Plasma lipids in extra hepatic biliary obstruction. Detailed studies of plasmsa lipids and lipoproteins were carried out on a large number of patients with proven extra hepatic biliary obstruction (EHO) to determine if changes are confined to the phospholipids and cholesterol fractions or whether the hypertriglyceridaemia, found previously in isolated studies, is present consistently and to a significant degree. Plasma lipids were also compared before and after surgical relief of the obstruction. In 15 patients with EHO (aged 16 to 78 years), compared to 23 controls (aged 18 to 63 years), there was an increase in total cholesterol due to an increase in the unesterified fraction, increase in unesterified to esterified cholesterol ratio, increase in phospholipids and increase in phospholipid to cholesterol ratio. The most striking finding was a marked and persistent elevation of triglyceride. Furthermore the increase in triglyceride was of a similar magnitude to cholesterol and phospholipid. Following relief of pbstruction the triglyceride returned to normal. The hypertriglyceridaemia in cases of EHO was associated with a clear serum and negative cold aggregation test in contrast to the changes in cases of endogenous (type IV) hypertriglyceridaemia. Hypertriglyceridaemia in EHO was associated with a broad beta fraction on the electrophoretogram. Lipoprotein-X was also detected and persisted after the relief of the obstruction despite the return of other lipid changes to normal.


Isolation and characterisation of bovine herpesvirus mammillitis virus and its pathogenicity for cattle. Ten viruses isolated from swabs and vesicular fluid collected from the teats of dairy cattle on 4 properties in Northern Victoria were identified as bovine herpes mammillitis (BHM) viruses by their physico-chemical and morphological properties and serological relationship to each other and a Scottish Strain of BHM virus. The viruses, isolated in bovine kidney and testicular cell cultures, produced cytopathic effects characterised by very large syncytia and eosinophilic intranuclear inculsion bodies. The intradermal inoculation of BHM virus into two cattle produced necrosis and ulceration of the skin of the teats about the area of inoculation and the development of serum neutralising antibody. After healing of the ulcers on day 37 after inoculation, the cattle were intravenously inoculated with corticosteroid for 6 days but BHM virus was not re-isolated from the teat skin or vaginal or nasal swabs.


Bovine herpes mammillitis of dairy cattle in Victoria. The occurrences of bovine herpes mammillitis in the Cohuna and Numurkah districts of northcentral Victoria is described. The disease was characterised by painful swollen teats, necrosis of variable areas of the teat skin, formation of blue-black scabs which sloughed leaving ulcers which were slow to heal. The outbreaks occurred during tspring months of October to mid-December when as many as 90% of milking cows in herds became infected. Epidemiologically the infection behaved as though it was transmitted by insects but proof of insect transmission was not attempted.


In vitro biological differences between the pathogenic and the apathogenic Marek's disease herpesvirus. When three pathogenic and four apathogenic isolants of Marek's disease herpesvirus (MDHV) were compared, the pathogenic isolants differed from the apathogenic isolants in their in vitro growth and sensitivity to plaque inhibition by dextran sulfate. Plaques by the pathogenic MDHV isolants were distinctively different in their morphology from those by the apathogenic isolants, the plaque difference being most pronounced in chick embryo fibroblase (CEF) and duck embryo fibroblast (DEF) cell cultures. The pathogenic isolants formed plaques similarly in both CEF and DEF cultures, whereas the apathogenic isolants did so readily in CEF cultures, but very poorly in DEF cultures. The pathogenic isolants replicated better in DEF than in CEF cultures, whereas the apathogenic isolants replicated better in CEF than in DEF cultures. The sensitivitty to plaque inhibition by dextran sulfate was greater for the apathogenic isolants than for the pathogenic isolants of MDHV.


A possible association between plaque type and pathogenicity of Marek's disease herpesvirus. Eighteen isolants of Marek's disease herpesvirus (MDHV) were examined for their plaque types in chicken embryo fibroblast cell cultures and their pathogenicity to an experimental line of White Leghorns highly susceptible to MD. Seven isolants (Id-1, GA, WSU-GF, and 4 field isolants) induced morphologically similar small-cell plaques (SC plaques) consisting of small round refractile cells, whereas 11 isolants (HN and 10 isolants from zoo birds) all induced large-cell plaques (LC plaques) containing large cells along with small refractile cells. The 7 SC plaque isolants all produced clinical MD with high incidences of gross MD tumors, while all 11 LC plaque isolants produced subclinical infection with only minimal histologic lesions. This observation strongly suggests a possible association between plaque type and pathogenicity of MDHV isolants.


Vaccination and revaccination with a Holland (H) strain of infectious bronchitis virus. One-day-old chickens possessing maternally derived immunity to Massachusetts-type infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were vaccinated by the eyedrop route with a Holland (H) IBV strain of the Massachusetts type. Vaccination was done with the 72nd and 92nd passages in chicken embryos. Attenuation of the virus was done in the authors' laboratory. Four weeks postvaccination the immunity was challenged with 8 different IBV serotypes. A broad spectrum of protection from respiratory signs was obtained in each of the challenged groups (compared with unvaccinated controls). With 5 of the challenge viruses, protection against tracheal virus shed was good (70% or greater). Revaccination at 4 weeks old by the aerosol route with the 53rd and 72nd passages did not greatly enhance protection. However, the virus-serum-neutralizing (VN) titers with Massachusetts-type IBV as an indicator were high, and an anamnestic response was demonstrated at 8 weeks of age. The VN titers observed at 4 weeks old were generally low and did not correlate necessarily with the protection engendered.


Strains of infectious bronchitis virus on the Delmarva peninsula and in Arkansas. The constant-virus variable-serum neutralization test in chicken tracheal cultures was used to serotype infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) isolants from the Delmarva peninsula and Arkansas. Of 106 isolants obtained from Delmarva in 1971-1974, 93 were found to be the JMK strain, 5 Massachusetts (Mass), 5 Connecticut (Conn), 2 a new strain designated Maryland (Md) 27, and 1 a new strain designated Md 31. Of 26 isolants obtained from Arkansas between October, 1971, and February, 1973, 17 were Arkansas (Ark) 99, 4 Mass, 1 Conn, and 1 an additional new strain, designated Ark 155. Antisera produced against 2 more isolants each neutralized both Ark 99 and Mass viruses. Antiserum against another isolant neutralized both Ark 155 and Conn viruses. The neutralizing characteristics of the new strains are described.


Interrelation of atmospheric ozone and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) production in man. Mean atmospheric ozone levels have increased steadily in the last 25 years, and this is likely to have decreased the amount of UVR reaching the earth's surface. Vitamin D3 formation in man depends on the UV irradiation of a precursor in the skin, and so we have used a computer, and the action spectrum for D3 production, to calculate the probable reduction in vitamin D3 formed by the human skin as a result of the increased ozone levels. We estimate that in the period from 1951 to 1972 the total vitamin D accumulation by the body might have thus been reduced by 15%.


Emergence pattern of egg-adapted avian encephalomyelitis virus by alternating passage in chickens and embryos. The chance of inducing complete egg-adaptation was slight in alternating passage in chickens and embryos with chicken-brain-passaged viruses of wild avian encephalomyelitis viruses: egg-adaptation was accomplished by use of an incipient egg-adapting mutant, but failed with other passaged virus.


Anorexia as the probable cause of plasma alpha-lipoprotein changes seen in avian erythroblastosis. The plasma alpha-lipoprotein bands seen on starch-gel electrophoresis are progressively split and retarded as avian erythroblastosis progresses. Similar changes may be produced in normal birds by starvation, and by pair-feeding methods. Anorexia appears to be a major cause, if not the total cause, of the plasma alpha-lipoprotein changes seen in erythroblastosis.


Change in the mixed function oxidase system of liver microsomes in rats treated with 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene. The mixed function oxidase systems of plasma membranes, the Golgi apparatus, and smooth and rough endoplasmic reticula of the livers of rats fed on a standard diet containing 0.06% (w/w) 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene were investigated. The components and activities of the mixed function oxidase systems of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were especially reduced by the carcinogen. The activities for hydroxylation of anilines and demethylation of p-nitroanisole and the contents of cytochromes P-450 and b5 of the submicrosomal fractions of the rats decreased considerably more than the activities of NADH- and NADPH-ferricyanide reductases. More than 90% of the ferri-cytochrome P-450 content of the 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene induced microsomes at 20 K was in the low spin form.


Detection of T-cell surface determinants in three Marek's disease lymphoblastoid cell lines. The T-cell surface antigens on three lymphoblastoid cell lines, MOB1, MOB-2 and MSB-1, derived from Marek's disease lymphomas were examined by the cytotoxicity test and the indirect membrane immunofluorescent test. These cell lines reacted specifically with antisera prepared against chicken thymus cells, although their reactivities were less than that of typical thymus cells. These three cell lines were of thymus origin.


The regulation of carbamoyl phosphate synthase activity in rat liver mitochondria. The rate at which isolated rat liver mitochondria synthesized citrulline with NH4C1 as nitrogen source was markedly dependent on the protein content of the diet. 2. Citrulline synthesis was not rate-limited by substrate concentration, substrate transport or ornithine transcarbamoylase activity under the conditions used. 3. The intramitochondrial content of an activator of carbamoyl phosphate synthase, assumed to be N-acetyl-glutamate, varied markedly with dietary protein content. The variation in the concentration of this activator was sufficient to account for the observed variation in the rates of citrulline synthesis if this synthesis were rate-limited by the activity of carbamoyl phosphate synthase. 4. The rates of urea formation from NH4Cl as nitrogen source in isolated liver cells showed variations in response to diet that closely paralleled the variations in the rates of citrulline synthesis observed in isolated mitochondria. 5. These results are consistent with the postulate that when NH4Cl plus ornithine are present in an excess, the rate of urea synthesis is regulated at the level of carbamoyl phosphate synthase activity.


Kinetic characterization of the membrane-bound cytochromes of Escherichia coli grown under a variety of conditions by using a stopped-flow dual-wavelength spectrophotometer. A study was made of the rapid oxidation kinetics of the cytochromes of Escherichia coli. The b-type cytochromes were kinetically heterogeneous, with one species (presumably cytochrome o) oxidized so rapidly that it could fully support observed oxidation rates. Cytochrome d but not cytochrome a1 was also kinetically competent to support respiration. However, in cells grown anaerobically in the presence of NO3-, cytochrome d exhibited slow oxidation kinetics and a red-shift in its reduced-minus-oxidized difference spectrum.


The structure and subunit composition of the particulate NADH-ubiquinone reductase of bovine heart mitochondria. Preparations of NADH-ubiquinone reductase from bovine heart mitochondria (Complex I) were shown to contain at least 16 polypeptides by gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. 2. High-molecular-weight soluble NADH dehydrogenase prepared from Triton X-100 extracts of submitochondrial particles [Baugh & King (1972) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 49, 1165-1173] was similar to Complex I in its polypeptide composition. 3. Solubilization of Complex I by phospholipase A treatment and subsequent sucrose-density-gradient centrifugation did not alter the polypeptide composition. 4. Lysophosphatidylcholine treatment of Complex I caused some selective solubilization of a polypeptide of mol.wt. 33000 previosuly postulated to be the transmembrane component of Complex I in the mitochondrial membrane [Ragan (1975) in Energy Transducing Membranes: Structure, Function and Reconstitution (Bennun, Bacila & Najjar, eds.), Junk, The Hague, in the press]. 5. Chaotropic resolution of Complex I caused solubilization of polypeptides of molecular weights 75000, 53000, 29000, 26000 and 15500 and traces of others in the 10000-20000-mol.wt.range. 6. The major components of the iron-protein fraction from chaotropic resolution had molecular weights of 75000, 53000 and 29000, whereas the flavoprotein contained polypeptides of molecular weights 53000 and 26000 in a 1:1 molar ratio. 7. Iodination of Complex I by lactoperoxidase indicated that the water-soluble polypeptides released by chaotropic resolution, in particular those of the flavoprotein fraction, were largely buried in the intact Complex. 8. The polypeptides of molecular weights 75000, 53000, 42000, 39000, 33000, 29000 and 26000 were present in 1:2:1:1:1:1:1 molar proportions. The two subunits of molecular weight 53000 are probably non-identical.


Regulation of enzyme turnover during tissue differentiation. Interactions of insulin, prolactin and cortisol in controlling the turnover of fatty acid synthetase in rabbit mammary gland in organ culture. 1. Explants of mammary gland from mid-pregnant rabbits were cultured in Medium 199 containing combinations of insulin, prolactin and cortisol. With hormone combinations which included prolactin, a sustained increase in the apparent rate of synthesis and in the amount of fatty acid synthetase was measurable immunologically. Maximum increase was produced with insulin, prolactin and cortisol present together. 2. With prolactin present alone, synthetase activity in the explants decreased to undetectable values after 1 day in culture, whereas the incorporation of l-[U-(14)C]leucine into immunodetectable material increased. Prolactin may therefore direct the synthesis of immunologically cross-reactive precursors of fatty acid synthetase which are enzymically inactive. 3. Culture with dibutyryl cyclic AMP plus theophylline in the presence of insulin, prolactin and cortisol delayed the increase in the rate of synthesis and accumulation of the synthetase. These compounds may also prevent the apparent decrease in the rate of degradation of the synthetase which occurs on day 2 of culture. 4. A large decrease in the apparent rate of degradation of the synthetase on day 2 of culture occurs during culture with hormone combinations which include prolactin. The protein obtained by centrifugation of explant homogenates for 6min at 14000g(av.) is degraded continuously throughout the culture period. 5. This decrease in the apparent rate of degradation of the synthetase was measured by radio-immunological precipitation. It is probably part of a regulated programme of enzyme degradation and not a reflexion of the reutilization of radioactive amino acids for the following reasons. (a) The calculated increase in the amount of the synthetase in explants on day 2 of culture with insulin, prolactin and cortisol was approximately equal to the measured increase of the enzyme complex which accumulates in the explants. This suggests little or no enzyme degradation has occurred. (b) Explants were cultured for 24h with insulin, prolactin and cortisol. They were then incubated with l-[U-(14)C]leucine, washed and incubated again for up to 4(1/2)h. l-[U-(14)C]Leucine rapidly equilibrated with the intracellular amino acid pool. Within 10min of incubation after washing explants to remove endogenous l-[U-(14)C]leucine the previously linear incorporation of l-[U-(14)C]-leucine into total explant protein ceased. This suggests that protein is synthesized from an amino acid pool which rapidly equilibrates with amino acids in the culture medium. (c) Explants were cultured for 24h as described in (b) but after washing they were cultured with insulin, prolactin and cortisol for 24h. Approx. 90% of the radioactivity lost from the ;free' intracellular amino acid pool and from amino acids derived from the degradation of explant protein in this period was detected in the culture medium. This suggests that the ;free' intracellular amino acids and amino acids derived from protein degradation can equilibrate with amino acids in the medium. A residual ;free' radioactive amino acid pool was present in the tissue. (d) Casein represents approx. 20% of the protein synthesized after 1 day in culture with insulin, prolactin and cortisol. Histological evidence suggests that on day 2 of culture, casein is unlikely to be degraded in the tissue. No increase in the radioactivity incorporated into casein can be measured in the 23h after incubation of explants with l-[U-(14)C]leucine as described in (b). This suggests that the incorporation of radioactivity into proteins during culture after incubation with l-[U-(14)C]leucine is minimal. (e) Inhibition of protein synthesis in explants by cycloheximide after incubation with l-[U-(14)C]leucine does not reveal a latent continuous degradation of fatty acid synthetase on day 2 of culture which might have been masked by the high rates of protein synthesis and therefore the accumulation of the enzyme. 6. The conclusion is discussed that there is a real decrease (or even cessation) in the rate of degradation of fatty acid synthetase during the period when the enzyme accumulates in explants cultured with hormone combinations which contain prolactin.


Regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase in rat heart. Mechanism of regulation of proportions of dephosphorylated and phosphorylated enzyme by oxidation of fatty acids and ketone bodies and of effects of diabetes: role of coenzyme A, acetyl-coenzyme A and reduced and oxidized nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide. The proportion of active (dephosphorylated) pyruvate dehydrogenase in perfused rat heart was decreased by alloxan-diabetes or by perfusion with media containing acetate, n-octanoate or palmitate. The total activity of the dehydrogenase was unchanged. 2. Pyruvate (5 or 25mM) or dichloroacetate (1mM) increased the proportion of active (dephosphorylated) pyruvate dehydrogenase in perfused rat heart, presumably by inhibiting the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase reaction. Alloxan-diabetes markedly decreased the proportion of active dehydrogenase in hearts perfused with pyruvate or dichloroacetate. 3. The total activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in mitochondria prepared from rat heart was unchanged by diabetes. Incubation of mitochondria with 2-oxo-glutarate plus malate increased ATP and NADH concentrations and decreased the proportion of active pyruvate dehydrogenase. The decrease in active dehydrogenase was somewhat greater in mitochondria prepared from hearts of diabetic rats than in those from hearts of non-diabetic rats. Pyruvate (0.1-10 mM) or dichloroacetate (4-50 muM) increased the proportion of active dehydrogenase in isolated mitochondria presumably by inhibition of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase reaction. They were much less effective in mitochondria from the hearts of diabetic rats than in those of non-diabetic rats. 4. The matrix water space was increased in preparations of mitochondria from hearts of diabetic rats. Dichloroacetate was concentrated in the matrix water of mitochondria of non-diabetic rats (approx. 16-fold at 10 muM); mitochondria from hearts of diabetic rats concentrated dichloroacetate less effectively. 5. The pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphate phosphatase activity of rat hearts and of rat heart mitochondria (approx. 1-2 munit/unit of pyruvate dehydrogenase) was not affected by diabetes. 6. The rate of oxidation of [1-14C]pyruvate by rat heart mitochondria (6.85 nmol/min per mg of protein with 50 muM-pyruvate) was approx. 46% of the Vmax. value of extracted pyruvate dehydrogenase (active form). Palmitoyl-L-carnitine, which increased the ratio of [acetyl-CoA]/[CoA] 16-fold, inhibited oxidation of pyruvate by about 90% without changing the proportion of active pyruvate dehydrogenase.


Protein kinase activity in rat testis interstitial tissue. Effect of luteinizing hormone and other factors. Protein kinase activity was determined in subcellular fractions of rat testis interstitial tissue after incubation of the intact tissue with LH (luteinizing hormone) in vitro. Various factors that might have changed the activity of this enzyme during preparation of the fractions before assay were also investigated. The following results were obtained. 1. LH and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) added together during incubation of the interstitial tissue caused a twofold increase in the protein kinase activity in the total tissue homogenate and subcellular fractions (12000g X 5 min pellet and 105000g X 60 min supernatant and pellet). 2. A decrease of approx. 40% in the total amount of protein kinase recovered in the soluble fraction (105000g supernatant) occurred in tissue incubated with LH and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine when compared with the controls. No change in total activity was found in the other fractions. 3. LH and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine caused an increase in cyclic AMP concentration in the soluble fraction (from 30 +/- 6 to 450 +/- 40 pmol/mg of protein, means +/- S.E.M., n = 4), but there was little or no increase in the particulate fractions [from 9 +/- 1 to 13 +/- 3 pmol/mg of protein (n = 3) and from 6 +/- 2 to 23 +/- 11 pmol/mg of protein (n = 3) in the 12000g and 105000g pellets respectively]. 4 Addition of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine alone had little effect on protein kinase activity or cyclic AMP concentrations. 5. Little or no protein kinase activity could be demonstrated in subcellular particulate fractions unless Triton X-100 was added; the effect of this detergent was shown to be at least partly due to the inhibition of adenosine triphosphatase activity. 6. In the presence of Triton X-100 approx. 57% of the total protein kinase activity in the homogenate was found in the 105000g supernatant compared with 11% in the 105000g pellet and 32% in the 12000g pellet. 7. In contrast with adipose-tissue protein kinase [Corbin et al. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 1813-1821] the relative amounts of cyclic AMP-dependent and -dependent enzyme were not affected by dilution of the interstitial-tissue fractions. NaCl (0.5 M) decreased the estimated total amount of protein kinase activity.


Poly(adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase activity and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide in differentiating cardiac muscle. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase activity in nuclei isolated from differentiating cardiac muscle of the rat has been characterized and its activity measured during development. Optimum enzyme activity is observed at pH 8.5. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase is inhibited by ATP, thymidine, nicotinamide, theophylline, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and caffeine and stimulated by actinomycin D. The activity measured under optimal assay conditions increases during differentiation of cardiac muscle and is inversely related to the rate of DNA synthesis and to the activities of DNA polymerase alpha and thymidine kinase. When DNA synthesis and the activity of DNA polymerase alpha are inhibited in cardiac muscle of the 1-day-old neonatal rat by dibutyryl cyclic AMP or isoproterenol, the specific activity of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase measured in isolated nuclei is increased. The concentration of NAD+ in cardiac muscle increases during postnatal development. In the adult compared with the 1-day-old neonatal rat the concentration of NAD+ relative to fresh tissue weight, DNA or protein increased 1.7-fold, 5.2-fold or 1.4-fold respectively. The concentration of NAD+ in cardiac muscle of the 1-day-old neonatal rat can be increased by approx. 20% by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. These data suggest that NAD+ and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase may be involved with the repression of DNA synthesis and cell proliferation in differentiating cardiac muscle.


Nitrogenase of Azotobacter chroococcum. Kinetics of the reduction of oxidized iron-protein by sodium dithionite. The kinetics of the reduction of oxidized Fe-protein of nitrogenase from Azotobacter chroococcum by sodium dithionite were studied by stopped-flow and rapid-freezing e.p.r. (electron-paramagnetic-resonance) spectroscopy. The appearance of the gav. = 1.94 e.p.r. signal (0.24 electron integrated intensity/mol) was associated with a one-electron reduction by SO2--with k greater than 10(8)M-1-S-1 at 23 degrees C. A value of k = 1.75s-1 was obtained for the rate of dissociation of S2O42- into 2SO2-- at 23 degrees C. Further reductions by SO2-- occurred in three slower phases with rate constants in the range 10(4) -10(6)M-1-S-1. These latter phases have no corresponding e.p.r. signal changes and are probably associated with enzymically inactive protein. The high rate of reduction by SO2-- of the Fe-protein alone (k greater than 10(8)M-1-S-1) relative to the rate of oxidation of the Fe-protein in the catalytically active Fe:Mo-Fe protein complex (k = 2.2 X 1O(2)s-1) and the observation that in the steady state the Fe-protein is substantially oxidized means that at normal assay concentrations another reaction must limit the rate of reduction of Fe-protein during turnover.


State and accessibility of zinic in yeast alcohol dehydrogenase. 1. Yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.1) is inhibited in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline. 2. A conformational change in the enzyme's structure is induced by 1,10-phenanthroline, and is abolished in the presence of NADH. 1,10-Phenanthroline binds to the enzyme competitively with respect to NADH, with a stoicheiometry of 2 mol of 1,10-phenanthroline/144000g of enzyme. 3. 1,10-Phenanthroline induces a time-dependent dissociation of Zn2+ from the enzyme, which is in correlation with its inhibitions. 4. Spectrophotometric measurement indicates that the dissociation of half (2 zinc atoms/tetramer) of the total zinc content of the enzyme correlates with the full inhibition of its activity. Measurement of the tightly bound Zn2+ by atomic absorption photometry confirms this. 5. A proposition is advanced that the tetrameric molecule of yeast alcohol dehydrogenase possesses an inherent asymmetry, with four monomeric subunits being arranged in two mutually symmetrical pairs.


The binding of calcium to a salivary phosphoprotein, protein A, common to human parotid and submandibular secretions. The binding of Ca2+ to a previously described phosphoprotein from human parotid saliva, protein A [Bennick (1975) Biochem J. 145, 557-567] was studied by means of equilibrium dialysis. In 5 mM-Tris/HC1 buffer, pH7.5, protein A bound 664nmol of Ca/mg of protein. Km was determined to be 181 muM and the binding of Ca2+ to the protein was non-co-operative. The binding of Ca2+ apparently occurs to side-chain carboxyl groups in the protein, but protein phosphate is of minor if any importance in calcium binding. Hydrolysis of protein A by trypsin and collagenase or heating of the protein at 60 degrees or 100 degrees C did not affect Ca2+ binding. The Ca2+ binding decreases with increased concentration of the dialysis buffer and on the addition of SrCl2, or MgCl2 or MnCl2 to the dialysis buffer. Protein A does not aggregate in the presence of Ca2+, since the s20,w was identical when determined in the presence (1.30S) and absence (1.35S) of CaCl2. By use of a specific antiserum to protein A it was found that protein C [Bennick & Connell (1971) Biochem. J. 123, 455-464] and perhaps minor related components cross-reacted with protein A. No other salivary proteins showed immunological similarity. Proteins A and C were also present in submandibular saliva. The possible functions of protein A are discussed.


Formation of angiotensin III by angiotensin-converting enzyme. Angiotensin III is formed from des-Asp1 -angiotensin I by angiotensin-converting enzyme. The Km (11 muM) of the reaction is one-third of that for the conversion of angiotensin I into angiotensin II. As suggested by the Km values, bradykinin, peptide BPP9a and angiotensins II and III are better inhibitors of the formation of angiotensin II than of the formation of angiotensin III.


Electron-paramagnetic-resonance studies on the molybdenum of nitrate reductase from Escherichia coli K12. Studies on the respiratory nitrate reductase (EC 1.7.99.4) from Escherichia coli K12 by electron-paramagnetic-resonance spectroscopy indicate that its molybdenum centre is comparable with that in other molybdenum-containing enzymes. Two Mo(V) signals may be observed; one shows interaction of Mo(V) with a proton exchangeable with the solvent and has: A (1H) 0.9-1.2mT; g1 = 1.999; g2=1.985; g3 = 1.964; gav. = 1.983. Molybdenum of both signal-giving species may be reduced with dithionite and reoxidized with nitrate.


A new non-functional form of milk xanthine oxidase containing stable quinquivalent molybdenum. A new non-functional modified form of milk xanthine oxidase is described. This contains molybdenum in a quinquivalent state, which is resistant to both oxidation and reduction. The new species is derived from the native enzyme in a two-step process. The first step is the conversion into the desulpho form, via loss of the 'persulphide' sulphur, and the second involves reaction with ethylene glycol or other reagents. The species gives a characteristic Mo(V) electron-paramagnetic-resonance signal, without proton splittings, designated Resting II. This is virtually identical with signals reported previously from resting turkey liver xanthine dehydrogenase and rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase. The possibility is discussed that species Resting II, prepared with ethylene glycol, contains a -COCH2OH residue bound to a nitrogen ligand of molybdenum.


Observations on the different substrate behavior of tropocollagen molecules in solution and intermolecularly cross-linked tropocollagen within insoluble polymeric collagen fibrils. Bacterial collagenase was used to compare the extent of digestion of tropocollagen monomers in solution and in reconstituted fibrils with that of tropocollagen molecules intermolecularly cross-linked within insoluble polymeric collagen fibrils obtained from mature tendons at given time-intervals. The extent of digestion of tropocollagen monomers in solution was directly proportional to the enzyme concentration (a range of enzyme substrate molar ratios 1:200 to 1:10 was used). The extent of digestion of polymeric collagen was followed by measuring the solubilization of fluorescent peptides from fluorescent-labelled insoluble polymeric collagen fibrils. The extent of digestion of tropocollagen within polymeric collagen was linear over a very small range of enzyme concentrations, when the enzyme/substrate ratio in the reaction mixture was less than 1:400 on a molecular basis. The behavior of tropocollagen in the form of reconstituted collagen fibrils, which had been matured at 37 degrees C for 8 weeks, was intermediate between the behaviour of solutions of tropocollagen and insoluble polymeric collagen fibrils. The significance of the results is discussed in terms of the structure of polymeric collagen fibrils and the protection against enzymic attack provided by tropocollagen molecules on the circumference of the fibril. The results suggest that assays of collagenase activities based on tropocollagen as substrate cannot be directly related to the ability of these enzymes to degrade mature insoluble collagen fibrils.


Selective inactivation of the transacylase components of the 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes of Escherichia coli. 1. The reaction of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex of Escherichia coli with maleimides was examined. In the absence of substrates, the complex showed little or no reaction with N-ethylmaleimide. However, in the presence of pyruvate and N-ethylmaleimide, inhibition of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was rapid. Modification of the enzyme was restricted to the transacetylase component and the inactivation was proportional to the extent of modification. The lipoamide dehydrogenase activity of the complex was unaffected by the treatment. The simplest explanation is that the lipoyl groups on the transacetylase are reductively acetylated by following the initial stages of the normal catalytic cycle, but are thereby made susceptible to modification. Attempts to characterize the reaction product strongly support this conclusion. 2. Similarly, in the presence of N-ethylmaleimide and NADH, much of the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity was lost within seconds, whereas the lipoamide dehydrogenase activity of the complex disappeared more slowly: the initial site of the reaction with the complex was found to be in the lipoyl transacetylase component. The simplest interpretation of these experiments is that NADH reduces the covalently bound lipoyl groups on the transacetylase by means of the associated lipoamide dehydrogenase component, thereby rendering them susceptible to modification. However, the dependence of the rate and extent of inactivation on NADH concentration was complex and it proved impossible to inhibit the pyruvate dehydrogenase activity completely without unacceptable modification of the other component enzymes. 3. The catalytic reduction of 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) by NADH in the presence of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex was demonstrated. A new mechanism for this reaction is proposed in which NADH causes reduction of the enzyme-bound lipoic acid by means of the associated lipoamide dehydrogenase component and the dihydrolipoamide is then oxidized back to the disulphide form by reaction with 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid). 4. A maleimide with a relatively bulky N-substituent, N-(4-diemthylamino-3,5-dinitrophenyl)maleimide, was an effective replacement for N-ethylmaleimide in these reactions with the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. 5. The 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex of E. coli behaved very similarly to the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, in accord with the generally accepted mechanisms of the two enzymes. 6. The treatment of the 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes with maleimides in the presence of the appropriate 2-oxo acid substrate provides a simple method for selectively inhibiting the transacylase components and for introducing reporter groups on to the lipoyl groups covalently bound to those components.


Kinetic studies on the binding of cyanide to oxygenated cytochrome c oxidase. The reaction of cyanide with oxygenated cytochrome c oxidase was followed by means of flow-flash techniques. The oxygenated form, produced after photolysis of the partially reduced CO complex in the presence of cyanide and O2, shows cyanide-binding properties distinct from those of both the oxidized and the reduced forms of the protein. The binding is a single process (k = 22M-1-S-1) linearly dependent on cyanide concentration to as high as 75 mM. It is suggested that the oxygenated form is a conformational variant of the oxidized protein.


Fine structural analysis of rabbit synovial cells. II. Fine structure and rosette-forming cells of explant and monolayer cultures. The fine structure and plasma membrane receptors of explant and monolayer cells of normal rabbit synovium were studied. In explants about 10% of the cells were round and formed rosettes with IgC and C3 markers, whereas the remaining cells were stellate, resembled young fibroblasts, and had no receptors for IgG and complement. Monolayer cells looked like fibroblasts, produced fine extracellular fibrils and hyaluronate, and formed no rosettes. Thus early cultures contain both macrophages and fibroblasts but only the latter persist in monolayer.


Roentgenographic aspects of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease (pseudogout). A comprehensive review of the roentgenographic features of calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition disease (pseudogout) is presented. The roentgenographic techniques are reviewed. Those recommended as optimal are as follows: for small peripheral joints, industrial Type M film with contact exposure; for large central joints, direct radiographic magnification (3-4 X) with a microfocus tube. The classic appearances of articular chondrocalcinosis in fibrocartilage, hyaline cartilage, and capsular structures are discussed. Distinctive features of pyrophosphate arthropathy, including the distribution of involvement and the degree of destruction, are emphasized. Finally, the relationship among articular chondrocalcinosis, arthropathy, microscopic crystals, and symptoms is discussed.


Determination of disulfiram and its metabolites in human blood. This work was initiated by the lack of a sensitive method for the determination of disulfiram and its metabolites in blood of patients treated with this drug. A method is described which allows the separate determination of carbon disulfide, free diethyldithiocarbamate and disulfides derived from disulfiram with adequate precision in 10 ml patient blood. It is based on a spectrophotometric determination of a yellow compound formed by trapping carbon disulfide produced from diethyldithiocarbamate and disulfiram in an ethanolic solution of diethylamine and copper(II)-acetate. Good quantitation of disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamate in blood was achieved by trapping carbon disulfide produced when formic acid and cystein were added to the samples. During daily administration of 200 mg disulfiram to humans, concentrations of zero to 0.6 mug carbon disulfide and 0.2 to 1.0 mug diethyldithiocarbamate per ml blood were found using this method.


[The effect of carbocromen on cardiac cyclic adenosine-monophosphate]. The coronary-active drug 3-2-diethylaminoethyl)-4-methyl-7-(carbethoxy-methoxy)-2-oxo-1,2-chromene-hydrochloride (carbocromen, Intensain) is known to be an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE). After intravenous as well as after intraduodenal application of therapeutic doses carbocromen increases in vivo the cAMP-contents of the hearts of rats (by up to 30%) and dogs (up to 50%). This effect is dose related. Correlations between the pharmacokinetic properties and metabolic actions of carbocromen and its influence on the adenylcyclase system are discussed.


Pyrophosphate release by osteoarthritis cartilage incubates. Incubates of articular cartilage from young but not mature rabbits, as well as growth plate cartilage, elaborated PPi into basel Eagle's medium during a 4-hour period. Control rabbit synovial membrane and ear cartilage elaborated negligible amounts of PPi. The PPi was shown to be nondialyzable but could be dissociated from the alkaline phosphatase by ultracentrifugation. In 16 patients with osteoarthritis a substantial output of PPi by samples of articular cartilage from the knee was demonstrated. The present authors believe that either rapid cell division and matrix synthesis found in the base of ulcerating osteoarthritic cartilage or remodeling calcified sites comprise the origin of the PPi in such osteoarthritic cartilage. They further theorize that this PPi output accounts for a considerable fraction, if not all, of the elevated PPi levels found in synovial fluid of patients with osteoarthritis.


Tumour rejection in rats sensitized to embryonic tissue. I. Rejection of tumour cells implanted s.c. and detection of cytotoxic lymphoid cells. Wistar rats were sensitized to rat embryonic tissue by immunization with irradiated (5000 rad) rat embryo cells (2 X 10(6) s.c. + 1 X 10(6) i.p.) derived from embryos aged 14-15 days, or by implantation of irradiated (5000 rad) tissue grafts from these embryos. Three to five immunizations were given at weekly intervals, and the rats were then challenged subcutaneously 7-10 days after the final inoculum with minimal tumour-producing tumour cell doses. Immunization with irradiated rat embryo cells failed to influence the growth and development of tumour cells prepared from hepatoma D23 and D30, sarcoma Mc57, mammary carcinoma AAF57 or cells prepared from spontaneously arising mammary carcinomata Sp4 and Sp15. Using adoptive transfer techniques, lymphoid cells from embryo-sensitized rats, when used in a 3000 : 1 ratio (lymphoid cells : tumour cells), were shown effectively to retard the growth of hepatoma D23 in 3 out of 7 experiments performed. Similar adoptive transfer procedures proved ineffective in preventing the growth of mammary carcinoma AAF57. Using in vitro cytotoxicity tests, lymph node cells and spleen cells from embryo-immunized rats were shown to be cytotoxic for several rat tumour cell targets : hepatoma D23 (7/10 tests), sarcoma Mc7 (8/12 tests), mammary carcinoma AAF57 (2/2 tests) and Sp4 (3/4 tests), and for 14-15-day-old rat embryo cells (5/10 tests). In comparative tests lymphoid cells were relatively non-cytotoxic for 20-day-old rat embryo cells (1/6 tests) or cells prepared from adult rat lung or kidney (1/10 tests). The role of embryonic antigen(s) in tumour rejection is discussed.


Effect of BCG on cell-mediated cytotoxicity and serum blocking factor during growth of rat hepatoma. Inbred rats were injected s.c. with cells of syngeneic hepatoma D23, D23 cells + BCG as a mixed inoculum, mixed inoculum one side and D23 alone contralaterally, or BCG alone. Their blood mononuclear cells were tested weekly for cytotoxicity against D23 target cells using a microcytotoxicity method and their serum was tested for blocking activity against cytotoxicity by lymph node cells from immunized rats. Tumour growth was suppressed when BCG was in contact with tumour cells but tumours grew unhindered if the BCG was given contralaterally. All rats receiving tumour cells, either alone or mixed with BCG, developed cell-mediated cytotoxicity which remained until termination at 35 days. Rats receiving BCG alone showed slight initial cytotoxicity which disappeared after 7 days. Blocking factors appeared in the serum of rats which developed growing tumours but not in rats whose tumours were suppressed by contact with BCG. Splenectomized rats did not differ markedly from intact rats in the in vitro studies or in vivo. It is concluded that development of cell-mediated immunity and blocking factors depends more upon treatment with tumour cells and the subsequent behaviour of the tumour than upon treatment with BCG per se.


Bioassay of 2, 4, 5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid for carcinogenicity in mice. Adult mice of strains C3Hf and XVII/G received 2, 4, 5-T by continuous oral administration (80 ppm in the diet). The 2, 4, 5-T preparation contained less than 0-05 ppm of dioxins. In 2, 4, 5-T -treated C3Hf mice a significant increase in the incidence of neoplastic lesions was found. No significant difference was found in the XVII/G strain between the treated and control mice. Rare forms of tumours, which were not observed in the controls, were present in the 2, 4, 5-t -treated C3Hf mice.


Effects of short chain alcohols and hydrocarbon compounds on the adenylate cyclase of the skin. The cyclic AMP content of epidermal slices is increased by incubation with ethanol, the effect of which is dose-dependent from I to 5% concentration in the incubation media. n-Propanol and acetone are also effective at a concentration equimolar to 5% ethanol. Experimental results suggest that this effect of ethanol is due to activation of adenylate cyclase, rather than to the inactivation of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase.


Comparative effects of fructose and glucose on the lipid and carbohydrate metabolism of perfused rat liver. 1. Livers from rats fed on a standard diet were perfused with whole blood, and infused continuously with glucose and fructose at equimolar rates. 2. Infusion of fructose increased both the secretion of very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL)-triglycerides and the incorporation of free fatty acids (FFA) from the perfusate into VLDL-lipids, but neither of these two processes was affected by infusion of glucose. 3. Infusion of fructose decreased the oxidation and increased the esterification of FFA, but glucose infusion had no effect on these processes. When fructose and glucose were infused together was a further decrease in oxidation. 4. When fructose was infused alone or together with glucose, blood concentrations rapidly became stabilized at those found in the hepatic portal vein in vivo, with similar rates of hepatic uptake to those found in the intact animal. Infusion of glucose alone resulted in continuously increasing perfusate glucose concentrations, and rates of uptake which were only 20% of those for fructose. Blood glucose concentrations were reduced, and lactate concentrations were increased by fructose infusion, and when glucose and fructose were infused together there was a greatly increased rate of glucose uptake. 5. Liver glycogen was not affected by the infusion of fructose or glucose alone; however, their combined addition significantly increased its concentration. 6. Uptake of perfusate FFA was not affected by either fructose or glucose infusions. 7. The results are discussed in terms of the differences in nutrition and metabolism between glucose and fructose, with particular reference to the development of hypertriglyceridaemia.


Isotope effects in the binding of NADH to equine liver alcohol dehydrogenase. The isotope effect upon the binding constant of NADH to equine liver alcohol dehydrogenase is determined with a method in which the isotopic ratio is measured concurrently in the free and the bond form of the coenzyme, by use of a propellent-pressurized ultrafiltration apparatus for separation of the two. The value for KH/KD for the binding constants was 1.00 +/- 0.02 at pH 10.3 and 25 degrees C.


Effect of Triton X-100 on the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin by sphingomyelinase of rat brain. Mixed dispersions of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 and sphingomyelin were used as substrate for sphingomyelinase of rat brain. The dependence of the rate of hydrolysis on the concentration of sphingomyelin was measured in two ways: at a fixed concentration of Triton X-100 or at varying concentrations of this detergent, while maintaining a fixed molar ratio of Triton X-100 to sphingomyelin. In either case, the upsilon vs. S curves deviated from the hyperbolic shape predicted by the Michaelis-Menten kinetic theory. These deviations are discussed and interpreted on the basis of the physicochemical properties of the mixed dispersions of detergent and lipid studied in previous papers.


Oxidation-reduction properties of several low potential iron-sulfur proteins and of methylviologen. Apparent oxidation-reduction potentials at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C were determined using the H2-hydrogenase system with ferredoxins from the following sources: Clostridium pasteurianum, -403 mV; C tartarovorum, -424 mV; C. acidi-urici, -434 mV; Peptococcus aerogenes, -427 mV; Chromatium D, -482 mV (pH 8.0); B. polymyxa, Fd I, -377 mV, and Fd II, -422 mV; and spinach, -428 mV. The pH dependence of these values was variable, ranging from -2 to -24 mV/pH unit increase for different ferredoxins. Over the range of buffer concentrations between 0.05 and 0.2 M, the potentials did not vary significantly. The number of electrons transferred during reduction (as determined by integrations of EPR spectra and by dithionite titration) is 2 for the first five proteins, while potentiometric data for all the cases fit a Nernst equation for which n = 1. The E degrees' value for the redox indicator methylviologen at pH 7.4 was found to be -460 mV, according to both the H2-hydrogenase system and cyclic voltammetry, significantly different from the value previously reported at higher pH's. Additionally, the presence of C. pasteuranum ferredoxin appears to shift the E degrees value of methylviologen to even more negative values. An analysis of sources of error inherent with potential determinations with H2 and hydrogenase is presented. The electronic and EPR spectra of P. aerogenes ferredoxin, for which the x-ray structure has been published, are given here. It appears that the determination of potentials of ferredoxin and other low-potential porteins with the H2-hydrogenase system affords certain experimental advantages over alternative methods currently employed with these and similar substances.


Enzymatic binding of aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid to ribosomes: the study of binding sites of 2' and 3' isomers of aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid. The mechanism of enzymatic binding of AAtRNA to the acceptor site Escherichia coli ribosomes has been studied using the following aminoacyl oligonucleotides as models of the 3' terminus of AA-tRNA: C-A-Phe, C-A-(2'-Phe)H, and C-A(2'H)Phe. T-psi-C-Gp was used as a model of loop IV of tRNA. The EF-T dependent binding of Phe-tRNA to ribosomes (in the presence of either GTP or GMPPCP) and the GTPase activity associated with EF-T dependent binding of the Phe-tRNA were inhibited by C-A-Phe,C-A(2'Phe)H, and C-A(2'H)Phe. These aminoacyl oligonucleotides inhibit both the formation of ternary complex EF-Tu-GTP-AA-tRNA and the interaction of this complex with the ribosomal A site. The uncoupled EF-Tu dependent GTPase (in the absence of AA-tRNA) was also inhibited by C-A-Phe, C-A(2'Phe)H, and C-A(2'H)Phe, while nonenzymatic binding of Phe-tRNA to the ribosomal A site was inhibited by C-A-Phe and C-A(2'-Phe)H, but not by C-A(2'H)Phe. The tetranucleotide T-psi-C-Gp inhibited both enzyme binding of Phe-tRNA and EF-T dependent GTP hydrolysis. However, inhibition of the latter reaction occured at a lower concentration of T-psi-C-Gp suggesting a specific role of T-psi-C-Gp loop of AA-tRNA in the GTPase reaction. The role of the 2' and 3' isomers of AA-tRNA during enzymatic binding to ribosomes is discussed and it is suggested that 2' leads to 3' transacylation in AA-tRNA is a step which follows GTP hydrolysis but precedes peptide bond formation.


Studies on nitrotyrosine-82 and aminotyrosine-82 derivatives of adrenodoxin. Effects of chemical modification on the complex formation with adrenodoxin reductase. The coordination structure of the iron-sulfur center of the nitrotyrosine and the aminotyrosine derivates of bovine adrenodoxin was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The reduced form of both modified samples exhibited signals identical with those for the native protein at g= 1.94 and g=2.01. From these results together with optical absorption and chemical analyses, it was concluded that the coordination structure of the iron-sulfur chromophore for both the derivatives was identical with the binuclear tetrahedral structure of native adrenodoxin. The configuration of the iron-binding area in nitro- and amino-adrenodoxin was studied by ovserving the circular dichroism spectra between 350 and 600 nm. The maxima for the nitro or amino derivatives were all identical with those for the native protein but different in the magnitude of their molar ellipticity. The molar ellipticities at 440 nm were 45.8 X 10(3), 14.5 X 10(3), and 9.5 X 10(6) deg cm2 per mol of iron for native adrenodoxin, nitro or amino derivative, respectively. These results suggest that the chemical modification of the tyrosine residue causes a conformational change in the iron-binding area. We have previously reported that the enzymatic activities of these reconstituted nitro and amino derivatives toware cytochrome c reduction in the presence of adrenodoxin reductase and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate were 19 and 7% of native adrenodoxin, respectively. The cytochrome c reductase activities of nitro- and aminoadrenodixin were drastically affected by the ionic strength of the assay medium, as found in native adrenodoxin. Fluorometric titration of the reductase with aminoadrenodoxin revealed that aminoadrenodoxin forms a 1:1 molar complex with the reductase. These results suggest that both the nitro and amino derivatives form a complex with the reductase. The dissociation constants of nitro- and aminoadrenodoxin for the reductase were 6.1 X 10(-7)M and 3.3 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.04 and 1.9 X 10(-6) M and 2.0 X 10(-6) M at mu = 0.20, respectively. Comparison of these values with those of native adrenodoxin (approximately 10(-9) M at mu = 0.04 and 2.2 X 10(-7) M at mu = 0.20) suggests that an increase in the dissociation constant for the reductase is responsible for the decreased electron transferring activity of the modified adrenodoxins.


Phosphorylation of the active, A1 component of cholera toxin by protein kinase. Cholera toxin, an activator of adenylate cyclase in a wide variety of cells, is a substrate for the phosphotransferase reaction catalyzed by purified cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate dependent bovine cardiac muscle protein kinase and the protein associated with human erythrocyte membranes. Phosphorylation occurs when the toxin is dissociated with 5-20 mM dithiothreitol and is restricted to the A1 or "adenylate cyclase activating" subunit of the toxin.


Specific, reversible inactivation of phosphofructokinase by fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase. Involvement of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, oleate, and 3-phosphoglycerate. Optimal conditions necessary for the reversible inactivation of crystalline rabbit muscle phosphofructokinase by homogeneous rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase have been studied. At higher enzyme levels (to 530 mug/ml of phosphofructokinase) the two proteins were mixed and incubated in a pH 7.5 buffer composed of 50 mM Tris-HC1, 2 mM potassium phosphate, and 0.2 mM dithiothreitol. Aliquots were removed at various times and assayed for enzyme activity. A time dependent inactivation of phosphofructokinase caused by 1-2.3 times its weight of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase was observed at 30, 23, and 0 degree C. This inactivation did not require the presence of adenosine 5'-triphosphate or Mg2+ in the incubation mixture, but an adenosine 5'-triphosphate concentration of 2.7 mM or greater was required in the assay to keep phosphofructokinase in an inactive form. A mixture of activators (inorganic phosphate, (NH4)2SO4, and adenosine 5'-monophosphate), when added to the assay cuvette, restored nearly all of the expected enzyme activity. Incubations with other proteins, including aldolase, at concentrations equal to or greater than the effective quantity of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase had no inhibitory effect on phosphofructokinase activity. Removal of tightly bound fructose 1,6-bisphosphate from phosphofructokinase could not explain this inactivation, since several analyses of crystalline phosphofructokinase averaged less than 0.1 mol of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate/320 000 g of enzyme. Furthermore, the inactivation occurred in the absence of Mg2+ where the complete lack of fructose-1-6-bisphosphatase activity was confirmed directly. At lower phosphofructokinase concentrations (0.2-2 mug/ml) the inactivation was studied directly in the assay cuvette. Higher ratios of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase to phosphofructokinase were necessary in these cases, but oleate and 3-phosphoglycerate acted synergistically with lower amounts of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase to cause inactivation. The inactivation did not occur when high concentrations of fructose 6-phosphate were present in the assay, or when the level of adenosine 5'-triphosphate was decreased. However, the inactivation was found at pH 8, where the effects of allosteric regulators on phosphofructokinase are greatly reduced. Experiments with rat liver phosphofructokinase showed that this enzyme was also subject to inhibition by rabbit liver fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase under conditions similar to those used in the muscle enzyme studies. Attempts to demonstrate direct interaction between phosphofructokinase and fructose-1,6-bisphosphate by physical methods were unsuccessful. Nevertheless, our results suggest that, under conditions which approximate the physiological state, the presence of fructose-1,6bisphosphatase can cause phosphofructokinase to assume an inactive conformation. This interaction may have a significant role in vivo in controlling the interrelationship between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.


Cytochrome c induced lateral phase separation in a diphosphatidylglycerol-steroid spin-label model membrane. The extrinsic membrane protein cytochrome c binds to lipid mixtures containing negatively charged phospholipids such as diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG). In this study the effect of cytochrome c on the lipid distribution in a DPG-steroid spin-label (3-doxyl-5alpha-cholestane) model membrane system is examined. The electron spin resonance (ESR) line-shape changes indicate that cytochrome c induces lateral phase separation at room temperature. The resulting two-dimensional lipid distribution is nonrandom, consisting of clusters of phospholipids bound to cytochrome c and patches of steroid spin-label molecules. Phase separations are also observed in the three-component system: DPG, phosphatidylcholine, and 3-doxyl-5alpha-cholestane.


Characterization of a seventh different subunit of beef heart cytochrome c oxidase. Similarities between the beef heart enzyme and that from other species. Beef heart cytochrome c oxidase has been resolved into seven subunits by electrophoresis in highly cross-linked gels containing urea and sodium dodecyl sulfate. The molecular weights of the polypeptides are estimated to be I, 35 400; II, 24 100; III, 21 000; IV, 16 800; V, 12 400; VI, 8200; and VII, 4400. It has been shown that subunits II and III can coelectrophorese on standard sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and appear as a single component with an apparent molecular weight of 22 500. This accounts for previous reports that the beef heart enzyme contains only six subunits. Amino acid analysis of the isolated subunits I, II, and III revealed that they have polarities of 35.5, 44.7, and 39.9%, respectively. All three subunits have an extremely high leucine content and a low percentage of basic amino acids relative to subunits IV-VII. The size, number, and properties of subunits in the beef heart cytochrome c oxidase complex suggest that it has essentially the same subunit structure as the complexes isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora crassa.


Cytochrome oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. IV. Reaction with oxygen and carbon monoxide. The reaction between a cytochrome oxidase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and oxygen has been studied by a rapid mixing technique. The data indicate that the heme d1 moiety of the ascorbate-reduced enzyme is oxidized faster than the heme c component. The oxidation of heme d1 is accurately second order with respect to oxygen and has a rate constant of 5.7 - 10(4) M-1 - s-1 at 20 degrees C. The oxidation of the heme c has a first order rate constant of about 8 s-1 at infinite concentration of O2. The results indicate that the rate-limiting step is the internal transfer of electrons from heme c to heme d1. These more rapid reactions are followed by more complicated but smaller abcorbance changes whose origin is still not clear. The reaction of ascorbate-reduced oxidase with CO has also been studied and is second order with a rate constant of 1.8 - 10(4) M-1 - s-1. The initial reaction with CO is followed by a slower reaction of significantly less magnitude. The equilibrium constant for the reaction with CO, calculated as a dissociation constant from titrimetric experiments with dithionite-reduced oxidase, is about 2.3 - 10(-6) M. From these data a rate constant of 0.041 s-1 can be calculated for the dissociation of CO from the enzyme.


Electron spin resonance spectrum of species "X" which may function as the primary electron acceptor in photosystem I of green plant photosynthesis. Purified Photosystem I particles from spinach when reduced with 10 mM dithionite at pH 9 exhibited a 50% light reversible-ESR Signall (P-700+) at about 10 K. It was possible to show by signal-averaging techniques that a light-reversible ESR spectrum concomitant with the reversible Single 1 can be observed with approximate principal g factors at g = 2.07, g = 1.86 and g = 1.75.


Neutral glycosphingolipids of serum lipoproteins in Fabry's disease. The neutral glycosphingolipid compositions of lipoprotein fractions of serum from eight healthy male volunteers and three patients with Fabry's disease were determined. Four fractions were studied: very low density lipoprotein (VLDL, d less than 1.006); low density lipoprotein (LDL, d 1.006-1.063); high density lipoprotein (HDL, d 1.063-1.21); and ultracentrifugal residue (Residue, d less than 1.21). All lipoprotein fractions contained the four major neutral glycosphingolipids (glucosylceramide, lactosylceramide, galactosylgalactosylglucosylceramide and N-acetylgalactosaminylgalactosylgalactosylglucosylceramide). The LDL and HDL, however, accounted for most of the total glycosphingolipid (69 and 20%, respectively); only small amounts were demonstrated in the VLDL and Residue. The relative distributions of the glycosphingolipids within the LDL and HDL fractions were similar to the distribution in unfractionated serum. Galactosylgalactosylglucosylceramide levels were 3-5 times normal in all three patients with Fabry's disease, and in two the distribution of the excess lipid among the major lipoprotein fractions was similar to that in the control group. In the third patient, who exhibited the presence of "sinking pre-beta lipoprotein", the amount of glycosphingolipid isolated with the HDL was greater than that in the LDL.


Cholesterol content and sterol synthesis in human skin fibroblasts and rat aortic smooth muscle cells exposed to lipoprotein-depleted serum and high density apolipoprotein/phospholipid mixtures. Confluent cultures of human skin fibroblasts and rat aortic smooth muscle cells were shown to lose 15-27% of their cellular cholesterol upon replacement of the fetal calf serum with human high density lipoprotein (50 mug cholesterol/ml) or lipoprotein-depleted serum at a concentration equivalent to 40% whole serum. Addition to the latter medium of high density apoliproprotein/phospholipid mixtures resulted in further enhancement of cellular cholesterol loss which was evident by 12 h of incubation. Human skin fibroblasts that had been enriched in cholesterol by previous incubation with low density lipoprotein lost their cholesterol in the presence of a high density apolipoprotein/sphingomyelin mixture as readily as non-enriched cells. Concomitant with the marked cholesterol depletion there was a stimulation of sterol synthesis from acetate. The more pronounced loss of cellular cholesterol induced by the presence of phosphatidylcholine or sphingomyelin resulted in a greater incorporation of acetate into sterol in both smooth muscle cells and skin fibroblasts. The present findings indicate that peripheral cells, in spite of their capacity to synthesize cholesterol, depend on exogenous cholesterol for the maintenance of normal levels. It is suggested that the native cholesterol "acceptor" in the lipoprotein-depleted serum is an apolipoprotein which under the experimental conditions can form a complex with phospholipids and might also represent the physiological cholesterol "acceptor" in peripheral lymph.


High density lipoproteins reduce the uptake of low density lipoproteins by human endothelial cells in culture. Endothelial cells, explanted from human umbilical veins and cultured, maintained morphological characteristics of vascular endothelium. When exposed to human serum lipoproteins, the cells bound and took up low density lipoproteins in preference to high density lipoproteins. High density lipoproteins reduced markedly the uptake of low density lipoproteins and affected surface binding to a lesser extent. These data suggest that the different levels of high density lipoprotein encountered in normal plasma of males and females could modulate differently the transendothelial transport of low density lipoproteins and provide a possible explanation for the lesser severity of atheromatosis in the aortic intima of premenopausal females.


Phospholipid content, composition and biosynthesis during fetal lung development in the rabbit. The phospholipid content and composition of lung wash and lung tissue as well as the activities of the enzymes involved in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol (the major surface active components of pulmonary surfactant) were studied in the rabbit during fetal lung development. In lung wash the amount of phospholipid increased four-fold during the period 27-31 day's gestation. There was a further ten-fold increase following the onset breathing. During the same period the amount of phosphatidylcholine in lung wash increased from 29% of the total phospholipid to 80% while the amount of sphingomyelin decreased from 38% to 2%. The amount of phosphatidylcholine in lung tissue also increased during development but to a much lesser extent. During fetal lung development the activities of choline kinase and cholinephosphate cytidyltransferase changed little, cholinephosphotranserase decreased while lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase and lysolecithin acyltransferase increased. There was a postnatal increase in the activities of cholinephosphate cytidyltransferase, cholinephosphotransferase and both acyltransferases. The amount of phosphatidylglycerol, as a percentage of the total phospholipid, in lung wash and lung tissue as well as the activity of pulmonary glycerolphosphate phosphatidyltransferase did not change appreciably during development.


The effect of two isomeric octadecenoic acids on the lipid metabolism and growth of Novikoff hepatoma cells. The origin and metabolism of octadecenoic acid (18 : 1) was examined in intact Novikoff rat hepatoma cells by using labeled precursors and two isomeric octadecenoic acids which differed in their abilities to stimulate cell growth in a serum-free medium. The isomers (ci-6-18 : 1 and cis-9-18 : 1) were measured in the cellular lipid by ozonolysis and reduction of the ozonides. The results indicate that the 18 : 1 fatty acid accumulated in the cell lipid by uptake of the preformed acid from the medium. The cis-9-18 : 1 to 16 : 1 and 20 : 1 fatty acids by chain shortening and chain elongation. Both isomers inhibited de novo fatty acid synthesis from acetate by cells suspended in a serum-free medium. The isomers did not exert coordinate control of both fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis in the Novikoff cells.


Effects of glycerol on VLDL secretion by the isolated rat liver. Stimulation of VLDL production by increasing fatty acid availability is now well established. However, a possible regulatory role of glycerol, another lipid precursor, in VLDL synthesis by the liver has not yet been substaniated. The present experiments investigate this problem using the isolated perfused rat liver. [14C] Glycerol uptake and metabolism were studied at two different glycerol concentrations: 1 mumol/perfusate (control) or 1.6 mmol/perfusate. VLDL production and lipid synthesis were investigated using [14C]leucine and several labelled fatty acids as precursors in control and glycerol-overloaded livers. Neoglycogenesis and lipogenesis from glycerol carbons are negligible in our conditions. The absolute amount of glycerol, but not the precentage, taken up by the liver, increased after raising its concentration in the perfusate. A major part of exogenous (plasmatic) glycerol was esterified with endogenous (non plasmatic) fatty acids. Incorporation of radioactive fatty acids into liver or plasma lipids was lower than in the the control group. Significant differences were observed between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids used as lipid precursors. Production of VLDL as assessed by radioactive leucine and fatty acid incorporation in the VLDL of the perfusate was depressed by glycerol. Glycerol partly inhibits the normal stimulation of VLDL production by plasmatic fatty acid overload.


Demonstration of a thyrotropin-responsive prostaglandin E2-9-ketoreductase in bovine thyroid. 1. Prostaglandin E2-9-ketoreductase activity was demonstrated in bovine thyroid homogenates. 2. The enzyme requires reduced pyridine nucleotide and dialysis prior to assay for optimal activity. 3. The products of the reaction, NADP and prostaglandin F2alpha, inhibit enzyme activity. 4. Sigmoidal kinetics are observed when substrate concentration is plotted against enzyme velocity, indicative of an allosteric enzyme. 5. Thyrotropin increases enzyme activity in bovine thyroid slices. This increase is both hormone- and tissue-specific.


Effect of adrenergic agonists on phosphatidylinositol labelling in heart and aorta. (1) The metabolism of phosphatidylinositol has been investigated in heart fragments and aorta slices incubated with adrenergic agonists. (2) Noradrenaline and isoprenaline had no stimulatory effect on 32Pi incorporation into phosphatidylinositol in cat and guinea-pig hearts. (3) Incorporation of 32Pi into phosphatidylinositol was enhanced by noradrenaline and methoxamine in cat aorta. (4) This information is consistent with the idea that the enhanced phosphatidylinositol turnover produced during adrenergic stimulation is mediated through alpha-adrenergic receptors and not through beta-adrenoceptors.


Some characteristics of sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine diesterases from rat brain. 1. sn-Glycero-3-phosphocholine diesterase activities, glycerophosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.2) and choline phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.38) from rat brain have been partially purified and characterized using sn-glycere-3-[32P]phosphocholine as substrate and separating the reaction products by anion-exchange chromatography and ionophoresis. 2. Rat brain contained particulate (75%) and soluble (25%) activity from both diesterases. No difference in pH optimum or metal ion requirement for the particulate compared to the soluble enzymes was observed. 3. Glycerophosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.2) was purified 60-fold, choline phosphohydrolase (EC E.1.4.38) 120-fold from rat brain supernatant fraction by DEAE-cellulose ion-exchange chromatography and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The density gradient results in conjunction with dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis yielded molecular weight estimates of 230 000 (monomer 62 000) for choline phosphohydrolase and 120 000 (monomer 70 000) for glycerophosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.2). 4. Glycerophosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.2) has a pH optimum of 8.9 and a Km for sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine of 0.6 mM. The enzyme is inhibited by EDTA and reactivated by Ca2+. Choline phosphohydrolase (EC 3.1.4.38) has pH optimum 10.5, a Km of 2 mM and is unaffected by EDTA. Both enzymes require Ca2+ for maximum activity.


Spin lattice relaxation and exchange interaction in a 2-iron, 2-sulphur protein. A two-iron-two-sulphur non-haem iron protein, the ferredoxin from Spirulina maxima, has been studied by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in the range where the spectrum loses resolution with increasing temperature. The spin-lattice relaxation times were deduced from linewidths measured by spectral simulation and their variation as a function of temperature is interpreted in terms of an Orbach mechanism. On this basis, the exchange integral between the two iron atoms, assuming as antiferromagnetic interaction between them, is estimated to be - 83 cm-1.


Purification and properties of paramagnetic protein from Clostridium pasteurianum W5. The purification to homogeneity of the non-heme iron protein, sometimes referred to as either "red protein" or "paramagnetic protein", from Clostridium pasteurianum W5 extracts is described and its physicochemical properties studied. This paramagnetic protein (g= 1.94) has a molecular weight of about 25000 and contains two iron and two acid-labile sulfur atoms per mol of protein. Its midpoint potential at pH 7.5, as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance titration, is -300 mV. Optical circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of the paramagnetic protein are similar to those of two iron-two acid-labile sulfur ferredoxins. The biochemical reduction of the purified protein was also studied.


ENDOR from nitrogens and protons in low spin ferric heme and hemoprotein. Electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) signals have been obtained from iron-linked nitrogens in frozen solutions of cytochrome c, metmyoglobin cyanide, and a low spin protohemin mercaptide complex. Hyperfine couplings from heme protons have also been obtained from metmyoglobin cyanide and from a low spin protohemin cyanide complex. Several of these proton resonances are assigned to specific heme protons.


Inactivation of the T7 coliphage by monofunctional alkylating agents. Action of phage adsorption and injection of its DNA. Alkylation by ethyl or methyl methanesulfonate to an extent that inactivates more than 99.5% of T7 coliphages has no effect on phage adsorption on Escherichia coli B cells, but decreases the amount of phage DNA injected into the host cells. Depurination interferes with the injection of the phage DNA. Failure to inject the whole phage genome thus appears to be a cause of the immediate as well as of the delayed inactivation of the T7 coliphage treated by monofunctional alkylating agents; the hypothesis that it is the only cause of inactivation, although not very likely, cannot be excluded at the present time.


Variation in the molecular size of the DNA from closely related strains of type I herpes simplex virus. We have investigated the comparative genome size of five strains of HSV type 1 (HSV-1). Two of these strains have a common origin and differ in their plaque morphology on HeLa cells, one strain is a wild type isolate, and two others are established laboratory strains. All strains show high sequence homology based on the melting behavior of heteroduplexes. The greatest sequence divergence between any two strains was found to be no more than 10%. There are real differences in the size of the genomes of these strains of HSV-1 as measured by electron microscopy. The shortest and largest genomes measured differ in size by 10%, however, the size of the genomes of all strains are within 5% of a median valve of 87-88X106.


Joining of simian virus 40 DNA molecules at endonuclease R Eco Ri sites by polynucleotide ligase and analysis of the products by agarose gel electrophoresis. DNA molecules cut with endonuclease R Eco Ri can be joined at Eco Ri cleavage sites by incubation with polynucleotide ligase. In order to define the optimum conditions for this reaction, linear Simian Virus 40 DNA molecules (SV40(Lri)) produced by endonuclease R Eco Ri cleavage of SV40 form i DNA were joined using polynucleotide ligases specified by bacteriophage T4 and Escherichia coli. We have determined that the concentration of the substrate DNA molecules is the most important factor determining the distribution of covalently joined product molecules into a variety of circular and linear monomeric and oligomeric species.


The nature of bile salt micelles as studied by deuterium NMR. Deuterium NMR of 3alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-7,7dideutero-5beta-cholanic acid was studied. Molcular sizes obtained from deuterium spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) data of 3alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-7,7-dideutero-5beta-cholanoic acid in methanol and in water are in accordance with monometic and tetrameric structures in the two media, respectively. The deuterium T1 and intensity of 3alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-7,7-dideutero-5beta-cholanoic acid in aqueous solution at pH 8.0--8.8 were studied as functions of NcC1 and lecithin concentrations. The results indicated that tetramers are in equilibrium with larger aggregates when secondary micelles are formed in the precense of NaC1, and that 3alpha,12alpha-dihydroxy-7,7-dideutero-5beta-cholanoic acid forms mixed micelles with lecithin with a molecular ratio of 2 : 3.


Stimulatory modulator of guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase from mammalian tissues. The crude protein kinase modulator preparations obtained from several rat tissues (aorta, brain heart, liver, lung, skeletal muscle, small intestine and testis) were separated into their stimulatory and inhibitory modulator components by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration. The isolated stimulatory modulator augmented the activity of guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase. The isolated inhibitory modulator, on the other hand, depressed the activity of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase; it was without effect on the activity of cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinease. The present findings indicate that in the mammal, apparently in contrast to the arthropoda, separate proteins are responsibile for the stimulatory and the inhibitory activities of protein kinase modulator and that the two classes of cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase are regulated in an opposing manner by these two types of modulators.


Thyroxine-binding proteins in liver and tail of Rana catebeiana undergoing metamorphosis. Presence of a thyroxine-binding protein was demonstrated in vivo in cell sap of tail and liver of metamorphosing Rana catesbeiana tadpoles. Thyroxine-binding protein was not present in tail of prematamorphic tadpoles while it appeared during progressing metamorphosis roughly coinciding with the beginning of tail resorption. Susceptibility to pronase indicates that this thyroxine-binding macromolecule is protein in nature. Thyroxine-binding in liver was already present during premetamorphic stages and increased further during metamorphosis. A further difference between tail and liver thyroxine-binding protein was evidenced by molecular sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-200 indicating a molecular weight of thyroxine-binding protein in the tail of 60 000 as opposed to 42 000 for liver. Scatchard analysis of tail cell sap of tadpoles in metamorphic climax revealed a high affinity thyroxing binding site (Kd of 2 - 10(-10) M) of low capacity (1.7 pmol per mg protein) while tadpoles in premetamorphic stage had a thyroxine-binding site of lower affinity (9 - 10(-10) M) and higher capacity (4.8 pmol per mg protein). Thus affinity of thyroxine binding is 4-fold in metamorphic climax and appears to reflect the appearance of thyroxine binding observed in vivo.


Developmental changes in glycosaminoglycans, collagen and collagenase activity in embryonic chick skin. In order to study remodeling of connective tissue during development, changes in glycosaminoglycan, collagen and collagenase activity in embryonic chick skin at various stages have been studied. Collagen content in the skin increased rapidly during days 14 to 18, then leveled off until hatching. Prior to the increase of collagen deposition in the skin, a sharp decrease in chondroitin sulfate was observed between days 11 and 14, while dermatan sulfate increased almost 4 fold during days 12 to 14, then increased steadily until hatching. Hyaluronic acid decreased progressively during the stages investigated (days 11 to 20). At the same stage as the rate of collagen deposition in the tissue became maximal (day 16), the amount of dialyzable hydroxyproline showed a maximum, indicating that an increased rate of collagen deposition in the tissue was accompanied by accelerated collagenolysis. Culture of skin from various stages of embryonic development revealed that 16 day old tissue was potentially capable of secreting the highest levels of collagenase. This collagenase was mostly inactive against soluble collagen and collagen fibrils but could be activated by 3 M NaSCN treatment.


Aflatoxin inhibition of glucocorticoid finding capacity of rat liver nuclei. The effect of aflatoxin B1 on the binding capacity of rat liver cytoplasmic glucocorticoid receptors and the nuclear binding of the activated receptor complex was investigated. No alterations in the kinetics of [3H]desamethasone-cytosol receptor complex formation were noted 2 h after treatment with 1 mg/kg aflatoxin B1. However, a 33% decrease in the concentration of nuclear acceptor sites and a 24% decrease in the glucocorticoid receptor-nuclear binding equilibrium constant of dissociation was observed. This response was near maximal at 2 h and persisted for at least 26 h. Inhibition of nuclear binding capacity was directly related to aflatoxin B1 dose, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99. Actinomycin D treatment (0.1 mg/kg) resulted in a slight reduction (16%) in the concentration of nuclear acceptor sites but had no effect on the nuclear binding dissociation constant. Administration of [3H]dexamethasone to alfatoxin B1 -treated rats produced a similar pattern of glucocorticoid binding distribution in vivo to that observed in vitro. No differences in [3H]dexamethasone-cytoplasmic receptor binding  between control and alfatoxin B1 -treated rats were found, whereas nuclear [3H]dexanthasone binding was reduced 34% by alfatoxin B1 -treatment.


Apparent opposing effects of cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyclic GMP on the neuronal firing of the blowfly chemo-receptors. Cyclic AMP and its dibutyryl derivative inhibit neuronal firing of the labellar sugar sensitive receptor of the blowfly when applied in conjunction with the stimulant sucrose. Furthermore, simultaneous application of aminophylline (phosphodieterase inhibitor) and sucrose or in combination with cyclic AMP caused a similar depression of the sugar receptors response. In contrast, dibutyryl cyclic GMP elicited an increase in sugar receptor firing when applied with sucrose to sugar receptor. Either 5'-AMP or 5'-GMP in combination with sucrose had no discernable effect on the sugar receptors response. Different ratio combinations of cyclic AMP and dibutyryl cyyclic GMP showed the striking inhibitory effect of cyclic AMP upon the dibutyryl cyclic GMP elicited increases in receptor firing frequency. Therefore, it is suggested that these two nucleotides may be mediating different but complimentary aspects of sugar receptor function in a push-pull manner.


Effect of salicyclic acid on gluccorticoid receptor in cultured fibroblasts derived from rat carrageenin granuloma. The binding activity of [3H]dexamethasone to the specific receptor was studied in the cytoplasmic fraction of a established fibroblast line derived from rat carrageenin granuloma in culture condition. Specific receptor to dexamethasone was demonstrated. Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of binding sites with a dissociation constant for [3H]dexamethasone of 3.64 - 10(-8) M and a concentration of binding sites of 0.825 pmol per mg cytosol protein. The number of cytoplasmic binding sites per cell was calculated at 1.15 - 10(5). Total binding activity to [3H]dexamethasone of the cytoplasmic fraction was enhanced when the cells were cultured in a medium containing salicylic acid was at 37 degrees C. The maximum enhancement was seen at the concentration of 10(-3)M and in 3h treatment of salicylic acid. This enhancement by salicylic acid was lost when cycloheximide was added to the culture medium at the same time. If salicyclic acid was added to the cell free system, it showed no effect on the binding activity. The other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; phenylbutazone and indomethacin,also enhanced the total binding activity to [3H]dexamethasone of the cytoplasmic fraction at the concentration of 2 - 10(-5) M and 2 - 10(-7) M, respectively.


The spin-lattice relaxation times of water associated with early post mortem changes in skeletal muscle. We studied the spin-echo signal of muscle water in a large time domain and found that the motion of the nuclear magnetic moment of tissue water cannot be characterized by a single spin-lattice relaxation time (T1). The relaxation time T1B, which is the T1 characterized by those protons with a slower relaxation rate, is influenced by the early post mortem changes in skeletal muscle. T1B increased with time after the tissue was taken from the animal and reached a maximum at 3 h. However, the weighted average of T1 of all water protons (T1A) did not change throughout the time course of the experiments.


Effect of hexoses and mannoheptulose on cyclic AMP accumulation and insulin secretion in rat pancreatic islets. The effects of various sugars on the simultaneous release of insulin and accumulation of cyclic AMP were studied in collagenase isolated rat pancreatic islets. D-Glucose stimulated the formation of cyclic AMP at 3 and 60 min of incubation, whether measured by a label incorporation technique, or by the protein kinase binding assay of Gilman. Only D-glucose and D-mannose were able to stimulate insulin release and cyclic [3H]AMP accumulation in the absence of other substrate. D-fructose had a stimulatory effect in the presence of 3.3 mM D-glucose only at a high concentration (33.8 mM), and enhanced the effects of 8.3 mM glucose when added at the concentration of 8.3 mM. D-Galactose was effective only together with 8.3 mM D-glucose. The order of potency of these hexoses, both regarding insulin secretion and cyclic [3H]AMP accumulation, was glucose-mannose-fructose-galactose. L-Glucose and 3-O-methylglucose had no effects at 60 min when incubated together with 8.3 mM D-glucose, whereas at 3 min, 3-O-methylglucose induced a small stimulation of the cyclic [3H]AMP response. D-mannoheptulose and D-glucosamine inhibited the insulin and cyclic [3H]AMP responses to 27.7 mM glucose. Mannoheptulose suppressed completely the glucose effect on cyclic nucleotide accumulation within 90 s. Although under all incubation conditions, the threshold stimulatory or inhibitory concentration of a given agent was identical for insulin release and cyclic [3H]AMP accumulation, these two variables showed quantitative differences in incubations of 60 min, the magnitude of the changes in insulin secretion being larger than that for the cyclic nucleotide. It is suggested that modulation of islet cyclic AMP level is an important step in the transmission of the effect of various sugars on insulin release; however, glucose and possibly other sugars may also enhance insulin release by additional mechanisms not involving the adenylate cyclase-cyclic AMP system of the beta-cell.


Induction of rat liver phosphoenolpyruvate carbonxykinase (GTP) by cyclic AMP during starvation. The permissive action of glucocorticoids. The effect of starvation on the activity of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (GTP:oxaloacetate carboxy-lyase (transphosphorylating), EC 4.1.1.32), and on the response of the enzyme to N6-O2'dibutyryl adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate was investigated in intact and glucocorticoid-deprived rats. In the liver of intact animals, starvation produced a rapid increase in the concentration of cyclic AMP and a corresponding increase in the activity of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase. The kinetics of both changes were not affected by adrenalectomy. Injection of N6-O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate into intact starved rats resulted in an immediate, dramatic increase in phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity above the starvation level. Adrenalectomy completely blocked the response of the enzyme to the cyclic nucleotide. Restoration of hydrocortisone to the adrenalectomized animals restored the full N6-I2'dibutyryl adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate effect after a lag period of 2 h. The physiological significance of these findings is considered. The data are interpreted with regard to the current hypothesis that glucocorticoids promote an increase in translatable phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA, while cyclic AMP enhances the translation of preexisting specific mRNA templates.


Regulation of purine metabolism. Adenylosuccinate synthetase from Novikoff ascites tumor cells. Adenylosuccinate synthetase has been partially purified from Novikoff ascites tumor cells. The properties of the protein are quite different from the enzyme from rat liver in that the Km for asparate is higher and the K1 for the feedback inhibitor AMP is also higher. The antibiotic hadacidin has a preferential inhibitory effect on the tumor enzyme. These results suggest that the Novikoff ascites tumor enzyme is less sensitive to normal feedback controls but may be more sensitive to specific antitumor drugs.


N6,O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3', 5'-monophosphate-stimulated release of proteoglycans from cultured immature rabbit ear cartilage. The stimulatory effects of N6, O2'-dibutyrl adenosine 3',5'-monphosphate on proteoglycan released from immature rabbit ear cartilage were studied in viltro. Cartilage incubayed in medium containing dibutyryl cyclic AMP resulted in a significant increase of proteoglycans released in concentrations above 0.5 mM. Theophylline (1 mM) which did not significantly stimulate proteoglycans released alone, was found to potentiate the action of this nucleotide. ATP, 5'-AMP and butyric acid in the presence of theophylline, did not stimulate proteolgycans released. The addition of protein or RNA synthesis inhibitors depressed proteoglycans released by dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline. Gel chromatogrphic and chemical investigation of the proteoglycans released into the culture media in the presence of dibutylic cyclic AMP indicated a reduction in the proportion of protein associated with these complexes. This result, together with enzyme inhbitor studies, leads us to speculate that the observed action of dibutyryl cyclic AMP on rabbit ear cartilages may be mediated by the neutral proteases.


Affinity chromatography of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas testosteroni. Use of N,N-dimethylformamide to prevent hydrophobic interactions between the enzyme and the ligand. 1. The 3alpha-hydroxysteroid: NAD+-oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.50) from Pseudomonas testosteroni (ATCC 11996) has been purified by affinity chromatography on Sepharose 4B using glycocholic acid as ligand covalently bound through its carboxyl group to the ethylenediamine spacer. 2. The attachment of the enzyme to the substrate-containing matrix is greatly enhanced by the presence of NAD+ suggesting that this enzyme has a compulsory ordered mechanism where NAD+ binds to the enzyme before the steroid. 3. A NAD+-independent interaction between the enzyme and the ligand was also found. This interaction was mainly hydrophobic and interfered with the NAD+-dependent binding. The NAD+-independent interaction was reduced by N,N-dimethylformamide. 4. By using the affinity column in the presence of 10% N,N-dimethylformamide, highly purified enzyme, as judged from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, could be obtained in one step from crude bacterial extracts.


On the location of active serines of membrane acetylcholinesterase studied by the ESR method. 1. An attempt was made to find out the causes of the discrepancy between the ESR spectra of membrane acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) obtained by Morrisett and co-workers and those obtained by the present authors. 2. In order to see whether the discrepancy was due to the different spin-labeling procedures, the same membrane acetylcholinesterase preparations were spin-labeled with the same compound, using the two different spin-labeling procedures. The enzyme activity was determined with pH-static titration and the ESR spectra recorded. 3. It was found that after spin-labeling according to Morrisett and co-workers, there were from 10-100 times more spin-label molecules bound to the enzyme preparations than there were active serines in them. 4. Using the method of Morrisett and co-workers, the majority of spin-label molecules was found to be bound to sites outside the active serines whereas the spin-labeling procedures of the present authors proved to be selective for active serines; the discrepancy in ESR spectra is explained.


A kinetic analysis of the dephosphorylation, by bovine spleen phosphoprotein phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.16) of a phosphopeptide derived from beta-casein. A peptide containing the four closely grouped phosphoseryl residues present in beta-casein has been enzymatically dephosphorylated with bovine spleen phosphoprotein phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.16). The course of the dephosphorylation reaction has been followed by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and the amount of partially phosphorylated peptides present at each stage quantified by the same method. The phosphate groups are shown to be removed in a sequential manner and the rate constants for each stage of the dephosphorylation have been computed from the data obtained. The rate constants indicate that interaction in the intact peptide results in an enhancement of the activity of the phosphoseryl cluster.


Biochemical assay by immobilized enzymes and a mass spectrometer. By counting the volatile molecules produced by an immobilized-enzyme catalyzed reaction which is interfaced to a mass spectrometer via a semi-permeable membrane, a general approach to biochemical measurement and detection is obtained which offers the potential of high sensitivity, specificity and speed. In combination with molecule microscopy, this method should allow, for example, a mapping of suitable enzyme distributions in non-stained and non-fixed tissue slices. Immobilized urease (urea amidohyrdrolase, EC 3.5.1.5) was used to assay urea using CO2 as the volatile product, and alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.1) was used to assay NADH using ethanol as the volatile product.


Dinucleosidasetetraphosphatase in rat liver and Artemia salina. A comparative study of an enzymatic activity present in Artemia salina and rat liver which specifically splits dinucleoside tetraphosphates is presented. All the purine and pyrimidine dinucleoside tetraphosphates tested, i.e. diadenosine, diguanosine, dixanthosine and diuridine tetraphosphates, were substrates of both enzymes with similar maximum velocities and Km values, (around 10 muM). The inhibition by nucleotides of the enzyme from the two sources is also similar. Particularly relevant is the strong inhibition caused by nucleoside tetraphosphates which have Ki values in the nanomolar range. The Artemia enzyme has a slightly lower molecular weight (17 500) than the liver enzyme (21 000) and is more resistant to acidic pH. Based on previous findings, the enzyme from Artemia salina was named diguanosinetetraphosphatase (EC 3.6.1.17) by the Enzyme Commission. The results presented in this paper show that the liver and Artemia enzymes are similar, and we propose to name this enzyme as dinucleosidetetraphosphatase or dinucleoside-tetraphosphate nucleotidehydrolase.


Lysyl hydroxylase. Further purification and characterization of the enzyme from chick embryos and chick embryo cartilage. A purification of up to 4000-fold is reported for lysyl hydroxylase (EC 1.14.11.4) from extract of chick-embryo homogenate and one of about 300-fold from extract of chick-embryo cartilage. Multiple forms of the enzyme were observed during purification from whole chick embryos. In gel filtration the elution positions of the two main forms corresponded to average molecular weights of about 580000 and 220000. These two forms could also be clearly separated in hydroxyapatite chromatography. In addition, some enzyme activity was always eluted between the two main peaks both in gel filtration and in hydroxyapatite chromatography. The presence of the two main forms was also observed when purifying enzyme from chick embryo cartilage. Both forms of the enzyme hydroxylated lysine in arginine-rich histone, which does not contain any -X-Lys-Gly- sequence. No difference was found between the enzyme from whole chick embryos and from chick embryo cartilage in this respect. Lysyl hydroxylase was found to have affinity for concanavalin A, indicating the presence of some carbohydrate residues in the enzyme molecule. Lysyl and prolyl hydroxylase activities increased when the chick embryo homogenate was assayed in the presence of lysolecithin. Preincubation of the homogenate either with lysolecithin or with Triton X-100 increased lysyl hydroxylase activity in homogenate, and in the 1500 x g and 150000 x g supernatants, suggesting that the increase in the enzyme activity was due to liberation of the enzyme from the membranes. Divalent cations were found to inhibit the activity of lysyl and prolyl hydroxylases in vitro. An inhibition of about 50% was achieved with 15 mM calcium 60 muM copper and 3 muM zinc concentrations. The mode of inhibition was tested with Cu2+, and was found to be competitive with Fe2+.


Steady-state kinetics of high molecular weight (type-I) NADH dehydrogenase. (1) Studies of the steady-state kinetics of the NADH dehydrogenase activity of Complex I (NADH: Q oxidoreductase) revealed that the reaction mechanism with the one-electron acceptor ferricyanide or the two-electron acceptor 2,6-dichloro-indophenol is ping pong bi bi, with double substrate inhibition. NADH inhibits the reaction of the reduced form of the flavoprotein with the acceptors, and the acceptors prevent NADH from reacting with the oxidized form. This implies that both NADH and acceptors react with the same site on NADH dehydrogenase. (2) The velocity at infinite NADH and acceptor concentrations (corrected for the double substrate inhibition) is much larger with ferricyanide than with the indophenol. It is concluded that the latter binds to the reduced enzyme. Thus, with ferricyanide the rate constant measured refers to the dissociation of bound NAD+ from the reduced enzyme (k2) and with the indophenol to the rate constant of oxidation of reduced enzyme by bound acceptor (k4). The latter value is not an estimate for the situation in vivo, where ubiquinone is the acceptor. (3) The rate constant of the dissociation of bound NAD+ from the reduced enzyme (k2) increases with pH. It is suggested that an ionizing group on the enzyme is involved in the dissociation. (4) After extraction of ubiquinone from Complex I with pentane curve relating activity at infinite ferricyanide concentration to NADH concentration changes from hyperbolic to sigmoidal. The hyperbolic curve is restored by reincorporating ubiquinone. It is concluded that ubiquinone is an effector for NADH dehydrogenase.