Kinetic studies of adenosine kinase from L1210 cells: a model enzyme with a two-site ping-pong mechanism

Purified adenosine kinase from L1210 cells displayed substrate inhibition by high concentrations of adenosine (Ado), ATP, and MgCl2. When incubated with ATP and MgCl2, the enzyme was phosphorylated, and the phosphorylated kinase transferred phosphate to adenosine in the absence of ATP and MgCl2. Substrate binding, isotope exchange, and kinetic studies suggested that the enzyme catalyzes the reaction by means of a two-site ping-pong mechanism with the phosphorylated enzyme as an obligatory intermediate. Among many possible pathways within this mechanism probably a random-bi ordered-bi route is the preferred sequence in which the two substrates, adenosine and MgATP, bind in a random order to form the ternary complex MgATP . E . Ado followed by the sequential dissociation of MgADP and AMP. Dissociation constants of various enzyme-substrate and enzyme-product complexes and the first-order rate constant of the rate-limiting step were estimated.     

A new isotype sequence (V kappa 27) of the variable region of kappa-light chains from a mouse hybridoma-derived anti-(streptococcal group A polysaccharide) antibody containing an additional cysteine residue. Application of the dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate technique for the isolation of peptides.

The first complete sequence of the variable region of a kappa-light chain (V kappa) from a mouse anti-(streptococcal group A polysaccharide) antibody (immunoglobulin 7S34.1) is reported. Immunoglobulin 7S34.1 was isolated from the ascitic fluid of hybridoma 7S34.1 previously cloned in vitro. A newly developed technique for the isolation of peptides by using pre-column formation of peptide derivatives with dimethylaminoazobenzene isothiocyanate also served to complete the sequence. The sequence of the variable region of the kappa-light chain of immunoglobulin 7S34.1 defines a new mouse V kappa isotype (V kappa 27) and is the first mouse immunoglobulin light-chain variable region to be shown to have an extra cysteine residue at position 48.     

Genetic and biochemical distinction among Chinese hamster cell emtA, emtB, and emtC mutants.

Genetic and biochemical experiments have enabled us to more clearly distinguish three genetic loci, emtA, emtB, and emtC, all of which can be altered to give rise to resistance to the protein synthesis inhibitor, emetine, in cultured Chinese hamster cells. Genetic experiments have demonstrated that, unlike the emtB locus, neither the emtA locus nor the emtC locus is linked to chromosome 2 in Chinese hamster cells, clearly distinguishing the latter two genes from emtB. emtA mutants can also be distinguished, biochemically, from emtB and emtC mutants based upon different degrees of cross-resistance to another inhibitor of protein synthesis, cryptopleurine. Two-dimensional gel electrophoretic analysis of ribosomal proteins failed to detect any electrophoretic alterations in ribosomal proteins from emtA or emtC mutants that could be correlated with emetine resistance. However, a distinct electrophoretic alteration in ribosomal protein S14 was observed in an emtB mutant. In addition, the parental Chinese hamster peritoneal cell line of an emtC mutant, and the emtC mutant itself, are apparently heterozygous for an electrophoretic alteration in ribosomal protein L9.     

Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two discrete genes coding for the alpha-factor pheromone.

Two genes, MF alpha 1 and MF alpha 2, coding for the alpha-factor in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were identified by in situ colony hybridization of synthetic probes to a yeast genomic library. The probes were designed on the basis of the known amino acid sequence of the tridecapeptide alpha-pheromone. The nucleotide sequence revealed that the two genes, though similar in their overall structure, differ from each other in several striking ways. MF alpha 1 gene contains 4 copies of the coding sequence for the alpha-factor, which are separated by 24 nucleotides encoding the octapeptide Lys-Arg-Glu-Ala-Glu(or Asp)-Ala-Glu-Ala. The first alpha-factor coding block is preceded by a sequence for the hexapeptide Lys-Arg-Glu-Ala and 83 additional amino acids. MF alpha 2 gene contains coding sequences for two copies of the alpha-factor that differ from each other and from alpha-factor encoded by MF alpha 1 gene by a Gln leads to Asn and a Lys leads to Arg substitution. The first copy of the alpha-factor is preceded by a sequence coding for 87 amino acids which ends with Lys-Arg-Glu-Ala-Val-Ala-Asp-Ala. The coding blocks of the two copies of the pheromone are separated by the sequence for Lys-Arg-Glu-Ala-Asn-Ala-Asp-Ala. Thus, the alpha-factor can be derived from 2 different precursor proteins of 165 and 120 amino acids containing, respectively, 4 and 2 copies of the pheromone.