The ATP depletion process of human erythrocytes studied by freeze fracturing

By the freeze-fracture method it is shown that metabolic depletion of erythrocytes affects three levels of cell organization: the microstructural (erythrocyte form), microstructural (micro-relief of erythrocyte surface) and ultrastructural (ultrastructural state of erythrocyte plasma membranes) ones. As it is established, the size of spikes on the echinocyte surface and that of membrane vesicles budding from a cell coincide with each other. The structural modification of the membrane precedes the stage of erythrocyte crenation. The following model of vesicle budding process is suggested: reduction of ATP level and dephosphorylation of actin-spectrin network--structural modification of the protein and lipid membrane phases with the formation of regions disconnected from the spectrin framework--protrusion of these anomalous regions in the form of spikes--budding of spikes as spherical vesicles.     

On the mechanism of shrinkage-induced potassium influx in rat and human erythrocytes.

The rates of 86Rb influx into human and rat erythrocytes were studied in media of various tonicity. At sucrose concentrations below 0.3 mol/l, the ouabain-insensitive, furosemide-inhibited component of influx increased in rat but not in human erythrocytes; this may be explained by a rise in the rate of Na+, K+, Cl-- and/or K+, Cl-cotransport. An increase in osmolarity resulted in a reduction of this as well as of the ouabain and furosemide-insensitive component in rat erythrocytes. At the same conditions a drastic inhibition of Na+, K(+)-pump occurred both in rat and human erythrocytes. We failed to observe a lag-phase in the activation of the cotransport in rat erythrocytes; i. e. the process of activation parallels the shrinkage of cells. In rat erythrocyte ghosts, the shrinkage-induced stimulation of the cotransport was lost, and the direction of their osmotic reaction (inhibition of transport pathways) was similar to that in human erythrocyte ghosts. It is suggested that the mechanism of volume regulation of ion transport in intact cells involves a step of physical amplification via a change in interactions between the protein carcass and the lipid bilayer.     

cGMP-binding centers in photoreceptor membranes

The binding of cGMP by structural components of bovine rod outer segments was studied. The discs and plasma membranes were shown to contain two types of the specific binding sites for cGMP which are distinct from cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase. The sites have a "high" and "low" (Kd = 0.1 divided by 0.35 and 1.5 divided by 2.0 X 10(-6) M respectively) affinity for cGMP. They belong to membraneous integral proteins presumably associated with phospholipids. Their affinity for cGMP is controlled by GTP and calmodulin.     

Inactivation of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in brain synaptic membranes by free fatty acids. Evaluation of the role of lipid phase

Arachidonic, linolenic and linoleic acids decreased the binding of the m-cholinergic antagonist [3H] QNB and did not affect the ratio of high to low affinity binding sites to the agonist carbamoylcholine in rat brain synaptic membranes. In the presence of arachidonic acid, SH-reagent N-ethylmaleimide acquired the ability to block QNB binding to receptor. Lipids in the bilayer and annular regions were probed by fluorescence of 1,6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene and pyrene. A microviscosity drop induced by increasing temperature from 10 to 37 degrees C did not affect the level of QNB equilibrium binding, whereas arachidonic acid strongly inhibited the binding at concentrations inducing the same drop in microviscosity as that induced by heating. For various unsaturated fatty acids an equal extent of receptor blocking was reached at quite different degrees of bilayer fluidization, the state of annular lipid being not changed under these conditions. It is suggested that the effect of unsaturated acids is reached through their direct interaction with the receptor, which undergoes a conformational change, rather than by an alteration of the physical state of the lipid phase of the membrane.     

Interaction of bromophenol blue with serum albumin: criteria for using dyes for assessing the state and quantity of protein

The optical properties of the complexes of the pH-dependent dye bromophenol blue (BPB) with human serum albumin were investigated by the spectrophotometric method. The solvatochromic longwave displacement of bound BPB-2 absorption and BPB-1/BPB-2 redistribution were shown to form the optical signal of complexes. Because of the distortion of the bound BPB-2 signal its quantity was determined as delta A630 = A630 - A660 and the use of lambda max as structural parameter was limited to low pH less than or equal to 3. The conclusion was made that BPB is inapplicable as a structural probe on account of low structural dependence of delta A630 and pH-limitation of lambda max used. The maximal absorption delta Amax = Amax - A660 and its structural independence were obtained in the region of 70-100% occupation of the dye-binding centers of the protein. It is the optimal conditions for the quantitative determination of protein. After maximal dye binding (15-16 molecules of BPB per 1 molecule of albumin) the aggregation and precipitation of the complexes occurred.     

Streptoverticillium griseoviridum n. sp., a producer of the candidin-amphotericin B group, antifungal heptaene nonaromatic antibiotic 0185]

An actinomyceteous strain LIA-0185 producing a heptaenic non-aromatic antibiotic of the candidin type was isolated from a soil sample taken in the Georgian SSR under the programme of screening antifungal antibiotics. The taxonomic study of the strain showed that it belonged to the series of viridoflavum and had the following main taxonomic features: the sporophores in the whorls, straight, remote: the aerial mycelium from yellow to dark-olive-grey; the substrate mycelium olive; the soluble pigment absent; the melanine pigment was produced on the peptone medium; the culture formed H2S; assimilated glucose, mannose, inozide and to a lesser extent fructose; did not assimilate arabinose, xylose, sucrose, lactose, ramnose and raffinose. The strain inhibited the growth of yeast and fungi, grampositive bacteria and actinomycetes and produced a complex of non-aromatic heptaenic antibiotics. The actinomycete differed from the other whorl cultures. It was classified as a new species Sv. griseoviridum sp. nov. The antibiotic complex was a mixture of 2 components, i. e. I and II present approximately in equal amounts. Component II was analogous to candidin. Component I was a new original substance.     

Effect of chlorpromazine on the relation between temperature and the binding of ANS by human erythrocytes

It has been shown that under the effect of chlorpromazin (concentration to 2.10(-5) M) breaks observed on Arrhenius graphs of the rate constant of ANS binding with erythrocytes (k) at 28 and 36 degrees C are shifted to the region of low temperatures approximately to a similar interval (14-15 degrees C). The value k measured at 22 degrees C is not changed within the pH range of 5-7. It is concluded that breaks characterised the initial and final stages of temperature transition initiated in the zone of acid phospholipid of membranes.     

Influence of UV-light on erythrocyte membrane structure and catalytic behaviour of membrane acetylcholine esterase]

UV-light is shown to induce the structural transitions in the erythrocyte membrane described by S-shape curves in plots of the structural response versus the irradiation dose. In contrast to the free acetylcholine esterase (AChE) UV-light acts on the membrane enzyme as a mixed inhibitor (simultaneous change in Vmax and Km). The modification of the environment structure of residual enzyme is suggested to be the main reason of this phenomenon. The effect is under the control of membrane integrity and disappears after its desintegration. Membrane AChE treated ultrasonically both prior to and after irradiation is inactivated without a Km change. The data obtained show the influence of erythrocyte membrane structure on the catalytic behaviour of membrane-bound AChE.