Substrate effects on the enzymatic activity of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles

Six different substrates have been used for measuring the activity of alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) in isooctane. The substrates were glutaryl-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Phe p-nitroanilide, acetyl-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Ala-Ala-Phe p-nitroanilide, succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe p-nitroanilide and acetyl-Trp methyl ester. It has been shown that the dependence of the kinetic constants (kcat and Km) on the water content of the system, on wo (= [H2O]/[AOT]), is different for the different substrates. This indicates that activity-wo profiles for alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles not only reflect an intrinsic feature of the enzyme alone. For the p-nitroanilides it was found that the lower kcat (and the higher Km) in aqueous solution, the higher kcat as well as Km in reverse micelles. "Superactivity" of alpha-chymotrypsin could only be found with the ester substrate and with relatively "poor" p-nitroanilides. The presence of a negative charge in the substrate molecule is not a prerequisite for alpha-chymotrypsin to show "superactivity".     

A fluorometric study with 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) of the interactions of ATP and ADP with rubisco activase

The interactions of ATP and ADP with rubisco activase purified from spinach were investigated by measuring enhanced fluorescence due to ANS-binding to the protein. Evidence of conformational changes was observed from the differences in the interaction of ANS with rubisco activase in the presence of excess ATP and ADP. Fluorescent changes associated with the titration of a rubisco activase-ANS mixture with ATP and ADP indicated that the binding of ADP to rubisco activase was much tighter than that of ATP. The concentration of Mg2+ and pH had significant effects on the affinities of rubisco activase for ATP and ADP, with higher pH and Mg2+ concentration facilitating the binding of ATP to rubisco activase in the presence of ADP. The physiological implications of the binding characteristics of ATP and ADP with rubisco activase on the light-dark regulation of rubisco are discussed.     

Cytochrome c oxidase subunit II mRNA levels during T-lymphocyte proliferation and liver regeneration.

We studied here the variations in the mRNA levels of the mitochondrially-encoded subunit II of cytochrome c oxidase (COII) during the proliferation of thymocytes, splenic T-cells and hepatocytes. The COII mRNA levels increased during thymocyte proliferation and decreased when they were growth arrested. However, its levels remained nearly constant during splenic T-cell proliferation and liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. The different pattern of COII gene expression in the cellular systems analyzed suggests that an increment in the oxidative metabolism could not always be necessary during cell proliferation.     

Release of norepinephrine from the rat ovary: local modulation of gonadotropins.

Experiments were undertaken to define the role of gonadotropins in the release of norepinephrine and the relationship with beta-receptors of the ovary. Rat ovaries were removed at different stages of the estrous cycle and incubated in [3H]norepinephrine. Subsequently, ovaries were electrically stimulated and the release of [3H]norepinephrine was recorded. There were no changes in the norepinephrine content during the estrous cycle. The ovary exhibited cyclical variation in norepinephrine-induced release during the estrous cycle. The lowest release of norepinephrine was found during diestrus; there was an increase during proestrus and estrus followed by a decline during metestrus. The release of norepinephrine changed in the opposite way to the beta-receptor number, suggesting a process involving down-regulation between norepinephrine release and beta-receptors of the ovary. Norepinephrine released from the ovary was locally regulated by gonadotropins. The presence of FSH in the superfusion medium stimulated the norepinephrine-induced release from the ovaries of rats in diestrus (by 20%) and estrus (by 40%), but no effect was found during proestrus. In addition, the presence of hCG stimulated (by 40%) norepinephrine-induced release during proestrus, but no changes were apparent during the other stages of the estrous cycle. These results suggest that the local action of gonadotropins on nerve terminals of the ovary might be one of the factors governing the changes in norepinephrine release through the estrous cycle. The changes in the norepinephrine released to the synaptic cleft might exert down-regulation on the beta-adrenergic receptor content of the ovary and in this way control the ovarian steroid secretory activity.     

Strategies for reducing solvent toxicity in extractive fermentations

The toxicity of an Alamine 336/oleyl-alcohol extraction system on Lactobacillus delbrueckii was investigated. It was shown that the solvent affected the cells through the water-soluble portion and the immiscible portion of the solvent. While immobilization significantly protected the cells from the immiscible solvent phase, the water-soluble part of the solvent still caused toxicity to the microorganisms due to diffusion of the solvent into the matrix. Adding soybean oil to the kappa-carrageenan matrix could trap the diffusing solvent molecules, and therefore reduce the toxic effect from the water soluble portion of the solvent. The protective ability of soybean oil was quantified through mathematical modeling and experimentation.     

Promotive effect of chrysanthemic acids on adventitious root formation in some plants

Adventitious root formation in excised cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cotyledons was significantly promoted by (±)-cis-chrysanthemic acid at 0.006–1.8 mM. The effect of (±)-cis-chrysanthemic acid on indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-induced rooting was additive. Rooting in excised cucumber cotyledons was significantly promoted by several isomers of chrysanthemic acid and sodium (±)-cis-chrysanthemate at 0.18 mM. Rooting in mung bean (Phaseolus radiatus L.) hypocotyls was also stimulated by the sodium salt at 0.06–0.6 mM. Rooting of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) hypocotyls was also clearly enhanced by sodium (±)-cis-chrysanthemate at 0.18–6 mM.     

High conservation of sequences involved in cystic fibrosis mutations in five mammalian species

Several mutations have been identified in the first nucleocide binding fold (NBF) of the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. We have analyzed the DNA sequences of exons 10 and 11 in five different mammalian species, marmoset, mouse, cow, pig, and sheep; the amino acid conservation studied for nine disease mutations; and two “benign” mutations. For exon 10,87% homology at the DNA level and 93.5% at the amino acid level were found for these species. For exon 11, the lowest homology (70%), as found in mouse and the highest in marmoset (93%), whereas the amino acid sequence conservation ranged from 82.5 to 100%. All codons involved in CF mutations are highly conserved throughout evolution.     

Fanconi anemia: evidence for linkage heterogeneity on chromosome 20q

Fanconi anemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder in which affected individuals are predisposed to acute myelogenous leukemia and other malignancies. We report the results of a genetic linkage study involving 34 families enrolled in the International Fanconi Anemia Registry. A significant lod score was obtained between D20S20, an anonymous DNA segment from chromosome 20q, and Fanconi anemia (Zmax 3.04, theta max = 0.12). However, six other anonymous DNA segments from chromosome 20q, including D20S19, which is highly polymorphic and tightly linked to D20S20, showed no or only weak evidence for linkage to Fanconi anemia. An admixture test revealed significant evidence for linkage heterogeneity (chi 2 = 6.10, P = 0.01) at the D20S19 locus. Lod scores suggestive of linkage between Fanconi anemia and this locus were obtained with two of the largest kindreds studied (lods = 2.6 and 2.1, at theta = 0.001). Thus, our data support the provisional assignment of a Fanconi anemia gene to chromosome 20q.