N-Terminal Sequence of Pig Brain Choline Acetyltransferase Purified by a Rapid Procedure

A procedure is reported that allows the purification and amino terminal sequencing of pig brain choline acetyltransferase. The enzyme (present in extremely low amounts in this tissue) is eluted together with its antibody from an affinity column by a mild pH shift and the resulting enzyme-antibody complex separated by gel electrophoresis. The band corresponding to the enzyme is electroeluted from the gel using volatile solutions allowing the direct determination of the amino acid composition and partial sequence. The first 11 residues are: Pro-Ile-Leu-Glu-Lys-Thr-Pro-Pro-Lys-Met-Ala.     

Functional renaturation of receptor polypeptides eluted from SDS polyacrylamide gels

In order to gain further support for the concept that a homo-oligomeric protein-complex may be sufficient to form a functional ligand-activated ion channel and to explore additional possibilities for the reconstitution of channel activity, a single polypeptide band of the purified neuronal AChR from insects has been electroeluted from SDS-polyacrylamide gels, the SDS removed and the polypeptides incorporated into liposomes. Liposomes were fused into planar lipid bilayers which were subsequently analysed for channel activity. Fluctuations of cation-channels were detected after addition of agonists (carbamylcholine); channel activity was blocked by antagonists (d-tubocurarine). The channels formed by electroeluted polypeptides gave conductance values, as well as kinetic data, quite similar to channels formed by the native receptor protein. Sedimentation experiments using sucrose density gradient centrifugation revealed that a considerable portion of the electroeluted polypeptides assembled during the reconstitution process to form oligomeric complexes with a sedimentation coefficient of about 10 S; thus resembling the native receptor complex. Offprint requests to: W. Hanke     

Purification and characterization of a thermostable α-amylase produced by the fungus Paecilomyces variotii

An α-amylase produced by Paecilomyces variotii was purified by DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography, followed by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and electroelution. The α-amylase showed a molecular mass of 75 kDa (SDS-PAGE) and pI value of 4.5. Temperature and pH optima were 60 °C and 4.0, respectively. The enzyme was stable for 1 h at 55 °C, showing a t₅₀ of 53 min at 60 °C. Starch protected the enzyme against thermal inactivation. The α-amylase was more stable in alkaline pH. It was activated mainly by calcium and cobalt, and it presented as a glycoprotein with 23% carbohydrate content. The enzyme preferentially hydrolyzed starch and, to a lower extent, amylose and amylopectin. The K_m of α-amylase on Reagen® and Sigma® starches were 4.3 and 6.2 mg/mL, respectively. The products of starch hydrolysis analyzed by TLC were oligosaccharides such as maltose and maltotriose. The partial amino acid sequence of the enzyme presented similarity to α-amylases from Bacillus sp. These results confirmed that the studied enzyme was an α-amylase ((1→4)-α-glucan glucanohydrolase).     

苏云金杆菌4.0718菌株杀虫晶体65kD原毒素的质谱分析

以苏云金杆菌4.0718菌株杀虫晶体65kD原毒素为材料,探索了从SDS－PAGE胶上回收蛋白质进行质谱分析的方法。蛋白纯化的步骤包括SDS－PAGE、电洗脱、脱盐、除SDS。电洗脱采用半透膜法,用超滤法脱盐,冷丙酮沉淀法除去SDS。结果表明,纯化的65kD原毒素经ESI－MS检测,分子量约64500Da。经MALDI－MS检测,未能有明显蛋白峰出现,这可能是该蛋白由于较强的疏水作用,溶解性差,在与基质混合时处于聚和悬浮态所致。     

Isolation and characterization of a porin-like protein of 45 kilodaltons from Bacteroides fragilis

Resistance to the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid in some Bacteroides fragilis strains may be associated with a lack of porin proteins. Comparison of outer membrane protein profiles from one resistant strain ( B. fragilis CFPL 358) and two susceptible strains of B . fragilis (ATCC 25285 and CFPL 92125) showed that a few proteins were missing in the resistant strain, especially a 45-kDa protein. To determine whether this protein was a porin-like protein, we attempted to isolate it from the two susceptible strains by using gel filtration (Sephacryl S-200, Superose 6) and ion exchange chromatographies (DEAE Trisacryl, DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow). Elution from DEAE resins was poor compared to the 60–67-kDa region, which suggested that the 45-kDa protein exhibited stronger cationic forms. The use of sodium dodecyl sulfate during elution improved the recovery of the 45-kDa protein, showing that detergent modified its conformation and its ionic bounds with the chromatographic matrices but it was not sufficient for good purification. Superose 6 gel filtration also failed to separate this protein from the 60–67-kDa region. The only method resulting in the positive recovery of a purified 45-kDa band from both susceptible B. fragilis strains was electroelution from SDS-PAGE. The swelling assay showed that the 45-kDa protein was a porin-like protein. From this study, we concluded that the 45-kDa protein from B. fragilis was a porin-like protein which might be involved in the antibiotic resistance of a strain in which this protein was missing.     

Adult Brugia malayi 34 kDa (BMT-5) antigen offers Th1 mediated significant protection against infective larval challenge in Mastomys coucha

We earlier reported a sizeable protection conferred by ‘mitochondria rich’ (MT) fraction of adult B. malayi and the present study was planned to locate the candidate protective molecule/s in the active fraction. The MT fraction was subjected to sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and the antigen bands showing strong immune-reactivity with the resistant mastomys sera were assayed for their lymphoproliferative response using splenocytes of protected animals. Of the eight such protein bands, one sub fraction with a molecular weight of  34 kDa (BMT-5) produced utmost cellular proliferation and was therefore exploited for vaccination study. BMT-5 emulsified in Freund's adjuvant produced discernible protection causing 69 and 67% reductions in microfilaraemia and adult worm burden respectively along with sterilization of 68% of the recovered female parasites. Significant levels of filaria-specific and non-specific lymphoproliferation along with enhanced release of Th1 cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-2) by splenocytes were observed in the vaccinated mastomys in addition to elevated levels of antigen-specific IgG, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgA. The peritoneal macrophages of immunized animals also revealed enhanced nitric oxide production in the presence of BMT-5. The findings suggest that  34 kDa (BMT-5) molecules present in the MT fraction of adult B. malayi provided sizeable protection against infective larval challenge by generating a Th1 biased milieu in the host.     

蜘蛛HMW-gDNA的电洗脱纯化提取

该文研究了蜘蛛大分子量基因组DNA（HMW-gDNA）的提取以及一种高效电洗脱纯化装置的构建。以蜘蛛胸部肌肉组织为原料,通过自改良CTAB法提取蜘蛛HMW-gDNA,利用透析膜和2 mL离心管构建一种新的HMW-gDNA快速凝胶回收装置,并对蜘蛛HMW-gDNA进行电洗脱分离回收。结果显示,改良CTAB法可高效提取蜘蛛HMW-gDNA（>48.5 kb）,且通过透析膜的截留作用,对普通琼脂糖凝胶中目的HMW-gDNA进行快速电洗脱分离,其回收率超过75%,OD₂₆₀/OD₂₈₀处于1.8～2.0之间,对HMW-gDNA完整性无影响。综合结果表明, 改良CTAB法可用于蜘蛛HMW-gDNA的提取,此电洗脱纯化装置可从普通琼脂糖中高效回收HMW-gDNA,是一种低成本、简捷、高效且实用性强的凝胶回收方法。     

Isolation of High Density Lipoprotein Subclasses by Electrofiltration and Their Chemical Components

Abstract

The exact role of high density lipoprotein in atheroprotection is not well understood yet due to its complex nature; it comprises more than ten subclasses that vary in size, composition, and function. Isolation and characterization of these subclasses is an important step for further studies addressing their functions in health and disease. In this work, we present a novel method that is relatively simple and efficient for isolation of high density lipoprotein subclasses. The method depends on fractional filtration of the subclasses through a preformed gel membrane system under the effect of an electric field, where the stepwise isolation of the subclasses depends on differences in their rates of migration in polyacrylamide gel. Using this design, we were able to isolate seven high density lipoprotein subclasses with relative molecular masses of 42,000–50,000; 71,000; 103,000; 124,000; 150,000; 182,000; and 219,000. All the subclasses contained apolipoprotein A-I, phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, and triacylglycerols. Some fractions of some samples contained the apolipoproteins A-II, C-I, C-II, C-III, and E. A subclass of molecular mass of 106,000 was identified and isolated from a healthy young subject that contained albumin and apoA-I with some free and esterified cholesterol, but with no triacylglycerols. This electrofiltration technique offers a novel tool for isolating pure native high density lipoprotein subclasses in a concentrated form that can be used directly for detailed studies of their physicochemical and physiological properties.     

Separation of biomacromolecules by electrofiltration through gel layers

A straightforward method for concomitant separation and isolation of biomacromolecules from a mixture in solution was developed. Three gel layers that comprise a middle separation layer of 10% polyacrylamide gel were constructed. This gel system was formed in an electroconcentration apparatus above a collection chamber surrounded at the bottom by a dialysis membrane. The mixture is applied over the gel layers where biomacromolecules are caused to migrate by electrophoresis through the gel system, where they are separated into discrete bands and electroeluted into the collection chamber without dismantling the apparatus. The isolated biomacromolecules are removed from the chamber in a highly pure and concentrated form ready for further investigations. Cooling can be applied throughout the whole process, and the setup and conditions of run can be modified according to the characteristics of the biomacromolecules to be purified. The components of a mixture containing the glycoprotein ovalbumin and bovine serum albumin monomer, dimer, and tetramer were successfully isolated as concentrated and highly pure fractions with good recoveries ranging from 70 to 89%. Other proteins were successfully isolated under denaturing conditions in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or 6 M urea.     

Analysis of human T cell responses to group A streptococci using fractionated Streptococcus pyogenes proteins

Cell extract and spent culture supernatant proteins from Streptococcus pyogenes Manfredo strain (type M5) were each separated to give 22 narrow range molecular weight fractions by blot-elution from SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Eluted samples and unfractionated proteins were screened for T cell stimulatory activity using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy adults in proliferation assays. Responses were measured in 4- and 7d cultures. Responses to a wide range of cell extract proteins were revealed by fractionation, the degree of response to each fraction varying between donors. Unfractionated culture supernatant proteins elicited proliferative responses by PBMC from all individuals examined. Responses to culture supernatant fractions containing 25–33 kDa proteins could be attributed to known superantigens. Furthermore, samples from culture supernatants containing higher molecular weight fractions (>45 kDa) elicited responses in 50% of donors in 7d cultures, suggesting that these fractions contained common recall antigens. The efficacy of using electroeluted samples to identify T lymphocyte stimulatory proteins was confirmed by demonstrating that a known superantigen of S. pyogenes Manfredo strain, streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C (SPEC), could be fractionated successfully using this method and its activity recovered. Our results show that human T cell responses to group A streptococci involve a remarkably wide range of both cell-associated and released streptococcal proteins.