Isolation and comparative analysis of glycolipid fractions in bifidobacteria

A comparative TLC analysis of lipid extracts from Bifidobacterium longum B 379 M, B. bifidum 791, and B. adolescentis 94 BIM has been performed. It is demonstrated that carbohydrate-containing lipid components were present in the bacteria, which differed in their chromatographic mobility (Rf) from similar compounds isolated from actinomycetes Stomatococcus mucilaginosus PCM 2415T, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei PCM 2492, Propionibacterium propionicum PCM 2431, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta PCM 2279 (= ATCC 27875T), Rhodococcus equi PCMT 559 (= ATCC 3969), and Gordonia bronchialis PCM 2167. Polar lipids of bifidobacteria exhibited the closest similarity to their counterparts from propionic acid bacteria. Preparative chromatography (silica gel column I; elution with chloroform, acetone, and methanol) of the lipid extract of B. adolescentis 94 BIM made it possible to isolate fractions containing nonpolar lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids. Further purification of the glycolipid fraction (column II; eluant, methanol gradient in chloroform) produced preparations of glycolipids and phospholipids. The preparations were studied by two-dimensional TLC using solvent systems chloroform-methanol-H2O MiLi Q (65 : 25 : 4, v/v/v) and n-butanol-acetic acid-H2O MiLi Q (60 : 20 : 20, v/v/v) for directions I and II, respectively. Two major glycolipids were revealed (G1 and G2), in addition to compounds characteristic of the polar lipid group and minor glycolipids (g), the latter being present in considerably lesser amounts.     

Confirmation of minor components of less polar neutral and acidic glycolipids in monkey brain tissue

Crude glycolipids, prepared without alkali treatment in advance, were separated into neutral and acidic glycolipids by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 (acetate form) column chromatography. Each glycolipid was further fractionated by a Silica gel 60-column chromatography. By matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with delayed ion extraction (DE MALDI-TOF MS) of the intact glycolipid fractions, the less polar neutral glycolipids were found to contain alkali-labile ester cerebrosides and Galb-1-Diradylglycerols, whereas the less polar acidic glycolipids were found to contain alkali-labile ester sulfatide, HSO(3)-3Gal-1-Diradylglycerols, and novel alkali-stable plasmalo-sulfatides and ester or plasmalo HSO(3)-3Galb-1-Diradylglycerols as minor components of glycolipids in monkey brain tissue.In conclusion, minor components of less polar neutral and acidic glycolipids in monkey brain tissue were confirmed as ester cerebrosides, Galb-1-Diradylglycerols, ester sulfatides, HSO(3)-3Galb-1-Diradylglycerols, and novel plasmalo-sulfatides and ester or plasmalo HSO(3)-3Galb-1-Diradylglycerols by DE MALDI-TOF MS.     

High performance thin-layer chromatography and densitometry of synaptic plasma membrane lipids

Previously, it has been shown that phospholipids, cholesterol, and glycolipids could be quantitated using the same high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method. Here we examined that method in terms of linearity of standards in the nanogram range, recovery of nonacidic and acidic lipids after Sephadex column chromatography, and quantitation of lipids in mouse synaptic plasma membranes (SPM) where lipid content is low. Nonacidic and acidic fractions were separated by Sephadex column chromatography, applied to plates using contact spotting, chromatographed, visualized with cupric acetate, and quantitated using in situ densitometry. Recovery of nonacidic and acidic fractions off the columns was determined with radiolabeled phospholipids. Standards for each lipid class were linear in the nanogram range. Quantitation of SPM lipid classes could be made with as little as 1.5 micrograms of total lipid. Recovery of the nonacidic fraction after Sephadex column chromatography was approximately 100% whereas the acidic fraction was approximately 91%. Phospholipids, cholesterol, and glycolipids could be determined in nanogram amounts using the same method. This method is an efficient method for examining different lipid classes and in samples where lipid content is low.     

Isolation and Comparative Analysis of Glycolipid Fractions in Bifidobacteria

A comparative TLC analysis of lipid extracts from Bifidobacterium longum B 379 M, B. bifidum 791, and B. adolescentis 94 BIM has been performed. It is demonstrated that carbohydrate-containing lipid components were present in the bacteria, which differed in their chromatographic mobility (R _f ) from similar compounds isolated from actinomycetes Stomatococcus mucilaginosus PCM 2415^T, Nocardiopsis dassonvillei PCM 2492, Propionibacterium propionicum PCM 2431, Saccharopolyspora hirsuta PCM 2279 (= ATCC 27875^T), Rhodococcus equi PCM^T 559 (= ATCC 3969), and Gordonia bronchialis PCM 2167. Polar lipids of bifidobacteria exhibited the closest similarity to their counterparts from propionic acid bacteria. Preparative chromatography (silica gel column I; elution with chloroform, acetone, and methanol) of the lipid extract of B. adolescentis 94 BIM made it possible to isolate fractions containing nonpolar lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids. Further purification of the glycolipid fraction (column II; eluant, methanol gradient in chloroform) produced preparations of glycolipids and phospholipids. The preparations were studied by two-dimensional TLC using solvent systems chloroform-methanol-H₂O MiLi Q (65 : 25 : 4, v/v/v) and n-butanol-acetic acid-H₂O MiLi Q (60 : 20 : 20, v/v/v) for directions I and II, respectively. Two major glycolipids were revealed (G₁ and G₂), in addition to compounds characteristic of the polar lipid group and minor glycolipids (g), the latter being present in considerably lesser amounts.     

Quantitative analysis of plasma neutral glycosphingolipids by high performance liquid chromatography of their perbenzoyl derivatives.

A quantitative high performance liquid chromatography method for the analysis of neutral glycosylceramides as their perbenzoyl derivatives has been devised. Samples containing more than 2.5 nmol each of mono-, di-, tri-, and tetraglycosylceramide are benzoylated with 10% benzoyl chloride in pyridine at 37degrees C for 16 hr. The products are separated from excess reagents by solvent distribution and injected onto a pellicllar silica gel (Zipax) column (2.1 mm X 50 cm). The derivatives are eluted with a 10 min linear gradient of 2-17% ethyl acetate in hexane at 2 ml/min and absorbance at 280 nm is recorded. The detector response was proportional to the weight of sample used (2-30 nmol) and the lower limit of detection was about 70 pmol. The procedure has been applied to the quantitative analysis of erythrocyte and plasma glycolipids. As little as 0.5 ml of plasma can be used for analysis. The relative standard deviation of repetitive analyses ranged between 2.0% for glucosylceramide to 5.4% for galactosyllactosylceramide.     

Microtubule associated proteins of goat brain

The microtubule associated proteins of goat brain were separated from tubulin on the basis of their thermostability and then fractionated by chromatography on Sepharose 4B column. Analysis of the fractions by SDS-Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and assay of their tubulin-assembly-promoting activity indicate that this activity resides primarily in the tauproteins (mol. wt. 55,000–70,000) and a class of even lower molecular weight (25,000–35,000) proteins. Electrophoresis of the microtubule associated protein fractions separated from tubulin by phosphocellulose chromatography are in agreement with the results obtained from fractionation on Sepharose 4B columns.     

Quantitative derivatization and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of cyanobacterial heterocyst-type glycolipids.

Procedures are described for the rapid and quantitative analysis of cyanobacterial heterocyst-type glycolipids (HGs) by normal-phase HPLC of their per-O-benzoylated derivatives. Total lipids are obtained from 1 ml of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial culture by triplicate extraction with chloroform/methanol, 1/1 (v/v), and the HGs are isolated from other complex lipids by preparative silica gel TLC. A C18 solid-phase extraction cartridge is used to ensure quantitative salt-free recovery of the HGs, and the purified glycolipids are then rendered uv-absorbing by a per-O-benzoylation derivatization reaction for which optimal conditions have been established. Derivatives are analyzed within 12 min on a 3-microns silica HPLC column using a linear gradient of 2-propanol in n-hexane and uv monitoring at 230 nm. The reaction product was also used to determine the relative proportions of the glucosyl and galactosyl epimers of individual members of this class of glycolipid.     

The presence of blood group A-active glycolipids in cancer tissues from blood group O patients

Glycolipids were isolated from human gastric cancer tissues and normal mucosae. Sulfogalactosylceramide, ganglioside and neutral glycolipid fractions were separated by DEAE-Sephadex and silica gel column chromatography. Sulfogalactosylceramide contents were higher in the cancer tissues than in the normal mucosae. Ganglioside contents showed considerable variations but in the cancer tissues in mole percentage of ganglioside GM3 was higher than in the normal mucosae. The cancer tissues contained more neutral glycolipids than normal tissues. Glycolipids of lacto-series, including fucolipids, were markedly increased in the cancer tissues. Blood group A-active glycolipids were found in the cancer tissues from two patients with blood group O but not found in the uninvolved tissue associated with the cancer tissue.     

A new solvent system for the separation of neutral glycosphingolipids

A solvent system and a column for high performance liquid chromatography for the separation of glycosphingolipids without derivatization is described. A column pakced with porous silica gel (latrobeads) and eluted with a mixture of isopropanol-hexane-water with increasing water content and decreasing hexane content was used. Glycosphingolipids with mono- to dodeca- or tetrakaidecasaccharides were separated within 60 min and the separation pattern was highly reproducible. The method was applied for preparative separation of highly complex glycolipids with blood group activity.     

Isolation and Characterization of Acidic Peptides in Soy Sauce

A soy sauce sample was fractionated by gel filtration on a Sephadex G–15 column, then the fractions were subfractionated on the basis of acidity by ion exchange chromatography on a QAE-Sephadex A–25 column. The acidic subfractions with various acidities were further fractionated, using a preparative amino acid analyzer and by paper chromatography to separate the acidic peptide components.

Four dipeptides and sugar derivatives of ten dipeptides and two tripeptides were isolated and characterized as the major acidic peptides in soy sauce. However, it was difficult to anticipate any direct contribution of these peptides to the flavor construction in soy sauce on the basis of their contents and taste intensities.     

Location and identification of substituents with free amino group in lipopolysaccharides of gram-negative bacteria with the use of chromophore labelling

Interaction of ten different lipopolysaccharides (LPS) with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene yielded quantitatively yellow dinitrophenyl derivatives (DNP-LPS) to show the presence of substituents with free amino group. The DNP-LPS samples were degraded with 1% acetic acid, and after removal of lipid A precipitates the supernatants were separated on a Sephadex G-25 column to give coloured polysaccharide, oligosaccharide and monomeric fractions monitored at lambda DNP = 365 nm. The coloured materials, including DNP-derivative of lipid A, were dephosphorylated with hydrofluoric acid followed by identification of the released DNP-amines by thin layer chromatography (TLC) on silica gel. Subsequently, the dephosphorylated materials were hydrolysed with hydrochloric acid followed by TLC analysis. The approach allowed to detect, locate and identify the substituents with free amino group within the LPS molecules. Moreover, two types of core structures within LPS preparation from one strain were discovered for five microorganisms.     

Studies on the Lipid Components of Endotoxin II. Chemical Analyses and Biological Properties of Neutral,Polar-I and Polar-II Subfractions

Lipid components obtained from Salmonella typhosa O-901 endotoxin by acid hydrolysis were separated into neutral, polar-I and polar-II lipid fractions by silica gel column chromatography. These lipids were further separated by silica gel column and/or thin-layer chromatography. The subfractions were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography, gas chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry. Seven subfractions obtained from the neutral lipid fraction contained lauric, myristic, palmitic, 3-OH-myristic acid, artificial products of 3-OH-myristic acid, or a small amount of two unidentified fatty acids. These fatty acids and glucosamine were commonly detected in six subfractions obtained from the polar-I lipid fraction. Fatty acids, glucosamine, and O-phosphorylethanolamine were detected in all of the 13 subfractions obtained from the polar-II lipid fraction. Chick embryo lethal activity, rabbit pyrogenicity and in vitro interferon inducing activity were found in three polar-I lipid subfractions and five polar-II lipid subfractions, but not in neutral lipids. The activities were highest in a polar-II lipid subfraction, which contained smaller amounts of O-phosphorylethanolamine and glucosamine than the other subfractions. However, no particular chemical constituent (s) related to the biological activities could be found. Prolonged acid hydrolysis of the polar-II lipids gave rise to neutral and polar-I lipids. Chemical and biological aspects of the lipid constituents of endotoxin are discussed.     

Composition of Acid-sensitive Fraction in Soybean Proteins

An acid-sensitive fraction (ASF) was prepared from defatted soybean meals by two procedures. ASF1 was prepared by precipitation at pH 4.5 followed by removal of 1 m NaCl-soluble materials from the precipitate. ASF2 was prepared by precipitation in solution containing 1 m NaCl at pH 4.5. The protein components of the two fractions were analyzed by gel electrophoresis in a dissociating-buffer system and found to contain β-conglycinin, glycinin and whey proteins. In addition to these, several other bands appeared.

Appreciable amounts of lipid (8.2% in ASF1 and 8.8% in ASF2) were also found in the fractions. They were separated by column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. Glycolipids were the major components of the lipids. Both glycolipid and phospholipid fractions contained slower-moving materials on thin-layer chromatography.     

Preparation of eight ovalbumin subfractions by combined lectin affinity chromatography

Ovalbumin was fractionated by successive lectin affinity chromatography using concanavalin A/Sepharose and wheat germ agglutinin/Sepharose. Eight glycoprotein fractions, all behaving as ovalbumin on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, were obtained. To characterize the carbohydrate chains, the asparaginyl-carbohydrates were prepared from the Pronase digests of the ovalbumin fractions and their dansyl derivatives were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The elution profile of the dansylated asparaginyl-carbohydrates from each subfraction was compared with that from the unfractionated ovalbumin. The results indicated that the above eight subfractions could be separated from each other according to their carbohydrate chains and that three of the subfractions were homogeneous with respect to their carbohydrate chains.     

Non-acid glycosphingolipid expression in plasma of an A1 Le(a-b+) secretor human individual: identification of an ALeb heptaglycosylceramide as major blood group component.

Total non-acid glycosphingolipids were isolated from plasma of an A1 Le(a-b+) secretor individual with Refsum's disease (phytanic acid storage disease). The glycolipids were separated into 11 fractions by open column chromatography and by HPLC. The fractions were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and tested for different blood group A activities as well as blood group Le(a )and Leb activity. The fractions were structurally characterized by proton NMR spectroscopy and FAB mass spectrometry and in selected cases by EI mass spectrometry of the permethylated and permethylated-reduced derivatives. Degradation analysis was performed on partially permethylated or permethylated-reduced alditol acetates. The dominating blood group compound was found to be a blood group A active type 1 chain difucosylheptaglycosylceramide. Other blood group compounds were identified as a blood group A active type 1 chain monofucosylhexaglycosylceramide, a blood group Leb hexaglycosylceramide, a blood group H active type 1 chain pentaglycosylceramide, and a globotetraosylceramide (the P-antigen). The presence of a Le(a) glycosphingolipid and blood group A type 3/4 chain structures were also found by immunostaining. Glucosyl-, lactosyl-, and globotriaosylceramides were the dominating short chain compounds. The amount of phytanic acid incorporated into the monoglycosylceramide fraction was found to be less than 5% of the fatty acids.     

The sucrose carrier of the plant plasmalemma. III. Partial purification and reconstitution of active sucrose transport in liposomes.

The proteins from plasma membranes from sugar beet leaves were solubilized by 1% CHAPS and separated by size exclusion chromatography and by ion-exchange chromatography. The fractions enriched in sucrose transporter were monitored in three ways: differential labeling, ELISA, and reconstitution in proteoliposomes. When the plasma membranes were differentially labeled by N-ethylamaleimide in the presence of sucrose, a major peak of differential labeling was found at 120 kDa upon gel filtration. When this peak was recovered, denaturated by sodium dodecyl sulfate and reinjected on the gel filtration column, it yielded a peak of differential labeling at 42 kDa. When unlabeled membranes were used, the fractions eluted from the column were monitored by ELISA for their ability to recognize a serum directed against a 42 kDa previously identified as a putative sucrose carrier. The results paralleled those obtained by differential labeling, i.e. a major ELISA-reactive peak was found at 120 kDa upon gel filtration, and this peak yielded a peak most reactive at 40 kDa after denaturation. The 120 kDa peak prepared from unlabeled membranes was further separated on a Mono-Q column. The fractions were monitored by ELISA as described above, and reconstituted into proteoliposomes using asolectin. Active transport of sucrose, but not of valine could be observed with the reconstituted 120 kDa fraction. When the eluates from the Mono-Q column were reconstituted, the fractions exhibiting highest transport activity were enriched with a 42 kDa band. The data provide the first report concerning reconstitution of sucrose transport activity and confirm the involvement of a 42 kDa polypeptide in sucrose transport.     

Separation and identification of ceramides derived from human plasma sphingomyelins

Sphingomyelins from human blood plasma have been converted into ceramides by enzymatic hydrolysis with phospholipase C. After acetylation the ceramides were fractionated by thin-layer chromatography on silica gel containing silver nitrate. Four main fractions obtained by this method were subsequently converted to di-O-trimethylsilyl ether derivatives and separated by gas-liquid chromatography on 1% OV-1. 2-11 components could be distinguished in each of the four fractions. The major fractions emerging from the gas chromatograph were analyzed by mass spectrometry and their main molecular species were identified. Two of the gas chromatographic fractions contained essentially pure molecular species, namely N-tetracosenoyl sphingosine and N-tetracosenoylsphinga-4, 14-dienine.     

Formation and properties of retinylphosphate galactose.

Crude cell membrane fractions from a number of tissues can form acidic glycolipids. The formation of acidic galactose lipid and mannose lipid was greatly reduced in vitamin A deficiency, primarily in tissues known to be mucus-producing. Mouse mastocytoma tissue was active in forming acidic galactose lipids with UDP-galactose as substrate. One of the products was identified as retinylphosphate galactose. The synthetase reaction producing this compound exhibited an apparent pH optimum at 6.3. The presence of detergent and retinol stimulated the synthetase reaction, which exhibited an absolute requirement for Mn2+ or Mg2+. The synthetase reaction was readily reversible. Incubation of particulate enzyme with retinylphosphate galactose and UDP yielded UDP-galactose and a compound tentatively identified as retinylphosphate. The galactose lipid was isolated by column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and silica gel. The retinylphosphate galactose was homogeneous when examined by thin layer chromatography. Mild acid hydrolysis of labeled retinylphosphate galactose yields [14C]galactose, whereas alkaline hydrolysis and hydrogenolysis produced [14C]galactose 1-phosphate. Retinylphosphate galactose bound to vitamin A-depleted, retinol-binding protein.     

Molecular characteristics of rat brain glucose transporter: a novel species with Mr 45,000

The glucose transporter of rat brain was examined by the use of cytochalasin B, a potent inhibitor. The dissociation constants (Kd) of D-glucose-inhibitable cytochalasin B binding in various membrane fractions were about 100 nM. Solubilization and partial purification of glucose transporter were carried out by procedures of DE 52 column chromatography, Bio Gel HT column chromatography and Sepharose CL-6B column chromatography from postnuclear membrane fraction. Purified transporter, reconstituted in lipid vesicles, showed D-glucose-specific transport activity with a Michaelis constant (Km) of 7 mM. The molecular weight was estimated to be about 200K by gel filtration in the presence of 0.1% Triton X-100. The subunit molecular weight was estimated to be 45K by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after photoaffinity labeling using [3H]cytochalasin B as a covalent probe, indicating that rat brain glucose transporter is a tetramer.     

Induction of tryptophan oxygenase and tyrosine aminotransferase by metabolites of hydrocortisone

Metabolites of hydrocortisone were isolated from rat liver on a preparative scale, fractionated by column chromatography on Sephadex Lh-20 and silica gel and tested for biological activity. Apart from the well known neutral metabolites, steroid glucuronides and sulfates, we obtained metabolite fractions containing non-conjugated steroidal carboxy acids and acid metabolites of unknown structure. One of these fractions induced tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5) in adrenalectomized female rats but not tryptophan oxygenase (EC 1.13.11.11), whereas another one mainly increased activity of tryptophan oxygenase. The doses necessary to significantly induce both enzymes were much lower in case of these metabolites than in the case of hydrocortisone itself. The active fractions eluting from silica gel column were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography in two different solvent systems. Absence of hydrocortisone in these fractions could be clearly demonstrated. Furthermore, the active fractions eluting from the silica gel column were characterized by treatment with an extract from Helix pomatia and/or diazomethane and subsequent analysis by thin-layer chromatography. We conclude, considering the biological activity of some synthesized derivatives of hydrocortisone, that the biologically active components are acid metabolites of hydrocortisone which are not identical to any of the known metabolites.