Demonstration of rhodanese activity in polyacrylamide gels

Rhodanese activity from crude extracts of Thiobacillus sp. strain IV-85 was demonstrated in polyacrylamide gels after incubation in the reaction mixture by staining with dichloroindophenol in the presence of methylphenazonium methosulfate. The sensitivity of the staining system was found to be 8 × 10^-7 moles of sulfite.     

Staining for protease activity on polyacrylamide gels

A method for staining electrophoresis gels for proteolytic activity of both serine and sulfhydryl enzymes is described. The gels are incubated in the presence of azocoll powder and then scanned.     

Staining for protease activity on polyacrylamide gels

A high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure has been developed for the detailed analysis of amino acids and related compounds in 10-μl samples of perilymph from the guinea pig cochlea (inner ear). The procedure employs an Aminco amino acid analyzer and combines the use of a single chromatographic column, lithium citrate buffers for elution, a change of column temperature, and fluorometric detection of o-phthaldialdehyde/2-mercaptoethanol adducts of primary amines. Sensitivity is about 0.2 pmol referenced to leucine. Fifty-four primary amine components are detectable in perilymph collected in relative silence. Twentynine compounds have been identified, and six are putative amino acid neurotransmitters. The present method provides new information about the chemical composition of perilymph and is suitable for the analysis of physiological fluids available only in volumes of several microliters.     

Selective silver staining of urease activity in polyacrylamide gels

A selective method for staining urease activity bands in nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels is described. It is based on the deposition of silver at the urease bands after incubation of gels in the presence of urea and photographic developers. Its highly sensitivity (up to 0.015 enzyme units, corresponding to 5 ng of purified urease) is based on both the silver deposition enhancement methodology and the developers used. The selectivity of the procedure is based on the local pH increase catalytically produced by the enzyme in the presence of urea. The densitometric scan of the enzyme bands gives a linear response at least in the range 0.015-0.300 urease units. This selective staining method is about 2.5 times more sensitive than the standard silver staining of proteins, in terms of detectable urease amount.     

Detection of glutathione transferase activity on polyacrylamide gels

A simple and sensitive assay for glutathione transferase activity on polyacrylamide gel is described. The method is based on the fast reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium salt by glutathione. Blue insoluble formazan colors the gel except in the glutathione transferase area. The stable and defined colorless zone is still detectable with 0.005 unit enzyme. This technique has been successfully applied with enzyme preparations of human heart and other tissues.     

A method for the direct measurement of glycogen synthase activity on gels after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

A method for the detection of glycogen synthase activity after nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is described. After the electrophoretical run, the gels were incubated in situ with UDP-glucose and glycogen. Labeled or unlabeled UDP-glucose could be used, since similar activity patterns were obtained by autoradiography or iodine staining of the gels. The method here described offers several advantages in terms of speed, sensitivity, and economy when compared with other procedures.     

An assay for protein activity on polyacrylamide gels

A method for localizing protein kinase activity in polyacrylamide gels has been described. It may prove useful in (1) detecting different forms of protein kinase in various tissues, (2) distinguishing cyclic nucleotide-dependent and -independent forms of the enzyme, and (3) studying the dissociation of protein kinase by cyclic nucleotides.     

An assay for protein kinase activity on polyacrylamide gels

A method for localizing protein kinase activity in polyacrylamide gels has been described. It may prove useful in (1) detecting different forms of protein kinase in various tissues, (2) distinguishing cyclic nucleotide-dependent and -independent forms of the enzyme, and (3) studying the dissociation of protein kinase by cyclic nucleotides.     

Visualization of proelastase in polyacrylamide gels

Our attempt to identify as many pancreatic enzymes as possible after their electrophoretic separation on polyacrylamide gels led us to search for a specific and simple method to localize proelastase.     

Detection of laccase activity in polyacrylamide gels after electrophoresis under denaturing conditions

Summary Specific laccase activity was detected on SDS-PAGE using 2,2-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), guaiacol and syringaldazine as substrates. Enzyme activity was detected immediately following electrophoresis, after the detergent diffused from the gel into a renaturation buffer and subsequent Coomassie blue staining. Identification of laccase in a protein mixture and estimation of its molecular weight were done simultaneously.     

Use of methyl green-DNA agarose for detecting deoxyribonuclease activity in polyacrylamide gels

A liquid scintillation counting system is described that allows recovery of compounds for further study and analysis. For most classes of compounds tested (with the exception of steroids) the recovery was high (usually at least 90%) and in the case of nucleosides was accompanied by very little degradation of the sample. The counting method should be useful for the counting of samples where a high recovery of the compound is necessary.     

Detection of cellulase activity in polyacrylamide gels using Congo red-stained agar replicas

Bands that have cellulolytic activity are visualized after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by laying the slab gel on top of a thin sheet of 2% agar containing 0.1% carboxymethylcellulose. After a suitable incubation time, zones of carboxymethylcellulose hydrolysis are revealed by staining the agar replica with Congo red.     

Detection of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase activity on a polyacrylamide gel

This study presents a method to detect active polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase on a polyacrylamide gel that combines the polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) polymerization reaction with Sudan Black B staining. After separation of the protein samples on a modified sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), the slab gel was submerged in a buffer containing β-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A (3-HBCoA) as substrate and incubated at room temperature for in vitro PHB polymerization. The active PHA synthase catalyzed 3-HBCoA into the PHB polymer and was stained with Sudan Black B. The active PHA synthase appeared as a dark blue band. The activity staining was of high sensitivity, capable of detecting 3.9 ng (0.273 mU) of Cupriavidus necator H16 PHA synthase purified from recombinant Escherichia coli. The detection sensitivity of activity staining was comparable to that of Western blotting analysis. Furthermore, the high sensitivity of activity staining enabled specific detection of the active PHA synthase in the crude extract of wild-type strain C. necator H16. This study provides a rapid, sensitive, and highly specific method for detecting active PHA synthase in gel. The method could be applied to detecting PHA synthase from wild-type bacteria and to the process of enzyme purification.