Extracellular enzyme system utilized by the fungus Sporotrichum pulverulentum (Chrysosporium lignorum) for the breakdown of cellulose. 3. Purification and physico-chemical characterization of an exo-1,4-beta-glucanase.

An exo-1,4-beta-glucanase from culture solution of the rot fungus Sporotrichum pulverulentum (formerly called Chrysosporium lignorum) grown on powder cellulose as the sole carbon source has been extensively purified and characterized with respect to some physico-chemical properties. The purification has been carried out in a five-step procedure comprising chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex, gel filtration on polyacrylamide P-150, activation on a Dowex 2-X8 anion exchanger, chromatography on Concanavalin A-Sepharose and chromatography on SP-Sephadex. The purified enzyme was found to be pure and homogeneous by analytical polyacrylamide electrophoresis, by electrophoresis on dodecylsulphate gels and by analytical polyacrylamide electrophoresis, by electrophoresis on dodecylsulphate gels and by analytical isoelectric focusing. A single symmetrical peak was obtained with the free zone electrophoresis method. The purification factor is about 15 and the yield of exo-1,4-beta-glucanase activity 7%. After purification, the enzyme showed no viscosity-decreasing activity towards carboxymethyl-cellulose solutions. The exo-1,4-beta-glucanase was isoelectric at pH 4.3 (4 degrees C). A molecular weight of 48600 was calculated on the basis of a knowledge of the partial specific volume, ultracentrifugation data and the amino acid composition. The enzyme contained no carbohydrate.     

Production of 1, 3-beta-glucanase by Bacillus No. 221. An alkalophilic microorganism.

A 1, 3-beta-glucanase of Bacillus No. 221 has been extensively purified by a DEAE-cellulose column followed by a Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, and crystallized in ammonium sulfate solution. The crystalline enzyme is homogenous on the basis of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sedimentation in ultracentrifuge (3.2 S), Ampholine electrofocusing (pI=4.1) and dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (Mr=36 000). The enzyme has an optimum pH for enzyme action at 8.5 which is higher than those of other 1, 3-beta-glucanases so far reported. The enzyme is very thermostable; about 90% of activity remains after being heated at 70 degrees C for 10 min, and no effect of Ca-2's obversed. The enzyme does not hydrolyse laminaritriose, but hydrolyses laminaritetraose, and yields glucose and laminaritriose. The enzyme splits laminaran at random and yields glucose, laminaribiose, laminaritriose and higher oligosaccharides. From these results, this enzyme is a type of endo-1, 3-beta-glucanase.     

Detection of multiple forms of polyphosphate phosphohydrolase from Endomyces magnusii]

Labile polyphosphate phosphohydrolase from Endomyces magnusii is 27-fold purified by means of fractionation with ammonium sulphate, gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and Biogel P-60 and chromatography on DEAE cellulose. Chromatography on DEAE Sephadex A-50, isoelelctric focusing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the enzyme preparation revealed 3 different fractions with polyphosphate phosphohydrolase activity (PPPH1, PPPH2 and PPPH3). Relative content of these fractions in E. magnusii cells is 30%, 55% and 15% respectively. Isoelectric points are: PPPH1--pH 5.1--5.2; PPPH2--pH 6.0--6.1; PPPH3--pH 6.3--6.4. PPPH1 and PPPH2 are found to be the most labile. PPPH3 is more stable under isolation procedure and storage. The fractions have similar molecular weight (48 000 +/- 3000).     

Occurrence of an endo-1,3-beta-glucanase in culture fluids of the yeast Candida utilis. Purification and characterization of the enzyme activity.

The endo-1,3-beta-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.6) secreted into the culture medium by cells of Candida utilis was isolated and purified to homogeneity on polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and in ultracentrifugation studies (s20,w = 1.97S). The purified enzyme represented only 0.001% of the total 1,3-beta-glucanase activity, the remainder being due to an exo-1,3-beta-glucanase enzyme, and behaved as an acidic glycoprotein (pI 3.3) in isoelectric-focusing experiments. The mol.wt. was estimated to be 21 000 by gel filtration and polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Studies on the hydrolysis of different substrates showed that the enzyme was only able to break down (1 leads to 3)-beta-linkages, by an endo-splitting mechanism. Glucono-delta-lactone, D-glucoronolactone and heavy metal ions such as Hg2+ were inhibitors of the enzyme activity. The function of this endo-beta-glucanase in C. utilis is discussed.     

Purification and properties of bovine liver lysosomal adenosine 5'-phosphosulphate sulphohydrolase. A non-specific enzyme with pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase activities.

Bovine liver lysosomal adenosine 5'-phosphosulphate sulphohydrolase (EC 3.6.2.1) was purified to apparent homogeneity. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 53 000 by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 56 000 by BioGel P-150 gel filtration. The substrate specificity of the enzyme was studied. The several substrates towards which the enzyme preparation showed high activity were used to establish that a single enzyme was responsible for the different activities. This multiple specificity provides a possible explanation of the physiological role of lysosomal adenosine 5'-phosphosulphate sulphohydrolase.     

Isolation and properties of platelet myosin light chain kinase.

A protein kinase which phosphorylates the 20 000-dalton light chain of platelet myosin has been isolated from human blood platelets and purified approximately 600-fold. Elution of a 7.5% polyacrylamide gel following electrophoresis of the partially purified enzyme yielded a single peak of kinase activity which could be aligned with a protein band on a stained gel. Assuming a globular shape, a native molecular weight of 83 000 (+/- 10%) was determined by gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-200. The kinase requires Mg2+ for activity and is not sensitive to the removal of trace Ca2+. The enzyme purified from human platelets phosphorylates the 20 000-dalton light chain of mouse fibroblast and chicken gizzard myosin, but does not phosphorylate human skeletal and cardiac myosin.     

Isolation of an extracellular neutral proteinase from Pseudomonas fragi.

A single proteolytic enzyme (EC 3.4.4.-) was isolated from culture supernatants of Pseudomonas fragi with 20% yielded and 60-fold purification by means of stepwise DEAE-Sephadex batch adsorption, ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. The enzyme was Zn-2+ activated and Ca-2+ stabilized, had optimum activity at pH 6.5--8.0 and 40 degrees C. The molecular weight range was 40 000--50 000 as determined by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis, gel filtration and Zn assay. This proteinase has properties similar to other extracellular bacterial neutral proteinases.     

Semisynthetic β-lactam antibiotics synthesizing enzyme from Acetobacter turbidans: purification and properties

Semisynthetic cephalosporin synthesizing enzyme has been purified from cell-free extract of Acetobacter turbidans ATCC 9325 by ion-exchange, hydrophobic chromatography and gel filtration. The purified enzyme migrated as two bands on SDS-gel electrophoresis and as six bands on native gel electrophoresis. This enzyme has an isoelectric point at 5.8 and contains most of the essential amino acids. The molecular weight was estimated to be 280 000 to 290 000 by gel filtration. Two different subunits of this enzyme having molecular weights of 70 000 and 72 000 have been identified in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. The purified enzyme favours the synthetic reaction over the hydrolytic reaction by a factor of 2.6 times, as determined by the ratio of relative activities.     

The minor anionic form of arylsulphatase B (arylsulphatase Bm) of monkey brain. Purification and phosphoprotein nature

The anionic form of arylsulphatase B (arylsulphatase Bm) was purified to apparent homogeneity from monkey brain through steps involving chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-cellulose, Blue-Sepharose, Biogel HTP and finally Biogel P-300 gel filtration. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme as deduced by gel filtration on Biogel P-300 and by sodium dodecylsulphate gel electrophoresis was ∼ 30,000.Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase treatment of arylsulphatase Bm resulted in the conversion of upto 84% of the enzyme into a less charged form of enzyme, that could not bind to diethylaminoethyl cellulose. Potassium phosphate an inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase prevented this conversion. Upon acid hydrolysis the purified enzyme yielded approximately 7.0 mol of inorganic phosphate per mol of protein.Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase treatment did not alter the charge on arylsulphatase Bm.     

Control of 5-aminolaevulinate synthetase activity in Rhodopseudomonas spheroides. Purification and properties of the high-activity form of the enzyme.

1. The high-activity form of aminolaevulinate synthetase has been prepared from extracts of semi-anaerobically grown cells of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides, which were allowed to become activated in air. Specific activity was 130 000--170 000 nmol of aminolaevulinate/h per mg of protein at 37 degree C. 2. Enzyme fraction Ia prepared on DEAE-Sephadex was a mixture of four active enzymes, pI5.55, 5.45, 5.35 and 5.2, when prepared in either Tris or phosphate buffers and when extracts were activated by air or by cystine trisulphide. 3. The enzyme was further purified by preparative polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis in imidazole/veronal buffer, pH 7.6, followed by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and concentration with DEAE-Sephadex. 4. The most active enzyme, pI 5.55, ran as a single protein band, mol.wt. 49 000, in sodium dodecyl sulphate and 2-mercaptoethanol. The apparent molecular weight under non-denaturing conditions was 62 000--68 000 on Sephadex G-100 or G-200, pH 7.5, and on polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, pH 8.5, at enzyme concentrations below 10 000 units/ml, i.e. less than 60 microgram of protein/ml, and the enzyme was mainly monomeric. 5. The enzyme was homogeneous by gel disc electrophoresis at pH 8.9 and 7.6, but a slightly more diffuse band of protein was obtained during electrophoresis in glycine buffer, pH 7.4. 6. Enzyme samples possessed an intrinsic yellow fluorescence when viewed under u.v. light and this fluorescence coincided exactly with enzymic activity on gel electrophoresis. Fluorescence maxima were 420 nm (excitation) and 495 nm (emission). 7. Radioactive 35S-labelled enzyme had 14 atoms of sulphur/mol of protein (or/40 leucine residues) of which 5--6 residues were cyst(e)ine and 8--9 residues were methionine. 8. Mo carbohydrate was detected apart from glucose, which prevented accurate determination of tryptophan with methanesulphonic acid and tryptamine.     

Purification, crystallization and properties of triacylglycerol lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens.

Triacylglycerol lipase of Pseudomonas fluorescens was purified from the crude enzyme by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatographies on Sephadex G-75 and DEAE-cellulose. The crystallization of the lipase was successfully carried out. The purified lipase was demonstrated to be homogenous on disc electrophoresis and its molecular weight was calculated to be 32 000 by gel filtration. The optimum pH for hydrolysis of sesame oil was 7.0. The enzyme was stable up to 40 degrees C under the condition of pH 7.0 for 30 min and had more than 80% of the remaining activity between pH 5.0--11.0 at 37 degrees C for 60 min. The lipase was strongly inhibited by iodine and partially inhibited by FeCl3 and N-bromosuccinimide, and showed the most activity on tricaproyglycerol, among the triacylglycerols used.     

Proteinases of small intestine enterocytes of swine. Purification and properties of aspartyl proteinase similar to cathepsin D

A new aspartic proteinase was isolated from porcine intestine mucosa by affinity chromatography on pepstatin-Sepharose 4B and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The enzyme was purified 1600-fold and appeared homogeneous upon polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The proteinase has a Mr 60 000 +/- 4000 Da. During sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis the enzyme produced a single protein band (Mr 30 000 +/- 3000 Da). Isoelectric focusing revealed that the enzyme has several multiple forms (pI 6.9, 7.5, 8,0). The enzyme is a glycoprotein containing 5.9% of carbohydrates; the mannose to galactose ratio is 1:3. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was studied. The proteinase splits an oxidized insulin B-chain and synthetic substrates. The pH optimum is 3.2. The enzyme is immunologically identical to porcine spleen cathepsin D.     

Purification and characterization of an exoglucanase from Streptomyces flavogriseus

Streptomyces flavogriseus, a mesophilic actinomycete, produces high levels of extracellular enzymes capable of hydrolyzing cellulose and xylan. One such enzyme, an exoglucanase, has been purified to molecular homogeneity by a sequence involving DEAE Bio-Gel A chromatography, gel permeation chromatography on Bio-Gel P-60, preparative isoelectric focusing, and concanavalin A affinity chromatography. This purification sequence disclosed the presence of several distinct endoglucanase and xylanase fractions. Homogeneity of the purified enzyme was demonstrated by analytical isoelectric focusing and sodium dodecyl sulphate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme had a molecular weight of approximately 45 000 and an isoelectric point of 4.15. The enzyme demonstrated negligible activity with carboxymethylcellulose as the substrate. It was able to extensively hydrolyse acid-swollen cellulose; the main product of enzyme action was cellobiose.     

Active-site determinations on forms of mammalian brain and eel acetylcholinesterase.

Three forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were purified from bovine caudate-nucleus tissue and determined by calibrated gel filtration to have mol.wts. of approx. 120 000 (C), 230 000 (B) and 330 000 (A). [3H]Di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate (isopropyl moiety labelled) was purified from commercial preparations and its concentration estimated by an enzyme-titration procedure. Brain acetylcholinesterase preparations and enzyme from eel electric tissue were allowed to react with [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluridate in phosphate buffer until enzyme activity was inhibited by 98%. Excess of [3H]di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate that had not reacted was separated from the labelled enzyme protein by gel filtration, or by vacuum filtration or by extensive dialysis. The specificity of active-site labelling was confirmed by use of the enzyme reactivator, pyridine 2-aldoxime. The forms of brain acetylcholinesterase were calculted to contain approximately two (C) four (B) and six (A) active sites per molecule respectively. Acetylcholinesterase (mol.wt. 250 000) from electric-eel tissue was estimated to contain two active sites per molecule. Gradient-gel electrophoresis was used to confirm the estimation of molecular weights of brain acetylcholinesterase forms made by gel filtration. Under the conditions of electrophoresis acetylcholinesterase form A was stable, but form B was converted into a species of approx. 120 000 mol. wt. Similarly, form C of the brain enzyme was converted into a 60 000-mol.wt. form during electrophoresis. These results are in general accord with the suggestion that the multiple forms of brain acetylcholinesterase may be related to the aggregation of a single low-molecular-weight species.     

Purification and characterization of cholesterol esterase from porcine pancreas.

A protein catalyzing the hydrolysis of cholesterol esters and p-nitrophenyl acetate has been purified 200-fold from porcine pancreas. The enzyme is homogenous as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and exhibits a molecular weight of 80 000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis and gel filtration. Activity toward p-nitrophenylacetate exhibits a broad pH optimum and is influenced by a group with a pKa of 5.5--6.0. The enzyme is completely inhibited by diisopropylfluorophosphate at concentrations as low as 10(-5) M, suggesting that it is a serine esterase. Partial inhibition was observed with p-chloromercuribenzoate.     

Purification and characterization of amphiphilic trehalase from rabbit small intestine

Rabbit intestinal trehalase (alpha,alpha-trehalose glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.28) was solubilized with Triton X-100 and purified in the presence of EDTA. The purified enzyme was homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of Triton X-100 or SDS. It showed amphiphilic properties on gel filtration. polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, charge-shift electrophoresis and phenyl-Sepharose chromatography. Its molecular weight was estimated to be about 330 000 by gel filtration under nondenaturing conditions and in the presence of Triton X-100, the value being in satisfactory agreement with the sum of the weight of one Triton X-100 micelle and twice the molecular weight (105 000) of purified hydrophilic trehalase which had been deprived of the anchor segment. The two purified trehalases gave almost the same molecular weights (about 75 000) on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results suggest that intestinal trehalase consists of two subunits with a molecular weight of 75 000 and that its anchor segment is small (less than 5000). Triton X-100 extracts freshly prepared from intestinal microvilli essentially showed one form of trehalase, which behaved on phenyl-Sepharose and Con A-Sepharose chromatography in the same manner as purified amphiphilic trehalase.     

Structural and enzymological characterization of the homogeneous deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase from Mycoplasma orale.

We have purified the DNA polymerase from Mycoplasma orale to homogeneity. The protein structure of the enzyme was declined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, which revealed a single band of 116 000 daltons that was coincident with the polymerase activity profile in the final step of DNA--cellulose chromatography, and by two-dimensional gel analysis, which demonstrated a single protein species at pI = 6.8 that was congruent with enzyme activity and contained the same 116 000 polypeptide. although severe enzyme aggregation occurs during nondenaturing gel electrophoresis, a monomer species can be resolved with a Mr of 140 000 by the Ferguson plot analysis. Gel filtration and velocity gradient centrifugation yield a Stokes radius of 4.8 nm and a sedimentation coefficient of 5.6 S, respectively, from which Mr values of 106 000--128 000 can be computed. The different size values suggest that the polymerase molecule is asymmetric. The purified enzyme has a specific activity of approximately 6 x 10(5) units/mg of protein and in completely devoid of exodeoxyribonuclease and endodeoxyribonuclease activities, at exclusion limits of 10(-4)--10(-6%) of the polymerase activity. The mechanism of polymerization is moderately processive, with an average of 14 +/- 4 nucleotides incorporated per binding event, and the "effective template length" on activated DNA is approximately 40 nucleotides.     

A novel phosphodiesterase from cultured tobacco cells.

A novel phosphodiesterase was purified from cultured tobacco cells to a state which appeared homogeneous on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme hydrolyzed various phosphodiester and pyrophosphate bonds, including p-nitrophenyl thymidine 5'-phosphate, p-nitrophenyl thymidine 3'-phosphate, cyclic nucleotides, ATP, NAD+, inorganic pyrophosphate, dinucleotides, and poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose), which is a polymer synthesized from NAD+. However, it did not hydrolyze highly polymerized polynucleotides. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was estimated as 270 000 to 280 000 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 and Bio-Gel A-5m. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the enzyme was composed of subunits with molecular weights calculated to be 75 000. The enzyme did not require divalent cations for activity being fully active in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The pH optimum for the enzyme was approximately 6 with p-ni-trophenyl thymidine 5'-phosphate or adenosine cyclic 3',5'monophosphate, and 5.3 with NAD+. Double reciprocal plots of the initial velocity against the concentration of p-nitrophenyl thymidine 5'-phosphate gave two apparent Km values of 0.17 and 1.3 mM, suggesting the presence of at least two active sites.     

Extensive destruction of newly synthesized casein in mammary explants in organ culture

A new GSSG-dependent thiol:disulphide oxidoreductase was extensively purified from rat liver cytosol. The enzymic protein shows molecular weight 40 000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, and 43 000 as determined by thin-layer gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-100. The pI is 8.1. This enzyme converts rat liver xanthine dehydrogenase into an oxidase, in the presence of oxidized glutathione. Other disulphide compounds are either inactive or far less active than oxidized glutathione in the enzymic oxidation of rat liver xanthine dehydrogenase. The enzyme also catalyses the reduction of the disulphide bond of ricin and acts as a thioltransferase and as a GSH:insulin transhydrogenase. The enzymic activity was measured in various organs of newborn and adult rats.     

Partial purification and characterization of platelet factors stimulating the multiplication of normal human glial cells

Multiplication-stimulating activity for human glial cells was purified from human outdated platelets. By ion exchange chromatography anionic activity was separated from cationic activity. The former could be further separated by Sephadex G-200 gel chromatography into two peaks, whose molecular weights were 40 000 and < 10 000. The cationic activity was partially purified by concanavalin A (ConA) Sepharose chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The cationic activity was heterogeneous as demonstrated by isoelectric focusing (Ip 9.5–10.4), gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-150 and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (mol. wt 26 000–33 000). Less than 50 ng/ml was required of the factor to give a glial cell stimulation corresponding to that afforded by 1 % of human serum. A thymidine-degrading enzyme, present in human platelets and to a low degree also in human serum, was found to interfere with the assay for multiplication-stimulating activity. The enzyme (probably a thymidine phosphorylase) converted [³H]thymidine to [³H]thymine, causing a reduced incorporation of ³H into cellular DNA. This difficulty was circumvented by use of an autoradiographic estimation (per cent labelled nuclei) of the multiplication-stimulating activity.