Solubilization of microsomal-associated phosphatidylserine synthase and phosphatidylinositol synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Membrane-associated cytidine 5'-diphospho-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol (CDP-diacylglycerol):L-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase (phosphatidylserine synthase, EC2.7.8.8.) and CDP-diacylglycerol:myo-inositol phosphatidyltransferase (phosphatidylinositol synthase, EC 2.7.8.11) were solubilized from the microsomal fraction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A variety of detergents were examined for their ability to release phosphatidylserine synthase and phosphatidylinositol synthase activities from the microsome fraction. Both enzymes were solubilized from the microsome fraction with Renex 690 in yield over 80% with increase to specific activity of 1.6-fold. Both solubilized enzymatic activities were dependent on manganese ions and Triton X-100 for maximum activity. The pH optimum for each reaction was 8.0. The apparent Km values for CDP-diacylglycerol and serine for the phosphatidylserine synthase reaction were 0.1 and 0.25 mM, respectively. The apparent Km values for CDP-diacylglycerol and inositol for the phosphatidylinositol synthase reaction were 70 microM and 0.1 mM, respectively. Thioreactive agents inhibited both enzymatic activities. Both solubilized enzymatic activities were thermally inactivated at temperatures above 30 degrees C.     

Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cytidine 5'-diphospho-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol (CDP-diacylglycerol): sn-glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatidyltransferase (phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase, EC 2.7.8.5) activity was characterized from the mitochondrial fraction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The pH optimum for the reaction was 7.0. Maximum activity was dependent on manganese (0.1 mM), magnesium (0.3 mM), or cobalt (1 mM) ions and the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 (1 mM). The apparent Km values for CDP-diacylglycerol and glycerol-3-phosphate were 33 and 27 microM, respectively. Optimal activity was at 30 degrees C with an energy of activation of 5.4 kcal/mol (1 cal = 4.1868 J). Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase activity was thermally labile above 40 degrees C. p-Chloromecuriphenylsulfonic acid, N-ethylmaleimide, and mercurous ions inhibited activity. Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase activity was partially solubilized from the mitochondrial fraction with 1% Triton X-100.     

Studies on a phospholipase B from Penicillium notatum. Purification, properties, and mode of action.

1. Phospholipase B which hydrolyzes both the acyl ester bonds of diacylphospholipids (diacyl-hydrolase) and the acyl ester bond of monoacylphospholipids or lysophospholipids, [monoacyl-hydrolase or lysophospholipase, EC 3.1.1.5] was purified from Penicillium notatum about 2000-fold over the crude extract. The final preparation was homogeneous on disc electrophoresis. The apparent molecular weight, determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200, was about 116,000. The isoelectric point was pH 4.0. 2. The purified enzyme was a glycoprotein. The carbohydrate content was approximately 30%, consisting of mannose, glucose, and glucosamine. The amino acid composition was also determined. 3. The ratio of monoacyl-hydrolase to diacyl-hydrolase activities was influenced by the physical state of the substrate in the assay system. It was about 1 : 1 or 100 : 1 in the presence of absence of Triton X-100, respectively, and the latter value remained constant throughout the purification procedures. 4. Both enzyme activities had the same pH optimum, 4.0, and were heat-labile. None of the metals tested had any effect on either activity except for Fe2+ and Fe3+. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate at relatively high concentrations completely inhibited both enzyme activities. 5. The Michaelis-Menten constants (Km) of the enzyme for egg lecithin were about 1.5 and 25 mM in the absence and presence of Triton X-100, respectively. The Km value for dicaproyllecithin was 9.8 mM in the absence of Triton X-100. 6. Using a mixture of 1-[14C]stearoyl-lecithin and 2-[14C]oleoyl-lecithin in the presence of Triton X-100 as a substrate, it was found that the P. notatum phospholipase B attacked the acyl ester bonds sequentially, first the 2-acyl and then 1-acyl groups.     

Phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthease and phosphatidylserine synthase activites in Clostridium perfringens

Cytidine 5'-diphospho (CDP)-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol (CDPdiacylglycerol):sn-glycerol-3-phosphate phosphatidyltransferase (EC 2.7.8.5, phosphatidylglycero-P synthase) and CDPdiacylglycerol:L-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase (EC 2.7.8.8, phosphatidylserine synthase) activities were identified in the cell envelope fraction of the gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium perfringens. The association of phosphatidylglycero-P synthase and phosphatidylserine synthase with the cell envelope fraction of cell-free extracts was demonstrated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, by both activities sedimenting with the 100,000 x g pellet and solubilization of both activities from the 100,000 x g pellet with Triton X-100. The pH optimum for both enzyme activities was 8.0 with tris(hydroxy-methyl)aminomethane-hydrochloride buffer. Phosphatidylglycero-P synthase activity was dependent on magnesium ions (100 mM). Phosphatidylserine synthase activity was dependent on manganese (0.1 mM) or magnesium ions (50 mM). Both enzyme activities were dependent on the addition of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100. Maximum phosphatidylglycero-P synthase and phosphatidylserine synthase activities were obtained when the molar ratio of Triton X-100 to CDP-diacylglycerol was 50:1 and 12:1, respectively. The Km for sn-glycero-3-P in the phosphatidylglycero-P synthase reaction was 0.1 mM. The Km for L-serine in the phosphatidylserine synthase reaction was 0.15 mM. Both enzyme activities were 100% stable for at least 20 min at 60 degrees C.     

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylinositol in Crithidia fasciculata

Microsomal preparations from the protozoan (Crithidia fasciculata were shown to incorporate myo-[2-3H]inositol into phosphatidylinositol by both the CDPdiacylglycerol:myo-inositol phosphatidyltransferase reaction and by a myo-inositol exchange reaction. Non-ionic detergent and Mg2+ were necessary for the measurement of transferase activity. Untreated preparations could not be saturated with Mg2+, even at very high concentrations (50-75 mM). However, low concentrations of EGTA (75 micro M) both stimulated the activity 3-fold and reduced the Mg2+ required for saturation to 15-20 mM. EGTA also increased the apparent Km for CDPdiacylglycerol while increasing the sensitivity to substrate inhibition above 1 mM. The transferase activity was inhibited by relatively low concentrations of Ca2+ (50 micro M). This and the EGTA effect suggest a possible role for Ca2+ in the modulation of phosphatidylinositol synthesis. The myo-inositol exchange activity required Mn2+, was insensitive to Ca2+ inhibition and was only slightly stimulated by detergents and EGTA. This activity was preferentially inactivated by heating at 50 degrees C in the presence of Triton X-100. In a detergent solubilized preparation the exchange activity but not the transferase exhibited a non-specific requirement for phospholipid. The differences in properties of the two activities suggest the presence of a separate exchange enzyme.     

Properties of acid ceramidase from human spleen

We have characterised ceramidase activity in extracts of human spleen from control subjects and from patients with Gaucher disease. In Triton X-100 extracts of control spleens, a broad pH optimum of pH 3.5-5.0 was found; no ceramidase activity was detectable at neutral or alkaline pH. About 45-60% of acid ceramidase could be extracted from spleen without detergents, but for complete extraction, Triton X-100 was required. For the radiolabelled substrate oleoylsphingosine, a Km of 0.22 +/- 0.09 mM and a Vmax of 57 +/- 11 nmol/h per mg protein was calculated in spleen from a control subject. Flat-bed isoelectric focussing in the presence of Triton X-100 revealed a pI of 6.0-7.0 for acid ceramidase; similar values were found for sphingomyelinase and glucerebrosidase. HPLC-gel filtration indicated that in the presence of Triton X-100, acid ceramidase has an Mr of about 100 kDa. In the absence of detergents, the enzyme forms high-molecular-weight aggregates. Similar aggregation behaviour was observed for sphingomyelinase, while the elution of beta-hexosaminidase was not affected by detergents. The elution profile of glucocerebrosidase was only slightly altered by Triton X-100. There was no difference in the properties of acid ceramidase present in spleen from control subjects and from patients with type I Gaucher disease.     

Phosphatidylserine synthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Purification and characterization of membrane-associated phosphatidylserine synthase

Membrane-associated phosphatidylserine synthase (CDP-diacylglycerol:L-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase, EC 2.7.8.8) was purified from the microsomal fraction of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains S288C and VAL2C(YEpCHO1). VAL2C(YEpCHO1) contains a hybrid plasmid bearing the structural gene for phosphatidylserine synthase and overproduces the enzyme 6-7 fold (Letts, V. A., Klig, L. S., Bae-Lee, M., Carman, G. M., and Henry, S. A. (1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 80, 7279-7283) compared to wild-type S288C. The purification procedure included Triton X-100 extraction of the microsomal membranes, CDP-diacylglycerol-Sepharose affinity chromatography, and DE-53 chromatography. The procedure yielded a preparation from each strain containing a major peptide band (Mr = 23,000) upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Phosphatidylserine synthase was dependent on manganese and Triton X-100 for maximum activity at pH 8.0. The apparent Km values for serine and CDP-diacylglycerol were 0.58 mM and 60 microM, respectively. Thioreactive agents inhibited enzyme activity. The enzyme was thermally labile above 40 degrees C. Results of isotopic exchange reactions between substrates and products suggest that the enzyme catalyzes a sequential Bi Bi reaction.     

Cholinephosphotransferase and ethanolaminephosphotransferase activities in Plasmodium knowlesi-infected erythrocytes. Their use as parasite-specific markers

CDPcholine: 1,2-diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.2) and CDPethanolamine: 1,2-diacylglycerol ethanolaminephosphotransferase (EC 2.7.8.1) activities were investigated in Plasmodium knowlesi-infected erythrocytes obtained from Macaca fascicularis monkeys. Disrupted infected erythrocytes possess a cholinephosphotransferase activity (1.3 +/- 0.2 nmol phosphatidylcholine/10(7) infected cells per h) 1.5-times higher than the ethanolaminephosphotransferase activity. Optimal activities of both enzymes were observed in the presence of 12 mM MnCl2, which was about 3-times as effective as 40 mM MgCl2 as a cofactor. The two activities had similar dependences on pH and thermal inactivation. Their Arrhenius plots show an identical break at 17 degrees C and the corresponding activation energies below and above the critical temperature were similar for the two activities. Sodium deoxycholate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, Triton X-100, beta-D-octylglucoside and lysophosphatidylcholine strongly inhibited the two activities above their critical micellar concentration, but the first three detergents stimulated the activities at lower concentrations. Saponin (0.004-0.5%) either did not affect the two activities or else increased them. Cholinephosphotransferase and ethanolaminephosphotransferase activities had apparent Km values for the CDP ester of 23.4 and 18.6 microM, respectively. CDPcholine and CDPethanolamine competitively inhibited the ethanolaminephosphotransferase and cholinephosphotransferase activities, respectively. The high selectivity of these activities for individual molecular species of diradylglycerol suggests that substrate specificity is responsible for the various molecular species of Plasmodium-infected erythrocyte phospholipids. However, cholinephosphotransferase and ethanolaminephosphotransferase had different dependences on 1,2-dilauroylglycerol and 1-oleylglycerol, which were substrates for cholinephosphotransferase but not for ethanolaminephosphotransferase under our conditions. These data provide the first characterization of an enzyme involved in the intense lipid metabolism in Plasmodium-infected erythrocytes, and the presence of cholinephosphotransferase demonstrates a biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine by the Kennedy pathway after infection. Our data suggest that cholinephosphotransferase and ethanolaminephosphotransferase activities could be catalyzed by the same enzyme. Furthermore, since host erythrocytes are devoid of these enzymatic activities, cholinephosphotransferase is a parasite-specific membrane-associated enzyme which can be used as a probe or marker.     

The Two Km's for ATP of Corn-Root H+-ATPase and the Use of Glucose-6-Phosphate and Hexokinase as an ATP-Regenerating System

Plasma membrane vesicles derived from corn (Zea mays L.) roots retain a membrane-bound H+-ATPase that is able to form a H+ gradient across the vesicle membranes. The activity of this ATPase is enhanced 2- to 3-fold when Triton X-100 or lysophosphatidylcholine is added to the medium at a protein:detergent ratio of 2:1 (w/w). In the absence of detergent, the ATPase exhibits only one Km for ATP (0.1-0.2 mM), which is the same as for the pumping of H+. After the addition of either Triton X-100 or lysophosphatidylcholine, two Km's for ATP are detected, one in the range of 1 to 3 [mu]M and a second in the range of 0.1 to 0.2 mM. The Vmax of the second Km for ATP increases as the temperature of the assay medium is raised from 15[deg]C to 38[deg]C. The Arrhenius plot reveals a single break at 30[deg]C, both in the absence and in the presence of detergents. In the presence of Triton X-100 the H+-ATPase catalyzes the cleavage of glucose-6-phosphate when both hexokinase and ADP are included in the assay medium. There is no measurable cleavage when the apparent affinity for ATP of the H+-ATPase is not enhanced by Triton X-100 or when 1 mM glucose is included in the assay medium. These data indicate that when the high-affinity Km for ATP is unmasked with the use of detergent, the ATPase can use glucose-6-phosphate and hexokinase as an ATP-regenerating system.     

Partial purification and properties of phosphatidylserine synthase from Clostridium perfringens.

The membrane-associated phospholipid biosynthetic enzyme cytidine 5'-diphospho-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerol:L-serine O-phosphatidyltransferase (phosphatidylserine synthase; EC 2.7.8.8) was partially purified 337-fold from a cell-free extract of the gram-positive pathogenic anaerobe Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 3624). The purification procedure included extraction from the cell envelope with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100, followed by affinity chromatography on cytidine 5'-diphosphate-diacylglycerol-Sepharose. When the partially purified enzyme was subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, two major bands were evident with apparent minimum molecular weights of 39,000 and 31,000. Activity of phosphatidylserine synthase was dependent on the addition of manganese ions (3 mM) and Triton X-100 (2.7 mM) for maximum activity. The rate of catalysis was maximal at 40 degrees C (with rapid thermal inactivation above this temperature), and the pH optimum was 8.5. The apparent Km values for cytidine 5'-diphosphate-diacylglycerol and L-serine were 0.24 and 0.26 mM, respectively. The synthetic (forward) reaction was favored, as indicated by an equilibrium constant of 82, and the energy of activation was found to be 18 kcal/mol (75,362 J/mol).     

Ca2+- and Mg-ATP-dependent shape change of human erythrocyte ghosts and triton shells

Human erythrocyte membranes (ghosts) prepared from fresh blood changed in shape from spherical to crenated, when suspended in 10(-7)-10(-6) M Ca2+-EGTA buffers. Although the ghosts from long-stored ACD blood (10 weeks) were less sensitive to 10(-7)-10(-6) M Ca2+, the ghosts obtained from this blood after it had been preincubated with adenine and inosine for 3 h at 37 degrees C were highly sensitive to Ca2+. When these highly sensitive ghosts were incubated in 10 mM Tris-Cl buffer (pH 7.4) or 1 mM MgCl2 (pH 7.4) at 0 degrees C, they gradually lost Ca2+ sensitivity within 60 min, but they recovered Ca2+ sensitivity again after re-incubation with 2 mM Mg-ATP for 20 min at 37 degrees C followed by washing with 1 mM MgCl2 (pH 7.4). The shape of these highly Ca2+-sensitive ghosts immediately changed from crenate to disc on addition of 1 mM Mg-ATP even at 6 degrees C in the presence of 10(-7)-10(-6) M Ca2+. A similar shape change was also observed when ghosts treated with 0.5% Triton X-100 (Triton shells) were used. Triton shells from fresh blood ghosts or from long-stored blood ghosts which had been preincubated with 2 mM Mg-ATP for 20 min at 37 degrees C shrank immediately in the presence of 10(-6) M Ca2+ and then swelled on addition of 1 mM Mg-ATP. The specificity to ATP and the dependency on ATP concentration are in agreement with those of the ghost shape change at step 2 (Jinbu, Y. et al., Biochem biophys res commun 112 (1983) 384-390) [18]. These results suggest that cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation enhances sensitivity to Ca2+ and induces erythrocyte shape change in the presence of physiological concentrations of ATP and Ca2+.     

Long-chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetase from rat brain microsomes. Kinetic studies using [1-14C]docosahexaenoic acid substrate

The activation of docosahexaenoic acid by rat brain microsomes was studied using an assay method based on the extraction of unreacted [1-14C]docosahexaenoic acid and the insolubility of [1-14C]docosahexaenoyl-CoA in heptane. This reaction showed a requirement for ATP, CoA, and MgCl2 and exhibited optimal activity at pH 8.0 in the presence of dithiothreitol and when incubated at 45 degrees C. The apparent Km values for ATP (185 microM), CoA (4.88 microM), MgCl2 (555 microM) and [1-14C]docosahexaenoic acid (26 microM) were determined. The presence of bovine serum albumin or Triton X-100 in the incubation medium caused a significant decrease in the Km and Vm values for [1-14C]docosahexaenoic acid. The enzyme was labile at 45 degrees C (t1/2:3.3 min) and 37 degrees C (t1/2:26.5 min) and lost 36% of its activity after freezing and thawing. The transition temperature (Tc) obtained from Arrhenius plot was 27 degrees C with the activation energies of 74 kJ/mol between 0 degrees C and 27 degrees C and 30 kJ/mol between 27 degrees C and 45 degrees C. [1-14C]Palmitic acid activation in rat brain and liver microsomes showed apparent Km values of 25 microM and 29 microM respectively, with V values of 13 and 46 nmol X min-1 X mg protein-1. The presence of Triton X-100 (0.05%) in the incubation medium enhanced the V value of the liver enzyme fourfold without affecting the Km value. Brain palmitoyl-CoA synthetase, on the other hand, showed a decreased Km value in the presence of Triton X-100 with unchanged V. The Tc obtained were 25 degrees C and 28 degrees C for brain and liver enzyme with an apparent activation energy of 109 and 24 kJ/mol below and above Tc for brain enzyme and 86 and 3.3 kJ/mol for liver enzyme. The similar results obtained for the activation of docosahexaenoate and palmitate in brain microsomes suggest the possible existence of a single long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase. The differences observed in the activation of palmitate between brain and liver microsomes may be due to organ differences. Fatty acid competition studies showed a greater inhibition of labeled docosahexaenoic and palmitic acid activation in the presence of unlabeled unsaturated fatty acids. The Ki values for unlabeled docosahexaenoate and arachidonate were 38 microM and 19 microM respectively for the activation of [1-14C]docosahexaenoate. In contrast, the competition of unlabeled saturated fatty acids for activation of labeled docosahexaenoate is much less than that for activation of labeled palmitate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

CDP-diacylglycerol synthase activity in Clostridium perfringens

CTP:phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase (CDP-diacylglycerol synthase; EC 2.7.7.41) was identified in the cell envelope fraction of the gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium perfringens. The association of this enzyme with the cell envelope fraction of cell extracts was demonstrated by glycerol density gradient centrifugation and by activity sedimenting with the 100,000 x g pellet. The enzyme exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6.5 and pH 7.5. Enzyme activity was dependent on magnesium (5 mM) or manganese (1 mM) ions. Activity was also dependent on the addition of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 (5 mM). The apparent Km values for CTP and phosphatidic acid were 0.18 mM and 0.22 mM, respectively. Thioreactive agents inhibited activity, indicating that a sulfhydryl group is essential for activity. Maximal enzyme activity was observed at 50 degrees C.     

CDP-diacylglycerol synthase activity in Clostridium perfringens.

CTP:phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase (CDP-diacylglycerol synthase; EC 2.7.7.41) was identified in the cell envelope fraction of the gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium perfringens. The association of this enzyme with the cell envelope fraction of cell extracts was demonstrated by glycerol density gradient centrifugation and by activity sedimenting with the 100,000 x g pellet. The enzyme exhibited a broad pH optimum between pH 6.5 and pH 7.5. Enzyme activity was dependent on magnesium (5 mM) or manganese (1 mM) ions. Activity was also dependent on the addition of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 (5 mM). The apparent Km values for CTP and phosphatidic acid were 0.18 mM and 0.22 mM, respectively. Thioreactive agents inhibited activity, indicating that a sulfhydryl group is essential for activity. Maximal enzyme activity was observed at 50 degrees C.     

Characterization of undecaprenol kinase from Lactobacillus plantarum.

A membrane-bound undecaprenol kinase from Lactobacillus has been identified by observing the ATP-dependent phosphorylation of [14C]undercaprenol. The product of this reaction was shown to be [14C]undecaprenyl monophosphate by comparison of its chromatographic mobilities with authentic undecaprenyl monophosphate. It was shown that 32P from [gamma-32P]ATP was incorporated into undecaprenyl monophosphate. The kinase was partially solubilized by a variety of methods utilizing Triton X-100. Both the membrane-associated and solubilized enzymes required Mg2+, Triton X-100 and dimethylsulfoxide for activity. The enzyme preferentially phosphorylated the C34, C50 AND C 55 polyprenols. Geranylgeraniol (C20) and dolichol (C100), however, were utilized only 6% and 13% as well as undecaprenol, respectively. Despite the 8-fold difference in apparent V values, the apparent Km values for dolichol and undecaprenol were both 14 microM. The apparent Km for the nucleotide cosubstrate, ATP, was 2 mM. No other nucleoside triphosphate could substitute for ATP.     

Solubilization and characterization of pellet-associated human brain alpha-L-fucosidase activity.

The pellet-associated portion of human brain alpha-L-fucosidase (which represents approx. 20% of the homogenate activity) was solubilized with 0.5% (w/v) Triton X-100, characterized with regard to several properties and compared with the corresponding properties of the soluble supernatant-fluid enzyme in an attempt to find a second alpha-L-fucosidase in human brain. The solubilized and soluble alpha-L-fucosidase activities exhibited complete stability after storage at 2-4 degrees C for up to 29 days, comparable thermostability after preincubation at 50 degrees C, comparable apparent Km values (0.07-0.08 mM) for 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-L-fucopyranoside, comparable hydrophobicity, comparable isoelectric-focusing profiles (six major forms, with pI values between 4.5 and 5.8) and comparable immunoprecipitation curves (with the IgG fraction of antisera prepared against human liver alpha-L-fucosidase). Differences in three properties were found between solubilized and soluble alpha-L-fucosidase activities: the solubilized activity was less stable to storage at -20 degrees C, had a 0.5-pH-unit neutral shift in its pH optimum (6.0) and had smaller Mr forms after gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. The overall results indicate that the pellet-associated and soluble portions of human brain alpha-L-fucosidase are quite similar in most of their properties. Thus there is still no compelling evidence for the existence of a second mammalian alpha-L-fucosidase.     

Characterization of a novel variant of amino acid transport system asc in erythrocytes from Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii).

In thoroughbred horses, red blood cell amino acid transport activity is Na(+)-independent and controlled by three codominant genetic alleles (h, l, s), coding for high-affinity system asc1 (L-alanine apparent Km for influx at 37 degrees C congruent to 0.35 mM), low-affinity system asc2 (L-alanine Km congruent to 14 mM), and transport deficiency, respectively. The present study investigated amino acid transport mechanisms in red cells from four wild species: Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii), Hartmann's zebra (Zebra hartmannae), Grevy's zebra (Zebra grevyi), and onager (Equus hemonius). Red blood cell samples from different Przewalski's horses exhibited uniformly high rates of L-alanine uptake, mediated by a high-affinity asc1-type transport system. Mean apparent Km and Vmax values (+/- SE) for L-alanine influx at 37 degrees C in red cells from 10 individual animals were 0.373 +/- 0.068 mM and 2.27 +/- 0.11 mmol (L cells.h), respectively. As in thoroughbreds, the Przewalski's horse transporter interacted with dibasic as well as neutral amino acids. However, the Przewalski asc1 isoform transported L-lysine with a substantially (6.4-fold) higher apparent affinity than its thoroughbred counterpart (Km for influx 1.4 mM at 37 degrees C) and was also less prone to trans-stimulation effects. The novel high apparent affinity of the Przewalski's horse transporter for L-lysine provides additional key evidence of functional and possible structural similarities between asc and the classical Na(+)-dependent system ASC and between these systems and the Na(+)-independent dibasic amino acid transport system y+. Unlike Przewalski's horse, zebra red cells were polymorphic with respect to L-alanine transport activity, showing high-affinity or low-affinity saturable mechanisms of L-alanine uptake. Onager red cells transported this amino acid with intermediate affinity (apparent Km for influx 3.0 mM at 37 degrees C). Radiation inactivation analysis was used to estimate the target size of system asc in red cells from Przewalski's horse. The transporter's in situ apparent molecular weight was 158,000 +/- 2500 (SE).     

Conformational changes of soluble mitochondrial ATPase as controlled by hydrophobic interactions within the enzyme.

At 30° C soluble mitochondrial ATPase from baker's yeast shows non-linear kinetics with respect to Mg-ATP; the apparent Km values for Mg-ATP are 0.6 and 2.0 mM. At lower temperatures, 5° C and 12° C, the kinetics of the enzyme are linear with a Km for Mg-ATP of approximately 0.6 mM. Octylguanidine induces non-linear kinetics at 12° C. As octylguanidine and increases in temperature augment hydrophobic interactions within the enzyme, it is concluded that the strength of hydrophobic bonding within the protein regulates its conformational changes. Methanol activates the enzyme only at relatively high temperature which further indicates that the protein may exist in two active conformations.     

Cloning, purification, and refolding of human paraoxonase-3 expressed in Escherichia coli and its characterization

Human paraoxonase (hPON3) is a high density lipoprotein-related glycoprotein with multi-enzymatic properties and antioxidant activity which is proposed to participate in the prevention of low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation. In this study, hPON3 gene was amplified from Human Fetal Liver Marathon-Ready cDNA and expressed in Escherichia coli. A majority of the expressed protein existed as inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were solubilized with Triton X-100 and refolded in vitro. The refolded rhPON3 was purified by DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow and its purity was up to 90%. The Km and Vmax values of refolded rhPON3, in respect to phenylacetate hydrolysis were 7.47 +/- 2.14 mM and 66 +/- 17 U/min/mg (n = 3). The Km and Vmax values of refolded rhPON3, in respect to dihydrocoumarin hydrolysis were 0.83 +/- 0.21 mM and 621 +/- 66 U/min/mg (n = 3). The refolded rhPON3 exhibited similar antioxidant activity to that of rhPON3 purified from the soluble fraction of cell lysate and could effectively protect LDL from Cu2+ induced oxidation.     

Purification and characterization of CDP-diacylglycerol synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The membrane-associated phospholipid biosynthetic enzyme CDP-diacylglycerol synthase (CTP:phosphatidate cytidylyltransferase, EC 2.7.7.41) was purified 2,300-fold from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The purification procedure included Triton X-100 solubilization of mitochondrial membranes, CDP-diacylglycerol-Sepharose affinity chromatography, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The procedure resulted in a nearly homogeneous enzyme preparation as determined by native and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Radiation inactivation of mitochondrial associated and purified CDP-diacylglycerol synthase suggested that the molecular weight of the native enzyme was 114,000. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme preparation yielded two subunits with molecular weights of 56,000 and 54,000. Antibodies prepared against the purified enzyme immunoprecipitated CDP-diacylglycerol synthase activity and subunits. CDP-diacylglycerol synthase activity was dependent on magnesium ions and Triton X-100 at pH 6.5. Thio-reactive agents inhibited activity. The activation energy for the reaction was 9 kcal/mol, and the enzyme was thermally labile above 30 degrees C. The Km values for CTP and phosphatidate were 1 and 0.5 mM, respectively, and the Vmax was 4,700 nmol/min/mg. Results of kinetic and isotopic exchange reactions suggested that the enzyme catalyzes a sequential Bi Bi reaction mechanism.