Purification and properties of pyruvate kinase from Mycobacterium smegmatis

Pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) from Mycobacterium smegmatis has been purified to homogeneity through a seven-step procedure with a yield of 16% and specific activity of 220 units/mg protein. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of 230,700 and was composed of four subunits with identical molecular weights of 57,540. Analysis of amino acid composition revealed a low content of aromatic amino acids. The enzyme exhibited sigmoidal kinetics of varying concentrations of phosphoenolpyruvate, the degree of cooperativity and S_0.5v value for phosphoenolpyruvate being strongly dependent on the pH of the reaction mixture. Among the nucleoside diphosphates acting as substrate for pyruvate kinase, ADP was the best phosphate acceptor, as judged by its lowest K_m value. The enzyme showed an absolute requirement for divalent cations (either Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺), but monovalent cations were not necessary for activity. Other divalent cations inhibited the Mg²⁺-activated enzyme to varying degrees (Ni²⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Ba²⁺). The differences in the kinetic responses of the enzyme to Mg²⁺ and Mn²⁺ are discussed.     

Purification and properties of purine hydroxylase II from Aspergillus nidulans

Purine hydroxylase II from Aspergillus nidulans has been purified to near homogeneity. The enzyme has a pI of 5.7, a molecular weight of 300,000, and two subunits with molecular weight of 153,000 each. The enzyme contains 2 FAD, 2 molybdenum atoms, and 4 (2 Fe-2S) iron-sulfur centers per molecule and exhibits broad specificity for reducing and oxidizing substrates. Among the more notable characteristics are the ability to oxidize hypoxanthine and nicotinic acid but not xanthine and virtually complete inactivity with oxygen. Moreover, while the enzyme is inactivated by borate and methanol, it is very resistant to cyanide and arsenite and it not inactivated by allopurinol. At infinite concentrations of reducing and oxidizing substrates, the Km for hypoxanthine was 119 microM, for nicotinic acid was 136 microM, and for NAD+ was 525 microM.     

Purification and properties of methylmalonyl coenzyme A mutase from human liver

Methylmalonyl coenzyme A (CoA) mutase has been purified to apparent homogeneity from human liver by a procedure involving column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Matrex-Gel Blue A, hydroxylapatite, and Sephadex G-150. The overall purification achieved is 500- to 600-fold, yield 3–5%. Electrophoresis of the native purified protein on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels shows a single diffuse band coincident with the enzyme activity; dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gels show a single protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 77,500. The native protein has a molecular weight of approximately 150,000 by Sephadex G-150 chromatography, suggesting that it is composed of two identical subunits. The activity of the purified enzyme is stimulated only slightly (10–20%) by the addition of its cofactor, adenosylcobalamin, indicating that the purified enzyme is largely saturated with coenzyme. The spectrum of the enzyme is consistent with the presence of about 1 mole of adenosylcobalamin per mole of subunit. The enzyme displays complex kinetics with respect to dl-methylmalonyl CoA; substrate inhibition by l-methylmalonyl CoA appears to occur. The enzyme activity is stimulated by polyvalent anions (PO₄^3? > SO₄^2? > Cl^?); monovalent cations are without effect, but high concentrations of divalent cations are inhibitory. The enzyme activity is insensitive to N-ethylmaleimide, is rapidly destroyed at temperatures > 50 °C, and shows a broad pH optimum around pH 7.5.     

Purification and steady-state kinetic analysis of yeast thiosulfate reductase.

Thiosulfate reductase has been purified approximately 70-fold from an extract of bakers' yeast. An enzyme with a molecular weight of 17,000, a Stokes radius of 19 Å, and a pI of 5.1 was obtained. Initial velocity and inhibition studies indicate that the substrates add in a random fashion. Further evidence suggests that the rapid-equilibrium assumption is not totally applicable. The enzyme has two distinct but closely situated substrate binding sites—one for compounds with an RSO₃^? structure and one for the sulfhydryl substrate.     

Purification and some properties of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

An NAD-dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (sn-glycerol-3-phosphate: NAD⁺ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.8) has been isolated and purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by affinity and exclusion chromatography. The enzyme was purified 5100-fold to a specific activity of 158. It has a molecular weight of approximately 31,000, a pH optimum between 6.8 and 7.2, and is sensitive to high-ionic-strength salt solutions. The enzyme is most strongly inhibited by phosphate and chloride ions.     

Purification and properties of L-alanine:4,5-dioxovalerate aminotransferase from Chlorella regularis

The enzyme L-alanine:4,5-dioxovalerate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.43), which catalyzes the synthesis of 5-aminolevulinic acid, was purified 161-fold from Chlorella regularis. The enzyme also showed L-alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase activity (EC 2.6.1.44). The activity of glyoxylate aminotransferase was 56-fold greater than that of 4,5-dioxovalerate aminotransferase. The ratio of the two activities remained nearly constant during purification, and when the enzyme was subjected to a variety of treatments. 4,5-Dioxovalerate aminotransferase activity was competitively inhibited by glyoxylate, with a Ki value of 0.5 mM. Double-reciprocal plots of velocity versus 4,5-dioxovalerate with varying L-alanine concentrations indicate a ping-pong reaction mechanism. The apparent Km values for 4,5-dioxovalerate and L-alanine were 0.12 and 3.5 mM, respectively. The enzyme is an acidic protein having an isoelectric point of 4.8. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 126,000, with two identical subunits. These results suggest that, in Chlorella, as in bovine liver mitochondria and Euglena, both 4,5-dioxovalerate and glyoxylate aminotransferase activities are associated with the same protein. From the activity ratio of transamination and catalytic properties, it is concluded that this enzyme does not function primarily as a part of the 5-carbon pathway to 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis.     

Purification and serological comparison of the yeast hexokinases P-I and P-II

An improved procedure for purification of the hexokinases P-I and P-II from baker's yeast is described. Yields, reproducibility, and purity are improved over those found by the methods used previously in this laboratory. The growth of large crystals of form P-I is described.Antisera prepared against the two purified hexokinases show only slight cross reaction by microcomplement fixation. The anti-sera have been used to demonstrate the presence of both P-I and P-II in crude extracts of various yeasts, including two haploid strains, and their absence in a yeast which contains glucokinase but no hexokinases.     

S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase from hamster liver: Purification and kinetic properties

3-Deazaadenosine is both an inhibitor of and a substrate for S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. Its administration to rats results in the accumulation of both S-adenosylhomocysteine and 3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine in the liver and other tissues. In hamsters, however, the administration of 3-deazaadenosine results only in the accumulation of 3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine (P. K. Chiang and G. L. Cantoni (1979) Biochem. Pharmacol. 28, 1897). In order to investigate the possible reasons for this difference, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase from hamster liver has been purified to homogeneity and some of its kinetic and physical parameters have been determined. The molecular weight of the native enzyme is 200,000 with a subunit molecular weight of 48,000. The K_m's for adenosine and 3-deazaadenosine are about 1.0 μm, and the V_max's are also similar. The K_m for S-adenosylhomocysteine is 1.0 μm, or more than 10 times smaller than the K_m of the rat liver enzyme. This difference in K_m value may explain the differences in the response of rat and hamster liver to the administration of 3-deazaadenosine. S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase from hamster liver exhibits an interesting kinetic property in that its activity can be affected bimodally by either adenosine or adenosine Anal.ogs. At very low concentrations of these analogs, the activity of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase can be stimulated by 10–30%, and at higher concentrations these same analogs become competitive inhibitors.     

Purification and properties of myo-inositol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase from germinating mung bean seeds

A novel enzyme, myo-inositol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the conversion of myo-inositol 1-phosphate to ribulose 5-phosphate has been purified 84-fold from mung bean seedling employing several common techniques. The molecular weight of this purified enzyme has been recorded as 88,500 by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography, and in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis one protein band containing three subunits of M_r 32,000 each was discernible. K_m values for NAD⁺ and myo-inositol 1-phosphate have been recorded as 2.8 × 10^?4 and 5.0 × 10^?4m, respectively. Production of NADH in myo-inositol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase reaction has also been evidenced by measurement of NADH fluorescence. Dehydrogenation and decarboxylation of myo-inositol 1-phosphate are mediated by the same enzyme. In fact, the rate of dehydrogenation corroborates with that of decarboxylation. Stoichiometry of this reaction suggests that for the production of 1 mol of ribulose 5-phosphate 2 mol of NAD⁺ are reduced.     

Purification and properties of glutamine synthetase from the plant cytosol fraction of lupin nodules

Glutamine synthetase from the plant cytosol fraction of lupin nodules was purified 89-fold to apparent homogeneity. The enzyme molecule is composed of eight subunits of M_r 44,700 ± 10%. Kinetic analysis indicates that the reaction mechanism is sequential and there is some evidence that Mg-ATP is the first substrate to bind to the enzyme. Michaelis constants for each substrate using the ammonium-dependent biosynthetic reaction are as follows: ATP, 0.24 mm; l-glutamate, 4.0–4.2 mm; ammonium, 0.16 mm. Using an hydroxamate-forming biosynthetic reaction the K_m ATP is 1.1 mm but the K_m for l-glutamate is not altered. The effect of pH on the K_m for ammonium indicates that NH₃ rather than NH₄⁺ may be the true substrate. At 10 mm Mg²⁺, the pH optimum of the enzyme is between 7.5 and 8, but increasing Mg²⁺ concentrations produce progressively more acidic optima while lower Mg²⁺ concentrations raise the pH optimum. The rate-response curve for Mg²⁺ is sigmoidal becoming bell-shaped in alkaline conditions. The enzyme is inhibited by l-Asp (K_i, 1.4 mm) and less markedly by l-Gln and l-Asn. Inhibition by ADP and AMP is strong, both nucleotides exhibiting K_i values around 0.3 mM. Investigations of the probable physiological conditions within the nodule plant cytosol indicate that in situ glutamine synthetase has an activity greater than that required to support the efflux of amino acid nitrogen from the nodule. A possible role for glutamine synthetase in the control of nodule ammonium assimilation is suggested.     

Purification and properties of Paracoccus denitrificans azurin

The isolation of an azurin type Cu protein from Paracoccus denitrificans (ATCC 13543) is described and some properties are reported. The purified protein has a molecular weight of 13,790 in a single polypeptide chain and contains one Cu atom per molecule. Its spectrum is typical of Type I, “blue” Cu proteins in showing an intense band at 595 nm; but it also shows a weaker absorption band at 448 nm. Its standard reduction potential has been measured to be +230 mV, which is the lowest potential observed to date for azurins isolated from bacterial sources. The purified protein shows fivefold greater electron transport activity with membrane fragments than with the soluble nitrite reductase of Paracoccus. This argues against the latter as the primary physiological oxidase system for azurin.     

Purification and properties of soybean nodule xanthine dehydrogenase

Xanthine dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.37), an essential enzyme for ureide metabolism was purified from the cytosol fraction of soybean nodules. The purified xanthine dehydrogenase was shown to be homogeneous by electrophoresis and a pI of 4.7 was determined by isoelectric focusing. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 285,000 and two subunits of molecular weight 141,000 each. The holoenzyme contained 1.7 (±0.7) mol Mo and 8.1 (±2.0) mol Fe/mol enzyme and the enzyme also contained FMN and is thus a molybdoironflavoprotein. Soybean xanthine dehydrogenase is the second enzyme in plants demonstrated to contain Mo and the first xanthine-oxidizing enzyme reported to contain FMN, rather than FAD as the flavin cofactor.     

Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Purification by affinity chromatography and physicochemical properties

Pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was purified 150-fold by affinity chromatography on immobilized 2′-AMP. The binding of the enzyme is pH dependent. Elution was achieved with 2′-AMP, NADP⁺, or NADPH but not with 5′-AMP, NAD⁺, or NADH. The enzyme preparations appeared to be homogeneous in gel chromatography and ultracentrifugation, but only if these procedures were carried out in the presence of 2′-AMP or NADP⁺. With 2′-AMP a sedimentation coefficient of 34 S, a molecular weight of 1.6–1.7 million, and a Stokes' radius of 11.7 nm were determined. In the presence of NADP⁺ the sedimentation coefficient was 42 S and the molecular weight was 6.4 million. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed one kind of subunit with a molecular weight of 54,000. This was consistent with results from amino acid analyses and paper chromatography of peptides. Eight molar urea inactivated the enzyme but did not dissociate it into subunits. Full activity was restored after dialysis against urea-free buffer by mercaptoethanol and flavin-adenine dinucleotide.     

Purification and properties of hog liver 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase

The purification of hog liver 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (EC 1.13.11.27), and the determination of some of its characteristics, are reported. The enzyme was purified 330-fold in 22% yield from an acetone powder extract by ammonium sulfate fractionation, chromatography twice using sulfopropyl Sephadex under carefully controlled pH conditions (once at pH 5.36 and a second time with a pH gradient from 5.25 to 5.80), and a final chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. The purified enzyme was found to be homogeneous by several standard criteria, but activity measurements indicated that a small amount (less than 5%) of a carboxylesterase (EC 3.1.1.1) isoenzyme is present as a minor impurity. On long-term storage at ?20 °C the enzyme forms polymers but this can be reversed with thiols. The molecular weight of the freshly prepared or depolymerized enzyme was estimated to be 89,000 ± 2000 by equilibrium ultracentrifugation, and 50,000 to 54,000 by gel filtration. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis experiments, performed in the presence and absence of mercaptoethanol, indicate that the enzyme is composed of two nonidentical subunits with similar molecular weights (44,000 ± 2000). The enzyme gives a typical protein ultraviolet absorption spectrum with no noticeable peaks above 300 nm, it has no detectable carbohydrate content, and it contains 0.9 atom iron and 0.4 atom copper/89,000 daltons. Added iron and copper salts activate the enzyme to some extent but by less than a factor of 2. The enzymatic reaction has a large temperature coefficient (the rate increases ca. fivefold for each 10 °C rise) and is markedly stimulated (up to sixfold) by the presence of some organic solvents in concentrations up to 10% of the medium. These results suggest that a protein conformation change, possibly aided by binding of the organic solvent, is involved in the rate-determining step of the reaction. The similarities and differences of this 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase to those from other sources, and to prolyl hydroxylase, are discussed.     

Purification and properties of microbody malate dehydrogenase from Spinacia oleracea leaf tissue

The microbody isoenzyme of malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) from leaves of Spinacia oleracea was purified to a specific activity of 3000 units/mg protein and examined for a number of physical, kinetic, and immunological properties. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of approximately 70,000 and an isoelectric point of 5.65. Thermal inactivation first order rate constants were 0.068 (35 °C), 0.354 (45 °C), and 2.11 (55 °C) for irreversible denaturation. Apparent millimolar Michaelis constants are 0.34 (NAD, pH 8.5) 0.16 (NADH, pH 7.5), 3.33 (malate, pH 8.5), 0.07 (OAA, pH 6.0), 0.06 (OAA, pH 7.5), and 0.50 (OAA, pH 9.0). The enzyme is stablized by 20% glycerol and can be stored for several months at 4 °C without detectable loss of activity. The purified enzyme is sensitive to the ionic strength of the assay medium exhibiting a pH optimum of 5.65 at high ionic strength and 7.00 at low ionic strength. Rabbit antiserum prepared against the purified microbody MDH shows a single precipitin band on immunodiffusion analysis. Immunological studies indicate that rabbit antiserum prepared against the purified microbody enzyme cross reacts approximately 10% with the mitochondrial isoenzyme of MDH. No cross reaction was shown with the soluble isoenzyme. In general, the data presented in this report tend to support the notion of organelle specific isoenzymes of malate dehydrogenase in higher plant tissues and uniqueness of the microbody form of malate dehydrogenase in particular.     

Human placenta beta-galactoside-binding lectin. Purification and some properties

A beta-galactoside-binding lectin was extracted from human placenta homogenate with lactose solution and purified to apparent homogeneity by affinity chromatography on asialofetuin-Sepharose. The apparent subunit molecular weight of the lectin was 13,800 and its isoelectric point was about 5. Several saccharides containing D-galactose inhibited the hemagglutinating activity. The lectin resembles other vertebrate beta-galactoside-binding lectins in various biochemical characteristics.     

Purification and some properties of free and cell-associated dextransucrase from Streptococcus sanguis.

Dextransucrase of Streptococcus sanguis occurred in cell-free and cell-associated forms. Cell-free dextransucrase was purified by four successive chromatographies on Bio-Gel P 60, DEAE-cellulose, and Bio-Gel P 200 from the culture supernatant. The purification of cell-associated dextransucrase was made from the pellet of Streptococcus sanguis culture. Bacterial pellet was extracted with 1 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.0) and chromatographied by using an immunosorbent column. The two enzymes gave single bands in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel was about 100 000 daltons for the two forms of dextransucrases. The optimum pH of the cell-free and cell-associated enzymes was around 6 and the temperature optimum was broad for the two enzymes. The KM values for sucrose were respectively 2 mM and 3 mM for cell-free and cell-associated enzymes. When primer dextran was added, the reaction velocity increased but the KM for sucrose remained the same, and the KA for dextran was 200 muM for the two dextransucrases. Trehalose and maltose acted also as glucosyl residue acceptors. Purified enzymes had dextran synthesising activity and invertase-like activity. The same properties of the two forms of enzymes and the positive cross reaction against anti free and anti cell-associated globulins stongly suggest the identity of the two enzymes.     

Purification and physicochemical properties of an extra-cellular cycloamylose (cyclodextrin) glucanotransferase from Bacillus macerans

An extracellular cycloamylose (cyclodextrin) glucanotransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) from Bacillus macerans was purified to homogeneity by adsorption on starch, ammonium sulfate fractionation, column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The enzyme had a molecular weight of 67,000 and consisted of one polypeptide chain. The isoelectric point was pH 5.4. Temperature and pH optima were 60° and 5.45.8, respectively. The purified enzyme was quite stable at 50° (pH 6.0), but lost ≈80% of its activity at 60° for 30 min (pH 6.0). Prolonged digestion by trypsin did not affect the catalytic properties of the enzyme. The K_m for starch was 5.7 mg/ml.     

Purification and properties of NADP+:Isocitrate dehydrogenase from lactating bovine mammary gland

NADP⁺:isocitrate dehydrogenase has been purified to homogeneity from lactating bovine mammary gland. Purification was achieved through the use of affinity and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The isolated enzyme gives one band when stained for protein or enzyme activity on discontinuous alkaline gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has a molecular weight of 55,000 as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis and a Stokes radius of 4.1 nm as measured by gel chromatography. The enzyme will not use NAD⁺ in place of NADP⁺ and has an absolute requirement for divalent cations. The apparent K_m values for dl-isocitrate, Mn²⁺, and NADP⁺ were found to be 8, 6, and 11 μm, respectively. The Mn²⁺-d_s-isocitrate complex is the most likely substrate for the mammary enzyme with a K_m of 3 μm. The properties of mammary NADP⁺:isocitrate dehydrogenase are compared with those of the homologous enzymes from pig heart and bovine liver, and its characteristics are discussed with respect to the function of the enzyme in lactating mammary gland.