Recent advances in fungal cellobiose oxidoreductases

When grown on cellulose, the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium (Sporotrichum pulverulentum), produces two cellobiose oxidoreductases, i.e., cellobiose:quinone oxidoreductase (CBQ) and cellobiose oxidase (CBO). Similar cellobiose-oxidizing enzymes, capable of utilizing a wide variety of electron acceptors, have been detected in many other fungi. However, the role of the cellobiose oxidoreductases in white-rot fungi, or in any fungi for that matter, is still not known. The original role ascribed to CBQ was as a link between cellulose and lignin degradation. CBQ has been shown to reduce quinones and phenoxyradicals released during lignin degradation concomitantly oxidizing cellobiose and other cellodextrins released during cellulose degradation. Thus, one function proposed for the cellobiose oxidoreductases is to prevent repolymerization of phenoxyradicals formed when phenoloxidases (peroxidases and laccases) attack lignin and lignin degradation products. However, evidence obtained so far indicates that the presence of CBO/CBQ with lignin peroxidases and laccases actually reduces the rate of oxidation of lignin degradation products. CBQ has a molecular mass of about 60 kD and contains an FAD cofactor. CBO contains both heme and FAD, and has a mass of about 90 kD. It has recently been demonstrated that CBO can be proteolytically cleaved into FAD and heme domains. The FAD domain of CBO seems to have all the properties of CBQ, suggesting that CBQ is a cleavage product of CBO. Whether CBO is a precursor of CBQ is not yet known. CBO and CBQ can be distinguished not only by the differences in their spectral properties, but also by the ability of CBO, but not CBQ, to reduce cytochrome c. Both CBO and CBQ have a cellulose-binding domain (CBD), as do a large number of endoglucanases and cellobiohydrolases. The induction-repression patterns regulating cellobiose oxidoreductase genes are not known in any detail. Most reports point to induction during cellulose degradation, but repression has not been studied. Induction has also been suggested to occur by addition of lignosulfonate to the medium.     

An NADH: Fe(III) EDTA oxidoreductase from Cryptococcus albidus: an enzyme involved in ethylene production in vivo?

An ethylene-forming enzyme which forms ethylene from 2-oxo-4-methylthiobutyric acid (KMBA) was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state from a cell-free extract of Cryptococcus albidus IFP 0939. The presence of KMBA, NADH, Fe(III) chelated to EDTA and oxygen were essential for the formation of ethylene. When ferric ions, as Fe(III)EDTA, in the reaction mixture were replaced by Fe(II)EDTA under aerobic conditions, the non-enzymatic formation of ethylene was observed. Under anaerobic conditions in the presence of Fe(III)EDTA and NADH, the enzyme reduced 2 mol of Fe(III) with 1 mol of NADH to give 2 mol of Fe(II) and 1 mol NAD+, indicating that the ethylene-forming enzyme is an NADH-Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase. The role of NADH:Fe(III)EDTA oxidoreductase activity in the formation in vivo ethylene from KMBA is discussed.     

Hydrogen peroxide mediates reperfusion injury in the isolated rat heart

In an isolated, normothermic rat heart model (Langendorff, 37 °C), dimethylthiourea (DMTU) infusion only during reperfusion reduced both injury and measurable hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations after global ischemia. Cardiac function was assessed by measurement of ventricular developed pressure (DP). H₂O₂ was assessed using H₂O₂ dependent aminotriazole inactivation of myocardial catalase. Depletion of xanthine oxidase by two methods (tungsten or allopurinol inhibition) also improved recovery of function and H₂O₂ production. The results indicate that XO derived H₂O₂ contributes to myocardial reperfusion injury.     

A Pre-embedding Reaction Method for Localizing NADH Reductase and Succinic Dehydrogenase in Skeletal Muscle

Paraffin wax embedding methods suitable for demonstrating the distribution of enzyme activity in tissues sections are uncommon; most procedures rely on the use of frozen section techniques. This paper describes a system for demonstrating certain enzymes which involves incubation of the tissue with appropriate substrates before a Paramat wax embedding procedure. While it has distinct merits of its own, the procedure is eminently suitable for use where a cryostat is not available; it can also be readily applied to other enzymes and tissues.     

Kinetic and product distribution analysis of NO· reductase activity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nitrosomonas europaea</Emphasis> hydroxylamine oxidoreductase

Hydroxylamine oxidoreductase (HAO) from the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosomonas europaea normally catalyzes the four-electron oxidation of hydroxylamine to nitrite, which is the second step in ammonia-dependent respiration. Here we show that, in the presence of methyl viologen monocation radical (MV(red)), HAO can catalyze the reduction of nitric oxide to ammonia. The process is analogous to that catalyzed by cytochrome c nitrite reductase, an enzyme found in some bacteria that use nitrite as a terminal electron acceptor during anaerobic respiration. The availability of a reduction pathway to ammonia is an important factor to consider when designing in vitro studies of HAO, and may also have some physiological relevance. The reduction of nitric oxide to ammonia proceeds in two kinetically distinct steps: nitric oxide is first reduced to hydroxylamine, and then hydroxylamine is reduced to ammonia at a tenfold slower rate. The second step was investigated independently in solutions initially containing hydroxylamine, MV(red), and HAO. Both steps show first-order dependence on nitric oxide and HAO concentrations, and zero-order dependence on MV(red) concentration. The rate constants governing each reduction step were found to have values of (4.7 +/- 0.3) x 10(5) and (2.06 +/- 0.04) x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. A second reduction pathway, with second-order dependence on nitric oxide, may become available as the concentration of nitric oxide is increased. Such a pathway might lead to production of nitrous oxide. We estimate a maximum value of (1.5 +/- 0.05) x 10(10) M(-2) s(-1) for the rate constant of the alternative pathway, which is small and suggests that the pathway is not physiologically important.     

Approaches to the measurement of intracellular adenine and the discrimination between adenine transport and metabolism in L1210 leukemia cells

Incubation of L1210 leukemia cells with 10 μM [³H]adenine in the absence of energy substrate results in a very rapid accumulation of ³H within the cells. By 20 s intracellular adenine is near steady-state; beyond this the rate of accumulation of intracellular ³H reflects nucleotide synthesis, predominantly the rate of ATP accumulation within the cell as determined by liquid chromatography. Adenine incorporation into the nucleotides proceeds via adenine-phosphoribosyl transferase, which is rate-limiting to AMP formation and subsequently the formation of ADP and ATP. Acceleration of this pathway by the addition of glucose and phosphate decreases the intracellular adenine level far below equilibrium as metabolism is increased relative to transport. Assessment of methodology to evaluate intracellular adenine and its metabolites indicates that (i) a 4°C wash removes the major portion of intracellular adenine and (ii) at 4°C, transport of adenine remains rapid and while nucleotide synthesis is decreased, ATP still accumulates within the cell. Hence, measurement of cellular uptake of radioactive label at 4°C after cells are washed free of adenine cannot be used as a measurement of adenine surface binding since this radioactive label represents, at least in part, phosphorylated derivatives of adenine within the cell. Unlabeled adenine and structurally related compounds were found to inhibit [³H]adenine net uptake under conditions where metabolism of adenine was reduced, suggesting that base transport is mediated by a facilitated diffusion mechanism. This is consistent with other studies from this laboratory that demonstrate exchange diffusion between adenine and other bases.     

Toward a Characterization of the Connecting Module of Complex I

Complex I [NADH–ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I, EC 1.6.5.3)] couples electron transfer between NADH and ubiquinone to proton transport across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane and the mitochondrial inner membrane. This sophisticated enzyme consists of three specialized modules: (1) a hydrophilic NADH-oxidizing module that constitutes the input machinery of the enzyme; (2) a hydrophobic module that anchors the enzyme in the membrane and must take part in proton transport; and (3) a connecting domain that links the two previous modules. Using the complex I of Rhodobacter capsulatus, we developed a genetic study of the structure and function of the connecting module. In the present review, we put together the salient results of these studies, with recent reports of the literature, to try and elucidate the structure of the connecting module and its potential role in the coupling process between electron and proton flux within complex I. From this overview, we conclude that the NUOB–NUOD dimer of the connecting module and a hydrophobic subunit such as NUOH must share a quinone-reduction site. The function of this site in the mechanism of complex I is discussed.     

DELAYED URIC ACID ACCUMULATION IN PLASMA PROVIDES ADDITIONAL ANTI-OXIDANT PROTECTION AGAINST IRON-TRIGGERED OXIDATIVE STRESS AFTER A WINGATE TEST

Reactive oxygen species are produced during anaerobic exercise mostly by Fe ions released into plasma and endothelial/muscle xanthine oxidase activation that generates uric acid (UA) as the endpoint metabolite. Paradoxically, UA is considered a major antioxidant by virtue of being able to chelate pro-oxidative iron ions. This work aimed to evaluate the relationship between UA and plasma markers of oxidative stress following the exhaustive Wingate test. Plasma samples of 17 male undergraduate students were collected before, 5 and 60 min after maximal anaerobic effort for the measurement of total iron, haem iron, UA, ferric-reducing antioxidant activity in plasma (FRAP), and malondialdehyde (MDA, biomarker of lipoperoxidation). Iron and FRAP showed similar kinetics in plasma, demonstrating an adequate pro-/antioxidant balance immediately after exercise and during the recovery period (5–60 min). Slight variations of haem iron concentrations did not support a relevant contribution of rhabdomyolysis or haemolysis for iron overload following exercise. UA concentration did not vary immediately after exercise but rather increased 29% during the recovery period. Unaltered MDA levels were concomitantly measured. We propose that delayed UA accumulation in plasma is an auxiliary antioxidant response to post-exercise (iron-mediated) oxidative stress, and the high correlation between total UA and FRAP in plasma (R-Square = 0.636; p = 0.00582) supports this hypothesis.