contained terminally linked galactose, 1,2,3-linked galactose, 1,3,4-linked galactose, 1,3-linked glucose and terminally linked rhamnose. The low-molecular-mass fractions contained mainly 1,3-linked galactose and 1,6-linked galactose and lower amounts of other sugar linkages. The production of the high-M _r fractions appeared to be dependent on the carbohydrate source, whereas the low-M _r fractions were produced more continuously. Received: 30 April 1997 / Received revision: 11 June 1997 / Accepted: 14 June 1997     

KINETIC STUDY OF GLUTAMATE TRANSPORT IN RAT BRAIN MITOCHONDRIA

Abstract— The experiments reported here confirm that glutamate can penetrate the inner membrane of isolated rat brain non-synaptosomal mitochondria, either on a glutamate-hydroxyl antiporter or on a glutamate-aspartate antiporter. An inhibition of respiratory activity of mitochondria with glutamate as substrate was obtained in the presence of avenaciolide or N-ethylmaleimide. Swelling of the mitochondria in iso-osmotic NH4⁺-l -glutamate was inhibited in the presence of avenaciolide and N-ethylmaleimide, but mersalyl, kainic acid, glisoxepide and amino-oxyacetic acid had no effect on the glutamate-hydroxyl exchange. Glutamate induced the reduction of intramitochondrial NAD(P), as estimated by double-beam spectrophotometry, and this reduction was inhibited on the one hand by N-ethylmaleimide, avenaciolide or fuscine, on the other hand by aminooxyacetic acid. A direct estimation of the penetration of l -[¹⁴C]glutamate into brain mitochondria was performed by using the centrifugation-stop procedure. This penetration followed saturation kinetics, with a mean apparent K_m of 1.56 M^M at pH 7.4 and at 20°C, the value of Knax was 4.34 nmol per min per mg protein in the same conditions. IV-Ethylmaleimide slowed down the initial rate of glutamate penetration, and this inhibition appeared to be non-competitive with a K_i of 0.7 Mm -at pH 7.4 and at 20°C. The entry of glutamate was pH-dependent and it increased 2-fold in the pH range of 7.4 to 6.4. A temperature-dependence of glutamate transport was also shown between 2 and 25°C; the Arrhenius plot was a straight line, with a calculated E_A of 12.8 kCal per mol of glutamate and a Q₁₀ of 2.16. The activity of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase was practically absent in these rat brain mitochondria. Oxidation of extramitochondrial NADH by the‘malate-aspartate shuttle’reconstituted in vitro was followed in rat brain non-synaptosomal mitochondria. In the absence of extramitochondrial malate or glutamate the ‘shuttle’ did not function, and in the absence of extramitochondrial aspartate the rate of NADH oxidation was low. Glutamine or γ-aminobutyrate did not replace glutamate efficiently. A high inhibition of the‘malate-aspartate shuttle’occurred in the presence of avenaciolide or mersalyl, and a moderate one in the presence of n-ethylmaleimide, glisoxepide or n-butylmalonate. Glutaminase activity in intact brain mitochondria was inhibited in the presence of extramitochondrial glutamate.     

Identification and purification of a distinct dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from pea chloroplasts

Two distinct dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (E3s, EC 1.8.1.4) have been detected in pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Little Marvel) leaf extracts and purified to at or near homogeneity. The major enzyme, a homodimer with an apparent subunit M_r value 56 000 (80–90% of overall activity), corresponded to the mitochondrial isoform studied previously, as confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequence analysis. The minor activity (10–20%), which also behaved as a homodimer, copurified with chloroplasts, and displayed a lower subunit M_r value of 52 000 which was close to the M_r value of 52 614±9.89 Da determined by electrospray mass spectrometry. The plastidic enzyme was also present at low levels in root extracts where it represented only 1–2% of total E3 activity. The specific activity of the chloroplast enzyme was three-to fourfold lower than its mitochondrial counterpart. In addition, it displayed a markedly higher affinity for NAD⁺ and was more sensitive to product inhibition by NADH. It exhibited no activity with NADP⁺ as cofactor nor was it inhibited by the presence of high concentrations of NADP⁺ or NADPH. Antibodies to the mitochondrial enzyme displayed little or no cross-reactivity with its plastidic counterpart and available amino acid sequence data were also suggestive of only limited sequence similarity between the two enzymes. In view of the dual location of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDC) in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts, it is likely that the distinct chloroplastic E3 is an integral component of plastidic PDC, thus representing the first component of this complex to be isolated and characterised to date.Abbreviations E1 pyruvate dehydrogenase - E2 dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase - E3 dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase - PDC pyruvate dehydrogenase complex - OGDC 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex - GDC glycine decarboxylase complex - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis - TDP thiamine diphosphate - M_r relative molecular mass J.G.L. is grateful to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), U.K. for continuing financial support. M.C. is the holder of a BBSRC-funded earmarked Ph.D. studentship.     

Curcumin Attenuates Cr(VI)‐Induced Ascites and Changes in the Activity of Aconitase and F1F0 ATPase and the ATP Content in Rat Liver Mitochondria

Occupational and environmental exposure to potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇), a hexavalent chromium compound, can result in liver damage associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the antioxidant curcumin (400 mg/kg b.w.) on the K₂Cr₂O₇‐induced injury, with special emphasis on ascitic fluid accumulation and oxidative phosphorylation mitochondrial enzymes and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in isolated mitochondria from livers of rats treated with K₂Cr₂O₇ (15 mg/kg b.w.). Thus, curcumin attenuated the ascites generation, prevented the decrease in the activities of aconitase and F₁F₀ ATPase, and maintained the ATP levels. The activity of complex II was not completely reestablished by curcumin, whereas complexes III and IV activities were unchanged.