A Biochemical Platform to Define the Relative Specific Activity of IDUA Variants Identified by Newborn Screening

The lysosomal storage disorder, mucopolysaccharidosis I (MPSI), results from mutations in IDUA, the gene that encodes the glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzyme α-L-iduronidase. Newborn screening efforts for MPSI have greatly increased the number of novel IDUA variants identified, but with insufficient experimental evidence regarding their pathogenicity, many of these variants remain classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Defining pathogenicity for novel IDUA variants is critical for decisions regarding medical management and early intervention. Here, we describe a biochemical platform for the characterization of IDUA variants that relies on viral delivery of IDUA DNA into IDUA-deficient HAP1 cells and isolation of single cell expression clones. The relative specific activity of wild-type and variant α-iduronidase was determined using a combination of Western blot analysis and α-iduronidase activity assays. The specific activity of each variant enzyme was consistent across different single cell clones despite variable IDUA expression and could be accurately determined down to 0.05–0.01% of WT α-iduronidase activity. With this strategy we compared the specific activities of known pseudodeficiency variants (p.His82Gln, p.Ala79Thr, p.Val322Glu, p.Asp223Asn) or pathogenic variants (p.Ser633Leu, p.His240Arg) with variants of uncertain significance (p.Ser586Phe, p.Ile272Leu). The p.Ser633Leu and p.His240Arg variants both show very low activities consistent with their association with Scheie syndrome. In our experiments, however, p.His240Arg exhibited a specific activity five times higher than p.Ser633Leu in contrast to other reports showing equivalent activity. Cell clones expressing the p.Ser586Phe and p.Ile272Leu variants had specific activities in the range of other pseudodeficiency variants tested. Our findings show that pseudodeficiency and pathogenic variants can be distinguished from each other with regard to specific activity, and confirms that all the pseudodeficiency variants variably reduce α-iduronidase activity. We envision this platform will be a valuable resource for the rigorous assessment of the novel IDUA variants emerging from the expansion of newborn screening efforts.

Enhancement of GAD Storage Stability with Immobilization on PDA-Coated Superparamagnetic Magnetite Nanoparticles

To improve the storage stability of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation method and coated with polydopamine (PDA) for GAD immobilization. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine size of the nanoparticles, which were approximately 10 nm, increasing to 15 nm after PDA-coating and to 20 nm upon GAD binding. Vibrational scanning measurements significantly represented the superparamagnetic behavior of the Fe3O4, and X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the crystalline structure before and after coating with PDA and the further immobilization of GAD remained the same. Thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy proved that the PDA-coating on Fe3O4 and further immobilization of GAD were successful. After immobilization, the enzyme can be used with a relative specific activity of 40.7% after five successive uses. The immobilized enzyme retained relative specific activity of about 50.5% after 15 days of storage at 4 °C, while free enzyme showed no relative specific activity after two days of storage. The GAD immobilization on PDA-coated magnetite nanoparticles was reported for the improvement of enzyme storage stability for the first time.

Thio Wax Ester Biosynthesis Utilizing the Unspecific Bifunctional Wax Ester Synthase/Acyl Coenzyme A:Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase of Acinetobacter sp. Strain ADP1

ABSTRACT The bifunctional wax ester synthase/acyl coenzyme A (acyl-CoA):diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WS/DGAT) from Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1 (formerly Acinetobacter calcoaceticus ADP1) mediating the biosyntheses of wax esters and triacylglycerols was used for the in vivo and in vitro biosynthesis of thio wax esters and dithio wax esters. For in vitro biosynthesis, 5′His6WS/DGAT comprising an N-terminal His6 tag was purified from the soluble protein fraction of Escherichia coli Rosetta(DE3)pLysS (pET23a::5′His6 atf). By employing SP-Sepharose high-pressure and Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid fast-protein liquid chromatographies, a 19-fold enrichment with a final specific activity of 165.2 nmol mg of protein−1 min−1 was achieved by using 1-hexadecanol and palmitoyl-CoA as substrates. Incubation of purified 5′His6WS/DGAT with 1-hexadecanethiol and palmitoyl-CoA as substrates resulted in the formation of palmitic acid hexadecyl thio ester (10.4% relative specific activity of a 1-hexadecanol control). Utilization of 1,8-octanedithiol and palmitoyl-CoA as substrates led to the formation of 1-S-monopalmitoyloctanedithiol and minor amounts of 1,8-S-dipalmitoyloctanedithiol (59.3% relative specific activity of a 1-hexadecanol control). The latter dithio wax ester was efficiently produced when 1-S-monopalmitoyloctanedithiol and palmitoyl-CoA were used as substrates (13.4% specific activity relative to that of a 1-hexadecanol control). For the in vivo biosynthesis of thio wax esters, the knockout mutant Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1acr1ΩKm, which is unable to produce fatty alcohols, was used. Cultivation of Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1acr1ΩKm in the presence of gluconate, 1-hexadecanethiol, and oleic acid in nitrogen-limited mineral salts medium resulted in the accumulation of unusual thio wax esters that accounted for around 1.19% (wt/wt) of the cellular dry weight and consisted mainly of oleic acid hexadecyl thioester as revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Biosynthesis of Withanolides in Acnistus breviflorus Chemical Degradation of 14C-Labelled Jaborosalactone A and Withaferin A

Administration of [2-14C]mevalonolactone to excised leaves of Acnistus breviflorus produced labelled withaferin A and jaborosalactone A. Degradation of the labelled withanolides allowed isolation of C-26, and in the case of withaferin A of C-1, both derived from C-2 of mevalonolactone. The relative specific activity of these carbon atoms was consistent with our previous results indicating the partial cleavage of the side chain of a sterol precursor in the biosynthetic process leading to the withanolides.

Further evidence for enhanced phospholipid synthesis by rat jejunal villus cells during fat absorption

The effect of fat absorption on the phospholipid turnover of rat intestinal mucosa was determined in animals receiving single fatty meals by stomach tube or multiple meals in the form of corn-oil-soaked laboratory chow diet. The specific activity and relative specific activity of the total phospholipids and of individual phospholipid classes were measured in the isolated jejunal villus cells of fasting and fat-fed animals following an injection of radioactive inorganic phosphate 0.5–31 h prior to sacrifice, which was scheduled to coincide with the peak of fat absorption (2.5–3 h after the last meal). It was shown that the relative specific activity of the fat-absorbing cells increased by about 33% when the samples were taken 0.5 h after intravenous injection of radioactive phosphate. Samples taken 11 and 31 h after the introduction of the radioactive phosphate showed about 16% decrease in the relative specific activity of the phospholipids of the fat-absorbing cells when compared with the fasting controls. These changes in the relative specific activity of the total phospholipids included all phospholipid classes and corresponded to the recently described expansion of the cellular phospholipid pool owing partly to increased de novo synthesis of the membrane phospholipids. The present results are consistent with the known biochemical and physiological changes taking place in the mucosal cells during fat absorption and transport and find support in various less direct biochemical and morphometric measurements.

Einbau von [32P]Orthophosphat in DNA der Mäuse-Milz unter Antigen-Einfluß / Incorporation of [32P]Orthophosphate into DNA of the Mouse Spleen under Influence of Antigen

Antigens cause an increase of the DNA synthesis in the spleen of mice as shown by the in­corporation of [32P]orthophosphate and [3H]thymidine. In the present paper, the incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate into the single deoxymononucleotides has been studied under influence of the antigen bovine serum albumin. For this purpose, the labelled DNA was decomposed to the deoxymononucleotides and their specific activities determined. Using [32P]orthophosphate, it was found that the activity of the DNA increased continuously during an observation period of 8 h. While after one hour the relative specific activity of dTMP was highest and that of dAMP lowest, the relative specific activities of the deoxymononucleotides had become equal after 8 h. Under the influence of bovine serum albumin, the incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate increased in the main band DNA as well as in the satellite DNA. The antigen had no effect on the distribution of the specific activities of the deoxymononucleotides.

Lipoprotein lipase activity of rat cardiac muscle. The intracellular distribution of the enzyme between fractions prepared from cardiac muscle and cells isolated from the hearts of fed and starved animals

1. Subcellular fractions, characterized by using morphological, compositional and enzymic markers, were prepared from rat heart tissue and cells isolated from the hearts of fed and 24 h-starved rats. 2. The lipoprotein lipase activity of fractions from whole tissue and isolated cells was determined in either fresh fractions or in acetone/diethyl ether powders of the fractions. 3. Lipoprotein lipase activity was present in all the fractions from tissue and cells, but was found to be of highest relative specific activity in the microsomal () fractions. 4. In fractions prepared from the isolated cells of hearts from starved rats the proportion of the total lipoprotein lipase present and its relative specific activity in the microsomal fraction were greater than in the equivalent fractions from fed animals. 5. The enhancement of lipoprotein lipase activity as a result of the acetone/diethyl ether powder preparation of fractions was most extensive in the microsomal fractions. 6. Investigation of the microsomal fraction showed that the lipoprotein lipase activity present was in two pools, one of which was within endoplasmic-reticulum vesicles. 7. The observations were consistent with the possibility that the cardiac-muscle cell could be the origin of the lipoprotein lipase activity functional in triacylglycerol uptake by the heart.

Localization of fumarylacetoacetate fumarylhydrolase in rat liver

The intracellular location of fumarylacetoacetate fumarylhydrolase (EC 3.7.1.2) has been demonstrated in rat liver tissue. Two fractionation procedures involving homogenization and differential centrifugation were adopted. The first fractionation procedure isolated the nuclear fraction while the second gave the mitochondrial, microsomal, and soluble phase fractions. The hydrolase is localized in the soluble phase of the rat liver tissue. The enzyme also showed a high relative specific activity in the soluble phase fraction. Fractionation efficiency was checked by microscopic studies and by determining the distribution of a number of marker enzymes.

Isolation of a Golgi-apparatus-enriched fraction from leukaemic cells

1. A Golgi-apparatus-enriched fraction was isolated from acute leukaemic lymphoblasts of AKR mice by using an homogenate stabilized with 1 mM-glutaraldehyde. 2. The isolated fraction, which was shown morphologically to be enriched in dictyosomes, possessed between 44- and 76-fold increase in specific activity, compared with the tumour homogenate, of UDP-galactose-glycoprotein galactosyltransferase and between 3- and 10.5-fold increase in relative specific activity of UDP-N-acetygalactosamine-polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase. 3. Plasma membranes isolated from the leukaemic lymphoblasts also possessed glycoprotein galactosyltransferase activity, though in contrast with Golgi-apparatus-enriched material had no detectable polypeptide N-acetygalactosaminyltransferase. 4. The difficulties associated with maintaining the morphological integrity of the Golgi apparatus in subcellular fractionation are discussed.

Structural and Metabolic Interrelationships Among Glycerophosphatides of Rat Liver In Vivo

The specific activities of individual molecular species of rat liver diacylglycerylphosphorocholine (PC), diacylglycerylphosphoroethanolamine (PE), and diacylglycerophosphorylinositol (MPI) were determined and compared following intravenous injection of glycerol-14C. PC, PE, and MPI contained 41, 51, and 83%, respectively, tetraenoic species, and 40,17, and 9% combined mono-, di-, and trienoic species. The rest of the phosphatide mass of PC, PE, and MPI was contributed by 18, 32, and 8% penta- and hexaenoic species, respectively. The proportions of chemical classes of the glycerophosphatides differed by 1.1- to 18-fold while the fatty acid associations within the unsaturation classes common to these phosphatides varied 2.2- to 17-fold. After 5 min exposure to radioactive glycerol, the mono-, di-, and trienoic species of the PC, PE, and MPI possessed 13–18, 15–50, and 6–42 times, respectively, the specific activity of the tetraenes of the corresponding phosphatide classes. While the pentaenoic and hexaenoic species of PC and MPI had specific activities three to five times those of the respective tetraenes, the higher polyenes of PE were considerably more radioactive and approached the specific activity of the dienoic species of this phosphatide. With progressing time up to 60 min, the tetraenoic species of PC, PE, and MPI showed increases in relative specific activity of 50, 64, and 109%, respectively, in the three phosphatides. These results are consistent with an effective de novo synthesis of the oligoenoic species and a transacylation of the tetraenoic species of all liver glycerophosphatides tested. The proportional contribution of de novo synthesis in comparison to acyl transfer is apparently greater to the formation of PC and PE than to that of MPI.