Phlorizin as a probe of the small-intestinal Na+,d-glucose cotransporter. A model

(1)‘Uptake’ of phlorizin by intestinal brush border membrane vesicles is stimulated, much as that of d-glucose, by the simultaneous presence of Na_out⁺ and $\text{Δψ?0}$. However, phlorizin contrary to d-glucose, fulfills all criteria of a non-translocated ligand (i.e., of a fully competitive inhibitor) of the Na⁺,d-glucose cotransporter. (2) The stoicheiometry of Na⁺/phlorizin binding is 1, as shown by a Hill coefficient of approx. 1 in the Na_out⁺-dependence of phlorizin binding. (3) The preferred order of binding at $\text{Δψ?0}$ is Na⁺ first, phlorizin second (4) The velocity of association of phlorizin to the cotransporter, but not the velocity of its dissociation therefrom, responds to Δψ. These observations while agreeing with the effect of $\text{Δψ?0}$ on the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ of phlorizin binding in the steady-state time range, also confirm that the mobile part of the cotransporter bears a negative charge of 1. (5) A model is proposed describing the Na⁺,Δψ-dependent interaction of phlorizin with the cotransporter and agreeing with a more general model of Na⁺,d-glucose cotransport. (6) The $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>on</mtext>}}$, $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>off</mtext>}}$ and $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ constants of phlorizin interaction with the Na⁺,d-glucose cotransporter are smaller in the kidney than in the small-intestinal brush border membrane, which results in a number of quantitative differences in the overall behaviour of the two systems.     

Peculiarities of the Na+/d-glucose cotransport system in necturus renal tubules

The effects of d-glucose addition to a glucose-free luminal perfusate were investigated in the proximal tubule of Necturus kidney, by electrophysiological techniques. The main findings are: (1) In the presence of sodium, d-glucose produces $\text{10.5}\text{mV}\text{± 1.1}$ (S.E.) depolarization. (2) Phlorizin reduces the magnitude of this response to $\text{2.1 ± 0.1}\text{mV}$. (3) The glucose-evoked depolarization, $\text{ΔV}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>G</mtext>}}$, does not alter the intracellular K⁺ activity nor is it affected by peritubular addition of ouabain. (4) Isosmotic reduction of Na⁺ concentration in luminal perfusate from 95 to 2 mmol/l (choline or Li⁺ substituting for Na⁺) does not change the magnitude of $\text{ΔV}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>G</mtext>}}$; complete removal of sodium from the lumen lowers the value of $\text{ΔV}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>G</mtext>}}$ ($\text{3.2 ± 0.2}\text{mV}$) but the response is not abolished. This observation suggests that the d-glucose carrier of renal tubules in Necturus is poorly specific with regard to the cotransported cation species.     

Electrokinetic properties of (Na+, K+)-ATPase vesicles as studied by laser doppler spectroscopy

The technique of laser Doppler electrophoresis was applied for the study of the surface charge properties of (Na⁺,⁺)-ATPase containing microsomal vesicles derived from guinea-pig kidney. The influence of pH, the screening and binding of uni- and divalent cations and the binding of ATP show: (1) one net negative charge per protein unit with a $\text{p}\text{K = 3.9}$; (2) deviation from the Debye relation between surface potential and ionic strength for univalent cations, with no difference in the effect of Na⁺ and K⁺; (3) Mg²⁺ binds with an association constant of $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>a</mtext>}}\text{= 1.1 · 10}{}^2\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ while ATP binds with an apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>a</mtext>}}\text{= 1.1 · 10}{}^4\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{?2}}$ for 1 mM Nacl, 0.2 mM KCI, 0.1 mM MgCl₂, 0.1 mM Tris-HCI (pH 7.3). The binding is weaker at higher Mg²⁺ concentrations. There is no ATP binding in the absence of Mg²⁺. In addition, the average vesicle size derived from the linewidth of the quasi-elastic light scattering spectrum is $\text{203.7 ± 15.2}\text{nm}$. In the presence of ATP a reduction in size is observed.     

A comparison of the effects of ouabain and 2-deoxy-d-glucose on the thermodynamic variables of the frog skin

Previous studies support the validity of a linear thermodynamic formalism relating the rates of active Na⁺ transport and oxygen consumption J_r to the electrical potential difference ΔΨ an the affinity α (negative free energy) of the metabolic driving reaction. The formulation was further tested in paired control and experimental hemiskins by the use of two inhibitors of Na⁺ transport. Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of the Na⁺ pump, might be expected to diminish the dependence of J_r on ΔΨ without affecting α, whereas 2-deoxy-d-glucose, a competitive inhibitor of glucose metabolism, should be expected to diminish α. Both inhibitors were used at concentrations adequate to depress Na⁺ transport (i.e. short-circuit current J_o) to some 50°_o of control level. Measurements were made of I_o and $\text{d}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{d}\text{(ΔΨ)}$, and the apparent value of the affinity α_app was calculated according to the thermodynamic formulation. Ouabain depressed $\text{d}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{d}\text{(ΔΨ)}$ without affecting α_app whereas 2-deoxy-d-glucose depressed α_app without affecting $\text{d}\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{d}\text{(αΨ)}$. The demonstration of these effects indicates the utility of the formalism.     

CNDO/2 calculations of the relative stability of the goniomers in poly(dl-alanine)

Goniomers of single-stranded poly(dl-alanine) $\text{π}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>dl</mtext>}}$ helices were treated by the semiempircal CNDO/2 MO procedure. The α_R and $\text{α}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>dl</mtext>}}$ forms were also calculated. From the calculated total energies and partitioned energies we discuss the conformational stablity of goniomers of poly(dl-alanines). The conformational stability of the α and π forms is also compared.     

Na+-dependent,potential-sensitive l-ascorbate transport across brush border membrane vesicles from kidney cortex

l-Ascorbate is taken up into brush border vesicles from kidney cortex of rat, rabbit and guinea pig by an efficient, Na⁺-dependent and potential-sensitive transport process. This uptake shows saturation ($\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext><mtext>:0.1–0.3\; mM</mtext>}}$) and is strongly stimulated by low concentrations of N₃^?. Erythorbate (d-isoascorbate) seems to be another, but poorer, substrate of the same transporter.     

The effect of formate on cytochrome aa3 and on electron transport in the intact respiratory chain

1. Formate inhibits cytochrome $\text{c}$ oxidase activity both in intact mitochondria and submitochondrial particles, and in isolated cytochrome $\text{aa}{}_3$. The inhibition increases with decreasing pH, indicating that HCOOH may be the inhibitory species.2. Formate induces a blue shift in the absorption spectrum of oxidized cytochrome $\text{aa}{}_3\text{(a}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$) and in the half-reduced species ($\text{a}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$). Comparison with cyanide-induced spectral shifts, towards the red, indicates that formate and cyanide have opposite effects on the $\text{aa}{}_3$ spectrum, both in the fully oxidized and the half-reduced states. The formate spectra provide a new method of obtaining the difference spectrum of $\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$ minus $\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$, free of the difficulties with cyanide (which induces marked high → low spin spectral shifts in cytochrome $\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}$) and azide (which induces peak shifts of cytochrome $\text{a}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$ towards the blue in both α- and Soret regions).3. The rate of formate dissociation from cytochrome $\text{a}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}\text{-}\text{HCOOH}$ is faster than its rate of dissociation from $\text{a}{}^{\mathrm{3+}}\text{a}{}_3{}^{\mathrm{3+}}\text{-}\text{HCOOH}$, especially in the presence of cytochrome $\text{c}$. The $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>i</mtext>}}$ for formate inhibition of respiration is a function of the reduction state of the system, varying from 30 mM (100% reduction) to 1 mM (100% oxidation) at pH 7.4, 30 °C.4. Succinate-cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase activity is also inhibited by formate, in a reaction competitive with succinate and dependent on [formate]².5. Formate inhibition of ascorbate plus $\text{N,N,N′,N′-}\text{tetramethyl}\text{-p-}\text{phenyl-enediamine}$ oxidation by intact rat liver mitochondria is partially released by uncoupler addition. Formate is permeable through the inner mitochondrial membrane and no differences in ‘on’ or ‘off’ inhibition rates were observed when intact mitochondria were compared with submitochondrial particles.6. NADH-cytochrome $\text{c}$ reductase activity is unaffected by formate in submitochondrial particles, but mitochondrial oxidation of glutamate plus malate is subject both to terminal inhibition at the cytochrome $\text{aa}{}_3$ level and to a slow extra inhibition by formate following uncoupler addition, indicating a third site of formate action in the intact mitochondrion.     

A NMR study of the ionization of fatty acids,fatty amines and N-acylamino acids incorporated in phosphatidylcholine vesicles

The ionization of fatty acids, fatty amines and $\text{N-}\text{acylamino}$ acids incorporated in phosphatidylcholine single-walled vesicles has been measured. The guest molecules have been specifically enriched with ¹³C and titrated by using NMR spectroscopy. The apparent p$\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ of fatty acids in phosphatidylcholine bilayers is 7.2–7.4 and those of fatty amines are approx. 9.5. These p$\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ values depend on many different parameters related to the structure of the lipid/ solution interface, to the composition of the aqueous medium and to the localization of the ionizable groups. A special sensitivity to the ionic strength and to the surface charge has been found. A positive surface charge decreases the p$\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ value whereas a negative one increases it, the total range of variation being 2.5–3 units. In a qualitative macroscopic interpretation, it is proposed that p$\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{a}}$ is essentially determined by the low polarity of the lipidic matrix.     

Electron transport components from methanogenic bacteria: The ferredoxin from Methanosarcinabarkeri (strain Fusaro)

A ferredoxin has been isolated from the methanogenic organism $\text{Methanosarcina}\text{barkeri}$ (strain Fusaro). The protein appears to be constituted by two identical subunits of molecular weight approx. 6000 daltons. The UV-visible spectrum of the protein is characterized by two broad absorption peaks centered at 410 and 300 nm and an absorbance ratio $\text{A}{}_{410}\text{A}{}_{300}\text{= 0.8}$. The molar extinction coefficients at 410 and 300 nm are 36,500 and 45,625 M^?1 cm^?1, respectively. The amino acid compsition of $\text{M.}\text{barkeri}$ ferredoxin shows a preponderance of acidic residues and lacks five amino acids. The protein contains 8 cysteine residues and approx. 7 iron atoms and 7–8 acid-labile sulfide groups per molecule which are indicative of the presence of two iron-sulfur clusters in the molecule. The N-terminal sequence shows a high degree of homology with the sequences of ferredoxins from $\text{Clostridium}\text{pasteurianum}\text{,}\text{Desulfovibrio}\text{gigas}$ and $\text{Desulfovibrio}\text{africanus}\text{.}\text{M.}\text{barkeri}$ ferredoxin functions as an electron carrier in the pyruvate dehydrogenase system. Its possible role in a variety of electron transfer reactions is discussed.     

Regulation of argF mRNA synthesis,performed in vitro

The specific synthesis of $\text{arg}$F mRNA directed by the $\text{arg}$F gene carried on the specialized transducing bacteriophage $\text{λh80C}{}_1\text{857darg}$F, performed $\text{in vitro}$, is described with the use of an S180 extract from a strain carrying $\text{arg}$R^?. Synthesis of $\text{arg}$F mRNA is biphasic at approximately 7 minutes. The regulation of $\text{arg}$F mRNA synthesis by the specific arginine holorepressor present in an S180 extract prepared from a strain carrying the $\text{arg}$R⁺ allele is described.     

Sodium dependence of maximum flux, JM, and Km of amino acid transport in Ehrlich ascites cells

The Michaelis-Menten parameters, $\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$ and $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ of the initial 1-min fluxes of uptake of l-phenylalanine and of α-aminoisobutyric acid were determined for extracellular concentrations of Na⁺ ranging from 0.5 to 110 mequiv/l for Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. The maximal initial flux, $\text{J}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>M</mtext>}}$, decreased with decrease in extracellular Na⁺ for both α-aminoisobutyric acid and phenylalanine but the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ for α-aminoisobutyric acid increased markedly as the Na⁺ concentration fell whereas the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ for phenylalanine decreased. Cycloleucine behaved like phenylalanine.The data provides strong evidence that the Na⁺-independent flux of phenylalanine is an exchange diffusion flux that can be varied by changing the intracellular level of amino acids such as phenylalanine. For phenylalanine, cyclolcucine, and methionine this exchange diffusion flux appears to be additive with the Na⁺-dependent initial flux. α-Aminoisobutyric acid also has an exchange diffusion that is Na⁺-independent but it has a high $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ and is not additive with the Na⁺-dependent flux.     

Ephedrine reduces weight of viable yellow obese mice (Avy/a)

Ephedrine administered subcutaneously or in the diet reduces the weight of viable yellow obese mice ($\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{vy}}$/$\text{a}$) and normal mice. The compound has some appetite-suppression activity; however, reduced food consumption could not account for all of the weight loss. Ephedrine did not affect lipogenesis or lipolysis acutely. The major portion of the weight loss was due to the loss of triacylglycerol. The rectal temperature of long-term treated $\text{A}{}^{\mathrm{vy}}$/$\text{a}$ mice was elevated suggesting that ephedrine may alter energy metabolism.     

The effects of n-alcohols on sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

Short, mild treatments of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles with aqueous $\text{n-}\text{alcohols}$ from methanol to $\text{n-}\text{heptanol}$ caused an inhibition of calcium uptake and an enhancement of ATPase activity. The $\text{n-}\text{alcohol}$ treatments increased both calcium-dependent (extra) ATPase activity and calcium-independent (basic) ATPase activity of vesicles. The apparent initial reaction rate of ATPase of $\text{n-}\text{alcohol-treated}$ vesicles was about twice that of control vesicles. With increasing number ($\text{n}$) of carbon atoms of the $\text{n-}\text{alcohols}$, the maximum increment of ATPase activity increased, and both the alcohol concentration ($\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ca</mtext>}}$) required to inhibit calcium uptake by 50% and the alcohol concentration ($\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ATPase</mtext>}}$) required to enhance ATPase activity by 50% of the maximum increment of ATPase activity decreased as follows.

$\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ca</mtext>}}\text{=23.5·10}{}^{\mathrm{?0.593n}}\text{M}$

$\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{ATPase}}\text{=35.5·10}{}^{\mathrm{?0.593n}}\text{M}$

The ratio, $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>ATPase</mtext>}}$ to $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ca</mtext>}}$, was constant for all $\text{n}$ values. The apparent free energy of binding of the methylene groups of $\text{n-}\text{alcohols}$ to sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was evaluated (?796 cal/mole) and compared with data from the partition of $\text{n-}\text{alcohols}$ in octanol and water (?670 cal/mole). The effects of $\text{n-}\text{alcohols}$ on membrane vesicles are discussed on the basis of these data.     

The reconstitution of a Photosystem II protein complex, P-700-chlorophyll a-protein complex and light-harvesting chlorophyll ab-protein

A Photosystem II reaction centre protein complex was extracted from spinach chloroplasts using digitonin. This complex showed (i) high rates of dichloroindophenol and ferricyanide reduction in the presence of suitable donors, (ii) low-temperature fluorescence at 685 nm with a variable shoulder at 695 nm which increased as the complex aggregated due to depletion of digitonin and (iii) four major polypeptides of 47, 39, 31 and 6 kDa on dissociating polyacrylamide gels. The Photosystem II protein complex, together woth the P-700-chlorophylla protein complex and light-harvesting chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{b-}\text{protein}$ complex (LHCP) also isolated using digitonin, were reconstituted with lipids from spinach chloroplasts to form proteoliposomes. The low-temperature (77 K) fluorescence properties of the various proteoliposomes were analysed. The $\text{F}{}_{685}\text{F}{}_{695}$ ratios of the Photosystem II reaction centre protein complex-liposomes decreased as the lipid to protein ratios were increased. The $\text{F}{}_{681}\text{F}{}_{697}$ ratios of LHCP-liposomes were found to behave similarly. Light excitation of chlorophyll b at 475 nm stimulated emission from both the Photosystem II protein complex (F₆₈₅ and F₆₉₅) and the P-700-chlorophyll a-protein complex (F₇₃₅) when LHCP was reconstituted with either of these complexes, demonstrating energy transfer between LHCP and PS I or II complexes in liposomes. No evidence was found for energy transfer from the PS II complex to the P-700-chlorophyll a-protein complex reconstituted in the same proteoliposome preparation. Proteoliposome preparations containing all three chlorophyll-protein complexes showed fluorescence emission at 685, 700 and 735 nm.     

On the stereochemistry of 2,3-dihydroxy fatty acids. The single crystal structure of potassium d-erythro-2,3-dihydroxyoctadecanoate

The erythro-2,3-dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid studied is a synthetic homologue of a natural occurring constituent of sphingolipids. The potassium salt of the acid crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2, with the unit cell dimension: $\text{a = 5.39, b = 7.06, c = 26.26}\text{A}\text{?}\text{and}\text{β = 94.9°}$. The crystal structure was solved by direct methods and was refined to R = 0.062. The absolute configuration of the compound was determined by means of anomalous scattering effects, showing that the natural fatty acid has d-erythro configuration. The compound packs tail to tail in an unusual bilayer arrangement. The hydrocarbon chains have an extreme tilt of 60° and opposite inclination in the two halves of the bilayer. Laterally the hydrocarbon chains are arranged according to the monoclinic M∥ packing mode. The carbon chain makes a perpendicular bent at carbon atom 2. This places the 2-hydroxyl group in a preferred co-planar conformation towards the carboxylate group and at hydrogen bond distance to one of the carboxylate oxygens. The carboxylate group and the two hydroxyl groups are co-ordinated to K⁺ ions and together account for a large molecular cross-ection of 38 Ų. Monolayer studies show that the acid forms a phase with this spacious molecular area also in contact with water. On compression above 10 mN m^?1 transition to a more condensed state ($\text{S = 27}\text{A}\text{?}{}^2$) takes place accompanied by marked changes of the surface potential.     

Isolation and characterization of a major chlorophyll ac2 light-harvesting protein from a Chroomonas species (Cryptophyceae)

Three chlorophyll-protein complexes of a Chroomonas species (Cryptophyceae) have been separated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The two bands at 100 and 42 kDa are Complex I (CP I) and Complex IV (CP IV), the ubiquitous chlorophyll a-proteins associated with Photosystems I and II, respectively. The third 55 kDa band, which had two peptide subunits (24 and 20 kDa), contained both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll c₂ in a molar ratio of 1.4 chlorophyll a to 1 chlorophyll c₂ ($\text{chlorophyll}\text{a}\text{chlorophyll}\text{c}{}_2$ ratio in whole cells = 4). A chlorophyll $\text{a}\text{c}{}_2$ fraction with similar spectral and electrophoretic properties was isolated by digitonin-sucrose density gradient centrifugation. This fraction had no photochemical activity and contained only a single carotenoid species with absorbance maxima in methanol at 424, 448 and 476 nm. Efficient energy transfer from chlorophyll c₂ to chlorophyll a occurred in the complex.     

Binding of bovine cytochrome b5 to phosphatidycholine liposomes Characterization of the reconstituted lipid-protein vesicles

Cytochrome $\text{b}{}_5$ was extracted and purified from beef liver by a detergent method (cytochrome $\text{d-b}{}_5$). The hydrophilic moiety which carries the heme group (cytochrome $\text{t-b}{}_5$) was prepared by trypsin action upon pure cytochrome $\text{d-b}{}_5$.Single-shelled lecithin liposomes form complexes with cytochromes $\text{d-b}{}_5$ up to a molar ratio of one protein for 35 phospholipids. The lipid-protein complexes were isolated by gel filtration on Sepharose 4B. They are hollow vesicles in which [³H]-glucose can be trapped. Their diameter is greater than that of the initial liposomes.Cytochrome $\text{t-b}{}_5$ does not interact with the vesicles. These results show that the hydrophobic tail is necessary for the binding and that the hydrophilic part of the protein is located on the outer face of the vesicles. This asymmetry is also proved by the action of reducing agents.Experiments with saturated phosphatidylcholines show that the protein interacts with the lipids both below the transition temperature $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{M}}$. i.e. when the aliphatic chains are in a crystalline state, and above $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{M}}$, when the alipathic chain are in a fluid state.¹H NMR spectra show that even at the maximum cytochrome $\text{d-b}{}_5$ concentration the presence of the proteins does not markedly change the dynamics to the phospholipid molecules. An asymmetric single-shelled vesicle structure is proposed for the complex.