Isolation and properties of cytoplasmic L(+)-lactatoxydase of Candida lipolytica yeasts]

The enzyme preparation of L(+)-lactatoxydase (K.F. 1.1.3.2) with molecular weight of 230 000 has been isolated from the soluble fraction of the C. lipolytica cells and purified similar 360 times. The enzyme oxydizes L(+)-lactate, the optimum activity of the enzyme being observed at pH 8.0. Oxydation of the substrate is followed by accumulation of H2O2. Silver ions, p-chloromercurybenzoate and dicumarol inhibit the activity of L(+)-lactatoxydase. Iron complexones, cyanide and L-malate do not inhibit oxydation of the substrate. Pyruvate and its fluorine derivative practically do not produce any inhibiting effects either. The enzyme preparation contains 0.6 moles of flavin and 2 moles of nonhaem iron per a mole of the enzyme. Km value for the substrate is equal to 4-10(-4) M, Vmax--4.5 mkatom O/min/mg. Acidation of incubation medium leads to a decrease both of Km and Vmax. Km value for oxygen is equal to 3.1 mkM O2. Beside oxygen, ferricyanide, 2.6-dichlorphenolindophenol, phenazine methosulphate and cytochrome C may also serve as acceptors of L(+)-lactatoxydase electrons. The oxydized enzyme preparation is characterized by a spectrum absorption maximum at 410 nm. Upon L(+)-lactatoxydase reduction the maximum is shifted up to 420 nm.     

Regulation of 3-ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase activity of Arthrobacter globiformis cells by a respiratory chain

It has been shown that 3-ketosteroid-1-en-dehydrogenase localized in a cytoplasmic membrane donates reducing equivalents to a respiratory chain directly which passes them over to oxygen. Microbial hydrocortisone oxidation is coupled with energy generation in the form of the H+ transmembrane potential. Electron transfer via a respiratory chain is the limiting stage in the process of hydrocortisone 1-en-dehydrogenation.     

The absence of energy conservation coupled with electron transfer via the alternative pathway in cyanide-resistant yeast mitochondria.

Electron transfer via the alternative pathway in cyanide-resistant mitochondria of the yeast Candida lipolytica is not coupled with ATP synthesis, generation of membrane potential or energy-dependent reverse electron transport in the main respiratory chain. We conclude that during transfer via the alternative pathway no accumulation of energy in the form of high-energy compounds or membrane potential occurs.     

Synergism among three purified cellulolytic components of Clostridium thermocellum

Abstract Three clostridial cellulases viz. a hydrophilic cellobiohydrolase (CBH3), a hydrophobic endoglucanase (EG1), and an aggregate-forming hydrophilic endoglucanase (EG5), all purified from recombinant strains of Escherichia coli , were used in different combinations to reconstitute the synergistic effect during cellulose hydrolysis. EG1 and EG5 were weakly active on crystalline cellulose, if added separately or together in the reaction mixture. However, when CBH3 was added to the reaction mixture, its hydrolytic activity was increased to 1.8-fold in the presence of EG1 and EG5. A further increase in the activity from 1.8 to 2.2-fold was observed when calcium and dithiothreitol were added to the reaction mixture containing all three enzymes and filter paper as substrate. The synergistic effect remained unaffected even when EG1 was replaced by its 33-amino acid C-terminal deleted variant BL35. BL35 was less active compared to EG1, but was equally hydrophobic as EG1. These results suggest that the hydrophobic interaction between cellulolytic components and/or with the crystalline substrate is important for positive synergistic effect.     

Cyanide-resistant respiration of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria]

The transition of the bacterial culture into the stationary growth phase is accompanied by an appearance of cyanide-resistant respiration. Chloramphenicol inhibits the development of cyanide-resistant respiration. The cyanide-resistant oxidase is localized in the bacterial membrane. Its appearance is not due to the quantitative and qualitative changes of flavins, non-heme iron, ubiquinone and cytochromes of the b and c types, but is accompanied by an increase in the copper content of the membrane preparations. Neither cyanide-sensitive, nor cyanide-resistant chains of the bacterial electron transfer contain cytochromes of the a type. The cyanide-resistant oxidase accepts electrons at the ubiquinone--cytochrome b level of the main respiratory chain. The cyanide-resistant respiration is not accompanied by a formation of hydrogen peroxide. Cytochrome o performs the function of cyanide-sensitive oxidase. The nature of cyanide-resistant oxidase still remains obscure.     

Inserting foreign peptides into the major coat protein of bacteriophage M13.

Foreign DNA fragments were inserted into filamentous phage gene VIII to create hybrid B-proteins with foreign sequences in the amino terminus. The hybrid proteins are incorporated into the virions which retain viability and infectivity. Virions with hybrid B-proteins have the same contour length and the same number of B-protein molecules as virions with natural B-proteins. It was shown that for one of hybrid B-proteins the position of the processing site had changed.