Photoinactivation of photophosphorylation and dark ATPase in Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores

Preillumination of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores with strong, far-red light in the presence of phenazine methosulfate under non-phosphorylation conditions results in a selective, irreversible inactivation (typically about 70%) of photophosphorylation and of uncoupler-stimulated dark ATPase. The time course of the photoinactivation is similar to the light-on kinetics of the light-induced proton uptake in the absence of ADP. Only little photoinactivation occurs when the uncoupler carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl hydrazone is present or when phenazine methosulfate is absent during the preillumination, indicating that the reaction occurs only when the membrane is energized.

Phosphorylation conditions offer a practically complete protection against the photoinactivation. Inorganic phosphate, Mg²⁺ or ADP do not provide a significant protection against the photoinactivation, nor does ATP. The pH-dependence of the reaction(s) leading to photoinactivation may indicate that a partial reaction of the photophosphorylation process (perhaps only a conformational change of the coupling factor) precedes the photoinactivation.     

Phenazine methosulfate mediated photoinactivation of some energy linked reactions in Rhodospirillum rubrum.

Preillumination of $\text{Rhodospirillum rubrum}$ chromatophores in the presence of phenazine methosulfate, under non-phosphorylating conditions results in an irreversible inhibition of the energy transduction. Protection against photoinhibition was provided during the preillumination when a continous dissipation of energy is provoked by the simultaneous photoreduction of NAD⁺. The results are interpreted as indicating that the photoinactivation is produced by an accumulation of the eergized form of the membrane. Different conformational forms of the ATPase complex are supposed to be responsible for the reversibility or irreversibility of the inhibited state.     

Reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide by a cytoplasmic membrane fraction from the marine denitrifier Pseudomonas perfectomarinus.

A cytoplasmic membrane fraction from the marine denitrifier Pseudomonas perfectomarinus reduced nitrite to nitrous oxide in a stoichiometric reaction without nitric oxide as free intermediate. The membrane system had a specific requirement for FMN with NAD(P)H as electron donors. Other electron donors were ascorbate-reduced cytochrome c-551 or phenazine methosulfate. The membrane fraction contained tightly bound cytochrome cd which represented only a small portion of the total cytochrome cd of the cell. As further terminal oxidase cytochrome o was identified. The membrane fraction produced also nitrous oxide from nitric oxide, however, at a substantially lower rate than from nitrite when using ascorbate-reduced phenazine methosulfate as electron donor.     

On the subsarcolemmal localization of phenazine ethosulfate-linked alpha-glycerophasphate dehydrogenase activity in pigeon pectoralis white muscle fibres.

In this study frozen sections of avian striated muscles were incubated for mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate de hydrognease (alpha=GPD) reaction, and the effect of menadione, phenazine methosulfate (PMS) or phenazine ethosulfate (PES) as intermediate electron acceptors was evaluated. Under histochemical conditions, PMS or PES-linked alpha-GPD reaction was poor in the chicken posterior latissimus dorsi and chicken pectoralis muscles. However, PMS or PES-linked alpha-GPD reaction was present characteristically in the subsarcolemmal mitochondria of the "broad white" fibres of the pigeon pectoralis muscle only; the subsarcolemmal mitochondria of the narrow red fibres lacked such a reaction pattern. The above reaction pattern, however, differed when compared with the menadione-linked alpha-GPD reaction. The present histochemical evidence suggests the existence of an inherent heterogeneity in the mitochondrial populations of the different avian striated muscle fibres studied.     

Reduction of nitrite to nitrous oxide by a cytoplasmic membrane fraction from the marine denitrifier Pseudomonas perfectomarinus

A cytoplasmic membrane fraction from the marine denitrifier Pseudomonas perfectomarinus reduced nitrite to nitrous oxide in a stoichiometric reaction without nitric oxide as free intermediate. The membrane system had a specific requirement for FMN with NAD(P)H as electron donors. Other electron donors were ascorbate-reduced cytochrome c-551 or phenazine methosulfate. The membrane fraction contained tightly bound cytochrome cd which represented only a small portion of the total cytochrome cd of the cell. As further terminal oxidase cytochrome o was identified. The membrane fraction produced also nitrous oxide from nitric oxide, however, at a substantially lower rate than from nitrite when using ascorbate-reduced phenazine methosulfate as electron donor.     

Interrelation between salvage of purine nucleotides and protein synthesis in rat heart cells

The effect of transition from a respiring to a respiration-inhibited state on the rate of protein synthesis was investigated in glycolyzing, cultured rat heart cells. The rate was found to be significantly lower after blocking respiration, and it was further decreased by L-lactate. In contrast, pyruvate or phenazine methosulfate prevented the drop in the rate caused by lack of respiration. The changes in the respiratory state also affected the steady-state concentration of ATP, which varied in the same sense as the rate of protein synthesis. Pyruvate or phenazine methosulfate induced an increment in the concentration of ATP of respiration-inhibited cells. This increment could not be accounted for by more extensive phosphorylation of the available purine nucleotides, but required repletion of the pool by synthesis of purine nucleotides through the salvage pathway. Pyruvate and phenazine methosulfate were found to stimulate incorporation of labeled hypoxanthine into the purine nucleotide fraction in general, and into the nucleotide triphosphates in particular. Under similar incubation conditions an increase in the ATP/ADP ratio was also noted. The stimulatory effect of pyruvate on protein synthesis and on the cellular level of ATP was also observed in respiration-inhibited 3T6 cells and in human fibroblasts, but not in human fibroblasts deficient in the salvage enzyme, hypoxanthine-guanine-phosphoribosyltransferase. Based on the demonstrated influence of L-lactate, pyruvate, and phenazine methosulfate on the salvage synthesis of purine nucleotides [K. Ravid, P. Diamant, and Y. Avi-Dor, (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 229, 632-639] and on the present findings, the connection between protein synthesis and the salvage activity is discussed.     

Direct oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein by pyocyanin and other redox-active compounds independent of reactive oxygen species production

Formation of dichlorofluorescein (DCF), the fluorescent oxidation product of 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (DCFH2), in cells loaded with the latter compound is often used to detect ROS formation. We previously found that exposure of DCFH2-loaded A549 cells to the Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretory product pyocyanin results in DCF formation, consistent with ROS production. However, since pyocyanin directly accepts electrons from NAD(P)H, we hypothesized that pyocyanin might directly oxidize DCFH2 to DCF without an ROS intermediate. Incubation of DCFH2 with pyocyanin rapidly resulted in DCF formation, the rate of which was proportional to the [pyocyanin] and was not inhibited by SOD or catalase. Phenazine methosulfate, a pyocyanin analog, was more effective than pyocyanin in generating DCF. Mitoxantrone and ametantrone also produced DCF. However, menadione, paraquat, plumbagin, streptonigrin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and 5-iminodaunorubicin did not. Pyocyanin, phenazine methosulfate, mitoxantrone, and ametantrone also oxidized dihydrofluorescein and 5- (and 6-) -carboxy-2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein, whereas dihydrorhodamine was oxidized only by pyocyanin or phenazine methosulfate. Under aerobic conditions, the interaction of DCFH2 with pyocyanin or phenazine methosulfate (but not mitoxantrone or ametantrone) produced superoxide, as detected by spin trapping. Direct oxidation of the fluorescent probes needs to be controlled for when employing these compounds to assess ROS formation by biological systems exposed to redox active compounds.     

Photoinactivation of acetylcholinesterase by erythrosin B and related compounds

Acetylcholinesterase was rapidly inactivated when exposed to light in the presence of xanthene dyes. Photosensitizing efficiency paralleled the dye triplet state quantum yields, increasing in the order fluorescein less than eosin B less than eosin Y less than erythrosin B less than rose bengal. The observed first-order rate constants of photoinactivation increased hyperbolically with dye concentration. Evidence for the formation of a dye-enzyme complex prior to inactivation was obtained from spectrophotometric and protein fluorescence quenching methods. The latter technique allowed estimates of the dye-enzyme dissociation constants for rose bengal (20 microM) and erythrosin B (30 microM). After photoinactivation, a portion of the dye became covalently bound to the enzyme. The photoinactivation reaction occurs in both aerobic (air saturated) and anaerobic (argon saturated) solution, with the rates of photoinactivation being about three to five times greater under the latter conditions. The aerobic reaction exhibits a large deuterium isotope enhancement effect and is largely (but not completely) quenched by 10(-2) M azide. The anaerobic reaction is unaffected by azide and exhibits only a small deuterium isotope effect. These results indicate that the photoinactivation reaction proceeds mainly by a type II (singlet oxygen mediated) pathway under aerobic conditions and by a type I (radical) pathway under anaerobic conditions. The enzyme was protected from inactivation by edrophonium, a competitive inhibitor, but not by d-tubocurarine, a peripheral-site ligand, indicating that destruction of a crucial residue at or near the catalytic site is an important component of the inactivation process. Extensive destruction of tryptophan undoubtedly occurs, at least under aerobic conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The reconstitution of photophosphorylation and the effect of inorganic phosphate at different pH's on the phenazine methosulfate photoinhibition of Rhodospirillum rubrum chromatophores

Preillumination of R. rubrum membranes in the presence of 50M phenazine methosulfate produces an inhibition of their photophosphorylating capacity.At low pH's phosphate protects against this photo-inhibition, whereas increasing the pH eliminates this protective effect. The inhibition can be produced not only by preillumination at high pH in the presence of phenazine methosulfate, but also by preillumination at low pH (5.0) and then shifting the pH to 8.0 in the dark. We have also measured the effect of preillumination in the presence of an uncoupler such as carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, and found that at normal pH's while photophosphorylation was protected, the uncoupler activated ATPase was inhibited pointing to a clear difference for both reactions and perhaps different structural requirements for their activities.The purified coupling factor protein isolated from either normal or photoinactivated membrane will reconstitute normal photophosphorylation in previously uncoupled membranes but not in uncoupled membranes which were inactivated by preillumination with phenazine methosulfate prior to uncoupling.     

A modification of isocitrate and malate dehydrogenase assays for use in crude cell free extracts

A modification of the assays for isocitrate and malate dehydrogenase, using phenazine methosulphate and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol, permits measurements on cell-free extracts. Phenazine methosulfate at concentrations higher than 30 nmoles/3 ml prevents the accumulation of NADPH or NADH and thus reduces errors due to endogenous oxidation of these compounds. The use of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol rather than a tetrazolium salt as the terminal electron acceptor allows continuous spectrophotometric measurement of enzyme activities.Assay for NADP-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase can be performed in aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Assays for malate dehydrogenase should be run under anaerobic conditions because of the interference by oxygen on the phenazine methosulfate mediated reduction of 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol by NADH. Under anaerobic conditions, where NADH oxidase is inoperative, the phenazine methosulfate/dichlorophenolindophenol assay is more sensitive than the assay using direct measurement of NADH at 340 nm.     

NAD+ Kinase Activities in Euglena Gracilis and Phaseolus Vulgaris

After an electrophoretic separation of proteins from Euglena gracilis and dry seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris in native conditions in polyacrylamide gels, gels were incubated in mixtures containing NAD+, Mg-ATP2-, glucose 6-phosphate, G6P dehydrogenase, and either phenazine ethosulfate and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (PES/MTT) or phenazine methosulfate and nitro blue tetrazolium (PMS/NBT) as coupled redox system for NAD+ kinase activity detection. In the presence of PES/MTT, 4 bands were revealed for E. gracilis, among which two corresponded to NAD+ kinase activity, the other corresponding to a NAD+ reductase activity due to alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). In the presence of PMS/NBT, only the bands of NAD+ kinase activity were revealed. With Phaseolus vulgaris, 3 bands of ADH were always revealed in both mixtures, and only the use of PMS/NBT allowed the detection of NAD+ kinase as a fourth band. With both materials, NAD+ reductase staining in gels was intensifed in the presence of GTP or ATP and even further with ADP or GDP. The results demonstrate that: 1) the NAD+ kinase and NAD+ reductase are two distinct enzymes; 2) the NAD+ reductase corresponds to ADH.     

Amino acid concentrations in Rhodospirillum rubrum during expression and switch-off of nitrogenase activity.

The amino acid concentrations in the phototrophic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum were measured during growth under nif-repressing and nif-derepressing conditions. The effects of ammonium, glutamine, darkness, phenazine methosulfate, and the inhibitors methionine sulfoximine and azaserine on amino acid levels of cells were tested. The changes were compared to changes in whole-cell nitrogenase activity and ADP-ribosylation of dinitrogenase reductase. Glutamate was the dominant amino acid under every growth condition. Glutamine levels were equivalent when cells were grown on high-ammonia (nif-repressing) medium or glutamate (nif-derepressing) medium. Thus, glutamine is not the solitary agent that controls nif expression. No other amino acid correlated with nif expression. Glutamine concentrations rose sharply when either glutamate-grown or N-starved cells were treated with ammonia, glutamine, or azaserine. Glutamine levels showed little change upon treatment of the cells with darkness or ammonium plus methionine sulfoximine. Treatment with phenazine methosulfate resulted in a decrease in glutamine concentration. The glutamine concentration varied independently of dinitrogenase reductase ADP-ribosylation, and it is concluded that an increase in glutamine concentration is neither necessary nor sufficient to initiate the modification of dinitrogenase reductase. No other amino acid exhibited changes in concentration that correlated consistently with modification. Glutamine synthetase activity and nitrogenase activity were not coregulated under all conditions, and thus the two regulatory cascades perceive different signal(s) under at least some conditions.     

Phototaxis and membrane potential in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum.

Cells of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum cultivated anaerobically in light show phototaxis. The behavior of individual cells in response to the phenomenon is reversal(s) of the swimming direction when the intensity of the light available to them abruptly decreases. The tactic response was inhibited by antimycin, an inhibitor of the photosynthetic electron transfer system. The inhibitory effect of antimycin was overcome by phenazine methosulfate. Motility of the cells was not impaired by antimycin under aerobic conditions. Valinomycin plus potassium also inhibited their phototactic response; however, valinomycin or potassium alone had no effect. A change in membrane potential of the cells was measured as an absorbance change of carotenoid. Changes in the membrane potential caused by "on-off" light were prevented by antimycin and by valinomycin plus potassium, but not by antimycin plus phenazine methosulfate nor valinomycin or potassium alone. The results indicated that the phototactic response of R. rubrum is mediated by a sudden change in electron flow in the photosynthetic electron transfer system, and that the membrane potential plays an important role in manifestation of the response.     

Mechanism of aromatic hydroxylation. Properties of a model for pyridine nucleotide-dependent flavoprotein hydroxylases

A model (NADH-phenazine methosulfate-O₂) formally similar to pyridine nucleotide-dependent flavoprotein hydroxylases catalyzed the hydroxylation of several aromatic compounds. The hydroxylation was maximal at acid pH and was inhibited by ovine Superoxide dismutase, suggesting that perhydroxyl radicals might be intermediates in this process. The stoichiometry of the reaction indicated that a univalent reduction of oxygen was occurring. The correlation between the concentration of semiquinone and hydroxylation, and the inhibition of hydroxylation by ethanol which inhibited semiquinone oxidation, suggested the involvement of phenazine methosulfate-semiquinone. Activation of hydroxylation by Fe³⁺ and Cu²⁺ supported the contention that univalently reduced species of oxygen was involved in hydroxylation. Catalase was without effect on the hydroxylation by the model, ruling out H₂O₂ as an intermediate. A reaction sequence, involving a two-electron reduction of phenazine methosulfate to reduced phenazine methosulfate followed by disproportionation with phenazine methosulfate to generate the semiquinone, was proposed. The semiquinone could donate an electron to O₂ to generate O₂ which could be subsequently protonated to form the perhydroxyl radical.     

Existence of ether bond-cleaving enzyme in a polyethylene glycol-utilizing symbiotic mixed culture

Abstract Diglycolic acid dehydrogenase activity linked with 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol and phenazine methosulfate was found in the particulate fraction of the cell-free extract of a mixed culture of Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas species grown on polyethylene glycol 6000. The amount of glyoxylic acid formed increased with the increase in reaction time and enzyme concentration. Horse heart cytochrome c , 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl 2H-tetrazolium bromide, and nitro blue tetrazolium, served as hydrogen acceptors in the presence of phenazine methosulfate. Enzyme activity was competitively inhibited by 1,4-benzoquinone. The enzyme was also active on tetraethylene glycol dicarboxylic acid, a metabolite of tetraethylene glycol, and on methoxy- or ethoxyacetic acid.     

Reduction of methemoglobin by cobaltocytochrome c catalyzed by mediators.

The reduction of methemoglobin by cobaltocytochrome c (Cocyt c) has been measured using nine mediators of different half-reduction potentials, Em, 7. The rate increases with the increase of Em, 7 for the mediator but dropped precipitously when it becomes more positive than the Em, 7 for the methemoglobin/hemoglobin couple. The reaction is most efficient with phenzaine methosulfate, therefore it was studied in detail. The reaction is first order in the concentrations of Cocyt c and phenazine methosulfate. The average second-order rate constant for Cocyt c + phenazine methosulfate (M) k1 leads to Cocyt c+ M-. is 2.9 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 at 25 degrees C, 0.1 M phosphate pH 7.0. There is a slight negative temperature dependence of k1 at low temperature; at higher temperatures the process has deltaH not equal to approximately 27 kJ mol-1 and deltaS not equal to approxmately - 75 J mol-1 K-1. The effect of anions reflects the dependence of Em, 7 for the methemoglobin/hemoglobin couple with various anions. There is no significant effect on k1 by the addition of inositol hexakisphosphate. The variation of k1 with pH is complicated. The experimental rate constants are compared with values calculated with the theory of nonadiabatic multiphonon process of electron tunneling.     

Active transport of manganese in isolated membrane vesicles of Bacillus subtilis.

Membrane vesicles isolated from cells of bacillus subtilis W23 accumulate manganese in the presence of an energy source. The artificial electron donor system ascorbate and phenazine methosulfate or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and phenazine methosulfate can supply the energy for the uptake. D-Lactate in the presence or absence of phenazine methosulfate would not support manganese accumulation. Anaerobiosis, cyanide, m-chlorophenyl carbonylcyanide hydrozone, valinomycin, gramicidin, and p-hydroxy-mercuribenzoate inhibit the uptake. The inhibition by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate is prevented by excess dithiothreitol. Potassium fluoride or sodium arsenate has no effect on the uptake. The manganese transport system in the B. subtilis vesicles exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a Km of 13 muM and a Vmax of 1.7 nmol/min per mg (dry weight) of membranes. The uptake of manganese is specific and is not inhibited by 0.1 mM CaCL2 or Mgcl2.     

An NADH-tetrazolium-coupled sensitive assay for malate dehydrogenase in mitochondria and crude tissue homogenates

A sensitive spectrophotometric assay for determining mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase activity is described. The assay measures NADH production by coupling it to the reduction of 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT). Via an intermediate electron carrier, either phenazine methosulfate or lipoamide dehydrogenase, INT accepts electrons and is reduced to a red-colored formazan, which can be quantified by spectrophotometer at 500 nm. This assay uses only commercial reagents but gives a 2-5 fold (with lipoamide dehydrogenase) or 5-20 fold (with phenazine methosulfate) activity increase over currently available assays for pure enzyme in mitochondria isolated from human neuroblastoma cells, rat brain and liver, and crude homogenates of rat brain and liver. The assay can be easily performed with 96-well plate and less than 2.5 microg protein of isolated mitochondria or crude tissue homogenate. These results suggest that this assay is a simple, sensitive, stable and inexpensive method with wide application.     

Quantitative dehydrogenase histochemistry with exogenous electron carriers (PMS,MPMS, MB)

Summary The relative efficiencies of phenazine methosulfate (PMS), 1-methoxy-phenazine methosulfate (MPMS) and Meldola Blue (MB) as electron carriers were determined biochemically (non-enzymic NADH-tetrazolium salt-test) and by quantitative histochemistry (heart and kidney slices; succinate dehydrogenase, SDH; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH). MPMS developed the highest electron transfer velocity in biochemical assays. The reaction was independent of the pH value between 7.0–8.5. PMS and MB always showed a lower transfer ability in biochemical tests which was higher with iodonitrotetrazolium chloride (INT) than with nitro blue tetrazolium chloride (NBT). A distinct pH dependence was demonstrable with MB in this respect, preferentially using INT as tetrazolium salt.Quantitative histochemical results with electron carriers are often at variance with biochemical ones. MPMS leads to somewhat higher demonstrable activities only in the determination of the NAD-dependent LDH, whereas MB results in somewhat higher LDH activity than PMS (reaction medium with agarose). MB and PMS yielded almost equally high activities in the demonstration of the flavoprotein-dependent SDH using a reaction medium with agarose. With an aqueous reaction medium, PMS resulted in higer SDH activities than MB. MPMS always had the lowest efficiency in electron transfer ability using an aqueous or agarose containing reaction medium (SDH). With PVA in the reaction medium (SDH determination) PMS was clearly superior to MPMS. MB showed only a small transfer activity under these conditions because PVA seems to bind MB almost completely. It is concluded that in histochemistry an appropriate electron carrier and electron carrier concentration must be determined for different incubation conditions, tissues, tissue preparations and dehydrogenases studied. General statements about the efficiency or inefficiency of an electron carrier as a result of only one incubation condition does not seem to be justified.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (SFB 105)     

Oxidation of C1-compounds in Pseudomonas C.

Extracts of Pseudomonas C grown on methanol as a sole carbon and energy source contain a methanol dehydrogenase activity which can be coupled to phenazine methosulfate. This enzyme catalyzes two reactions namely the conversion of methanol to formaldehyde (phenazine methosulfate coupled) and the oxidation of formaldehyde to formate (2,6-dichloroindophenol-coupled). Activities of glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase (NAD+) and formate dehydrogenase (NAD+) were also detected in the extracts. The addition of D-ribulose 5-phosphate to the reaction mixtures caused a marked increase in the formaldehyde-dependent reduction of NAD+ or NADP+. In addition, the oxidation of [14C]formaldehyde to CO2, by extracts of Pseudomonas C, increased when D-ribulose 5-phosphate was present in the assay mixtures. The amount of radioactivity found in CO2, was 6;8-times higher when extracts of methanol-grown Pseudomonas C were incubated for a short period of time with [1-14C]glucose 6-phosphate than with [U-14C]glucose 6-phosphate. These data, and the presence of high specific activities of hexulose phosphate synthase, phosphoglucoisomerase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase indicate that in methanol-grown Pseudomonas C, formaldehyde carbon is oxidized to CO2 both via a cyclic pathway which includes the enzymes mentioned and via formate as an oxidation intermediate, with the former predominant.