Multiple conformational transitions of hen egg-white lysozyme in aqueous acetic acid solutions

Circular dichroism measurements revealed that hen egg-white lysozyme underwent multiple conformational transitions upon the addition of acetic acid. The transitions were reversible as judged from complete recoveries of enzymatic activity, electrophoretic mobility in SDS-polyacrylamide gel, and of ellipticity. Two transitions, with the mid-concentrations of 26 and 38% (v/v), were observed with the CD spectra in the amide absorption region. The two transitions were essentially athermal in the temperature ranges, 0 to 25 degrees C for the former and -10 to 10 degrees C for the latter. The trough ellipticity for the product of the transition at the higher acetic acid concentration (DII form) very closely approached the value for the synthetic polypeptides in the beta-conformation as the temperature was lowered. Molecular weight measurements by sedimentation equilibrium indicated that the products were both monomeric. Measurements of CD spectra in the aromatic absorption region showed another transition, whose mid-concentration varied with temperature from 26% (v/v) (at about 25 degrees C) to 38% (v/v) (at -10 degrees C). A change in the hydrodynamic volume detectable by exclusion chromatography was associated with this transition only.     

Correlation between acetic acid resistance and characteristics of PQQ-dependent ADH in acetic acid bacteria

In this study, we compared the growth properties and molecular characteristics of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) among highly acetic acid-resistant strains of acetic acid bacteria. Ga. europaeus exhibited the highest resistance to acetic acid (10%), whereas Ga. intermedius and Acetobacter pasteurianus resisted up to 6% of acetic acid. In media with different concentrations of acetic acid, the maximal acetic acid production rate of Ga. europaeus slowly increased, but specific growth rates decreased concomitant with increased concentration of acetic acid in medium. The lag phase of A. pasteurianus was twice and four times longer in comparison to the lag phases of Ga. europaeus and Ga. intermedius, respectively. PQQ-dependent ADH activity was twice as high in Ga. europaeus and Ga. intermedius as in A. pasteurinus. The purified enzymes showed almost the same specific activity to each other, but in the presence of acetic acid, the enzyme activity decreased faster in A. pasteurianus and Ga. intermedius than in Ga. europaeus. These results suggest that high ADH activity in the Ga. europaeus cells and high acetic acid stability of the purified enzyme represent two of the unique features that enable this species to grow and stay metabolically active at extremely high concentrations of acetic acid.     

Selective interactions of lectins with amino acid taste receptor sites in the channel catfish

Five lectins of varying carbohydrate specificities, Dolichosbiflorus (DBA), jacalin, Phaseolus vulgaris (PHA), Pisum sativum(PSA) and Ricinus communis (RCA I), were used to extend characterizationof the glycoprotein nature of taste plasma membranes and todifferentially affect the binding of two taste stimuli, L-alanineand L-arginine, to their respective taste receptor sites inthe cutaneous taste system of the channel catfish (Ictaluruspunctatus). The binding of the taste stimulus L-arginine toa partial membrane fraction (P_–) from taste epitheliumwas inhibited by 68 and 74% by preincubation in the presenceof the unconjugated lectins PHA and RCA I respectively. A correspondinglevel of inhibition of L-alanine binding was seen in the presenceof RCA I (76%); however, PHA had little effect upon L-alaninebinding. DBA appeared to selectively inhibit L-alanine but notL-arginine binding (60 versus 8% respectively) while jacalinmoderately inhibited the binding of both stimuli to fractionP2. PSA had little effect upon the binding of either L-alanineor L-arginine (4 and 5% inhibition respectively). Inhibitionof taste receptor binding by all lectins was time- and dose-dependent,and was fully abolished by incubation in the presence of theappropriate hapten sugar. The biotinylated lectins DBA, jacalin,PHA, RCA I and concanavalin A (Con A) were used to identifythe glycoprotein components of the chemosensory plasma membranesafter polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. As previously shown,numerous protein components were labeled by Con A. In contrast,only a few minor protein components were labeled by PHA, DBAand RCA I. This differential labeling of the taste membranesand the differential inhibition of receptor binding by lectinssuggest that they may prove useful as tools in the isolationand purification of taste receptor proteins.     

Preferential interactions of proteins with solvent components in aqueous amino acid solutions

The preferential interactions of proteins with solvent components in concentrated amino acid solutions were measured by high-precision densimetry. Bovine serum albumin and lysozyme were preferentially hydrated in all of the amino acids examined, glycine, α- and β-alanine, and betaine i.e., addition of these amino acids resulted in an unfavorable free energy change. It was shown that, for the former three amino acids, known to have a positive surface tension increment, their perturbation of the surface free energy of water is consistent with their preferential exclusion from the protein surface. In the case of betaine, which does not increase the surface tension of water, preferential exclusion from protein surface must reflect the chemical structure of this cosolvent, which is considerably more hydrophobic than that of the other three amino acids.     

醋酸胁迫对Acetobacter pasteurianus产酸呼吸链活力的影响

【目的】以巴氏醋酸杆菌工业菌株沪酿1.01和模式菌株Acetobacter pasteurianus ATCC33445为研究对象,研究工业菌株与模式菌株在高浓度醋酸胁迫下的产酸发酵时呼吸链酶活、相关基因转录水平的变化规律。【方法】检测两种菌株在0、1%、2%、3%不同初始醋酸浓度下的生物量、产酸以及酶活,并通过实时荧光定量PCR检测呼吸链相关酶合成基因的相对转录水平变化。【结果】两种菌株在1%初始醋酸浓度下产酸能力最强,发酵48 h平均产酸速度达到0.667 g/(L·h);两种菌株的ADH(乙醇脱氢酶)和ALDH(乙醛脱氢酶)酶活也达到最高,平均为12.01和9.77 U/mg;相关酶合成基因的相对转录水平较无底酸均提高。当初始醋酸浓度上升至2%和3%时,菌体酶活、产酸能力逐渐下降,呼吸链上的adh、cyt bd、cyt o和fap A基因转录水平上升,其余基因都降低。【结论】确定了巴氏醋酸杆菌在高初始浓度醋酸条件下,菌体会自发提高adh基因的转录水平,启动底物磷酸化,并将醋酸泵出到胞外;同时aldh基因的表达受到抑制,降低产酸,从而维持体内较低醋酸浓度。此外,呼吸链上其他外排相关酶转录水平也会提升,如cyt bd和cyt o,辅助底物磷酸化进程,加快释放能量。     

The addition of CO2 to traditional taste solutions alters taste quality

Previous studies of the effect of carbonation on taste perception have suggested that it may be negligible, manifesting primarily in increases in the perceived intensity of weak salt and sour stimuli. Assuming CO2 solutions in the mouth stimulate only trigeminal nerve endings, this result is not altogether surprising; however, there are neurophysiological data indicating that CO2 stimulates gustatory as well as trigeminal fibers. In that case, carbonation might alter the quality profile of a stimulus without producing substantial changes in overall taste intensity--much as occurs when qualitatively different taste stimuli are mixed. To address this possibility, subjects were asked to rate the total taste intensity of moderate concentrations of stimuli representing each of the basic tastes and their binary combinations, with an without added carbonation. They then subdivided total taste intensity into the proportions of sweetness, saltiness, sourness, bitterness and 'other taste qualities' they perceived. The addition of carbonation produced only small increases in ratings of total taste intensity. However, rather dramatic alterations in the quality profiles of stimuli were observed, particularly for sweet and salty tastes. The nature of the interaction is consistent with a direct effect of carbonation/CO2 on the gustatory system, although the possibility that at least some of the observed effects reflect trigeminal-gustatory interactions cannot be ruled out.      

Equilibrium centrifugation of proteins in acid solutions. Ovalbumin in aqueous acetic, propionic, and butyric acids.

The use of short-chain aliphatic acids in conjunction with the partial specific volume of the native protein, v?_p for molecular weight estimations and for the study of macromolecular interactions was further tested: Equilibrium centrifugation of ovalbumin has been carried out in aqueous acetic, propionic, and butyric acids in the absence of any other added electrolyte. Under these experimental conditions there are two potential sources of error associated with the use of v?_p. These are: (a) preferential interaction with solvent components[$\text{Γ = (}\text{δm}{}_3\text{δm}{}_2\text{)μ}{}_1\text{,μ}{}_3\text{T, P}$] and (b) volume changes accompanying the exposure of the protein to acid (δv?_p). Volume changes associated with the transfer of ovalbumin to acid solutions have been measured. With this information at hand, it was possible to show that δv?_p and Γ in these solvent systems are both small; therefore, v?_p can be used instead. This work has also shown that the behavior of ovalbumin is distinct from that of β-lactoglobulin and aldolase. Thus, it appears that each protein has a characteristic behavior in these aqueous organic solvents which is related to some aspect of protein structure. Ovalbumin undergoes a series of reversible and irreversible interactions in these solvent systems which are dependent on both the length of the acid's carbon chain and the concentration of acid. An effort has been made to elucidate these interactions in terms of simple models.     

Computational studies of ligand-receptor interactions in bitter taste receptors

Phenylthiocarbamide tastes intensely bitter to some individuals, but others find it completely tasteless. Recently, it was suggested that phenylthiocarbamide elicits bitter taste by interacting with a human G protein-coupled receptor (hTAS2R38) encoded by the PTC gene. The phenylthiocarbamide nontaster trait was linked to three single nucleotide polymorphisms occurring in the PTC gene. Using the crystal structure of bovine rhodopsin as template, we generated the 3D structure of hTAS2R38 bitter taste receptor. We were able to map on the receptor structure the amino acids affected by the genetic polymorphisms and to propose molecular functions for two of them that explained the emergence of the nontaster trait. We used molecular docking simulations to find that phenylthiocarbamide exhibited a higher affinity for the target receptor than the structurally similar molecule 6-n-propylthiouracil, in line with recent experimental studies. A 3D model was constructed for the hTAS2R16 bitter taste receptor as well, by applying the same protocol. We found that the recently published experimental ligand binding affinity data for this receptor correlated well with the binding scores obtained from our molecular docking calculations.     

Equilibration of alditol anhydrides in acetic acid

Dehydration of pentitols in acetic acid containing an acidic catalyst parallels that in aqueous sulfuric acid; 1,4(2,5)-dehydration occurs with inversion of configuration at C-2 or C-4. Acetylated alditols undergo similar processes via intermediates having free hydroxyl groups. Configurational inversion of 1,4- or 1,5-anhydroalditols is attributed to intermediate acyloxonium ions that are also proposed as intermediates in the structural isomerisation. Drastic treatment of each alditol gives equilibrium mixtures. The equilibrium concentrations are used to calculate free-energy differences.     

Structure and interactions in simple solutions

Neutron scattering with hydrogen/deuterium isotopic substitution techniques has been used to investigate the full range of structural interactions in a dilute 0.02 mol fraction solution of tertiary butanol in water, both in the absence and in the presence of a small amount of sodium chloride. Emphasis is given to the detailed pictures of the intermolecular interactions that have been derived using the empirical potential structure refinement technique. Analysis has been performed to the level of the spatial density distribution functions that illustrate the orientational dependence of the intermolecular interactions between all combinations of molecular and ionic components. The results show the key structural motifs involved in the interactions between the various components in a complex aqueous system. They underline the structural versatility of the water molecule in accommodating a range of different kinds of interactions while retaining its characteristic first-neighbour interaction geometry. Within this framework, the results highlight the complex interplay between the polar, non-polar and charged molecular interactions that exist in the system.