Activation of heart sarcolemmal Ca2+/Mg2+ ATPase by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase.

The sarcolemmal membrane obtained from rat heart by hypotonic shock-LiBr treatment method was found to incorporate ³²P from [γ-³²P] ATP in the absence and presence of cyclic AMP and protein kinase. The phosphorylated membrane showed an increase in Ca²⁺ ATPase and Mg²⁺ ATPase activities without any changes in Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity. The observed increase in $\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$ ATPase activity was found to be associated with an increase in V_max value of the reaction whereas K_a value for $\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{Mg}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}$ was not altered. These results provide information concerning biochemical mechanism for increased calcium entry due to hormones which are known to elevate cyclic AMP levels in myocardium and produce a positive inotropic effect.     

Rapid kinetic studies of calmodulin interactions with calcium and troponin I as monitored by anthroylcholine fluorescence

Anthroylcholine was utilized as an extrinsic fluorescent probe in rapid kinetic studies of calcium dissociation from calmodulin (k_off = 10 S^?1) and the calmodulin-troponin I complex (k_off = 6 S^?1). At concentrations lower than 70 μM, the mechanism of dye binding agreed with the simple kinetic scheme in which the dye binds exclusively to the respective calcium complexes of calmodulin and calmodulin-troponin I. The sensitivity of anthroylcholine also made possible the estimation of values for the association (1.0 ± 0.8) × 10⁸$\text{M}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$ S^?1) and dissociation rate constants (2 ± 170 S^?1) for troponin I binding to the calcium₄-calmodulin complex.     

Stimulation of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation by pyridoxal-5'-phosphate.

This paper presents evidence that the approximately two-fold increase in vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of the pentapeptide PheLeuGluGluLeu, but not of endogenous protein substrate, brought about by pyridoxal-5′-phosphate, is due to binding of the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate to microsomal enzyme(s), rather than to the pentapeptide. Pyridoxine inhibits this peptide carboxylation, while pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxamine-5′-phosphate have no effect on the reaction.     

Stimulation and modulation of adenylate cyclase by Sendai virus.

Stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity occurs in membranes prepared from toad erythrocytes preincubated briefly (at 37° or 4°) with ultraviolet light-inactivated Sendai virus. Stimulation occurs with as few as five virions per cell, and it is blocked by pretreating the virus with the membrane glycolipid, ganglioside GM₁. Virus treatment also alters modulation of adenylate cyclase by hormones, nucleotides and sodium fluoride. Interactions of viral envelope antigens with plasma membrane components may thus elicit functional changes possibly important in the pathogenesis of viral infections.     

Stimulation of differentiation of several murine embryonal carcinoma cell lines by retinoic acid

Retinoic acid stimulates several murine embryonal carcinoma (EC) cell lines, even those previously considered to be incapable of differentiating, to give rise to cell types distinguishable from the parental phenotype in morphology, production of plasminogen activator and surface protein properties. Retinoic acid promotes these changes over a range of low concentrations (10⁻⁹–10⁻⁵ M) which are generally non-toxic to the cells. The effects are clearly demonstrated when EC cells are aggregated prior to exposure to retinoic acid. It is concluded that the observed phenotypic alterations induced by retinoic acid reflect differentiation of the EC cells since non-EC cell characteristics are maintained by cloned cells several generations after retinoic acid is removed from the cultures. Our studies suggest that although retinoic acid stimulates the conversion of EC cells to differentiated derivatives, it does not influence the direction of differentiation. Furthermore, the effectiveness of retinoic acid in stimulating differentiation of EC cells from lines such as Nulli-SCC1 raises the question of whether true ‘nullipotent’ EC lines really exist.     

Stimulation of myometrial and decidual prostaglandin production by amniotic fluid from term,but not midtrimester pregnancies

The effect of amniotic fluid obtained from second trimester (16–20 wks) and term pregnancies (38–41 wks) on the production of PGE and F by human amnion, decidua and myometrium at term was determined using tissue slices incubated in vitro. Midpregnancy amniotic fluid neither inhibited nor stimulated the prostanoid production by any of the tissues. In contrast, term amniotic fluid obtained before as well as after the onset of labor markedly increased the production of both PGE and PGF in decidua and myometrium from levels in Krebs solution. The prostanoid production (PGE + PGF) in amnoin was not significantly increased but the proportion of PGF was raised during incubations in term amniotic fluid. In decidua and myometrium the increase in PGE and PGF production in term amniotic fluid was approximately 200 and 400 percent respectively, from control values in Krebs solution. We propose that the stimulatory activity in term amniotic fluid in responsible for the accelerated synthesis of prostaglandins after of membranes, which is reflected in raised PGF metabolite levels in maternal circulation. It may also be the reason for the rise in amniotic fluid prostaglandin levels around the 35th week of gestation, and perhaps for the onset of labor.     

Equimolar interaction between calmodulin and the Ca2+ ATPase from human erythrocyte membranes

The interaction between calmodulin and the pure, solubilized Ca²⁺ ATPase from human erythrocyte membranes was examined by kinetic titration. The data indicated that the two proteins interacted in a molar ratio of 1:1 with a K_d of 4.2 nm. The dependence of enzyme activity on calmodulin concentration agreed quantitatively with that predicted by kinetic theory.     

The influence of dietary calcium and phosphorus on intestinal calcium transport in rats given vitamin D metabolites.

A new method for the simple analysis of methylated amino acids based on autoradiography is introduced. With this technique a survey of protein methylation in a prokaryote, Escherichia coli, and a eukaryote, fibroblasts in culture, was carried out in an attempt to identify, quantitate, and determine the subcellular localization of all the methylated amino acids found in the proteins of these organisms.In mammalian cells using an established mouse fibroblast line (3T3), we have found that nuclei-free and mitochondria-free cytoplasm contain readily detectable amounts of four identifiable methylated amino acids: N^?,N^?-dimethyllysine, N^?,N^?,N^?-trimethyllysine, N^G,N^G-dimethylarginine (or N^G-methylarginine), and N^G,N′^G-dimethylarginine. The crude nuclear pellet also contains these methylated amino acids, but in addition contains N^?-methyllysine and a new as yet unidentified methylated compound. Histones purified from these nuclei contain essentially the same array of methylated compounds.The ribosomal subunits of the mammalian cells contained only small amounts of the methylated amino acids; the 40S subunit contained a substantial amount of just one, N^G,N^G-dimethylarginine (or N^G-methylarginine), and smaller amounts of N^G,N′^G-dimethylarginine, and an as yet unidentified methylated compound. The 60S subunit contained even smaller amounts of methylated amino acids, 50% of which was N^?,N^?,N^?-trimethyllysine and smaller amounts of N^?-methyllysine, N^?,N^?-dimethyllysine, and N^G,N^G-dimethylarginine. These subunits also contained an as yet unidentified methylated compoundThese results were in marked contrast to those that we obtained with the prokaryote, Escherichia coli. Only the proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit of the bacteria contained methylated amino acids. Of those present 50% was N^?,N^?,N^?-trimethyllysine, with the remainder distributed about equally between N^?-methyllysine and three unknowns, one of which is apparently the same as that found in the 60S subunit of the mouse fibroblasts. All of the N^?-methyllysine was apparently in the small acidic proteins, L7 and L12.     

Stimulation of ion release from liposomes by the polyene antibiotic, filipin.

The effect of the polyene antibiotic, filipin, upon release of the ions Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, SO₄^2? and phosphate out of phospholipid and phospholipid-cholesterol liposomal vesicles was studied. The addition of filipin at concentrations stoichiometrically comparable to the cholesterol concentration in the liposomes, resulted in 2–10 × stimulation of the rate of release of all of these ions. The filipin mediated stimulation of release of ions from liposomes was dependent upon the presence of cholesterol. The relative effectiveness of filipin increased when the mole percent of cholesterol incorporated into the liposomes increased from 10 to 50% and when the molar filipin:cholesterol ratio increased from 0.2 to 1.0. It has been previously shown that there is a 1:1 stoichiometry of interaction between filipin and cholesterol [Biochem. Biophys. Acta339, 57 (1974)]. The present studies suggest that this 1:1 stoichiometric interaction may also be responsible for the increased release of entrapped ions.A possible mechanism of action of polyene antibiotics is discussed which suggests that the rearrangement of membrane constituents occurring upon interaction of filipin with cholesterol is the basis for the enhancement of ion release. This would imply that the ion specificity observed upon interaction of polyene antibiotics with membranes would not only be determined by the polyene antibiotic itself, but also by the intrinsic properties of the membrane.     

Cytoplasmic droplets produced by the effect of adenine on Physarum plasmodia: Comparison with caffeine droplets and effect of calcium

Three independently established Drosophila cell lines, Schneider's line 3 (S3), Dübendorfer's line 1 (D1) and MDR3, an adenine salvage deficient clone of the Kc line, all cease to proliferate in the presence of ecdysterone. This is also observed with hybrids between S3 and MDR3 and between D1 and MDR3. It is shown that cells derived directly from wild-type Drosophila embryos can be hybridized with MDR3. Of nine such hybrids all proved to be able to proliferate in the presence of ecdysterone.     

Reconstitution of calcium transporters from Azotobacter vinelandii membranes

Plasma membranes from Azotobacter vinelandii contain two Ca²⁺ transport activities: an electrophoretic uniporter and an electroneutral $\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{2}\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ exchanger (P. Zimniak and E. M. Barnes, Jr. J. Biol. Chem.255, 10,140 (1980)). Both activities were reconstituted by the freeze-thaw technique of M. Kasahara and P. C. Hinkle (J. Biol. Chem.252, 7384 (1977)) using phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine (1:1) at a lipid-to-protein ratio of 40. Reconstitution was evidenced both by expansion of the intravesicular volume accessible to Ca²⁺ and by transfer of the transport activities to vesicles with a buoyant density less than that of native membranes. The Ca²⁺ transporters, reconstituted into K⁺-filled proteoliposomes, retained their dependence on the membrane potential or ΔpH induced by the addition of valinomycin or nigericin, respectively. The kinetic parameters of the reconstituted activities were similar to those in native membranes, as was their sensitivity to inhibitors. The sensitivities of the electrophoretic Ca²⁺ transporter to ruthenium red, morpholinoethanesulfonate, and external K⁺ and of the $\text{Ca}{}^{\mathrm{2+}}\text{2}\text{H}{}^{\mathrm{+}}$ antiporter to Sr²⁺ and heat treatment were also retained by the reconstituted system.     

Arsenazo I and tetramethylmurexide as optical calcium indicators

Calcium-binding stoichiometry, dissociation equilibrium constants at zero ionic strength (K⁰), and molar extinction difference coefficients (Δ?_λ) at the wavelength λ of the metallochromic indicators arsenazo I (ArsI) and tetramethylmurexide (TMX) were reevaluated with a computerized method based on mass conservation and thermodynamic consistency checks. This new method is shown to provide a more critical assessment of the assumed calcium-dye complexing model than is afforded by the commonly used reciprocal-plot method. The analyses of spectrophotometric Ca titrations confirm that both dyes form only 1:1 complexes in aqueous solution. For TMX, K⁰ = 1.3 × 10^?3m and Δ?₄₈₀ = 1.5 × 10⁴m^?1 cm^?1; for ArsI, K⁰ = 5.8 × 10^?3m and Δ?₅₆₂ = 1.8 × 10⁴m^?1 cm^?1 at pH 7.0 and T = 293°K. The discriminatory power of the analytical method is demonstrated by comparison of these results with those found for a different dye, arsenazo III, which complexes Ca in 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1 forms.     

Ca2+-independent stimulation of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase by calmodulin

Calmodulin purified from bovine brain markedly stimulated cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase from pig lung in the presence of cyclic GMP. This stimulation by calmodulin did not require Ca²⁺ and was dose-dependent up to optimal amounts, but the extent of stimulation decreased at concentrations over the optimal condition. The concentrations of cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP producing half-maximal stimulation were 4.5 × 10^?8 M and 5.0 × 10^?6 M respectively, under optimal conditions. Calmodulin increased maximum velocity without altering the Km for ATP. These effects of calmodulin on cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase were similar to those of the stimulatory modulator described by Kuo and Kuo (J. Biol. Chem. $\text{251}$, 4283–4286, 1976). Ouf findings indicate that calmodulin regulates enzyme activity both Ca²⁺-dependently and independently.     

The biosynthesis of ubiquinone in isolated rat heart cells

Beating heart cells were isolated from the adult rat and the biosynthesis of ubiquinone was studied. These cells were able to incorporate p-hydroxy[U-¹⁴C]benzoate into ubiquinone and some unidentified compounds, presumably intermediates in the biosynthesis of ubiquinone. The unidentified compounds were labile to alkali and were also labeled by [5-³H]-mevalonate and [methyl-³H]methionine, but not by p-hydroxy[carboxy-¹⁴C]benzoate. They appear to be chromatographically different from 5-demethoxy ubiquinone and 5-desmethyl ubiquinone. Addition of unlabeled mevalonate stimulated the incorporation of p-hydroxy [U-¹⁴C]benzoate into ubiquinone and the other compounds. The addition of dimethylsulfoxide to the isolated cells or the isolation medium caused inhibition of ubiquinone biosynthesis. Adriamycin was not inhibitory to the biosynthesis of ubiquinone in the cells. The advantages of these cells are the rapidity and ease in studying the biosynthesis of ubiquinone from various precursors and its regulation.     

Ouabain receptor in isolated adult dog heart myocytes

Ouabain binding was studied in isolated adult dog heart myocytes. The binding was correlated with the inhibition of K⁺-activated para-nitrophenylphosphatase (K⁺-PNPPase) activity and the beating response. It was shown that: (i) the specific binding was dependent upon Mg²⁺ and was inhibited by K⁺; (ii) the maximal binding capacity (B_max) was 7.4 × 10⁵ ouabain molecules per cell, or 410 pmol ouabain/K⁺-PNPPase unit (μmol/min); (iii) in the presence of Mg²⁺ (5 mm), there were two components in the Scatchard plot, i.e., a high-affinity component with a K_d value of 5.6 × 10^?8m and a low-affinity component with a K_d value of 6.7 × 10^?7m; (iv) the Hill coefficient (n′) for ouabain binding was 0.72 with a S_0.5 value of 7.1 × 10^?7m; these values were compatible with the values obtained from studies of K⁺-PNPPase inhibition by ouabain (n′ = 0.55, S_0.5 = 3.6 × 10^?7 m) and remained unchanged in the presence of physiological concentrations of Na⁺ plus K⁺; (v) in the presence of Mg²⁺ and K⁺, the high-affinity component tended to conform to the low-affinity component with an apparent decrease in B_max; (vi) in the presence of Mg²⁺ and para-nitrophenylphosphate, the low-affinity component was changed to the high-affinity component with no change in B_max; (vii) the dissociation rate of the labeled ouabain in the highly dilute medium was not altered in the presence of excess amounts of unlabeled ligand; this eliminated the possibility that the apparent negative cooperativity was due to a site-to-site interaction between receptors; (viii) ouabain increased the number of beating cells and the frequency of beating. Based on these findings, it is concluded that: (i) isolated myocytes possess functional receptors for ouabain; (ii) the binding of ouabain is associated with its inhibition of K⁺-PNPPase activity; (iii) ouabain receptors in isolated myocytes are of one class with at least two interconvertible conformational states.