Improvement of the Antitumor Activity of Black Currant Polysaccharide by an Enzymatic Treatment

A polysaccharide-rich substance isolated from black currant, named cassis polysaccharide (CAPS), was partially digested with β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae and its immunostimulatory activity was investigated. The in vitro cytokine-inducing effect of CAPS on RAW264 cells was gradually decreased along with lowering of the average MW of CAPS. In vivo, partially digested CAPS with a mean MW of approximately 20,000 showed the most potent antitumor activity against Ehrlich carcinoma in mice.     

Effect of limited proteolysis on the stability and enzymatic activity of human placental S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase.

Human placental S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase was subjected to limited papain digestion. The multiple cleavage sites in the enzyme were identified to be Lys94-Ala95, Tyr100-Ala101, Glu243-Ile244, Met367-Ala368, Gln369-Ile370, and Gly382-Val383. Despite multiple cleavage sites in the backbone of the protein, the digested enzyme was able to maintain its quaternary structure and retain its full catalytic activity. The enzyme activity of the partially digested AdoHcy hydrolase was essentially identical to that of the native enzyme at several pH values. The thermal stabilities of the native and partially digested enzymes were only slightly different at all temperatures tested. The stability of both native and partially digested enzymes were examined in guanidine hydrochloride and equilibrium unfolding transitions were monitored by CD spectroscopy and tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy. The results of these experiments can be summarized as follows: (1) CD spectroscopic analysis showed that the overall secondary and tertiary structures of the partially digested enzyme are essentially identical with those of the native enzyme; and (2) tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopic analysis indicated that there are small differences in the environments of surface-exposed tryptophan residues between the partially digested enzyme and the native enzyme under unfolding conditions. The differences in the free energy of unfolding, delta(delta Gu) [delta Gu(native)-delta Gu(digested)], is approximately 1.3 kcal/mol. When NAD+ was removed from the partially digested enzyme, the secondary and tertiary structures of the apo form of the digested AdoHcy hydrolase were completely lost and the enzymatic activity could not be recovered by incubation with excess NAD+. These results suggest that AdoHcy hydrolase exists as a very compact enzyme with extensive intramolecular bonding, which contributes significantly to the overall global protein stabilization. Identification of the surface-exposed peptide bonds, which are susceptible to papain digestion, has provided some constraints on the spatial orientations of subunits of the enzyme. This information, in turn, has provided supplemental data for X-ray crystallographic studies currently ongoing in our laboratories.     

Partial characterization of a fraction from human follicular fluid that initiates the human sperm acrosome reaction in vitro

A human follicular fluid (HFF) fraction prepared by Sephadex G-75 column chromatography has been previously shown by this laboratory to initiate the human sperm acrosome reaction (AR) in vitro. In the present report, the apparent molecular weight (MW) of this AR activity determined by a longer G-75 column than was used in the previous work was 50,000 ± 5,106. The G-75 Sephadex void volume fractions of some but not all HFF samples were also found to contain some AR-initiating activity. The occasional void volume activity was less potent than that of the 50,000 MW fraction and was not studied further. Further characterization of the 50,000 MW fraction was carried out. A time-course study demonstrated that maximum AR were obtained within 5 min following the addition of the 50,000 MW fraction. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by silver staining revealed that the 50,000 MW fraction was still a relatively crude preparation. Treatment of the 50,000 MW fraction with chloroform:methanol did not extract the AR-initiating activity into the lipid phase. The AR-initiating activity of the untreated 50,000 MW fraction was precipitated when it was boiled, but the activity was partially resistant to boiling after overnight incubation. Treatment of the 50,000 MW fraction with pronase E or with several glycosaminoglycan hydrolases did not destroy the activity. Pronase treatment resulted in a higher amount of boiling-resistant AR-initiating activity. The AR-initiating activity of the untreated 50,000 MW fraction was partially dialyzable, but the activity of an undialyzed fraction did not pass through an ultrafiltration membrane with a 10,000 MW cut-off. However, treatment of the 50,000 MW fraction with protease, peptide:N-glycosidase F, and to a lesser extent chondroitinase ABC yielded an active lower MW activity which could pass through such an ultrafiltration membrane. The lower MW activity released by peptide:N-glycosidase F eluted in the included volume (5,000–1,000) of a Sephadex G-25 column. Neutral hexose but not protein or peptide was detected in the G-25 peak of AR-initiating activity. These results suggest that the AR-initiating activity present in the 50,000 MW fraction of HFF: (1) is present either as two different AR factors (a high-MW factor and a low-MW, noncovalently bound factor) or as a single factor responsible for both the nondialyzable and dialyzable AR-initiating activities (the latter being enzymatically released from the former), and (2) may be at least partially associated with N-linked oligosaccharides of a glycoprotein or proteoglycan.     

Immunostimulatory effects of a polysaccharide-rich substance with antitumor activity isolated from black currant (Ribes nigrum L.)

The fruit juice of black currant was found to contain a polysaccharide-rich substance, which was designated cassis polysaccharide (CAPS), with macrophage-stimulating activity. Especially, its interleukin (IL)-1beta-inducing activity was remarkably high, compared with other fruit juice preparations. CAPS was found to consist of rhamnose, mannose, arabinose, galactose, xylose, and glucose in a molar ratio of 11.3:0.9:54.1:29.8:2.0:1.9. CAPS turned out to be partitioned into a soluble component (CAPS-l.m.) and a precipitable component (CAPS-h.m.) with mean MWs of 80,000 and 600,000 respectively in 45% (v/v) ethanol solution. At least in vitro, CAPS-l.m. rather than CAPS-h.m. appeared to play an important role in macrophage activation. Oral administration of black currant juice and CAPS to Ehrlich carcinoma-bearing mice retarded the growth of the solid tumor by 45% and 51% respectively. CAPS administration had a stimulatory effect on the release of IL-2, IL-10, interferon-gamma, and IL-4 from splenocytes in comparison with PBS treatment in tumor-bearing mice. The IL-4 level was, however, still lower than that exhibited by a group of normal mice. CAPS showed a certain cytotoxicity directly against tumor cells.     

Identification of Orchidaceae species of Northern West of Syria based on chloroplast DNA

The plant family Orchidaceae has a great economic value (ornamental and medical uses, beside the aromatic features). Traditionally, identification of orchid species has relied heavily on morphological features. These features, however, are either not variable enough between species or too plastic to be used for identification at the species level. DNA-based markers could be the alternative strategy towards an accurate and robust identification of those species. Since the chloroplast DNA has a lower level of evolution compared to the nuclear genome, an attempt was made in this study to investigate polymorphism in the chloroplast DNA among orchid species distributed in North-West region of Syria using Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS) technique for developing markers for the diagnosis of targeted species. CAPS analysis was carried out on 34 orchid samples that represent all species observed in the region. Universal primers were used to amplify targeted chloroplast regions. Generated PCR products were digested with various restriction enzymes. CAPS results revealed high polymorphism among species examined. This polymorphism was suffiecient for the diagnosis of all of those species apart from five species (Ophrys fuciflora (one sample), Oph. bornmuelleri, Ophrys sp., scolopax and Oph. argolica). Availability of such species-specific markers would ensure more authentic identification of orchid species compared to morphological characters and can be regarded as a valuable tool to guide in conservation programs of orchid species in Syria. CAPS data generated were converted to an identification key for orchid species studied.     

Introduction of Foreign Gene into Small Cell Groups Digested Partial-Enzymically in Rice and Regeneration of Transgenic Plants

Suspension cultures of small cell groups (SCG; ca. 50–100 cells per group) were established from calli of Japonica rice Fang 7 and Hl24. The SCG were partially digested and transformed by plasmid pBll21 harboring the NPT-II (neomycin phosphotransferase) and GUS (betaglucuronidase) genes. Plasmid DNA was introduced into cells' by PEG, electroporation and PEG plus electroporation. NTP-II and GUS activity assay showed that the report genes were expressed in transformed cells. Transgenic plants were regeneiated possessing GUS activity due to the integration of intact foreign DNA into their genome as evidanced by hybridization. The results prove that the partially digested SCG is a potential, feasible system as receptor for gene transfer, especially for plants which are difficult for protoplast culture and plant regeneration from protoplasts.     

Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers in sugi, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don, and their locations on a linkage map

Sugi, Cryptomeria japonica D. Don, is one of the most important forestry species in Japan. We here report the development of 217 CAPS markers derived from sugi cDNA libraries. More than half of a set of STS markers produced could be converted into CAPS markers using restriction endonuclease analysis. Of the 217 markers, 71 showed different patterns of polymorphism when they were digested with a range of endonucleases and, in total, 347 polymorphisms were found in the various combinations of STSs and endonucleases. When the polymorphisms gave co-dominant patterns in a screening program, the polymorphic information content (PIC) used to evaluate the value of the polymorphisms was relatively high (0.33, on average) compared to the information yielded by commonly used markers, like isozymes. The results of a segregation analysis suggest that approximately 80% of the CAPS markers developed here will show co-dominant inheritance. From logistic regression analysis, the polymorphisms were found to be associated more strongly with intron than with exon regions. Sixty two markers were subsequently mapped on the previously reported linkage map, 15 of which showed abnormal segregation, presumably caused by linkage with lethal factors. Received: 7 December 2000 / Accepted: 23 January 2001     

Membrane association domains in Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion mediate plasma membrane and dense-core vesicle binding required for Ca2+-dependent exocytosis

Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS) is a cytosolic protein essential for the Ca2+-dependent fusion of dense-core vesicles (DCVs) with the plasma membrane and the regulated secretion of a subset of neurotransmitters. The mechanism by which CAPS functions in exocytosis and the means by which it associates with target membranes are unknown. We identified two domains in CAPS with distinct membrane-binding properties that were each essential for CAPS activity in regulated exocytosis. The first of these, a centrally located pleckstrin homology domain, exhibited three properties: charge-based binding to acidic phospholipids, binding to plasma membrane but not DCV membrane, and stereoselective binding to phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Mutagenesis studies revealed that the former two properties but not the latter were essential for CAPS function. The central pleckstrin homology domain may mediate transient CAPS interactions with the plasma membrane during Ca2+-triggered exocytosis. The second membrane association domain comprising distal C-terminal sequences mediated CAPS targeting to and association with neuroendocrine DCVs. The CAPS C-terminal domain was also essential for optimal activity in regulated exocytosis. The presence of two membrane association domains with distinct binding specificities may enable CAPS to bind both target membranes to facilitate DCV-plasma membrane fusion.     

The effect of stomach fullness on food intake of whiting in the North Sea

The probability of a North Sea whiting Merlangius merlangus stomach containing fresh food was depressed when partially digested food was already present in the stomach. The lowered probability was detected even at levels where the fish was physiologically able to ingest an average meal. The feeding probability of c . 15% of the fish caught was predicted to be severely decreased at the level of partially digested food found in the stomachs. No effect of stomach fullness on meal size was found, indicating that the saturation is affecting search activity rather than prey or meal size selection. The diurnal pattern in food intake varied between the five sampling locations, presumably as a result of differences in prey availability.     

Evidence for the protection of specific RNA sequences in globin messenger ribonucleoprotein particles.

Purified 15 S globin mRNA-protein (mRNP) complexes obtained by EDTA dissociation of duck reticulocytes polyribosomes were digested with the calcium dependant Staphylococcus aureus nuclease (EC 3. 1. 4. 7.). 25% of the globin mRNA sequences were resistant to extensive nuclease digestion as determined by TCA precipitation of the digested 15 S particles labelled in vivo with tritiated uridine. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the RNA from nuclease digested 15 S particles showed that the protected oligoribonucleotides were distributed into two distinct size classes of 25,000 and 12,000 MW. Comparison between in vitro iodine-labelled 9 S globin mRNA extracted from Staphylococcal nuclease digested 15 S mRNP particles was carried out by fingerprinting. Mapping of T1 ribonuclease digests by high-voltage electrophoresis and homochromatography showed that specific oligoribonucleotides were protected against nuclease attack by proteins of the 15 S mRNP.     

An Avicel-affinity site in an Avicel-digesting exocellulase from a Trichoderma viride mutant.

A single form of exo-type cellulase (Exo I; MW, 65,000), purified from a Trichoderma viride protease-depressed mutant, HK-75, digested Avicel to cellobiose exowise, and hydrolyzed cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose in the strict manner of splitting off by cellobiose units. Exo I, however, hydrolyzed cellohexaose by both cellobiose and cellotriose units. Exo I was proteolyzed by papain into two fragments; GPExo (MW, 9,000) and Exo I' (MW, 56,000). The GPExo intensively adsorbed onto Avicel but did not hydrolyze it. Exo I' had nearly identical activity to that of intact Exo I toward cellooligosaccharides but was almost inert to Avicel in digestion and adsorption. Sequence analysis of N-terminal and C-terminal amino acids showed that GPExo was between Gly435 and Leu496 and Exo I' between Glu1 and Gly434 in Exo I. Exo I therefore consists of two domains, one for adsorption to Avicel, as demonstrated by the Avicel-affinity site, GPExo and the other for the cleavage of glycosidic linkages as demonstrated in Exo I'.     

抗金黄色葡萄球菌IgY的酶解稳定性及活性研究

目的:考察抗金黄色葡萄球菌特异性IgY的酶解稳定性和酶解产物的活性。方法:以灭活的金黄色葡萄球菌免疫产蛋母鸡,抗体经水稀释及盐析分离纯化。抗体在不同条件下经胃蛋白酶或胰蛋白酶消化。抗体及酶解产物的特异性和活性分别用ELISA法和凝集法检测,酶解产物用SDS-PAGE和Western-blotting鉴定。结果:免疫产生的抗体具有特异性,能与金黄色葡萄球菌凝集而抑制其生长。分离纯化后抗体纯度与标准IgY相近。IgY在pH<4时完全酶解;pH等于4时部分酶解生成Fab片断,具有特异性和凝集活性;pH>4时,抗体稳定,不发生酶解。结论:抗金黄色葡萄球菌特异性IgY及其酶解生成的Fab片断,具有特异性和抑菌活性,有望代替抗生素用于细菌感染性疾病的治疗。     

生孢噬纤维粘菌基因文库的构建和纤维素酶基因的克隆

将生孢噬纤维粘菌（ＳｐｏｒｏｃｙｔｏｐｈａｇａＢ２９）染色体用ＰｓｔＩ部分酶切后,连接到大肠杆菌（Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉ）质粒载体ｐＵＣ８上,然后转化Ｅ．ｃｏｌｉＪＭ８３,从而建立了Ｂ２９的基因文库,并筛选一个含有内切葡聚糖纤维素酶（ＣＭＣａｓｅ）的阳性克隆．从此阳性克隆中提取质粒再转化ＪＭ８３,发现所有的氨苄青霉素抗性（Ａｐｒ）转化子都具有ＣＭＣａｓｅ酶活性,证明在大肠杆菌中克隆到一个Ｂ２９的内切葡聚糖酶基因．     

CAPS1 and CAPS2 regulate stability and recruitment of insulin granules in mouse pancreatic beta cells

CAPS1 and CAPS2 regulate dense-core vesicle release of transmitters and hormones in neuroendocrine cells, but their precise roles in the secretory process remain enigmatic. Here we show that CAPS2(-/-) and CAPS1(+/-);CAPS2(-/-) mice, despite having increased insulin sensitivity, are glucose intolerant and that this effect is attributable to a marked reduction of glucose-induced insulin secretion. This correlates with diminished Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis, a reduction in the size of the morphologically docked pool, a decrease in the readily releasable pool of secretory vesicles, slowed granule priming, and suppression of second-phase (but not first-phase) insulin secretion. In beta cells of CAPS1(+/-);CAPS2(-/-) mice, the lowered insulin content and granule numbers were associated with an increase in lysosome numbers and lysosomal enzyme activity. We conclude that although CAPS proteins are not required for Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis to proceed, they exert a modulatory effect on insulin granule priming, exocytosis, and stability.     

Tissue distribution of Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion family members CAPS1 and CAPS2 in mice.

The family of Ca2+-dependent activator proteins for secretion (CAPS) is involved in dense-core vesicle exocytosis. CAPS1/CADPS1 and CAPS2/CADPS2 have been identified in mammals. CAPS1 regulates catecholamine release from neuroendocrine cells, whereas CAPS2 is involved in the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 from cerebellar granule cells. CAPS1 and CAPS2 are predominantly expressed in brain. Here we show the immunohistochemical localization of the CAPS family proteins in various mouse tissues. In the pituitary gland, CAPS1 and CAPS2 were localized to the pars nervosa and the pars intermedia, respectively. In non-neural tissues, CAPS1 was observed in the islets of Langerhans, minor cell types of the spleen and stomach, and medullary cells of the adrenal gland, whereas CAPS2 was present in bronchial epithelial cells, thyroid parafollicular cells, chief cells of the stomach, ductal epithelium of the salivary gland, kidney proximal tubules, and minor cell types of the thymus, spleen, and colon. These results suggest that secretion from distinct cell types in various tissues involves either or both members of the CAPS family.     

Partial characterization of rat hepatoma cell-surface glycopeptides possessing concanavalin A receptor activity.

Papain digestion of Novikoff or AS-30D rat hepatoma cells released glycopeptides from the cell surface. That portion of the glycopeptides accessible to Sephadex G-50 was digested with pronase and the component glycopeptides partially resolved by ion-exchange chromatography. Each tumor type yielded two well resolved sialoglycopeptide fractions which possessed concanavalin A receptor activity. The amino acid and saccharide composition of these low molecular weight (3,100 ± 300 daltons) sialoglycopeptides was determined.     

Subunit structure of canavalin

The subunit structure of canavalin was studied. The native protein has a sedimentation coefficient of 6.4 S and a MW of 91 000. SDS gel electrophoresis of the fully dissociated protein gave a single band, corresponding to a polypeptide chain with a MW of 22700. A minimal MW of 20700 was estimated from the amino acid composition. On a MW basis the native molecule consists of 4 chains. Support for the tetrameric structure of canavalin is provided by the electrophoretic pattern of partially dissociated protein.     

Novel Interactions of CAPS (Ca2+-dependent Activator Protein for Secretion) with the Three Neuronal SNARE Proteins Required for Vesicle Fusion

CAPS (aka CADPS) is required for optimal vesicle exocytosis in neurons and endocrine cells where it functions to prime the exocytic machinery for Ca²⁺-triggered fusion. Fusion is mediated by trans complexes of the SNARE proteins VAMP-2, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25 that bridge vesicle and plasma membrane. CAPS promotes SNARE complex formation on liposomes, but the SNARE binding properties of CAPS are unknown. The current work revealed that CAPS exhibits high affinity binding to syntaxin-1 and SNAP-25 and moderate affinity binding to VAMP-2. CAPS binding is specific for a subset of exocytic SNARE protein isoforms and requires membrane integration of the SNARE proteins. SNARE protein binding by CAPS is novel and mediated by interactions with the SNARE motifs in the three proteins. The C-terminal site for CAPS binding on syntaxin-1 does not overlap the Munc18-1 binding site and both proteins can co-reside on membrane-integrated syntaxin-1. As expected for a C-terminal binding site on syntaxin-1, CAPS stimulates SNARE-dependent liposome fusion with N-terminal truncated syntaxin-1 but exhibits impaired activity with C-terminal syntaxin-1 mutants. Overall the results suggest that SNARE complex formation promoted by CAPS may be mediated by direct interactions of CAPS with each of the three SNARE proteins required for vesicle exocytosis.     

Identification of myosin in a flowering plant, Egeria densa.

A myosin-like protein was extracted and partially purified from a flowering plant, Egeria densa. It had no p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity, but exhibited EDTA(K+)-ATPase [EC 3.6.1.3] activity at high ionic strength. Its molecular weight as estimated by gel filtration was 4-5 X 10(5). The presence of a heavy chain (MW = about 1.8 X 10(5)) was indicated by SDS-gel electrophoresis. Egeria myosin aggregated in an environment of low ionic strength and formed bipolar filaments. It bound with skeletal muscle F-actin with a periodicity of 40 nm.     

Rice alpha-mannosidase digesting the high mannose glycopeptide of glutelin

α -Mannosidase (EC 3.2.1.24) from rice dry seeds was purified to homogeneity. Optimum pH and K_m for pNP- α -Man hydrolysis were pH 4.3–4.5 and 1.04 m M , respectively. The enzyme digested mannobioses such as Man α -1,2Man, Man α -1,6Man, Man α -1,3Man but Man α -1,4Man. Zn²⁺ ion was required for the activity, whereas EDTA and swainsonine inhibited the activity by 80 and 96%, respectively. The rice storage protein, glutelin was prepared and its basic subunits were shown to have high mannose-type sugar chains by two-dimensional mapping using NH₂-P and C₁₈ silica columns. They were Man₉GlcNAc₂, Man₈GlcNAc₂, Man₇GlcNAc₂, Man₆GlcNAc₂ and Man₅GlcNAc₂. All these oligosaccharides were digested by the purified α -mannosidase, and Man-GlcNAc₂ and mannose were formed. Glycopeptides, having these high mannose-type sugar chains, could also be digested by the α -mannosidase. Subunits were prepared from glutelin basic subunit and the richest subunit among them, subunit 2 (isoform 2), was digested by the α -mannosidase. Isoform 2 was digested by V8 protease only partially and slowly. However, isoform 2, pre-treated with the α -mannosidase, was rapidly and completely digested by V8 protease.