Rates of interactions of superoxide with vitamin E, vitamin C and related compounds as measured by chemiluminescence.

The rate constants for the interactions of superoxide with vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and their related compounds have been measured by a chemiluminescence method. A strong chemiluminescence of a constant intensity was observed when xanthine oxidase was added to an aqueous solution of hypoxanthine and a Cypridina luciferin analog, 2-methyl-6-phenyl-3-7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one (CLA). Vitamin E, vitamin C and their related compounds competed with CLA to react with superoxide and reduced the chemiluminescence intensity. From a kinetic analysis of the effect of addition of these compounds on the chemiluminescence intensity, the rate constants for their interactions with superoxide were measured at 25 degrees C and pH 7.8. The rate constants were obtained as 3.3 x 10(5) and 1.7 x 10(4) M-1 s-1 for ascorbate and 2-carboxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-6-chromanol, respectively, and also as 4.9 x 10(3) and 4.5 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 for alpha-tocopherol incorporated into soybean and dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine liposomal membranes, respectively. It has been shown that this method is a sensitive and a quick method which can be applied for measurement of the reactivities of various natural and synthetic compounds toward superoxide. In addition it has been shown that this method can also be applied to the heterogeneous system as well as homogeneous solution, which makes it more versatile and useful for the study in biochemistry.     

New killing system controlled by two genes located immediately upstream of the mukB gene in Escherichia coli

The nucleotide sequence was determined of the region upstream of the mukB gene of Escherichia coli. Two new genes were found, designated kicA and kicB (killing of cell); the gene order is kicB-kicA-mukB. Promoter activities were detected in the regions immediately upstream of kicB and kicA, but not in front of mukB. Gene disruption experiments revealed that the kicA disruptant was nonviable, but the kicB-disrupted mutant and the mutant lacking both the kicB and kicA genes were able to grow. When kicA disruptant cells bearing a temperature-sensitive replication plasmid carrying the kicA ⁺ gene were grown at 30° C and then transferred to 42° C, the mutant cells gradually lost colony-forming ability, even in the presence of a mukB ⁺ plasmid. Rates of protein synthesis, but not of RNA or DNA synthesis, fell dramatically during incubation at 42° C. These results suggested that the kicB gene encodes a killing factor and the kicA gene codes for a protein that suppresses the killing function of the kicB gene product. It was also demonstrated that KicA and KicB can function as a post-segregational killing system, when the genes are transferred from the E. coli chromosome onto a plasmid.     

Characterization of a Chlamydia pneumoniae Strain Isolated from a 57-Year-Old Man

The isolation of Chlamydia pneumoniae, especially from elderly persons, is generally not easy. Recently, we succeeded in isolating a chlamydial strain, which was designated KKpn-15, from a 57-year-old man suffering from acute bronchitis. It was compared with well established strains of C. pneumoniae, C. trachomatis and C. psittaci, and its biological properties, such as the morphology of elementary bodies (EBs) and inclusions, and the immunochemistry of EB proteins, were investigated. Based on the results obtained in the present study, it was confirmed that the new chlamydial strain, KKpn-15, is a member of the C. pneumoniae strain and that the organisms of KKpn-15 are useful as an antigen for the serodiagnosis and epidemiology of C. pneumoniae infection.     

A comparison of screening methods for antioxidant activity in seaweeds

The inhibition of lipid peroxidation and radical scavenging effects were studied to evaluate the antioxidant activity for extracts of 17 species of seaweed. The antioxidant effect was evaluated by determination of lipoxygenase activity and by α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) decolorization. Lipoxygenase activity was depressed in the presence of aqueous and ethanol extracts of 4 algal species; Sargassum species had the highest antioxidant activity of all the species examined. The ethanol extracts of one Sargassum species showed competitive inhibition with the substrate. The same species also showed radical scavenging activity in the DPPH decolorization test. Comparison of these results shows no relationship between enzyme inhibition and radical scavenging activity. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nitric oxide and vasodilation in human limbs

Joyner, Michael J., and Niki M. Dietz.Nitric oxide and vasodilation in human limbs. J. Appl. Physiol. 83(6): 1785-1796, 1997.Both theskeletal muscle and skin of humans possess remarkable abilities tovasodilate. Marked vasodilation can be seen in these vascular beds inresponse to a variety of common physiological stimuli. These stimuliinclude reactive hyperemia (skin and muscle), exercise hyperemia(muscle), mental stress (muscle), and whole body heating (skin). Thephysiological mechanisms that cause vasodilation in response to thesestimuli are poorly understood, and the substance(s) responsible for itremain unclear. In this context, recent attention has been focused onthe possible contribution of nitric oxide (NO) to the regulation ofhyperemic responses in human skin and skeletal muscle. The emergingpicture is that NO is not an essential component of the dilatorresponse seen during reactive hyperemia. However, it does appear thatNO may play a modest role in exercise hyperemia. NO appears to play amajor role in the skeletal muscle vasodilation seen in response tomental stress in humans. Preliminary evidence also indicates that NO isnot essential for the normal dilator responses observed in thecutaneous circulation during body heating in humans, but this issueneeds further study. There are a number of possible mechanisms thatmight mediate NO release in humans, and the role of these mechanisms inthe various hyperemic responses is also poorly understood. The role ofaltered NO-mediated vasodilation in some disease states is alsodiscussed. Whereas NO is a potent vasodilating substance, the actionsof NO alone do not explain a variety of poorly understood vasodilatormechanisms in conscious humans. Much work remains for those interestedin the role of NO in the regulation of blood flow to the skin and skeletal muscle of humans.

     

Secretory expression of a glutamic-acid-specific endopeptidase (SPase) from Staphylococcus aureus ATCC12600 in Bacillus subtilis

Summary In order to obtain a large quantity of glutamic-acid-specific endopeptidase of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC12600 (SPase) without cultivating its pathogenic host bacterium, expression plasmids enabling secretion of SPase from Bacillus subtilis were constructed by inserting the SPase gene into B. subtilis-Escherichia coli shuttle vectors. B. subtilis harbouring a simple recombinant plasmid containing the coding and the 5-flanking regions of SPase in the shuttle vector pHY300PLK secreted 22 mg/l of SPase into the medium. As this level was lower than that of the natural strain (45 mg/l), we tried to increase the expression level by constructing a series of hybrid plasmids with the following features: (1) the terminator sequence of the alkaline protease gene from B. subtilis, (2) the promoter and the leader sequences of the -amylase gene or of alkaline protease gene from B. amyloliquefaciens, (3) the vector pHY300PLK and the fused vector of pHY300PLK and pUB110. By using a variety of hybrid plasmids, the resulting transformants secreted SPase at levels of 33–120 mg/l. The recombinant SPase isolated from the medium was indistinguishable from the natural one with respect to its behaviour on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blotting as well as its enzyme activity.Correspondence to: S. Kakudo     

Free radical damage to proteins: the influence of the relative localization of radical generation, antioxidants, and target proteins

Free radicals were generated at known rates in the aqueous phase (by means of 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride [AAPH]) and in a membranous (lipid) phase (by means of 2,2'-azobis (2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile [AMVN]). A soluble protein (bovine serum albumin: BSA), and membranes of lysed mitochondria containing radioactively labeled monoamine oxidase (MAO), were exposed to the resultant radical fluxes. Antioxidants were added to the system, either in the aqueous phase (Trolox) or in a liposomal membrane phase (alpha-tocopherol). Protein damage was assessed as tryptophan oxidation and conformational changes in tryptophan fluorescence of the soluble protein, BSA, and as fragmentation of both BSA and monoamine oxidase. Radicals generated in the aqueous phase, by AAPH, were effective in damaging BSA and MAO. Radicals generated within the liposome membrane phase (by AMVN) were less effective against BSA than those deriving from AAPH. Liposomal AMVN radicals could damage MAO, present in a separate membranous phase, though again, less effectively than could AAPH-derived radicals. BSA could be protected by Trolox, the aqueous soluble antioxidant, but hardly by tocopherol itself. Damage to MAO was limited by Trolox, and also by the hydrophobic antioxidant, tocopherol. Damaging reactions due to radicals generated in a membrane phase were significantly accelerated when the membrane was peroxidizable (soybean phosphatidylcholine) rather than nonperoxidizable (saturated dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine). Thus lipid radicals also played some role in protein damage in these systems. BSA was attacked similarly in the presence or absence of liposomes by AAPH. Correspondingly, BSA could inhibit the peroxidation of liposomes induced by AAPH and less efficiently that induced by AMVN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

1H NMR studies on ferricytochromec 3 fromDesulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F and its interaction with ferredoxin I

Summary The¹H NMR signals of the heme methyl, propionate and related chemical groups of cytochromec ₃ fromDesulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F (D.v. MF) were site-specifically assigned by means of ID NOE, 2D DQFCOSY and 2D TOCSY spectra. They were consistent with the site-specific assignments of the hemes with the highest and second-lowest redox potentials reported by Fan et al. (Biochemistry,29 (1990) 2257–2263). The site-specific heme assignments were also supported by NOE between the methyl groups of these hemes and the side chain of Val¹⁸. All the results contradicted the heme assignments forD.v. MF cytochromec ₃ made on the basis of electron spin resonance (Gayda et al. (1987)FEBS Lett.,217 57–61). Based on these assignments, the interaction of cytochromec ₃ withD.v. MF ferredoxin I was investigated by NMR. The major interaction site of cytochromec ₃ was identified as the heme with the highest redox potential, which is surrounded by the highest density of positive charges. The stoichiometry and association constant were two cytochromec ₃ molecules per monomer of ferredoxin I and 10⁸ M^–2 (at 53 mM ionic strength and 25°C), respectively.     

Impairment of Protein Synthesis in the Retinal Tissue in Diabetic Rabbits: Secondary Reduction of Fast Axonal Transport

Protein biosynthesis in the retina and fast axonal transport along the optic pathway were studied in rabbits in which diabetes had been experimentally induced. Retinal protein biosynthesis and axonal transport were significantly reduced in the diabetic rabbits, and the reduction was correlated to the severity of the diabetes. The "somal delay time' was only slightly elongated and the O/R ratio was fairly constant in the various levels of blood glucose; thus intrasomal protein movement seems to be less affected in diabetic rabbits. Velocity and the distribution pattern of axonally transported protein remained unaffected in the diabetic rabbits. These findings suggest that a disturbance in the metabolism in the cell body is the most important factor related to quantitative reduction of fast axonal transport in diabetic rabbits.