Increase in Cell Wall-Associated Phosphatase Activity in Cucumber Roots during Calcium Starvation: Binding Nature and Properties of the Phosphatase and Cell Wall Analysis

In Ca^2$-starved cucumber roots, about 23% of phosphatase assayedat pH 9.0 (ALPase) in the crude cell walls was solubilized witheither 2 M NaCl or purified endo type polygalacturonase (endo-PG)from yeast culture broth. Coexistence of NaCl and endo-PG hadlittle effect on further release of ALPase, and a small amountof the activity was solubilized from the NaCl-pretreated cellwalls by incubation with endo-PG. Ionically bound ALPase, therefore,seemed to be localized in the fraction which was hydrolyzedby endo-PG in the crude cell walls of Ca^2$-starved cucumberroots. In the control roots, however, ALPase was not effectivelysolubilized by the treatment with endoPG. Ca^2$ starvation reducedthe contents of rhamnose, uronic acids and galactose among non-cellulosicsugars in the cell walls, suggesting that the structure of pecticsubstances, possibly rhamnogalacturonan, is altered during thestarvation. Activities of both ionically and covalently bound ALPases greatlyincreased during Ca^2$ starvation. The increased ALPase in theNaCl-solubilized fraction hydrolyzed most phosphate esters tested,whereas the enzyme from control roots only cleaved nucleoside2'(3')-monophosphates and p-nitrophenylphosphate. Differencesin the properties between both types of roots were also foundwhen the effects of various inhibitors were tested. Profilesof ALPase-isozymes after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresiswere also altered by Ca^2$ starvation. (Received June 2, 1982; Accepted July 20, 1982)     

Expression of placental leucine aminopeptidase/oxytocinase in neuronal cells and its action on neuronal peptides.

The placental leucine aminopeptidase (P-LAP)/oxytocinase whose serum level increases with gestation is thought to contribute to the maintenance of normal pregnancy. P-LAP mRNAs are expressed in various tissues other than the placenta. In this study, we identified P-LAP protein in the brain. In contrast with the placenta where a significant portion of P-LAP is released, the enzyme was localized in the membrane fraction in brain and PC12 cells and no soluble form of the enzyme was detected. When PC12 cells were differentiated into neuronal cells by nerve growth factor (NGF), a significant increase in the expression level of P-LAP in the cell was observed. As in the case of insulin treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, treatment of PC12 cells with forskolin caused the translocation of the enzyme from intracellular vesicle to the cell surface plasma membrane. In addition, P-LAP was shown to degrade several bioactive neuropeptides such as Met-enkephalin and dynorphin A (1-8). These results suggest that P-LAP plays an important role in the regulation of neuronal cell function in the brain.     

Distribution and Properties of Chromatin-Associated Nucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphatase Purified by a New Method

Chromatin-associated nucleoside triphosphate diphosphatase (NTDPase)activity was detected in Alaska pea plant only at the germinationstage in a study of the plant's development over 5 month fromthe dormant to fruiting stages. This enzyme activity was alsodetected in seedlings of several dicotyledonous plants includingsoybean, Usui pea, cowpea and cucumber, but almost none wasfound in monocotyledonous corn and rice plants. When the chromatin of pea epicotyl was fractionated into template-activeand -inactive forms by DNase II digestion, most of the NTDPaseactivity was found in the active chromatin. A new method to rapidly isolate and purify NTDPase from peaepicotyl chromatin was developed in which NTDPase was elutedwith a linear gradient of NaCl on a column packed with cellulosepowder and chromatin. DNA remained on the column and the elutedNTDPase was purified further by chromatography using trimethylamino-2-hydroxypropylcellulose (TMAP-cellulose) and a Sephadex G-100 column, whichgive chromatin 18-fold purer than the starting sample. This purified NTDPase was adsorbed by DNA-cellulose, which isfurther evidence that NTDPase is a kind of non-histone proteinassociated with DNA. Several cations including Ca^2$, Mg^2$, Mn^2$and Zn^2$ stimulated the enzyme activity, with the maximal eightfoldactivation by Ca^2$. NTDPase activity was clearly inhibited byKCN and pyrophosphate, but not by SH-blocking inhibitors andvarious metal chelators at 1 mM.