scholarly journals Characterization of domains obtained from a mollusc haemocyanin by limited proteolytic digestion

1979 ◽  
Vol 179 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
W J Gullick ◽  
D G Herries ◽  
E J Wood

The haemocyanin from the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis was digested with proteolytic enzymes under conditions where it existed as whole (native) molecules (mol.wt. approx. 9 × 10(6)), or as one-tenth molecules. Digestion of whole molecules yielded a fragment of mol.wt. approx. 110,000 believed to correspond to the ‘collar’ of the molecule, and an aggregate some 20–30 times the size of the original native molecule formed by end-to-end polymerization of the molecule after removal of the collar. Digestion of one-tenth molecules yielded a mixture of products that could be separated into three fractions by gel filtration. Analysis of these by sodium dodecylsulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis revealed that they typically contained two or three components. The collar fragment was present as a component of the intermediate-molecular-weight fraction, and it dissociated on sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide gels to give two bands corresponding to apparent mol.wts. 65,000 and 60,000. The c.d. spectra of the separated fractions were recorded and fitted with Gaussian curves by a computer procedure. The fractions each possessed distinct c.d. spectra, by which they could be identified: the collar-fragment c.d. and absorption spectra showed the most striking differences compared with those of the other fragments. The results were interpreted in terms of the postulated existence, within the haemocyanin molecule, of multi-domain structures, each comprising a single polypeptide chain of mol.wt. 200,000–300,000.

1979 ◽  
Vol 181 (3) ◽  
pp. 559-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandro Pontremoli ◽  
Franca Salamino ◽  
Bianca Sparatore ◽  
Edon Melloni ◽  
Alessandro Morelli ◽  
...  

1. The distribution of proteolytic activity in membranes from human erythrocytes and from rabbit reticulocytes and erythrocytes was investigated, after removal of leucocytes and platelets from the cell suspensions. 2. All membrane preparations displayed proteolytic activity in the acidic pH region only. Membranes from human and rabbit mature erythrocytes showed latent activity, which could be increased when extracted with a number of detergents. 3. Three active fractions were resolved either by gel chromatography of solubilized membrane extracts or by standard polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The three proteinase activities (designated proteinases I, II and III) were purified from solubilized extracts of human erythrocyte membranes. 4. The relevant mol.wts. were around 80000, 40000 and 30000, respectively, and each of the three proteinases appeared to be composed of a single polypeptide chain. 5. Distinctive pH optima (in the range pH2.8–3.9) and different saturation profiles with globin as substrate were observed for proteinases I, II and III. 6. Dithioerythritol, Hg2+ and Cu2+ inhibited each of the three human enzymes, but more selective inhibitory effects were exerted by other modifiers of proteolytic enzymes and by haemin. Similar effects were observed with the three proteinases from rabbit cells. 7. The activity of the three human proteinases seems to be restricted to naturally occurring protein substrates, although with poor specificity, and none of them was active on synthetic substrates. 8. Digestion of globin by each of the three enzymes yielded similar polypeptide fragments in all cases, this indicating an endopeptidase type of activity.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 252-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuichi Saito ◽  
Kazuya Kondo ◽  
Ichiro Kojima ◽  
Atsushi Yokota ◽  
Fusao Tomita

ABSTRACT Streptomyces exfoliatus F3-2 produced an extracellular enzyme that converted levan, a β-2,6-linked fructan, into levanbiose. The enzyme was purified 50-fold from culture supernatant to give a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weights of this enzyme were 54,000 by SDS-PAGE and 60,000 by gel filtration, suggesting the monomeric structure of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be 4.7. The optimal pH and temperature of the enzyme for levan degradation were pH 5.5 and 60°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 3.5 to 8.0 and also up to 50°C. The enzyme gave levanbiose as a major degradation product from levan in an exo-acting manner. It was also found that this enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of such fructooligosaccharides as 1-kestose, nystose, and 1-fructosylnystose by liberating fructose. Thus, this enzyme appeared to hydrolyze not only β-2,6-linkage of levan, but also β-2,1-linkage of fructooligosaccharides. From these data, the enzyme from S. exfoliatus F3-2 was identified as a novel 2,6-β-d-fructan 6-levanbiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.64 ).


1998 ◽  
Vol 180 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Furutani ◽  
Toshii Iida ◽  
Shigeyuki Yamano ◽  
Kei Kamino ◽  
Tadashi Maruyama

ABSTRACT A peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) was purified from a thermophilic methanogen, Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus. The PPIase activity was inhibited by FK506 but not by cyclosporine. The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 16 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 42 kDa by gel filtration. The enzyme was thermostable, with the half-lives of its activity at 90 and 100°C being 90 and 30 min, respectively. The catalytic efficiencies (k cat/Km ) measured at 15°C for the peptidyl substrates,N-succinyl-Ala-Leu-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide andN-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide, were 0.35 and 0.20 μM−1 s−1, respectively, in chymotrypsin-coupled assays. The purified enzyme was sensitive to FK506 and therefore was called MTFK (M. thermolithotrophicusFK506-binding protein). The MTFK gene (462 bp) was cloned from anM. thermolithotrophicus genomic library. The comparison of the amino acid sequence of MTFK with those of other FK506-binding PPIases revealed that MTFK has a 13-amino-acid insertion in the N-terminal region that is unique to thermophilic archaea. The relationship between the thermostable nature of MTFK and its structure is discussed.


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisayo Ono ◽  
Kazuhisa Sawada ◽  
Nonpanga Khunajakr ◽  
Tao Tao ◽  
Mihoko Yamamoto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (ectoine) is an excellent osmoprotectant. The biosynthetic pathway of ectoine from aspartic β-semialdehyde (ASA), in Halomonas elongata, was elucidated by purification and characterization of each enzyme involved. 2,4-Diaminobutyrate (DABA) aminotransferase catalyzed reversively the first step of the pathway, conversion of ASA to DABA by transamination with l-glutamate. This enzyme required pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and potassium ions for its activity and stability. The gel filtration estimated an apparent molecular mass of 260 kDa, whereas molecular mass measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was 44 kDa. This enzyme exhibited an optimum pH of 8.6 and an optimum temperature of 25°C and had Km s of 9.1 mM forl-glutamate and 4.5 mM for dl-ASA. DABA acetyltransferase catalyzed acetylation of DABA to γ-N-acetyl-α,γ-diaminobutyric acid (ADABA) with acetyl coenzyme A and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.2 and an optimum temperature of 20°C in the presence of 0.4 M NaCl. The molecular mass was 45 kDa by gel filtration. Ectoine synthase catalyzed circularization of ADABA to ectoine and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.5 to 9.0 and an optimum temperature of 15°C in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl. This enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 19 kDa by SDS-PAGE and a Km of 8.4 mM in the presence of 0.77 M NaCl. DABA acetyltransferase and ectoine synthase were stabilized in the presence of NaCl (>2 M) and DABA (100 mM) at temperatures below 30°C.


2006 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1937-1943 ◽  
Author(s):  
PONGSAK RATTANACHAIKUNSOPON ◽  
PARICHAT PHUMKHACHORN

Lactobacillus plantarum N014 was isolated from nham, a traditional Thai fermented pork, and exhibited antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. Its bacteriocin had a broad inhibitory spectrum toward both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The bacteriocin activity was sensitive to all proteolytic enzymes used in this study, including papain, pepsin, pronase E, proteinase K, and trypsin, but was resistant to the other enzymes, such as α-amylase, lipase A, and lysozyme. Furthermore, activity was stable over various heat treatments and pH values. The bacteriocin exerted a bacteriolytic mode of action. It was produced during the exponential growth phase and reached its highest level as producer cells entered the stationary phase. Adsorption of the bacteriocin onto producer cells was pH-dependent. No bacteriocin adsorption was detected at pH 1 to 3, whereas 100% bacteriocin adsorption was found at pH 7. Plasmid isolation revealed that L. plantarum N014 contained no plasmids. From Tricine–sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and growth inhibition testing against L. monocytogenes, the estimated molecular mass of L. plantarum N014 bacteriocin was 8 kDa.


1989 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 844-848
Author(s):  
D L Kalpaxis ◽  
E E Giannoulaki

Abstract Serum from a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma contained an abnormal isoenzyme of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; EC 1.1.1.27), LDH-1ex, that on electrophoresis on 10-g/L agarose gel migrated anodally to the LDH-1 band. This isoenzyme was partly purified by ultrafiltration and preparative electrophoresis. Gel chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis studies of the resulting LDH-1ex preparation suggested that this isoenzyme is probably a tetramer made up of four single polypeptide chains (monomers), each having a molecular mass of about 32,000 Da. LDH-1ex was heat stable and reacted more readily with 2-hydroxybutyrate than did the slower migrating LDH-4 and LDH-5 isoenzymes. LDH-1ex showed no activity when lactate was omitted from the substrate solution or replaced by ethanol.


1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 789-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliano Degrassi ◽  
Benedict C. Okeke ◽  
Carlo V. Bruschi ◽  
Vittorio Venturi

ABSTRACT Bacillus pumilus PS213 was found to be able to release acetate from acetylated xylan. The enzyme catalyzing this reaction has been purified to homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme was secreted, and its production was induced by corncob powder and xylan. Its molecular mass, as determined by gel filtration, is 190 kDa, while sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single band of 40 kDa. The isoelectric point was found to be 4.8, and the enzyme activity was optimal at 55°C and pH 8.0. The activity was inhibited by most of the metal ions, while no enhancement was observed. The Michaelis constant (Km ) andV max for α-naphthyl acetate were 1.54 mM and 360 μmol min−1 mg of protein−1, respectively.


1978 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 283-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
J G Heathcote ◽  
C H J Sear ◽  
M E Grant

1. Isolated rat lens capsules synthesized hydroxy[3H]proline-containing polypeptides when incubated with [3H]proline. 2. The collagenous polypeptides synthesized during a 2 h incubation were analyzed by both gel-filtration chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and shown to have an apparent mol.wt. of approx. 180,000. 3. No evidence was obtained for conversion of these polypeptides into a lower-molecular-weight species in experiments where capsules were labelled for 2 h and chased with non-radioactive proline for up to 22 h. However, a time-dependent incorporation of the 180,000-mol.wt. species into a larger collagenous component was observed and this could be prevented by the inclusion of beta-aminopropionitrile in the incubation medium. 4. The radioactive components synthesized by the capsules correspond to subunits of the intact lens capsule and the direct incorporation of the polypeptide of mol.wt. 180,000 into deoxycholate-insoluble basement membrane was demonstrated.


1983 ◽  
Vol 212 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Kondo ◽  
Y Koshihara ◽  
M Kawamura ◽  
S Murota

Cloned mouse mastocytoma P-815.2-E-6 cells are barely able to synthesize prostaglandins because of a lack of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase activity. However, the addition of sodium n-butyrate at 1 mM induces synthesis de novo of prostaglandins in this cell line. Employing this system, we could isolate an mRNA for prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase by a combination of cell-free translation and immunoprecipitation. The antibody, prepared in rabbit by injecting purified prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase from bovine vesicular gland, was shown to cross-react with the corresponding enzyme from 2-E-6 cells. The poly(A)-containing mRNA has a sedimentation coefficient of 17S and codes for a single polypeptide chain of Mr 62 000 as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The Mr of the mouse polypeptide chain appears very similar to that of the purified carbohydrate-free prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase from sheep vesicular gland. These findings are a contribution to the isolation of the gene for prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Manganaro ◽  
A. Kuksis

We have purified the monoacylglycerol acyltransferase from rat small intestinal mucosa to homogeneity by a combination of hydrophobic absorption, guanidine dissociation, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme gives a single band of 37 000 daltons on sodium dodecyl sulphate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme has a specific activity of about 5900 nmol/mg per hour and represents 0.12% of total cell protein, corresponding to about a 600-fold purification. The enzyme does not acylate diacylglycerols to triacylglycerols, which is consistent with the separate physical existence of the mono- and di-acylglycerol acyltransferases. The enzyme acylates the 2-monoacylglycerols to yield an essentially racemic mixture of diacylglycerols. It does not acylate glycerol 3-phosphate.


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