Purification of an acidic structural protein from rat skin using Triton X-100.

An acidic protein was extracted with neutral-salt solutions from rat skin. When precipitated by dialysis against dilute acetic acid, the structural protein was separated from contaminating soluble collagens and other soluble proteins. The precipitate was dissolved in buffers containing 1% Triton X-100 and purified to apparent size and charge homogeneity by chromatography on a DEAE Bio-Gel A column. Triton X-100 was necessary for achieving nondestructive disaggregation of the protein which could be reversed by dialyzing out the detergent against methanol-dilute acetic acid.     

Effect of Triton X-100 on the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin by sphingomyelinase of rat brain.

Mixed dispersions of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 and sphingomyelin were used as substrate for sphingomyelinase of rat brain. The dependence of the rate of hydrolysis on the concentration of sphingomyelin was measured in two ways: at a fixed concentration of Triton X-100 or at varying concentrations of this detergent, while maintaining a fixed molar ratio of Triton X-100 to sphingomyelin. In either case, the upsilon vs. S curves deviated from the hyperbolic shape predicted by the Michaelis-Menten kinetic theory. These deviations are discussed and interpreted on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the mixed dispersions of detergent and lipid studied in previous papers.     

Purification of an Acidic Structural Protein from rat Skin Using Triton X-100

An acidic protein was extracted with neutral-salt solutions from rat skin. When precipitated by dialysis against dilute acetic acid, the structural protein was separated from contaminating soluble collagens and other soluble proteins. The precipitate was dissolved in buffers containing 1% Triton X-100 and purified to apparent size and charge homogeneity by chromatography on a DEAE Bio-Gel A column. Triton X-100 was necessary for achieving nondestructive disaggregation of the protein which could be reversed by dialyzing out the detergent against methanol-dilute acetic acid.     

Effect of Triton X-100 on properties of acetylcholinesterase from human erythrocytes

The effect of Triton X-100 on catalytic properties of acetylcholinesterase from human erythrocytes under acetylcholine hydrolysis, on sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase to specific phosphoorganic inhibitors and eserine, and on the mobility and isoenyme spectrum under analytical electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel is investigated. Triton X-100, independently on its concentration within 0.05-1.0%, slightly changes V and [S]opt values and increases Km value in 2-3 times. The inhibitory effect of Triton X-100 is mainly competitive, 0.5% Triton X-100 decreases bimolecular constant (kII) of the interaction of acetylcholinesterase with phosphoorganic inhibitor and eserine in 2.5-4 times. In the presence of phosphoorganic inhibitor, kII sharply decreased when 0.02% Triton X-100 was added, and then it did not change under the increase of Triton X-100 concentration up to 1.0%. On the basis of these data, an analytical method of estimating Triton X-100 content in protein solution is proposed. The introduction of 0.1% Triton X-100 into polyacrylamide gel results in considerable quantitative redistribution of acetylcholinesterase isoenzyme fractions and in the change of the mobility of one fraction under electrophoresis.     

Permeabilization of microorganisms by Triton X-100.

A simple permeabilization procedure has been developed which allows the reliable determination of enzyme activitiesin situ in a variety of different microorganisms. Permeabilization is obtained by freezing cell suspensions in the presence of a low concentration of the anionic detergent Triton X-100. After thawing, the cells can be used directly in the enzyme assays. The procedure has been optimized using the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Yeast cells are completely permeabilized by Triton X-100 concentrations of 0.05% (v/v), and permeabilization is independent of cell age and cell concentration. The treatment makes the cells freely diffusible for macromolecules up to molecular weights around 70,000. Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial amino acid biosynthetic enzymes as well as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases could be readily measured in treated cells. The method has been successfully applied to the determination of enzyme activities in other fungi as well as in gram-positive and gramnegative bacteria.     

Studies on Triton X-100 detergent micelles.

Triton X-100 micelle formation at 25 degrees C was studied by use of sedimentation equilibrium and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. The apparent molecular weight of the major Triton X-100 micelle was found to be 81250, indicating a micelle number of 125. A micelle number of 121 was obtained with fluorescence titration experiments, which showed one molecule of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate binding per micelle with an apparent association constant of 0.9 x 10(5) M. The fluorescent titration experiments also indicated the presence of another TX-100 binding species of variable size.     

Membrane-surfactant interactions. The effect of Triton X-100 on sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

The effect of Triton X-100 on purified sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles has been studied by means of chemical, ultrastructural and enzymic techniques. At low detergent/membrane ratios (about 1 Triton X-100 per 60 phospholipid molecules) the only effect observed is an increase in vesicle permeability. Higher surfactant concentrations, up to a 1:1 detergent/phospholipid ratio, produce a large enhancement of ATPase activity. Membrane solubilization occurs as a critical phenomenon when the surfactant/phospholipid molar ratio reaches a value around 1.5:1, corresponding to 2 mumol Triton X-100/mg protein. At this point, the suspension turbidity drops, virtually all the protein and phospholipid is solubilized and every organized structure disappears. Simultaneously, a dramatic increase in the specific activity of the solubilized ATPase is observed. The sudden solubilization of almost all the bilayer components at a given detergent concentration is attributed to the relative simplicity of this membrane system. Solubilization takes place at the same surfactant/membrane ratio, at least between 0.5 and 4 mg membrane protein/ml. The non-solubilized residue seems to consist mainly of delipidized aggregated forms of ATPase.     

Immunoprecipitation of Triton X-100-solubilized Mycoplasma mycoides proteins.

Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (PG1 and strain Y) proteins were solubilized in Triton X-100, and the antigenic proteins were precipitated from this complex mixture by addition of antiserum and then separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Of the 300 proteins solubilized, about 10 were precipitated. Proteins of PG1, a slow-growing, small colony (SC) strain, were precipitated by antiserum to PG1 and by antiserum to strain Y, a fast-growing, large colony (LC) strain. Similarly, strain Y proteins were precipitated by antiserum to PG1 and by antiserum to strain Y. The few proteins precipitated in this way gave similar patterns after two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicating that many of the dominant protein antigens of PG1 and strain Y are shared. Antiserum to Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (PG3) also precipitated some proteins of strain Y. Antiserum to Mycoplasma gallisepticum gave no reaction with any M. mycoides antigens. It was concluded that, in addition to the polysaccharide antigens, there are proteins in M. mycoides that are antigenic and that some of these are found in both the SC and LC strains of subsp. mycoides and also in subsp. capri.     

Hydrodynamic properties of human erythrocyte band 3 solubilized in reduced Triton X-100

The oligomeric state and function of band 3, purified by sulfhydryl affinity chromatography in reduced Triton X-100, was investigated. Size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography showed that a homogeneous population of band 3 dimers could be purified from whole erythrocyte membranes. The elution profile of band 3 purified from membranes that had been stripped of its cytoskeleton before solubilization was a broad single peak describing a heterogeneous population of oligomers with a mean Stokes radius of 100 A. Sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation analysis confirmed particle heterogeneity and further showed monomer/dimer/tetramer equilibrium self-association. Whether the conversion of dimer to the form described by a Stokes radius of 100 A was initiated by removal of cytoskeletal components, alkali-induced changes in band 3 conformation, or alkali-induced loss of copurifying ligands remains unclear. After incubation at 20 degrees C for 24 h, both preparations of band 3 converted to a common form characterized by a mean Stokes radius of 114 A. This form of the protein, examined by equilibrium sedimentation ultracentrifugation, is able to self-associate reversibly, and the self-association can be described by a dimer/tetramer/hexamer model, although the presence of higher oligomers cannot be discounted. The ability of the different forms of the protein to bind stilbene disulfonates revealed that the dimer had the highest inhibitor binding affinity, and the form characterized by a mean Stokes radius of 114 A to have the lowest.     

Kinetic properties of membrane-bound and Triton X-100-solubilized human brain monoamine oxidase

The kinetic properties of membrane-bound and Triton X-100-solubilized human brain mitochondrial type A and B monoamine oxidase were examined. These studies reveal that the K_m values for phenylethylamine and benzylamine, type B monoamine oxidase substrates, were only slightly increased by the solubilization procedure. The K_m value for 5-hydroxytryptamine, a type A monoamine oxidase substrate, was similarly increased by treatment with Triton X-100. The K_m values for oxygen with all three amine substrates were unaffected by solubilization of the oxidase. Similarly, the optimum pH for deamination of substrates for the B isoenzyme was essentially unaltered in the solubilized preparation as compared to the membrane-bound enzyme whereas that for 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism was decreased from pH 8.5 to approximately 7.75 on solubilization. The energy of activation with all three substrates was altered on solubilization of the oxidases with Triton X-100. The energy of activation for the B monoamine oxidase substrates increased whereas that for 5-hydroxytryptamine decreased. These data support the contention that the lipid environment surrounding the two forms of monoamine oxidase controls, in part, the activity and kinetic properties of the enzymes.     

Triton X-100 in Giemsa Staining of Blood Parasites

The effects of a surface active agent, Triton X-100, were studied in the routine Giemsa staining of seven blood parasites: Plasmodium vivax, Trypanosoma cruzi, T. lewisi, Leishmania donovani, Toxoplasma gondii, and microfilariae of Dirofilaria immitis and of Wuchereria bancrofti. Concentrations of Triton X-100 ranging from 0.01% to 0.5% were used in staining (a) both thick and thin blood films of all organisms except L. donovani, (b) tissue smears of L. donovani, and (c) tissue and peritoneal fluid smears of T. gondii. In general, the addition of the detergent to the Giemsa solution resulted in cleaner preparations and better stained organisms. Morphological details were more distinct, thus facilitating microscopical detection and identification of species. The most beneficial concentration of Triton X-100 was found to be 0.1%. Since it has a hemolytic effect on erythrocytes, concentrations above 0.01% cannot be used in staining thin blood films. It is suggested also that the use of Triton-Giemsa may help prevent transfer of some of these organisms from one slide to another during mass staining procedures as it has been demonstrated to do with malaria parasites (Brooke and Donaldson, 1950).