Molecular Cloning and Structure of the Gene for Esterase from a Thermophilic Bacterium,Bacillus stearothermophilus IFO 12550

Isoezymes of aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1, AAT) were purified to . homogeneity and crystallized from bran of rice (Oryza sativa cv. Koganemasari). The native molecular weights of AAT-1 and AAT-2 isoenzymes were 88,000 and 94,000 with the subunit molecular weights of 44,000 and 47,000, respectively, indicating that the lloloenzymes of the isoencymes are dimers. The isoelectric points of AAT-1 and AAT-2 were pH 6.5 and 5.0, respectively: both isoenzymes have no subform. The isoenzymes showed · similar K_ms for four. natural substrates, with the exception that AAT-1 had a higher affinity for L-glutamate than AAT-2. Amino donor and acceptor specificities of the isoenzymes were almost identical and fairly high. Amino acid compositions of the isoenzymes were similar but not the same. The isoenzymes contained one mole of pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) per subunit and showed characteristic absorption spectra of PLP enzymes. Polyclonal antibodies raised against AAT-1 selectively cross-reacted with AAT-1 but not with AAT-2. Conversely, the antibody raised against AAT-2 selectively cross-reacted with AAT-2 but not with AAT-1.     

Molecular and whole-plant responses to selection for enzyme activity in alfalfa root nodules: evidence for molecular compensation of aspartate aminotransferase expression

Summary The enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) plays a key role in the assimilation of fixed-N in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) root nodules. AAT activity in alfalfa nodules is due to the activity of two dimeric isozymes, AAT-1 and AAT-2, that are products of two distinct genes. Three forms of AAT-2 (AAT-2a, -2b, and-2c) have been identified. It was hypothesized that two alleles occur at the AAT-2 locus, giving rise to the three AAT-2 enzymes. In a prior study bidirectional selection for root nodule AAT and asparagine synthetase (AS) activities on a nodule fresh weight basis in two diverse alfalfa germ plasms resulted in high nodule enzyme activity subpopulations with about 20% more nodule AAT activity than low enzyme activity subpopulations. The objectives of the study presented here were to determine the inheritance of nodule AAT-2 production and to evaluate the effect of bidirectional selection for AAT and AS on AAT-2 allelic frequencies, the relative contributions of AAT-1 and AAT-2 to total nodule activity, nodule enzyme concentration, and correlated traits. Two alleles at the AAT-2 locus were verified by evaluating segregation of isozyme phenotypes among F₁ and S₁ progeny of crosses or selfs. Characterization of subpopulations for responses associated with selection was conducted using immunoprecipitation of in vitro nodule AAT activity, quantification of AAT enzyme protein by ELISA, and AAT activity staining of native isozymes on PAGE. Results indicate that selection for total AAT activity specifically altered the expression of the nodule AAT-2 isozyme. AAT-2 activity was significantly greater in high compared to low activity subpopulations, and high AAT subpopulations from both germ plasms had about 18% more AAT-2 enzyme (on a nodule fresh weight basis). No significant or consistent changes in AAT-2 genotypic frequencies in subpopulations were caused by selection for AAT activity. Since changes in AAT activity were not associated with changes in AAT-2 genotype, selection must have affected a change(s) at another locus (or loci), which indirectly effects the expression of nodule AAT.Mention of a trademark, proprietary product, or vendor does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products or vendors that might also be suitable     

Genetic control of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes in Aegilops and Triticum species

Zymograms of the aspartate aminotransferase (AAT, EC 2.6.1.1) activity in leaf extracts from Aegilops and Triticum species revealed three AAT zones, denoted according to the decreasing electrophoretic mobility towards the anode as AAT-1, AAT-2 and AAT-3. The AAT activity zymograms of subcellular fractions isolated from T. aestivum seedlings made it possible to establish that the AAT-1 zone is located in the mitochondria, AAT-2 in the chloroplasts and AAT-3 in the cytoplasm. Most of the total AAT activity from wheat leaves arises from the chloroplasts and cytoplasm. The AAT-3 zone exhibited the lowest electrophoretic mobility, but 3 isoenzymes occurring within were the most visibly separated. The occurrence of a single band in this zone at the AAT-3a position (closest to the anode) for the aneuploid CS3ASDt AABBDD line (the absence of long arms of the 3rd pair of homologous chromosomes in the A genome) and at the AAT-3c position for Ae. umbellulata (genome UU), as well as three bands in the whole zone for T. durum (AABB) and T. aestivum (AABBDD) each, made it possible to evaluate the subunit composition of isoenzymes in the AAT-3 zone. The band at the AAT-3a position in the zymogram is formed from bb dimers, AAT-3b from ab and AAT-3c from aa. By comparing the distribution of isoenzyme bands intensities (the result of enzymatic activity) with the mathematical models, the frequencies of the occurrence of the a and b subunits within AAT-3 zone were evaluated. In AAT-3 from T. durum, a and b occurred at the ratio of 0.54:0.46, and in that from T. aestivum - 0.62:0.38, respectively.     

Aspartate Aminotransferase in Alfalfa Root Nodules : II. Immunological Distinction between Two Forms of the Enzyme

Aspartate aminotransferase (AAT), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of aspartate and asparagine, occurs as two forms in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), AAT-1 and AAT-2. Both forms were purified to near homogeneity, and high titer polyclonal antibodies produced to the native proteins. Alfalfa AAT-1 was purified from root suspension culture cells, while AAT-2 was purified from effective root nodules. Antibodies prepared to AAT-1 and used as probes for western blots readily recognized native and SDS forms of AAT-1 but did not recognize either native or SDS forms of AAT-2. Conversely, antibodies to AAT-2 readily recognized native and SDS forms of AAT-2 but did not recognize AAT-1. Immunotitrations further confirmed the immunological distinction between AAT-1 and AAT-2. AAT-1 antibodies immunotitrated 100% of the in vitro activity of purified AAT-1 but had no effect on AAT-2 in vitro activity. Likewise, AAT-2 antibodies removed 100% of the in vitro activity of purified AAT-2 but did not affect AAT-1 in vitro activity. Sequential titration of total AAT activity from roots and nodules showed that AAT-1 comprised the major form (62%) of AAT in roots, while AAT-2 was the predominant form (90%) in nodules. Last, SDS-PAGE western blots showed that the molecular masses of AAT-1 and AAT-2 were 42 and 40 kilodaltons, respectively. These data indicate that AAT is under the control of at least two distinct genes in alfalfa.     

Relationship between threonine dehydratase and biosynthesis of tylosin in Streptomyces fradiae.

To elucidate the repression mechanism of ammonium ions on the biosynthesis of tylosin in Streptomyces fradiae NRRL 2702, enzyme activities involved in the metabolism of the aspartate family of amino acids were evaluated in relation to the ammonium ion concentration and tylosin production. It was found that aspartate aminotransferase was essential for both cell growth and tylosin production. However, both threonine dehydratase and valine dehydrogenase were repressed by supplemented ammonium ions at concentrations higher than 50 mM. Threonine dehydratase was purified from cell-free extracts by acetone precipitation, ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration, and its molecular mass was estimated to be 67,200 Da. The optimum pH and temperature for threonine dehydratase activity were 7.5 and 25 degrees C, respectively, and the Km value for threonine under these optimum conditions was 21 mM. The inhibition pattern of ammonium ions on the activity of threonine dehydratase appeared to be a mixed type.     

Biochemical characterization of aspartate aminotransferase allozymes from common wheat

Six allozymes of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT, EC 2.6.1.1): three plastidial (AAT-2 zone) and three cytosolic (AAT-3 zone) were isolated from common wheat (Triticum aestivum) seedlings and highly purified by a five-step purification procedure. The identity of the studied proteins was confirmed by mass spectrometry. The molecular weight of AAT allozymes determined by gel filtration was 72.4±3.6 kDa. The molecular weights of plastidial and cytosolic allozymes estimated by SDS-PAGE were 45.3 and 43.7 kDa, respectively. The apparent Michaelis constant (K _m) values determined for four substrates appeared to be very similar for each allozyme. The values of the turnover number (k _cat) and the k _cat/K _m ratio calculated for allozymes with L-aspartate as a leading substrate were in the range of 88.5–103.8 s^?1/10,412–10,795 s^?1 M^?1 for AAT-2 zone and 4.6–7.0 s^?1/527–700 s^?1 M^?1 for AAT-3 zone. These results clearly demonstrated much higher catalytic efficiency of AAT-2 allozymes. Therefore, partial sequences of cDNA encoding AATs from different zones were obtained using the RT-PCR technique. Comparison of the AAT-2 and AAT-3 amino acid sequences from active site regions revealed five non-conservative substitutions, which impact on the observed differences in the isozymes catalytic efficiency is discussed.     

Aspartate aminotransferase in alfalfa root nodules : I. Purification and partial characterization

Aspartate aminotransferase (l-aspartate:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase, EC 2.6.1.1 [AAT]), a key enzyme in the assimilation of C and N compounds, was purified from the cytosol of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) root nodules. Isoforms that increased during nodule development, AAT-2a, AAT-2b, and AAT-2c, were purified greater than 447-fold to apparent homogeneity, and high titer polyclonal antibodies were produced. The native molecular weight of the AAT-2 isoforms was approximately 80 kilodatons with a subunit molecular weight of 40 kilodatons, indicating that the holoenzymes are dimers. The AAT-2 isoforms comprised approximately 0.4% of the total soluble nodule protein. The AAT specific activity was measured in leaf, stem, root, and nodule organs, and zymograms of each were compared. Enzyme activity was 4- to 37-fold greater in effective (nitrogen fixing) nodules than in leaves, stems, and roots. Effective nodule AAT-specific activity was 3- to 8-fold greater than that of plant-controlled ineffective nodules. No differences in K_m were observed between AAT-1 and AAT-2. Antibodies raised against AAT-2 were more selective against AAT-2 than AAT-1. Evidence obtained from zymograms suggests that the expression of alfalfa nodule AAT is controlled at two different gene loci, AAT-1 and AAT-2, resulting in different dimeric isoforms.     

Purification and characterization of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes from carrot suspension cultures

Three aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes were identified from extracts of carrot (Daucus carota L.) cell suspension cultures. These isoenzymes were separated by DEAE chromatography and were analyzed on native gradient polyacrylamide gels. The relative molecular weights of the isoenzymes were 111,000 ± 5000, 105,000 ± 5000, and 94,000 ± 4000 daltons; they were designated forms I, II, and III, respectively. Form I, the predominant form, has been purified to apparent homogeneity (>300-fold) using immunoaffinity chromatography with rabbit anti-pig AAT antibodies. Form I has a subunit size of 43,000 M_r, as determined on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Isoelectric focusing (IEF)-PAGE has resolved three bands at a pl of approximately 5.2. Form I may be composed of subunits of similar molecular weight and different charges, and the three bands with AAT activity on the IEF-PAGE gel are a combination of hetero- and homodimers. Form I has a broad pH optimum of 7.5 to 10.0. K_m values of 23.6, 2.8, 0.05, and 0.22 millimolar were obtained for glutamate, aspartate, oxaloacetate, and α-ketoglutarate, respectively. The mode of action is a ping-pong-bi-bi mechanism.     

Aspartate aminotransferase in effective and ineffective alfalfa nodules : cloning of a cDNA and determination of enzyme activity, protein, and mRNA levels

Aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) is a key plant enzyme affecting nitrogen and carbon metabolism, particularly in legume root nodules and leaves of C₄ species. To ascertain the molecular genetic characteristics and biochemical regulation of AAT, we have isolated a cDNA encoding the nodule-enhanced AAT (AAT-2) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) by screening a root nodule cDNA expression library with antibodies. Complementation of an Escherichia coli AAT mutant with the alfalfa nodule AAT-2 cDNA verified the identity of the clone. The deduced amino acid sequence of alfalfa AAT-2 is 53 and 47% identical to animal mitochondrial and cytosolic AATs, respectively. The deduced molecular mass of AAT-2 is 50,959 daltons, whereas the mass of purified AAT-2 is about 40 kilodaltons as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the protein's N-terminal domain (amino acids 1-59) contains many of the characteristics of plastid-targeting peptides. We postulate that AAT-2 is localized to the plastid. Southern blot analysis suggests that AAT-2 is encoded by a small, multigene family. The expression of AAT-2 mRNA in nodules is severalfold greater than that in either leaves or roots. Northern and western blots showed that expression of AAT activity during effective nodule development is accompanied by a sevenfold increase in AAT-2 mRNA and a comparable increase in enzyme protein. By contrast, plant-controlled ineffective nodules express AAT-2 mRNA at much lower levels and have little to no AAT-2 enzyme protein. Expression of root nodule AAT-2 appears to be regulated by at least two events: the first is independent of nitrogenase activity; the second is associated with nodule effectiveness.     

毛木耳漆酶纯化及其部分漆酶特性的研究

对毛木耳AuriculariapolytrichaAP4的粗酶液进行PAGE电泳后发现含有三种漆酶同工酶,并且通过运用NativeSDS-PAGE获得三种漆酶的分子量大小分别约为:LacA(110kD);LacB(84kD);LacC(65kD)。对漆酶粗酶液通过硫酸铵分级沉淀和离子交换柱层析进行纯化,用SDS-PAGE证明获得纯化的单一漆酶LacB。LacB漆酶的反应的最适温度为30℃,最适pH为3.0。此酶氧化ABTS的Km值为6.64×10-mmol/L,金属离子对酶活的影响很大,其中5Ca2+,Mg2+,Zn2+,Na2+,Ag2+对漆酶LacB有明显的激活作用;Co2+,Hg2+,Fe3+,Fe2+,Ba2+等对酶活有明显的抑制作用。LacB和其它真菌漆酶一样具有底物专一性不强的特点,并且LacB对RB亮兰染料有很好的脱色作用。     

Purification and properties of liver arginase from teleostean fish Clarias batrachus (L.).

Liver arginase of Clarias batrachus has been purified to 56.3-fold employing ammonium sulphate fraction, DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose chromatography. Bidirectional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis shows the presence of two isoenzymes of arginase. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 87,000 and Km 15.38 mM for L-arginine, optimum pH 9.5 and temperature 37 degrees C. Ornithine and leucine as competitive whereas valine and isoleucine act as non-competitive inhibitors with respect to L-arginine as substrate.     

Certain biochemical and physicochemical properties of the inducible form of extracellular laccase from basidiomycetes Coriolus hirsutus

An inducible form of extracellular laccase (EC 1.14.18.1) was isolated from the basidiomycete Coriolus hirsutus. The induction was performed with 0.11 microM syringaldazine, a substrate of laccase. The inducible form of the enzyme consisted of two isoforms, laccase I1 and laccase I2, whose molecular weights were 69 +/- 2 and 67 +/- 2 kDa, respectively. The isoelectric points of these isoenzymes were found to be 3.5 and 4.2, respectively. The optimum pH range for both laccases was 4.4-4.6, and the optimum temperature was 50 degrees C. The thermal stability of these isoenzymes was examined, and KM values for the substrates syringaldazine and pyrocatechol were determined. Our biochemical and physicochemical studies demonstrated that inducible laccase isoforms differed from constitutive forms in molecular weight, IP, KM, and thermal stability. However, their optimum pH ranges and temperatures were identical.     

Influence of temperature on enzyme activity determination in serum : L-aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes]

The influence of temperature on activity assays of the isoenzymes of L-aspartic aminotransferase in described. For this purpose, isolated human isoenzymes were added to inactivated serum. Half-saturation constants were determined at 17.8 degrees C, 25 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 37 degrees C, and the substrate saturation and pH curves were recorded. The cytoplasmatic (c) and mitochondrial (m) GOT showed temperature-dependent differences in the half-saturation constants for the substrates L-aspartate and 2-oxoglutarate. For both isoenzymes pH 7.4 is considered the optimum regardless of the temperature of measurement, and Tris-HCl is the optimal buffer. In the Arrhenius plot there is a bent at 27 degrees C for both isoenzymes. Thermal denaturation as a possible reason for this deviation from the linearity in the Arrhenius plot could be ruled out.     

Isolation and some properties of a nonspecific extracellular ribonuclease of Aspergillus clavatus]

RNase has been isolated from the homogenate of the Aspergillus clavatus mycelium by gel filtration through Sephadex G-75, chromatography on CM-cellulose and DEAE-cellulose. By gel filtration and electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel the preparation has been shown to be homogeneous. The enzyme is acid protein with the isoelectric point at pH 4.4 and molecular weight of 27,000. RNase has pH optimum at 6.0--6.2 and temperature optimum 60 degrees for RNA action. The enzyme splits RNA completely in the absence of metal ions. Ions Zn2+, Cu+2, Ag+1 and Ni+2 at a concentration of 10(-4) M are strong inhibitors of RNase activity.     

A kinetic method for quantification of aspartate aminotransferase isoenzymes

A spectrophotometric assay is proposed to determine the levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AAT) isoenzymes from chicken liver by a steady-state kinetic method which depends on the differential inhibition of these isoenzyme forms by high concentrations of substrate 2-oxoglutarate at pH 6.2. The use of a standard curve permits the determination of the percentage of chicken liver c-AAT and m-AAT isoenzymes. This method yields results in good correlation with those achieved by different extent adipate inhibition and by differential centrifugation.     

Isolation, purification and characterization of a novel glucose oxidase from Penicillium sp. CBS 120262 optimally active at neutral pH

A novel glucose oxidase (GOX), a flavoenzyme, from Penicillium sp. was isolated, purified and partially characterised. Maximum activities of 1.08U mg(-1)dry weight intracellular and 6.9U ml(-1) extracellular GOX were obtained. Isoelectric focussing revealed two isoenzymes present in both intra- and extracellular fractions, having pI's of 4.30 and 4.67. GOX from Penicillium sp. was shown to be dimeric with a molecular weight of 148kDa, consisting of two equal subunits with molecular weight of 70k Da. The enzyme displayed a temperature optimum between 25 and 30 degrees C, and an optimum pH range of 6-8 for the oxidation of beta-d-glucose. The enzyme was stable at 25 degrees C for a minimum of 10h, with a half-life of approximately 30 min at 37 degrees C without any prior stabilisation. The lyophilized enzyme was stable at -20 degrees C for a minimum of 6 months. GOX from Penicillium sp. Tt42 displayed the following kinetic characteristics: Vmax, 240.5U mg(-1); Km, 18.4mM; kcat, 741 s(-1) and kcat/Km, 40 s(-1)mM(-1). Stability at room temperature, good shelf-life without stabilisation and the neutral range for the pH optimum of this GOX contribute to its usefulness in current GOX-based biosensor applications.     

Partial purification and properties of thermostable intracellular amylases from a thermophilic Bacillus sp. AK-2

Intracellular thermostable amylases from a thermophilic Baccilus sp. AK-2 have been isolated and purified. The crude enzyme, having pH optimum at 6.5. and temperature optimum at 68 degrees C was purified by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. Three separable enzyme fractions having starch hydrolyzing property were eluted by lowering the pH from 8.5 to 7.0. Electrophoretic mobility of these fractions showed a single band. Calcium ion up to a concentration of 20 mM had an activating effect on the three fractions. The optimum temperature for the three fractions (FI, FII and FIII) was 65 degrees C and the pH optimum for each was 6.0, 6.5 and 6.0, respectively. The -SH group in the amylase molecule was essential for enzyme activity. Except for Ca2+, Mg2+, Sr2+ and Mn2+ all other metal ions studied inhibited both alpha and beta-amylase activities. EDTA showed dose dependent non-competitive inhibition. Product formation studies proved FI and FIII to be of the alpha-amylase type and FII of the beta-amylase type. The Km for the substrate (starch) in the presence or absence of EDTA was 0.8 X 10(-3) and 1.13 X 10(-3) g/ml for alpha-amylase and beta-amylase, respectively.     

Crystalline L-histidine ammonia-lyase of Achromobacter liquidum. Crystallization and enzymic properties.

Crystalline L-histidine ammonia-lyase of Achromobacter liquidum was prepared with a 24% recovery of the activity. The specific activity of the pure enzyme (63 mumol of urocanic acid min-1 mg-1) is similar to those so far reported for the enzyme from other sources. The purified enzyme appeared to be homogeneous by analytical disc electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (pI = 4.95). The molecular weight determined by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration is 200000. The optimum pH is 8.2, and the optimum temperature is 50 degrees C. The enzyme showed strict specificity to L-histidine (Km = 3.6 mM). Several histidine derivatives are not susceptible to the enzyme but do inhibit the enzyme activity competitively; the most effective inhibitors are L-histidine methyl ester (Ki = 3.66 mM) and beta-imidazole lactic acid (Ki = 3.84 mM). L-Histidine hydrazide (Ki = 36 mM) and imidazole (Ki = 6 mM) noncompetitively inhibited the enzyme EDTA markedly inhibited enzyme activity and this inhibition were reversed by divalent metal ions such as Mn2+, Co2+ Zn2+, Ni2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+. These results suggest that the presence of divalent metal ions is necessary for the catalytic activity of histidine ammonia-lyase. Sodium borohydride and hydrogen peroxide inhibited the enzyme activity.     

Two glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes purified from Bulinus truncatus (Gastropoda: Planorbidae)

We purified and characterized two major glutathione S-transferase isoenzymes (GST2 and GST3) from snail Bulinus truncatus (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Planorbidae) tissue. The Km with respect to 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) for both isoenzymes was increased as the pH decreased. Km of both isoenzymes with respect to glutathione (GSH) doubled when the pH was increased from 6.0 to 6.5. Acid inactivated GST2 and GST3 and the two enzymes were almost inactive at pH 3.5. However, they retain the full activity for at least 20 h when incubated at pH between 6.0 and 9.0. The optimum temperature was 45 degrees C for GST2 and 50 degrees C for GST3. The half lifetime at 50 degrees C was 70 min and 45 min for GST2 and GST3 isoenzymes, respectively. Addition of 5 mM GSH to the incubation buffer increased the half life of both isoenzymes more than fourfold. The activation energy for catalyzing the conjugation of CDNB was 1.826 and 3.435 kcal/mol for GST2 and GST3, respectively. I50 values for Cibacron blue, bromosulphophthalein, indocyanine green, hematin and ethacrynic acid were 0.76 microM, 47.9 microM, 7.59 microM, 0.03 microM and 0.79 microM for GST2, and 0.479 microM, 79.4 microM, 89.1 microM, 32.4 microM and 1.15 microM for GST3, respectively. Cibacron blue and indocyanine green were non-competitive inhibitors, while hematin was a mixed inhibitor. Bromosulphophthalein was found to be a competitive inhibitor for GST2 and a mixed inhibitor for GST3.