Synthesis of protein,nucleosides and other organic compounds from cyanamide and potassium nitrite under possible primitive earth conditions

The mixing of cyanamide and KNO₂ produced changes from white solids to yellow liquid and then to orange solid. The gases cyanogen and ammonia were formed. No external energy was used. The reactions were carried out with a small amount of O₂. The presence of proteins in the reaction product formed 13 months after the mixing was indicated by the positive reactions of the cyanamide-KNO₂ reaction product with ninhydrin, microbiuret, and Folin reagent; the ultraviolet absorption at about 280 nm; the yield of 24% of 15 amino acids; and molecular weight measurements of more than 160 000. The presence of nucleosides, nucleic acid bases, hydrocarbons, and organic esters in the reaction product formed 2 months after the mixing was indicated by ultraviolet absorption at about 260 nm, and the results of ligand-exchange chromatography, paper chromatography, infrared analysis, mass spectral analysis, and NMR spectroscopy. Possible cyanamide-mediated dehydration reactions and mechanisms are discussed.     

Spectrophotometric study on the oxidation of rutin by horseradish peroxidase and characteristics of the oxidized products

Rutin (3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone-3-rutinoside) was oxidized by a horseradish peroxidase-H2O2 system to an ascorbate-reducible product which had an absorption maximum at about 290 nm and a shoulder at about 440 nm at pH 4. At pH 7.8, ascorbate-reducible compounds and sodium hydrosulfite-reducible and -nonreducible compounds were formed by the oxidation. The ascorbate-reducible compounds consisted of at least two components, the absorption bands of which were at 460-480 nm and about 620 nm. The sodium hydrosulfite-reducible compounds also consisted of two components, and one of the components which had an absorption maximum at about 480 nm seems to be formed from the ascorbate-reducible component of an absorption maximum at the blue region by a nonenzymatic reaction. A mixture of oxidized products of rutin formed by tert-butyl hydroperoxide-dependent oxidation was similar to that formed by the enzymatic reaction. It is discussed that the 3'- and 4'-OH groups of rutin were oxidized by the horseradish peroxidase-H2O2 system and that the oxidized product which could be reduced by ascorbate is an o-quinone derivative.     

Isolation and properties of human neutrophil myeloperoxidase

Human leukocyte myeloperoxidase has been purified to homogeneity by a three-step procedure which includes dialysis of a granule extract against low-salt buffer. Sephadex G-75 chromatography, and carboxymethylcellulose chromatography. The final product was homogeneous when examined by acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and sedimentation equilibrium ultracentrifugation. The molecular weight determined by the latter procedure was 118000. With or without reduction of the protein by 2-mercaptoethanol, subunits were formed which migrated as a single band after sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. With reduction, the molecular weight of the apparently identical subunits was 59000, and 42000 without reduction. Other general properties of human leukocyte myeloperoxidase, including amino acid composition, amino terminal sequence analysis, and absorption spectra, are also reported. Myeloperoxidase, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and chloride ion, and no other substrate, autoinactivates. After completion of the inactivation reaction, several oxidizable amino acids in the enzyme are modified, and the absorption peak at 430 nm disappears. The presence of a substrate of the myeloperoxidase system (alpha-1-proteinase inhibitor), or of high concentration of chloride ion, completely protects the enzyme from autoinactivation.     

Nonenzymatic modifications of amino sugars in vitro

Browning reactions of amino sugars were observed in a variety of sterile pH buffers at 25-37 degrees C. These reactions were signaled by an increase in absorbance at 273 nm, followed by an increase in absorbance at 320-360 nm. The reactions were maximal at pH 7.0 in phosphate buffer. Acidic solutions (pH less than 2.2) of 50 mM D-glucosamine hydrochloride gave only a negligible reaction and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucose was unreactive. Half of the D-glucosamine in a 100 mM solution in sterile 0.2 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, at 37 degrees C decomposed or was transformed in 27 h. A comparison of reactivity in generating A273 and A340 chromophores showed D-mannosamine greater than D-galactosamine greater than D-glucosamine. Permanganate oxidation of incubated glucosamine solutions afforded a compound which chromatographed like 2,5-pyrazinedicarboxylic acid and gave the same ultraviolet absorption spectrum. This, together with fractionating and thin-layer chromatography of the products of glucosamine incubation, suggests that 2,5-bis(tetrahydroxybutyl)pyrazine is formed as one of the products of autocondensation of D-glucosamine in accord with the report of Candiano et al. (1988, Carbohydr. Res. 184, 67-75) on products formed in glucosamine-lysine incubation mixtures. Formation of products absorbing at 325-360 nm was inhibited by the chelator diethylene-triaminepentaacetic acid. This suggests that the later reactions may be mediated by a metal-stimulated free radical mechanism. After 4 days incubation high molecular weight products with absorbance maxima at 273 nm and 325-360 nm were detected. Some of these were retained by dialysis membranes of molecular weight cut-off greater than 3500 and greater than 12,000.     

近江牡蛎铜锌超氧化物歧化酶的纯化及部分性质研究

经６５℃加热,硫酸铵分级沉淀,ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－１００凝胶过滤和ＤＥ－５２柱层析,从近江牡蛎（ＯｓｔｒｅａｒｉｖｕｌａｒｉｓＧｏｕｌｄ）软体部分提纯了铜锌超氧化物歧化酶（Ｃｕ,Ｚｎ－ＳＯＤ）．对其理化性质鉴定表明,用此法纯化的酶纯度均一．该酶系由两个相同亚基组成的二聚体,分子量２７．９ｋＤ．该酶的紫外吸收峰在２７２．５ｎｍ,红外光谱表现出其氨基酸组成特征,与猪血ＳＯＤ存在差异．该酶在不同的升温速率下及经不同浓度的Ｈ２Ｏ２处理后的稳定性与猪血ＳＯＤ不同．其氨基酸组成与不同来源的同类酶存在差异．     

菠菜铁型超氧化物歧化酶的纯化及性质

用聚丙烯胺梯度凝胶电泳法检测出菠菜ＳＯＤ同工酶谱带中含３条Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ活性带,菠菜叶Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ粗提取液经硫酸铵分部沉淀,ＤＥＡＥ－纤维素－Ａ５２和ＳｅｐｈａｄｅｘＧ－１００柱层析,纯化出单一的Ｆｅ－ＳＯＤ活性带,纯化酶的分子量为４２．６ｋＤ,亚基分子量为２１ｋＤ。对金属元素的分析表明,该酶每分子含２．６个Ｆｅ原子,该酶紫外区最大吸收峰为２７８ｎｍ,等电点为４．６,氨基酸组成和其它来源的Ｆｅ－ＳＯ     

Formation of 5-carbomethoxyvaleramidine during hydrolysis of the protein cross-linking agent dimethyl adipimidate

Imidoesters have been used in biological studies to measure interresidue distances of proteins and macromolecular complexes, and in hematology as antisickling agents. Treatment of human red blood cells with¹⁴C-labeled dimethyl adipimidate (DMA), a bifunctional imidoester with antisickling properties, was followed by gradual loss of radioactivity from the treated cells. The radioactive compound released was isolated by thin-layer chromatography and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry and by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet, and infrared spectroscopy as 5-carbomethyoxyvaleramidine, which was also shown to be the major product of DMA hydrolysis in vitro at physiologic pH in phosphate buffer. High-resolution mass spectrometry studies indicated that this product is formed via cyclization to a reactive intermediate (7-methoxy-2-imino-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-azepine) followed by hydrolysis. The intermediate exhibited strong UV absorbance, maximal at 232 nm. Such an intermediate would be capable of participating in cross-linking reactions which would have smaller dimensions than those observed with the imidoester in its extended form. The hydrolysis product, an unreactive species, should have no toxic effects on individuals receiving infusions of DMA-treated red cells.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of N-[2- (hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-(7-guaninyl)ethyl)]methylamine, a reaction product between nitrogen mustard and DNA and its application to biological samples

Nitrogen mustard (HN2) is a bifunctional alkylating agent which is thought to cause cytotoxicity by covalently binding to DNA. Most studies to date have looked at qualitatively determining the presence of DNA–HN2 adducts from reactions with native DNA. The adduct which is predominately formed in these reactions is N-[2-(hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-(7-guaninyl)ethyl]methylamine (N7G). A simple and sensitive reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of N7G from DNA using ultraviolet detection is described. DNA samples having been exposed to HN2 treatment were hydrolyzed and preseparated from high-molecular-mass material by filtration using a molecular mass cut-off of 3000. The mobile phase consisted of methanol–26 mM ammonium formate, pH 6.5 (24:76, v/v). N7G, as well as the internal standard, methoxyphenol, were separated within 30 min. The recovery of N7G after hydrolysis of the DNA reaction product was quantitative and limits of detection and quantification of 10 and 20 ng/ml, respectively, were calculated. The method was validated in DNA–HN2 dose response experiments. The N7G reaction product appears to be the first reaction product formed at lower ratios of HN2/DNA but its production plateaus at higher ratios of HN2/DNA probably due to increased formation of hitherto unknown adducts. The method is simple and sensitive and for this reason, may be suited for the determination of DNA/HN2 reaction products.     

Production of molybdenum-coordinating compound by Bacillus thuringiensis.

Bacillus thuringiensis (ATCC 10792) produces a molybdenum reactive compound (given the trivial name chelin) during growth on iron-deficient medium. This compound accumulates in the culture medium in direct relation to the amount of L-arginine added and reaches a maximum concentration 24 to 48 h after the stationary phase of growth. Chelin absorbs light in the ultraviolet region with absorption maxima at 315 and 248 nm and minima at 284 and 240 nm. Chelin reacts with Na2MoO4, but not with Mo2O4(H2O)6-2+, to form a bright yellow molybdo-chelin complex which absorbs light with an absorption maximum at 330 nm, a minimum at 288 nm, and shoulders at 255 and 400 nm. The differential absorption of molybdo-chelin versus chelin at 425 nm can be used to quantify chelin. This differential absorbance is linear with increasing concentrations of Na2MoO4 and was used to calculate the molar extinction coefficient of molybdochelin at 425 nm (epsilon similar to 6,200). Chelin binds MoO4-2 minus to form a complex (molybdochelin) which migrates as a single band and elutes as a single peak, during acrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephadex G-15 gel filtration. Molecular weight determinations using Sephadex G-15 gel filtration resulted in an estimated molecular weight of 550 for chelin and an estimated molecular weight of 760 for molybdo-chelin. The peptide nature of chelin is indicated by its positive ninhydrin reaction on thin-layer chromatography plates and by the presence of amino acids in acid-hydrolyzed samples. The major amino acid residues detected were threonine, glycine, and alanine.     

Liver-microsome-mediated formation of alkylating agents from vinyl bromide and vinyl chloride.

When a mixture of vinyl chloride/oxygen or vinyl bromide/air was passed through a mouse-liver microsomal system, volatile alkylating metabolites were trapped by reaction with excess 4-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine. The absorption spectra of the adducts, either from vinyl bromide or vinyl chloride, were identical with that obtained by reaction of chloroethylene oxide with 4-(4-nitrobenzyl) pyridine. Chloroethylene oxide decomposes in aqueous solution with a half-life of 1.6 minutes. After reaction of chloroethylene oxide and 2-chloroacetaldehyde with adenosine and Sephadex chromatography the binding products were compared with those formed in the presence of vinyl chloride, mouse-liver microsomes and adenosine. A common product of these reactions was tentatively characterized as 3-β-ribofuranosyl-imidazo-[2,1-i]purine.     

The production of oxyluciferin during the firefly luciferase light reaction.

The luciferase-product complex (E · P) was isolated from the reaction mixture after light emission had occurred. The spectral properties of the product in the E · P complex are similar to those of oxyluciferin, with a broad absorption at 385 nm. The enzyme from the complex regains full activity upon the addition of substrates. The product is not covalently bound to the enzyme and readily dissociates in the presence of 6 m urea. The isolated E · P complex was found to have 1 mol of oxyluciferin per 100,000 daltons of luciferase. No AMP could be detected in the E·P complex unless inorganic pyrophosphatase was present during the reaction. In that case 1 mol of AMP per 100,000 daltons was found.Stopped flow studies showed that an increase in 385 nm absorption occurred concomitant with light emission. Measurement of the initial rate of product formation and the rate of photon emission showed they were identical, suggesting that oxyluciferin is indeed the light-emitting product. In the initial burst of the reaction two oxyluciferin moles per 100,000 daltons of luciferase are formed. A plot of the log of the initial rate of product formation was biphasic, indicating that the first mole of product is formed at a faster rate than the second. These results are consistent with previous experiments. However, they do not resolve the question of the molecular weight of the catalytically active species.     

Resistance of Rhizobium strains to phygon, spergon, and thiram.

Strains of Rhizobium meliloti, Rhizobium sp. nodulating cowpeas, and R. phaseoli derived from cultures susceptible to tetramethylthiuram disulfide (thiram), 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone (phygon), and 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-p-benzoquinone (spergon), respectively, grew in the presence of high concentrations of the fungicides and converted them to products not toxic to the sensitive rhizobia. The results of chemical assays demonstrated that the pesticides were destroyed by the resistant bacteria but not by the susceptible parent rhizobia. Resting cells of thiram-metabolizing R. meliloti formed large quantities of dimethyldithiocarbamate, dimethylamine, and CS2 from the pesticide. The products were characterized by gas and thin-layer chromatography, colorimetric reactions, and ultraviolet spectrometry. Dimethylamine and CS2 were formed spontaneously from dimethyldithiocarbamate, but the yield was higher in the presence of R. meliloti. The phygon-resistant bacterium converted the fungicide to five metabolites and thereby rendered the chemical nontoxic to a test fungus. The resistant strain of R. phaseoli generated at least one organic product and released about one-third of the chlorine during its detoxication of spergon.     

Enzymatic and nonenzymatic dehydration reactions of L-arogenate

L-Arogenate, an immediate precursor of either L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, or both in many microorganisms and plants, may undergo two types of dehydration reactions that yield products of increased stability. Under acidic conditions, a facile aromatization attended by loss of the C-4 hydroxyl and the C-1 carboxyl moieties results in quantitative conversion to L-phenylalanine. When aromatization was largely prevented by maintaining pH in the range of 7.5-12, a second dehydration reaction occurred in which the alanyl side chain and the carboxyl group at C-1 formed a lactam ring to yield spiro-arogenate. The latter reaction occurs at 100 degrees C, roughly 50% conversion being obtained in 2 h. The product formed from L-arogenate was authentic spiro-arogenate, as demonstrated by high-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography identification procedures. Further confirmation was obtained by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. Thus far, the conversion of L-arogenate to spiro-arogenate is not known to be enzyme catalyzed. The other dehydratase reaction, however, is catalyzed in nature by an enzyme denoted arogenate dehydratase. An improved assay is described for this in which [3H]dansyl derivatives of L-arogenate (substrate) and L-phenylalanine (product) are separated by using bidimensional thin-layer chromatography. The radioactive reaction product is then quantitated. This assay was used to study partially purified arogenate dehydratase from Pseudomonas diminuta, an organism that depends upon the arogenate pathway for L-phenylalanine biosynthesis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Methylation of chloroplatinate by methylcobalamin.

Incubation of microM levels of K2PtCl6 and methylcobalamin (MeB-12) results in the complete conversion of MeB-12 to aquoB-12. Demethylation is optimal at pH 2.0 and is accelerated by the addition of K2PtCl4. The reaction is stoichiometric between MeB-12 and K2PtCl6 (1:1). Incubation of 40 microM K2PtCl6 with either 40 microM [Me-14C]MeB-12 or [Me-3H]MeB-12 followed by lyophilization converts 70% of the label to a stable form which is associated with Pt upon subsequent paper chromatography and electrophoresis. There is no preferential loss of 3H relative to 14C in the reaction product. When 50 mumoles each of [Me-14C]MeB-12 and K2PtCl6 were reacted and subjected to column chromatography, a labeled UV-absorbing product was separated with a 14C/Pt ratio of 0.9-1.2. The 14C-Pt product has absorption maxima at 260 nm and 208 nm with a minimum at 240 nm (A240 nm/A260 nm = 0.5). Proton NMR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of an H-C-Pt covalent bonding pattern (J for 1H, 195Pt = 78.2 Hz; tau for 194Pt-Me + 196Pt-Me = 6.956).     

A novel thiamine-derived pigment,pyrizepine, formed by the Maillard reaction

To find a Maillard pigment derived from thiamine, a solution containing glucose and thiamine was heated and analyzed with high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with diode-array detection. As a result, a unique peak showing an absorption maximum at 380 nm was detected. This peak was then isolated from a reaction solution containing glucose, lysine and thiamine, and was identified as 1-(2-methyl-6,9-dihydro-5H-pyrimido[4,5-e][1,4]diazepin-7-yl)ethan-1-one using instrumental analyses. This compound, named pyrizepine, was a novel yellow pigment having a fused ring consisting of pyrimidine and diazepine. Pyrizepine was a major low-molecular-weight pigment in the reaction solution. The structure suggests that pyrizepine is formed by condensation reaction between a degradation product of thiamine and a tetrosone derivative formed from glucose by the Maillard reaction.     

ATP generation by the plasma membranes of human placental cells as affected by insulin and epidermal growth factor

Transient ATP synthesized by preparations enriched with plasmatic membranes of particles from the human placenta in the presence of insulin (4 micrograms/ml) and epidermal growth factor (1 microgram/ml) within 1 min after the addition of hormones at 30 degrees C, was isolated by means of chromatography on Dowex 1 X 8. ATP was synthesized in a medium containing Tris-HCl buffer, pH 7.5, ADP, Mg2+, and Pi during NADH-dependent oxidation in the presence of cytochrome C and oxygen. The amount of ATP was 10(-9) mole/mg protein/min. Quantitative assessment of ATP in lyophilized product was carried out by means of fluorimetry (excitation wavelength--360 nm; emission wavelength--460 nm) of NADH formed during coupled enzymatic reactions involving hexokinase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. A possible biological role of peptide growth factor-stimulated formation of transient ATP in plasmatic membranes is discussed.     

Initial reactions in the biodegradation of 1-chloro-4-nitrobenzene by a newly isolated bacterium, strain LW1

Bacterial strain LW1, which belongs to the family Comamonadaceae, utilizes 1-chloro-4-nitrobenzene (1C4NB) as a sole source of carbon, nitrogen, and energy. Suspensions of 1C4NB-grown cells removed 1C4NB from culture fluids, and there was a concomitant release of ammonia and chloride. Under anaerobic conditions LW1 transformed 1C4NB into a product which was identified as 2-amino-5-chlorophenol by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. This transformation indicated that there was partial reduction of the nitro group to the hydroxylamino substituent, followed by Bamberger rearrangement. In the presence of oxygen but in the absence of NAD, fast transformation of 2-amino-5-chlorophenol into a transiently stable yellow product was observed with resting cells and cell extracts. This compound exhibited an absorption maximum at 395 nm and was further converted to a dead-end product with maxima at 226 and 272 nm. The compound formed was subsequently identified by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry as 5-chloropicolinic acid. In contrast, when NAD was added in the presence of oxygen, only minor amounts of 5-chloropicolinic acid were formed, and a new product, which exhibited an absorption maximum at 306 nm, accumulated.     

Occurrence of a novel nucleotide, Zpp5'A2'p, in rat liver extracts

The nucleotide Zpp5'A2'p has been isolated from rat liver. Z stands for an unknown compound, probably a nucleoside. The preliminary structure of Zpp5'A2'p has been elucidated by treatment with phosphodiesterase and/or alkaline phosphatase and analysis of the products of the reaction by high pressure liquid chromatography. The following ultraviolet absorption spectral characteristics were determined at pH 7.0: Zpp5'A2'p (lambda max = 265 nm; A250/A260 = 0.76; A280/A260 = 0.83); Zp (lambda max = 280 nm; A250/A260 = 0.88; A280/A260 = 1.46). The molar extinction coefficient found for Zp, at 280 nm, was (7.5 + 0.9) X 10(3) M-1 cm-1. The base of Zp could correspond to an indole derivative.     

The use of diaminobenzidine for spectrophotometric and acrylamide gel detection of sulfite oxidase and its applicability to hydrogen peroxide-generating enzymes

DAB, in the presence of HRP, sulfite oxidase and FBS, polymerizes to a product with an absorption difference maximum at 352 nm. This reaction has been used as a sensitive and specific spectrophotometric assay for sulfite oxidase. Incubation of acrylamide gels containing sulfite oxidase with assay mixtures produces an insoluble product which precipitates where the enzyme is localized. This stain is at least as sensitive as the amido black protein stain and its specificity is such that no band is seen in the absence of substrate, and that only one band, migrating identically to purified enzyme is seen in rat liver homogenates. This polymerization reaction has been applied to other H₂O₂-generating enzymes and can be used to demonstrate the presence of these enzymes in the midst of other oxidases. DAB polymerization provides a sensitive spectrophotometric assay which can be used with either ultraviolet or visible optics. The application of this procedure to modified enzymes is discussed.     

Purification and properties of nitroalkane-oxidizing enzyme from Hansenula mrakii.

A nitroalkane-oxidizing enzyme was purified about 1,300-fold from a cell extract of Hansenula mrakii grown in a medium containing nitroethane as the sole nitrogen source by ammonium sulfate fractionation, diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column chromatography, hydroxyapatite column chromatography, and Bio-Gel P-150 column chromatography. The enzyme was shown to be homogeneous upon acrylamide gel electrophoresis and ultracentrifugation. The enzyme exhibits absorption maxima at 274, 370, 415, and 440 nm and a shoulder at 470 nm. Balance studies showed that 2 mol of 2-nitropropane is converted into an equimolar amount of acetone and nitrite with the consumption of 1 mol of oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is not formed in the enzyme reaction. In addition to 2-nitropropane, 1-nitropropane and nitroethane are oxidatively dentrified by the enzyme, but nitromethane is inert to the enzyme. The nitroalkanes are not oxidized under anaerobic conditions.