Structure and enzymic activity of ribonuclease-A esterified at glutamic acid-49 and aspartic acid-53

The dimethyl ester of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease-A (dimethyl RNAase-A), the initial product of esterification of RNAase-A in anhydrous methanolic HCl, was isolated in a homogeneous form. The two carboxy functions esterified in this derivative are those of glutamic acid-49 and aspartic acid-53. There were no changes in the u.v.-absorption spectral characteristics, the accessibility of the methionine residues, the resistance of the protein to proteolysis by trypsin and the antigenic behaviour of RNAase-A as a result of the esterification of these two carboxy groups. Dimethyl RNAase-A exhibited only 65% of the specific activity of RNAase-A, but still had the same K_m value for both RNA and 2′:3′-cyclic CMP. However, the V_max. was decreased by about 35%. On careful hydrolysis of the methyl ester groups at pH9.5, dimethyl RNAase-A was converted back into RNAase-A. Limited proteolysis of dimethyl RNAase-A by subtilisin resulted in the formation of an active RNAase-S-type derivative, namely dimethyl RNAase-S, which was chromatographically distinct from dimethyl RNAase-A and had very nearly the same enzymic activity as dimethyl RNAase-A. Fractionation of dimethyl RNAase-S by trichloroacetic acid yielded dimethyl RNAase-S-protein and dimethyl RNAase-S-peptide, both of which were inactive by themselves but regenerated dimethyl RNAase-S when mixed together. Dimethyl RNAase-A-peptide was identical with RNAase-S-peptide. RNAase-S-protein could be generated from dimethyl RNAase-S-protein by careful hydrolysis of the methyl ester groups at pH9.5. The interaction of dimethyl RNAase-S-protein with RNAase-S-peptide appears to be about 4-fold weaker than that between the RNAase-S-protein and RNAase-S-peptide. Conceivably, the binding of the S-peptide `tail' of dimethyl RNAase-A with the remainder of the molecule is similarly weaker than that in RNAase-A, and this brings about subtle changes in the geometrical orientation of the active-site amino acid residues of these modified methyl ester derivatives. It is suggested that these changes could be responsible for the generation of the catalytically less-efficient RNAase-A and RNAase-S molecules (dimethyl RNAase-A and dimethyl RNAase-S respectively).     

RNA synthesis during morphogenesis of the fungusMucor racemosus

Bacteroides succinogenes produces acetate and succinate as major products of carbohydrate fermentation. An investigation of the enzymes involved indicated that pyruvate is oxidized by a flavin-dependent pyruvate cleavage enzyme to acetyl-CoA and CO₂. Active CO₂ exchange is associated with the pyruvate oxidation system. Reduction of flavin nucleotides is CoASH-dependent and does not require ferredoxin. Acetyl-CoA is further metabolized via acetyl phosphate to acetate and ATP. Reduced flavin nucleotide is used to reduce fumarate to succinate by a particulate flavin-specific fumarate reductase reaction which may involve cytochrome b. Phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) is carboxylated to oxalacetate by a GDP-specific PEP carboxykinase. Oxalacetate, in turn, is converted to malate by a pyridine nucleotide-dependent malate dehydrogenase. The organism has a NAD-dependent glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. The data suggest that reduced pyridine nucleotides generated during glycolysis are oxidized in malate formation and that the electrons generated during pyruvate oxidation are used to reduce fumarate to succinate.     

The insensitivity of mushroom nuclear RNA polymerase activity to inhibiton by amatoxins

Nuclear fractions isolated from Amanita phalloides, Amanita muscaria and Agaricus bisporus were subjected to in vitro RNA synthesis assays in the presence of various concentrations of amatoxins. The mushroom nuclei were highly insensitive to inhibition by amatoxin when compared to assays of nuclear fractions isolated from the Oömycete fungus, Achlya ambisexualis and from rabbit brain.Abbreviations DTT dithiothreitol - PMSF phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride - MES 2[N-morpholino] ethane sulfonic acid Paper no. 1-78     

Interaction of anthelmintic benzimidazoles and benzimidazole derivatives with bovine brain tubulin

The binding and inhibitory properties of 11 benzimidazoles for bovine brain tubulin were investigated. The effects of the benzimidazoles on the initial rates of microtubule polymerization were determined by a turbidimetric assay. The median inhibitory concentrations (I₅₀) for nocodazole, oxibendazole, parbendazole, mebendazole and fenbendazole ranged from 1.97 · 10⁻⁶ to 6.32 · 10⁻⁶ M. Benomyl, cambendazole and carbendazim had I₅₀ values from 5.83 · 10⁻⁵ to 9.01 · 10⁻⁵ M. Thiabendazole had an I₅₀ value of 5.49 · 10⁻⁴ M. Inhibitor constants (K_i) were determined by the colchicine binding assay. Oxibendazole, fenbendazole, and cambendazole had K_i values of 3.20 · 10⁻⁵, 1.73 · 10⁻⁵ and 1.10 · 10⁻⁴ M, respectively. Oxibendazole and fenbendazole were competitive inhibitors of colchicine. In contrast, cambendazole was a noncompetitive inhibitor of colchicine. The ability of these benzimidazoles to inhibit microtubule polymerization and the mode of action for the anthelmintic benzimidazoles is discussed.     

A new variety of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia characterized by punctate corneal dystrophy and abnormal dermal collagen fibrils

Summary Several individuals from one family are described with a unique form of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia. Characteristic features include shorttrunked short stature, punctate corneal dystrophy and marked disorganization of dermal collagen fibrils when examined by transmission electron microscopy. Inheritance is compatible with either dominance and a variable expression or X-linkage. Although the basic defect has not been determined, the tissue distribution is consistent with a defect in a non-collagenous component that affects collagen fibril formation or stability.     

Properties of fructose-1,6-diphosphate phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphate aldolase fromPseudomonas putida

The fructose-1,6-P₂ (FDP) phosphatase, (FDPase) and FDP aldolase fromPseudomonas putida were partially purified by a combination of (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation and DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography. Michaelis-Menten kinetics were observed with, respect to FDP in both FDPase and FDP aldolase. TheK _m for FDP at pH 8.0 was 1.2×10⁻⁵M for FDPase and 3.0×10⁻⁵M for FDP aldolase. The specific activities of these two enzymes (assayed under optimal conditions in cell-free extracts ofP. putida grown ond-fructose), as well as their kinetic properties, are consistent with the suggestion that during growth ond-fructose most, of the FDP generated is converted to fructose-6-P (F-6-P), which is subsequently utilized via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway (EDP).     

Positional information in imaginal discs transformed by homoeotic mutations

Summary Mutations of the bithorax complex result in segmental transformations in the thorax and abdomen ofDrosophila. The haltere discs from larvae homozygous forbx ³ orpbx are transformed so that the discs contain cells that will produce wing cuticle as well as cells that produce haltere cuticle. The pattern regulation behavior of these discs has been examined. The fate maps of the two discs were established, and then the regulative behavior of a number of fragments from both types of mutant discs was established by culturing the fragments in vivo prior to metamorphosis. The most important conclusion from this work is that the cells producing, haltere cuticle and wing cuticle within the same disc share the same positional information and that they communicate during pattern regulation.     

Resistance to chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) treatment in obese patients with gall stones

In most patients with radiolucent gall stones who were given chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) in doses of 13-15 mg/kg body weight/day the bile became unsaturated in cholesterol, and their gall stones dissolved. The patients whose stones did not dissolve were significantly heavier and fatter than the responders, which suggested that obese patients might be “resistant” to the effects of CDCA. To test this hypothesis, 32 consecutive patients presenting for medical treatment of gall stones had their ideal body weight (IBW) and estimated body fat mass calculated. The eight most obese and the eight least obese patients were then selected, and their fasting bile lipid responses to CDCA 13-15 mg/kg/day were measured. The very obese patients were also given larger doses, and any changes in bile lipid composition were studied in relation to subsequent gall-stone dissolution.Before treatment the obese patients had a higher mean biliary cholesterol saturation index than the non-obese patients, and this difference was maintained during treatment with the normal dose of CDCA: the bile in the obese patients remained supersaturated while that in the non-obese became unsaturated with cholesterol. When the obese patients were given larger doses of CDCA their bile ultimately became unsaturated in cholesterol. Gall stones dissolved partially or completely in five of the eight non-obese patients after 6-18 months of 13-15 mg CDCA/kg/day, but none of the obese patients showed any response after comparable periods of treatment with this standard dose. With increased doses and unsaturated bile, however, three of the obese patients showed partial gall-stone dissolution after 3-12 months'' treatment and one showed complete gall-stone dissolution after three years'' treatment.These results suggest that when giving CDCA to patients with gall stones, larger than normal doses (some 18-20 mg/kg/day) should be prescribed. Alternatively the lipid composition of the patients'' bile should be monitored by duodenal intubation and the CDCA dose increased until the bile becomes unsaturated in cholesterol.     

Synthesis and biological properties of 12-fluoroprostacyclins

The synthesis of the sodium salts of enantiomerically pure 12-fluoroPGI₂ (9), (±)-12-fluoroPGI₂ (9), (±)-15-epi-12-fluoroPGI₂ (10), (±)-12-fluoro-13,14-dihydroPGI₂ (11), (±)-12-fluoro-4(E)-isoPGI₂ (12), and (±)-5,6-dihydro-12-fluoroPGI₂ (13) is detailed starting from the corresponding derivatives of 12-fluoroPGF_2α methyl ester. Prostacyclins 9, (±)-9, (±)-10, (±)-11, (±)-12, and (±)-13 have been evaluated for their ability to inhibit human platelet aggregation and their effect on smooth muscle (isolated cat coronary artery).