ENZYMIC FORMATION OF GLUTAMINE IN RICE-PLANT SEEDLINGS

1. Purified preparation from rice-plant seedling catalyses a stoichiometricreaction between ATP, glutamate, and NH₂OH in the presence ofMg⁺⁺ to form glutamyl hydroxamate, ADP and inorganic phosphate.
2. The method of purification and some of the properties of theenzyme are described. Co⁺⁺ can be substituted for Mg⁺⁺. Mn⁺⁺,NaF, and PCMB inhibit the enzyme strongly.
3. Inorganic orthophosphateis liberated from ATP by the additionof or cysteine in the presence of glutamate, Mg⁺⁺ andthis preparation. Glutamine was detectedin the reaction productsby paperchromatography.
4. The same preparation catalyses a reactionbetween gluta mineand NH₂OH in the presence of Mg⁺⁺ or Mn⁺⁺,ADP and inorganicphosphate, to form glutamyl hydroxamate.

¹ Present address: The Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science,Kanazawa University, Kanazawa. (Received October 31, 1960; )     

ENZYMIC AND CEREBRAL METABOLIC EFFECTS OF 2-DEOXY-d-GLUCOSE

—The time course of effects of 2-deoxy-d -glucose on cerebral glucose metabolism has been studied in vivo and the inhibitory actions of 2-deoxy-d -glucose and 2-deoxy-d -glucose-6-phosphate on cerebral glycolytic enzymes in vitro. Mice were given 2-deoxy-d -glucose 3 g/kg intraperitoneally. Blood 2-deoxy-d -glucose/glucose ratio was 2–3 from 5 to 30 min after injection, the hyperglycaemic response to 2-deoxy-d -glucose having been suppressed with propranolol. Maximal cerebral 2-deoxy-d -glucose uptake observed was 1μ11 μmol/g/min between 5 and 10 min after injection. At 10 min brain concentrations of 2-deoxy-d -glucose and 2-deoxy-d -glucose-6-phosphate were 5·82 and 3·12 μmol/g. Analysis of the fate of d -[U-¹⁴C] glucose given subcutaneously 5 min before death showed that glucose uptake was reduced to 40–60 per cent of control from 5 to 30 min after 2-deoxy-d -glucose. However brain glucose concentration rose three to five-fold 20–30 min after 2-deoxy-d -glucose. The majority of glucose entering the brain after 10 min of 2-deoxy-d -glucose treatment was recovered as glucose. Conversion of brain glucose to other acid soluble components was reduced to 1/3 at 10 min and 1/5 at 20–30 min. Glucose-6-phosphate concentration rose from 5 min onwards and was maintained at twice control concentration from 10–30 min. However, because of the rapid entry of 2-deoxy-d -glucose and its conversion to 2-deoxy-d -glucose-6-phosphate, the 2-deoxy-d -glucose 6-P/glucose 6-P ratio was between 19 and 32. Brain adenosine triphosphate concentration did not change, creatine phosphate concentration fell after 25 min. Measurement of enzyme activities in cerebral homogenates (using 1 mivs substrate concentration) showed that hexokinase (EC 2.7.1.1) was 40 per cent inhibited by 5 mm -deoxy-d -glucose (but not by 2-deoxy-d -glucose 6-P). Glucose 6-P dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.43) and phosphoglucomutase (EC 2.7.5.1) were not affected by either 2-deoxy-d -glucose (5 mm ) or 2-deoxy-d -glucose 6-P (5 or 20 mm ). Hexose-phosphate isomerase (EC 5.3.1.9) was 70 per cent inhibited by 20 mm -d -deoxy-d -glucose 6-P. Phosphofructokinase (EC 2.7.1.11) was inhibited by 17 per cent by 2-deoxy-d -glucose 6-P (20 mm ). During the initial impairment of cerebral function by 2-deoxy-d -glucose there is competitive inhibition of glucose transport into the brain; later, glycolysis is more powerfully depressed by the inhibition of isomerase produced by the high intracerebral concentration of 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate.     

BIOSYNTHESIS OF PSYCHOSINE AND LEVELS OF CEREBROSIDES IN THE CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS OF QUAKING MICE

Abstract— The levels of cerebrosides in neural tissues of adult mice were determined by densitometry of cerebroside spots on charred thin-layer chromatograms of washed total lipid extracts. Values for brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves were 9·2, 33·0 and 36·9 mg/g of tissue, respectively. In adult Quaking mice these values were 6·4, 24 and 35 % of normal, respectively. Normal levels in brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve of 21-day-old mice were 3·10, 13·5 and 17·8 mg/g, respectively. In 21-day-old Quaking mice the levels were reduced to 16,21 and 57% of normal, respectively. Biosynthesis of psychosine (galacto-sylsphingosine) by homogenates of Quaking brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerve, respectively, was 18, 24 and 42% of the normal rates at 21 days after birth and 16, 66 and 60% of the normal rates at 94 days. Our results suggest a quantitative relationship between the rate of formation of psychosine in vitro and the rate of accumulation of cerebrosides. in vivo. Biosynthesis of lactosylceramide was not reduced in homogenates of brain and spinal cord from Quaking mice. Cerebroside levels in normal and Quaking spinal cord and in normal brain increased 2- to 3-fold after 21 days of age, but in Quaking brain there was little or no increase.     

酶的基因剂量效应及其对鱼类远缘杂交的影响

亲缘关系较远的杂种二倍体,酶的表达出现父本基因受抑制,双亲基因表达迟缓和母本基因提前表达三种类型的紊乱。由于双亲等位基因不亲和,各等位基因只调控产生1／2的基因产物,从而致使胚胎出现“双单倍体综合症”而在孵化期全部死亡。远缘杂交三倍体由于母本基因剂量加倍,一方面抑制了父本基因的表达,消除了不协调基因活动的干扰,另一方面母本基因产物趋于正常,代谢得以正常进行,杂种后代能成活并正常生长。     

基因修饰的小鼠肥大细胞瘤细胞的酶细胞化学变化

应用酶细胞化学方法对基因转导前后的Ｐ８１５小鼠肥大细胞瘤细胞进行酸性磷酸酶、非特异性酯酶及多糖的定位。研究结果显示,空载体转导的Ｐ８１５／ｎｅｏ细胞与其亲本细胞相比无显著改变,而ＩＬ２基因修饰的Ｐ８１５细胞的酸性磷酸酶及多糖反应明显增强,可能提示细胞内某些细胞器的形成以及细胞内多糖类合成功能的增强。     

外磁场对小麦过氧化物酶酶促反应动力学的影响

采用初速度法研究了外磁场对小麦过氧化物酶(POD)酶促反应动力学的影响。发现外磁场可使POD酶促反应体系时间进程加快,反应速度提高。进一步研究表明,外磁场使反应体系的动力学参数发生了变化。     

THIAMINE IN NEURAL MEMBRANES ENZYMIC HYDROLYSIS OF THIAMINE DIPHBSPHATE

Abstract— The membrane-associated diphosphatase from rat brain which catalyses the hydrolysis of thiamine diphosphate and nucleoside diphosphate is described. The parallel sub-cellular distribution of thiamine diphosphatase and nucleoside diphosphatase activity and the equal inhibition of both activities by adenosine methylenediphosphonate, a non-hydrolysable structural analogue of ADP, suggests that a single enzyme is involved. The divalent cation requirement and basic kinetic properties of this enzyme have been determined. This nucleoside diphosphatase is not activated by ATP.     

THE TOXICITY OF ZINC SULPHATE TO RAINBOW TROUT

The toxicity of zinc sulphate to rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdnerii Richardson) has been investigated in waters of different chemical and physical properties.
Zinc sulphate was less toxic to rainbow trout in hard water than in soft water; when the log concentration of zinc was plotted against log median period of survival of the fish the dose response curve was linear in a very soft water, and curvilinear in a hard water, approaching an apparent threshold concentration. Solutions of zinc sulphate containing calcium chloride were less toxic than those containing an equivalent concentration of calcium as bicarbonate.
An increase in temperature decreased the survival time of rainbow trout in solutions of zinc sulphate in a hard water, but the threshold concentration was not appreciably affected by changes in temperature.
A reduction in the dissolved oxygen concentration of the water increased the toxicity of zinc sulphate, but the effect was reduced when the fish were previously acclimatized to the lower oxygen concentration of the test.
The cause of death of fish in solutions of zinc sulphate was not by the precipitation of mucus on the gills but probably by damage to the gill epithelium.     

神经鞘脂病的酶学诊断方法——用培养的人皮肤成纤维细胞检测

 神经鞘脂病是一类神经鞘脂分解代谢障碍的遗传性疾病,酶学检测是确诊的一种主要手段。在通常采用的标本中,培养的人皮肤成纤维细胞是最理想的酶源。本文改良七种用人工底物检测酶活性的方法,通过控制细胞传代和细胞生长时相的措施,用自己培养的34个正常人的皮肤成纤维细胞建立对GM_1-神经节苷脂累积症,GM_2-神经节苷脂累积症,异染质型脑白质营养不良症,krabbe氏病,Gaucher氏病,Niemann-Pick氏病和Fabry氏病等七种相对常见的神经鞘脂病的酶学诊断正常值。并就标本供体的年龄,培养细胞的传代与细胞所处的生长时相对酶活性的影响进行探讨。     

ENZYMIC DETERMINATION OF NITRATE BY USE OF FROZEN/THAWED CHLORELLA CELLS

Frozen/thawed cells of Chlorella reduce nitrate quantitatively to nitrite which can be determined colorimetrically. 14–420 ng nitrate-N can be determined. The method is suitable for the determination of nitrate in sea water.