Preparation and properties of a lysozyme derivative in which two domains are cross-linked intramolecularly between Trp62 and Asp101.

A lysozyme derivative in which two domains were cross-linked intramolecularly was newly prepared by means of a two-step reaction. First, the beta-carboxyl group of Asp101 in lysozyme was selectively modified with 2-(2-pyridyldithio)ethylamine in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride. After reduction of the pyridyldithio moiety of Asp101 modified lysozyme at pH 4.5 with dithiothreitol, the derivative was allowed to cross-link intramolecularly by reaction with 1,3-dichloroacetone at pH 7. Intramolecularly cross-linked lysozyme thus formed was purified by gel chromatography followed by ion-exchange chromatography. Based on the results of 1H-NMR and peptide analyses, it was concluded that Asp101 was cross-linked to Trp62 with a -CH2COCH2SCH2CH2NH-bridge in this derivative. The derivative showed minor but distinct activity against Micrococcus lysodeikticus and glycol chitin. Its melting temperature for thermal denaturation was higher by 7.3 degrees than that of native lysozyme at pH 3.     

Whole-cell K+ current activation in response to voltages and carbachol in gastric parietal cells isolated from guinea pig

Summary Patch-clamp studies of whole-cell ionic currents were carried out in parietal cells obtained by collagenase digestion of the gastric fundus of the guinea pig stomach. Applications of positive command pulses induced outward currents. The conductance became progressively augmented with increasing command voltages, exhibiting an outwardly rectifying current-voltage relation. The current displayed a slow time course for activation. In contrast, inward currents were activated upon hyperpolarizing voltage applications at more negative potentials than the equilibrium potential to K⁺ (E _K). The inward currents showed time-dependent inactivation and an inwardly rectifying current-voltage relation. Tail currents elicited by voltage steps which had activated either outward or inward currents reversed at nearE _K, indicating that both time-dependent and voltagegated currents were due to K⁺ conductances. Both outward and inward K⁺ currents were suppressed by extracellular application of Ba²⁺, but little affected by quinine. Tetraethylammonium inhibited the outward current without impairing the inward current, whereas Cs⁺ blocked the inward current but not the outward current. The conductance of inward K⁺ currents, but not outward K⁺ currents, became larger with increasing extracellular K⁺ concentration. A Ca²⁺-mobilizing acid secretagogue, carbachol, and a Ca²⁺ ionophore, ionomycin, brought about activation of another type of outward K⁺ currents and voltage-independent cation currents. Both currents were abolished by cytosolic Ca²⁺ chelation. Quinine preferentially inhibited this K⁺ current. It is concluded that resting parietal cells of the guinea pig have two distinct types of voltage-dependent K⁺ channels, inward rectifier and outward rectifier, and that the cells have Ca²⁺-activated K⁺ channels which might be involved in acid secretion under stimulation by Ca²⁺-mobilizing secretagogues.     

2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine inhibits the repair of DNA double-strand breaks and does not inhibit the repair of DNA single-strand breaks in X-irradiated Chinese hamster V79 cells.

The exposure of log-phase Chinese hamster V79 cells to 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (CdA) for 3 h after X irradiation enhanced the lethal effects of X-rays in a concentration-dependent manner. The enhancement of the killing efficiency of X-rays by CdA was mainly observed in the reduction of quasi-threshold doses (Dq) of the dose-response curves. When the ability of CdA to inhibit the repair of X-ray-induced double- and single-strand breaks (dsb and ssb) of DNA was investigated by neutral- and alkaline-filter elution techniques, respectively, it was observed that 90% of dsb were rejoined in the absence of CdA within 30 min after X irradiation and 15-40% of dsb rejoining was suppressed by co-incubation of the cells with 5-10 microM of CdA for 3 h after X irradiation, whereas almost 100% of ssb were rejoined within 15 min regardless of the presence or absence of CdA. From these results it was concluded that CdA interfered exclusively with the repair of DNA dsb in X-irradiated Chinese hamster V79 cells and thereby increased the lethality of X-rays.     

Genes encoding peroxisomal enzymes are not necessarily assigned on the same chromosome of an n-alkane-utilizable yeast Candida tropicalis

We have resolved eight chromosomal bands from an n-alkane-assimilating yeast, Candida tropicalis pK 233, by using contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis (CHEF). From the results of hybridization of DNA probes of yeast peroxisomal enzymes--catalase, acyl-CoA oxidase, carnitine acetyltransferase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase, and 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase--to Southern transfers of CHEF gels, these genes were proven not necessarily to be located on the same chromosome. This fact shows that the genes encoding the enzymes tested were not distributed to be cistronic, although simultaneous and inducible synthesis of peroxisomal enzymes occurred in harmony with the proliferation of peroxisomes, suggesting that their co-ordinated expression might be mainly regulated by certain trans-acting factors.     

Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of a novel 7 beta-(4-carboxybutanamido)cephalosporanic acid acylase gene of Bacillus laterosporus and its expression in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

A strain of Bacillus species which produced an enzyme named glutaryl 7-ACA acylase which converts 7 beta-(4-carboxybutanamido)cephalosporanic acid (glutaryl 7-ACA) to 7-amino cephalosporanic acid (7-ACA) was isolated from soil. The gene for the glutaryl 7-ACA acylase was cloned with pHSG298 in Escherichia coli JM109, and the nucleotide sequence was determined by the M13 dideoxy chain termination method. The DNA sequence revealed only one large open reading frame composed of 1,902 bp corresponding to 634 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence contained a potential signal sequence in its amino-terminal region. Expression of the gene for glutaryl 7-ACA acylase was performed in both E. coli and Bacillus subtilis. The enzyme preparations purified from either recombinant strain of E. coli or B. subtilis were shown to be identical with each other as regards the profile of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were composed of a single peptide with the molecular size of 70 kDa. Determination of the amino-terminal sequence of the two enzyme preparations revealed that both amino-terminal sequences (the first nine amino acids) were identical and completely coincided with residues 28 to 36 of the open reading frame. Extracellular excretion of the enzyme was observed in a recombinant strain of B. subtilis.     

Peroxisomal acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase of an n-alkane-utilizing yeast, Candida tropicalis.

Two genes encoding acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (thiolase I; EC 2.3.1.9), whose localization in peroxisomes was first found with an n-alkane-utilizing yeast, Candida tropicalis, were isolated from the lambda EMBL3 genomic DNA library prepared from the yeast genomic DNA. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that both genes contained open reading frames of 1209 bp corresponding to 403 amino acid residues with methionine at the N-terminus, which were named as thiolase IA and thiolase IB. The calculated molecular masses were 41,898 Da for thiolase IA and 41,930 Da for thiolase IB. These values were in good agreement with the subunit mass of the enzyme purified from yeast peroxisomes (41 kDa). There was an extremely high similarity between these two genes (96% of nucleotides in the coding regions and 98% of amino acids deduced). From the amino acid sequence analysis of the purified peroxisomal enzyme, it was shown that thiolase IA and thiolase IB were expressed in peroxisomes at an almost equal level. Both showed similarity to other thiolases, especially to Saccharomyces uvarum cytosolic acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase (65% amino acids of thiolase IA and 64% of thiolase IB were identical with this thiolase). Considering the evolution of thiolases, the C. tropicalis thiolases and S. uvarum cytosolic acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase are supposed to have a common origin. It was noticeable that the carboxyl-terminal regions of thiolases IA and IB contained a putative peroxisomal targeting signal, -Ala-Lys-Leu-COOH, unlike those of other thiolases reported hitherto.     

A protease inhibitor produced by Streptomyces lividans 66 exhibits inhibitory activities toward both subtilisin BPN' and trypsin.

A proteinaceous protease inhibitor was isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces lividans 66 by a series of purification steps (salting out by ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, hydrophobic chromatography on Phenyl-Sepharose, and gel-filtration on Sephacryl S-200), and was named S. lividans protease inhibitor (SLPI). The purified SLPI existed in a dimeric form consisting of two identical subunits, each of which was composed of 107 amino acids. SLPI exhibited strong inhibitory activity toward subtilisin BPN'. These features were similar to those of protein protease inhibitors produced by other Streptomyces (SSI family inhibitor). In addition, SLPI was capable of inhibiting trypsin with an inhibitor constant (Ki) of about 10(-9) M. The primary structure of SLPI and location of two disulfide bridges were homologous to those of the other serine protease inhibitors of Streptomyces. The reactive site of SLPI was found to be Arg67-Glu68 from the sequence analysis of cleaved SLPI which was produced by acidification of subtilisin-SLPI complex. An Arg residue at the P1 site was consistent with the trypsin-inhibitory property of SLPI. Sequence comparison with other members of the SSI family revealed that amino acid replacements in SLPI were mainly localized on the surface of the SLPI molecule, and many of the amino acid residues in beta-sheets and hydrophobic core were well conserved.     

Biological effects of exposure to high frequency electromagnetics on rabbits and guinea pigs]

To investigate the biological effects of exposure to feeble high frequency electromagnetism, skin surface temperature, blood vessel (arterioles and venules) diameter were examined, using infrared thermography, a laser doppler flowmeter, and a video microscope, respectively, in the ear of rabbits. After exposing the ear of rabbits to high frequency electromagnetism value of 9 MHz for 15 minutes, continued rising of local temperature was demonstrated. Though dilatation of arterioles was not seen. In addition, venules tended to dilate and blood flow also to increase, and microcirculation was accelerated at the site where electromagnetism was exposed. Hazardous effects of long term exposures of high frequency electromagnetism (9 MHz for 30 days, 8 hours/day) on guinea pigs were not observed in their behavior, food consumption, body and organ weights, hematological and biochemical values, macroscopic and microscopic findings on autopsy.     

Changes in the lysosome structure during the formation of zoospores inTrebouxia potteri

Summary Changes in the lysosome structures were examined by electron microscopy during the formation of zoospores inTrebouxia potteri. Lysosomes in vegetative cells were homogeneously filled with electron-dense material. At the beginning of zoospore formation, lysosomes invaginated or evaginated to take up mitochondria, ER, or cytoplasmic ground plasma. The ingested organelles became disorganized within the lysosomes. During this disruption of these organelles, the lysosomal contents became heterogeneous, suggesting a decrease in the amount of enzymes within the lysosomes. Golgi bodies and ER seemed to be involved with the disruption of the organelles, probably supplying some substances necessary for the functioning of the lysosomes. Amount of electron-dense materials decreased and, finally, only one to three small spherical aggregates remained in the lysosomes. Then the lysosomes appeared to shrink via loss of watery substances or cutting off of electron-transparent regions. After these changes in lysosome structure, nuclei started to divide successively for formation of the zoospores. The possibility is proposed that the drastic cytoplasmic changes operated by lysosomes trigger the following morphogenetic events in the formation of zoospores.Abbreviations ER endoplasmic reticulum - TGN trans Golgi network