Comparative studies on actins from various sources. Fragments of actins from Ascaris muscle cleaved at cysteinyl residues in comparison with those of other actins.

Pure actins were obtained from various animal muscles: Vertebrata (skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscles), Prochordata (smooth muscle), Nematoda (obliquely striated muscle), and Mollusca (striated, smooth and obliquely striated muscles). These actins were all identical in apparent molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All actins treated with 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid yielded four major (about 33,000, 26,000, 24,000, and less than 10,000 daltons) and three minor (22,000, 17,000, and 10,000 daltons) bands in addition to intact actin on gel electrophoresis. The results suggest that all actins from various types of muscle have cysteinyl residues at similar positions on the primary structure.     

An improved purification procedure and properties of casein kinase II from brain

A simple and short purification procedure applicable to casein kinase II has been developed, for fully characterizing the enzyme from calf cerebral cortex cytosol. The procedure consists of four chromatographic steps: DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, phosvitin-Sepharose and ATP-agarose which yields 87% pure casein kinase II. The purified enzyme shows three major bands with apparent molecular masses of 42, 38, and 27 kDa by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate and is self-autophosphorylated on its 27 kDa polypeptide. The enzyme shows all the characteristics described for casein kinase II from other sources: it is independent of cyclic nucleotides, calcium/phospholipids, and double-stranded poly(I).poly(C); it can utilize both ATP and GTP as phosphoryl donors and can phosphorylate both casein and phosvitin but not histone. The kinetic studies establish that theK _m for ATP is 12.5 M and 25.1 M when using phosvitin and casein respectively as phosphoryl acceptors. TheK _m for phosvitin is 0.91 mg/ml and for casein 1.43 mg/ml, while theV _max is 315 nmol/min/per mg protein and 479 nmol/min/per mg protein for phosvitin and casein respectively. The activity of the kinase is highly stimulated by KCl or NaCl, and almost completely inhibited by heparin concentrations of 1 g/ml (92%). This inhibition is reduced to only 33% in the presence of optimal KCl concentrations (150 mM). Spermine stimulates enzyme activity, whilst hemin produces a slight inhibition.     

The complete amino acid sequence of actins from bovine aorta, bovine heart, bovine fast skeletal muscle, and rabbit slow skeletal muscle. A protein-chemical analysis of muscle actin differentiation.

Complete amino acid sequences for four mammalian muscle actins are reported: bovine skeletal muscle actin, bovine cardiac actin, the major component of bovine aorta actin, and rabbit slow skeletal muscle actin. The number of different actins in a higher mammal for which full amino acid sequences are now available is therefore increased from two to five. Screening of different smooth muscle tissues revealed in addition to the aorta type actin a second smooth muscle actin, which appears very similar if not identical to chicken gizzard actin. Since the sequence of chicken gizzard actin is known, six different actins are presently characterized in a higher mammal. The two smooth muscle actins--bovine aorta actin and chicken gizzard actin--differ by only three amino acid substitutions, all located in the amino-terminal end. In the rest of their sequences both smooth muscle actins share the same four amino acid substitutions, which distinguish them from skeletal muscle actin. Cardiac muscle actin differs from skeletal muscle actin by only four amino acid exchanges. No amino acid substitutions were found when actins from rabbit fast and slow skeletal muscle were compared. In addition we summarize the amino acid substitution patterns of the six different mammalian actins and discuss their tissue specificity. The results show a very close relationship between the four muscle actins in comparison to the nonmuscle actins. The amino substitution patterns indicate that skeletal muscle actin is the highest differentiated actin form, whereas smooth muscle actins show a noticeably cloer relation to nonmuscle actins. By these criteria cardiac muscle actin lies between skeletal muscle actin and smooth muscle actins.     

Phenol hydroxylase from yeast. A model for phenol binding and an improved purification procedure

The binding of phenol to phenol hydroxylase was studied by equilibrium dialysis, spectrophotometric titration and by steady-state kinetics. A binding model with two identical, negatively cooperative, effector/substrate-binding sites per enzyme dimer is proposed. The spectral perturbation caused by phenol and the kinetics of the overall reaction were analysed with relation to the enzyme-phenol complexes of the binding model. The main part of the spectral perturbation as well as of the increase in NADPH oxidation rate was achieved by one molecule of phenol bound per enzyme dimer. The properties of different enzyme-phenol complexes, in terms of spectral changes, hydroxylase activity, oxidase activity and substrate inhibition are discussed. A new purification procedure is described.     

The actinome of Dictyostelium discoideum in comparison to actins and actin-related proteins from other organisms

Actin belongs to the most abundant proteins in eukaryotic cells which harbor usually many conventional actin isoforms as well as actin-related proteins (Arps). To get an overview over the sometimes confusing multitude of actins and Arps, we analyzed the Dictyostelium discoideum actinome in detail and compared it with the genomes from other model organisms. The D. discoideum actinome comprises 41 actins and actin-related proteins. The genome contains 17 actin genes which most likely arose from consecutive gene duplications, are all active, in some cases developmentally regulated and coding for identical proteins (Act8-group). According to published data, the actin fraction in a D. discoideum cell consists of more than 95% of these Act8-type proteins. The other 16 actin isoforms contain a conventional actin motif profile as well but differ in their protein sequences. Seven actin genes are potential pseudogenes. A homology search of the human genome using the most typical D. discoideum actin (Act8) as query sequence finds the major actin isoforms such as cytoplasmic beta-actin as best hit. This suggests that the Act8-group represents a nearly perfect actin throughout evolution. Interestingly, limited data from D. fasciculatum, a more ancient member among the social amoebae, show different relationships between conventional actins. The Act8-type isoform is most conserved throughout evolution. Modeling of the putative structures suggests that the majority of the actin-related proteins is functionally unrelated to canonical actin. The data suggest that the other actin variants are not necessary for the cytoskeleton itself but rather regulators of its dynamical features or subunits in larger protein complexes.     

An improved procedure for the purification of plasma membranes from Dictyostelium discoideum.

A novel procedure was recently described for the purification of plasma membranes of Dictyostelium discoideum (Gilkes, N. R. & Weeks, G. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 464, 142-156). Considerable enrichment of plasma membrane marker enzymes was achieved, but since purified mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum fractions were unavailable, it was not possible to accurately assess the contamination level of these organelles. We have therefore slightly modified the plasma membrane preparation procedure, improving purification, and have prepared partially purified mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum fractions. The data suggest that the contamination of the plasma membranes by endoplasmic reticulum membranes is no greater than 10%, and probably considerably less. No mitochondrial contamination is detectable.     

Development of an improved procedure for isolation and purification of exopolysaccharides produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCFB 2483

A method was developed for the isolation and purification of exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NCFB 2483 that can be adapted for industrial-scale operation. Hydrolyzed milk medium, which was ultrafiltered to remove molecular species larger than 2.5×10⁵ Da, was found to be a suitable growth medium for the bacteria, which produced approximately 400 mg EPS/l . Optimal isolation of EPS was achieved using centrifugation, filtration and ethanol precipitation methods. Insoluble and soluble EPS fractions were obtained. The soluble fraction was purified using a series of ethanol precipitations to achieve approximately 98% (w/w) purity. This fraction consisted of galactose, glucose, rhamnose and mannose in the ratio of approximately 5:1:0.6:0.5, with traces of glucosamine.     

The interaction of actin monomers with myosin heads and other muscle proteins.

The simplest interacting unit of actomyosin, viz., single myosin heads (subfragment 1) with actin monomers, has been studied at physiological ionic strength, by isolating the actin molecules from each other on a solid support. The interaction is characterized by a binding constant of 10(5) to 10(6) M-1 in the temperature range 4-30degrees C. It is endothermic with a standard enthalpy of 24 +/- 10 kcal mol-1, and a standard entropy of 110 +/- 40 eu. It is thus, like many protein-protein association processes, entropy-driven. Despite the high affinity of the association, which is comparable in its binding constant to that of subfragment 1 with F-actin, there is only very small activation of myosin ATPase. The ionic-strength dependence of the interaction shows unusual features. Binding of the proteins of the relaxing system to the monomeric actin was also examined: troponin binds both in the presence and absence of calcium ions, but neither tropomyosin nor the tropomyosin-troponin complex was found to bind significantly. Monomeric actin has also been examined as a function of ionic strength by spectroscopic methods; it appears that conformational differences between the G and the F state are the consequence of polymerization, and not of the change in ionic strength required to being the conversion about.     

Identification and purification of calcium ion dependent modulators of actin polymerization from bovine thyroid

We describe the purification of Ca2+-dependent actin modulator proteins from bovine thyroid using DNase I affinity chromatography and diethylaminoethylcellulose chromatography. The 40K actin modulator has been purified to 98% homogeneity. It is a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of approximately 40 000 and an isoelectric point of 8.1. Its amino acid composition is different from previously described actin-associated proteins and thyroid actin. On the basis of the centrifugation assay and the DNase I inhibition assay, the actin complexed with the 40K protein is G-actin in its conformation rather than F-actin oligomers. Substoichiometric concentrations of the 40K protein rapidly inhibit actin polymerization in the presence of physiological concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+. An 80K actin modulator also has been purified to 98% homogeneity. It is a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of approximately 80 000 and an isoelectric point of 6.35-7.0. Its amino acid composition is different from those of villin, gelsolin, and leukocyte actin polymerization inhibitor. On the basis of the DNase inhibition assay and the centrifugation assay, the nonprecipitable actin associated with the 80K protein was F-actin in its conformation. The 80K protein acts very efficiently as a Ca2+-dependent nucleator for actin assembly and reduces its viscosity. In addition to the 40K and 80K actin modulators, 91K and 95K actin-associated proteins were partially purified. The 91K-95K fraction has similar activity to the 80K protein regarding precipitation of F-actin. The 125I-G-actin polyacrylamide gel overlay technique [Snabes, M. C., Boyd, A.E., & Bryan, J. (1981) J. Cell Biol. 90, 809-812] revealed that both the 91K and 95K proteins bind 125I-actin after sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4) electrophoresis while the 80K and 40K proteins do not. Thyroid 91K protein comigrated with a human platelet 91K actin binding protein on NaDodSO4 gels and may be similar to macrophage gelsolin. The 95K protein may be similar to villin, the intestinal cytoskeletal protein.     

Characterization and purification of a kallikrein from human pancreatic juice and immunological comparison with other kallikreins.

A prekallikrein has been demonstrated in human pancreatic juice and the active enzyme has been purified from this material. The purification procedure included filtration on Sephadex G-100, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography on trypsin-inhibitor Sepharose. The purified kallikrein appeared to be homogeneous by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.3 and by immunoelectrophoresis. Human pancreatic kallikrein is immunologically different from human plasma kallikrein and from pancreatic kallikreins of other species (hog, cat, rat and dog). Human pancreatic kallikrein has common antigenic determinants with human urinary and submandibular kallikreins but probably not with parotid kallikrein.     

Actin amino-acid sequences. Comparison of actins from calf thymus, bovine brain, and SV40-transformed mouse 3T3 cells with rabbit skeletal muscle actin.

Actin was purified from calf thymus, bovine brain and SV40-transformed mouse 3T3 cells grown in tissue culture. Isoelectric focusing analysis showed the presence of the two actin polypeptides beta and gamma typical for non-muscle actins in all three actins. Tryptic and thermolytic peptides accounting for the complete amino-acid sequence of the cytoplasmic actins were separated and isolated by preparative fingerprint techniques. All peptides were characterized by amino-acid analysis and compared with the corresponding peptides from rabbit skeletal muscle actin. Peptides which differed in amino-acid composition from the corresponding skeletal muscle actin peptides were subjected to sequence analysis in order to localize the amino-acid replacement. The results obtained show that all three mammalian cytoplasmic actins studied contain the same amino-acid exchanges indicating that mammalian cytoplasmic actins are very similar if not identical in amino-acid sequence. The presence of two different isoelectric species beta and gamma in cytoplasmic actins from higher vertebrates is acccounted for by the isolation of two very similar but not identical amino-terminal peptides in all three actin preparations. The nature of the amino-acid replacements in these two peptides not only accounts for the different isoelectric forms but also shows that beta and gamma cytoplasmic actins are the products of two different structural genes expressed in the same cell. The total number of amino-acid replacements so far detected in the comparison of these cytoplasmic actins and skeletal muscle actin is 25 for the beta chain and 24 for the gamma chain. With the exception of the amino-terminal three or four residues, which are responsible for the isoelectric differences, the replacements do not involve charged amino acids. The exchanges are not randomly distributed. No replacements were detected in regions 18--75 and 299--356 while the regions between residues 2--17 and 259--298 show a high number of replacements. In addition documentation for a few minor revisions of the amino acid sequence of rabbit skeletal muscle actin is provided.     

The tryptophanase from Proteus rettgeri, improved purification and properties of crystalline holotryptophanase.

The inducible tryptophanase (L-tryptophan indole-lyase (deaminating) EC 4.1.99.1) was crystallized in holoenzyme from the cell extract of Proteus rettgeri. The purification procedure included ammonium sulfate fractionation, heat treatment at 60 degrees C, DEAE-Sephadex and hydroxylapatite column chromatographies. Crystallization was performed by the addition of ammonium sulfate to the purified enzyme solution containing 20% (v/v) glycerol, 0.1 mM pyridoxal phosphate and 10 mM mercaptoethanol. The crystallized enzyme was yellow and showed absorption maxima at 340 and 420 nm. The crystalline holotryptophanase preparation was homogeneous by the criteria of ultracentrifugation and disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the enzyme was calculated as approx. 222 000. The amount of pyridoxal phosphate bound to the enzyme was determined to be 4 mol per mol of the enzyme. The enzyme is composed of four subunits of identical molecular size (mol. wt 55 000) and irreversibly dissociates into these subunits in the presence of a high concentration of sodium dodecylsulfate or guanidine hydrochloride. The NH2-terminal amino acid of the enzyme was identified as alanine.     

Phosphorylation of an actin.tropomyosin.troponin complex from human skeletal muscle.

A human skeletal actin.tropomyosin.troponin complex was phosphorylated in the presence of [gamma-32 P]ATP, Mg2+, adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase). Phosphorylation was not observed when the actin complex was incubated in the absence of protein kinase or 1 microM cyclic AMP. In the presence of 10(-7) M Ca2+ and protein kinase 0.1 mole of [32P]phosphate per 196 000 g of protein was incorporated. This was two-fold higher than the [32P]phosphate content of a rabbit skeletal actin complex but two-fold lower than that of a bovine cardiac actin complex. At high Ca2+, 5.10(-5) M, little change in the phosphorylation of a human skeletal actin complex occurred. Phosphoserine and phosphothreonine were identified in the [32P]phosphorylated actin complex. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate showed that 60% of the label was associated with the tropomyosin binding component of troponin. The inhibitory component of troponin contained 16% of the bound [32P]phosphate. Increasing the Ca2+ concentration did not significantly decrease the [32P]phosphate content of the phosphorylated proteins in the actin complex. No change in the distribution of phosphoserine or phosphothreonine was observed. Half maximal calcium activation of the ATPase activity of reconstitute human skeletal actomyosin made with the [32P] phosphorylated human skeletal actin complex was the same as a reconstituted actomyosin made with an actin complex incubated in the absence of protein kinase at low or high Ca2+.     

AMP deaminase from equine muscle: purification and determination of regulatory properties.

1. AMP deaminase from thoroughbred horse muscle was purified to apparent homogeneity and its regulatory properties were determined at pH 6.5 and 7.4. 2. The results are discussed in relation to the potential role of muscle AMP deaminase during exercise and the existence of two molecular forms depending on the pH.