Sulfhydryl groups of cyclic AMP-dependent histone kinase from pig brain]

A preparative method of isolation of the histone kinase regulatory subunit has been developed. The total number of cysteine residues in the enzyme (13 residues) and in each of its subunits (3 residues in the catalytic subunit and 10 residues in the regulatory one), has been determined. Two disulfide bridges have been found in the regulatory subunits. The relative availability of the sulfhydryl groups with respect to different modifying agents has been studied. It has been demonstrated that SH-groups blocking does not change essentially the enzyme activity.     

A new metalloproteinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype I

Isolation and purification of a metalloproteinase from Pseudomonas fluorescens Biotype I are described. The molecular mass of the enzyme is 46 kDa, its isoelectric point is 8.1, its activity is trypsin-like. The amino-acid composition of the single chain protein is given. One molecule of the enzyme contains 1 atom of zinc and 9 atoms of calcium.     

Sulfhydryl groups of rabbit liver arylsulfatase A

Rabbit liver arylsulfatase A (aryl-sulfate sulfhydrolase, EC 3.1.6.1) monomers of 130 kDa contain two free sulfhydryl groups as determined by spectrophotometric titration using 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) and by labeling with the fluorescent probe 5-(iodoacetamidoethyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid. Fluorescence quenching data indicate that the reactive sulfhydryl is present in proximity to one or more tryptophan residues. Chemical modification of the sulfhydryl groups does not alter the distinctive pH-dependent aggregation property of the arylsulfatase A. The free sulfhydryls of the enzyme react with numerous sulfhydryl reagents. Based on the reactions of iodoacetic acid, methyl methanethiosulfonate, 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) and 5-(iodoacetamidoethyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid with the sulfhydryl groups of arylsulfatase A, it is concluded that free sulfhydryls are not essential for the enzyme activity. In contrast, the observed inactivation of the enzyme by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate or p-hydroxymercuriphenylsulfonate is probably due to a modification of a histidine residue, consistent with previous reports that histidine is near the active site of arylsulfatase A. p-Hydroxymercuribenzoate and p-hydroxymercuriphenylsulfonate are able to react both with cysteine and with histidine residues of the protein molecule.     

Sulfhydryl groups of aldosterone receptors from swine kidney

Specific [3H]aldosterone binding activity in swine kidney cytosol was inactivated by pretreatment of the cytosol with monoiodoacetamide (pH 8.5), N-ethylmaleimide (pH 7.0), or 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoate) (pH 7.5). Dithiothreitol restored the specific binding activity inactivated by the nitrobenzoate, but not that inactivated with ethylmaleimide. Incubation of the cytosol with aldosterone prior to pretreatment with ethylmaleimide protected the receptors from inactivation. The rank order of steroids for the protection was: aldosterone greater than hydrocortisone greater than or equal to dexamethazone = progesterone greater than triamcinolone greater than estradiol. The initial velocity of the specific hormone binding could be determined by the binding reaction for 60 sec at 30 degrees. Double reciprocal plots of the initial velocity versus the hormone concentration with or without the nitrobenzoate showed a typical pattern of competition between the hormone and the inactivator. The results indicated the presence of functional sulfhydryl groups on the hormone binding sites of aldosterone receptors.     

Isolation and characterization of lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens 533-5b]

The enzyme was isolated from the culture fluid of Pseudomonas fluorescens 533-5b and purified by precipitation with (NH4)SO4 and acetone and by gel filtration through Sephadex G-200. The enzyme was found homogeneous during polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis. The effects of metal ions, inhibitors, bile salts, temperature, pH and the substrate specificity of the enzyme were studied. It was shown that the enzyme from Ps. fluorescens 533-5b has a broad specificity. It can use as substrates many vegetable oils (olive, soybean, castor, sunflower, corn, mustard, linseed). In addition, the enzyme is capable to hydrolyze synthetic triglycerides consisting of short-chained saturated fatty acids (butyric and caproic) and solid triglycerides containing saturated fatty acids with long carbon chains (myristic, lauric, stearic). It is assumed that the enzyme is a glycoprotein; its molecular weight (320,000) and the amino acid composition were determined.     

Biological properties of an asparaginase-glutaminase preparation from Pseudomonas fluorescens in cell cultures]

Specific L-asparaginase activity and non-specific cytotoxicity of asparaginase-glutaminase preparation from Pseudomonas fluorescens were studied. Two cell lines, i.e. the asparaginase-dependent (Berkitt lymphoma cells) and the asparaginase-independent (the ovary cancer cells) were used as the test-system. Incorporation of 3H-timidine into DNA was used as the criterion of the drug effect on the cells. Krasnitin was used as the reference preparation. The preparation of asparaginase-glutaminase was inferior to krasnitine by its specific antitumour asparaginase activity and superior to it by the general cytotoxicity in the cells of CaOv. With the help of the above test-system it is possible to study the specific asparaginase activity of the drugs containing L-asparaginase. For studying the specific glutaminase properties it is necessary to develop another cell test-system.     

Three-dimensional structure of kynureninase from Pseudomonas fluorescens

Kynureninase [E.C. 3.7.1.3] is a pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolytic cleavage of l-kynurenine to anthranilic acid and l-alanine. Sequence alignment with other PLP-dependent enzymes indicated that kynureninase is in subgroup IVa of the aminotransferases, along with nifS, CsdB, and serine-pyruvate aminotransferase, which suggests that kynureninase has an aminotransferase fold. Crystals of Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase were obtained, and the structure was solved by molecular replacement using the CsdB coordinates combined with multiple isomorphous heavy atom replacement. The coordinates were deposited in the PDB (ID code 1QZ9). The structure, refined to an R factor of 15.5% to 1.85 A resolution, is dimeric and has the aminotransferase fold. The structure also confirms the prediction from sequence alignment that Lys-227 is the PLP-binding residue in P. fluorescens kynureninase. The conserved Asp-201, expected for an aminotransferase fold, is located near the PLP nitrogen, but Asp-132 is also strictly conserved and at a similar distance from the pyridinium nitrogen. Mutagenesis of both conserved aspartic acids shows that both contribute equally to PLP binding, but Asp-201 has a greater role in catalysis. The structure shows that Tyr-226 donates a hydrogen bond to the phosphate of PLP. Unusual among PLP-dependent enzymes, Trp-256, which is also strictly conserved in kynureninases from bacteria to humans, donates a hydrogen bond to the phosphate through the indole N1-hydrogen.     

Orthophosphite-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Oxidoreductase from Pseudomonas fluorescens

Information was obtained on the general properties and specificity of orthophosphite-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide oxidoreductase. The enzyme was extracted from Pseudomonas fluorescens 195 grown in medium containing orthophosphite as the sole source of phosphorus. An enzyme preparation suitable for characterization was obtained from crude extracts by use of high-speed centrifugation, protamine sulfate precipitation, ammonium sulfate fractionation, and Sephadex gel filtration. The enzyme exhibited maximal activity at pH 7.0, and was inactivated within 6 min at 37 C. Arsenite, hypophosphite, nitrite, selenite, and tellurite were not oxidized by the enzyme. Sulfite inhibited the enzymatic oxidation of orthophosphite in an apparent competitive manner.