The Penetration of Acetylcholine into the Central Nervous Tissues of an Insect (Periplaneta Americana L.)

1965 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-21
Author(s):  
J. E. TREHERNE ◽  
D. S. SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Nerve Cord ◽  
Periplaneta Americana ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Intracellular Uptake ◽  
Rapid Accumulation ◽  
Stage Process ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

1. 14C-labelled acetylcholine was found to penetrate rapidly into the tissues of the intact abdominal nerve cord. Uptake in the presence of 10-4 M eserine occurred as a two-stage process, the initial rapid influx being identified as the penetration into the extracellular system of the nerve cord. 2. There was a more rapid accumulation of radioactivity in normal preparations as compared with those treated with 10-4 M eserine, presumably as a result of intracellular uptake of the products of hydrolysis of the acetylcholine. 3. The level of radioactivity in the rapidly exchanging fraction was consistent with the hypothesis that the acetylcholine ions were distributed in the extracellular fluid according to a Donnan equilibrium with the haemolymph in eserinized preparations. 4. These results are discussed in relation to the possible physiological role of acetylcholine in synaptic transmission in this insect.

The Metabolism of Acetylcholine in the Intact Central Nervous System of An Insect (Periplaneta Americana L.)

1965 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-454
Author(s):  
J. E. TREHERNE ◽  
D. S. SMITH
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Nerve Cord ◽  
Cholinergic System ◽  
Periplaneta Americana ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Fibrous Layer ◽  
Nerve Sheath ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

1. A very rapid metabolism of 3H-labelled acetylcholine has been demonstrated in the intact abdominal nerve cord. It has been shown that the cholinesterase system is effective in drastically reducing the concentration of acetylcholine in the extracellular fluid of the terminal abdominal ganglion with bathing solutions of up to IO-2M acetylcholine. 2. Evidence has been obtained which indicates that an appreciable hydrolysis of acetylcholine occurs at the periphery of the nerve cord. This effect is correlated with the electronmicroscopic demonstration of regions of eserine-sensitive cholinesterase located on glial membranes in the periphery of ganglia and connectives. It is suggested that some hydrolysis of extraneous acetylcholine may occur in the fibrous layer of the nerve sheath as a result of an accumulation of diffusible acetylcholinesterase in this region. 3. The results are discussed in relation to the possible involvement of the conventional cholinergic system in synaptic transmission in the central nervous system of this insect.

scholarly journals Genetic Characterization of a Cell Envelope-Associated Proteinase from Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32

1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (15) ◽  
pp. 4592-4597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey A. Pederson ◽  
Gerald J. Mileski ◽  
Bart C. Weimer ◽  
James L. Steele
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Deletion Mutant ◽  
Cell Envelope ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Lactobacillus Helveticus ◽  
Whole Cells ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

ABSTRACT A cell envelope-associated proteinase gene (prtH) was identified in Lactobacillus helveticus CNRZ32. TheprtH gene encodes a protein of 1,849 amino acids and with a predicted molecular mass of 204 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of the prtH product has significant identity (45%) to that of the lactococcal PrtP proteinases. Southern blot analysis indicates thatprtH is not broadly distributed within L. helveticus. A prtH deletion mutant of CNRZ32 was constructed to evaluate the physiological role of PrtH. PrtH is not required for rapid growth or fast acid production in milk by CNRZ32. Cell surface proteinase activity and specificity were determined by hydrolysis of αs1-casein fragment 1-23 by whole cells. A comparison of CNRZ32 and its prtH deletion mutant indicates that CNRZ32 has at least two cell surface proteinases that differ in substrate specificity.

scholarly journals The substrate specificity of acid α-glucosidase from rabbit muscle

1971 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 701-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Substrate Inhibition ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Liver Glycogen ◽  
Rabbit Muscle ◽  
Ph Optimum ◽  
Enzyme Action ◽  
Rate Limiting ◽  
Kinetics Of ◽  
Hydrolysis Of

1. Acid α-glucosidase was purified 3500-fold from rabbit muscle. 2. The enzyme was activated by cations, the degree of activation varying with the substrate. Enzyme action on glycogen was most strongly activated and activation was apparently of a non-competitive type. With rabbit liver glycogen as substrate, the relative Vmax. increased 15-fold, accompanied by an increase in Km from 8.3 to 68.6mm-chain end over the cation range 2–200mm-Na+ at pH4.5. Action on maltose was only moderately activated (1.3-fold, non-competitively) and action on maltotriose was marginally and competitively inhibited. 3. The pH optimum at 2mm-Na+ was 4.5 (maltose) and 5.1 (glycogen). Cation activation of enzyme action on glycogen was markedly pH-dependent. At 200mm-Na+, the pH optimum was 4.8 and activity was maximally stimulated in the range pH4.5–3.3. 4. Glucosidase action on maltosaccharides was associated with pronounced substrate inhibition at concentrations exceeding 5mm. Of the maltosaccharides tested, the enzyme showed a preference for p-nitrophenyl α-maltoside (Km 1.2mm) and maltotriose (Km 1.8mm). The extrapolated Km for enzyme action on maltose was 3.7mm. 5. The macromolecular polysaccharide substrate glycogen differed from linear maltosaccharide substrates in the kinetics of its interaction with the enzyme. Activity was markedly dependent on pH, cation concentration and polysaccharide structure. There was no substrate inhibition. 6. The enzyme exhibited constitutive α-1,6-glucanohydrolase activity. The Km for panose was 20mm. 7. The enzyme catalysed the total conversion of glycogen into glucose. The hydrolysis of α-1,6-linkages was apparently rate-limiting during the hydrolysis of glycogen. 8. Enzyme action on glycogen and maltose released the α-anomer of d-glucose. 9. The results are discussed in terms of the physiological role of acid α-glucosidase in lysosomal glycogen catabolism.

scholarly journals A STUDY OF THE NUCLEOSIDE TRI- AND DIPHOSPHATE ACTIVITIES OF RAT LIVER MICROSOMES

1962 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Ernster ◽  
Lois C. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Rat Liver ◽  
Liver Microsomes ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Sodium Deoxycholate ◽  
Inorganic Pyrophosphatase ◽  
Rat Liver Microsomes ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
No Activation

Rat liver microsomes catalyze the hydrolysis of the triphosphates of adenosine, guanosine, uridine, cytidine, and inosine into the corresponding diphosphates and inorganic orthophosphate. The activities are stimulated by Na2S2O4, and inhibited by atebrin, chlorpromazine, sodium azide, and deaminothyroxine. Sodium deoxycholate inhibits the ATPase activity in a progressive manner; the release of orthophosphate from GTP and UTP is stimulated by low, and inhibited by high, concentrations of deoxycholate, and that from CTP and ITP is unaffected by low, and inhibited by high, concentrations of deoxycholate. Subfractionation of microsomes with deoxycholate into ribosomal, membrane, and soluble fractions reveals a concentration of the triphosphatase activity in the membrane fraction. Rat liver microsomes also catalyze the hydrolysis of the diphosphates of the above nucleosides into the corresponding monophosphates and inorganic orthophosphate. Deoxycholate strongly enhances the GDPase, UDPase, and IDPase activities while causing no activation or even inhibition of the ADPase and CDPase activities. The diphosphatase is unaffected by Na2S2O4 and is inhibited by azide and deaminothyroxine but not by atebrin or chlorpromazine. Upon fractionation of the microsomes with deoxycholate, a large part of the GDPase, UDPase, and IDPase activities is recovered in the soluble fraction. Mechanical disruption of the microsomes with an Ultra Turrax Blender both activates and releases the GDPase, UDPase, and IDPase activities, and the former effect occurs more readily than the latter. The GDPase, UDPase, and IDPase activities of the rat liver cell reside almost exclusively in the microsomal fraction, as revealed by comparative assays of the mitochondrial, microsomal, and final supernatant fractions of the homogenate. The microsomes exhibit relatively low nucleoside monophosphatase and inorganic pyrophosphatase activities, and these are unaffected by deoxycholate or mechanical treatment. Different approaches toward the function of the liver microsomal nucleoside tri- and diphosphatases are reported, and the possible physiological role of the two enzymes is discussed.

scholarly journals Molecular and Physiological Role of the Trehalose-Hydrolyzing α-Glucosidase from Thermus thermophilus HB27

2008 ◽  
Vol 190 (7) ◽  
pp. 2298-2305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susana Alarico ◽  
Milton S. da Costa ◽  
Nuno Empadinhas
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Minimal Medium ◽  
Thermus Thermophilus ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Hydrolytic Activity ◽  
Recombinant Enzyme ◽  
New Feature ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Reciprocal Replacement

ABSTRACT Trehalose supports the growth of Thermus thermophilus strain HB27, but the absence of obvious genes for the hydrolysis of this disaccharide in the genome led us to search for enzymes for such a purpose. We expressed a putative α-glucosidase gene (TTC0107), characterized the recombinant enzyme, and found that the preferred substrate was α,α-1,1-trehalose, a new feature among α-glucosidases. The enzyme could also hydrolyze the disaccharides kojibiose and sucrose (α-1,2 linkage), nigerose and turanose (α-1,3), leucrose (α-1,5), isomaltose and palatinose (α-1,6), and maltose (α-1,4) to a lesser extent. Trehalose was not, however, a substrate for the highly homologous α-glucosidase from T. thermophilus strain GK24. The reciprocal replacement of a peptide containing eight amino acids in the α-glucosidases from strains HB27 (LGEHNLPP) and GK24 (EPTAYHTL) reduced the ability of the former to hydrolyze trehalose and provided trehalose-hydrolytic activity to the latter, showing that LGEHNLPP is necessary for trehalose recognition. Furthermore, disruption of the α-glucosidase gene significantly affected the growth of T. thermophilus HB27 in minimal medium supplemented with trehalose, isomaltose, sucrose, or palatinose, to a lesser extent with maltose, but not with cellobiose (not a substrate for the α-glucosidase), indicating that the α-glucosidase is important for the assimilation of those four disaccharides but that it is also implicated in maltose catabolism.

scholarly journals Enzymic hydrolysis of acetylcarnitine in liver from rats, sheep and cows

1975 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. D. Costa ◽  
A. M. Snoswell
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fraction ◽  
Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Outer Mitochondrial Membrane ◽  
Carnitine Acetyltransferase ◽  
Enzymic Hydrolysis ◽  
Liver Homogenates ◽  
Hydrolysis Of ◽  
Hydrolysis Activity

1. The enzymic utilization of O-acetyl-l-carnitine other than via carnitine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.7) was investigated in liver homogenates from rats, sheep and dry cows. 2. An enzymic utilization of O-acetyl-l-carnitine via hydrolysis of the ester bond to yield stoicheiometric quantities of acetate and l-carnitine was demonstrated; 0.55, 0.53 and 0.30μmol of acetyl-l-carnitine were utilized/min per g fresh wt. of liver homogenates from rats, sheep and dry cows respectively. 3. The acetylcarnitine hydrolysis activity was not due to a non-specific esterase or non-specific cholinesterase. O-Acetyl-d-carnitine was not utilized. 4. The activity was associated with the enriched outer mitochondrial membrane fraction from rat liver. Isolation of this fraction resulted in an eightfold purification of acetylcarnitine hydrolase activity. 4. The Km for this acetylcarnitine utilization was 2mm and 1.5mm for rat and sheep liver homogenates respectively. 6. There was a significant increase in acetylcarnitine hydrolase in rats on starvation and cows on lactation and a significant decrease in sheep that were severely alloxan-diabetic. 7. The physiological role of an acetylcarnitine hydrolase is discussed in relation to coupling with carnitine acetyltransferase for the relief of ‘acetyl pressure’.

scholarly journals Extracellular-vesicle type of volume transmission and tunnelling-nanotube type of wiring transmission add a new dimension to brain neuro-glial networks

2014 ◽  
Vol 369 (1652) ◽  
pp. 20130505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi F. Agnati ◽  
Kjell Fuxe
Keyword(s):  
Synaptic Transmission ◽  
Intercellular Communication ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Extracellular Fluid ◽  
Extracellular Vesicle ◽  
Volume Transmission ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Point To Point

Two major types of intercellular communication are found in the central nervous system (CNS), namely wiring transmission (WT; point-to-point communication via private channels, e.g. synaptic transmission) and volume transmission (VT; communication in the extracellular fluid and in the cerebrospinal fluid). Volume and synaptic transmission become integrated because their chemical signals activate different types of interacting receptors in heteroreceptor complexes located synaptically and extrasynaptically in the plasma membrane. In VT, we focus on the role of the extracellular-vesicle type of VT, and in WT, on the potential role of the tunnelling-nanotube (TNT) type of WT. The so-called exosomes appear to be the major vesicular carrier for intercellular communication but the larger microvesicles also participate. Extracellular vesicles are released from cultured cortical neurons and different types of glial cells and modulate the signalling of the neuronal–glial networks of the CNS. This type of VT has pathological relevance, and epigenetic mechanisms may participate in the modulation of extracellular-vesicle-mediated VT. Gerdes and co-workers proposed the existence of a novel type of WT based on TNTs, which are straight transcellular channels leading to the formation in vitro of syncytial cellular networks found also in neuronal and glial cultures.

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