Adenylate cyclase of the causative agent of plague: its purification and properties

Three forms of adenylate cyclase have been detected in Y. pestis: membrane-bound, cytoplasmic and extracellular. Extracellular adenylate cyclase has been purified so as to achieve a homogeneous state, and some of its physicochemical parameters have been investigated. In the process of purification the initial preparation of this enzyme has been subjected to heating at 100 degrees C for 15 minutes, fractionation with ammonium sulfate, and gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The homogeneity of adenylate cyclase has been confirmed by electrophoresis in 7.5% polyacrylamide gel and precipitation by the plague agglutinating serum. The enzyme has been found to have a molecular weight of 30,000 daltons and to show the optimum activity at pH 7.0-7.2 and at a temperature between 37 and 40 degrees C. Monospecific rabbit serum to the homogeneous preparation of adenylate cyclase has been obtained.     

The effect of the adhesion pili of Yersinia pestis on the physiological activity of the leukocytes and macrophages in experimental animals

The data on the influence of the preparation of Y. pestis adhesion pili on peritoneal macrophages in white mice and guinea pigs are presented. Y. pestis adhesion pili have been found to induce the dose-dependent increase of cell chemiluminescence. They have also been found to induce a number of biochemical changes in target cells: the secretion of myeloperoxidase, an increase in the activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinases.     

Thermostable leukocyte alpha-glycoprotein: immunochemical study and enzyme activity research

Using immunochemical analysis with standard antisera, leukocyte thermostable alpha-glycoprotein (LT alpha G) was shown to be distinct from lactoferrin, lysozyme, and fibronectin. The determination of peroxidase and nonspecific elastase in immune precipitates of LT alpha G gave negative results. Affinity sorption of LT alpha G onto the pus protein component was revealed. Purified LT alpha G had amidolytic activity in response to a substrate for elastase (p-nitroanilide succinyl-trialanyl). The ability of LT alpha G to cause the hydrolysis of substrates for thrombin, kallikrein, plasmin was investigated. The identity of LT alpha G and granulocyte elastase is suggested.