Purification and characterization of benzoate-coenzyme A ligase and 2-aminobenzoate-coenzyme A ligases from a denitrifying Pseudomonas sp.

The enzymes catalyzing the formation of coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters of benzoate and 2-aminobenzoate were studied in a denitrifying Pseudomonas sp. anaerobically grown with these aromatic acids and nitrate as sole carbon and energy sources. Three different rather specific aromatic acyl-CoA ligases, E1, E2, and E3, were found which catalyze the formation of CoA thioesters of benzoate, fluorobenzoates, and 2-aminobenzoate. ATP is cleaved into AMP and pyrophosphate. The enzymes were purified, their N-terminal amino acid sequences were determined, and their catalytic and molecular properties were studied. Cells anaerobically grown on benzoate and nitrate contain one CoA ligase (AMP forming) for benzoic acid (E1). It is a homodimer of Mr 120,000 which prefers benzoate as a substrate but shows some activity also with 2-aminobenzoate and fluorobenzoates, although with lower Km. Cells anaerobically grown on 2-aminobenzoate and nitrate contain three different CoA ligases for aromatic acids. The first one is identical with benzoate-CoA ligase (E1). The second enzyme is a 2-aminobenzoate-CoA ligase (E2). It is a monomer of Mr 60,000 which prefers 2-aminobenzoate but also activates benzoate, fluorobenzoates and, less effectively, 2-methylbenzoate, with lower affinities to the latter substrates. The enzymes E1 and E2 have similar activity levels; a third minor CoA ligase activity is due to a different 2-aminobenzoate-CoA ligase. The enzyme (E3) is a monomer of Mr, 65,000 which 2-aminobenzoate pathway (U. Altenschmidt, C. Eckerskorn, and G. Fuchs, Eur. J. Biochem. 194:647-653, 1990); apparently, it is not completely repressed under anaerobic conditions and therefore also is induced to a small extent by 2-aminobenzoate under anaerobic growth conditions.     

Enhanced Rate of Expression and Biosynthesis of Neuropeptide Y After Kainic Acid-Induced Seizures

Recent studies have shown marked increases in brain content of neuropeptide Y (NPY) after seizures induced by intraperitoneal injection of kainic acid and after pentylenetetrazole kindling in the rat. We have now investigated possible changes in the rate of biosynthesis of NPY after kainic acid treatment, by using pulse-labeling of the peptide and by determining prepro-NPY mRNA concentrations. For pulse labeling experiments, [3H]tyrosine was injected into the frontal cortex, and the incorporation of the amino acid into NPY was determined after purifying the peptide by gel filtration chromatography, antibody affinity chromatography, and reversed-phase HPLC. At 2 and 30 days after kainic acid treatment, the rate of tyrosine incorporation was enhanced by approximately 380% in the cortex. In addition, concentrations of pre-pro-NPY mRNA were determined in four different brain areas by hybridization of Northern blots with a complementary 32P-labeled RNA probe 2, 10, 30, and 60 days after kainic acid treatment. Marked increases were observed in the frontal cortex (by up to 350% of controls), in the dorsal hippocampus (by 750%), and in the amygdala/pyriform cortex (by 280%) at all intervals investigated. In the striatum only a small, transient increase was observed. The data demonstrate increased expression of prepro-NPY mRNA and an enhanced rate of in vivo synthesis of NPY as a result of seizures induced by the neurotoxin kainic acid.     

Do the ends justify the mean? Proline mutations at the ends of the keratin coiled-coil rod segment are more disruptive than internal mutations

Intermediate filament (IF) assembly is remarkable, in that it appears to be self-driven by the primary sequence of IF proteins, a family (40-220 kd) with diverse sequences, but similar secondary structures. Each IF polypeptide has a central 310 amino acid residue alpha-helical rod domain, involved in coiled-coil dinner formation. Two short (approximately 10 amino acid residue) stretches at the ends of this rod are more highly conserved than the rest, although the molecular basis for this is unknown. In addition, the rod is segmented by three short nonhelical linkers of conserved location, but not sequence. To examine the degree to which different conserved helical and nonhelical rod sequences contribute to dimer, tetramer, and higher ordered interactions, we introduced proline mutations in residues throughout the rod of a type I keratin, and we removed existing proline residues from the linker regions. To further probe the role of the rod ends, we introduced more subtle mutations near the COOH-terminus. We examined the consequences of these mutations on (a) IF network formation in vivo, and (b) 10-nm filament assembly in vitro. Surprisingly, all proline mutations located deep in the coiled-coil rod segment showed rather modest effects on filament network formation and 10-nm filament assembly. In addition, removing the existing proline residues was without apparent effect in vivo, and in vitro, these mutants assembled into 10-nm filaments with a tendency to aggregate, but with otherwise normal appearance. The most striking effects on filament network formation and IF assembly were observed with mutations at the very ends of the rod. These data indicate that sequences throughout the rod are not equal with respect to their role in filament network formation and in 10-nm filament assembly. Specifically, while the internal rod segments seem able to tolerate considerable changes in alpha-helical conformation, the conserved ends seem to be essential for creating a very specific structure, in which even small perturbations can lead to loss of IF stability and disruption of normal cellular interactions. These findings have important implications for the disease Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex, arising from point mutations in keratins K5 or K14.     

Oxytocin and bovine parturition: a steep rise in endometrial oxytocin receptors precedes onset of labor.

Oxytocin receptors were measured in myometrium and intercaruncular endometrium of cows during pregnancy and parturition. Concentrations of estradiol-17 beta, estrone, and progesterone in peripheral blood were also measured. Receptor concentrations in the endometrium rose almost 200-fold from Day 20 to term (p < 0.0001, ANOVA), from 40 +/- 11 to 7300 +/- 1430 fmol/mg protein. Myometrial receptor concentrations increased 10-fold from 180 +/- 36 fmol/mg on Day 20 to 1850 +/- 360 fmol/mg protein at term (p < 0.0001, ANOVA). During labor, endometrial receptors (6600 +/- 1300 fmol/mg) remained at prelabor values, whereas myometrial receptor concentrations had decreased to 1190 +/- 316 fmol/mg (not significant) and declined further postpartum. Plasma concentrations of progesterone declined from 4-5 ng/ml to about 2 ng/ml between Days 250 and 282 and dropped to < 0.2 ng/ml shortly before delivery. Plasma concentrations of estrone and estradiol-17 beta were below 10-20 pg/ml until Day 230. Estrone concentrations were significantly (p < 0.05) increased by Day 250 and estradiol-17 beta by Day 270, and then both rose rapidly. During labor, plasma estrone was 1135 +/- 245 pg/ml and plasma estradiol-17 beta was 226 +/- 131 pg/ml. The molar ratio of estrone and estradiol-17 beta to progesterone rose from less than 0.01 to 4.4 during labor, and was correlated with oxytocin receptor concentrations in endometrium (r = 0.5160, p < 0.001), but not those in myometrium (r = 0.0122). The regulation of oxytocin receptors by ovarian hormones in the two tissues may therefore differ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Pyrene-labeled cardiac troponin C. Effect of Ca2+ on monomer and excimer fluorescence in solution and in myofibrils.

The two cysteine residues (Cys-35 and Cys-84) of bovine cardiac troponin C (cTnC) were labeled with the pyrene-containing SH-reactive compounds, N-(1-pyrene) maleimide, and N-(1-pyrene)iodoacetamide in order to study conformational changes in the regulatory domain of cTnC associated with cation binding and cross-bridge attachment. The labeled cTnC exhibits the characteristic fluorescence spectrum of pyrene with two sharp monomer fluorescence peaks and one broad excimer fluorescence peak. The excimer fluorescence results from dimerization of adjacent pyrene groups. With metal binding (Mg2+ or Ca2+) to the high affinity sites of cTnC (sites III and IV), there is a small decrease in monomer fluorescence but no effect on excimer fluorescence. In contrast, Ca2+ binding to the low affinity regulatory (site II) site elicits an increase in monomer fluorescence and a reduction in excimer fluorescence. These results can be accounted for by assuming that the pyrene attached to Cys-84 is drawn into a hydrophobic pocket formed by the binding of Ca2+ to site II. When the labeled cTnC is incorporated into the troponin complex or substituted into cardiac myofibrils the monomer fluorescence is enhanced while the excimer fluorescence is reduced. This suggests that the association with other regulatory components in the thin filament might influence the proximity (or mobility) of the two pyrene groups in a way similar to that of Ca2+ binding. With the binding of Ca2+ to site II the excimer fluorescence is further reduced while the monomer fluorescence is not changed significantly. In myofibrils, cross-bridge detachment (5 mM MgATP, pCa 8.0) causes a reduction in monomer fluorescence but has no effect on excimer fluorescence. However, saturation of the cTnC with Ca2+ reduces excimer fluorescence but causes no further change in monomer fluorescence. Thus, the pyrene fluorescence spectra define the different conformations of cTnC associated with weak-binding, cycling, and rigor cross-bridges.     

Quantification and excretion profiles of pteridines in primate urine.

Biopterin, 6-hydroxymethyl-pterin, isoxanthopterin, neopterin and, pterin were quantified in stress-free collected spontaneous morning urine samples from Callithrix jacchus, Saguinus fuscicollis, Saguinus labiatus, Saimiri sciureus, Presbytis entellus, Cercopithecus albogularis, Cercocebus torquatus, Macaca fascicularis, Hylobates concolor, Pongo pygmaeus, and Gorilla gorilla. In most species, biopterin was the most frequent urinary pteridine followed by neopterin. Sex differences in biopterin and neopterin excretion were observed in Gorilla gorilla and Pongo pygmaeus. Pterin and isoxanthopterin were only present in minor concentrations. 6-hydroxymethyl-pterin was barely detectable and not present in the urine of Saguinus labiatus, Saimiri sciureus, and both male Gorilla gorilla and Pongo pygmaeus.