Biosynthesis of fusarochromanone and its monoacetyl derivative by Fusarium equiseti.

One fluorescent compound previously named TDP-2 was isolated and purified from a rice culture of Fusarium equiseti (Alaska 2-2). Mass spectral and nuclear magnetic resonance data indicated that it is a C-3'-N-acetyl derivative of fusarochromanone, a newly discovered mycotoxin. Time course studies of synthesis of these two compounds on autoclaved rice and Czapek-Dox medium enriched with soybean peptone indicated that fusarochromanone was converted to TDP-2 in the cultures. A high concentration of peptone in the liquid medium may stimulate both fusarochromanone synthesis and its conversion to TDP-2.     

Isolation and characterization of the cDNA for pulmonary surfactant-associated protein-B (SP-B) in the rabbit

Pulmonary surfactant contains phospholipids including dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine and three surfactant-associated proteins designated SP-A, SP-B and SP-C. A cDNA for rabbit SP-B has been isolated from a fetal (30 days gestation) rabbit lung cDNA library constructed in lambda gt11. The cDNA and deduced amino acid sequences show strong homology with the cDNAs and predicted 40 kDa proproteins for human and canine SP-B. Strong homology is also observed with the amino acid sequences directly determined for the mature 8 kDa bovine and porcine SP-B isolated from lung lavage. SP-B is remarkable for its high cysteine and proline content and for the hydrophobic nature of the organic solvent-soluble, mature protein. In vitro translation of sense but not antisense RNA transcribed from the cDNA led to the production of 40 kDa and 32 kDa proteins. These proteins were immunoprecipitated by an antibody raised against bovine SP-B. Northern blot analysis revealed the mRNA for rabbit SP-B appears in fetal rabbit lung late in gestation and falls slightly in the neonate.     

Three residues involved in binding and catalysis in the carbamyl phosphate binding site of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase

Site-directed mutagenesis was used to create four mutant versions of Escherichia coli aspartate transcarbamylase at three positions in the catalytic chain of the enzyme. The location of all the amino acid substitutions was near the carbamyl phosphate binding site as previously determined by X-ray crystallography. Arg-54, which interacts with both the anhydride oxygen and a phosphate oxygen of carbamyl phosphate, was replaced by alanine. This mutant enzyme was approximately 17,000-fold less active than the wild type, although the binding of substrates and substrate analogues was not altered substantially. Arg-105, which interacts with both the carbonyl oxygen and a phosphate oxygen of carbamyl phosphate, was replaced by alanine. This mutant enzyme exhibited an approximate 1000-fold loss of activity, while the activity of catalytic subunit isolated from this mutant enzyme was reduced by 170-fold compared to the wild-type catalytic subunit. The KD of carbamyl phosphate and the inhibition constants for acetyl phosphate and N-(phosphono-acetyl)-L-aspartate (PALA) were increased substantially by this amino acid substitution. Furthermore, this loss in substrate and substrate analogue binding can be correlated with the large increases in the aspartate and carbamyl phosphate concentrations at half of the maximum observed specific activity, [S]0.5. Gln-137, which interacts with the amino group of carbamyl phosphate, was replaced by both asparagine and alanine. The asparagine mutant exhibited only a small reduction in activity while the alanine mutant was approximately 50-fold less active than the wild type. The catalytic subunits of both these mutant enzymes were substantially more active than the corresponding holoenzymes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Classical Raman spectroscopic studies of NADH and NAD+ bound to lactate dehydrogenase by difference techniques

The binding of the coenzymes NAD+ and NADH to lactate dehydrogenase causes significant changes in the Raman spectra of both of these molecules relative to spectra obtained in the absence of enzyme. The molecular motions of the bound adenine moiety of both NAD+ and NADH as well as adenine containing analogues of these coenzymes produce Raman bands that are essentially identical, suggesting that the binding of adenine to the enzyme is the same regardless of the nicotinamide head-group nature. We also have observed that the molecular motions of the bound adenine moiety are different from both those obtained when it is in either water, various hydrophobic solvents, or various other solvent compositions. Protonation of the bound adenine ring at the 3-position is offered as a possible explanation. Significant shifts are observed in both the stretching frequency of the carboxamide carbonyl of NAD+ and the rocking motion of the carboxamide NH2 group of NADH. These shifts are probably caused by hydrogen bonding with the enzyme. The interaction energies of these hydrogen-bonding patterns are discussed. The aromatic nature of the nicotinamide moiety of NAD+ appears to be unchanged upon binding. Pronounced changes in the Raman spectrum of the nicotinamide moiety of NADH are observed upon binding; some of these changes are understood and discussed. Finally, these results are compared to analogous results that were recently reported for liver alcohol dehydrogenase [Chen et al. (1987) Biochemistry 26, 4776-4784]. In general, the coenzyme binding properties are found to be quite similar, but not identical, for the two enzymes.     

Molecular cloning and expression of a proteinase gene from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris H2 and construction of a new lactococcal vector pFX1

The 6.5 kb HindIII DNA fragment of the Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris H2 plasmid pDI21 was cloned into Escherichia coli POP13 with NM1149, and also directly into Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 4125 using a newly-constructed broad host-range vector pFX1. Proteinase was experessed in both transformed organisms. The proteinase resembles a PI type since it preferentially degraded -casein. The restriction map of the 6.5 kb proteinase gene fragment has minor differences from those of published plamid proteinase genes. High-efficiency electroporation with pFX1 provides a direct approach for gene cloning in lactococci.Abbreviations cfu colony forming units - HEPES N-[2-hydroxyethyl]piperazine-N-[2-ethanesulphonic acid] Dedicated to Prof. Dr. G. Drews on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

血栓素合成酶抑制剂的研究现状和展望

血栓素合成酶抑制剂(TxSI)是一类新型抗血小板药,其显著特点是阻断花生四烯酸(AA)代谢过程中诱聚性及血管收缩性产物血栓素A_2(TxA_2)的形成,而不抑制甚至增加抗聚性及血管扩张性前列环素(PGI_2)的生成。这类药物比环氧酶抑制剂阿司匹林等经典抗血小板药具有更高的特异性作用,可望于心血管疾病的临床应用。