Isolation and partial characterization of a cytochrome P-450 isoenzyme (cytochrome P-450tu) from mouse liver tumors

Experimental hepatomas induced with 5,9-dimethyldibenzo[c,g]carbazole in female XVIInc/Z mice display a strong microsomal steroid 15 alpha-hydroxylation activity. A cytochrome P-450 isoenzyme (cytochrome P-450tu), specific for this activity, has been isolated by an HPLC derived method using various Fractogel TSK and hydroxyapatite supports. On SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the purified protein appeared as one major band with an apparent Mr of 50,000. Its specific cytochrome P-450 content was 7.55 nmol/mg protein. As deduced from the visible spectrum, the heme iron of the isolated P-450tu was to 72% in the high-spin state. The CO-bound reduced form showed an absorption maximum at 450 nm. In addition to the stereospecific 15 alpha-hydroxylation of progesterone (2.3 min-1) and testosterone (2.5 min-1), the enzyme catalyzed also 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylation, benzphetamine N-demethylation and aniline 4-hydroxylation. Its N-terminal amino-acid sequence (21 residues) was identical to that of cytochrome P-450(15) alpha, isolated by Harada and Negishi from liver microsomes of 129/J mice. P-450tu differed from P-450(15) alpha by its higher molecular weight, its 40-times lower steroid 15 alpha-hydroxylation and its 4-times higher benzphetamine N-demethylation.     

Purification and partial characterization of the b-type cytochrome from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes contain an oxidase system that can be activated to produce superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide. A nonmitochondrial b cytochrome, functioning in the generation of these oxygen species, has been purified to apparent homogeneity from human polymorphonuclear phagocytes. After solubilization of the cytochrome with Triton X-100, the cell extract was subsequently chromatographed on Blue Sepharose and Sephacryl S-300. The final preparation was maximally purified 170-fold with a specific content of 5.33 +/- 2.03 nmol mg-1 of protein (mean +/- S.D.; n = 7) and a yield of 21 +/- 13% (n = 5). The apparent molecular mass of the nondenatured cytochrome was estimated by gel filtration to be 235 kDa. Upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, a single polypeptide was found with a molecular mass of 127 kDa. From the pyridine hemochrome spectrum 1 protoheme IX/polypeptide was calculated. The light absorbance bands of the dithionite-reduced cytochrome were found to be at 558.5 (alpha), 529 (beta), and 426 nm (Soret), and that of the oxidized cytochrome at 413.5 nm. The difference absorbance coefficients are delta epsilon (426.5 - 440 nm) = 160.6 +/- 11 mM-1 cm-1 and delta epsilon (558.5 - 542 nm) = 29.3 +/- 2 mM-1 cm-1 (mean +/- S.D.; n = 5). Carbon monoxide binds to the cytochrome in a time-dependent fashion (maximum binding after 50-60 min). The midpoint potential of the solubilized nonpurified cytochrome is identical to the cytochrome in situ (Em7.0 = -218 +/- 7 mV (mean +/- S.D.; n = 5)). However, purified cytochrome b shows a significantly decreased midpoint potential, estimated at -407 +/- 18 mV (n = 4). The protein does not contain noncovalently bound FAD or FMN, and no spectral evidence was obtained for the presence of covalently bound flavin. Preliminary amino acid analysis of the cytochrome shows a high content of hydrophilic residues.     

Isolation and partial purification of cytochrome P-450 from uninduced rat liver

Carbon-13 Fourier transform nmr has been used to make the first observation of a carbon-13-iron-57 spin-spin coupling constant in a protein, sperm whale carbonyl myoglobin enriched to 90% in both iron-57 and carbon-13. The coupling constant, 27.1±0.2 Hz, is found to be essentially identical to that of a model compound, supporting the view that the carbonyl is not tilted with respect to the heme plane in solution. Such carbon-13-iron-57 couplings, and the resultant iron-57 chemical shifts obtained from decoupling experiments, should provide valuable new tools for studying the different affinity states of tetrameric hemoglobins.     

Isolation and partial charcterization of a cytochrome b complex and cytochrome oxidase from yeast mitochondria.

A cytochrome b complex and cytochrome oxidase have been purified 14- and 20-fold respectively from yeast submitochondrial particles by a simple procedure involving their spontaneous precipitation from a deoxycholate extract. The recovery of both proteins was almost quantitative. The specific heme contents were 11 and 8 nmoles/mg protein for the cytochrome b complex and cytochrome oxidase respectively and both were spectrally pure. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis resolved the cytochrome b complex into seven distinct subunits with molecular weights 42,000, 33,000, 27,500, 23,000, 15,500, 13,000 and 10,500. Cytochrome oxidase contained five bands with molecular weights 42,000, 26,500, 21,000, 14,000 and 10,500.     

Purification and partial characterization of rat liver soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase

The rat liver soluble catechol-O-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.6.) has been purified utilizing a combination of conventional chromatography and HPLC. The purified enzyme has a molecular mass of 25 kDa, a pI of 5.1, and exists in two forms which differ in the nature of their intramolecular disulfide bonds. This difference causes these two protein forms to behave differently in reversed phase chromatography.     

Isolation and partial characterization of a sulfogalactoglycerolipid from rat brain.

The brain of adult rats were analyzed for the presence of 35-SO4-containing glycolipids following intraventricular injection of Na2-35SO4. Radiochromatographic analyses revealed the presence of two minor 35-SO4-containing glycolipids, in addition to sulfogalactosylceramide. One of these two minor sulfolipids was isolated and tentatively identified as a 1-O--alkyl-2-0-acyl-3-(3'-sulfogalactosyl)-glycerol, a compound recently demonstrated to be the major glycolipid of mammalian testis. The alkyl and acyl compositions of the compound from rat brain are more heterogeneous than those from rat testis. The non-sulfated form of the galactoglycerolipid was also detected in rat brain. The amount of the sulfogalactoglycerolipid in rat brain is 0.19 mumol per gram wet weight, approximately one-third of the amount in rat testis (per gram wet weight), and is approximately one-fifteenth that of sulfogalactosylceramide in rat brain. The possible significance of the common occurrence in brain and testis of sulfated and non-sulfated galactolipids is discussed.     

Isolation and partial characterization of poly (A)-containing 7.5S messenger RNA from rat liver mitochondria.

Poly(A)-containing low molecular weight (7.5S) messenger RNA was isolated in a highly purified form from both polyribosomes and post-polysomal supernatant of rat liver mitochondria. Both mRNA's contain rather short poly(A) tracts (40-70 mononucleotides) according to a profile of their elution from poly(U)-Sepharose column with a gradient of formamide concentration. Both mRNA's when added to a preincubated mitochondrial lysate programmed the synthesis of a hydrophobic polypeptide of a molecular weight about 9000 daltons which was soluble in the neutral chloroform-methanol mixture.     

Isolation and partial characterization of a rifampicin induced rabbit liver microsomal cytochrome P-450

Rifampicin administration to New Zealand male rabbits increased the concentration of an LM3 form of cytochrome P-450 to up to 30% of the microsomal P-450 concentration. This enzyme was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity with a yield of 8% of the original total microsomal P-450 concentration. Isolated as a low spin hemoprotein in its substrate free oxidized form, it displays in its reduced CO-complexed form an absorption maximum at 449 nm. Immunological assays, as well as activity measurements, in particular its stereospecific progesterone hydroxylation in the 6 beta-position, show a relationship between LM3,Rif and LM3c (from untreated rabbits).     

Isolation and partial characterization of proteoglycans from rat incisors.

Newly synthesized proteoglycans of rat incisors were labelled in vivo for 6h with [35S]-sulphate in order to facilitate their detection during purification and characterization. Proteoglycans were extracted from non-mineralized portions (predentine) of rat incisors with 4M-guanidinium chloride and subsequently from dentine by demineralization with a 0.4M-EDTA solution containing 4M-guanidinium chloride. Both extractions were performed at 4 degrees C in the presence of proteinase inhibitors. Purification of proteoglycans was achieved with a procedure involving gel-filtration chromatography, selective precipitation of phosphoproteins, affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. Two proteoglycan populations were found in the initial extract (Pd-PG I and Pd-PG II), whereas only one fraction (D-PG) was obtained after demineralization. The minor proteoglycan fraction from the first extract, Pd-PG I, although not totally characterized, differed sharply from the other proteoglycans in that it had a larger molecular size with larger glycosaminoglycan chains composed of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulphate isomers. In contrast, the major proteoglycans Pd-PG II and D-PG had smaller hydrodynamic sizes with smaller glycosaminoglycan chains (but larger than those from bovine nasal cartilage proteoglycans) composed exclusively of chondroitin 4-sulphate. The major proteoglycans were incapable of interacting with hyaluronic acid. In general, the amino acid compositions of the major proteoglycans of rat incisors resembled that of bovine nasal cartilage proteoglycans, but the former had lower proline, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and higher aspartic acid, contents.     

Isolation and characterization of a membrane-bound proteinase from rat liver.

The proteinase previously found in chromatin prepared from a total rat liver homogenate was purified from the rat liver mitochondrial fraction. The membrane-bound enzyme is solubilized in either 0.6% digitonin or 0.5 m phosphate buffer. After a 1330-fold purification, the enzyme appears homogeneous by acrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation indicated a molecular weight of 22,500, a molecular weight of 23,500 ± 10% has been estimated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The enzyme showed a high substrate specificity. Among several proteins tested, only glucagon, nonhistone chromosomal proteins, and histones are good substrates. A limited proteolysis was found for the very-lysine-rich histone H1, which was split into a high molecular weight fragment (M_r 13,000). The highly phosphorylated histone H1 isolated from regenerating rat liver 24 h after partial hepatectomy exhibited the same susceptibility to the proteinase as H1 from normal liver. Large polypeptides of a nonhistone chromosomal protein fraction were degraded more rapidly than the small ones. N-Acetyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester was used with alcohol dehydrogenase and NAD in a coupled enzyme assay for the proteinase. The apparent Michaelis constant for the hydrolysis of N-acetyl-l-tyrosine ethyl ester is 5.0 × 10^?3m. The proteinase has catalytic properties simlar to trypsin and chymotrypsin. The pH optimum was around 8, soybean trypsin inhibitor depressed the enzymatic activity, and the serine modifying reagents diisopropyl phosphofluoridate and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride inactivated the enzyme. The affinity reagent for chymotrypsin-like active sites, l-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone, inactivated the proteinase.     

Isolation and partial characterization of rat duodenal-gland (Brunner''s-gland) mucus glycoprotein.

A mucus glycoprotein was isolated from the duodenal glands of the rat and purified by repeated density-gradient centrifugation. The characterized glycoprotein is unique to the mucous cells of the duodenal glands and is not present in parts of the small intestine devoid of these glands. The chemical composition of the purified glycoprotein is characteristic for glycoproteins of the mucin-type. Its protein content is relatively high and amount to 35% by weight. No neuraminic acid and little sulphate (2%) is present. Evidence is presented that the native glycoprotein is built up from subunits held together via disulphide bridges in a non-glycosylated region of the protein core.     

Isolation and partial characterization of a bile canalicular plasma membrane fraction from normal and regenerating rat liver.

A bile canalicular membrane fraction was isolated from 24-hour regenerating rat livers, and its properties were compared to those of homologous fractions prepared from the livers of sham-operated and unoperated controls. These canalicular membrane fractions were found to be closely related in terms of their morphology, their purity, their yield, and their qualitative protein banding profiles on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. However, when a rigorous examination of plasma membrane enzyme marker activities was made, the regenerating liver membranes were shown to possess an increased specific activity of alkaline phosphatase and lower levels of Mg2+ ATPase and 5'-nucleotidase in comparison with control specific activity values.     

Isolation and partial characterization of the rat liver ligandosome fraction

The subcellular distribution in rat liver of non-latent and latent NADH pyrophosphatase was determined by analytical sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Non-latent NADH pyrophosphatase activity was distributed similarly to the plasma membrane marker, 5′-nucleotidase. However, latent NADH pyrophosphatase was found at the low density region of the gradient, similar to the distribution of galactosyl transferase, a Golgi marker. A population of membranes, corresponding to those from the low density region, was prepared by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. Radiolabelled insulin was used, to monitor the involvement of these membranes in ligand internalization. The membrane perturbant, digitonin, was used to effect a partial separation between membranes bearing NADH pyrophosphatase and those bearing galactosyl transferase. The mechanism by which this separation is effected has been investigated and it was shown that, although digitonin caused a loss of enzyme latency, the density shift was not due to this effect. The partially purified ligandosome-rich fraction was characterized by enzymic and ultrastructural analysis. A novel EM cytochemical stain for NADH pyrophosphatase identified a vesicular fraction distinct from Golgi lamellae.     

Purification and characterization of a new form (RLM2) of liver microsomal cytochrome P-450 from untreated rat

A new cytochrome P-450 isozyme (RLM2) has been purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from liver microsomes of the untreated rat. It has an apparent minimum molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of 49,000. Absolute spectrum of the oxidized form indicates that this isozyme is essentially all in the low spin state. The maximum of the reduced CO complex is at 449 nm. Amino-terminal partial amino acid sequence and amino acid composition are different from those of RLM3 and RLM5, two other native forms of cytochrome P-450 previously reported from this laboratory as well as other forms reported in the literature. RLM2 is capable of oxidizing a variety of drug substrates, like benzphetamine and aminopyrine, and to a lesser extent ethoxycoumarin. With the steroid substrate multiple isomeric products are formed differentially. Progesterone is preferentially hydroxylated at the 15-position (15 beta-hydroxylation (34%) and 15 alpha-hydroxylation (13%) of the total) and at the 6 beta-position (21%). The major metabolite when testosterone was the substrate, 15 alpha-hydroxytestosterone, comprised 43% of the total, while a modest amount of 6 beta-hydroxytestosterone (12%) is formed. Another major metabolite (31%) has yet to be unequivocally identified, but is suggested to be 7 beta-hydroxytestosterone. Examination of the substrate dependence of major and minor isomeric metabolites provides evidence for a single substrate-binding site on RLM2. Regardless of the position hydroxylated, a common Km value was obtained. It is suggested that differences in formation of the isomeric and epimeric products relate to differences in distance from the active oxygen center and the position of attack.     

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide glycohydrolase from rat liver nuclei. Isolation and characterization of a new enzyme.

A new type of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide glycohydrolase (NADase) has been isolated from rat liver nuclei. When partially purified chromatin is passed through a Sephadex G-200 column in the presence of 1 M NaCl, enzyme activities catalyzing the liberation of nicotinamide from NAD elute in two peaks. One, which appears in the void volume fraction, hydrolyzes the nicotinamide-ribose linkage of NAD to produce nicotinamide and ADP-ribose in stoichiometric amounts. This activity is not inhibited by 5 mM nicotinamide. The other, which elutes much later, catalyzes the formation of poly(ADP-ribose) from NAD and is completely inhibited by 5 mM nicotinamide. The former, NADase, is DNase-insensitive and thermostable, has a pH optimum of 6.5 to 7, a Km for NAD of 28 muM, and a Ki for nicotinamide of 80 mM, and hydrolyzes NADP as well as NAD. The latter, poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, is sensitive to DNase treatment and heat labile, has a pH optimum of 8 to 8.5, a Km for NAD of 250 muM and a Ki for nicotinamide of 0.5 mM and is strictly specific for NAD. Further, the former NADase is shown to lack transglycosidase activity, which has been documented to be a general property of NADases derived from animal tissues. These results indicate that the NAD-hydrolyzing enzyme newly isolated from nuclei is a novel type of mammalian NADase which catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of the nicotinamide-ribose linkage of NAD.     

Isolation and partial characterization of apolipoprotein (a) from human lipoprotein (a)

A procedure was developed for the dissociation of apolipoprotein (a) (apo (a)) from pure human lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) prepared by density gradient ultracentrifugation and gel filtration. Lp(a) was ultracentrifuged through a layer of saline which was adjusted to a density of 1.182 g/mL and contained 30 mM dithiothreitol (50 mM) and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (1.25 mM). Following centrifugation, the lipid and apolipoprotein B (apo B) were recovered as a lipoprotein (Lp(a) B) in the supernatant fraction, while the apo (a) was recovered as a lipid-poor protein pellet. An investigation of the supernatant lipoprotein by electron microscopy and compositional analysis revealed that it was similar in size and composition to low density lipoprotein (LDL) isolated from the same density range and contained apo B100 with an amino acid and carbohydrate composition which was similar to apo B from LDL. Estimates of the apparent molecular weight of the apo (a) varied amongst individuals but was always greater than apo B100 (congruent to 450,000). The amino acid composition of apo (a), which was very distinct from apo B, was characterized by a higher content of serine, threonine, proline, and tyrosine, but lower amounts of isoleucine, phenylalanine, and lysine when compared with apo B of Lp(a) or LDL. The apo (a) contained a much higher proportion of carbohydrate, in particular N-acetylgalactosamine, galactose, and N-acetylneuraminic acid (which were three- to six-fold higher) than the apo B of Lp(a). It is concluded that apo (a) is distinct from other apolipoproteins owing to its low avidity for lipid and the nature of the interaction with apo B. Lp(a) consists of an LDL-like particle with a carbohydrate-rich apo (a) attached to the surface of apo B.