Interactions between glycosaminoglycans and proteins, with particular reference to a new technique for isolating serum glycoproteins

1. Chondroitin sulphate–serum protein complexes (A, B and C), successively precipitated by adding chondroitin sulphate to serum at three arbitrary descending pH values (5·2, 4·3 and 3·1), were dissociated at pH 6·7 and chromatographed on DEAE-Sephadex, when the liberated serum proteins were simultaneously freed of chondroitin sulphate and separated into five fractions. Evidence that serum proteins were precipitated as a result of electrostatic interactions with dissociated carboxylate groups on the glycosaminoglycan is presented. 2. Serum proteins (fraction G), unable to form complexes with chondroitin sulphate, contained 4·4% of sialic acid and accounted for 4 and 26% of the total protein and protein-bound sialic acid in serum respectively. This fraction interacted electrostatically with chondroitin sulphate only when rendered more basic by removal of sialic acid residues with neuraminidase. The heat stability, solubility properties and high carbohydrate content of fraction G classified it as a seromucoid fraction. 3. Fraction G contained several glycoprotein and hexuronic acid-containing fractions, including a hitherto undetected brown-pigmented high-molecular-weight serum component, which migrated in starch gel between the origin and Sα₂-globulin and contained 3·1 and 4·1% of sialic acid and hexuronic acid respectively. 4. Glycosaminoglycan–protein interactions are discussed in relation to protein fractionation. By prior removal of less acidic proteins by these interactions, a new technique is available for isolating serum seromucoids in higher yields and under milder conditions than existing methods.     

THE LYSOSOME PERIPHERY: BIOCHEMICAL AND ELECTROKINETIC PROPERTIES OF THE TRITOSOME SURFACE

Normal rat liver lysosomes were isolated by the technique of loading with Triton WR-1339. Purity of the preparation was monitored with marker enzymes; a high enrichment in acid hydrolases was obtained in the tritosome fraction. In 0.0145 M NaCl, 4.5% sorbitol, 0.6 mM NaHCO₃, pH 7.2 at 25°C the tritosomes had an electrophoretic mobility of -1.77 ± 0.02 µm/s/V/cm, a zeta potential of 23.2 mV, a surface charge of 1970 esu/cm², and 33,000 electrons per particle surface assuming a tritosome diameter of 5 x 10^-7 m. Treatment of the tritosomes with 50 µg neuraminidase/mg tritosome protein lowered the electrophoretic mobility of the tritosome to -1.23 ± 0.02 µm/s/V/cm under the same conditions and caused the release of 2.01 µg sialic acid/mg tritosome protein. Treatment of the tritosomes with hyaluronidase did not affect their electrophoretic mobility, while trypsin treatment elevated the net negative electrophoretic mobility of the tritosomes. Tritosome electrophoretic mobilities indicated a homogeneous tritosome population and varied greatly with ionic strength of the suspending media. pH vs. electrophoretic mobility curves indicated the tritosome periphery to contain an acid-dissociable group which likely represents the carboxyl group of N-acetylneuraminic acid; this was not conclusively proven, however, since the tritosomes lysed below a pH of 4 in the present system. Total tritosome carbohydrate (anthrone-positive material as glucose equivalents) was 0.19 mg/mg tritosome protein while total sialic acid was 3.8 µg (11.4 nmol)/mg tritosome protein. A tritosome "membrane" fraction was prepared by osmotic shock, homogenization, and sedimentation. Approximately 25% of the total tritosome protein was present in this fraction. Analysis by gas-liquid chromatography and amino acid analyzer showed the following carbohydrate composition of the tritosome membrane fraction (in microgram per milligram tritosome membrane protein): N-acetylneuraminic acid, 14.8 ± 3; glucosamine, 24 ± 3; galactosamine, 10 ± 2; glucose, 21 ± 2; galactose, 26 ± 2; mannose, 31 ± 5; fucose, 7 ± 1; xylose, 0; and arabinose, 0. The results indicate that the tritosome periphery is characterized by external terminal sialic acid residues and an extensive complement of glycoconjugates. Essentially all the tritosome N-acetylneuraminic acid is located in the membrane and about 53% of it is neuraminidase susceptible.     

Purification of rabbit kidney cytokinase and a comparison of its properties with human urokinase

1. The cytokinase (tissue activator of plasminogen) content of several mammalian tissues was evaluated by a quantitative casein hydrolysis method. 2. An alkaline (pH10·5) extraction of cytokinase from rabbit kidney lysosome–microsome fraction, followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose at pH7·6 with stepwise or linear increase in concentration of phosphate buffer, gave an 86-fold purification of the enzyme. The purified material was non-proteolytic against casein and heated fibrin and was freeze-dried without significant loss of activity or solubility. 3. Cytokinase is a protein with E^0·1%_1cm.=0·87 at 280mμ, and does not possess sufficient hexose or sialic acid to be classified as a glycoprotein. It has S_20,w 2·9–3·1s and molecular weight 50000 when measured on a calibrated Sephadex G-100 column. It has an isoelectric point between pH8 and pH9, and is maximally active and stable at pH8·5. It is inactivated by heat at 78°. 4. Cytokinase and human urokinase have the same K_m value and are inhibited in a partially competitive manner by -aminohexanoic acid and aminomethylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid. They are also inhibited by cysteine and arginine, but are unaffected by iodoacetamide and p-chloromercuribenzoate. 5. On the basis of this and other evidence it is suggested that rabbit kidney cytokinase and human urokinase are similar, if not identical, enzymes.     

The tissue content and turnover rates of intermediates in the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans in young rat skin

1. The tissue contents of hexose monophosphate, N-acetylglucosamine 6-phosphate, UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, UDP-N-acetylgalactosamine and UDP-glucuronic acid were determined in the skin of young rats less than 1 day post partum. Tissue-space determinations were used to calculate their average cellular concentrations. 2. The incorporation of [U-¹⁴C]-glucose into the intermediates was recorded with time and their rates of turnover were calculated. The results demonstrated product–precursor relationships along the pathway of hexosamine synthesis and that of hexuronic acid synthesis. The rates of synthesis of UDP-N-acetylhexosamine and UDP-glucuronic acid were 1·5±0·3 and 0·24±0·03mμmoles/min./g. of tissue respectively. These results indicated the average turnover time of the total tissue glycosaminoglycans to be about 5 days.     

The purification and some properties of the polyphenol oxidase from tea (Camellia sinensis L.)

1. Polyphenol oxidase (EC 1. 10. 3.–) from the shoots of the tea plant was purified about 5000-fold on a dry-weight basis. 2. At an intermediate stage of purification four soluble yellow fractions were obtained. They are believed to represent complexes of a basic enzyme protein with acidic phenolic oxidation products and nucleic acids. After removal of the complex-forming materials the fractions were blue and similar to each other. About 40% of the activity could not be extracted from the acetone-dried powder. 3. Each of the four blue fractions was resolved further into two species, A and B. The following results refer to species A. 4. The enzyme showed absorption maxima at 279mμ (E^1%_1cm., 13·5) and 611mμ (E^1%_1cm., 0·84) with a shoulder at 330mμ. The enzyme was bleached by substrate under anaerobic conditions and the colour was restored by oxygen. 5. The molecular weight measured by sedimentation and diffusion was 144000±16000. The copper content was 0·32% (w/w). 6. Kinetic constants are given for a number of substrates and inhibitors, including the natural substrates of the tea leaf. The specific activity towards pyrogallol was 373 units/mg. at 30°. 7. The best substrates were o-dihydric phenols. Quinol and p-phenylenediamine were slowly oxidized. Monohydric phenols and ascorbic acid were not oxidized. 8. The kinetics of oxidation of most substrates are consistent with a mechanism in which oxidized and reduced forms of the enzyme form binary complexes with phenol and oxygen respectively. A modified mechanism is postulated for the oxidation of chlorogenic acid. 9. The relation of the results to the mechanism of tea fermentation is discussed.     

MOLECULES AT THE EXTERNAL NUCLEAR SURFACE : Sialic Acid of Nuclear Membranes and Electrophoretic Mobility of Isolated Nuclei and Nucleoli

The molecules occurring as terminal residues on the external surfaces of nuclei prepared from rat liver by either sucrose-CaCl₂ or citric acid methods and nucleoli derived from the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei were studied chemically and electrokinetically. In 0.0145 M NaCl, 4.5% sorbitol, and 0.6 mM NaHCO₃ with pH 7.2 ± 0.1 at 25°C, the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei had an electrophoretic mobility of -1.92 µm/s/V/cm, the citric acid nuclei, -1.63 µm/s/V/cm, and the nucleoli, -2.53 µm/s/V/cm. The citric acid nuclei and the nucleoli contained no measurable sialic acid. The sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei contained 0.7 nmol of sialic acid/mg nuclear protein; this was essentially located in the nuclear envelope. Treatment of these nuclei with 50 µg neuraminidase/mg protein resulted in release of 0.63 nmol of sialic acid/mg nuclear protein; treatment with 1 % trypsin caused release of 0.39 nmol of the sialic acid/mg nuclear protein. The pH-mobility curves for the particles indicated the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei surface had an acid-dissociable group of pK. ~2.7 while the pK for the nucleoli was considerably lower. Nucleoli treated with 50 µg neuraminidase/mg particle protein had a mobility of -2.53 µm/s/V/cm while sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei similarly treated had a mobility of -1.41 µm/s/V/cm. Hyaluronidase at 50 µg/mg protein had no effect on nucleoli mobility but decreased the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei mobility to -1.79 µm/s/V/cm. Trypsin at 1 % elevated the electrophoretic mobility of the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei slightly but decreased the mobility of the nucleoli to -2.09 µm/s/V/cm. DNase at 50 µg/mg protein had no effect on the mobility of the isolated sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei but decreased the electrophoretic mobility of the nucleoli to -1.21 µm/s/V/cm. RNase at 50 µg/mg protein also had no effect on the electrophoretic mobility of the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei but decreased the nucleoli mobility to -2.10 µm/s/V/cm. Concanavalin A at 50 µg/mg protein did not alter the nucleoli electrophoretic mobility but decreased the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclei electrophoretic mobility to -1.64 µm/s/V/cm. The results are interpreted to mean that the sucrose-CaCl₂ nuclear external surface contains terminal sialic acid residues in trypsin-sensitive glycoproteins, contains small amounts of hyaluronic acid, is completely devoid of nucleic acids, and binds concanavalin A. The nucleolus surface is interpreted to contain a complex made up of protein, RNA, and primarily DNA, to be devoid of sialic acid and hyaluronic acid, and not to bind concanavalin A.     

The metabolism of methylcyclohexane

1. When [U-¹⁴C]methylcyclohexane is fed to rabbits (dose 2–2·5m-moles/kg. body wt.), 65% of the radioactivity is excreted in the urine as metabolites, 0·5% appears in the faeces and about 15% in the expired air, some 4–5% remaining in the body in about 60hr. after dosing. The 15% of the dose appearing in the expired air consists of unchanged methylcyclohexane (10%) and ¹⁴CO₂ (5%). The low output of ¹⁴CO₂ shows that reactions leading to complete oxidation of methylcyclohexane are of minor importance. 2. The main metabolite found in the urine was the glucuronide of trans-4-methylcyclohexanol which was isolated. Seven methylcyclohexanols were found in the urine as conjugated glucuronides. The amounts of these were determined by isotope dilution to be as follows: cis-2-, 0·6%; trans-2-, 1·2%; cis-3-, 11·5%; trans-3-, 10·5%; cis-4-, 2·4%; trans-4-methylcyclohexanol, 14·7%, cyclohexylmethanol, 0·3%. No 1-methylcyclohexanol was found. There was evidence also that a small amount (approx. 1%) of the hydrocarbon aromatized to benzoic acid, probably via cyclohexylmethanol and cyclohexane-carboxylic acid. 3. The pattern of hydroxylation and the various amounts of the isomers found suggest that the hydroxylation in vivo of methylcyclohexane is dependent on steric factors in the molecule, hydroxylation occurring to the greatest extent at the carbon atom furthest away from the methyl group.     

Post-Prandial Protein Handling: You Are What You Just Ate

Background

Protein turnover in skeletal muscle tissue is highly responsive to nutrient intake in healthy adults.

Objective

To provide a comprehensive overview of post-prandial protein handling, ranging from dietary protein digestion and amino acid absorption, the uptake of dietary protein derived amino acids over the leg, the post-prandial stimulation of muscle protein synthesis rates, to the incorporation of dietary protein derived amino acids in de novo muscle protein.

Design

12 healthy young males ingested 20 g intrinsically [1-¹³C]-phenylalanine labeled protein. In addition, primed continuous L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine, L-[ring-²H₂]-tyrosine, and L-[1-¹³C]-leucine infusions were applied, with frequent collection of arterial and venous blood samples, and muscle biopsies throughout a 5 h post-prandial period. Dietary protein digestion, amino acid absorption, splanchnic amino acid extraction, amino acid uptake over the leg, and subsequent muscle protein synthesis were measured within a single in vivo human experiment.

Results

55.3±2.7% of the protein-derived phenylalanine was released in the circulation during the 5 h post-prandial period. The post-prandial rise in plasma essential amino acid availability improved leg muscle protein balance (from -291±72 to 103±66 μM·min^-1·100 mL leg volume^-1; P<0.001). Muscle protein synthesis rates increased significantly following protein ingestion (0.029±0.002 vs 0.044±0.004%·h^-1 based upon the muscle protein bound L-[ring-²H₅]-phenylalanine enrichments (P<0.01)), with substantial incorporation of dietary protein derived L-[1-¹³C]-phenylalanine into de novo muscle protein (from 0 to 0.0201±0.0025 MPE).

Conclusion

Ingestion of a single meal-like amount of protein allows ~55% of the protein derived amino acids to become available in the circulation, thereby improving whole-body and leg protein balance. About 20% of the dietary protein derived amino acids released in the circulation are taken up in skeletal muscle tissue following protein ingestion, thereby stimulating muscle protein synthesis rates and providing precursors for de novo muscle protein synthesis.

Trial Registration

trialregister.nl 3638     

Galactosyl-Lactose Sialylation Using Trypanosoma cruzi trans-Sialidase as the Biocatalyst and Bovine κ-Casein-Derived Glycomacropeptide as the Donor Substrate

trans-Sialidase (TS) enzymes catalyze the transfer of sialyl (Sia) residues from Sia(α2-3)Gal(β1-x)-glycans (sialo-glycans) to Gal(β1-x)-glycans (asialo-glycans). Aiming to apply this concept for the sialylation of linear and branched (Gal)_nGlc oligosaccharide mixtures (GOS) using bovine κ-casein-derived glycomacropeptide (GMP) as the sialic acid donor, a kinetic study has been carried out with three components of GOS, i.e., 3′-galactosyl-lactose (β3′-GL), 4′-galactosyl-lactose (β4′-GL), and 6′-galactosyl-lactose (β6′-GL). This prebiotic GOS is prepared from lactose by incubation with suitable β-galactosidases, whereas GMP is a side-stream product of the dairy industry. The trans-sialidase from Trypanosoma cruzi (TcTS) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Its temperature and pH optima were determined to be 25°C and pH 5.0, respectively. GMP [sialic acid content, 3.6% (wt/wt); N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), >99%; (α2-3)-linked Neu5Ac, 59%] was found to be an efficient sialyl donor, and up to 95% of the (α2-3)-linked Neu5Ac could be transferred to lactose when a 10-fold excess of this acceptor substrate was used. The products of the TcTS-catalyzed sialylation of β3′-GL, β4′-GL, and β6′-GL, using GMP as the sialic acid donor, were purified, and their structures were elucidated by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Monosialylated β3′-GL and β4′-GL contained Neu5Ac connected to the terminal Gal residue; however, in the case of β6′-GL, TcTS was shown to sialylate the 3 position of both the internal and terminal Gal moieties, yielding two different monosialylated products and a disialylated structure. Kinetic analyses showed that TcTS had higher affinity for the GL substrates than lactose, while the V_max and k_cat values were higher in the case of lactose.     

Thermal denaturation in acidic solutions of double-helical ribonucleic acid from virus-like particles found in Penicillium chrysogenum. A spectrophotometric study

1. Two species of double-helical RNA isolated from mycelium of Penicillium chrysogenum were titrated with acid at 25°C and 95°C (solvent 0.1m-sodium phosphate buffer). At 25°C denaturation occurred at about pH3. At 95°C in the denatured form cytosine residues titrated as a simple monobasic acid of pK3.9 compared with pK2.5 for the native form at 25°C. 2. On thermal denaturation in neutral and acidic solutions one species of RNA (38% rG·rC) `melted' in three distinct stages, equivalent to a mixture of three species, namely one of about 25% rG·rC, another of about 33% rG·rC and a third of about 46% rG·rC: the relative proportions were 0.25:0.35:0.40. 3. On thermal denaturation in acidic solutions the increase in the fraction of ionized cytosine residues concomitant with the `melting' of rG·rC base pair also affects the spectrum especially at 280nm and serves to enhance the contribution of rG·rC base pairs at this wavelength. The increment in ε_(P) at 280nm on `melting' an rG·rC base pair approaches 53501·mol<sup>−1</sup>·cm<sup>−1</sup> depending on pH, compared with 33501·mol<sup>−1</sup>·cm<sup>−1</sup> at pH7. In contrast ε<sub>(P)</sub> at 280nm is scarcely affected by `melting' rA·rU base pairs or by the protonization of adenine residues. 4. Changes in the spectrum of Escherichia coli rRNA on denaturation in acidic solutions were studied to yield the mole fractions of rA·rU and rG·rC base pairs `melting' at particular pH values.     

Effect of acute hypoxia on respiratory muscle fatigue in healthy humans

Background

Greater diaphragm fatigue has been reported after hypoxic versus normoxic exercise, but whether this is due to increased ventilation and therefore work of breathing or reduced blood oxygenation per se remains unclear. Hence, we assessed the effect of different blood oxygenation level on isolated hyperpnoea-induced inspiratory and expiratory muscle fatigue.

Methods

Twelve healthy males performed three 15-min isocapnic hyperpnoea tests (85% of maximum voluntary ventilation with controlled breathing pattern) in normoxic, hypoxic (SpO₂ = 80%) and hyperoxic (FiO₂ = 0.60) conditions, in a random order. Before, immediately after and 30 min after hyperpnoea, transdiaphragmatic pressure (P_di,tw ) was measured during cervical magnetic stimulation to assess diaphragm contractility, and gastric pressure (P_ga,tw ) was measured during thoracic magnetic stimulation to assess abdominal muscle contractility. Two-way analysis of variance (time x condition) was used to compare hyperpnoea-induced respiratory muscle fatigue between conditions.

Results

Hypoxia enhanced hyperpnoea-induced P_di,tw and P_ga,tw reductions both immediately after hyperpnoea (P_di,tw : normoxia -22 ± 7% vs hypoxia -34 ± 8% vs hyperoxia -21 ± 8%; P_ga,tw : normoxia -17 ± 7% vs hypoxia -26 ± 10% vs hyperoxia -16 ± 11%; all P < 0.05) and after 30 min of recovery (P_di,tw : normoxia -10 ± 7% vs hypoxia -16 ± 8% vs hyperoxia -8 ± 7%; P_ga,tw : normoxia -13 ± 6% vs hypoxia -21 ± 9% vs hyperoxia -12 ± 12%; all P < 0.05). No significant difference in P_di,tw or P_ga,tw reductions was observed between normoxic and hyperoxic conditions. Also, heart rate and blood lactate concentration during hyperpnoea were higher in hypoxia compared to normoxia and hyperoxia.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that hypoxia exacerbates both diaphragm and abdominal muscle fatigability. These results emphasize the potential role of respiratory muscle fatigue in exercise performance limitation under conditions coupling increased work of breathing and reduced O₂ transport as during exercise in altitude or in hypoxemic patients.     

Crystal Structure,Cytotoxicity and Interaction with DNA of Zinc (II) Complexes with o-Vanillin Schiff Base Ligands

Two new zinc complexes, Zn(HL¹)₂ (1) and [Zn₂(H₂L²)(OAc)₂]₂ (2) [H₂L¹ = Schiff base derived from o-vanillin and (R)-(+)-2-amino-3-phenyl-1-propanol, H₃L² = Schiff base derived from o-vanillin and 2-amino-2-ethyl-1,3-propanediol], have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analyses, TG analyses, solid fluorescence, IR, UV-Vis and circular dichroism spectra. The structural analysis shows that complex 1 has a right-handed double helical chain along the crystallographic b axis. A homochiral 3D supramolecular architecture has been further constructed by intermolecular C-H··· π, O-H···O and C-H···O interactions. Complex 2 includes two crystallographically independent binuclear zinc molecules. The two binuclear zinc molecules are isostructural. The 2-D sheet supramolecular structure was formed by intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction. The fluorescence of ligands and complexes in DMF at room temperature are studied. The interactions of two complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) are investigated using UV-Vis, CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. The results show that complex 1 exhibits higher interaction with CT-DNA than complex 2. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes towards four kinds of cancerous cell lines (A549, HeLa, HL-60 and K562) were assayed by the MTT method. Investigations on the structures indicated that the chirality and nuclearity of zinc complexes play an important role on cytotoxic activity.     

Partial characterization of the sialic acid-free forms of α1-acid glycoprotein from human plasma

Some of the properties of sialic acid-free α₁-acid glycoprotein prepared by mild acid hydrolysis (pH1·6 at 80° for 1hr.) were compared with those of neuraminidasetreated α₁-acid glycoprotein. Chemically, the former contained less fucose (15%) and amide (2%) residues. Physicochemically, it had undergone certain changes primarily pertaining to the secondary structure, so that the specific optical rotation was more negative than that of the latter. A further expression of this change is probably the difference in the pH range of the resolution into two bands on electrophoresis. The resolution of the glycoprotein prepared by mild acid hydrolysis seems to be extended to more acidic pH values both by starch-gel and free moving-boundary electrophoresis. On ultracentrifugation both preparations appeared homogeneous and sedimented with a rate of 3s. Removal of sialyl residues at different pH values, in the range 1–7, showed that 2moles of sialic acid/mole of protein are very strongly bound. The two variants of α₁-acid glycoprotein were isolated from pooled sialic acid-free α₁-acid glycoprotein by preparative starch-gel electrophoresis and from selected blood of normal adults by fractionation by solubility and chromatography. Ultracentrifugal and starch-gel electrophoretic analyses at pH5, with incubation times of 1 or 24hr., demonstrated that no dissociation–association equilibrium (constant sedimentation coefficient and molecular weight) or isomerization (constant apparent electrophoretic mobilities) exist between the two variants. Therefore these variants are not sub-units of native α₁-acid glycoprotein but represent modifications of naturally occurring proteins. Further, it was shown that the difference in the electrophoretic mobilities between the two variants was not due to any difference in amide content. Immunochemically, the two variants share the same determinants.     

The metabolism of [2-14C]indole in the rat

1. [2-¹⁴C]Indole has been synthesized from [¹⁴C]formate and o-toluidine via N[¹⁴C]-formyltoluidine. 2. When fed to rats, the ¹⁴C of [¹⁴C]indole (dose 70–80mg./kg. body wt.) is fairly rapidly excreted, and in 2 days an average of 81% appears in the urine, 11% in the faeces and 2·4% as carbon dioxide in the expired air. 3. Radioactivity is excreted in the urine as indoxyl sulphate (50% of the dose), indoxyl glucuronide (11%), oxindole (1·4%), isatin (5·8%), 5-hydroxyoxindole conjugates (3·1%), N-formylanthranilic acid (0·5%) and unchanged indole (0·07%). The faeces contain indoxyl sulphate (0·4% of the dose) and indole (0·2%), but the major metabolites have not been identified. 4. Fed to rats with biliary cannulae an average of 5·6% of a dose of [¹⁴C]indole (20–60mg./kg. body wt.) is excreted in the bile in 2 days. Radioactivity is present as indoxyl sulphate (0·8% dose) and 5-hydroxyoxindole conjugates (0·6%). 5. Rats further metabolize indoxyl into N-formylanthranilic acid and anthranilic acid, and oxindole into 5-hydroxyoxindole. 6. With rat-liver microsomes plus supernatant under aerobic conditions, indole gives indoxyl, oxindole, possibly isatin, N-formylanthranilic acid and anthranilic acid, but under anaerobic conditions gives only oxindole. Similarly, under aerobic conditions, oxindole gives 5-hydroxyoxindole, anthranilic acid and o-aminophenylacetic acid. 7. Indole is metabolized by two pathways, one via indoxyl to isatin, N-formylanthranilic acid and anthranilic acid, and the other via oxindole to 5-hydroxyoxindole and possibly to o-aminophenylacetic and anthranilic acid. 8. The following new compounds are described: 4-hydroxy-2-nitrophenylacetic acid, 3-, 4- and 5-benzyloxy-2-nitrophenylacetic acid, 5- and 7-hydroxyoxindole and 5-aminoacridine indoxyl sulphate.     

CO2-induced ion and fluid transport in human retinal pigment epithelium

In the intact eye, the transition from light to dark alters pH, [Ca²⁺], and [K] in the subretinal space (SRS) separating the photoreceptor outer segments and the apical membrane of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). In addition to these changes, oxygen consumption in the retina increases with a concomitant release of CO₂ and H₂O into the SRS. The RPE maintains SRS pH and volume homeostasis by transporting these metabolic byproducts to the choroidal blood supply. In vitro, we mimicked the transition from light to dark by increasing apical bath CO₂ from 5 to 13%; this maneuver decreased cell pH from 7.37 ± 0.05 to 7.14 ± 0.06 (n = 13). Our analysis of native and cultured fetal human RPE shows that the apical membrane is significantly more permeable (≈10-fold; n = 7) to CO₂ than the basolateral membrane, perhaps due to its larger exposed surface area. The limited CO₂ diffusion at the basolateral membrane promotes carbonic anhydrase–mediated HCO₃ transport by a basolateral membrane Na/nHCO₃ cotransporter. The activity of this transporter was increased by elevating apical bath CO₂ and was reduced by dorzolamide. Increasing apical bath CO₂ also increased intracellular Na from 15.7 ± 3.3 to 24.0 ± 5.3 mM (n = 6; P < 0.05) by increasing apical membrane Na uptake. The CO₂-induced acidification also inhibited the basolateral membrane Cl/HCO₃ exchanger and increased net steady-state fluid absorption from 2.8 ± 1.6 to 6.7 ± 2.3 µl × cm⁻² × hr⁻¹ (n = 5; P < 0.05). The present experiments show how the RPE can accommodate the increased retinal production of CO₂ and H₂O in the dark, thus preventing acidosis in the SRS. This homeostatic process would preserve the close anatomical relationship between photoreceptor outer segments and RPE in the dark and light, thus protecting the health of the photoreceptors.     

The pectic enzymes of Aspergillus niger. A mercury-activated exopolygalacturonase

1. An exopolygalacturonase was separated from a mycelial extract of Aspergillus niger with a 290-fold purification and a recovery of 8·6%. 2. The enzyme displayed its full activity only in the presence of Hg²⁺ ions; K_A for mercuric chloride was about 6×10⁻⁸m. 3. The mercury-activated enzyme progressively removed the terminal galacturonic acid residues from α-(1→4)-linked galacturonide chains and converted digalacturonic acid, trigalacturonic acid, tetragalacturonic acid and pectic acid into galacturonic acid.     

Development and Application of Different Methods for the Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in Water

Two methods, centrifugation and flocculation, were evaluated to determine their efficiencies of recovery of Toxoplasma gondii oocysts from contaminated water samples. Demineralized and tap water replicates were inoculated with high numbers of sporulated or unsporulated T. gondii oocysts (1 × 10⁵ and 1 × 10⁴ oocysts). The strain, age, and concentration of the seeded oocysts were recorded. Oocysts were recovered either by centrifugation of the contaminated samples at various g values or by flocculation with two coagulants, Fe₂(SO₄)₃ and Al₂(SO₄)₃. The recovery rates were determined with the final pellets by phase-contrast microscopy. Sporulated oocysts were recovered more effectively by flocculation with Al₂(SO₄)₃ (96.5% ± 21.7%) than by flocculation with Fe₂(SO₄)₃ (93.1% ± 8.1%) or by centrifugation at 2,073 × g (82.5% ± 6.8%). For the unsporulated oocysts, flocculation with Fe₂(SO₄)₃ was more successful (100.3% ± 26.9%) than flocculation with Al₂(SO₄)₃ (90.4% ± 19.1%) or centrifugation at 2,565 × g (97.2% ± 12.5%). The infectivity of the sporulated oocysts recovered by centrifugation was confirmed by seroconversion of all inoculated mice 77 days postinfection. These data suggest that sporulated Toxoplasma oocysts purified by methods commonly used for waterborne pathogens retain their infectivity after mechanical treatment and are able to induce infections in mammals. This is the first step in developing a systematic approach for the detection of Toxoplasma oocysts in water.     

Affinity for phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate determines muscarinic agonist sensitivity of Kv7 K+ channels

Kv7 K⁺-channel subunits differ in their apparent affinity for PIP₂ and are differentially expressed in nerve, muscle, and epithelia in accord with their physiological roles in those tissues. To investigate how PIP₂ affinity affects the response to physiological stimuli such as receptor stimulation, we exposed homomeric and heteromeric Kv7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 channels to a range of concentrations of the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine-M (oxo-M) in a heterologous expression system. Activation of M₁ receptors by oxo-M leads to PIP₂ depletion through G_q and phospholipase C (PLC). Chinese hamster ovary cells were transiently transfected with Kv7 subunits and M₁ receptors and studied under perforated-patch voltage clamp. For Kv7.2/7.3 heteromers, the EC₅₀ for current suppression was 0.44 ± 0.08 µM, and the maximal inhibition (Inhib_max) was 74 ± 3% (n = 5–7). When tonic PIP₂ abundance was increased by overexpression of PIP 5-kinase, the EC₅₀ was shifted threefold to the right (1.2 ± 0.1 µM), but without a significant change in Inhib_max (73 ± 4%, n = 5). To investigate the muscarinic sensitivity of Kv7.3 homomers, we used the A315T pore mutant (Kv7.3^T) that increases whole-cell currents by 30-fold without any change in apparent PIP₂ affinity. Kv7.3^T currents had a slightly right-shifted EC₅₀ as compared with Kv7.2/7.3 heteromers (1.0 ± 0.8 µM) and a strongly reduced Inhib_max (39 ± 3%). In contrast, the dose–response curve of homomeric Kv7.4 channels was shifted considerably to the left (66 ± 8 nM), and Inhib_max was slightly increased (81 ± 6%, n = 3–4). We then studied several Kv7.2 mutants with altered apparent affinities for PIP₂ by coexpressing them with Kv7.3^T subunits to boost current amplitudes. For the lower affinity (Kv7.2 (R463Q)/Kv7.3^T) or higher affinity (Kv7.2 (R463E)/Kv7.3^T) channels, the EC₅₀ and Inhib_max were similar to Kv7.4 or Kv7.3^T homomers (0.12 ± 0.08 µM and 79 ± 6% [n = 3–4] and 0.58 ± 0.07 µM and 27 ± 3% [n = 3–4], respectively). The very low-affinity Kv7.2 (R452E, R459E, and R461E) triple mutant was also coexpressed with Kv7.3^T. The resulting heteromer displayed a very low EC₅₀ for inhibition (32 ± 8 nM) and a slightly increased Inhib_max (83 ± 3%, n = 3–4). We then constructed a cellular model that incorporates PLC activation by oxo-M, PIP₂ hydrolysis, PIP₂ binding to Kv7-channel subunits, and K⁺ current through Kv7 tetramers. We were able to fully reproduce our data and extract a consistent set of PIP₂ affinities.     

Enzymes and cancer: Preparation and some properties of guanase from rabbit liver

1. Guanase has been purified 200-fold in 20% yield from the supernatant fraction of rabbit-liver homogenates, by using ammonium sulphate fractionation, calcium phosphate-gel adsorption and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-200. 2. K_m with guanine as substrate at the optimum pH of 7·7 was found to be 1·05×10⁻⁵m. Q₁₀ was 1·4 between 23° and 48°. 3. Substrate activity and pH optima of compounds related to guanine have been studied. 8-Azaguanine, 1-methylguanine, thioguanine and 1-methylthioguanine are all substrates.     

Studies on the mucin derived from human colloid breast carcinoma

1. A non-diffusible mucoid, showing a single peak in the ultracentrifuge, was isolated from human colloid breast carcinoma by treatment with trypsin and pepsin. The material contained threonine, leucine (isoleucine), valine, proline, glycine and glutamic acid in the approximate molar proportions 5:1:1:2:1:1. Smaller amounts of aspartic acid and serine were also found. For each 5 threonine residues, 6 N-acetylgalactosamine and 3–4 galactose residues were present. 2. The mucoid possessed reducing properties by the Park & Johnson (1949) procedure; these were attributable to the action of mild alkali, as employed in this procedure. Mild alkaline treatment by the Aminoff, Morgan & Watkins (1952) procedure gave rise to a diffusible N-acetylgalactosamine chromophore that gave an enhanced colour with Ehrlich's reagent. That galactosyl-(1→3)-N-acetylgalactosamine residues were liberated was supported by periodate studies. 3. Alkaline liberation of hexosamine residues was accompanied by a specific destruction of threonine. After 40 min. at 100° in 0·18 n-lithium hydroxide, both moieties had almost completely disappeared from the ninhydrin-positive components formed on subsequent acid hydrolysis. Glycine and α-oxobutyric acid were present in the acid hydrolysate, showing that both possible pathways of a β-elimination reaction were involved. Formation of diffusible peptide on very mild alkaline treatment was attributable to the rupture of the original peptide core, necessitated by the second of these two pathways. 4. Hydroxamate formation on treatment with hydroxylamine showed the presence of carbohydrate linkage to glutamic acid or aspartic acid residues or both. This could account for the single N-acetylgalactosamine residue not linked to threonine. 5. The native mucin contained sialic acid, which was cleaved by the acid environment used in the treatment with pepsin. A statistical model of the mucin would require each prosthetic group to be linked, via N-acetylgalactosamine, to threonine, which would occupy every alternate position among the amino acids in the peptide core.