Adenosine-5′-d: rotational conformation of the 5′-carbinol group

A synthesis of adenosine-5′-d (4), and its p.m.r. spectral characteristics, are described. The presence of deuterium in 4 gives rise to a 2:1 mixture of R and S configurations at C-5, thereby permitting specific assignments for the resonances of the residual 5′-protons. From the observed spin-spin coupling between the latter and H-4′, and estimate has been made of the rotamer population of the exocyclic 5′-carbinol group. It is shown that the gauche-gauche rotamer is preponderant (≈70%) and the gauche-trans one of minor importance (≈20%) in aqueous solution, which contrasts markedly with the preference for the latter rotamer exhibited by adenosine in the solid state.     

A high efficiency transformation system for the basidiomycete Ustilago violacea employing hygromycin resistance and lithium-acetate treatment

A basidiomycete phytopathogenic fungus, Ustilago violacea, was transformed with pUCH1, a bacterial plasmid containing the hygromycin (Hyg)-resistance hygB gene fused to a promoter from the ascomycete Cochliobolus heterostrophus. After lithium acetate/polyethylene glycol treatment of whole sporidial cells, U. violacea transformants appeared on Hyg-agar at a frequency of 60-80 per microgram pUCH1 DNA. The Hyg phenotype was 100% stable in these transformants for at least 30 generations of mitotic growth under non-selective conditions. Southern DNA-DNA hybridization revealed multiple integrations of the pUCH1 plasmid into the U. violacea nuclear DNA. In addition, Escherichia coli transformants appeared at a frequency of 12 per microgram nuclear fraction DNA from Hyg U. violacea transformants; these E. coli consistently contained a deleted pUCH1 plasmid. This latter result suggested the low-frequency production of circular molecules by recombination within the integrated sequences.     

Defective H(+)-ATPase of hygromycin B-resistant pma1 mutants fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Mutations in the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase gene (PMA1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that confer growth resistance to hygromycin B have been shown recently to cause a marked depolarization of whole cell membrane potential (Perlin, D. S., Brown, C. L., and Haber, J. E. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 18118-18122). In this report, the biochemical and genetic properties of H+-ATPases from four prominent hygromycin B-resistant pma1 mutants, pma1-105, pma1-114, pma1-147, and pma1-155, are described. Single base pair changes were identified in pma1-105, pma1-114, and pma1-147 that resulted in amino acid substitutions of Ser-368----Phe, Gly-158----Asp, Pro-640----Leu, respectively. An A----G transition mutation at -39 in the 5'-untranslated region of the mRNA of pma1-155 was also found. This mutation creates an out-of-Frame upstream AUG initiation codon that apparently reduces normal translation of PMA1. DNA sequence analysis of PMA1 from strain Y55 identified 9 base pair substitutions that resulted in 6 amino acid changes in nonconserved regions when compared to the published sequence for strain S288C. Plasma membranes of three of the four pma1 mutants contained normal amounts of H(+)-ATPase; membranes from pma1-155 contained enzyme at 62% of the wild-type level. The kinetics of ATP hydrolysis were most strongly altered for enzymes from pma1-105 and pma1-147 which showed changes in both Km and Vmax. A striking pH dependence for these parameters was found for enzyme from pma1-105 which resulted in a precipitous decline in Km and Vmax below pH 6.5. ATP hydrolysis by enzymes from pma1-105 and pma1-147 was insensitive to inhibition by vanadate. These enzymes, in contrast to wild-type and vanadate-sensitive mutant enzymes, were poorly protected from trypsin-induced inactivation by MgATP and vanadate or Pi alone. These results are pertinent to the mechanism of vanadate-induced enzyme inhibition and suggest that Ser-368 and Pro-640 influence the affinity of the phosphate-binding site for Pi. All mutant enzymes catalyzed ATP-induced pH gradient formation following purification and reconstitution into liposomes. Finally, these results further demonstrate the usefulness of hygromycin B as a generalized screening tool for isolating diverse plasma membrane ATPase mutants.     

Synthesis of glycosyl halides and glycosides via 1-O-sulfonyl derivatives

The reaction of an aldose derivative containing a free anomeric hydroxyl group with trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride or methanesulfonic anhydride, in the presence of halide ion and s-collidine, furnishes a glycosyl halide; if an alcohol is then introduced, glycoside synthesis is effected in an overall, “one-pot” reaction. Several α-d-glucopyranosides, including disaccharides, have been prepared in high yield by using 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-d-glucose as the aldose, and generating the corresponding glycosyl bromide(s) in situ. As a halide-exchange step is incorporated in the reaction sequence, orthoacetate formation was favored in reactions of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-d-glucose, such as occurs with per-O-acetylglycosyl halides. Methanesulfonic anhydride promotes glycosidation or orthoester formation in the absence of halide ion, as well as in its presence, whereas formation of an intermediate glycosyl halide appears to be necessary in order to moderate the more vigorous reactions of the trifluoro derivative. The analogous reaction of methanesulfonyl chloride with an aldose provides a ready route to glycosyl chlorides. Under the conditions employed for these various syntheses, acid-sensitive protecting groups may be used, including cyclic and acyclic acetals and O-trityl substituents.     

The isolation and characterization of bilirubin diglucuronide, the major bilirubin conjugate in dog and human bile.

The chemical structure of the major conjugate of bilirubin was unequivocally elucidated by structural analysis. The conjugated bilirubins were first separated from the lipid components of human duodenal aspirates or dog gall-bladder bile, and then resolved by t.l.c. into a series of tetrapyrroles. The major tetrapyrrole was then converted into its more stable dipyrrolic azo derivative for further analysis. The conjugated moiety of the azopigment was characterized after methanolysis with sodium methoxide. This reaction yields two types of product, those soluble in water and those soluble in organic solvents. The organic-soluble fraction was shown by t.l.c. and mass spectrometry to contain the methyl esters of the dipyrrolic azo derivatives of bilirubin. The water-soluble materials were analysed by enzymic procedures, t.l.c., n.m.r. spectrometry and combined g.l.c. and mass spectrometry. This analysis showed that the only water-soluble product resulting from the methanolysis was glucuronic acid. The structure was identical with that of pure standards, on both mass spectrometry and n.m.r. spectroscopy. No contaminating moieties were found. Quantitative measurement indicated that the glucuronic acid had been released in a 1:1 molar ratio with the resulting methyl esters of the dipyrrolic azo derivatives of bilirubin. This unequivocally establishes bilirubin diglucuronide as the major pigment present in bile. Past problems with identification of bilirubin diglucuronide were shown to originate from procedures which resulted in incomplete separation and isolation of the azopigments of the conjugated bilirubins, owing to contamination by biliary lipids.     

Biodecolourization of azo and triphenylmethane dyes by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Dichomitus squalens</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phlebia</Emphasis> spp

Nine white-rot fungal strains were screened for biodecolourization of brilliant green, cresol red, crystal violet, congo red and orange II. Dichomitus squalens, Phlebia fascicularia and P. floridensis decolourized all of the dyes on solid agar medium and possessed better decolourization ability than Phanerochaete chrysosporium when tested in nitrogen-limited broth medium. Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology (2002) 28, 201–203 DOI: 10.1038/sj/jim/7000222 Received 12 July 2001/ Accepted in revised form 22 October 2001     

Monoclonal antibodies to rabbit liver cytochrome P-448

Cytochrome P-448 (mol wt 55,000 Daltons) from rabbit liver was purified to a specific content of 16.6 nmol/mg. Mice were immunised with this preparation, their spleens removed and dissociated lymphocytes hybridised with myeloma cells. Four monoclonal antibodies against cytochrome P-448 were raised and partially characterised. All four antibodies interacted with cytochrome P-448 in intact microsomal fractions and selectively immunoadsorbed cytochrome P-448 from solubilised microsomal preparations. One of the antibodies inhibited benzo[a] pyrene hydroxylase activity in a reconstituted system, one had no effect on activity and two increased activity. The possible applications of such antibodies are discussed.     

Functional effects and cross-reactivity of antibody to purified subunit b (uncF protein) of Escherichia coli proton-ATPase

Subunit b (uncF protein) of the proton-ATPase (F1F0) of Escherichia coli was purified from membranes of strain AN1460 (unc+). Antibody to purified subunit b was raised in rabbits. It reacted with F1-depleted membranes and blocked F1 binding. Bound antibody had no effect on proton transport through F0. F1-Depleted membranes competed with purified subunit b for antibody in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. F1-Depleted membranes which had been pretreated with trypsin or preincubated with saturating amounts of soluble F1 competed poorly with purified subunit b for antibody. The antibody to subunit b was used to further evaluate the trypsin-cleavage data previously reported [D. S. Perlin, D. N. Cox, and A. E. Senior (1983) J. Biol. Chem. 258, 9793-9800]. The results indicated that trypsin proteolysis of F1-depleted membranes resulted in the transient appearance of three fragments of subunit b (Mr = 16,400, 15,700, and 15,500) that remained tightly bound to the membrane. A water-soluble fragment (Mr 14,800), previously thought to be derived from subunit b, was not detected by the antibody. The antibody to subunit b did not cross-react with any subunit of mitochondrial, chloroplast, or other bacterial proton-ATPase, or with the proton-ATPase of clathrin-coated vesicles, plant microsomal membranes, or Neurospora crassa plasma membranes.