High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Cytokinins in Sorghum bicolor Leaves

High performance liquid chromatography with octadecylsilica (Bondapak C₁₈/Poracil B) column packing was used to purify and separate cytokinins in Sorghum leaf extracts. The column size was 56 × 0.21 cm i.d. By gradient elution, using acidified water with increasing amounts of methanol, the major peaks of cytokinin activity, as determined by the callus tissue bioassay. were effectively separated from large amounts of extraneous impurities. These cytokinins were further separated on a microoctadecylsilica column (μBondapak C₁₈, 30 × 0.4 cm i.d.) with a gradient of acidified water-acetonitrile. Zeatin and zeatin riboside gave distinct ultra violet absorption peaks which could be used for quantitative estimation. Biological activity corresponded to the elution of these peaks. These two cytokinins are the major cytokinins in Sorghum leaves.     

Chromatographic resolution of the subunits of calf brain tubulin

Two procedures are described for column chromatographic separation of the α and β subunits of brain tubulin using hydroxylapatite in the presence of (i) urea or (ii) sodium dodecyl sulfate and β-mercaptoethanol. In the first system the α and β chains are partially resolved, and in the second the subunits are resolved into three peaks which we designate α₁, α₂, and β.     

Glycine Activating Enzyme in the Posterior Silkgland of Silkworm

1. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase was extracted from the silkgland of silkworm (Bombyxmori Linné) and fractionated on a DEAE-cellulose column. Activities were estimated by ATP-PP_i exchange reaction as well as glycyl tRNA formation.

2. Two peaks, A and B, having ATP-PP_i exchange activity were found in the separated fractions, respectively. There was also observed a marked difference between the both peaks with respect to the pH optimum and activity dependence on MgCl₂ concentration.

3. Peak A showed no activity of glycyl tRNA formation. Only a part of peak B coincided with the activity of glycyl tRNA formation. The activities of both the ATP-PP_i exchange reaction and glycyl tRNA formation were found to be dependent on MgCl₂ concentration, and the optimum concentration was different between two peaks.

4. It also seemed to exist two peaks of activities, a and b, in glycyl tRNA formation which could be separated with a DEAE-cellulose column.     

Optimization of the determination of 4-aminopyridine in human serum and urine by column liquid chromatography

Two convenient reversed-phase column liquid chromatographic procedures are described for the determination of 4-aminopyridine in human serum and urine. A 0.5-ml aliquot of serum after the addition of a 0.5-ml solution of 4-(aminomethyl)pyridine in 0.1M Na₂HPO₄ as the internal standard is passed through a 1-ml BondElut C₁₈ silica extraction column. The column is selectively washed to remove acidic, neutral and weakly basic compounds. The desired compounds are eluted with a 0.3-ml aliquot of 35% perchloric acid-methanol (1:100, v/v). A 10-μl aliquot of the eluate is infected onto a 150 × 4.6 mm I.D. column packed with 5-μm C₁₈ silica particles that is eluted at ambient temperature with a mobile phase containing octanesulfonic acid as the ion-pairing agent. The peaks are monitored at 263 nm. A 0.25-ml aliquot of urine or 0.5 ml of serum is mixed with N-propionylprocainamide as the internal standard and subjected to benzoylation by Schotten Baumann reaction. The reaction mixture is adjusted to pH 5.5–6 and extracted with a BondElut C₁₈ extraction column. An aliquot of the eluate is chromatographed at ambient temperature with a mobile phase containing tetramethylammonium perchlorate. The peaks are monitored at 278 nm.     

Column liquid chromatographic determination of paroxetine in human serum using solid-phase extraction

A 0.5-ml aliquot of a serum sample, after the addition of a 100-μl aliquot of a 5 μg/ml solution of dibucaine as the internal standard, is vortex-mixed with 0.5 ml of acetonitrile and centrifuged. The supernatant is applied to a 1-ml BondElut C₁₈ silica extraction column conditioned with subsequent washings with 1 M HCl, methanol and water. After passing the sample at a slow rate, the column is washed twice with water and once with acetonitrile. The desired compounds are then eluted with a 0.25-ml aliquot of 35% perchloric acid—methanol (1:40, v/v). A 7-μl aliquot of the eluate is injected onto a 150 × 4.6 mm I.D. column packed with 5-μm C₈ silica particles and eluted at ambient temperature with a mobile phase of 10 mM phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (2:1, v/v) (pH 3.2). The peaks are detected with a fluorescence detector (excitation at 295 nm, emission at 365 nm). The resulting chromatogram is clean with no extraneous peaks. Paroxetine and dibucaine give sharp peaks which are well separated from each other and from the solvent peaks. The extraction recovery of the drug and the internal standard is in the range of 90% which allows a highly sensitive determination of paroxetine.     

The Reproducible Isolation of Inactive Insulin Protein Complex

Physiologically inactive insulin protein complex (IPC) was isolated from human plasma by a new, readily-reproducible procedure. Pooled human plasma was passed through a Sephadex C-50 cation exchange column. Anionic and neutral materials were eluted from the column by a 0.005 M (NH₄)₂CO₃ solution, pH 7.8. A gradient of 0.005 to 1.0 M (NH₄)₂CO₃, pH 7.8, was used to elute the cationic fractions. Protein-containing elution peaks were adjusted to pH 7.3 ± 0.1 with 0.5 M acetic acid, and de-salting and concentrating the IPC was achieved with an Amicon Ultrafiltrator using a UM 10 membrane. The concentrated solutions from the individual elution peaks were freeze-dried and tested for insulin-like activity with the rat hemidiaphragm technique.     

Application of a novel PRODUCTIVTM CM column in egg-white protein separation: Effect of high flow-rate on resolution and productivity

Summary A preparative PRODUCTIV^TM CM, a new coherent ion-exchanger, column (250×10 mm ID) has been used to separate egg-white proteins without cell debris remover (CDR) pretreatment. Results showed that the productivity increased with the superficial velocity (V_s) and a very high V_s (9.2 m/h) can benefit the high productivity (87.4 g/l.h) in comparison with 6.4 and 33 g/l.h as reported by others. Despite the high flow-rate and high column loading, the resolution of the eluted peaks of lysozyme and conalbumin, was maintained at 1.16.     

Production and initial characterisation of the xylan-degrading system of Phanerochaete chrysosporium

We report the optimum conditions for the degradation of oat spelt arabinoxylan and a preliminary characterisation of the inducible xylan-degrading system of the lignin-degrading white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Xylanase activity was optimal at pH 5.0 and 50°C; see attached sheet the maximum reaction velocity (V_max) of the system was 3.86 units (U) mg^–1 protein with arabinoxylan as substrate and the substrate concentration giving half V_max (S_0.5) was 0.52 mg ml^–1. At concentrations of arabinoxylan greater than 15 mg ml^–1 excess substrate inhibition was observed. Xylose at 0.9 mm inhibited activity to the extent of 50%. Xylanase activity increased as a function of the dilution of the enzyme preparation prior to assay. It was resolved into four peaks by using a DEAE-Biogel column; the material in these peaks differed with respect to xylan solubilisation and the formation of reducing sugars. Electrofocusing gels allowed visualisation of several bands of activity corresponding to each peak. The arabinoxylan degradation system of P. chrysosporium is therefore composed of multiple components. Correspondence to: P. Broda     

Fractionation and specificity of DNA methylases from the Escherichia coli SK cells

Summary Specificity of DNA methylation enzymes from the E. coli SK cells and conditions for their separation have been investigated. Column chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose permits fractionation of methylase activity into six discrete peaks whose specificity to the methylated base has been determined in vitro with H³-SAM as precursor. All methylases specific for adenine produced 6-methylaminopurine, all methylases specific for cytosine yielded 5-methylcytosine.The first enzymatic activity peak containing cytosine methylase free of traces of adenine-methyiating activity (E₁), and the second peak containing both the enzymes (E₂) were not adsorbed on the ion exchanger and went off the column with the effluent (column buffer). Adenine specific methylase E₂ is retarded to a small extent during the passage through the column. The second adenine methylases (W) was characterized by weak bonds with the ion exchanger and was removed when washing the column with column buffer. The elution with NaCl gradient produced successively three enzymatic activity peaks: adenine methylase (G_I), cytosine methylase (G_II), and one more adenine methylase (G_III) removed from the column by 0.16 m, 0.24 m and 0.43 m NaCl respectively.Using a new modification of the complementary methylation test, the specificity with regard to recognition site was examined for all enzymes, except for W and G_III, which were extremely unstable. The adenine methylases E₂ and G_I and the cytosine methylases E₁ and G_II were shown to recognize different sites and to be different enzymes. In view of the drastic differences in their chromatographic behaviour and physical stability, the adenine methylases W and G_III are probably also different enzymes.     

Partial Purification,of Extracellular Cellulase from Pyricularia oryzae and Comparison of the Elution Patterns among Various Strains

In order to explain the difference in extracellular cellulase activities (C₁ and C_x enzyme activities) among various strains of P. oryzae, the elution patterns from the column were compared among various strains, following each step of the partial purification.

The crude enzymes, prepared by ammonium sulfate fractionation (0.2~0.8 sat.) from the culture filtrates, which were obtained from various strains of P. oryzae cultured on rice plant powder as the carbon source, were fractionated by DEAE-Sephadex A–50 chromatography into two components; the passing-through fraction (I) and the fraction (II) adsorbed and eluted from the column with 0.5 M NaCl The percentage of the enzyme activity (C_x enzyme activity) in fraction I to that of the crude extract was found to vary chracteristically according to the strain, and the variation was in a good correlation to that of the extracellular cellulase activities.

Fractions I and II were then separated by Sephadex G–100 into two (peaks a and b) and at least five (peaks c, d, e, f and g) components, respectively. The activities in peaks a, b and g were found to vary according to the strain, while those of peaks c and e were common among various strains.

The cell wall fraction prepared from C–3 strain, which was previously shown to be low in enzyme activity and thus out of the correlation between the degree of pathogenicity and extracellular cellulase activity, was found to exhibit higher cellulase activities (C₁ and C_x enzyme activities) than those of other strains examined. Thus, the low extracellular cellulase activity in the case of C–3 strain was suggested to be due to the abnormality in the mechanism of enzyme excretion.     

Dephosphorylation of r Factor by Protein Phosphatase 2A in Synaptosomal Cytosol Fractions, and Inhibition by Aluminum

When the synaptosomal cytosol fraction from rat brain was chromatographed on a DEAE-cellulose column and assayed for protein phosphatases for τ factor and histone H1, two peaks of activities, termed peak 1 (major) and peak 2 (minor), were separated. Each peak was in a single form on Sephacryl S-300 column chromatography. Both peaks 1 and 2 dephosphorylated τ factor phosphorylated by Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The K_m values were in the range of 0.42–0.84 μM for τ factor. There were no differences in kinetic properties of dephosphorylation between the substrates phosphorylated by the two kinases. The phosphatase activities did not depend on Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Mg²⁺. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting analysis using polyclonal antibodies to the catalytic subunit of brain protein phosphatase 2A revealed that both protein phosphatases are the holoenzymic forms of protein phosphatase 2A. Aluminum chloride inhibited the activities of both peaks 1 and 2 with IC₅₀ values of 40–60 μM. These results suggest that dephosphorylation of r factor in presynaptic nerve terminals is controlled mainly by protein phosphatase 2A and that the neurotoxic effect of aluminum seems to be related mostly to inhibition of dephosphorylation of τ factor     

Evidence for cytosolic benzo(a)pyrene carrier proteins which function in cytochrome P450 oxidation in rat liver

Solutions of cytosolic proteins from rat liver contain benzo(a)pyrene solubilizing activity capable of serving as a carrier between solid state benzo(a)pyrene and microsomal cytochrome P₄₅₀. Fractionation of benzo(a)pyrene-saturated cytosolic proteins on a Sephadex G-100 column or by sucrose density gradients produced benzo(a)pyrene peaks of about 46,000 daltons and a very high molecular weight material. The protein-bound benzo(a)pyrene obtained in both peaks was oxidized rapidly by microsomes in the presence of NADPH, indicating that the benzo(a)pyrene carrier activity is capable of presenting the substrate to the cytochrome P₄₅₀. Liver cytosolic proteins from rats receiving intraperitoneal injection of [¹⁴C] benzo(a)pyrene was chromatographed on a column of Sephadex G-75. Radioactivity eluted at the same positions of the chromatogram as did the carrier activities described above. These results indicate that these benzo(a)pyrene carrier proteins may have an $\text{in}\text{vivo}$ role in the metabolism of benzo(a)pyrene.     

Purification Of Methionine Acceptor tRNA On Arginine-Agarose

Crude E. coli tRNA or enriched methionine acceptor tRNA can be separated into three stiecies on a column of arginine-agarose. The first peak eluted is tRNA^Met and the latter two peaks are two forms of tRNA^Met _f. From crude tRNA, tRNA^Met _m is obtained in approximately 50% purity. Arginine-agarose separates enriched methionine accepting tRNA into three homogeneous fractions.     

Plurality of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase in Spinacea oleracea: subcellular distribution,partial purification,and properties

An active cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase has been partially purified from the 100 000 g supernatant of a spinach homogenate. It precipitated at 20–40% saturation with (NH₄)₂SO₄ and was separated on a column of Sephadex G-200 into two major peaks of activity (peaks 1 and 2). Peak 1 (MW 5 × 10⁵) was resolved by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose into 5 protein fractions; two of these (1_c and 1_m) exhibited cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity. Subcellular fractionation showed that the phosphodiesterase of highest specific activity is located in the peroxisomes but that an enzyme of relatively high specific activity also occurs in the chloroplast and Golgi fractions. The largest total activity was in the microsomes. Isoelectric focussing of chloroplast phosphodiesterase activity gave two bands corresponding to peaks 1_c and 2. Similar examination of the microsomal, peroxisomal and Golgi fractions showed phosphodiesterases corresponding to peaks 1_m and 2. Peak 1_c activity is greater towards purine 3′,5′-cyclic nucleotides than towards their 2′,3′-isomers; the converse is true of peak 1_m. Examination of the properties of 1_c and 1_m showed a number of other differences. The pH optimum of 1_c is 6.1 and that of 1_m is 4.9. Theophylline (0.1 mM) inhibited 1_c to a greater extent than it did 1_m; Ca²⁺ stimulated 1_c activity but had no effect on 1_m. Pre-incubation with trypsin inhibited 1_m activity whereas similar treatment of 1_c gave an initial 5-fold stimulation. Repeated freezing and thawing of preparations 1_c and 1_m also evoked a difference in response. These results were shown to be attributable to removal of an inhibitor from 1_c. Evidence is presented that an endogenous activator is also present.     

Improved automated solid-phase microsequencing of peptides using DABITC

The methylated purines O⁶-methyl- and 7-methylguanine were isolated from mouse liver DNA hydrolysates by means of a column cleanup employing a Sep Pak C-18 reverse-phase cartridge. The purine bases were eluted from the cartridge with methanol, evaporated to dryness, and then dissolved in mobile phase for liquid chromatographic analysis by normalphase chromatography. The system consisted of a LiChrosorb Si 60 column with a watersaturated mobile phase of 20% methanol in chloroform containing 0.001% H₃PO₄. The two methylated bases eluted before adenine or guanine. For extremely low-level (<300 pmol) quantitation, the peaks corresponding to O⁶-methyl- and 7-methylguanine were collected and then analyzed by reverse-phase chromotography with a LiChrosorb RP-18 column and a mobile phase of 5% methanol in pH 7 phosphate buffer (for 7-methylguanine) or 9.5% methanol/buffer (for O⁶-methylguanine). Comparisons were made with fluorescence detection and with scintillation counting (in animal studies where [¹⁴C]dimethylnitrosamine was used). Minimum detectable levels at 254 nm were about 3 ng (3:1 signal to noise ratio) for each of the title compounds. As low as 10 pmol/mg of each could be detected in DNA hydrolysates. Recoveries of O⁶-methyl- and 7-methylguanine from DNA spiked at 750 pmol/mg were greater than 80%.     

A rapid and simple method for the isolation of S100a0 (αα) protein by high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid and simple method to isolate S100a₀ protein from the mixture of bovine S100 protein (S100a₀, S100a and S100b) is described. The S100 mixture purified from bovine brain was applied to an anion-exchange column, equilibrated with 50 mM Tris HC1 buffer (pH 8.0) in a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system. S100a₀, S100a and S100b proteins could be eluted separately from the column, which were identified by the immunoassay method, by the Tris-HC1 buffer containing a linear concentration gradient (0.25–0.4) M of NaCl. Immunoreactive S100a₀ protein was found in two peak fractions, and each S100a₀ fraction could be isolated (S100a₀-1 and S100a₀-2). Both fractions of S100a₀ protein showed a single band at the same position on acrylamide gel electrophoresis, and eluted in a single peak in the same fractions upon gel-filtration column chromatography. There was no significant difference in the amino acid composition between the two S100a₀ fractions. Since the S100a₀-1 fraction aged for several months at 4°C in the presence of 0.1% NaN₃ was found to contain four protein peaks including the fraction corresponding to the S100a₀-2 fraction, the difference between the two S100a₀ fractions is probably due to some modification of amino acid residues in the molecule, which may occur both in vivo and in vitro.     

Multiple protein kinase activities in the dimorphic fungus Mucor rouxii. Comparison with a cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate binding protein.

Protein kinase and cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) binding activities have been detected in cell extracts of the dimorphic fungus Mucor rouxii. The subcellular distribution of both activities indicates that most of the binding protein is in the high-speed supernatant (S₁₀₀), while about 70% of the total protein kinase activity remains in particulate fractions. S₁₀₀ preparations have been analyzed by diethylaminoethyl cellulose column chromatography. Binding activity can be resolved in two peaks (A and B) and protein kinase in three peaks (I, II, and III). Peaks I and II are casein dependent and insensitive to cAMP. Peak III utilizes histone as substrate and is activated (two- to fourfold) by cAMP. Theophylline strongly inhibits cAMP binding activity and mimics the effect of cAMP on cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The possible relationship between cAMP binding activity and cAMP-dependent protein kinase is suggested.     

Dynamic model of a nitrifying fixed bed column: Simulation of the biomass distribution of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter and of transient behaviour of the column

A dynamic model for a fixed bed nitrifying column with recirculation of the liquid and gas phases was developed. Liquid RTD experiments demonstrated that the liquid phase was perfectly mixed inside the column. Hete- rogeneity of biomass distribution on the solid phase (beads) was represented by an N-tanks in series model, and a back-mixing term was set to account for the well-mixed liquid phase throughout the column. In autotrophic conditions, competition for oxygen is the cause of the spatial segregation of the two species. Nitrosomonas is concentrated on beads at the bottom of the bed whereas Nitrobacter is more widely distributed. This is consistent with biomass distribution results reported by Cox et al. [17] in a nitrifying fixed bed column. Nitrification takes place at the bottom of the column, always in oxygen gas-liquid mass transfer limiting conditions. Nevertheless, considering the whole process, nitrification is complete (>98% of NH₃ oxidised) and there is no oxygen limitation (the outlet dissolved oxygen concentration is not limiting). The dynamic behaviour of the column, in conditions set up to avoid biofilm diffusion limitation, was simulated for different NH₃-load variations and oxygen shutdowns. The simulated behaviour of the column can be compared to results reported by Bazin et al. [16]. This confirms that the output transient nitrite peaks are higher when changes in the process conditions produce a rearrangement of biomass distribution in the fixed bed.     

In vitro synthesis of the glycosaminoglycans in estrogen-induced medullary bone in Japanese quail

A short-term incubation system has been developed for the study of glycosaminoglycan synthesis during the early stages of medullary bone formation in estrogenized male Japanese quail. Quail were injected with estradiol-17β and killed at different times thereafter. Femoral shafts were incubated in BGJ_b medium (Fitton-Jackson modification) for 2 h prior to being labeled with H₂³⁵SO₄ for 2 h in the same medium. Glycosaminoglycans were extracted by a 24-h papain digest and chromatographed on a DEAE Bio-Gel A column. Material from birds that had been treated with estrogen for 34 h prior to incubation produced an elution profile showing two distinct peaks (I and II). Elution profiles of material from control animals had a single peak corresponding to peak II in the estrogenized samples. The estrogen-induced glycosaminoglycan peak I was present after 20 h of estrogen treatment and increased dramatically between 25 and 30 h after treatment. Identification of the peak material was achieved by digestion with chondroitinase ABC, keratan sulfate β-endogalactosidase, or nitrous acid followed by chromatography on a Sephadex CL-6B column. Peak I was keratan sulfate and peak II was predominantly chondroitin sulfate. The in vitro production of a unique marker for medullary bone matrix provides an excellent opportunity for studying the dynamics of matrix synthesis.     

Schistosoma mansoni: partial characterization of enzyme(s) secreted from the preacetabular glands of cercariae.

Secretions from the preacetabular glands of cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni were collected over skin surface lipid on a warmed glass surface in a system providing a temperature gradient. Proteolytic activity of these secretions was linear with respect to the numbers of cercariae secreting. The enzyme was relatively storage stable in water or glycine-NaOH buffer. It was highly sensitive to the buffer system, glycine-NaOH buffer providing the highest proteolytic activity against Azocoll and gelatin substrates. In the glycine buffer, the pH optimum for the enzyme was 8.5–8.8; the temperature optimum was 51 C with the Q₁₀ for Azocoll hydrolysis in the range of 30–50 C approximately 2.2. Of the activity 0.4% was lost at 5 C, 1.7% at 35 C, and 100% at 60 C within 10–15 min. Two Sephadex column chromatography fractions showed proteolytic activity against Azocoll. The fraction with greatest activity was not associated with either of the two peaks of high absorbancy at 280 nm, but the lower proteolytic peak coincided with the lower absorbancy peak in the area of peptides below 10,000 MW. Calibration of the Sephadex column with proteins of known molecular weight showed the MW of the main proteolytic fraction of the secretion to be approximately 25,000–27,000.