scholarly journals A new dopachrome-rearranging enzyme from the ejected ink of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis.

1994 ◽  
Vol 299 (3) ◽  
pp. 839-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Palumbo ◽  
M d'Ischia ◽  
G Misuraca ◽  
L De Martino ◽  
G Prota

A melanogenic enzyme catalysing the rearrangement of dopachrome has been identified in the ejected ink of the cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. This enzyme occurs as a heat-labile protein which co-migrates with tyrosinase under a variety of chromatographic and electrophoretic conditions. On SDS/PAGE it shows like a single band with an approx. molecular mass of 85 kDa. The enzyme possesses high substrate specificity, acting on L-dopachrome (Km = 1 mM at pH 6.8) and on L-alpha-methyl-dopachrome, but not on D-dopachrome, L-dopachrome methyl ester, dopaminochrome and adrenochrome. Significant inhibition of the catalytic activity was observed with tropolone and L-mimosine. H.p.1.c. analysis of the enzyme-catalysed rearrangement of L-dopachrome revealed the quantitative formation of the decarboxylated product, 5,6-dihydroxyindole. These results point to marked differences between melanogenesis in cephalopod pigment cells and in melanocytes, which may have important implications in relation to the use of sepiomelanin as a model for studies of mammalian melanins.

2002 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 1030-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Calonje ◽  
Dolores Bernardo ◽  
Monique Novaes-Ledieu ◽  
Concepción García Mendoza

Verticillium fungicola, isolated from Agaricus bisporus (commercial mushroom), produced significant extracellular hydrophobin when grown for 7 days in a static liquid culture of synthetic minimal medium. The hydrophobin was purified by precipitation with ammonium sulphate (80% saturation), Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The purified protein yielded a single band in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under native conditions, with an apparent molecular mass of 70 ± 4 kDa, and also another single band in SDS–PAGE, with a molecular mass of 7 ± 3 kDa. Molecular mass determined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–mass spectrometry (MALDI–MS) resulted in 7563.9 m/z. The same protein was extracted from the V. fungicola mycelium. Analysis of the amino acid composition revealed the presence of about 50% hydrophobic residues, detecting at least six cysteines, evaluated as cystines, and no free sulfhydryl groups. The protein did not show any glycosylation. On the basis of similarities in hydropathy patterns and solubility characteristics, V. fungicola hydrophobin can be included as a new member of Class II hydrophobins.Key words: Verticillium fungicola, Agaricus bisporus, hydrophobin, mycoparasitism.


2000 ◽  
Vol 350 (3) ◽  
pp. 747-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko HIGUCHI ◽  
Junko HARA ◽  
Reiko OKAMOTO ◽  
Makoto KAWASHIMA ◽  
Genji IMOKAWA

We have demonstrated previously that there is an abnormal expression of sphingomyelin (SM) deacylase in the epidermis of patients with atopic dermatitis (ADe). In the present study, we have prepared N-[palmitic acid-1-14C]SM and N-[palmitic acid-1-14C]glucosylceramide (GCer) to use as substrates and have quantified SM deacylase activity by detecting the release of [14C]palmitic acid in extracts of the stratum corneum or the epidermis of ADe patients. In studies using [palmitic acid-1-14C]SM as a substrate, a pH dependency of catalytic activity with a peak at pH 5.0 was found. Preparative SDS/PAGE using an extract of ADe epidermis revealed that the molecular mass of SM deacylase is 40000Da, which is consistent with its apparent molecular mass of 42000Da estimated by gel-filtration analysis of stratum corneum extracts. Analytical isoelectric focusing (IEF) chromatography demonstrated that the pI values of SM deacylase, β-glucocerebrosidase (GlcCDase), sphingomyelinase (SMase) and acid ceramidase were 4.2, 7.4, 7.0 and 5.7, respectively. In enzymic analysis using pI-4.2 SM deacylase partially purified by IEF, which had no detectable contamination with acid ceramidase, GlcCDase or SMase, radio-TLC analysis revealed that radiolabelled sphingosylphosphocholine or [1-14C]palmitic acid was enzymically liberated from [choline-methyl-14C]SM or N-[palmitoyl-1-14C]GCer, respectively, used as substrates. Further the pI-4.2 protein purified from extracts of the stratum corneum of ADe patients was able to hydrolyse N-[palmitoyl-1-14C]SM and GCer, but not N-[palmitoyl-1-14C]ceramide. These results indicate that a hitherto undiscovered epidermal enzyme, termed here glucosylceramide sphingomyelin deacylase, is expressed in the skin of ADe patients, which plays an important role in ceramide deficiency (including acylceramides) in the stratum corneum.


1990 ◽  
Vol 271 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Oizumi ◽  
K Hayakawa

The substrate specificity of lipoamidase, purified from the pig brain membrane with lipoyl 4-aminobenzoate (LPAB) as a substrate, was extensively studied. This single polypeptide was found to hydrolyse the bonding between amide, ester and peptide compounds. However, stringent structural requirements were found in the substrates, e.g. LPAB was hydrolysed, whereas biotinyl 4-aminobenzoate was not, as stated in our previous paper [Oizmui & Hayakawa (1990) Biochem. J. 266, 427-434]. The enzyme specifically recognized the whole molecular structure of the substrate, whereas it loosely recognized the bond structure of the substrate; e.g. the dipeptide Asp-Phe was not hydrolysed, whereas the methyl ester of Asp-Phe (aspartame) was. The exopeptidase activity was demonstrated by lipoamidase; however, longer peptides than the hexamer seemed not to be substrates. Lipoyl esters, which were electrically neutral, exhibited higher specificity with longer acyl groups. Molecular mass and molecular hydrophobicity (hydropathy) seemed to determine the substrate specificity. Lipoyl-lysine, acetylcholine and oligopeptides were hydrolysed at similar Km values; however, acetylcholine was hydrolysed at a velocity 100 times higher. Although many similar specificities were found between electric eel acetylcholinesterase and lipoamidase, distinctly different specificity was demonstrated with lipoyl compounds. The role of lipoamidase, which resides on the brain membrane and possesses higher specificity for hydrophobic molecules, remains to be elucidated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 907-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Lucia Amaral ◽  
Ederlan Souza Ferreira ◽  
Maraiza Aparecida Silva ◽  
Valdir Augusto Neves ◽  
Aureluce Demonte

Purpose The hypocholesterolemic activity of legume vicilins and the structural homology among mung bean, soybean and adzuki bean vicilins (8S) suggest that this protein may play a role in lipid metabolism. Thus, in the present study, the authors aim to isolate the mung bean vicilin and assess its in vitro effect on 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG CoAr), the enzyme responsible for endogenous cholesterol synthesis. Design/methodology/approach Chromatographic and electrophoretic characterization identified the molecular mass and polypeptide composition of mung bean vicilin. The hydrolysate of this globulin was obtained by sequential hydrolysis with pepsin-pancreatin and the fragments were characterized by molecular filtration, SDS PAGE and HPLC. Findings The molecular mass of vicilin was estimated as 158.23 at ± 10 kDa and SDS-PAGE revealed that the 8S globulin protein comprises four bands corresponding to polypeptides of 61, 48, 29 and 26 kDa. Fractions 10, 12, 14, 22 and 32 of the eluate from Sephadex G-25 exhibited significant inhibition of HMG CoAr. Originality/value The correspondence of the chromatographic profile of the peptide fractions with hypocholesterolemic activity suggests that the composition and chemical structure of these peptides are essential to their physiological effectiveness. The beneficial effects of mung bean vicilin identified in this study will support the characterization of this protein as a functional compound.


1990 ◽  
Vol 63 (01) ◽  
pp. 067-071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan C Castellote ◽  
Enric Grau ◽  
Maria A Linde ◽  
Nuria Pujol-Moix ◽  
Miquel LI Rutllant

SummaryIncreasing evidence suggests the involvement of leukocytes in the fibrinolytic system. Monocytes secrete pro-urokinase (Grau, Thromb Res 1989; 53: 145) and it has been shown that these cells have specific receptors for urokinase and plasminogen (Miles, Thromb Haemostas 1987; 58: 936). The aim of this study was to analyse the presence of plasminogen activator inhibitor(s) in platelet-free suspensions of human peripheral blood monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). SDS-PAGE and reverse fibrin autography showed an inhibitory band of 50 kDa in the monocyte extracts (Triton X-100) but not in the PMN extracts. Urokinase (u-PA) was mixed with increasing amounts of monocyte extract for 10 min and the mixtures were added to 125Ifibrin coated wells containing plasminogen. A dose-dependent decrease in the u-PA fibrinolytic activity was observed. The amount of inhibition increased when the monocyte releasates were preincubated with u-PA (40% inhibition after 5 min preincubation and 80% after 15 min), indicating a direct interaction between this activator and an inhibitor(s). After SDS-PAGE of monocyte extracts, immunoblotting and peroxidase staining identified both PAI1 and PAI2, with an apparent molecular weight of 47-50 kDa. Monocyte-associated PAI1 formed complexes with single chain t-PA with a molecular mass 50 kDa higher than the molecular mass of the free PAI1. However, a significant amount of PAI remained unbound to t-PA. This inactive PAI1 could have come from a rapid inactivation of the primary active PAI1. These PAI1 and PAI2 detected in human monocytes may be transcendent in the regulation of the fibrinolytic system.


2005 ◽  
Vol 387 (1) ◽  
pp. 271-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seonghun KIM ◽  
Sun Bok LEE

The extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus utilizes D-glucose as a sole carbon and energy source through the non-phosphorylated Entner–Doudoroff pathway. It has been suggested that this micro-organism metabolizes D-gluconate, the oxidized form of D-glucose, to pyruvate and D-glyceraldehyde by using two unique enzymes, D-gluconate dehydratase and 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-gluconate aldolase. In the present study, we report the purification and characterization of D-gluconate dehydratase from S. solfataricus, which catalyses the conversion of D-gluconate into 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-gluconate. D-Gluconate dehydratase was purified 400-fold from extracts of S. solfataricus by ammonium sulphate fractionation and chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose, Q-Sepharose, phenyl-Sepharose and Mono Q. The native protein showed a molecular mass of 350 kDa by gel filtration, whereas SDS/PAGE analysis provided a molecular mass of 44 kDa, indicating that D-gluconate dehydratase is an octameric protein. The enzyme showed maximal activity at temperatures between 80 and 90 °C and pH values between 6.5 and 7.5, and a half-life of 40 min at 100 °C. Bivalent metal ions such as Co2+, Mg2+, Mn2+ and Ni2+ activated, whereas EDTA inhibited the enzyme. A metal analysis of the purified protein revealed the presence of one Co2+ ion per enzyme monomer. Of the 22 aldonic acids tested, only D-gluconate served as a substrate, with Km=0.45 mM and Vmax=0.15 unit/mg of enzyme. From N-terminal sequences of the purified enzyme, it was found that the gene product of SSO3198 in the S. solfataricus genome database corresponded to D-gluconate dehydratase (gnaD). We also found that the D-gluconate dehydratase of S. solfataricus is a phosphoprotein and that its catalytic activity is regulated by a phosphorylation–dephosphorylation mechanism. This is the first report on biochemical and genetic characterization of D-gluconate dehydratase involved in the non-phosphorylated Entner–Doudoroff pathway.


2003 ◽  
Vol 49 (10) ◽  
pp. 625-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy ◽  
Rodrigo F Souza ◽  
Rosana C Gomes ◽  
Alane B Vermelho ◽  
Marta H Branquinha

Actively motile cells from a cured strain of Crithidia deanei released proteins in phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). The molecular mass of the released polypeptides, which included some proteinases, ranged from 19 to 116 kDa. One of the major protein bands was purified to homogeneity by a combination of anion-exchange and gel filtration chromatographs. The apparent molecular mass of this protein was estimated to be 62 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). The incorporation of gelatin into SDS–PAGE showed that the purified protein presented proteolytic activity in a position corresponding to a molecular mass of 60 kDa. The enzyme was optimally active at 37 °C and pH 6.0 and showed 25% of residual activity at 28 °C for 30 min. The proteinase was inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline and EDTA, showing that it belonged to the metalloproteinase class. A polyclonal antibody to the leishmanial gp63 reacted strongly with the released C. deanei protease. After Triton X-114 extraction, an enzyme similar to the purified metalloproteinase was detected in aqueous and detergent-rich phases. The detection of an extracellular metalloproteinase produced by C. deanei and some other Crithidia species suggests a potential role of this released enzyme in substrate degradation that may be relevant to the survival of trypanosomatids in the host.Key words: endosymbiont, trypanosomatid, extracellular, proteinase.


1991 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Egberto G. Moura ◽  
Carmen C. Pazos-Moura ◽  
Naokata Yokoyama ◽  
Martha L. Dorris ◽  
Alvin Taurog

Abstract Thyroid peroxidase is a heme-containing, membrane-bound, glycoprotein enzyme that catalyzes iodination and coupling in the thyroid gland. It is also the antigen for microsomal autoantibodies that are commonly found in the serum of patients with autoimmune thyroid disease. We examined the effect of deglycosylation on the catalytic functions and the immunoreactivity of this enzyme. A highly purified, solubilized, large tryptic fragment of porcine thyroid peroxidase, retaining all of the N-linked glycosylation sites of the native enzyme and displaying full catalytic activity was used. It was deglycosylated by treatment with N-glycanase under nondenaturing conditions. The loss in relative molecular mass after treatment, determined by gel electrophoresis, was about 75% of the estimated molecular weight of the glycan portion of porcine thyroid peroxidase. Lectin blots performed with horseradish peroxidase-conjugated concanavalin A showed a similar loss in relative molecular mass but some residual carbohydrate. The intensity of the carbohydrate stain was consistent with the loss of about 75% of the glycans. Despite this loss, three different assays for catalytic activity of porcine thyroid peroxidase were not significantly decreased. Immunoreactivity measured by immunoblotting and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was also unimpaired. These findings suggest that N-glycanase-sensitive glycans in porcine thyroid peroxidase do not act as antigenic determinants and play a minor role, if any, in catalytic activity and, presumably therefore, in the maintenance of protein conformation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 218 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Soon Chin ◽  
Janet Sim ◽  
Keng Ing Seah ◽  
Tiow Suan Sim

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