Excitation of indole analogs by phagocytosing leukocytes

The system suspended with phagocytosing leukocytes and related system produce weak light which could be greatly amplified by indole analogs with plain fatty acids at 3 position. Main emitting species in indole-3-acetic acid or indole-3-propionic acid-sensitized system was analyzed spectrometrically in the dark and ascribed to the transition of an excited indole compound in triplet state to its ground state. Such an excited species would be generated by the oxidative way of the indole analogs but not through the dioxetane structure of 2 and 3 positions on indole ring.     

Pyrrolidinone-bearing methylated and halogenated benzenesulfonamides as inhibitors of carbonic anhydrases

Two series of benzenesulfonamides bearing methyl groups at ortho/ortho or meta/ortho positions and a pyrrolidinone moiety at para position were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of the twelve catalytically active human carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoforms. Observed binding affinities were determined by fluorescent thermal shift assay and intrinsic binding affinities representing the binding of benzenesulfonamide anion to the Zn(II)-bound water form of CA were calculated. Introduction of dimethyl groups into benzenesulfonamide ring decreased the binding affinity to almost all CA isoforms, but gained in selectivity towards one CA isoform. A chloro group at the meta position of 2,6-dimethylbenzenesulfonamide derivatives did not influence the binding to CA I, but it increased the affinity to all other CAs, especially, CA VII and CA XIII (up to 500 fold). The compounds may be used for further development of CA inhibitors with higher selectivity to particular CA isoforms.     

Sulfonate desulfurization in Rhodococcus from wheat rhizosphere communities

Organically bound sulfur makes up about 90% of the total sulfur in soils, with sulfonates often the dominant fraction. Actinobacteria affiliated to the genus Rhodococcus were able to desulfonate arylsulfonates in wheat rhizospheres from the Broadbalk long-term field wheat experiment, which includes plots treated with inorganic fertilizer with and without sulfate, with farmyard manure, and unfertilized plots. Direct isolation of desulfonating rhizobacteria yielded Rhodococcus strains which grew well with a range of sulfonates, and contained the asfAB genes, known to be involved in sulfonate desulfurization by bacteria. Expression of asfA in vitro increased >100-fold during growth of the Rhodococcus isolates with toluenesulfonate as sulfur source, compared with growth with sulfate. By contrast, the closely related Rhodococcus erythropolis and Rhodococcus opacus type strains had no desulfonating activity and did not contain asfA homologues. The overall actinobacterial community structure in wheat rhizospheres was influenced by the sulfur fertilization regime, as shown by specific denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments, and asfAB clone library analysis identified nine different asfAB genotypes closely affiliated to the Rhodococcus isolates. However, asfAB -based multiplex restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)/terminal-RFLP analysis of wheat rhizosphere communities revealed only slight differences between the fertilization regimes, suggesting that the desulfonating Rhodococcus community does not specifically respond to changes in sulfate supply.     

The interaction of an amphipathic fluorescence probe, 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate,with isolated chloroplasts

The amphipathic fluorescence probe, 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate has been used to investigate the surface electrical properties of chloroplast thylakoid membranes. The fluorescence yield of 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate in aqueous solution increases on addition of hypotonically shocked chloroplast, and the emission maximum shifts towards the blue to 440 nm, although the emission spectrum is somewhat distorted by chloroplast pigment absorption.The intensity of 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate fluorescence is further increased on adding salts to the membrane suspension, and changes of >100% are routinely observed. Similar observations have also been made with soya bean phospholipid (azolectin) liposomes. The magnitude of the fluorescence increase is dependent on membrane concentration, being more pronounced at high surface area/suspending volume ratios. The effect of salt addition appears to be that of shielding the fixed negative charges on the membrane surface, thus increasing the fraction of 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate molecules at the surface, where the 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate has a higher fluorescence yield than in free aqueous solution. This concept is supported by the fact that the effectiveness of salts in increasing 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate fluorescence is as predicted by classical electrical double layer theory: governed mainly by the charge carried by the cation with an order of effectiveness C³⁺ > C²⁺ > C⁺, and not by the chemical nature of the cation or by the nature of its co-ion.It has been argued that the chlorophyll fluorescence yield, controlled by the cation composition of the suspending medium follows the total diffusible positive charge density at the thylakoid membrane surface (Barber, J., Mills, J. and Love, A. (1977) Febs. Lett. 74, 174–181). Although the cation induced 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate and chlorophyll fluorescence yield changes show similar characteristics, there are also distinct differences between the two phenomena particularly when cations are added to chloroplasts initially suspended in a virtually cation-free medium. Therefore it is concluded that although both 2-p-toluidinonaphthalene-6-sulphonate and chlorophyll fluorescence yields are governed by the electrical properties of the thylakoid membrane surface, the mechanism controlling their cation sensitivity is not the same.     

Electron spin resonance studies of the membranes of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

Doxylstearic acid spin labels are used to study the fluidity of the membranes of the cellular slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. The T₀ value of the wildtype cell membrane is close to that of egg lecithin indicating a rather fluid membrane. No detectable change in the fluidity of the bulk lipids at the 16-carbon depth occurs during differentiation of the myxamoebae into stalk and spore cells despite reported changes in the individual lipid components. The results of studies on temperature-sensitive and aggregationless mutants are also presented.     

High-order fluorescence and exciton interaction in photosynthetic bacteria

We have observed fluorescence at visible wavelengths from chromatophores of photosynthetic bacteria excited with infrared radiation which we attribute to bacteriochlorophyll of the antenna system. The fluorescence is prompt (no delay greater than 5 ns). Its spectrum shows peaks at 445, 530 (broad) and 600 nm when excited with either 694 or 868 nm. Quantum yield is of the order of 10^?9. The dependence on intensity indicates generation by mainly third-order processes which could involve triplet states in combination with excited singlets. Second-order single-singlet fusion could also contribute. The high-order fluorescence can also be explained as arising from absorption of a second photon by singlet excited states.     

The use of a zwitterionic detergent in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of trout liver microsomes

CHAPS, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-Propane sulfonate, a zwitterionic detergent, has been shown to exhibit superior membrane protein solubilizing characteristics as compared to nonionic detergents. Replacement of NP-40 with CHAPS in isoelectric focusing of rainbow trout liver microsomes has increased resolution markedly. The two-dimensional electrophoretic system described will allow effective resolution of up to 300 micrograms of crude microsomal protein. CHAPS exhibits no effect on the stability or type of pH gradient when compared to NP-40 during isoelectric focusing in the presence of urea.     

Biospecific inactivation of aspartase by L-aspartic-β-semialdehyde

Aspartase purified from Escherichia coli W cells was rapidly and irreversibly inactivated by L-aspartic-β-semialdehyde (ASA), a substrate analog, following pseudo-first order kinetics. The inactivation rate showed a tendency to saturate as the ASA concentration increased. The increase in pH and the addition of Mg²⁺ at the alkaline pH accelerated the inactivation. In addition to chemically synthesized ASA, modification of aspartase by enzymatically generated ASA was attempted. Since the reaction equilibrium of homoserine dehydrogenase is extremely unfavorable for ASA formation, glutamate dehydrogenase reaction was coupled to it. When aspartase was incubated with these two enzyme systems, a time-dependent inactivation was observed. L-Aspartate, a substrate for the enzyme, protected it from inactivation. Analysis of the sulfhydryl group indicated that among 9 sulfhydryl groups per enzyme subunit, one residue essential for the activity was involved in the ASA-mediated inactivation.